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The summer night is especially humid in this city. A slight breeze makes it bearable, and carries with it the sweet scent of the magnolia trees. Lizel gazes out at the white flowers, illuminated by the moon. The sounds of people having dinner inside the inn faded away long ago, but Lizel took no notice. Sound and sight and smell mean little while his mind is far, far away.
Six years.
Lizel has been in this world for six years.
He has enjoyed his time, to be sure. He has had many adventures, met many wonderful people, read so many books, and learned so much about this world. Judge-kun’s appraisal shop has grown to be quite something, and Studd-kun is taller than him now. Lizel has traveled to nearly every corner of the continent, and a few trips across the ocean to other continents as well.
But no matter where Lizel went, he could find nothing about magic that would allow someone to travel to another world. The greatest experts and the most closely guarded magic tomes called it impossible. The ones that didn’t call it impossible could only offer incomplete theories. This world had simply not developed space magic enough to do it.
And since Lizel was still here, it would seem that even in his world the magic was too complex. Perhaps it only worked in one direction. Lizel was sure His Majesty would have jumped to try anyway, but he was too important to be lost to another world. If he had tried, Lizel was glad someone had stopped him.
He wondered how long they had tried. If Lizel studied magic for the rest of his life, it was still possible his magic would not be enough to cast a world travel spell. If it was beyond His Majesty, it was certainly beyond him. And His Majesty had a kingdom to rule. He could only put his duties aside for so long. Lizel was only one man, after all, compared to a whole kingdom of citizens.
So there was no way to get home from here. And after six years, it was unlikely anyone would be coming to fetch him. Lizel had started to think so some time ago. But tonight, here in this city where he had chased down the very last possibility… Lizel was facing the truth of his future.
He was here forever. For the rest of his life. There was no more hope of going home.
A cup of juice appeared on the porch railing beside Lizel’s elbow. Lizel glanced over and smiled at Gil. After all this time, they were still working together. Gil set his own drink—something much stronger by the smell of it—on the railing.
“It’s getting late.”
“Mm. Is it?”
They looked out over the garden together.
“I’m sorry the book wasn’t what you’re looking for.”
“Was looking for.”
“Huh?”
“Past tense.” Lizel picked up a cup and dumped the entire contents down his throat.
“That was mine—that was alcohol!”
“I know.” Lizel made a face at the strong taste and set the cup down. Then he smiled brightly. “Gil, would you spoil me tonight?”
Gil leaned on the porch railing. “...Okay.”
“Then, let me tell you some stories about a little prince in a faraway land.”
So Lizel talked and Gil listened, and both pretended Lizel wasn’t talking about his past and his world. He told Gil about childhood adventures, about the prince growing up into a king, about all the people and things he missed. Lizel ignored his headache and pretended it was just the alcohol that had loosened his tongue.
The moon was much higher before Lizel finished. He had more stories, more memories, but he was tired. He fell silent. The lights inside the inn had all been turned off at some point.
“Thank you for listening, Gil.”
When Lizel straightened up, he stumbled. Gil caught him immediately.
“You didn’t need to drink.”
Lizel giggled and leaned heavily on Gil. “You promised to spoil me, right?”
“... Whenever you need.”
Lizel put his arm around Gil’s shoulders and allowed himself to be led into the inn. He would regret the drink in the morning, but they had no plans tomorrow. He would sleep in. Gil would let him. And then they would go back to Parteda… back home.