FSW Chapter 32

"Did you press the flowers well?"

That day, when she'd given him the hydrangea Joy brought along with the ointment, he'd smiled even more beautifully than she'd imagined. So much that she—the gift-giver—felt more delighted.

Though that had made his lip split open again and bleed, causing her to turn serious once more.

Just the other day, she'd taught him how to press flowers for the sake of cheering him up when he'd grown dejected watching the flowers wilt with each passing day. Judging by how pleased he'd been, there was a strong possibility he'd pressed every last remaining hydrangea petal.

"Well... due to my lack of skill, I damaged some parts. ...I'm sorry."

He wilted like a child who'd dropped a candy after only one lick. His face was so earnestly gloomy—why was it so amusing? Though she couldn't just laugh, since she herself had once gloomily apologized to Wier and Saelik for ruining a hydrangea—but Nishina had completely forgotten her own behavior.

"I'll give you more flowers next time, so don't be too upset."

Nishina patted his back consolingly. It wasn't empty words. When she'd told them how much he'd loved it, Wier and Saelik had been delighted—though Saelik pretended not to be at all—and promised to bring more flowers next time.

Though she couldn't speak of their existence, her two dear friends would gladly bring other flowers for his sake. Next time, she intended to help personally too. She wanted to try giving flowers with her own hands. Absolutely not because she wanted to see that smiling face one more time.

"Well then, shall we start now?"

Nishina sprang to her feet. Though she had no desire whatsoever to go out in the blazing sun, today was the day she'd learn the fourth movement. Expectation filled Nishina's face as she gripped the wooden sword. It would wilt before long, obviously, but wasn't humanity the animal of forgetting? Say what anyone would, motivation was currently overflowing.

She'd known it would be like this. After the downward strike came the left downward strike, then the right downward strike, and today when she'd hoped for something different at last, it was the upward strike—barely different from the downward strikes.

'No, upward strikes aren't bad either, but I wanted to do something cool like swinging the sword swiftly...'

Exhausted, Nishina crawled weakly into the shade. Though her stamina had improved enough to do 100 repetitions without rest, the degree of difficulty hadn't lessened at all. Rather, as the sun grew hotter, it had become more agonizing.

She poured the cool tea from the insulated flask and shared it with him. For someone who'd been in the blazing sun too, he looked remarkably fine—but she no longer felt aggrieved about it. When there was a thirty-year skill gap, comparing was a fool's errand.

Once the heat had subsided somewhat, Nishina handed him the snacks she'd prepared and passed time in a daze. He'd been gazing at the sky when he had the flower in his mouth too—definitely different from usual. Lavis, who'd quietly set down his half-eaten cookie, carefully called to Nishina.

"...Your Highness? Is something wrong?"

His gaze was laden with nothing less than concern.

"Does it show?"

Nishina let out a deep sigh and smiled bitterly.

She'd been trying not to think about it, but actually, after this training ended, she was scheduled to meet her brother. It was the start of their first collaborative work, forcibly obtained. Since they needed to discuss things first, she'd made an appointment through the attendant her brother had sent—and that was today. At the time, she'd recklessly pushed ahead heedless of consequences in her desperation, but now that the meeting approached, she felt nervous.

'What if I make a mistake?'

When his favorability already seemed rock-bottom, if he disliked her even more, where exactly would it fall?

Worrying about digging through the ground, Nishina lamented.

"I don't want to be a burden, but I'm worried I might make mistakes."

Though it was an unkind explanation with all context cut away, he seemed to have read the worry contained within. He hesitantly opened his mouth.

"...You'll do well."

At the unexpected response, Nishina's gaze fixed on him. As if burdened by the focused attention, his head lowered slightly.

"You did the upward strikes well, so surely other things too..."

He hurriedly added more. Though his words trailed off in the end, his desire to encourage her was fully conveyed.

The endearment was beyond words. When she patted his head, his ear tips reddened again. She'd only touched him unconsciously out of fondness. Being like this made even absent courage bubble up.

"Thank you. I'll work hard!"

Truly amazing animal—no, Lavi therapy.

After finishing training, Nishina rushed back to the palace and began preparing. Worried he might be displeased if she smelled of sweat, she washed meticulously from head to toe and even applied fragrant oil.

She'd selected the neatest outfit among those that weren't flashy. Hair tidily arranged, she headed toward Aiden's palace. Though barely moving forward on the courage Lavis had filled her with, she still felt nervous.

It wasn't even her first visit, yet somehow she felt more anxious. After hesitating a long while outside his drawing room, the soldiers standing at attention glanced at Nishina. After much deep breathing, she nodded and they opened the door. In the center of the overwhelmingly splendid drawing room, Aiden sat radiating tremendous presence.

She clasped her trembling hands together and approached him. As if even waiting time was precious, Aiden's gaze didn't lift from the documents he'd brought.

"...Brother. Good morning—no, good afternoon—no, good..."

"Sit."

'Good what?!'

Lunch was long past and evening too early. Nishina, who belatedly found the answer "good afternoon," sat gloomily in the opposite seat.

Aiden checked the documents a few minutes more, then set the pile of papers down sharply on the table. Leaning back against the sofa, he didn't utter a word. Nor could Nishina speak first. Opening her mouth would only repeat foolish sounds like earlier.

Therefore, only silence flowed through the drawing room. The attendant who'd poured tea had withdrawn long ago. Under his displeased gaze, her back straightened involuntarily. Though she'd forced her way in to interfere with the King's reception, she'd firmly resolved to become friendly—if only by an ant's eye-crust worth—through this opportunity. But contrary to her resolution, Nishina only shrank smaller.

With her gaze fixed on her knees, fidgeting with her fingers, only after a long while did Aiden speak.

"You."

"Yes?!"

Perhaps because she'd been so tense, her voice came out louder than intended. At the resounding answer, his brow crumpled sharply. Aiden disliked loud things.

Nishina quickly clapped her hand over her own mouth. Glancing cautiously, Aiden gestured irritably to his assistant. The assistant standing beside Aiden handed Nishina a hefty pile of documents.

Documents gathering everything needed for this reception. Nishina quickly skimmed through. Though only a draft, it was remarkably detailed. Budget allocation, plus everything that needed preparation beyond the basic events—all organized.

Since it was entertaining distinguished guests, she hadn't thought it would be easy, but the scale was more impressive than expected. Enough to wonder if a novice like her should presume to tackle it. Especially when comparing Aiden's actual work experience with her own clumsy capabilities—incomparable levels—made her feel even more deflated.

"That's just the essentials I've compiled. If you think it's too much, even now..."

"I'll work hard!"

Aiden's continuation was obvious. Telling her to quit even now. Though startled and deflated, Nishina still had a great reason she couldn't abandon this work. At her bold answer, Aiden's face hardened. He'd apparently thought she'd grasp the scope after seeing the documents and back down.

Under his cold gaze, Nishina corrected herself.

"...No, I'll do well."

She faced him with earnest determination. When she did this, Father, Sir Hilton, and Joy would nod as if they couldn't help it. Of course, it probably wouldn't affect him even a kitten's-paw worth.

Aiden, who'd been pressing his temple with one hand as if his head ached, soon let out a deep sigh. In a voice still containing not a trace of warmth, he said:

"If you can memorize all of that by tomorrow, I'll accept your help."

"...All of this?"

"Surely you wouldn't presume to take on work without knowing what the work is."

The documents he'd handed over were a jaw-dropping amount. Probably impossible even pulling an all-nighter. Moreover, with many specialized terms Nishina was seeing for the first time, understanding would take even longer.

This was essentially a roundabout way of telling her to quit. Nevertheless, Nishina nodded earnestly.

"I'll master it."

Aiden, who seemed somehow even more displeased, issued his dismissal.

"You may withdraw for today."

"Then I'll come again tomorrow."

Nishina, clutching the bundle of documents preciously, left her greeting and departed. Only an all-night study session remained.

An even deeper silence than usual flowed through Aiden's already quiet office. In the space static except for breathing sounds, only three people remained.

Aiden with sleeves rolled up and elbows braced on the desk, one assistant standing beside him in proper posture, and Nishina standing tensely before them both. Unable to overcome her anxiety, Nishina clenched her fists. The tattered documents bearing all of last night's hardship crumpled pathetically.

Yesterday, the moment she'd reached the palace, she'd locked herself in her room and sat without rising until sunrise, skipping even dinner. The saying that when you wish desperately, the entire universe moves to help must be true. Seeing how she'd managed to finish reading documents that had seemed endless. By the time she finished the first read-through, tears had nearly spilled.

Thus Nishina had read and reread the documents until reaching her mental limit. Aiden, glancing at Nishina's noticeably gaunt face, finally asked a question while flipping through the original documents.

"The delegation's size and estimated number using the gate?"

"The expected delegation personnel is approximately 50 people including His Majesty the King. Since we'll assign escort and guidance to the Imperial Third Knight Order a week before the scheduled arrival date, combining the knight order's personnel, the delegation, and the spirit users needed for transport—about 90 people will use the gate."

As the answer fell smoothly, Aiden's brow narrowed. The assistant looked quite shocked, eyes widening as he stared at Nishina in astonishment. But it was too early to feel proud. Aiden, flipping through the documents a few more times, opened his mouth again.

"Which palace will the King stay in?"

"Scarlet Palace, which opens only for distinguished guests. Plus the palace provided for Rain's envoys and their maids will be Magenta Palace, which has many rooms—the delegation is approximately 50 people and the palace's maximum capacity is 100, so even assigning one room per person is sufficient. It's also close to Scarlet Palace distance-wise."

As she recited even unasked portions fluently, Aiden's expression grew more severe. The assistant now had his mouth hanging open.

Aiden asked several more questions without giving up, but Nishina answered perfectly without the slightest stumble. She'd truly memorized the entire enormous volume of documents in one day. At the detestable tenacity, Oscar the assistant inwardly clicked his tongue.

After a long silence, Aiden, who'd shut the document cover with a snap, muttered in an ominous voice: