"Sometimes, the world changes so quickly that it becomes impossible to make sense of..."
Standing near the edge of the cruise ship's deck, the black-haired boy faced the sea breeze and basked in the warm sunlight shining down from high above as he sighed.
"Just like the ocean. One moment, the sun may be blazing overhead, and the next, dark clouds cover the sky. You never know what life will bring. Such is life... life..."
Despite the beautiful world around him and the prime spot he occupied for both relaxation and sightseeing, the boy radiated a gloomy air completely at odds with his surroundings. Even his words were filled with pessimism about the future.
"What's that supposed to mean? The sky is perfectly clear, yet you're already being so gloomy. What is it, Pochi? Do you have some problem with me?"
Yes, I do. You're the dark cloud that suddenly appeared and ruined this beautiful weather. Could you please stay away from me and do something befitting your status as a princess?
"How could I possibly dare? Alexia, you're the Second Princess of the Kingdom of Midgar. How could the son of a minor noble like me ever be dissatisfied with you?"
Without voicing his true thoughts, Cid turned toward the white-haired, red-eyed beauty who had appeared beside him at some point. His tone was exceedingly respectful, yet somehow deeply irritating.
"Eww... Where did you even learn to talk like that, Pochi? It's disgusting."
"Huh? Is there something wrong with it?"
Cid blinked and stared at Alexia with an innocent expression, making her grimace in disgust.
But immediately afterward, Alexia seemed to remember something. Her expression stiffened, and a blush crept onto her face. After hesitating for several seconds, she spoke.
"Fine. I admit I went a little too far last night, but I was only thinking about everyone's safety. Besides, I took the lead and let my sister search my room first. Are you really going to be that petty, Pochi?"
Actually, I simply find you annoying. Also, you were right about last night.
At that point, Cid guiltily shifted his gaze away.
Sometimes, he had no choice but to marvel at how small the world was.
The school had been destroyed by heavenly fire, so classes had been suspended. Meanwhile, factions across the world had suffered heavy losses and called their heirs home.
Cid had nothing to do, and his own house had been blown up in the disaster, so staying home was no longer an option. After spending several days in a house provided by Gamma, he decided to use the unexpected vacation to travel.
He never imagined he would encounter one of the troublesome people he most wanted to avoid aboard the cruise ship taking him home. It made him deeply regret choosing this vessel.
What happened the previous night had actually been quite simple.
Someone suspected that terrorists had infiltrated the ship, so Alexia's older sister, First Princess Iris, ordered an emergency search of the entire cruise liner.
When they reached Cid's room, Alexia had merely been struck by a flash of light before blushing and leaving.
Cid had been quite satisfied at the time, thinking the situation had resolved itself without any trouble. But judging from Alexia's current attitude, he was now curious about what exactly she had seen.
This was Alexia, after all. A heavyweight tsundere who had actually swallowed her pride and apologized to him.
That made Cid even more curious about what she had witnessed within that flash of light.
Cid himself had seen nothing. However, to avoid alerting whoever had infiltrated his room, he obediently followed Alexia's example and stayed away from it.
He did not need to sleep anyway. At worst, he could simply use the doubled Magic Power Training Method.
"...I didn't even complain after what you did to me, and now you're ignoring me? Fine, Pochi. Let me ask you something. Are you really going to fall out with me over something so trivial?"
Are you insane? You keep talking about what you saw without telling me what it was. How am I supposed to understand? Not everyone can invent a whole collection of false memories in a single second and then believe every one of them as completely as you do.
Perhaps Cid's brief silence while thinking had caused Alexia to misunderstand.
Her cheeks flushed even redder, and she adopted an aggressive fighting stance.
"..."
Cid stared at Alexia without expression.
Her stance lacked force, her lower body was unstable, and her posture was utterly careless. Cid felt nothing at all. In fact, he almost wanted to laugh.
He would bet that...
"I surrender."
I haven't even made the bet yet!
Alexia's fighting spirit suddenly collapsed. Looking utterly dejected, she turned toward the sea and rested both hands on the railing.
"You gave up far too quickly."
Cid could not resist commenting.
Alexia glanced at him, opened her mouth as though she wanted to say something, then sighed and reached into her pocket.
"I admit that what happened last night was my fault, so I won't tell anyone what I saw. But I suggest you treat it as nothing more than a delusion and abandon that idea as soon as possible."
What exactly did you see last night, Alexia?
That flash felt just like my Physical Amnesia spell. Everyone invents different memories to fill in the gaps.
"Yes, I know you're probably very dissatisfied with me right now, Pochi. But I believe that even Claire would have made the same choice if she had seen those things. This is for your own good. It's also advice I'm giving you as the younger sister of the First Princess of the Kingdom of Midgar..."
Unaware of Cid's thoughts and the truth behind the previous night's events, Alexia continued speaking.
She interpreted his silence entirely as guilt, which only made Cid even more curious about the scene she had witnessed.
"Of course, I don't believe I owe you an apology for cutting those things apart. Still, they were your property and part of your personal interests, so I'll compensate you with several times their value. But we need to make one thing clear. You are not allowed to buy those things again."
Alexia spoke with complete seriousness.
Cid could tell she meant every word, so he stopped pretending to be silent. He feigned careful consideration before giving her a solemn, determined nod.
He had no idea what had happened, but since Alexia wanted to give him money, he might as well take it.
Besides, Alexia clearly believed she was in the wrong.
Seeing Cid nod, Alexia visibly relaxed.
Whatever she had seen in the illusion last night must have genuinely frightened her. She had been unusually nervous about it.
Alexia then glanced around.
It was almost lunchtime, so there were already few people on deck. This particular area was also relatively secluded, leaving only Cid and Alexia nearby.
"All right, Pochi. Pick them up."
"Clink, clink, clink..."
Alexia pulled dozens of gold coins from her pocket and scattered them across the deck.
The shining coins struck the floor with a series of metallic clinks before rolling in different directions.
Cid watched in silence, then slowly crouched and reached for one of the coins.
"Hmm..."
Alexia gave a satisfied hum.
For a moment, what had happened earlier had made her wonder whether Cid had changed during the few days they had been apart. Seeing this familiar sight put her at ease.
She was still the one above Cid in their relationship...
"Smack!"
Before her fantasy could finish, a gold coin struck Alexia directly in the face.
The cold, hard impact felt like an uppercut to the chin, leaving her completely dazed.
"Are you trying to humiliate me with money, Alexia?!"
Cid remained frozen in his throwing posture.
He had treated his wallet... Alexia as a friend, yet she had actually tried to humiliate him with money.
And it was only a little over a million Zeni.
What kind of pauper was she?
Alexia probably had no idea how wealthy he had become.
To put it simply, factions across the world were currently pouring money and rare resources into rebuilding everything they had lost during the world-ending crisis.
Only the Fallen Angels were agonizing over how to squeeze money from the businesses under their control without driving them away, how to keep their subordinates working like slaves despite having no money to pay their wages, and how to make their lost property somehow regrow on its own without spending anything.
That should make it clear how rich Cid was now.
A mere million was two zeros short of even the smallest change involved in his current purchases.
Who did she think she was humiliating?
"You've truly disappointed me."
A thick and tragic barrier had arisen between them.
Cid looked at Alexia with profound disappointment, sighed, shook his head, and turned away.
He left behind an utterly bewildered Alexia, still unable to comprehend how the coins she had thrown at him had ended up flying back into her face.
It was only when Cid had nearly walked away that Alexia finally regained her senses.
She looked at the scattered gold coins, then at Cid's retreating back.
The disappointed look he had given her flashed through her mind.
Her fury erupted instantly.
Alexia gritted her teeth, her eyes seeming to burn with flames as she hurried after Cid and grabbed his shoulder.
"Alexia, what else do you want? I'm only going to warn you once..."
"Tell me. Who is it?"
"Huh?"
Cid had been about to turn and warn her when her sudden question left him stunned.
He could not understand what she meant.
Wasn't Alexia supposed to cut ties with him now that her lackey no longer needed her financial support, then never speak to him again?
"Alexia! What kind of nonsense are you spouting?!"
"Don't play dumb with me, or I'll really get angry. Tell me, who gave you that money?!"
"!!!"
Which little bitch dared steal my Pochi?!
Alexia brought her face close to Cid's, the flames in her eyes burning fiercely enough to kill.
Most people might have mistaken Cid's earlier expression for genuine disappointment.
But Alexia knew Cid's personality extremely well. By putting herself in his position, she immediately understood what that gaze had truly meant.
It was the look someone gave a penniless beggar.
Her Pochi had become rich!!!
Another woman had stolen her Pochi and started supporting him, which meant Alexia had been cheated on!!!
Alexia glared at the bewildered Cid while several possible suspects flashed through her mind. They were women who might have begun supporting Cid during the time since she had last seen him.
Rias?
Unlikely. When she first heard Pochi had joined them, she went to meet him, but she clearly had no interest in her Pochi.
Natsume?
She had no time. Alexia had no idea what that wicked silver-haired Elf had been doing, but she obviously lacked the time necessary. Besides, how could a mere author possibly have more money than Alexia?
Claire?
Impossible. She was a lunatic, and they were siblings. She had also disappeared somewhere over the past few days and left Alexia alone. Not worth considering.
Then there was only one possible answer.
It was you, wasn't it...?
"It was that bitch named... I mean, that girl named Yukina Himeragi, wasn't it?"
"???"
Cid grew even more confused.
He was beginning to feel that the situation had completely escaped his control.
How had Yukina Himeragi suddenly become involved?
Alexia, your intelligence network needs an update. Yukina has already been expelled from Itogami Island, and I haven't seen her for seven or eight days.
"So it was her!"
Alexia took Cid's bewilderment as silent confirmation and immediately became even more agitated.
She had never imagined that after spending barely a dozen days with her sister, someone would steal her Pochi away.
The thought filled her with rage.
"Listen carefully, Pochi. Don't think you can take advantage of them just because they have pretty faces. Whatever benefits you gain now, you'll have to repay several times over later. You should cut ties with those people immediately. The organization behind them is anything but friendly."
At this point, directing her anger at Pochi would only be pointless rage and might drive him straight into the other party's arms.
What truly mattered was making Pochi understand who he could actually trust, and who could safely support him without asking for anything dangerous in return.
Alexia was extremely confident in that regard.
In terms of wealth, she was the Second Princess of Midgar.
In terms of authority, she was the Second Princess of Midgar.
Aside from her older sister, Alexia was confident that no one in the entire Kingdom of Midgar possessed more wealth or influence than she did.
And since there was obviously no possibility of anything happening between Cid and Iris, Alexia had nothing to worry about.
She believed that once she clearly explained the advantages and risks, her Pochi would return to her.
"What do you mean?"
Cid asked with genuine curiosity.
He really was interested in the organization behind Yukina Himeragi and the others. From what he had seen, it seemed like an unusually bizarre group.
"They're supposedly assassins trained by some intelligence organization in Japan. They carry out dangerous missions involving assassination and infiltration. Think about it, Pochi. How could their true personalities possibly be as cheerful as they seemed when we met them? Who knows what they're hiding inside..."
In reality, Alexia had only discovered that Yukina Himeragi and the others were agents of a secret organization.
She had been unable to find much about their exact duties.
Still, relying on stereotypes would probably be good enough.
"..."
Cid wanted to argue.
He genuinely did not believe anyone could conceal their true nature from him when he was paying attention.
However, he knew almost nothing about the organization behind Yukina Himeragi and the others, so he could only smile.
Just as Cid thought he had managed to bluff his way through the situation, footsteps sounded beside him.
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