Early in the morning, at the dragon’s landing, her uncle wasn’t there to see her off. Instead, it was one of her half-brothers, crown prince Vissel. To the frowning Natalie, Vissel smiled faintly.

“I’m sorry to disappoint, but it’s just me.”

“…I haven’t said anything, yet.”

“The expression sometimes speaks louder than the mouth. You better keep that in mind, Your Highness Natalie, as you’ll be stepping foot in the enemy country.”

While he had a much higher position than Natalie, her crown prince of a half-brother acted like a servant. Natalie didn’t know much about him, but the same could be said of all her other half-siblings.

Natalie also didn’t know anything about Hadith who had suddenly returned from the frontier and became the emperor.

“Once I’m engaged and become a princess of Kratos, it’ll no longer be considered an enemy country.”

The only thing she knew about Vissel was that he was sarcastic. Sure enough, the guy laughed at Natalie’s aspiration.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing. You’ll be heading to Fairert and shall be entering Kratos from the military port there. The Kingdom of Kratos will provide you with an escort from the Saber family. Are you familiar with them?”

“…That’s the clan that protects the border of Kratos, correct?”

“That’s right. They’re a barbaric group who can slay dragons with their bare fists.”

“Isn’t that just an exaggerated rumor?’

“The daughter of said family will supposedly be unveiled as the fiancée of the crown prince of Kratos.”

Natalie raised her head. Seeing that, Vissel’s expression distorted.

“Did Lord Georg say anything to you?”

“…He said that there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Then you don’t even know your exact position. In the first place, the crown prince of Kratos might not have played any part in proposing this engagement.”

While pursing her lips, Natalie shook her head.

“It’s alright to have aspirations, but don’t lose sight of the reality. For the Kingdom of Kratos, the Saber family might be more valuable than you.”

“…Are you saying that I’m being set up?”

“Who knows? The Saber family seems to be a clan with barbaric tendencies. They don’t involve themselves in power struggles. Instead, they set up their home in the middle of the Rakia mountains and live there.”

“The reason can’t be because there’s no dragons over there, right? Isn’t that place supposed to be dangerous?”

Vissel shrugged.

“Even if it’s on Kratos’ side, the sacred mountain is still a sacred mountain. Not to mention, they live in the area that became the epicenter when the Dragon God Rave and the Goddess divided the land. As such, it can be said to be a sanctuary. For them to use it as a training ground, it’s just insane.”

“So, you believe in those gods? How surprising.”

“That is because gods exist. I just don’t acknowledge them.”

At the frowning Natalie, Vissel showed a cold expression for a moment. But soon, his smile returned.

“Rest assured. I’m sure nothing will happen with the Saber family escorting you the second half of the route there. They’ll surely protect you. After all, if you were to die in their territory, it’d be troublesome.”

“Well, if his fiancée is indeed the daughter of the Saber family, if anything were to happen to me, she’d be the first to be suspected.”

“Yes—but your death could also be the reason war breaks out.”

A large shadow covered Natalie and Vissel. A dragon was circling above in the sky.

“I know.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Her voice was shaking. Her hands were also trembling. Still, she smiled resolutely—for that was the duty of a princess.

“I’m probably their means to test the waters with Kratos. As long as it yields a good result, I don’t mind. But maybe—maybe there is a chance. The day when the Rave Empire settles down and its relationship with Kratos improves. I might be able to play a part in hastening that. For I’m a princess of the Rave Empire.”

Vissel raised his eyebrows but didn’t rebut her. Natalie laughed.

“What, laugh at me as you like. I know what you’re thinking—that it’s impossible for someone like me, but I have to try, right?”

“At the same time, there are also things you can understand without trying. No matter what you do, the result won’t change. Lord Georg will soon be killed by the Dragon Emperor. Your marriage will be meaningless. Now, the difference is whether you’d be killed by then, or afterwards.”

“—Still!”

“Therefore, focus on surviving first.”

With the strong gust of wind coming from the front, she received his words directly.

Be it by her uncle, everyone else, or even Natalie, those words had been forsaken.

“…Why, do you say that?”

“I sympathize with you because our circumstances are similar.”

The half-brother who always wore a vile smile on his face simply stated that without a trace of emotion on his face.

“Remember—your life and death will not shake your country. Don’t think about the Rave Empire. Wherever you are, you just need to survive. If you ever come to oppose the Rave Empire, then… The Dragon Emperor will personally handle you.”

“…”

“Anyway, everyone dies, so don’t give up on living with peace of mind until then.”

Vissel continued.

“Everyone’s conclusion in life remains the same—and that is death. But until then, you can live any way you like. At the very least, don’t choose a passive death such as letting yourself be killed in an enemy country—Live.”

For her half-brother to come and say those words—

—she inadvertently laughed.

“…If you can still afford to laugh, then that means that you’re fine. It’s about time for you to go.”

Vissel turned his gaze upward with a sigh. The last group of dragons circling the sky was about to descend onto the landing site. Natalie rode on the largest green dragon and left the Rave Empire.

“Despite the many threats, it’s should be a comfortable journey. You’ll be safe—at least until you leave the Rave Empire. The dragons are still sympathetic to you.”

“Are you close with the dragons?”

“No, I just thought that Hadith would sympathize with you.”

Isn’t that right.

Natalie could only laugh.

“Actually, we might have been able to become friends.”

“You jest. We aren’t compatible in the slightest.”

“Who can say? As long as one still lives, something unusual like that could happen.”

Vissel raised his eyebrows, but didn’t say a word.

Is he feeling awkward?

Laughing again, Natalie stared at the green dragon.

“Leaving the dragons is lonely.”

“That’s right, you like dragons.”

“That’s why, at best, I’ll give my all to survive. I might reach a happy ending. The crown prince of Kratos might fall for me. Then, we’ll have an amiable marriage.”

“If miracles do exist, may one of your aforementioned wishes come true.”

“I’ll have to think about it thoroughly, then.”

She didn’t think that such a day wouldn’t come.

Natalie turned straight to face Vissel.

“I wrote letters to Frida and Elynsia. They are in my room. Might I ask you to deliver them?”

“…Sure, I can do that. Hopefully, they haven’t been disposed of by Lord Georg.”

“Thank you, Vissel onii-sama.”

Vissel’s eyes narrowed as he stared at her. Then, he spoke.

“Goodbye, Natalie.”

There was no such thing as goodbye.

Natalie smiled.

Let that person remember her smile—the smile of his sister—when he thought of her someday.

“Goodbye.”

---

***T/N: This is just sad cuz we know she’s going to die in the end. As for Vissel, you… (silently give 3 brownie points)

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