Tiran stared for a full minute at the knight, who looked as though he’d ridden all the way from the nearest military fortress near Goldcust equipped with fixed magitech communications. He was panting, but still stood ramrod straight.
“Um… Your Highness Tiran? Why do you keep staring at me? I’m terribly sorry to interrupt your vacation, but this is extremely urgent. Please rest assured, I absolutely didn’t find you this quickly by following you…”
The knight, feeling a chill crawl down his spine under her gaze, hurried to explain in a panic.
Of course Tiran didn’t suspect she’d been followed. She’d flown here on Aya, and there weren’t many people in the kingdom who could track Aya in flight. The intelligence agency had probably found her… or someone had simply gone to the castle and asked Mimi.
But that wasn’t the point.
“Are you sure there’s no mistake? A Class-Extraordinary War Mobilization?” Tiran continued staring at him, still deeply doubtful.
What exactly did a Class-Extraordinary War Mobilization mean?
According to the kingdom’s military regulations, war mobilization had four levels in total. A Level Three Mobilization was generally meant to deal with a local rebellion within the country. The forces called up were organized by banner regiment, and the total would not exceed one corps.
A Level Two Mobilization was for a limited foreign war or a large-scale domestic rebellion. The forces called up were generally corps-sized. If Brad hadn’t occupied the royal capital during the war with Marston, and the later intervention of the Glius Federation hadn’t complicated things, a standalone invasion by one country would’ve been handled at this level. The few border corps stationed on the eastern frontier would’ve been enough.
Only a nationwide, all-out war that combined all of those threats could meet the standard for a Level One War Mobilization, also known as a Total War Mobilization. The active-duty military went without saying; the reserves would also be brought in for active-duty training, and within a month they’d all become fully organized troops. Noble private armies and mercenaries would be conscripted as well, and local finances would all be placed under central control. Everything would take second place to the war effort.
To be honest, even during the War of National Defense eighteen years ago, when half of Milanía was devastated, the mobilization order had only remained at Level One after His Majesty the War King held the capital and stabilized the situation.
So even Tiran had little idea what this Class-Extraordinary level actually meant.
If she had to guess… a war that posed an enormous risk to the nation’s very survival?
But what kind of situation would that take?
The war against the Marston-Glius alliance had only just ended. The neighboring countries on good terms with Milanía were overjoyed, busy discussing trade and tax-reduction treaties to strengthen their ties—and take a cut of the defeated nation’s spoils while they were at it. The ones on bad terms were trembling in their boots. Was there really anyone suicidal enough to start trouble?
As for the possibility of Milanía being wiped off the map, that would take the other first-rate powers—aside from Marston—joining forces with the Holy See’s knights. The other great powers in the west weren’t even that close to Milanía, and Milanía wouldn’t be standing alone. Even so, the manpower and resources they’d spend would be astronomical. Even if they really did destroy Milanía, the spoils wouldn’t be enough to go around.
“Could the Pope have lost his mind and decided to mobilize the other countries that nominally belong to the Holy See to come after us?”
The odds were minuscule, but after turning it over in her mind, that was the only explanation that seemed even remotely plausible.
“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”
The knight glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Although it’s a Class-Extraordinary War Mobilization, it hasn’t been announced nationwide yet. So far, it’s only at the stage where the military is increasing its supplies and troop numbers internally. They probably won’t officially announce it until there’s more news. As for the details… I’m just a member of the Knights, so I don’t know much.”
“I see… Understood. I’ll set out for the royal capital at once. Thank you for your hard work.”
Tiran still had plenty of questions, but she didn’t keep the knight any longer. After politely seeing him off, she soon returned to the living room.
If she really couldn’t figure it out, she could just use that hand mirror to ask her dad.
The sofas in the living room were still packed. Aya’s whole family was there, along with Chirp and the little angel, and most of their eyes were fixed on Tiran.
“You all heard that just now, right?” Tiran sighed and spoke to Aya with some regret. “Looks like I can’t keep playing after all. What about you, Aya?”
Tiran was usually pretty laid-back, but when it came to matters of state, her dad was reliable. If he planned to announce a Class-Extraordinary War Mobilization, there had to be a good reason. As a princess and one of the kingdom’s strongest fighters, she had to be there, no matter what.
“I… still want to try looking for more of my kind.”
Aya looked conflicted too, but in the end, he made up his mind. “Besides, the whole thing is strange when you think about it. I want to know why they all disappeared.”
“Well, it’s your choice, Aya.”
Tiran didn’t try to stop him. She just winked. “But remember, you’re my dragon, young lady’s orders! Don’t forget to come back once you’ve sorted things out. I’m still looking forward to our wedding.”
“Isn’t ‘I’ll come home and get married once the war is over’ a classic death flag…?”
“Tch, don’t sweat the details at a time like this.”
Only then did Doris begin to process what had happened. Her face lit up with delight. “Huh? The mean lady isn’t coming with us? Then Doris gets Brother Aya all to herself! Yay!” (ﾉﾟ∀ﾟ)ﾉ
“Dream on! Aya, don’t you dare let her tempt you!” Tiran shot Doris a fierce, warning glare.
“She’s my younger sister in name, if nothing else. How could I…?”
Aya shrugged. The next second, his whole body went stiff.
Miss Tiran suddenly shoved him down onto the sofa. Then she swept her hair back, leaned over, and kissed Aya hard on the lips.
Her emerald eyes were right there, beautiful and glittering like gemstones. Her breathing grew a little ragged from the kiss, and Aya could clearly feel her little tongue prying his teeth apart and slipping into his mouth, tangling with his own like two real snakes as they exchanged saliva.
Was it one minute? Five? Or even longer? When Tiran finally lifted herself off Aya, he felt as if he’d returned from another lifetime.
As for everyone else, his parents wore slightly surprised smiles with a knowing look in their eyes. The little angel was stunned by how passionate the kiss had been, and secretly compared it to the way she kissed Her Ladyship the Goddess. Chirp was watching with keen interest too.
Doris, meanwhile, was completely dumbfounded.
The shock had been too much. Though she was always going on about laying eggs, she was still a fourteen-year-old girl at heart. Her knowledge of this sort of thing was purely theoretical, and in practice she was a blank slate. She’d even learned charm magic, but had never used it on anyone except Aya.
S-so passionate… Is this what an adult’s kiss is like?
For the first time, the girl felt that this level was still a little far beyond her reach.
Having declared her claim, Miss Tiran looked at Doris with a smug expression, every inch the composed main wife… Wait, something about that didn’t sound right. Pah! Who’s the main wife? Aya belongs to me and me alone!
“Oh, right. If you get the chance, Aya, bring me back another dragon or two, would you? Older ladies or little girls are both fine. No handsome guys, though. I’ve got Aya already.”
That was what Tiran said through their contract.
