Chapter 112: filling out my harvest festival stamp card

Middle Earth Month, 14th Day, 600 AGG

"You guys sure you don't wanna stay for the festival?"

"Na, we're good," Draudillon watched her partner attempt to persuade Min-eun Gyeon and the woman's companion to extend their stay. "Probably better if we get a move on it, and it'll be kinda shameless to bum around any longer. Ah, thank you for lunch by the way, Missus Sayar, Mister Sayar!"

"I could have angels fly you two back home," Yuriko offered while the farmer couple awkwardly returned the courtesy. The dragon queen almost made to say something but bit her tongue instead. Both options came with upsides and potential difficulties. "It'll be way faster than walking, right?"

"You're not wrong," Min-eun replied with a cheeky smile that was replaced by a seriousness uncharacteristic of the monk. Not that she knew much of what was and wasn't characteristic of them, Draudillon thought to herself. A few hours of conversation wasn't sufficient to grasp the core of a person's nature; though, well, there was the technical matter of poaching, but laws surrounding that had been lax since the kingdom's inception. "We still have to turn you down there. Folks would definitely see the angels and start thinking things. Might get dragged into something annoying, y'hear?"

"That's true…" The angel mumbled aloud, hand distractedly rubbing the side of their face.

"We thank you for the concern, Miss Gyeon," Draudillon said. "While I cannot speak for the lands beyond the Beastman Country, please do not hesitate in asking for aid while you remain in this area of the world."

"Will do," Min-eun sloppily saluted and readjusted the backpack strapped over her shoulders. "We'll be heading off now. Swing by and say hi if you ever come to Kepesk!"

"See you then!"

"May the gods watch over your journey," Draudillon waved as well, albeit in a more subdued fashion compared to her beloved. "Farewell, Miss Gyeon, Mister Ivor."

She watched the monks walk up the meandering dirt pathway leading to the forest where they'd apparently been camping the past few days. Thinking about it brought a slight frown to her face; they could've asked to be hosted, and though not quite the equivalent of foreign dignitaries, Draudillon doubted Lady Oltenia would have refused.

Then again, that Min-eun was a touch scatterbrained…

'She must never be allowed to meet Mira,' Draudillon decided. The way the monk dragged around their fellow Cael reminded her of the guardmage and Vicente. "You've made an energetic friend yet again, dear."

"You think so?" Yuriko happily beamed. Standing at the doorway behind them, the Sayars were whispering to each other with a fierce, anxious energy. "It's only been like three days… but I guess we are, huh?"

"Mm," the foreign pair were stopped by a trio of children, and she tensed for a fleeting second when the redhead brandished Gathering Clouds only to fire a harmless stream of thick fog that lazily floated skywards: something their small audience, both in number and size, found to be immensely impressive. "They did strike a rapport with you very quickly."

Guilt panged within her at the sight of Yuriko's cheer dimming a little. Still, it was important to bring the possibility to their attention.

"I mean," the angel scratched her arm. "It makes sense? Better to get along than… not. Right?"

"Coming from me, it must sound hypocritical," Draudillon snorted in self-derision. "I apologize. You're right though; it'll be preferable for everyone to be friends instead of enemies. And truthfully speaking, I believe Miss Gyeon thinks highly of you beyond whatever mission her master assigned the two of them."

"Yeah," Yuriko straightened her back and did a quick pump with her fists as a determined light shone from golden eyes, "Yeah! It could be both!"

"It could be both," Draudillon agreed before turning away to absorb the picturesque view of Flinei. Perhaps it was out of touch for her to find the sight pleasant—the average villager's life was far from the idyllic dream so many stories romanticized—but standing where she was, a place where time seemed content to peacefully crawl by, pleasant was what came to mind.

'And we'll have many more days like today too,' not for the first time did she find joy in the prospect of being beside the angel as the eras came and went. 'I wonder if this is how other immortals perceive the world. Watching without feeling a need to hasten through it.'

Min-eun and Cael were well into the distance now, outside the bounds of the village proper. Few of the residents watched them disappear into the forest they'd appeared from, busy as they were with preparations for the local harvest festival, completing said harvest, and repeatedly glancing in the direction of her and Yuriko.

The attention was a given considering their status. She hoped it wouldn't cause trouble for the Sayars later on; there was a certain social cachet that came with hosting the Queen and 'Goddess,' after all, and such things were not always boons if one didn't have the expertise.

Many accepted the angel as an extension to the Theocracy's pantheon, a holy messenger to the greater deities, yet others forsook the Six, and there was ill will on both sides to be found. Being stuck in the middle wasn't the most desirable situation.

'I'll speak with the Village Chief later,' Hoca Oktar, an elderly man who had taken it upon himself to become a self-appointed evangelist of her beloved to the villagers of Flinei. Draudillon pondered if Yuriko would be open to conversing at length with the man and the village's faithful; the experience could demonstrate the importance of taking a more active role in the Dawnwing Cult, and there was a comfort found in faith that the voice of authority lacked. 'Clarify the situation, clear any misunderstandings. Create new ones if need be. Fuuu… it's ironic how I find my respect for the Theocracy's temples increasing when we now must manage our own.'

"So. What did 'Riko' want to keep secret from me?" Draudillon broke the relaxed silence. 'Riko,' honestly, some people were too bold for their own good.

"It was, um, nothing big!" Yuriko unconvincingly answered. "J-Just, stuff we do in private, haha…"

"Please don't speak of such things to other people unless it's necessary."

"Sorry…"

Draudillon coughed into her fist. Really, was sharing that kind of topic with friends acceptable for the world they came from? "Are you sure you wish to attend the festival? I'm sure you'll be expected to give a speech of sorts."

"… I can wing it," she triumphed over the urge to tweak her beloved's nose as they winced, but it was a near thing. "Prooobably?"

"The people here will accept nearly anything you say," many who lived away from the cities and larger towns rarely ever saw high nobility, much less royalty and certainly not someone of Yuriko's caliber. Then there was the matter of fame; Cerabrate was greatly celebrated across the kingdom's peasantry, and his deeds were vastly outstripped by the angel's.

"However, that is not to mean you should choose your words thoughtlessly," the warning was without heat or reproach. "I think you and I can both agree they deserve more than that."

"We got a couple hours until then," Yuriko said. "Wanna help me thi—"

"Draft it on your own," and before her beloved had time to feel wounded, she continued. "You acquitted yourself wonderfully during the Dragonflame Festival, and this would be a less… intense occasion."

"Was my speech back then really that good?" Yuriko's voice was tinged with noticeable doubt. "Like, I rambled a lot during the festival's thingy, y'know?"

"If you want help editing, I'll do my utmost with however much time is left. So," there was no need for them to shiver, was there? "Best get started soon, yes?"

"Uwaaa…"

Draudillon spared one last glance behind her before following the angel's trudging steps towards the Sayar's residence. The peasant couple stiffened as they caught notice of their approach.

"Y-Your Majesty!" The man, Ernest, rigidly attempted a bow alongside his wife, Clare, who was visibly displaying the swells of pregnancy.

"I'm afraid we must impose upon you for a while longer," she apologetically said, raising a hand to stop the couple. Putting more strain on the expectant mother sat ill with her—she couldn't blame Yuriko either when most of the village's families were also expecting more children—and Draudillon would've suggested leaving were it not for the potential damage that would deal to the Sayars' reputation. "If you require us for anything, I ask that neither of you stand on ceremony. In the meanwhile, I would be pleased if you two continued with your daily routine."

'Or try to, at least.'

Even to herself, the courtesy sounded silly; a few words wouldn't bridge the gap in status enough for them to feel comfortable around her and Yuriko. She could phrase it as a command, but then why bother at all, save for personal satisfaction? Better to keep expectations the way they were than cause undue stress and confusion. 'We won't be coming here often, though if that's what the future has in store, then it'll become a problem solved through familiarity.'

"All we have is yours, Your Majesty," Clare's eyes flicked between the dragon queen and angel. "Your Holiness's too."

The question asked to Yuriko by Draudillon's amused gaze was clear: 'Not 'Lady Yuriko?' '

'Telling everyone gets real tiring!' It was an answer conveyed through expression alone. "What Dra—Queen Oriculus said. If you guys need anything, just let us know!"

"They've heard you call me 'Drau' already," the dragon queen lightly nudged.

"Oh," Yuriko coughed into a fist, failing to hide the red of her flushed face. "W-Well, anyway! Let us know!"

"Um, y-yes… thank you, Your Holiness…"

Moving on from the stilted exchange, they reentered the rustic house, wooden door held open by Ernest while Clare waited to the side. The two shared a few more hurried murmurs that ended with the man nodding and leaving, presumably to the fields, as his wife followed them inside.

Within the confines of the cozy house, Draudillon noticed that the couple had cleared the table and put out the hearth's fire while she and Yuriko were busy seeing off the visitors.

The scent of burning wood persisted though, mingled as it was with the aroma of dried herbs and meat hanging from the rafters. She couldn't necessarily deem these arrangements as familiar, but there was a comforting atmosphere to the whole scene nevertheless. 'No cellar as expected; the frontier farmsteads are always in want of what their peers take for granted. These bins and barrels of provisions seem full, so I'll take that as a sign that all is going well.'

She could tell as much just by watching the pre-festivities occurring past the weathered stone constituting the house's walls, though more assurances were always welcome.

"Maybe I should stop hoarding stationary in my Item Box," Yuriko whined to the befuddlement of the peasant couple. Must be difficult, having to reconcile reality with the lofty ideal held in their souls; although, maybe it was frightening than anything for someone so high above you to act so whimsical. "Then I'd have an excuse not to write. Bleh."

'They can hear you, dear,' Scolding the angel like that… she should avoid ruining Yuriko's image too much. "I enjoy your writings though? It's been a joy to watch how quickly you've improved."

"Writings?" Clare nervously swallowed as both of them turned to look at the brunette. "Oh, I, um—"

"Please, continue," Draudillon kindly encouraged her. " 'Her Holiness' has a responsibility to her supplicants, and it's only polite to entertain our host."

She pointedly ignored the stink-eye Yuriko gave her even as the corners of her lips twitched upwards. 'Just like holding Court.'

"And have a seat if you would," she gestured towards an empty chair. Draudillon wondered why the quality of the chairs varied wildly, or why a peasant household would have this many in the first place. Come to think of it, weren't there a number outside too?

"Ah…" Clare hesitated but did as told. "The Village Chief showed us some holy scriptures, and we thought… if it's okay to ask, were those not from Your Holiness?"

"He wha—" Draudillon raised a hand, silencing the fuming angel before addressing the trembling brunette.

"We will certainly have someone pay a visit to the Chief," the dragon queen carefully avoided giving an answer. There was no need for them to know that an official scripture had yet to be completed. "It has been a hectic time for everyone, and I'm sure he only has the people's best interests in mind, yes?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Clare hurried to say. "Th-The Chief's always going around making sure we're alright, making drawings, and, and all sorts of things, ever since my husband and I settled here…"

"Then he has nothing to fear," Draudillon reassuringly smiled, ignoring her beloved muttering about 'identity theft' and 'impersonation.' That wasn't even exactly the case here. "As long as he follows in the 'Goddess's' example, minor doctrinal differences are of trivial concern."

"He's always doing his best for the village," they were gaining confidence as the inquiry continued. "The Cult of Wings t—"

"Dawnwing Cult," Draudillon mellowly corrected.

"oo—I, I'm sorry, Your Majesty?"

"It's the official name," honestly speaking, both designations were painfully similar. "That being said, feel free to refer to it as you've always had. I just thought it should be made known."

"… I'll let the Village Chief know," Clare nodded with a deliberate slowness. "Thank you for telling us, Your Majesty."

'I know she means to be respectful, but why does that come off as sarcastic?'

"I think Cult of Wings sounds cooler," Yuriko grumbled. "Actually, I think both of them make me sound creepy."

"Both names are a little on the nose, aren't they?" Draudillon affected a thoughtful air, hand stroking chin. Not that the faith of the Six or the Four were role models in that respect. "Does Lady Yuriko have any other suggestions? Ones she feels are more fitting?"

"Hey, that's not the problem here…"

"As Miss Sayar can see, the situation is something like that," Draudillon sanguinely carried on to an expression of 'what do you mean 'something like that?' ' Dragging them into the nonsense she and Yuriko often entertained was unfair, now that she'd gone and done it. "Those who inherit the weight of history never have to go through so much trouble."

"R-Right," the brunette agreed with the tone of someone who didn't fully understand what they were agreeing to. Luckily for everyone involved, the ear-splitting wail of an infant interrupted Clare whose face flashed with a bizarre mix of panic and relief. She shot up from her seat, or as much as a woman months along with her pregnancy could anyhow, with a frantic apology. "Oh Gods—excuse me, Your Majesty, I am so, so so sorr—"

"You are free to leave," Draudillon made a mental note to compensate the family for putting up with certain unexpected guests the past couple of days. Maybe present it together with whatever Yuriko offhandedly mentioned. "Take your time as well."

Clare apologized again and left, closing the bedroom door behind her. The commotion dimmed and eventually died down altogether.

"Drau, how does this read?" Yuriko nudged the parchment over once a semblance of quiet returned to the dwelling. The dragon queen blinked a few times, mildly at a loss for words. No, it was uncharitable of her to think they were easily distracted; the angel's bubbly attitude had never hampered their diligence.

" 'Hi, I hope everyone's doing well tonight, and I just wanted to start off by saying that I'm really glad we're getting to spend part of it with you all,' " Draudillon paused for a second to repeat the line inside her head. "This sounds very stiff. Do you think you'd be comfortable acting more naturally?"

"I can try," Yuriko nibbled on the shaft of the quill. "I just figured it might be better to talk more like a super put-together lady. Match their expectations, y'know?"

"There's no issue if you could pull it off," she couched the bluntness in a gentle tone. "Not to say you couldn't—hm, to be clear, this is a situation where the villagers will be happy regardless of what you choose. So knowing that, I believe you ought to present yourself in a way you can be satisfied with."

"You think so?" Their doubt was plain for all to hear.

"To be frank, they aren't sure what to expect from you," Draudillon said. "What I do, how I phrase things, much of it is informed by my upbringing and the type of people I usually directly speak to. It's done in a manner that fits my circumstances best, and now it's what is expected of me. You aren't me, you shouldn't try to be me at the expense of being yourself, and if you did, then the whole world would be worse off for it."

Yuriko met the challenging look in her eyes with… not a wry smile, but a sentiment that approached it. "You're amazing too though."

She mirrored the smile, and the angel drummed their fingers against the table. Accepting such a statement given so sincerely from a person who'd seen even her unseemly side was far easier now than before.

'We've both come a long way.'

"Yuriko," the angel tilted their head, causing a strand of hair to fall over their lips. Draudillon absentmindedly brushed it away. "I liked it. I really did."

Her beloved hummed: a euphonious melody even when off-key. "I know, and I know you aren't saying that just to be nice, but…"

You get what I mean, right?

"That didn't stop you last time."

"I got caught in the flow," Yuriko huffed. "It's way different when I need to prepare. Like, the difference between jumping in a conversation at an after-work meet-up and giving a speech at some fancy schmancy gala or something."

Draudillon considered the comparison for a moment. "Shouldn't it be the other way around? A village festival compared to the capital's official commence—"

"Th-That's not the point!"

"I suppose it isn't," Draudillon accepted, though not without some amount of amusement. However, all traces of that humor was quickly dropped in favor of a solemn understanding. "The point is you feel uncomfortable showing your unfiltered self to a group of strangers who worship you. To describe the expectations as heavy would be an understatement."

"Mhm."

"You didn't want this gap to exist, but that's how it turned out," she continued. "Honestly, it was an inevitable result because you're you."

"Yeah…"

"I say that as praise," Draudillon figured everyone, even the Beastman Country, was blessed with fortune of a magnitude that they would never fully comprehend. Such power could've, and had, gone to far, far worse people. "Although that doesn't change the current state of affairs, so—"

Her beloved winced like she'd eaten a Falgrian Pepper whole.

"—what kind of 'god' do you want to be, Yuriko?"

"… When I started… well, I guess we shouldn't talk about the details here, but I didn't think I'd have to answer these sorts of questions back then," a hint of nostalgia crept into the angel's tone. "It was a game, right? You play for fun or to not have to be stuck in your head, and for me, it was a lot more of the second one. So being here is kinda funny, y'know?

"I wanted to ignore the real world for a fantasy, and now that fantasy's become the real world too," Draudillon gently threaded her fingers together with Yuriko's, hands intertwining in a silent gesture of support. "And burying my head in the sand… I can't do that either. Otherwise it'll be a waste for me to be so lucky while other people weren't."

"What you can do, most will never imagine in their wildest fever dreams," the dragon queen added. Dreaming about becoming a hero was easy, the Thirteen Heroes and the feats of modern champions made sure of that, but the deeds detailed in myths and religious texts were many steps removed.

Many steps removed in the present, and it would be foolish to believe the past was any different.

'It's a lonely thing, to cease to become a person in the eyes of others.'

Rulers were much the same way, after all, and theirs was a world where authority and personal prowess usually came hand in hand. In that sense, humans were truly an odd exception, yet even they could not ignore the reality of strength.

"Even if your power is unimaginable, you're not incapable of being understood," Draudillon firmly asserted. "Even with the status it confers, you have friends who will judge the decisions you make as ones made by Yuriko Hanami, not the 'Goddess.' There will always be gaps between you and others, but there doesn't only have to be gaps."

"Mm," outside the windows behind them, the afternoon sun was surely casting an orange glow over the fields, the dirt trails, the verdant grass, and the people that it was all for. "I'm okay with being an image for everyone to look towards when the going gets tough. I'm okay if helping them the way I am means they're far away because I have you, and Mira, and Martin, and…"

Yuriko trailed off, and it was a warm light in those eyes that met hers.

"But if I have to be a god, I don't wanna be a lonely one who watches everything from the clouds and doesn't care about what's happening below," the angel's resolve shone through their declaration—and that was what it was. "I'd be like… a House God! The kind who's there with everyone, protecting and understanding them."

'This is the person who chose me.'

"Someone who won't ignore the people in front of her."

Maybe, definitely, the occasion was inappropriate, yet Draudillon could feel her chest swell with pride for this person who was sitting beside her.

'This is the person I chose.'

"I love you."

"Eh?!" Haaa… it was unfortunate they weren't somewhere private. "Ah, I um, I love you too?"

Draudillon leaned in, brushing against the side of the angel's arm. "You're saying it like it's a question."

"I—" The deep breath Yuriko took to calm themselves was almost comical. "I love you too."

"Better."

"We were talking about something serious!" Yuriko complained.

"We're always talking about something serious," Draudillon thoughtfully mused. "Many of our conversations do happen to tend towards that, don't they?"

"I guess so," the angel frowned. "Maybe it's because we've both been through a lot, but a lot of the stuff is happy too, y'know!"

"That's true," Draudillon's lips broke into a small smile as she softly repeated herself. "That's true."

"Duh it's true," Yuriko returned to agonizing over the draft of their speech and scratched out a few lines. "Drau! Are any demihumans showing up? Because um, the speech might be a little weird for them… honestly, the whole festival would probably feel weird for them…"

The dragon queen reclined against the chair as best she could. Her beloved shouldn't have been shuffling around furniture from who knows where, but she wished they'd at least selected more comfortable pieces. "There will not be any beastmen in attendance. Flinei isn't home to any outside of any peaceful groups that may exist in the forest, and the same broadly applies to this barony as a whole. The initiatives we implemented saw the bulk of the immigrant beastmen gather around the larger cities."

"Oh," was all Yuriko said to that at first. "Are they… are they doing okay? I know a lot of people like Lady Oltenia hate them—and I totally get that because I can't forget what they did either—but I don't wanna just… throw them to the sharks either, y'know what I mean? Not when we already said it's okay for the ones working here to stay."

Yet again, Draudillon wondered if it was possible to find a citizen who shared Yuriko's sentiments even if she searched the width and breadth of the entire Draconic Kingdom. Perhaps it was because they saw the world from a foreign perspective… no, that wasn't a suitable explanation. Either way, she was glad they were who they were, but practicality and expedience had a way of tainting pure intentions.

'Then don't let it. We can afford the luxury of mercy now. I no longer have the right to make the same excuses.'

"We'll do our best to integrate them," then, was this another case of pragmatism? "It might take some time though… for reasons we're both aware of."

"Yeah, just wondering if it's fine to leave it alone," Yuriko scribbled another line. 'May everyone be blessed.' Cute. " 'Cause the status quo doesn't change super easily."

"I don't deny that," Draudillon calmly responded. "I'm sure our current measures and legislations won't be suitable in the long-term, but making too many changes at this point in time… it hasn't even been a year since your arrival."

She continued as the angel ruminated on her reply. "We can try more radical social reforms after the dust settles and lets us take proper stock of our situation both domestically and abroad. Admittedly, I am far from unbiased, so I'm open to any suggestions, dear. As always."

Draudillon knew very well she was making excuses. Hatred wasn't forgotten so easily nor did it conveniently follow rationality. On the other hand, half-assing the way the kingdom handled the beastmen would be squandering countless potential benefits.

It helped that the majority of the aforementioned beastmen were civilians who had little to no strong opinions on the war; they were people who lived and died under the heel of authority; however, the Beastman Country itself was a far more complicated issue.

Something to tread around with light steps lest a repeat of Kruurat occur.

'Hah, I can hear the complaints. 'The beastmen are taking our jobs, Your Majesty! Why should they settle on our land?!' Then there's the Theocracy's reaction to worry about too. Yuriko's reputation isn't all-powerful, and who knows what relics they keep in their secret vaults.'

"I'll try to apply what I did for Lady Oltenia to other places," the dragon queen relented despite Yuriko not having said anything. "There's a number of municipalities that would appreciate additional hands. Paws in this case."

"No."

Draudillon blinked in surprise.

"No? What changed your mind?"

"I, I meant like, 'no, you don't have to do it yourself,' " Yuriko let out a flustered stutter. "Because you've already done a lot for them, plus… I should take responsibility."

"It would be a simple matter—"

"If it's easy, then let me handle it, Drau," the angel cut her off. "Just point me to the places you think would be good to put a few beastmen in, and I'll talk with whoever I have to talk to, and do whatever needs to be done. I've been taking all these lessons so I could help you more. Erm, although I might have to ask you for advice a lot."

Not for the first time, the dragon queen wondered who in the world—worlds, maybe—was responsible for her beloved's smooth tongue.

"You are always welcome to consult me," Draudillon strongly affirmed. Now probably wasn't the time to remind them that they had a considerable amount of prior responsibilities too. "I'll have the details written out by tomorrow morning."

"Cool! Cool," Yuriko perked up and made to say something else, only to pause and glance at the parchment she'd been writing on. "By the way, how's this read?"

The dragon queen took the rough paper and scanned over the contents. "You could phrase—"

"Who you?" Draudillon twitched and looked down at the small child tugging the skirt of her dress. The child blinked, then began sucking on their thumb.

'This must be Liere,' the eldest of the Sayars' two—soon to be three—children. She had a mop of messy black hair that barely reached her shoulders, and eyes the same cornflower blue as Miss Sayar. 'Were we that distracted with each other? Or is sneaking around just a skill toddlers have?'

As the sole direct heir of the Royal Family raised within the confines of Oriculia Castle for most of her youth, she had little first-hand knowledge of what children were like. Though, obviously, she did see and interact with kids during her reign, it wouldn't be a lie to say her familiarity was more academic than practical.

"Liere!" "Liere!"

Clare froze in place as Yuriko happily patted the child's head. "How're you doing?"

"Bored," Liere lost interest in the dragon queen, instead choosing to grab Yuriko's dress with the hand they were sucking on. "Wanna up."

"Your Majesty!" A pale-faced Clare was shaken out of her daze. "Please forgive—!"

"There's nothing to forgive," she interrupted the needless apology. "As you can see, nobody is troubled."

Clare couldn't quite stammer out a response, so the dragon queen left them be after gesturing to an empty seat—again. The brunette wordlessly sat down in defeat, body tense while she watched her child interact with Yuriko.

'She is quite small, isn't she?' Draudillon observed Liere. 'Can't be older than three, in any case.'

Given how young this child was and the previous beastman occupation of this region, she must have been born as a result of abhorrent circumstances.

Draudillon silently praised Clare and her husband. Not all people could come to love offspring born from immense personal trauma, and it was uncommon for a man to not only choose to marry someone with children, but to also properly care for another's offspring.

Not that the biological father had much in the way of choices, she grimly reminded herself. The beastmen had made sure of that.

"It's not a problem!" Yuriko agreed and then turned to her with bright eyes as they gently bounced the child up and down on their knee. "They're even cuter than Lydia!"

"Lydia would be unhappy if she knew you said that," Lavigle's daughter was rather taken with the angel.

"Who she?" Liere pointed at her, putting a quick end to Yuriko's pondering and caused the brunette's face to pale even further.

"Sweetheart, that's the Queen," Clare's hands twitched towards her daughter, thickly swallowing as Liere began chewing on a strand of the angel's hair. "Her Majesty is very busy, so don't bother—" She bit her tongue, probably remembering the two of them saying that this precise scenario wasn't a bother. "… please."

"Do you think my hair's safe to chew on?" Yuriko tugged her hair away from the chubby hands. "Like, it stays pretty clean by itself, but I don't want her getting sick…"

"Perhaps the risk should be avoided altogether."

"That's true, that's true."

'It's strange,' Draudillon mused. 'The smallest animals know to fear her on an instinctual level, yet a human child has no such reservations. Maybe the same applies to the young of other intelligent species.'

Knowledge really was a burden sometimes, she thought while taking in the appearance of a nerve-wracked Clare. They were only sixteen, and a good chunk of those years were spent in captivity under the beastmen. Having to deal with this current situation after everything…

"Big Sis," Liere caught her beloved's attention. " 'm hungi."

"Sweetheart, we just ate," Clare said with a pained face.

"There'll be lots of tasty food later," Yuriko said apologetically. "So just hold on for a little bit, okay?"

The child pouted, but didn't press the issue. "Wanna up."

"No," Draudillon held a hand up before Yuriko's resistance could crumble like wet paper. "You're busy. Delegate it to one of your summons if you must."

"Sorry, Liere…" Yuriko affected a ridiculous expression of great sorrow. "Queenie says I can't take you."

"Why?" The child stared at Draudillon. "Why no?"

'Because I said so,' the temptation to say just that flashed and subsided. " 'Big Sis' has something important to do. Something she can't do if she takes you to go up-up."

"Pft," Draudillon arched an eyebrow at her beloved. "Ack… I mean, yeah!"

"One of her angels can take you though," she ignored the contrite angel and continued speaking to Liere. "It'll be similar to the ones your father works with. Do you like those, child?"

"Mmnnn…" They scrunched their eyebrows, treating the problem with a severity that was wholly undeserved. "Wanna Big Sis."

"You can't," the patience in her voice began to mirror the one she brought with her to the Royal Court. "Big Sis is busy."

"I—hic—I," Liere began sniffling. No. No. This wasn't happening. "WAAAAAAH!"

Because nothing was allowed to be easy, this woke up the other child, and soon enough, he began wailing too from behind the bedroom door. Clare opened and closed her mouth, stuck between the urge to pull Liere away and the need to check on her son; she seemed to be utterly immobilized by the fear that gripped her.

"Drau!" Yuriko hugged the child to their chest, uncaring of the tears and snot being smeared across the pristine dress. Their tone was admonishing, similar to the times she'd been caught skipping meals or sleep, as they looked upon her with disappointment. "You scared her!"

'How was I scary? It must be the children who are so easily prone to crying,' She wisely kept those words to herself. An uncharitable part of her was adamant that the bra—child was doing it on purpose, but no, this wasn't the time or place for that even if they were. "Liere. I am sorry for scaring you. Will you forgive me?"

There was no conceivable world where she was going to ask them to call her 'Big Sis.' That sort of casualness didn't come naturally.

"…" Liere didn't remove her face from Yuriko's chest.

Draudillon sighed. "Dear, perhaps you should go take her on a flight. With your permission of course, Miss Sayar."

"I… no, I, I don't mind at all, Your Majesty," the brunette shakily rose to her feet and cautiously gestured towards the bedroom where another child was still crying. "If I may…?"

The dragon queen nodded, granting them the explicit leave they desired.

"Wow!" Yuriko, her ever-so infuriating partner, cheered while prying the child free from their bosom. "Did you hear that, Liere? We're gonna go up-up!"

"I hope you understand this is only going to make her think crying will get her whatever she wants," she cautioned the angel and ignored the poorly hidden raspberry Liere blew in her direction.

"Maybe," golden eyes flashed with melancholy even as they gave a sad smile. "But I think they deserved to be spoiled a little bit."

What could she say to that?

"I can't find myself completely agreeing," she slowly shut her eyes. "Though I can't disagree either."

'Because don't all of us want to be spoiled? It's a detriment, yet if we're denied even these, then what was the point of shaking off the beastmen's yoke?'

"Stay safe, Yuriko. And be careful with Liere."

Although her eyes were closed, Draudillon could tell the angel's gaze was upon her.

"I will!" She felt a quick peck on her cheek, and then heard the clack of the doorknob without any of the usual intermediate footsteps. "Thanks!"

"What are you thanking me for?" Draudillon reopened her eyes. The draft of Yuriko's speech was still staring right up at her: complete, if not thoroughly edited. "Really…"

Well, done was better than perfect, she supposed.

"Is that…?"

"I thought Gerold was just lying out his ass agai—"

"Oi, watch what you say!"

The bustle of the festivities drowned out most of the whispers, but this wasn't Oriculo with its sea of people. No, here in Flinei, Draudillon found she could hear them quite easily if she paid attention.

Anyway, it wasn't something that required her intervention. Even if the speech was slanderous, would that then not be a sign of her failings, a warning for her to heed?

'I'm surprised more of them aren't fixated on the topic,' the head of state showing their face at a village's festival would be a remarkable occasion no matter where one went. 'Though we never announced our presence, and most of them don't know what we look like—apart from embellished rumors, that is.'

Hopefully it wouldn't become a bother for the Sayars, and judging by the lack of a crowd surrounding the peasant family, they must've gotten the curiosity out of their systems during the first few days of the angel visiting.

She approached the table where Yuriko was standing next to. Unsurprisingly, there weren't many people surrounding the angel, and the few that were hurriedly dispersed once they noticed her drawing near. The Gatekeepers were floating a little further away, otherwise she doubted anybody would have the nerves to come even this close.

'A 'House God…' ' Someone who could relate to their charges, yet also grant them peace. 'What a difficult balance to strike.'

Guardian deities had to be fierce in the eyes of the people because who wanted a weak protector?

'If anyone can find that middle ground, it's her,' Draudillon decided as Yuriko stuffed their face with slices of roast pork. "Are you enjoying yourself, dear?"

"I'sho gud, Dwau!" In their excitement, they forgot the food still being chewed in their mouth.

The dragon queen grimaced. At least none of it got spat out. 'I'll take that as a yes.'

"Oof, sorry," Yuriko sheepishly said—after making sure to swallow everything this time. "It's great! Different from the big thingy at Oriculo, but great!"

"Then I'm glad," she tilted her head. "The people here would be happy to hear that."

"I'll mention it," Yuriko gave a thumbs up before spearing a slice of meat with their fork and holding it up to her. "Hungry?"

'In public?' She tried to pretend the heat she felt was just a side-effect of staying outdoors, and leaned in to take a bite while brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. 'This little during a festival is nothing to be embarrassed over. Even Yuriko isn't treating it strangely—'

Draudillon didn't know whether it was by chance or simply because the desire struck her, but she caught a glimpse of the angel's face as she took the bite, and they too seemed intent on developing a healthy blush.

'Honestly…' With a hint of amused exasperation, she pondered, then finished chewing. "Thank you. I can see why you were so enthusiastic earlier."

"E-Enthusiastic?! That's, um—"

"Save that energy for tonight," she patted Yuriko on the back which only caused them to splutter even more. "You have a speech to give, remember?"

Draudillon returned her beloved's half-hearted glare with an innocent blink. "… Meanie."

"Is that something you say to whoever helps you?"

"Not when you say it like that."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you mean," she airily remarked. "You'll have to clue me in, dear."

"Wh-Whatever…" Yuriko looked away and towards the plate but didn't continue eating. "I'm still a little nervous."

"That's only natural," Draudillon's voice softened.

"Is it natural for you?" No, she supposed not. Perhaps once upon a time when she was younger, less experienced with the vicissitudes of queenhood. "You're always so confident when you're at Court. Even to my eyes, I don't think you get nervous at all."

"We're proficient at different tasks," Draudillon withdrew a stasis container from a Bag of Holding and undid the lid. "Besides, you're much better at public speaking than you might believe."

She extended an outstretched hand. "The goal is to evoke the desired response from your audience. It's fine to feel like you're unready, but you don't have to worry about failing. In that, I have confidence."

Yuriko took the proffered hand, and Draudillon raised an eyebrow. "The fork, dear."

"Oh," they obliged, face growing an ever-brighter shade of red. "Here you go."

The dragon queen scooped out a spoon—well, forkful of the magically preserved ice cream and raised it to her beloved's lips. "Yuriko, you'll do just fine. If my reassurances aren't sufficient, then trust in the effort you've been putting in. Now eat this before it melts."

"Waaa! There was more?" Yuriko's eyes twinkled with excitement as she swallowed the offering whole. Where was the earlier bashfulness they'd displayed? A slight sense of disappointment crept into Draudillon's chest; maybe next time with a dish that wouldn't excite them as much. "I thought it was all gone!"

" 'It's all gone?' " She furrowed her brows. "The amount that was made should have lasted longer than that…"

"U-Um, well, maybe they didn't think I'd go through it so fast!" Yuriko awkwardly giggled.

Having a stomach that was more of a decoration than a necessity certainly played a part. Angels in Yggdrasil apparently came in a vast array of forms, but it seemed even one with a 'normal' outwards appearance was far from ordinary on the inside.

"In any case, this will be the last bit for a while," Draudillon kept the contemplations of fictional-turned-real biology to herself and fed Yuriko another forkful of the frozen treat. "The Institution of Magic has other duties that demand their mana."

Some of the employed spellcasters might moonlight with any extra mana they had left over after the workday, though she wasn't going to encourage the angel to look for said moonlighters. Further distracting the spellcasters from their main jobs wasn't what she wanted.

"Aw, really? Can't be helped then," Yuriko easily accepted the answer with only a wisp of dejection. "Ice cream isn't that important."

However, that did not mean Draudillon couldn't purchase illicitly-made desserts herself—through a proxy, of course.

"You'd be surprised," she teasingly replied. "Why, I'm sure word of how it's your favorite sweet will get out, and then our mages will be in real trouble."

"Ehhh… I don't want that…"

"The 'Goddess's' approval is the greatest blessing a merchant could receive," that was one of the biggest reasons why they couldn't go on non-official outings in crowded areas without disguises. "Even if you refrain from giving a statement, seeing you use a certain product is enough to set trends."

"So like, this place is gonna become a tourist destination, or something?" They were quick to pick up on the implications. "Because they know I've been here?"

"It wouldn't be surprising. Plenty of people go on pilgrimages for less."

"We'll have to manage that too, huh?" Yuriko sighed. "Running a country sure is complicated."

"Such is the nature of things."

Thankfully, the chaos of the recent months was beginning to settle, so this was the kingdom's chance to get back on its feet. The training of administrators was going smoothly as well, taking advantage of spares from noble houses and talented commoners to shoulder the burdens of new institutions and the expansion of old ones.

'If only we had an apparatus like the Empire's Academy…' Building a school that churned out spellcasters like Baharuth's wasn't the work of a single night, and the current Draconic Kingdom couldn't support an endeavor so costly. Creating a bureaucracy similar to the one Jircniv had put in place was also far from a meager feat. 'I want the Institution of Magic to eventually reach that point, though perhaps it'll be better to set my eyes on something more feasible for the time being. A center of learning that covers a breadth of topics; apprenticeships, yet not quite. I'll still have to find specialists suitable for teaching, figure out what kind of job classes the kingdom would benefit most from, and then there's the whole question of effectiveness from a job class perspective…'

Universal education fashioned after the facilities of Yuriko's old world sounded nice on paper, but not necessarily so when one factored in this world's natural laws. What if a student acquired 'Student' levels? Because the kingdom lacked the necessary historical foundation, it was hard to predict how such a vocation would actualize itself. In the case that the job class turned out to be a hindrance, then she would've wasted the potential of thousands who might have become skilled in other paths.

Without knowledge, messing around with something as difficult to measure as essence felt like fumbling through a forest on a moonless night—an ironic sentiment coming from a True Dragon Lord, she knew. Even consulting the wisdom of the Beastman Country had its limits; the demihumans also preferred the tried-and-true method of apprenticeship when cultivating the future.

As for the surrounding human nations… secrets aside, weren't their accumulated understanding largely the same as the Draconic Kingdom's? In that case, she should try to observe existing analogues like the relationship between squirehood and knighthood, apprentice and master, before giving a mandate to the Ministry of Domestic Affairs. Her ability to grasp the soul should be uniquely suited for the task.

'Something along the lines of measuring the rough amount of essence after they 'advance.' Making out details is hard, but if it's just the amount, I can do it,' Draudillon spared a glance for Yuriko. They too were deep in thought. 'It's crucial to check if the change is 'replacing a basic class' rather than 'acquiring an advanced class.' Yggdrasil never had anything like that; however, this world also has many things Yuriko's game didn't.'

"Maybe I should start properly accepting donations," the container of ice cream was less than half-full now, not that it had ever been very big to begin with. "I thought it'll be wrong to accept money for doing what I should be doing, but if I'm using it to help everyone, then there's no problem, right Drau?"

"That's for you to decide."

It was true that Yuriko could further ease the burden on the Treasury in that way, yet she didn't want to pressure them into an uncomfortable decision for the sake of expediency. She had already learned her lesson there, and wasn't fool enough to make the same shameful mistake twice. "As I've always said, and will continue to say, what you're doing for the people here is more than what anyone can ask for."

"I think I wanna do it," Yuriko said after a few seconds of consideration and forkfuls of ice cream. "Because people like Silas, the Village Chief… and the priests and acolytes put their trust in me, so shouldn't I try a little harder to look after them? Besides, making you fund everything isn't fair either."

"You could think of the funding as payment for services rendered if that makes the situation more palatable," Draudillon returned the fork to Yuriko and the empty container to her Bag of Holding. It was funny in a sense. Most rulers probably didn't want an organized religion within their borders to increase in power and autonomy. "But if you're set on doing this, then know that you have my support."

'Trust is a wonderful thing, is it not?'

"Thanks, Drau," Yuriko sincerely said. "Sometimes, I feel like I don't say that enough."

"Likewise," Draudillon let slip a wry half-grin and changed the topic. Talking about work all the time was no good. "You know, I thought you would've gotten yourself caught up in the festival preparations."

"About that! I was actually asking them if I could help with like the cooking and stuff, but they didn't let me," the angel shrugged. "I guess no matter where you go, it's tough to let guests help you out "

'Of course they refused,' Draudillon allowed herself a quiet snort. "I can't say I'm very surprised."

"Mm, it turned out better this way," Yuriko said, grabbing a slice of bread from the table laden with the bounty of the field. "Not that I think I'm super good at cooking or anything, but you can tell the difference, right?"

"Making a fair judgment is hard given the differences in available facilities and ingredients and whatnot… But even compared to the chefs back at the castle, I would still much rather eat what you make."

She was certain her answer would remain the same regardless of whoever she'd meet and the heights of their culinary skill.

"Hearing that is a little embarrassing…"

"I'm sure there's certain people you feel the same way for," Draudillon simply replied.

The angel didn't immediately respond.

"It's been ten years, and I… I've probably forgotten how it all tastes, but you're right. I think you're right."

She hummed in acknowledgement and looked upon Flinei, a village torn apart and put back together. In this world, that kind of story was common. Being brought to ruin and being saved; 'heroes' and 'disasters' were abundant in equal measures.

A little over seven score were in attendance, a large proportion of which were women and children: young girls specifically. Almost the entire population of the village.

"Yuriko. Are you ready?"

"About as ready as I'll ever be," the angel's chest and shoulders heaved as they deeply inhaled and released it all in one breath. Watching them act like they were going off to do battle tugged at the corner of her mouth. In a way, it was a battlefield, wasn't it? "Um, where did my—ah, th-thanks, Drau…"

With the parchment out of her hands, the dragon queen clapped once. The sound would've been drowned out in a larger venue, but here, where most everyone was gathered in a single village square, the act was enough to draw all of their attention.

"G-Good morning!" Yuriko stiffly began, the near-squeak cutting through the hubbub and casting a lull over the audience. "Well, uh, it's almost evening… anyway! I don't wanna blab on for too long, so I mostly wanted to say I—we, we're glad to be here."

It wasn't all quiet. One couldn't expect over a hundred people including children to avoid making sounds altogether. Still, this degree of silence was impressive.

'Because it's one thing to request a hero's presence,' Draudillon thought as the crowd strained their ears and gathered around them. 'And another to dictate the 'divine' made flesh.'

As the sole direct member of the kingdom's royalty, if her name was—undeservedly—held in high esteem, how much more so was Yuriko's? Even if they grew accustomed to the angel's presence among them, here and now was a reminder that their epithets were not given without good reason.

"Seeing everybody being able to laugh without having to worry about stuff; I think that's what all of us were fighting for in our ways. And I wish more of us could be here to be a part of this," they weren't the words of a skilled orator, but she had captured the villagers in her words nonetheless. "I wish everyone who suffered could've lived on to see that it wasn't going to be like that forever.

"But that's not how things work," the angel surveyed the crowd, making sure to look at every single one of them. "So we'll have to do it for them. We'll do it for everyone who couldn't be here today, and we're gon—going to make sure this kingdom won't have to go through that crap ever again."

The hundred-or-so people burst out cheering.

Usually, it would be strange for a ruler to let their champion take all the attention in this fashion. They might think allowing a champion to overshadow them so completely would undermine their own power—a line of thought she couldn't completely fault—but her circumstances were far from ordinary in many respects.

Draudillon couldn't help thinking it was a beautiful sound.

"Guys, guys!" Yuriko raised her arms, quieting the villagers again, though not to the same degree as they were during the start of the speech. "One last thing; you guys have um, my blessings!『All Greater Heal』!"

A magic circle formed in front of the angel's hand and bathed everyone in a pure light. Magic of a tier surpassing the common sense of this world—a true miracle by almost anyone's standard.

Draudillon felt the fatigue built up over the course of the day vanish as if it was a lie, alongside other minor aches and discomforts she hadn't even noticed until they were now suddenly gone.

This, of course, was only met with louder cheering.

"The Goddess!" "Your Holiness—!"

"We're unworthy!"

"I, I owe you everything, Your—!"

"Please accept these h-humble offerings."

"—Goddess!" "The Goddess!" "Lady Yuriko!"

"My people," Draudillon stepped forward with a sharp edge in her voice that she immediately toned down. "Lady Yuriko did not come to our defense with thoughts of repayment or 'worthiness' in mind. As she has said, let this be a time of celebration." The angel energetically nodded despite not having outright said anything of the sort. "If you must repay her, then do so by living out the same virtues she has exemplified."

"W-We humbly apologize, Your Majesty!" One of the men fell to his knees, forehead against the ground. A few others followed suit while crying out similar sentiments until Yuriko put a stop to it with a couple platitudes here and there. Eventually, the festivities continued, and the pair was once again left to their own devices.

"I've kinda forgotten how it feels when they're close up like this," Yuriko scratched the back of her neck with a small laugh as she returned to where the dragon queen was standing alone towards the outer edges of the group. "At least that means they didn't think it was a flop, right?"

"You did wonderfully," Draudillon agreed. "This will be something they'll remember for generations to come. In an embellished form, obviously."

"Maybe that'd be better. Or… hm. I don't really wanna know anymore…"

"It's too late for regrets," she teased. "Unless you intend to lock yourself inside until the world has forgotten your name."

"Bleh," Yuriko stuck out their tongue. "I don't think I can handle that without internet. It's already tough finding stuff to do at night when everybody's asleep."

"Don't you have plenty to do though? Not just work either. Reading, flying around, practicing some skill or the other… there's a whole host of activities humans would love to have the extra time to pursue."

'Lacking the ability to sleep comes with strange problems of its own, doesn't it?'

"I do! I already do a lot of those things when you're sleeping," the angel crossly said. "The internet is different."

"The same internet you would spend all your spare time playing games on?" The entirety of another world's human wisdom squandered despite the masses who could access it with merely their fingertips. Censorship existed, true, but that still left enough knowledge for every scholar she knew to spend their lives reading and not come close to finishing. Perhaps having something in such abundance made it feel worthless even if that wasn't the case at all.

"Th-That's not important," it seemed very relevant to the topic. "The point is, I'll die of boredom if I become a shut-in here!"

"Well, we can always agree to disagree," Draudillon pointed at the parchment Yuriko's script was written on. "By the way, could I see that for a moment?"

"Yeah, sure," Yuriko passed it over. "What for?"

"Oh, nothing," the dragon queen carefully slipped it into her Bag of Holding. "I thought it would make a nice keepsake, is all."

"Uuuu…"