CH 225

Princess Mia, fulfilling (some kind of flag…)

Mia’s group was on the Emerald Star when it left port. The wind caught its many sails, and the yacht steadily picked up speed. The sky was a clear blue, and the sun shone down without being blocked. So far, the summer has been cool, but the sun’s glare has been strong.

Mia’s hair sparkled just as much in its light as it did before. A salty sea breeze blew across the deck, and her silver hair fluttered in its wake.

She stood at the front of the boat with her arms outstretched and laughed with joy as the wind touched her skin.

“This is great! I feel like I’m flying!”

Mia had forgotten to bring her complaints about the yacht with her when she got on the Emerald Star. They were now sitting alone on the shore while their master had a great time sailing on what was supposed to be a “budget craft.”

She could have let herself go, but that was okay. In the last few days, she had been working out and dieting over and over again, which kept adding to her stress.

The freedom of the sea was too much to resist, and she couldn’t help but get carried away. Well, maybe a lot more than that…

A large wave came up from the side and hit the ship, making it heave. Water splashed on the deck, and the whole boat jumped up and down as if it had suddenly reached the top of a hill.

“…Eh?”

Mia, who had been leaning over the side, was caught off guard and thrown off the deck. Even if she had been ready, she wouldn’t have been able to react any better.

“Look out!”… Only to be pulled into a protective hug just in time.

“Well, that was close. Eek! Thank you very much.”

She squealed when she craned her neck to look behind her, because the arms gently holding her were those of…

“A-A-Abel?!”

When she saw who had saved her, her eyes sent a signal from her optic nerve to her spine so quickly that it went around her brain.

She did what all young, self-conscious girls do when they have an emergency fail-safe.

Abdominal muscles engaged. Flattening of the belly.

Abel breathed a sigh of relief, but he had no idea what she was doing.

“You know, Mia, you can act like a child in strange ways sometimes,” he said softly.

“Wha— Abel! Did you keep an eye on everything?”

Her cheeks turned red as she thought about how she was too eager and almost fell off the yacht.

“O-Oh, you…big meanie! If you were watching me, you could have at least said something…”

“I would have done it, but… I forgot.”

He scratched his cheek and couldn’t look at her.

“You…were just too beautiful to look at.”

“Hnngh!”

She clenched her fists and felt the heat in her cheeks rise. Her heart went up, as if it were still being carried by the last wave, and it almost left her chest.

C-C- Can he hear anything? How can he say things like that and still be serious? Heavenly moons, Abel! Really! Sometimes, you just have no clue!

She took a deep breath to calm herself down after yelling at herself in silence.

Okay, I need to keep in mind that I’m older now. I’m the older sister. Abel is younger. He’s just a kid. Just a kid. Just a kid. Just a kid…

After repeating the spell in her head a few times, she put on what she hoped was the carefree attitude of the tough big sister she tried so hard to be.

“For the Prince of Remno, who is supposed to be so cool, that sure was a corny line.”

It came out a little awkwardly, and her voice cracked just a little too often to be completely convincing, but she deserved some sympathy for her bad performance.

The charm of Abel was just too much. When her brain was going to mush, it was hard for her to seem casually confident.

Abel replied with a smile.

“Oh? I thought that the Great Wisdom of the Empire liked her cheeses.” He put his hands on her hips and said, “After all, that’s why I serve my lines with them.”

“Pardon me, milady.”

“Huh? Waaaaaah!”

He then picked her up and put her on a platform closer to the front of the boat.

“Wh- What’re you doing?!”

“You should see for yourself.”

He pointed in the way they were going. She turned around and looked at the front of the boat in a shy way.

She let out a gasp and said, “Wow. The view from up here is even better!”

A few clouds had appeared in the sky, adding white puffs to the blue background. When the sun shone through them, it made strange patterns of light and shadow on the sea’s surface.

The boat was hit by a wave that was taller than the last one. The water droplets that were thrown up looked like gems.

It was like a kaleidoscope of colors that changed all the time. It was mesmerizing and almost magical.

“What’s it like here? Feels even more like flying, doesn’t it?”

“It most definitely does. This is nothing short of amazing.”

She smiled at him, but quickly pursed her lips and turned away.

“Hm? “What’s up?”

“Uh, when you just picked me up… Did I feel, um, heavy?” she asked, twiddling her fingers nervously.

Abel looked at her a few times and then laughed out loud.

“Heavy? You? Really? Come on!”

“Huh? B-But…”

“I’m holding on to you right now because I’m afraid you’ll just get carried away by the wind. You don’t weigh much.”

“I… You… Hnnnngh!”

She held her red cheeks and wriggled when he said sweet things.

“A-Abel, you absolute scoundrel! I can tell what you’re up to! You’re just trying to be nice to me. You’re buttering me up. I know who you are!”

He grinned.

“Am I now? Good. Then you’ll know to come to me when you need milk or cheese. I have all the butter and cheese you could ever want.”

At the end of her sweet conversation with Abel, she felt like her life was complete.

I’m really having a good time right now.

Mia was, indeed, having a great time.

Upper than ever before. She loved the happiness of the time. Taking pleasure in it.

So she didn’t notice that the white clouds in the distance were turning gray, as if they were frowning at the P.D.A.