Leave a comment
“Ohh…! You can do that too…?!” exclaimed Rafinha in awe.
“Yeah, I learned from Principal Miliera and Special Envoy Theodore, and I studied some technical books as well. I want to see what I can do. If I can enhance the Artifact, it will greatly benefit Alina’s training,” Inglis explained.
“Wow… Thank you, Big Sister Glis!” Alina expressed her gratitude.
“That would be a tremendous help, Lady Inglis,” added Ada.
Inglis had never been particularly interested in Artifacts themselves. Her focus was mainly on reproducing their useful Gifts. She found Artifacts unreliable, as they often broke when she infused her Ether into them. After her experience with Leone’s High-Grade black greatsword Artifact shattering, she lost interest in them.
However, her perspective changed when she wielded the ultimate Artifact, the Hyrule Menaces, during her battle against the Prisma. Eris and Ripple, the two Hyrule Menaces she equipped, exceeded her expectations with their astounding performance. They truly lived up to their status as the Ultimate Artifacts. This revelation showed Inglis the untapped potential within Artifacts.
As a result, Inglis wanted to explore the possibility of creating an Artifact that could withstand the strain of her Ether by making adjustments and modifications to existing Artifacts. For that purpose, she sought guidance from Principal Miliera and Special Envoy Theodore to learn about the structure of Artifacts.
Her ultimate goal was to craft a sword as resilient as the dragonscale sword made from the scales of the Dragon God Vufailbane. Although the dragonscale sword was hastily fashioned by shaping Vufailbane’s scales into a sword, it proved to be an exceptional weapon capable of harnessing Inglis’ Ether.
Unfortunately, the dragonscale sword had been lost during the battle with Prisma, leaving Inglis in dire need of a new weapon. Even if the replacement Artifact could just withstand her Ether and possess a single Gift, it would be considered a great success.
While the new weapon might not match the power of the Hyrule Menaces, Inglis couldn’t see the Hyrule Menaces as mere tools. She felt that she was borrowing the powers of Eris and Ripple, rather than truly mastering them. However, she could accept the dragonscale sword and any future Artifact as her own.
With the Artifacts in her possession, Inglis returned to her birthplace, Eux’s mansion, to spend quality time with her mother Serena. Rafinha, on the other hand, spent time with her mother Irina. They would likely discuss matchmakers and potential suitors.
However, Inglis had her own plans to interfere! Later in the evening, she visited Ada once again. The vice commander was busy with paperwork in her office at Ymir Castle. It was probably bedtime for Alina.
“Miss Ada, excuse me,” Inglis greeted.
“Oh, Lady Inglis… What’s the matter? Ah, is it about the Artifact? Is it finished?” Ada asked.
“No, not yet… I actually have a favor to ask of you, Miss Ada,” Inglis replied.
“I see. How can I assist you?” Ada responded, smiling.
“I would like you to deliver this letter to the Marquis in the royal capital. I apologize for the urgency, but it needs to be sent as soon as possible,” Inglis requested.
The contents of the letter, of course, requested that Rafinha’s matchmaking be halted. Inglis also stated her reasons for making this request.
The aftermath of Prisma’s defeat had yet to settle, and there were concerns about the country’s future relations with Alucard. Some advocated for accepting an apology and seeking peace, while others favored retaliating and seizing territory in response to the assassination attempt on the King.
Similar debates surrounded Venefique, with some calling for invasion after Rochefort’s raid on the royal capital, while others sought reconciliation through apologies and compensation. Varying opinions were inevitable in such circumstances.
Amidst the uncertainty, the desire to celebrate Rafinha, who played a crucial role in Prisma’s defeat, was not devoid of political intentions. Some wished to use her as a means to amplify their own voices. Moreover, if Rafinha’s potential suitors held different views from Marquis Wilford, it could put her at risk of being used as a hostage by political opponents. Given the current situation, matchmaking had to be put on hold, and a cautious approach was necessary.
In the letter, these concerns were laid out one after another. The intention was to dissuade Marquis Wilford from proceeding with the matchmaking. The influence and impact of Inglis’ voice were not as significant as the Marquis’, as the same words carried a different weight depending on who uttered them. Therefore, Inglis believed that the most effective person to communicate her intentions would be the Marquis himself.
Inglis also expressed her true feelings, admitting her sadness and aversion to Rani’s talk of marriage proposals. She was confident that Marquis Wilford, who loved Rafinha as a parent, would understand her sentiments. She held onto that belief.
However, if her words did not have the desired effect, Inglis would have to consider more forceful measures.
“Alright, I understand. I’ll dispatch someone to the royal capital immediately. We have a few flygears at our disposal, so if we make the delivery day and night, it should reach the Marquis promptly. Those vehicles are quite handy.”
Inglis could have suggested using the Star Princess unit, but that would have aroused Rafinha’s suspicion. She had no choice but to rely on the Ymir Knights to deliver her letter.
“They certainly are. I trust you with the letter, then.”
“Yes. Leave it to me.” Ada smiled at Inglis and muttered to herself, relieved. “Thank goodness. If she had come any later, I would have had to deliver her letter separately from Lady Rafinha’s.”
Shortly before Inglis’ visit, Rafinha had also handed her letter to Ada. Ten minutes earlier, Rafinha had visited Ada at the guardroom.
“Ada! I need you to deliver this letter to my brother, Rafa. He should be in the royal capital! Please, make it fast…!!”
“An urgent notice, huh…! I understand. I’ll prepare the flygear right away.”
“Yeah, thank you! Hehehe… With this, Glis will…!”
Rafinha smirked mischievously.
“W-What’s the matter, Lady Rafinha…?”
“I told you before, right? Glis said she’ll marry anyone who defeats her and plans to fight her suitors.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Hehehe… Glis is getting too comfortable because she’s so confident in her victory, but nothing is certain in this world…!
“Meaning?”
“I mean big brother Rafa. We’ll have big brother Rafa come into the picture…! We’ll tire Glis out with suitors until the end, and right at the last moment, big brother Rafa will swoop in and defeat Glis! They’ll get married then! Glis herself said warriors don’t go back on their words!”
“Well, that sounds…fantastic! Ymir’s future will be secure then!”
“Exactly, right? With Glis being Glis and big brother Rafa being a late-bloomer, it’s not hard to see this golden opportunity!”
That was precisely why Rafinha wasn’t entirely against Inglis’ matchmaking idea. Although she didn’t want her own matchmaking to be interfered with, if Inglis were to fall in love, Rafinha believed it should be with Raphael. She wished for them to marry and for Inglis to become Raphael’s marchioness, ensuring the future of Ymir.
Truth be told, Rafinha didn’t want Inglis to be matched with anyone other than Raphael either. However, she was genuinely interested in the concept of matchmaking, so it was difficult for her to discourage Inglis from pursuing it.
“This letter is of the utmost importance, then!”
“Yup! It is! I’m counting on you, okay!”
“Understood!”
Rafinha then left the guardroom.
As night turned into day, Inglis and Rafinha enjoyed their hometown of Ymir, savoring the moments they had missed for so long. They dined, strolled through the castle town, visited a familiar tailor to receive new clothes, and celebrated with the Knights as they defeated Magic Stone Beasts together.
With Alina now in their lives, a new kind of joy had entered their days. They not only played but also observed Alina’s studies together and searched for books in the castle library for the little girl to read.
At night, Inglis would be alone in her room, modifying the Artifacts.
Several leisurely days passed in this manner, with both unaware of the letters they had entrusted to Ada, keeping their secrets from each other.
Comments