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“—And what should we tell the townspeople? This isn't something we can just keep secret… Oh, at this rate, we're going to be laughingstocks! What are we going to do?”
“Heh… Laughingstocks? That's a compliment.”
“Karamatsu-niisan, please just let me wallow in self-pity peacefully.”
He understood his little brother, really, he did. It was a valid concern—in the event that they were to bring their current situation to light before the townspeople, then surely, their response would be mocking laughter. If his family wasn't the one suffering, Princess Karamatsu could see himself finding the whole scenario endlessly entertaining. Yet that wasn't the case, and he knew that as the eldest of five brothers, he needed to face reality.
“Has that old hag been punished yet?” Prince Todomatsu, who had been pacing back and forth over the carpeted floor, stopped abruptly to ask. “She has to have been given a harsher sentence!”
“I'm not sure what was done with her beyond her capture,” Karamatsu confessed, smoothing the front of his skirts. “In comparison to the crimes that placed her on the Blue Kingdom’s wanted list, this wasn't very serious… We're fortunate that she didn't have the time to cast a more lethal spell on Daddy.”
“So we're just going to let her mockery of the royal family slide? She might as well have killed him!” Todomatsu's expression was bitter and frustrated, despite the event having only taken place hours before. “I don't understand how she was able to sneak in. I'm telling you, Karamatsu-niisan, magic should be banned.”
“Choromatsu will likely inform us later of the witch’s punishments.” He hesitated slightly, fingers tracing the armrest of the chair on which he'd been resting. “Mommy said we'll likely need the help of another magic user to undo this spell. I know how you feel, Totty, but we need to rectify this situation before we make any rash decisions.”
Todomatsu huffed, arms crossing over his chest. “I guess… If we have to ask someone for help, though, I think I might have some connections.”
That was only slightly surprising. There aren't many magic users left in the world, but if anyone would know how to contact one, it would be his youngest brother. “Oh?”
“Atsushi mentioned recently that he knows someone in a nearby village—a dragon racer, I think? Something like that. He's a magic user, though, definitely…”
Karamatsu hummed, taking in the information. “Could you ask Atsushi where I could find this magic user?”
Their predicament had been tentatively explained to Todomatsu's acquaintance, granting them the knowledge necessary to find the aforementioned magic user. However, a warning had been issued; this person was, according to Atsushi, not the most highly recommended to deal with personal affairs of the royal family. He had generously offered to find someone else more suitable for the job, which would likely entail several more days of waiting around.
Ignoring all the protest from his brothers, Karamatsu set off the next day to Akatsuka Town.
Thinking back now that he was already inside of the carriage, he regretted not asking for more information on the man he was to be searching for. There was no doubt that Atsushi could find a more helpful individual, but at the time, all he could think of was how everything needed to be fixed immediately. It could take days or weeks for someone else to be appointed; their people would have remained kingless in the meantime.
It was the first time in a good while that he'd set eyes on the place. Atsushi hadn't disclosed anything past this person's address. Thankfully, they'd had no problems getting there—he was grateful that he at least took Todomatsu's suggestion to ride in a more discreet carriage than normal. It would attract far too much attention if word got around that the princess of the Blue Kingdom was inexplicably visiting magic users in the area. He even picked out one of his more drab dresses for the occasion, much to his own dismay.
Though it didn't appear to be an error on his coachman’s part, the ride through town took far longer than he had previously anticipated. They had already passed through the busiest part of town, which Karamatsu assumed was the center. It wasn't until they reached what looked to be the edge of civilization at the entrance to the woods that the horses were smacked to a stop.
The building was much more run-down than he expected for a famous magic user.
He wouldn't call it ancient, exactly. Moss grew at the edges where the remains of a garden, tangled and unkempt, was left to wither. Its door was crafted of wood, and the knocks Karamatsu delivered to its center could be heard reverberating freely throughout the stone walls.
A moment later, the door opened ever-so-slightly. Through the crack, a man peered outside, eyes straining to identify Karamatsu, and eventually landing upon the guardguards in his company. A second went by, then five more, until the door was cautiously pushed open just the smallest bit wider. The man’s smile was skittish, his eyes darting between his three visitors nervously (though they lingered a bit more on the guards), and he started speaking before Karamatsu had the chance to.
“If this is about yesterday's tavern brawl, you can just ask Chibita, I wasn't part of it at all—well, I was placing bets, but I didn't—”
“Brawl?” Karamatsu cut in with a frown. “No, I'm not here for…” Ah. “Maybe you don't recognize me up close, and in these dull skirts, no less.”
“Uh… Should I know you?” The man opened the door further, relaxing at the diminished threat of arrest. “Y’sure you got the right guy? Oh! Are you here to ask about the dragons?”
“The dragons?” He shook his head, trying again. “I'm here on the behalf of the royal family in order to ask for your aid on an issue which has recently infected the palace.” Karamatsu, ignoring the blank stare he was receiving in return, flashed a winning smile in hopes to jog this man's memory. He didn't think it would be so difficult to receive recognition as the princess just from putting in a bit of effort to lay low. “You know me as the dashing, fashionable princess of the Blue Kingdom.”
He could see the gears inside the magic-user’s head turn while the information processed. It wasn't every day that Karamatsu was given the opportunity to confront a commoner like this. Surely, in seconds, that confused expression would morph into one which was positively starstruck!
Or not.
“Is it safe for a princess to be wandering around with only two guards?” There was a hint of something among the uncertainty displayed on his features—something he didn't like. Something suspiciously similar to doubt.
Karamatsu's Cool Grin slipped a bit as he bristled. Who was this man to suggest that he didn't have capable men in his army to protect him? “If it explains anything, you were suggested to me by Atsushi-san. He said you were a professional magic user… Ah, you are Matsuno Osomatsu, are you not?”
“Hm? Yeah, that's me. Atsushi, huh?” Osomatsu rubbed a finger underneath his nose, studying the princess for but a moment longer. “Well, okay. C’mon in and tell me what this ‘issue that's infected the palace’ is.” He smiled and stepped aside to hold the door open all the way.
“I can't thank you enough,” said Karamatsu, accepting the invitation to head inside.
The interior of the building was much messier than one would expect from viewing the exterior. Large tomes littered the floor near a bookcase in one corner of the room, the rest of the floor occupied by papers with scribbles Karamatsu couldn't quite recognize as he stepped cautiously over them. A long table with rickety wood chairs placed around it sat square in the middle, more papers littering its surface. A fire pit sat nearing the center of the room, coated in dust.
“Sorry 'bout the mess! I'd offer something to eat or drink, but I wasn't exactly expecting company here.” Osomatsu laughed as he stepped past Karamatsu, pulling up one of the chairs and gesturing for him to do the same. Awkwardly, the princess did as he was directed—this was new, being spoken to in such a casual manner. He wasn't so sure if he appreciated it.
“Right… Ah, let me preface this by saying that what I am about to disclose should remain within these walls until it's all been dealt with accordingly.”
“Yeah, I kinda guessed—you said you went outta your way to avoid looking like the princess, right?”
“That's correct. You must understand, if anything I impart to you makes its way to the townspeople,” here he smiled, slow and sweet, “then there will most certainly be consequences.”
Osomatsu simply laughed.
“I get it, I get it! Who am I gonna tell? The donkey poacher next door?” He paused, eyes darting towards the guards on either side of Karamatsu. “Oh. Uh, he doesn't actually poach donkeys, he just, um—”
“Regardless…” Karamatsu shifted, the ancient chair groaning in protest beneath him. “It all began two days ago. Surely you knew of the ball thrown in the palace, yes?”
“Yup. Stayed up all night waitin’ for that invitation, by the way, thank you very much!” Osomatsu grinned, clearly joking, but the humor… somehow didn't carry over. He seemed to realize this, and his smile lessened. “Sorry. Continue.”
“Well. It went rather smoothly, as does any function held by the king and queen, but that isn't the source of our problems.” He smoothed his grey skirts, the material rougher than he was used to beneath his fingers. “It seems that at some point during the ball, a magic user was able to infiltrate the castle… Despite the heavy security, no one noticed until it was too late. She was already wanted for charges of theft and… murder.”
Recounting that night's events had been more difficult to manage than he'd expected. Karamatsu swallowed. That was the closest a criminal had come to directly harming him in the twenty-four long years he'd been alive.
“Did she attack you?” He looked up at the magic user, whose expression had lost all traces of mirth. It took a second to register the question that had been posed, at which point Karamatsu cleared his throat.
“Thankfully, she was unable to reach neither me nor my brothers. But I can't say the same for Daddy… the king.”
“Did she…?”
“She didn't kill him.” Osomatsu let out a breath of relief, the corners of his lips turning up, and he made to say something, but Karamatsu beat him to it. “He was turned into a pig.”
A long pause.
And Osomatsu fell into a boisterous laughing fit.
“A—? A what? Did you sa—did y—”
“Yes, Matsuno-san, a pig.” Karamatsu's tone was flat, annoyance twisting into his features. It was absolutely ridiculous and he knew that, but it wasn't a laughing matter by any means, because at the moment, the entire kingdom was kingless!
Yet it was difficult to remember all that when Osomatsu was laughing so jovially.
“Sorry! Sorry, I just—hah—that's such a weird spell, given the circumstances. Is he at least okay now?”
“Yes, he didn't appear to be hurt in the process; he's just, well, a pig. So as you may have already imagined, I've come to you with a plea to help reverse that woman's curse.”
Osomatsu hummed, rubbing his nose again. “That would probably cost a lot, y'know. Curses aren't easy at all to fix.”
“We have as many riches as you desire, so please just name your price! I'm sure we can come to an agreement worth your efforts.”
“Well, when you put it that way…"
He should have asked someone else.
This thought had occurred to him time and time again during his conversation with Osomatsu, and even now, as he prepared for the new day ahead of him, Karamatsu regretted his decision.
Maybe it was selfish of him to complain, when this was the quickest path to curing Daddy. But there had to be a magic user out there willing to negotiate fairly—should he really have gone out of his way to accept the bargain Osomatsu had given simply for the sake of time?
Technically, it wasn't too late to back out.
Even if it was for the good of the kingdom, he really didn't want to go on a date with that guy!
Karamatsu could hardly believe his ears when the suggestion had been made. The nerve of this man who spoke so casually and laughed so easily was absolutely astounding. Caught off-guard as he was, he'd had the presence of mind to refuse outright. Yet Osomatsu persisted; “it'll be fun,” he said, “it won't really be a date!” Date or not, wasn't that incredibly shady!?
Well, even those who have unlocked impossible powers couldn't resist the allure of a Guilty Princess like him. Thinking of it from that perspective, it was a bit flattering, yet no amount of thinking kept it from being somewhat (incredibly) creepy.
All of these doubts were set aside as Karamatsu was brought, begrudgingly, back to the building in which Osomatsu resided. Just as he'd done the day before, he rapped a knuckle against the door, but this time, the door swung fully open almost immediately in response.
“You actually came! I was kinda thinkin’ you said yes just to get me off your back.”
“You'd be thinking correctly.” Osomatsu’s laughter burst forth, though Karamatsu didn't see anything funny about it. His date for the day stepped outside, closing the splintering wooden door behind him. “So? What are your plans for today, Magic User-san?
“Aw, call me Osomatsu! And in return, let me call you—”
“The princess.”
“Ah,” disappointment flashed over Osomatsu's face, but he quickly regained his enthusiasm, “moving onto pet names so soon?”
“Let's get this over with, please.” A bit of guilt nibbled at the edges of his mind—maybe he shouldn't be so short with Osomatsu, after all. On one hand, he'd already decided that this was somewhat flattering. But on the other…
“Whatever you say, Princess.” Without warning, the magic user’s hand shot out of his cloak, grasping one of Karamatsu's. Before he could object or the guards could tell him to back off, Osomatsu was running in the direction of the forest, Karamatsu in tow.
“Just a—! What are you—!?” Nearly tripping over his skirts in his attempts to keep up, Karamatsu worked to wrestle his hand away from the other. The guards, stunned for a moment, sprung into action to follow them, shouting demands for him to stop.
“Just follow me!” Osomatsu didn't even look back, dragging the princess into the forest. The thick woodlands past the first layer of trees were unbelievably crowded—branches hung past eye level and overgrown shrubbery pulled at his dress as they ran through. The guards yelled after them, furious, but Osomatsu was taking sharp corners, presumably to lose them. He was doing well because soon enough, the shouts from behind them grew further and further away, until they disappeared altogether. Now breathless from running, Karamatsu could shout no more protests.
Without any warning, Osomatsu stopped, and inertia nearly sent Karamatsu to the ground. The princess doubled over, free hand gripping his skirts, gasping for air. “W—What—! What are…!” He pried an eye open, face scrunched up in pain, and took notice of Osomatsu extending an arm palm-down. He began mumbling, his cloak starting to billow in a wind which seemed to stem and grow in strength from the words he spoke. “Hold on—what are you doing!?”
A sphere grew into existence between the magic user's hand and the ground, cloudy in color and bubbling up to five times its original circumference. Just before it was able to touch the ground, Osomatsu stopped, retracting his hand. The bubble hovered slightly above the grass.
“Well, our ride’s here! Sorry I couldn't get you anything fancy.”
...Huh?
“You—But—You just kidnapped me! You understand that, don't you!?”
“Can it really be called a kidnapping?” He was already climbing onto the ball, plopping down a bit off-center, but never letting go of Karamatsu's hand. Maybe he realized he would bolt if given the chance. The sphere wobbled under the new weight. “I just wanted to get away from those guards. How do you stand having 'em around all the time?”
“They're present in order to keep me safe from people like you, Matsuno-san.”
“People like me won't do you any harm, though,” he snorted, tugging on the hand he was still grasping. “C'mon, get on.”
“You're kidding.”
“I mean, unless you want to get completely lost in here.” Osomatsu glanced around, and Karamatsu followed his eyes. “This place gets pretty impossible to navigate, especially if y’can't find your way out by nightfall.”
The princess deliberated for a moment, eventually meeting his captor’s eyes again. “...I won't fall off?”
“Won't letcha.”
“Never. I'm never doing that again!”
“Oh, it wasn't that bad! I didn't even see anything!”
The ride itself was, though he’d never admit it to the magic user, much more relaxing than he'd anticipated. It took a bit to acclimate to the constant need to rebalance himself as they floated through the air, and embarrassingly, Osomatsu's arms around his torso did wonders to get him used to it. Of course, it took several moments of protest for him to surrender to it. Osomatsu refused to tell him where they were going, leading him to expect the worst. Yet when he announced that they'd arrived, Karamatsu found himself looking down at a vast stretch of land with copious amounts of fruit trees.
He would never have expected the wind to blow up his skirts when they went to land.
Mortified, Karamatsu hopped off of the magic sphere once they were at a safe enough altitude for him to do so, hands covering his flushed face. “What if there were people around!? They would've seen—!”
“I come here all the time; there's no one around.” Osomatsu placed a hand on the side of the ball and it popped underneath him with a glimmer of magic. He landed safely on his feet. “Anyway, I dunno if you ate already, but I'm starving!” He approached one of the trees and plucked a low-hanging purple fruit with red splotches, tossing it in Karamatsu's direction. “Try it.”
“I'm not a very big fan of fruits…” The princess turned the fruit over in his hand, rubbing a thumb across its smooth surface.
“Go om, take a bihe!” Osomatsu had already begun chowing down happily, speaking with his mouth full as he plucked differently colored fruits off of some of the other trees. “They're shuper shweet!”
It must've been safe to eat if he was taking some from the same branch… Hesitantly, Karamatsu did as told. Flavor almost literally exploded from the fruit, sweet juice from its center already dripping down his fingers, and he struggled to lick it up before it got too far down his arms.
Osomatsu was openly staring.
“...What?”
The other swallowed what he'd bitten off. “How do you like it?”
“It's—good.” Karamatsu cleared his throat. “Better than I expected.”
“Right?” He went back to gathering fruits, storing a select few somewhere within his cloak. “I come here all the time.”
“You must have an abundance of free time to travel that distance often,” Karamatsu mumbled, taking another, bigger bite of the polkadot fruit. So sweet…!
“Heh, well, yeah. Didn't have this much free time when I was a professor.”
“A professor?”
“Yup.”
“You?”
“Hey, that's rude! Kinda called for, but rude!”
“What could you possibly have to teach others”—Osomatsu started to speak up—”which was allowed by the school board?”
The magic user's mouth shut for a moment. “...Good point. I taught business for a few years, though, for your information! I still don't get why they wouldn't approve a course on dragon racing.”
“Ah! My brother mentioned that—is that your current occupation?”
Osomatsu grinned, picking a blue fruit from the small bundle in his arms. “Yoo coul’ shay tha’.”
They strolled through the fruit grove, Osomatsu having him try out his personal favorites every so often. Eventually, they'd had their fill, and despite the near-addictive flavors of each food, Karamatsu politely declined another offer. Keeping their next destination a mystery, Osomatsu summoned the magic bubble, and they were off.
Karamatsu was just the slightest bit more reluctant to allow them to land at their next “date” spot, voicing his protests once he saw the monstrous figures of what looked suspiciously similar to dragons roaming around below them.
“Seriously, if you're so worried the wind’s gonna blow your dress up again, just hold it down!”
“That's not the problem!”
Apparently, it was a dragon racing track owned and run by a friend of Osomatsu’s. There were no races being held today, so a quick trip into Hatabou’s office granted them permission to pass through the gates and visit. He couldn't believe he was letting Osomatsu talk him into this. Dragons were incredibly dangerous, even in a more domesticated setting like this!
Fearful as Karamatsu was, though, he had to admit—they all looked so cool.
“C’mere, they won't attack or anything! Promise!” Osomatsu was already approaching one of the more snake-like dragons, glancing back at the princess, who was keeping his distance. “They love the attention.”
“Heh… Mother Nature gave them flames and claws for a reason, Matsuno-san. No thanks.”
He was reaching into his cloak, soon procuring one of the fruits he'd saved earlier. “Oh, just watch—ya big baby.” He mumbled the end, offering up the blue-striped fruit to the overgrown lizard. It drew closer, sniffing the presented food for a moment, and the effect was immediate—saliva dripped down its bared fangs as a long, serpentine tongue slid out to receive the gift. It was gone in an instant, and the dragon rumbled long and low, pleased. Osomatsu then stepped closer, running the hand he'd used to feed the beast over the side of its head. It leaned into the touch, accidentally pushing Osomatsu back a bit with unchecked strength. Laughing, he turned back to a completely mystified Karamatsu, gesturing for him to come closer. “See? Nothin’ to worry about! These guys are completely used to humans.”
The princess took a slow step forward, then another, hands grasping at his skirts as he made his way towards the dragon. Its slitted eyes landed on him, causing him to freeze midstep. Osomatsu sighed good-naturedly and closed the distance, grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards the creature despite his protests.
“I'm telling you, it's not gonna hurt you! Here, try to feed it.” Osomatsu pulled yet another fruit out, placing it into one of Karamatsu's hands.
The dragon eyed him as he headed closer, but its interest quickly locked onto the fruit he carried. Karamatsu held it up and the dragon was drooling in an instant, accepting the offering greedily. He watched for a moment, fascinated, as the fruit was swallowed up joyfully. Suddenly nervous again, he glanced back at Osomatsu—he laughed, likely at how awkward the princess was acting, and stepped over to join the two.
“Like this.” Osomatsu stroked the side of the dragon’s head again, slow and gentle, while Karamatsu observed. Just as before, it seemed delighted to receive the affection. This creature was nothing like the tales his parents would read to him as a child—nothing it had done so far suggested that it would attempt to kidnap or roast anyone alive.
With that to drive him, the princess built up the courage to pet the dragon.
It was instantly overjoyed to be on the receiving end of so much affection. Its scaly head bumped up against the two humans playfully, eliciting a laugh from the both of them.
“See? Nothin’ to be afraid of!” Osomatsu grinned, rubbing his hand over the dragon's skin more fervently. It nudged him, smoke puffing from its nostrils, but its demeanor never tipped into genuine anger.
“I suppose I should have expected as much from a dragon track staff member,” Karamatsu laughed back. He truly did underestimate—
“Oh! No, I don't actually work here! I just come by to watch the dragon races a lot. Hatabou's only a friend—not my boss.”
This guy couldn't be famous in the slightest. “Just how much free time do you really have, Magic User-san?”
“Back to that name…”
An hour or so passed by of playing with and feeding the dragons easily had Karamatsu forgetting his disappointment. At some point, Osomatsu brought out a vial and collected some of the saliva from the dragons, using the fruit as a sort of bait—”For potions,” he'd explained, “so don't get any weird ideas!”
He'd never expected to have become so intrigued by dragons. Raised to fear them due to old accounts of their kind terrorizing kingdoms and taking interests in the princesses specifically, Karamatsu couldn't imagine himself willingly coming near them before now. It was an understatement to say the princess was now fascinated with them.
“Why not learn how to ride them!”
“You'd teach me?”
“I don't have the experience, but I'm sure Hatabou could find someone to show you the ropes.”
“That would be… wonderful.” Karamatsu averted his eyes, flushing a bit in anticipation. “Th—Thank you.”
Osomatsu only laughed. They'd already left the dragon track, now wandering about in the pastures around it. In all honesty, Karamatsu already missed them. “So you're really the princess, huh? You live in that castle with four brothers and everything.”
“Were you doubting me?” It would make sense. He'd been so casual this entire day—simple disbelief wouldn't be so hard to swallow. Although something told him this was just how Osomatsu was.
“Maybe when you showed up at my door. It seemed pretty pointless to be anything but the truth past that, though.”
“Then you believe me now.”
“Never said otherwise.” Osomatsu flashed another grin, eyes on the grass as they walked. “I'm sure you get this all the time, but what's it like?”
“Ah—hardly. I don't often get the chance to speak with anyone past the dukes and duchesses, so it's not something I'm asked frequently.” Granted, even they rarely harbored any interest in him. “I'm grateful to be looked up to by so many of the Blue Kingdom's people. It isn't always easy, but my brothers are so kind as to carry the burden of many of the more challenging tasks.” Though if their explanations rang true, that was only because they didn't expect him to be able to sufficiently complete them. “Otherwise, life at the castle is luxurious as you'd likely imagine! Heh, of course, the only problem is that my Karamatsu Girls can't come visit me often…”
“Ahh, that sounds pretty great! I'd love a life like that,” laughed Osomatsu, gaze still at his own feet. “Only,” he came to a stop, and Karamatsu followed suit curiously, “that isn't what I meant.”
Huh?
The princess had no time to respond—suddenly, Osomatsu had taken hold of his hand again, his other arm outstretched before them as he chanted quietly, and the magical sphere grew before them once more. “I think it's time to go home.”
The magic user was significantly less responsive during the ride back. Unsure how to take the sudden mood swing, Karamatsu tried to lighten the atmosphere with jokes which ultimately fell flat. When they landed before Osomatsu's house, the smile he was offered seemed strained and reluctant. Even so, he was guided inside, their hands having found themselves intertwined without Karamatsu's initial knowledge.
“I'm really glad you liked the dragons so much,” the magic user remarked as he brought in a large cauldron, “I needed some dragon spit to make this.”
Ah.
The princess had a sneaking suspicion that what originally appeared to be a surprisingly planned-out day for their enjoyment on a date… had actually just been for convenience's sake. Figures.
“Do correct me if I'm wrongfully assuming, but what you're preparing to create… Could it be a cure for Daddy?”
The cauldron was placed atop the fire pit with a resounding clang . He soon started buzzing around, retrieving jars of varying shapes and sizes from inside the cupboards and setting them atop the long table. Odd shadows showed through the cloudy glass. “Right! I wouldn't call it a cure though. It's a curse, not an illness, y'know?”
Karamatsu watched from his seat as Osomatsu meticulously dropped ingredient upon ingredient into the pot. Shimmering red light began to emerge from its hole, dripping like liquid down the sides as the potion bubbled up over the top. The magic user chanted quietly, stirring occasionally with a large wooden spoon. When the process was finally over, very little of the substance was left. Osomatsu poured this into a vial with a long neck, approaching Karamatsu with it in hand.
“So I guess this is it! Today was so much fun—I never thought I would go on a date with a princess! Honestly, when you showed up at my door, I was pretty happy to have someone to talk to.” He held out the bottle, not quite meeting the princess’s eyes. Much quieter, he added, “I kinda didn't want it to end.”
That should've been it. He should've gone home to celebrate the end of a date he was forced to go on. He'd completed his original task with little effort on his part.
But that smile of Osomatsu's was so sad, so lonely, and when he reached for the potion, Karamatsu found himself covering Osomatsu's hands as well.
“I may need to leave for today, but fret not—I'll be back soon.” The magic user's puzzled expression brought a smile to the princess's lips, and he leaned in a bit to continue quietly, “Didn't you promise me you would teach me to ride dragons?”