Tuldarr
So this is the magic empire of Tuldarr.
I have a bad feeling about this, Your Highness.
You're the one who was against going to see a witch,
which is why we have an audience with the King of Tuldarr.
The least you could do is look cheerful.
Lazar, give it up already.
Oh, how did it end up this way?
You wish to lift the witch's curse that prevents you from siring any heirs.
Calste King of Tuldarr
Yes.
Without any means to break the curse,
as it stands, the direct Farsas bloodline will be severed with me.
It's true that our nation is advanced in its magical expertise,
but even we cannot hope to compete against a witch, one of only three in the world.
But perhaps...
There may yet be a solution.
However, the chances are slim.
This is as far as I can take you.
No one's passed through these doors in a long time.
And why exactly is that?
No one has been invited in, is all I can say.
What are you doing?
What are we doing?
You didn't feel anything?
Is this a barrier?
As I thought...
I don't know what lies ahead, so do be careful.
I'll take that advice to heart.
Nark! Wake up!
I don't know what he looks like!
So it really is him?
Then it's fine.
What are you?
Mila One of the Twelve Spirits
I'm just a guardian.
But it doesn't matter who I am, does it?
Go on.
The ultimate treasure, the only one in existence.
Treasure?
Oscar.
Who are you?
It's nice to meet you.
My name is Tinasha.
~ From a Blank Page Anew ~
Who are you?
Why do you know my name?
It really is you.
What are you doing in a place like this?
Underground below the palace...
I was in a slumber using magic.
Since you're here, does that mean it's the year 527 in the Farsas calendar?
No, it's the year 526.
Huh?
One year early?
Um, by the way, are you married to someone else?
No, I'm not.
Someone else, you say?
Lady Tinasha!
You're awake? Is everything okay?
Yes, thanks to you.
You have my gratitude, Mila.
Are you okay?
I just haven't walked in a while.
I'll be fine.
What is she?
She's my spirit.
Technically, she's supposed to serve me,
but I think of her as a friend.
Also, that dragon's name is Nark.
It will obey your commands.
You're its owner.
I am?
Indeed.
See how much it likes you?
Y-Your Highness!
King of Tuldarr.
I found this dragon and this woman in here.
Does this mean you're bestowing her to Farsas to be my bride?
What?
D-Don't you think that's all a little too sudden?
In other words, she can bear my child and withstand the witch's curse...
Unfortunately, I can't agree to that.
She's the one who must serve as our next queen.
Huh?
Why would that be the case?
After all, I'm...
I know all too well who you are.
Right now, the royal family's magical power continues to wane.
This is a crucial period for us.
What a ruler needs is not magical power.
Your Highness, who in the world is that girl?
I don't know, either.
For now, let me analyze the curse on this man.
Otherwise, he'll have come here for nothing.
I'll give you half a year, then.
But I beseech you to understand the position you find yourself in.
My wishes are that you marry my son.
This is all you brought along?
Yes, thank you.
I know I asked you to break my curse,
but spend your time freely and enjoy yourself here before you take the throne.
Thank you very much.
I had no intention of becoming the queen, but I can't ignore Tuldarr's pleas.
That said, I guess I'll need to be more polite to a future queen.
It's fine.
It would feel weird, so just treat me like you have been.
Then feel free to call me by my first name.
I'd prefer it that way.
Is that because there's a chance we could get married?
Not at all.
Why would you think that?
I was thinking there might be a minuscule chance, but I guess not, huh?
I just said you could use my first name.
Skipping a lot of steps, aren't we?
You're scaring me, so stop it.
Oscar...
That'll do.
Whatever makes you comfortable.
Can I touch you?
When I was a child, someone I knew did a whole lot for me.
More than I could ever ask for.
So I wanted to do what little I could for him.
I wanted to see him again.
Four hundred years from now.
I'll be there waiting.
I'll make sure you find happiness, so look forward to it.
Lady Tinasha, do you want to marry the one who wields Akashia?
If the king of Tuldarr's in the way, I can go kill him.
You can't just kill people on a whim like that.
I got to meet Oscar again, so I'm fine with that, wedding or not.
You need to be greedier!
You think?
I mean, why did you come here then?
To break his curse.
No matter the distance, I'll make sure I reach you.
I'll catch up to you.
It's good.
I know it is.
I'm so sorry.
Making you prepare tea, of all things...
On that note, the ladies-in-waiting were worried because you never eat lunch.
Oh, sorry about that.
I've been immersed in my analysis.
You don't need to obsess so much over it.
It's not like you're the one who cast the curse.
Don't feel like you're duty bound.
I may not have placed the curse on you,
but lifting the curse is indeed my duty.
I feel like she must have been brought up as royalty.
She's got an oddly assertive side to her.
Don't you dare make a move on her.
The future queen of our neighbor...
I do find her interesting, but I don't know her very well.
Besides, it's not me she has eyes for.
Really?
Nope.
Wyverns?
Tinasha!
Ugh.
What are you doing?!
Come down here!
I'll be fine.
Standing there is dangerous, so please head inside.
I'll take care of this quickly.
I knew there was a suspicious mage around here.
Is that taboo magic you're using?
Lita Farsas Mage; Successor to Molcado, Lunatic Mage
Could it be that you're Molcado's successor?
Our revered grand master.
He was a psychotic murderer.
That woman...
Nark, come here!
No, Nark!
Don't bring him here!
Obey me as your master!
I said no!
Stay put!
Y-You traitor...
I invoke here origin's breath.
Droplets dividing life from death.
To refuse breath is to refuse life itself.
Annihilate.
What are you?
Are you... a witch?!
No, not exactly.
Although you're not far off.
Time for you to be quiet.
That's my palace you're wreaking havoc in.
You did well.
Nark.
Looks like you need to be kept on a leash, not protected.
What's wrong with that woman?
How dangerous can one person be?
Are all Tuldarr royals like her?
I believe she's an exception.
That awe-inspiring sight was almost like...
The Witch Killer Queen.
Tuldarr's queen who killed the witch sent after her by Tayiri four hundred years ago.
Wasn't her name Tinasha, too?
Yes.
So, any confessions out of our wyvern instigator?
She won't say a word.
I see.
It scares me that we don't know her motives.
An assassin taking after the school of Molcado has appeared.
Oh, that freak who escaped execution by your hand four hundred years ago!
Yes.
A mage who violated many taboos, like forming contracts with wyverns.
It could be that he passed down learnings of other forbidden curses.
Please let me know if you see anyone else controlling wyverns.
As you wish.
Does he hate me now?
Did you have a bad dream?
Stay next to me.
Don't go anywhere while I'm sleeping.
I'll be right here, so don't worry.
I'll protect you, no matter what.
A festival?
Oh, the Festival of Aetea?
Why don't you take this opportunity to explore the town?
I'd love to give you a tour, but I ended up on patrol duty at the last minute.
Patrol duty?
Yes.
Someone's been scattering animal blood in empty alleys.
The culprit's still at large.
The best case is that it's only a prank,
but just to be safe, they've called in mages like me.
In case it involves forbidden curses?
Oh, it's nothing that requires your involvement, Lady Tinasha!
I think...
You're right.
The festival sounds like fun, but I'll stay put here in the palace.
If I go out without permission, he might get angry again.
You want to go into town?
No need to hold back.
Come on.
Festival of Aetea
U-Um, is this really okay, Oscar?
A break will do you good every once in a while.
Here, try some of this.
Thank you.
Anything else you want, or somewhere you want to check out?
In that case...
How're things on your end?
Nothing to report.
Why did you want to look at this?
I heard they haven't caught whoever's smearing this animal blood.
I wanted to see if they had left any traces,
but there's nothing to be found here.
Sorry to trouble you.
It's incredible!
Like a blanket of light covering everything!
I'm glad you're excited, but don't fall off.
Even if I fall, I can fly.
No problem.
This is my first time looking over the town from so close.
We should be heading back.
Yes.
I had fun tonight.
Let's not forget the completely pointless trip to the alley.
Can you blame me for being curious?!
I can't relax not knowing what their aim is.
Their aim?
Get down!
Your Highness!
I'm fine.
I put up a quick barrier.
It must be the ones behind the animal blood.
Engrave a mark.
The tower in the southern district.
There's a mage, so be careful.
Yes, sir!
It won't last long, but I've cast an antiteleport with autotracking.
If we're quick, we could apprehend them.
Got it.
For now, it's fine if we chase them off.
I'm telling you that's not fine!
You need to go after them and stamp them out for good!
Just calm down.
Let's go back to the palace.
What's with that look?
I thought you might hate me.
I do hate you.
I knew it.
I hate that you keep everything a secret, yet you act all on your own.
I can't tell if I should trust you or not.
I feel anxious just watching you.
If you're confident in your abilities...
If you don't want me to hate you, then be a little more transparent.
It wasn't something I was trying to hide...
My real name is Tinasha As Meyer Ur Aeterna Tuldarr.
What?
You're the Witch Killer Queen herself?!
It seems that's what some people call me, yes.
It makes sense now.
I'm sorry.
It makes sense, but stop running off into danger by yourself.
You can depend on me.
Don't look at me like that.
I don't like it.
What?
When you look at me, you're always thinking about someone else.
That's rude, you know.
When you look at me, see me as I am.
I-I'm sorry.
Come here.
What could it possibly be?
Something you can't tell me?
I mentioned it in passing before.
When I was a child, there was someone who saved my life.
But in order to save me,
he gave up everything he had, from his past to his future.
I wasn't able to repay him in any way.
Does he resemble me?
I didn't realize at all that I was looking at you in that way.
In the end, I'm the same as I was back then.
I haven't become stronger at all.
I understand your situation.
Still, there's no point in brooding over the past.
He saved your life, so live it to its fullest.
Keep your head high and face the future.
Oscar.
What?
Can I stay here, just for tonight?
Do what you want.
I will never reach the person I knew back then.
The one by his side is me, but also a different woman altogether.
And neither of them exist anywhere in history anymore.
In their place, we two exist here now.
This is a brand-new story.
~ Emerging from a Glass Cocoon ~