“Brother, this isn’t right,” Rezeda protested as he hastily pulled away.
“It’s fine, isn’t it? You look so healthy, it’s hard to believe you’re ill.”
“But still…”
“I heard from Citis. Or rather, I didn’t know Citis was such an interesting person.”
“What happened?”
With a knowing smirk, Brule looked at Rezeda, who returned a puzzled glance.
“Well, Citis had already inhaled something called a vaccine.”
“What??”
The exclamation came from Iris.
Brule and Rezeda turned to look at her in surprise. Iris hurriedly tried to appear composed.
“Citis had inhaled the vaccine before attempting to replicate it, as a precaution and to verify its effectiveness,” explained Brule. “He even had volunteers at the Magic Palace do the same after your incident. This led to a bit of a panic when a noble claimed the Magic Palace was contaminated, inciting the fairies to seal it off, and causing a major uproar. Eventually, with the mediation of the Holy Maiden, the house arrest of Citis and his team was lifted, and the Magic Palace resumed normal operations. It was so rare that even the Orange Fairy Leader made an appearance.”
Brule seemed amused by the story, but it was no laughing matter.
“N-n-…”
What are they doing!! Citis could have asked for a protective spell or sought fairy cooperation! Testing is necessary, but there’s an order to these things!
Iris managed to suppress her urge to scream.
And the fairies, going on strike within a royal institution? Too fearless. I want to cry.
“It’s not our fault! It’s not fair to not trust what Lord Serj made!”
A fairy with purple feathers popped out from Iris’s hair.
“Fairies are pretty! We hate scary things! We don’t do bad things! If humans are dirty, we won’t let them in!”
Another appeared, and Iris held her head.
“Yes, that’s right. But doesn’t this affect everyone’s work?”
“Don’t know, don’t care!”
Fairies when angered are fearsome, Iris had been taught. Yet she had underestimated how troubling these adorable creatures could be. Human logic doesn’t work on fairies. She now understood why royalty must approach Fairy Leaders with respect: cooperation with fairies is essential for coexistence.
Fairies… really are terrifying.
Iris and Rezeda turned pale.
“That’s why I’ve come to take you home,” announced Brule.
Rezeda glanced at Iris, seeming sad that their happy time was ending.
“That’s great!” Iris said cheerfully, but Rezeda sighed covertly.
Brule saw this and gave a wry smile, fully aware of his brother’s feelings. Rezeda likely didn’t want to return to the stifling royal palace.
“Miss Iris, may I receive some of that vaccine before I go?”
“The vaccine?”
“My body isn’t very strong. Surely, they would refuse me back at the palace. However, that’s precisely why I think I need it.”
Brule’s gentle features were lit with a determined glow.
His Highness, despite his frailty, is determined to rule… I want to help as much as I can, but…
Then, a fairy with light blue feathers appeared, dressed in a white robe with a light blue sash embroidered with small flowers. It was one of the Fairy Leaders.
“Blue Leader, Lady Kamomi…”
Rezeda’s voice made Iris straighten up.
“I’ll also ask for it.”
Iris looked at Rezeda, who nodded back.
Iris fetched a vial of the vaccine and handed it to Brule.
“Please inhale it here. If you take it back, it might cause trouble.”
“That makes sense. I should keep it a secret for now.”
“Then…”
Rezeda offered a straw, and Brule took a deep breath, steeling himself before inserting the straw into the vial and inhaling sharply.
Brule coughed violently, and the light blue feathered Kamomi gently patted him until he calmed down. Then, with a smile, Kamomi bowed her head and vanished.
“Brother, are you okay?”
“Yes, it’s really something that you feel nothing at all. It’s so subtle that one might doubt its effectiveness.”
“Please don’t experiment with it!”
Rezeda snapped, and Iris couldn’t help but laugh.
Rezeda gave Iris a puzzled look.
“You’re one to talk about recklessness, Lord Rezeda.”
“I’ve told you to stop with the formalities, haven’t I?”
Rezeda smiled, and Brule laughed.
“Come, Rezeda. It’s time to go home. This place seems fun and happy, but we’re waiting for you too.”
At Brule’s words, Rezeda’s eyes widened, and he nodded. Then he turned back to Iris.
“Thank you, Iris. I was really happy the day you got angry for me,” he recalled the day Iris had vehemently defended him.
Faced with his radiant smile, Iris gasped. His beauty was like a bloom in full. Such simple words made her incredibly happy. She staggered a step, barely keeping her balance.
Unable to find the words for a farewell, Rezeda peered at her curiously.
“Iris, are you okay?”
“Just a little dizzy…”
She laughed it off, trying to compose herself.
“My time with you has been very enjoyable, Lord Rezeda. Please continue to teach me.”
As Iris bowed respectfully, Rezeda playfully tugged at her curls once more.
“Yes. Let’s study together.”
With that, Rezeda departed for the royal palace in a proper royal carriage, alongside Brule. Iris felt relieved by this.
The entire Chevalier family grandly waved them off. The servants were smitten by the sight of the handsome princes waving from the window.
As the servants whispered nostalgically after the princes, Iris thought:
Rezeda truly is wonderful, as long as he’s not a captive prince!
And then, recalling his words, a chill ran down her spine.
— The day you got angry for me, I was really happy —
Wait, that line, isn’t it exactly what a prince says to a heroine? Is this a flag? Is it? The game hasn’t started yet, right? Open, window! Where are the options!?
Once again, Iris was overwhelmed by her thoughts.
As Rezeda returned, hailed as a prince who sacrificed himself for his people, he was warmly welcomed. The involvement of the Fairy Leaders and the health of Rezeda and Citis helped establish trust in the vaccine.
As promised, Nigel led by example in getting vaccinated, spreading the practice among the young nobles of the palace.
This led to the government becoming involved in the vaccination efforts in the city.
With the growing need for the vaccine, Iris asked Rezeda if they could develop a way to cultivate and preserve the vaccine. Rezeda proposed this, and the Magic Palace’s special magic division took over the development and management of the vaccine.
