***Final Arc, One Who Obtain Happiness, Chapter 253 Bird That Can't Fly***

It was a sunny, warm spring day.

The girl put the old woman in her homemade wheelchair and took her around the garden.

The trees in the royal garden were showing signs of the end of winter, with small buds scattered around――the spring breeze was slightly chilly, yet cheerful.

A large Suiko follows behind them while yawning.

Everyone who saw them stopped and saluted.

Everyone who entered this royal territory was well aware of who these two were.

The girl and the old woman――two people who seem unrelated to the military, however, were Alberinea and the former marshal.

The young nobles looked obviously nervous and seemed stiff in their salutes.

From their point of view, both were above the clouds, and they were perplexed by the calm scene that was so different from the anecdote.

Approaching the two figures were two men.

"Shaggy (beard), welcome back."

"Yeah. It's been a while, Krische-sama."

An old man with a rich white beard reaching down to his chest――Aleha smiled softly.

His hair, which was originally pale in color, was now pure white and tied back.

Even now, well past a hundred years old, he stood straight, slender yet with the posture of a warrior.

"Small Bone, reporting to Piyorun?"

"Yes. I'm here to report to the Marshal about General Remin and the Eastern inspection."

The man who was called ‘Small Bone (Kobone)’ was an elderly man.

His golden hair and handsome face were more reminiscent of Vanatella Faren than Eluga.

Rayfas Faren responded with a wry smile at the nickname Small Bone.

He is Skeleton’s child, so Small Bone. Appearance had nothing to do with it.

The current Marshal Norgan Verreich, a.k.a Piyorun, is the son of Nozan Verreich a.k.a Chirp Chirp (PiyoPiyo).

The two were returning from their inspection of the East.

The vast land―managing such a large territory was time-consuming.

Especially the eastern end of the continent, divided into numerous vassal states, required direct observation.

Aleha as a general and Rayfas as a civil servant left the royal territory around this time last year.

In the sky was the Heaven’s Net――as if enveloping the plane itself, Kreschenta's magical formula enveloped everything.

If they wanted to, they could easily check information from a thousand or ten thousand ri away without anyone knowing, but that didn’t mean there was no value in inspecting things.

Alberan ruled the continent, and it had a strong meaning for official inspections to come from the center every few years.

It demonstrated that Alberan literally had the continent from end to end in its grasp.

The frequency of inspections could be said to be a form of control, and they had been able to quash many signs of rebellion in this manner.

Detecting movements from above, sending inspections, and uprooting the buds of rebellion.

Kreschenta was hailed as equal to God for such abilities.

For many, it was nothing short of divination.

From thousands of ri away――at the stage of preparation that shouldn’t have been able to be detected.

The Queen's inspection comes at such perfect timing.

The reason for this inspection was that similar signs were seen in the eastern part of the country.

Kreschenta could freely browse not only all documents that were on the continent but also those in various parts of the world, grasping all internal affairs――without their knowledge she controlled everything.

"As Her Majesty was concerned, there were some suspicious movements. Hence our return was delayed a bit."

Rayfas said, narrowing his eyes.

He knew deep down that the queen wasn't worried.

There were hardly any inspections that didn’t have issues when it was something ordered by the queen.

It was almost certain that he was sent for inspection precisely because there were problems.

Currently, Kreschenta has created a parliament in the royal palace and leaves most of the government to Rayfas and the others.

Kreschenta rarely showed her face these days, but every once in a while, like the voice of god, Kreschenta would command Rayfas and the others to do something.

This inspection was decided in such a manner, different from regular inspections.

With his golden hair gleaming red――her fairy-like beauty.

Her aloof purple eyes and sweet voice that made one ear tremble.

Identical to the queen――Rayfas looked at the girl in front of him, the girl his father loved, and focused on her purple eyes.

‘――By the time you grow up, there will be no wars, and Alberan will have changed a lot. Her Majesty the Queen and Krische-sama will change the era. ...Study well and serve as a good vassal. To prepare what the two will build, to leave it for future generations.’

He had heard her anecdotes from his father many times when he was young.

"But everything was cleared up without any major problems. Don't worry."

"I see, that's a relief."

With her soft smile, the girl looks at the old woman.

Selene Christand looked at Rayfas and smiled.

"...Thank you for your hard work. Rest well, both of you."

“Ha”

The two saluted, and Aleha looked at the wheelchair and asked.

“Is your body”

"It's just age. I haven't been walking much lately. Looking at you like that, it seems like you'll live a long time, Aleha."

“…Strangely enough.”

Aleha smiled bitterly, and Selene also laughed.

“It looks like I’m going to cause you some trouble later, so I’ll apologize first.…Please take care of the rest.”

“Yes, please leave it to us.”

There were quite a few people who knew what was going to happen, but there were only a fraction of those people who were still alive.

Aleha nodded at those words and saluted again.

Then the two leave.

"Rayfas has also grown up and aged quite a bit... Time is surprisingly long yet short."

"Is that so...?"

"Though I don't think you would understand."

Selene said exasperated and stared into the shade of the tree.

Without saying anything, Krische continued in that direction.

As they enter the shade, the light shines through the gaps between the branches and leaves, making it a little softer.

Selene looked up at Krische behind her and stroked her cheek.

"Perhaps the reason you're still childish is because your appearance hasn't changed."

"...?"

"As one gets older, one learns to behave appropriately so as not to embarrass themself..."

“It's something unavoidable”, Selene laughed.

"Do whatever you like, but at least try not to cause trouble as much as possible. I'm sure Aleha and the others will do well."

"Yes. Kreschenta seems to be preparing properly as well."

The parliament was already running most of the country's affairs.

Not just nobles, but based on achievements.

When it was decided to allow even civilians who graduated from school to participate in the parliament that governs national politics, there was some initial opposition, but it's a thing of the past.

Now it was stable and on track.

There would be some confusion after Kreschenta disappeared, but the country would not suddenly split apart.

There was no doubt that the peace will come to an end eventually, but that's it.

At least they had decided not to get involved in it.

Uniting the continent and establishing stability in one era.

With that her role was over.

Both Krische and Kreschenta were too strong.

The power to twist even the world with just a whim.

Regardless of whether they wanted it or not, just being individuals was too much, would cause distortion.

"I want to see her soon."

"...Yes."

Regardless, Selene thought it might be a healthy thing in a way.

A perfect and eternal kingdom-――compared to such words.

"I feel like I want to see her, but at the same time I also don't want to see you. I have to start thinking a lot about what kind of sarcastic words I need to say."

"sarcasm……"

"I told you, there's so much I want to say...I'll be preaching for about three days. Now I have to show her which one is older."

Hearing those words, Krische quietly let out a chuckle.

‘What’ when the old woman asked, the girl answered happily.

"Fufu, when it comes to Bery, Selene, is just like in the past. Always arguing about things Krische didn't really understand."

"What do you mean things you didn't understand? About eighty percent of it was about you."

"Uh..."

Without looking at the Krische behind her, Selene pinched her cheek with her fingers and sighed.

She then thought for a moment, her smile falling and her eyes closing.

"...Well, if you're like that, I guess I'm lucky that I don't get bored every day."

When she closed her eyes, there were countless memories.

From the big things to the small things――when time passed, it seemed like a short time, but when she looked back on it, it was so intense.

Selene thought it was strange.

``When I was little, I somehow thought that I would become like my mother and marry someone like my father. Halfway through, I thought I would become a soldier like my father, but... Either way, reality turned out to be quite different.”

The future was very different from what she had envisioned when she was a child.

Perhaps, if Krische hadn't come to Christand’s estate, reality would not have been so far from her imagination.

Maybe it would be her own grandchild who was by her side right now.

That would be a very happy thing.

Building a family, raising children――the future she once envisioned seemed more wonderful than anything else.

Most people would say that's what happiness was as a human.

Even the current Selene felt that way.

At least she was someone who preferred that kind of down-to-earth way of life.

――The daughter of the hawk had no wings.

"Ever since you arrived, my days have been hectic. I never could have imagined that even though I'm not yet 20, I'd become a marshal, albeit just a decoration."

So step by step, aiming for the high place one should aim for.

But the girls around Selene all had elegant wings――enviable and dazzling when looked up at.

Even so, she kept looking ahead and thinking that if she put in the effort, she would reach it someday.

But they invited Selene to see the same scenery and quickly took her to a high place on their backs.

The more she looks down, the more scary it becomes.

The top of a mountain that she, who didn’t have wings, would fall down on.

Still, they laughed.

――It's a really beautiful view, isn't it?

With pure goodwill, they smiled kindly at Selene.

Looking down at the clouds together as if they were comrades with the same wings.

Even now, she wondered what kind of face she should have made.

If she had cried in fear and run away, she would never have ascended to such a mountain top again.

In the past, she used to force herself to laugh.

Yes, to avoid being left out and to stay by their side.

"At that time, Selene was the only suitable one... But it made it easier for Krische to do various things too."

"Leaving all the troublesome work to your sister, who loves such troublesome work."

“Uuu...”

The longing for heights had long since disappeared.

She decided to take care of the girls who were flying around in the sky――but there was someone far better at that than Selene.

Once she reached the top, the difference between her and them became even more obvious.

Unlike Selene, who sat on the summit, their wings flew freely in the sky.

They flew much higher than where Selene was.

"...I didn't do it because I liked it, really."

No matter how high she climbed, in the end all she could do was do what was right in front of her.

The only thing that had changed from when she was below was the view.

Besides, Selene had little time to enjoy her scenery.

"Though I wish you could understand just how desperate I was at that time."

"But Selene said, ‘it's my job so I don't need your help’ so..."

"Really, the part where you took words too literally, is your number one evidence of you being an idiot."

However, the sunrise that occasionally comes into view, and the evening sunrise――the starry sky that covered the sky seemed to shine brighter than anything else.

The time she got to look at those with them, while resting wings was probably something no one else could experience.

Envy, jealousy, resignation, all under a moonlight that forgives everything.

That radiance filled the entire cloudless sky, and the emotions that arose there belonged to no one else, but Selene.

And the ones who showed it to Selene were none other than them.

"Hehe...But now that I think about it, it was a very valuable experience."

When she closes her eyes, it always comes to her mind.

――At least, it was Selene's treasure alone.

“There are so many things I want to say, but if I had to put it into one word…”

Selene smiled and put her hand on Krische’s cheek.

"...Thank you, I guess"

‘I love you, Krische’ she continued, and the girl nodded happily, and said, ‘Krische too’ while smiling.

The girl then told Selene she tilted her head slightly.

"But, then that is two―"

"...By the way, I've always hated your inability to read the atmosphere."

"Eh...?"

‘Good grief’ Selene sighed.

A life full of sighs――As Selene Christand, it was questionable whether it was the best decision she made.

If she could do it all over again, she might have done more.

However, no part of her doubted that it was surely the best outcome for herself.

Hard things, painful things, sad things――all of them were included, it was that kind of fortuitous meeting.

She chuckled and looked up at the sky.

It took several decades to realize that wings were unnecessary.

More important than the scenery you see was, who you see it with.

"...Let's go home. I want to rest in bed for a little while."

"Yes. ehehe, then Krische will prepare dinner."

When she realized it, it was a trivial thing.

――It was three weeks later that Selene Christian passed away.

Without any apparent illness, she slept and never woke up, just like always.

A grand state funeral was held, and many people wept.

If the innovation brought to the military by Alberinea――her younger sister Krische Christand was a weapon, Selene Christand brought innovation to the army itself.

She devoted her efforts to establishing a military school and a staff department, and gathered a large number of talented people―it was said that what she aimed for was the genius Alberinea herself.

She reached out to Alberinea wisdom, which was beyond the reach of ordinary people, by combining people with specialized education into a single brain.

At that time, the battlefield was under the dictatorial control of people with powerful influence called General, and it was an unstable world where some geniuses stood out.

Having witnessed Alberinea, the star of the times, up close, she must have seen the distortion more clearly.

The vast amount of information held by the generals was taken up by the staff, who sifted through and selected options like finding a single tree in a deep forest.

――What should be sought in a commander is not the ability to think, but a noble ideology and the decisiveness to cut through any hesitation. And the brain that supports this is the staff officers, the commander’s thoughts itself.

She constantly preached such things to the military men of the time.

These words are said to be based on her experience of reaching the rank of marshal at a young age.

While her popularity is spoken of in many records, there was very little mention of her actual ability as a commander, despite her achievements. She never had expressed positive opinions about her own abilities in her writings.

Although she stood as the supreme commander in the great war leading to continental unification, amassing great achievements, she always spoke of it not as her own achievement but as the result of a well-established military, Alberinea, and capable subordinates, and it was repeatedly stated that she embarked on reforming the military structure to made that replicable.

As a matter of fact, to this day, the ‘Christand style’ military structure remains, and looking at the stability from the Kingdom of Alberan to the early stages of the Magic Empire Kleinmeer, it could be said that her achievements were beyond doubt.

"Funerals are tough, aren't they? But, with this, it's finally over. Kreschenta, let's tidy up and leave soon."

Dressed in an apron dress.

The silver-haired girl said this to the girl looking at the pillar of light at the top of the Heavenly Pole.

With her golden hair shimmering red― wearing the same red dress from the funeral, the two girls looked like two peas in a pod.

Two names that shone brightly over a long history.

Alberinea and Kreschenta.

"...Kreschenta?"

“Onee-sama, could you lend me a magic crystal for a moment?”

"Uh...? Yes."

The silver girl handed a magic crystal to her beloved little sister.

The queen who received it gently wrapped it in her hands, causing blue light to gush out.

"Um, Kreschenta, what are you doing..."

"...It's a seal. So that Onee-sama won't be able to go anywhere on her own."

Their story, which became the starting point for the magic civilization that would follow, had an ending quite different from the serene end of their step-sister.

She approached, closer her red and sparkling golden hair swaying softly.

Hanging the magic crystal around her neck, on her chest.

Embracing her sister as if to crush each other's bosoms, the eternal girl held her older sister.

"Fufu, now there's no one to get in the way...I'll be with you forever, Onee-sama."

“Um, Kreschenta…?”

And with an affectionate, beautiful voice that was painted with a mad obsession.

"Now I can finally have Onee-saa all to myself. It's okay, don't worry."

Wrapping her arms around her back like enveloping a bird's wings.

"This is Onee-sama’s――"

――eternal birdcage.

She whispered, making her sister's earlobes tremble.