At the bustling train station where people could be seen with just a slight turn of the head, Citrine was smiling as she saw off Nicasia and Murmur.
The dawn village of the Cosmos Duchy, where the train station was located, was a place Murmur had no connection to, but today was different.
“I never imagined Citrine would go this far to help… Thank you so much.”
“Is it because it’s Murmur and Nicasia’s date? And there were just some leftover tickets from the guild.”
In Murmur’s small hand was a ticket to sit in the first-class seat of the train.
“Murmur is very grateful.”
“Ohoho! It’s not that big of a deal to hear such words!”
Citrine covered her mouth with her right hand and laughed.
“Today, I’ll make sure to have a good date!”
“Murmur will do her best too.”
Nicasia held Murmur’s hand, slightly turned her body, and spoke.
In front of the three, a train ready to depart was waiting.
“Have a good trip!”
Citrine, without any fuss, waved her small hand left and right, seeing off Nicasia and Murmur.
As Nicasia and Murmur boarded the train, three maids followed with their luggage.
Just as the train was about to depart from the station with a puff of white steam, Monica appeared in Anna’s arms.
“Ah…! I ended up being late.”
“Huh? Didn’t Monica say she was busy with morning prayers today?”
Citrine, sitting by the window, waved her hand as she watched Murmur and Nicasia wave back.
The train, which had started moving slowly, disappeared from the station in the blink of an eye, and Monica also waved her hand to see off Murmur.
“I couldn’t tell Nicasia and Murmur…”
“No need to worry.”
Citrine knew exactly what ‘prophecy’ Monica wanted to talk about.
That’s why she had arranged for the first-class seat on the train.
“What Monica is worried about is something that can be easily predicted even without the Saintess’s eyes.”
“…Then it must be a very big deal?”
Unlike the slightly worried Monica, Citrine smiled with her eyes.
“No need to worry.”
Watching the train disappearing into the distance, Citrine spoke.
“Murmur is not the kind of hero who would fall for such petty tricks.”
* * *
“Thanks to Citrine, we can comfortably go to Holimpia.”
Nicasia said with a bright smile.
Since I, Murmur, had expected to take the train, I wasn’t extremely nervous.
But still, what can I say?
Train ‘travel’ is ultimately enjoyable.
“Yeah, I think Citrine really worked hard for this.”
“I think so too. The train isn’t really related to Citrine’s guild, right?”
Nicasia glanced at me with a pretty smile.
“But Murmur… you don’t seem very amazed?”
“I don’t really understand what Nicasia means by that.”
“Ah, that’s…!”
Nicasia was about to say something but covered her mouth with her right hand, slightly embarrassed.
However, the ‘first-class seat’ Citrine had arranged was practically like a small room, so Nicasia didn’t have to worry about anyone’s gaze.
In fact, the maids’ seats were arranged elsewhere, showing how thoughtful Citrine was.
“…When I first took the train, I was so amazed and curious that I stuck to the window, busy looking outside.”
I naturally looked out the window.
“Murmur is also taking the train for the first time today.”
“R-right? Murmur must also find the view outside amazing, right?”
Nicasia, with sparkling eyes, was adorable.
“Yeah, Murmur thinks so too. But since Nicasia is here, I can’t keep looking outside.”
“Huhuhu, if that’s the reason… here.”
Nicasia smiled and tried to get up to sit on the opposite seat.
I, Murmur, quickly grabbed Nicasia’s arm and made her sit back next to me.
“Huh, Murmur?”
“I want Nicasia to sit next to me and look outside together.”
The opposite seat is the backward-facing seat on the train.
If she sat there, Nicasia, being a royal, would surely feel nauseous and dizzy.
I can’t let her feel sick right from the start of the date.
“Huhu, okay. Then let’s do this…”
Nicasia leaned slightly towards me.
A fragrant rose scent brushed my nose.
Naturally, her soft chest touched my arm, and at that moment, Nicasia’s ears turned bright red.
“Ah…!”
Nicasia, startled, pulled her body back.
It was a moment so close that I could feel Nicasia’s heart beating fast.
“Ahem, let’s look outside together like this!”
Nicasia, smiling brightly again, rubbed her chest with her left hand.
Seems like she’s embarrassed about touching.
I didn’t want Nicasia to keep feeling embarrassed, so I held her arm and half-hugged her.
“Do you still like looking outside, Nicasia?”
“Yes, whenever I take the train, I always end up staring outside.”
The scenery outside the window of the rattling train certainly had its own charm.
“The endless forest passing by… Ah, it’s summer now, so we can’t see it, but when autumn starts, you can see golden wheat fields swaying.”
Nicasia pointed outside with her finger.
“And sometimes you can see cities where many people live, villages by the river, or the endless sea stretching out.”
“Nicasia really loves looking outside.”
“That’s right. Even if I do nothing…”
Nicasia smiled with a strangely mature bitterness.
“…the train keeps moving, and I can just stare at the beautiful scenery.”
Nicasia, who doesn’t want to grow up.
But Nicasia, who has to live as a princess.
I know what kind of worries she has and what pain she carries.
So, as someone who is mature inside, my role here is clear.
“Murmur…”
I tightly held Nicasia’s arm, making her body cling closer to mine.
Eventually, her chest, which she was embarrassed about, touched my shoulder and the back of my head, but that’s not important.
I, Murmur, pointed outside with my finger.
“…There! I wonder what that is!”
“Huh…?”
“Nicasia has taken the train many times, so I thought you’d know.”
“…Of course I know! I’ll explain everything.”
Nicasia, smiling brightly, placed her hand on mine, still pressing her chest against my body.
“See that sparkling river? The village along that river is called Fog Village.”
“Fog Village? Why is it called that?”
“It’s located in a low hilly area, and because of the nearby river, there’s very thick fog every morning.”
“I think I get it… Sometimes the village disappears because of the fog, so it’s called Fog Village?”
“Huhuhu! That’s right! Murmur is so smart! That’s why it’s called Fog Village!”
Nicasia excitedly continued explaining every time I, Murmur, pointed outside and asked.
Thanks to that, the short train ride wasn’t boring at all.
* * *
“Compared to Cosmos Academy’s station, there are so many people, right? Hold my hand tight, Murmur.”
Nicasia tightly held my left hand, half-hugging me as she spoke.
It might seem like overreacting, but the trains entering and leaving Holimpia, the capital of the empire where the sun never sets, were numerous.
Moreover, the station itself was enormous, so even though we got off at the first-class seat, there were too many people.
“So many… people.”
“We left right after breakfast, but it’s really crowded.”
True to the capital of the empire where the sun never sets, Holimpia’s train station was magnificent.
The ceiling, made of glass and steel, soared high, and gold-plated pillars lined up.
Nicasia was diligently following the head maid, Riola, who was ahead of us.
“Oh my, look over there. I thought some noble had arrived, but it’s Princess Nicasia?”
“Where, where… Oh my! It really is. Isn’t the second semester at Cosmos Academy just starting?”
“Huhu, more than that… look over there. She’s carrying a cute pet demon.”
As Nicasia was trying to navigate through the crowded station, she suddenly tightened her grip on my hand.
There’s no way Nicasia didn’t hear the faint whispers reaching my ears.
“A pet demon, huh… That’s not in fashion these days, Countess.”
“Oh my? Then why is the princess carrying that filthy demon so carefully?”
“Kehehe… Haven’t you heard? Rumors say a terrifying demon god’s kin has appeared at Cosmos Academy.”
“Ah!! Finally, our indecisive princess is thinking of competing with the crown princess!”
Nicasia’s steps slowed down strangely.
“Nicasia, Nicasia.”
I didn’t want to keep hearing bad things, so I urgently tugged at Nicasia’s sleeve.
“Ah, hmm? Murmur? What’s wrong?”
“I want to get out quickly, there are too many people here. Murmur’s horns keep getting caught.”
“R-really? I’m sorry!”
Nicasia, genuinely surprised, quickly held my waist.
“T-then, I’ll carry you…”
“No! It’s not that bad! Let’s just get out quickly!”
…Nicasia, were you seriously thinking of carrying me like a baby with both hands?
That kind of event isn’t happening, right? And that would be so embarrassing…
“Ugh…?!”
Nicasia ended up grabbing my waist and butt with both hands and lifting me up.
Despite the sudden action, Nicasia’s hands were careful and gentle.
“I’m sorry, Murmur! I didn’t know your horns would get caught on people!”
“Wait, I don’t like this…”
Despite my desperate struggles, Nicasia carried me like some championship belt and quickly exited the station.
“Wow…”
“What’s that? A demon?”
“In Holimpia? A demon? Ha… Another noble demon has appeared.”
Hearing the strangely jealous murmurs, Nicasia and I quickly arrived at the prepared carriage.
“Princess…?”
“Ah, well… Murmur’s horns kept getting caught on people.”
Nicasia awkwardly smiled and set me down on the ground.
…Was she trying to get out quickly so I wouldn’t hear the whispers?
Thinking about Nicasia’s personality, it seems likely.
“Thank you, Nicasia.”
“Huh? No, it’s nothing. We can’t let Murmur’s cool horns get damaged.”
Nicasia smiled and pinched my cheek a few times.
“But… Riola? I told you a normal carriage would be enough…”
“I’m sorry. I tried to bring the most ordinary carriage from the palace, but…”
Riola glanced at me and Nicasia.
This conversation was a bit amusing.
“Her Majesty the Empress…”
“…Mother?”
“She said a too ordinary carriage wouldn’t suit your first date, so she personally chose the carriage.”
“… …Mom.”
Nicasia quickly covered her face with both hands.
“Don’t tell me… she told the other adults at the council?”
“I don’t think she had time for that, but she was smiling so brightly while choosing the carriage…”
“No, you did well. If Mother personally chose the carriage, I can’t refuse.”
Nicasia, very embarrassed, opened the carriage door and took a deep breath.
“Murmur? You must be very hungry, right? Holimpia has many restaurants with delicious food.”
“Yeah, Murmur is looking forward to it. Esme bragged a lot about it. With a book.”
“Huhu, I saw that book too. The author was amazing, right? They stayed in Holimpia for a year, went around restaurants, wrote reviews, and turned it into a book.”
Nicasia smiled as she half-hugged me and got into the carriage.
“Let’s have a lunch today that’s worth writing a book about!”
“Yeah, Murmur will share something really delicious with Nicasia today.”
Nicasia’s carefully prepared adult date started with a splendid lunch at a restaurant.
