The Villainess Is Being Doted on by the Crown Prince of the Neighboring Country 174
- Things within Everyone’s Means
Luca’s consciousness gradually returned from the sleep; it’s caused by the sounds of knocking on the door which started off small and eventually became loud.
Luca rubbed his eyes and stretched his back; it seems like he fell asleep while researching on magic.
Luca looked at the mirror in the washroom and there were marks left on his cheeks by his clothes.
He washed his face quickly and drank water when he suddenly realized that the door knocks meant that there’s a visitor.
From the sound of knocks, it’s probably Elaine.
“-Sorry to keep you waiting”
“You’re too slow, Sir Luca! Tsk, how long do you intend to keep me waiting in front of the door…?”
“Sorry- wait, you are all wet, hurry and come in.”
Heavy rain is still going on outside and the ground has been soaked. Elaine wore an outer coat to keep herself dry, but it was useless in this heavy rain.
Luca prepared towel and gently dried Elaine’s hair; one could have dried it with magic, but due to his overwhelming magic power, it’s not possible.
Elaine dried her hair with the towel and smiled saying that it’s fine; she used her own magic which instantly dried her wet hair.
“It’d be a big problem if Elaine caught a cold from the rain; you should have asked Leo to come here instead if there’s anything.”
“In that case, Sir Leo would be the one catching the cold.”
“Leo’s sturdy so it’d be fine.”
Luca laughed and took the cookies which he kept as emergency snack; it’s troublesome to go outside for breakfast, so he often has these instead.
However, whenever he does that, Elaine would get angry at him.
“Argh, how many times have I told you that it’s not good to eat cookies in the morning…”
“I like how convenient cookies are; also, they’re delicious. I mean it’s made based on mum’s recipe after all.”
“I know that it’s delicious, I often eat them as snacks too. Wait, that’s not the point, the point is for you to have a regular lifestyle… sigh; it’s useless no matter how many times I remind you of that.”
Elaine sighed and looked at the magic books and items scattered on the table.
“How’s the result of your research?”
“Hmm-… there’s one jig-saw puzzle that’s missing, however I just couldn’t get it… it’s tough.”
Luca is using the tower behind the royal castle as a magic laboratory.
He initially started researching with the intention to control his own magic power, but right now he’s purely enjoying the process of it.
The power of magic is boundless.
However, Luca’s magic power is a little… no quite overwhelming that he cannot use his magic freely.
Luca took a long deep breath, diverted his gaze to the side and looked outside of the windows.
“If only Leo and I can use our magic… I’m sure we can deal with this strange weather. Father and Grail are not around currently, so I guess we have to do something by ourselves.”
“Sir Luca, I’m sure you’ll be able to do it.”
Elaine smiled and said that it’d be fine while looking at the sky.
“I know it; Sir Luca and Sir Leo are very strong… well, it’d be the best if your father and the others would arrive soon though.”
“That’s… well, true. However, they embarked on the journey with such joyous mood so I guess it’s not possible. They’d probably come back after this problem has been resolved.”
“Well…”
His parents are kind but this incident is like a trial for him to mature. Therefore, Luca was determined to resolve the weird weather issue even if it meant lesser sleep.
Luca could hear someone shouting, mixed in the sound of the heavy rain.
He looked outside the windows and Leo was training the knights.
Angry roars echoed in the sound of thunder.
Leo was doing his best to understand the situation and gave orders.
“Damn it, it’s that bird again! If we cannot reach it with a sword, we shall use an arrow! Those who can use magic shall aim for it, while the others would provide support!”
“Yes!”
The knights tried to do everything they could within their means.
The birds which collapsed from the close-range attack were collected and taken care of by the knights in the frontline. At the same time, they are guiding the people who could not evacuate on time to a safe place.
However, in this heavy rain, it’s difficult for the knights even if they were well-trained. Their body heat’s taken away and their breathing became shallower too.
“Argh, if only I have more power…!
Leo stomped his foot in anger and looked up at the sky.
Leo’s skilled at using swords but he’s not good at dealing with arrows; Luca is better at it. Furthermore, he could not control his magic power so it cannot be used either.
Even if he tries to use it, he’d probably not be able to control it and cause a huge explosion,
-Even so, he cannot possibly do nothing and leave the current situation as it is.
The number of birds kept increasing as though they were born from the rain.
“Prince Stiftleo, there are casualties!”
“-Ugh, immediately contact the medics! Also, bring them indoors if possible.”
“Yes!”
Just like this, they were being cornered. If they do not do something to counter, things would aggravate.
Leo tried thinking about what he should do, and he looked at the mountain at the back of the royal castle. If he goes to the peak of it, he’d be able to see the entire street better compared to the view from the royal castle.
“It’s all or nothing- I guess.”
There will be no progress if they remain still, so Leo left the matters at hand to someone and ran towards the mountain.
Elaine, who was waiting for Luca to be ready with his preparations, witnessed it outside the windows; the sight of Leo running worries her.
“Sir Luca, Sir Leo is running towards somewhere else!!”
“Ah…”
Luca was holding a bow and he smiled wryly when he heard what Elaine said; he thought that it was very Leo-like to behave like that.
-But, it makes sense.
“With the undying rain, strong wind and those birds; we don’t know when this will end and this would only drain us mentally. Leo probably took the chance and thought of a way to annihilate them once and for all.”
“Eh… but, how is he going to do that?”
Elaine’s doubt was understandable; after all Leo does not have the power to annihilate those birds. However, that does not mean that the probability is zero.
“If Leo and I were to control our magic and directed it towards the sky… we’d probably blow them away.”
“Eh…”
Elaine immediately wanted to shout that it’s reckless.
“Both of you always end up causing explosions whenever you guys tried to control the magic, no?! That’s reckless!!”
Elaine became teary as it’s not something that would go well just with determination.
However, Luca thought that it’s not possible for them to leave the current sky situation as it is forever. Even if they were to cause an explosion, it’d be in the mountain at the back in the middle of this heavy thunder and rain… so the damages brought about would probably be minimized; furthermore, the effect of it would be great if it were to be a success.
Luca patted the top of Elaine’s head and smiled saying that it’d be fine.
“I’m different from Leo and would not place my bets on something with zero probability of success.”
“Um, does that mean that there’s a chance of success?”
“-Yes. Also, there’s insurance too.”
“Insurance?”
Elaine tilted her head in confusion; she thought that it might be pertaining to the position of the knights, but everyone’s cornered with the sky issue.
Could he have meant the help from the fairy kings? However, their presences could not be felt yet.
“There’re irregular existences here, no?”
“Ah, do you mean King Aquasteed and Lady Tiararose?”
“Right.”
Luca praised Elaine for making the right guess.
“Even if something happens to me and Leo, both of them are around so it’d be fine.”
“Nonononono, what are you talking about, Sir Luca!! Doesn’t that mean something would happen to Sir Luca and Sir Leo?”
Elaine sounded frantic and she said that it’s definitely not going to work.
However, to Luca, there’s no other solution than this with the current situation, also he have done some calculations regarding the magic and this has the highest possibility of success.
“And with that, I’m going. Elaine, please stay here and look over this place.”
“Eh, w-wait a minute, Sir Luca.”
Luca put on an outer hood and smirked before jumping off the windows; Luca landed on the ground lightly from the second floor of the tower and headed straight to the mountain in the back.
He’s able to determine Leo’s location as their bracelets would react.
Luca hurriedly headed to the top of the mountain while hoping in his mind that Leo would wait for him and not go ahead without him.
***
“Aqua, there’s something serious happening outside!”
“Did the bird come again?”
It’s impossible to head to the forest until the rain stops, but they cannot possibly rest all these while.
Aquasteed put on a troubled look and stared at the bird which was attacking the knights. Since the attacker’s from the sky, it makes it even more difficult for them to deal with it. The knights are doing their best to fend themselves, but there’s no telling how much longer they can withstand it.
“I guess we cannot just overlook this… it’s probably not so difficult to deal with the bird if we use magic.”
Aquasteed said that and took his beloved sword from the wall before placing it on his waist; it’s be good if he has an outfit for the fight, but there’s no helping it if he doesn’t have it.
Tiararose understood that he’s going to provide support, and her face became slightly distorted; she wanted to stop him from going, but the current situation makes it difficult for her to say that.
-I guess, just a little help would do.
The number of birds flying in the sky has multiplied since the previous time and even Tiararose understood that the situation is worsening.
Aquasteed gently rubbed Tiararose’s head.
“Tiara, I’d be fine so please wait here calmly. If you’re worried, you can call Elaine over.”
“Aqua… but for me to just wait here is a little…”
She knows that she’d probably be a hindrance if she goes along and there’s a new life in her womb. Logically, she should wait in the room, but emotionally she wants to do something.
Tiararose crossed her hands in front of her chest and prayed while looking in the direction of Aquasteed.
-I have to say something to send him off.
I have to do that, but I think I’d end up saying “please bring me along” and that would only trouble Aquasteed.
Tiararose smiled listlessly and released the tension from her shoulders.
“Aqua. I believe in you, Aqua–”
When Tiararose was about to continue her words and tell him that she’d wait for him, one of the two rings on her left ring finger, the ring of starry sky king suddenly emitted light.