The Jade Princess, Flora
This was the Kingdom of Albul, three years before Julius's exile.
It was a small nation facing the Forest of Demons, on the opposite side of the forest from the South Territory.
The kingdom's main specialties were timber, magic stones, and the blessings of the forest gathered from the Forest of Demons...
Though a small country, those goods brought in enormous profits.
And the people of this nation were said to be descendants of the “Dryads, fairies of the forest”...
The entire population was a single ethnic group, all related by blood.
As proof of that, every citizen excelled in the rare magic known as “Tree Magic”, and using it, the nation flourished in forestry and medicinal herb cultivation... its population was around four thousand.
They were often invaded by neighboring countries, yet still maintained their independence because the Kingdom of Albul focused heavily on intelligence gathering through Tree Magic, then used schemes and stratagems based on that information to repel foreign enemies.
Among all that, there was one top secret of Albul unknown to other nations...
Its true capital lay inside the Forest of Demons!!
It was a city built through Dryad Tree Magic, surrounded by sturdy walls and plants that emitted scents monsters hated.
Because of that, monster attacks were kept at bay. In other words, the Forest of Demons itself became the strongest defensive wall.
Whenever war came, the entire populace would evacuate to this hidden city...
Even if the false capital outside the forest was occupied, the capital's walls were made through Tree Magic.
Those walls themselves could be erased with magic... and once the defenses vanished, the occupiers would be left exposed to the monsters.
Then, using scents monsters hated, the beasts would be temporarily guided out of the forest, and the enemy forces occupying the false capital would retreat under a fierce monster assault.
That was the Kingdom of Albul's defense system!!
And in this country, there was a beautiful princess with emerald hair and emerald eyes, with slightly drooping eyes that gave her a gentle look...
A girl said to be a throwback to their Dryad ancestors.
Because of her beauty, she was called the green jewel princess, “The Jade Princess”, and princes and powerful nobles from other lands endlessly sought her hand.
Yet she never once nodded yes...
Every time they failed to receive a favorable answer, those foreign princes and nobles would invade the Kingdom of Albul.
They would occupy the empty false capital, only to suffer catastrophic losses when monsters attacked and be forced to withdraw...
And so, the surrounding nations came to view Albul as an enemy...
Even so, the borders were never closed.
Because only Albul could properly handle certain lumber and medicinal herbs, and cutting ties would hurt them instead.
That was why the neighboring nations sought to rule it.
And now, during yet another invasion from a neighboring country, honestly, who even knew how many times this made?, the people were evacuating to the hidden capital in the Forest of Demons when a mother and child went missing along the way.
“I'll go search for them, so everyone please hurry to the capital. The enemy army is approaching from behind as well. I can escape on my own, so go...”
“But we cannot leave Your Highness behind!!!!”
“No. I will not sacrifice everyone. Go at once. I can search with Tree Magic, but there is a limit to how many people I can bring back with me... Hurry before the pursuers arrive!!”
“Damn it... Princess, please stay safe...”
As everyone headed for the capital, she searched for the missing pair with Tree Magic.
“Ah, they're being chased by pursuers. I have to save them... Is there anything I can use... Hm? That is...? ...Good!!”
She hurried toward the mother and child.
“You're all right now. I've come to help you. Come, let's go.”
“Princess!! Why are you in a place like this? Are you truly here to save us?”
“Of course I am. Every citizen of this kingdom is family. I don't want a single person to die!!!! Come, this way...”
The enemy army was strong enough to charge into the Forest of Demons... they steadily closed the distance with disciplined precision.
“I made it in time somehow. Now then, hold on to me. Tree Magic...”
Suddenly, a hollow opened in a large nearby tree, and the mother, child, and the princess slipped inside.
Then the enemy soldiers arrived and began searching the area.
“About a hundred of them, perhaps? So they did find us after all?”
They were combing through the surroundings...
“Hmm? They're here. Please stay quiet for a moment.” She said that to the mother and child, then used magic.
Suddenly, several trees in front of the army crashed down.
There stood the forest brute, Two-Hung Bear. Yes, she was even using monsters themselves to toy with the army...
This monster was a bear with two arms on each side, four in total, and once it went berserk, it would rampage until it died.
Even high-ranking adventurers avoided it...
“I did it. We'll wait here a little longer, then escape when we see an opening... Please endure just a little more.”
She stroked the trembling child's head.
“Pwincessh...”
The tearful child narrowed their eyes in bliss.
On the other side, the Two-Hung Bear and the enemy army were clashing.
Each time the bear swung its arms, several soldiers were blown away...
But the enemy army wasn't helpless either. They steadily inflicted damage with bows and magic.
As the battle intensified, before their presence here was discovered, they quietly slipped away.
Carefully, but quickly, they moved so the enemy wouldn't notice, and safely reached the capital.
“Princess, thank you so much!! I thought we were finished. To be able to return to the capital with my child...” The mother's eyes welled with tears.
“Pwincessh, tank you. Um...”
Mm? What is it!? She crouched to the girl's eye level, and the child gave her a little kiss on the cheek.
“Goodness me. I've received something wonderful.”
Sunlight filtering through gaps in the forest trees shone down on the three of them.
“The Jade Princess”
Her name was Flora de Albul.
Called the beautiful yet kind jewel princess of the Kingdom of Albul, she was truly like a national treasure.
With cunning strategy and magic that could even play armies in the palm of her hand, she was known both home and abroad in war as the “Scheming Princess”, the keystone of Albul's defense. And...
“I wonder... will I ever be able to see that person again? My savior, and the savior of the Kingdom of Albul as well... Lord Julius...”
Yes, she had murmured it without thinking, and the child heard her...
“Pwincessh and Juliussh are best fwiends. I want Juliussh to come again... I mish him.”
“Yes... I miss him very much as well. I wish to see him again soon. Lord Julius... Flora is waiting for you.”
She clenched herself tight to hold back the tears threatening to fall, and gazed with emerald eyes in the direction where Julius surely was...
A gentle wind softly caressed Flora's beautiful hair, as if the man she loved so dearly, Julius, had gently stroked her head...
Softly...
Tenderly...
What do you think about this chapter?
