Early the next morning, a buzzing engine shattered my sweet dream. It sounded like the turbine engines of the huge transport drones that carried supplies to the Mech units on the front lines, but something about it seemed different. For a moment, I thought I was dreaming—until a crash thundered from the backyard, and something nearly hit my house.
I dragged myself to the window and peered outside through the frost-covered glass. Amid the swirling snow, a colossal object hovered above the frozen stream. It looked like a ship, except this one floated in the sky. It had a complete hull, and looked as though it could land on water. The stabilizing wings on either side of the hull were slowly folding toward the rear, and the propellers mounted on the aft truss were the source of the noise I’d heard earlier. But the gunports along its sides made it clear that this was an air warship—a broadside battleship, with a weapons layout like the sailing ships of the Age of Exploration. One of its anchors now lay in my backyard, narrowly missing the woodshed.
An air warship?
My knowledge of these things came from a project the Human United Army had launched a long time ago. A group of technicians with wildly overactive imaginations had planned to build a massive airship capable of transporting Mech units for rapid deployment. But it turned out that, in a fight for air superiority, this huge, slow-moving thing would become the AI drone swarms’ top target. So the project was scrapped, and they turned instead to developing armed transport helicopters that could carry a single Mech straight into battle.
“Maeve,” I called, waking my roommate. “Get up. There’s an air warship in the sky.”
“Just five more minutes… Wait, an air warship?!”
Maeve sprang out of bed like lightning and ran over barefoot. The moment she saw the air warship floating in the snowstorm, her face changed.
“It’s the Fernando,” she said. “Elsa, I have to… hide.”
Before she could say another word, I saw several enormous figures leap from the side deck of the air warship Fernando. They were slowly lowered onto the frozen river by chains attached to their backs, then strode toward my house with heavy steps. Looking at their thick armor and bodies far larger than any human’s, I was reminded of something similar—power armor.
But these massive suits of metal armor were closer to small Mechs than power armor. Their designs were much like the ones I’d seen in that mysterious ancient ruin, only a little smaller. They trampled through the snow toward the cottage, while Maeve let out a little whimper like a kitten and hid behind me. When the small Mechs stopped outside, I finally got a clear look at the crests on their shoulders: a fire-breathing black dragon, fierce and menacing.
It was the emblem of the Royal Mech Knight Order—the Black Dragon Knights.
The Black Dragon Knights were stationed in the royal capital year-round, and held a status equivalent to that of the Imperial Guard Knights. Now this powerful Mech force had been deployed to Nagu Town. Things seemed very bad.
As I stood there wondering what was going on, the lead Mech—a white one—opened its chest armor, revealing a crude cockpit. Its pilot wore beautiful ceremonial armor beneath a blue surcoat. He jumped out of the Mech and, with impeccable courtesy, knocked on my front door.
“Don’t open the door, Elsa,” Maeve said, already in a panic. “Please! Don’t let that man in!”
Oh, boy… I had a feeling I’d gotten myself mixed up in something really troublesome.
“Your Highness,” the knight outside said, “I know you’re in there. Please come with us back to the royal capital.”
“Your Highness…”
I looked back at Maeve, curled up in a ball, and let out a long sigh. I’d known she wasn’t an ordinary person, but I never imagined she was a princess of the United Kingdom. Mages were already incredibly rare; a princess who was also a mage was practically a treasure to the royal family. Whether they wanted to marry her off or use her in a political bargain, she’d make an excellent bargaining chip. No wonder the royal family had sent an air warship carrying the Mech Knights to bring her back. In this world, the only ones who could stand against mages were Mech Knights piloting “Mechanical Kai.”
“I… really don’t want to go back,” Maeve said, looking at me miserably. “Help me, Elsa.”
Honestly, I wanted to help her, but… it didn’t seem like there was anything I could do.
“Your Highness,” the knight outside said impatiently, “if you don’t open the door, I’ll have to break it down.”
“No!”
Magic glowed in Maeve’s palms, instantly forming a blue magic circle. My ears rang. Her magic resonated with something inside my body, and a blue barrier sprang up around my house, keeping the knight outside.
“Sir Reynard!” Maeve shouted. “I’m not going anywhere! Go back and tell Father that I’m a mage of the Mage Tower. I’ve left the royal family. You have no right to make me go back!”
“Stop this, Your Highness,” said the knight outside, whose name was Reynard, shaking his head. “You’re a princess of the kingdom. You should act like one. You should work for the interests of the royal family and the kingdom, not throw a childish tantrum like this. Wasn’t the reason you studied magic to serve the royal family? His Majesty the King is overjoyed. He can’t wait to see you.”
“His Majesty the King? Give me a break.” A flash of venom crossed Maeve’s eyes. “I was nothing more than an ‘accident’ between that bastard and a maid after he’d been drinking. He’s never once looked me in the eye, and he banished my mother without a second thought. Sir Reynard, you’re from the glorious House of Maximilian, and the eldest son of your family. You’ve surely never had to survive by drinking dirty water beside a filthy stove. So… you wouldn’t understand! I’ll never go back. My life is mine. I decide my own fate!”
Silence fell.
“Even Count Galaton can’t help you, Your Highness,” Reynard said, his voice cold as iron. “His Majesty has issued an order: if the count discovers you, he must report it to the royal capital at once, then see you safely returned.”
“…Sigh,” Maeve said. “Tell me, who are you planning to sell me to?”
“Your Highness,” Reynard said, “I believe the position of duchess would suit you well.”
“Duke Lubinar? That old man?” Maeve roared. “You’re going to marry me off to a sixty-year-old who’s already buried three wives? You’re absolutely shameless! Sir Reynard, come in and collect my corpse.”
As she spoke, she snatched the little knife from my waist in a flash and thrust it toward her neck. I was practically stunned. What could possibly drive a young woman to decide to kill herself so resolutely? Before I could even think, my hand moved on its own, and I grabbed Maeve’s hand in a flash.
“Elsa,” she said, looking at me in despair. “Don’t stop me… I won’t marry some decrepit sixty-year-old.”
“I know. So…” I took a deep breath. “Pandora.”
A blue, shadowy figure appeared before me and bowed gently.
