[Completed] Legend of the Five Knights I: Rise of a Guardian Angel

Episode 16: Checking up on the Agnes Knight

[A few days Later]

Roa redirected his eyes away from the countryside toward Rosalba. The princess held her head down. In fact, she was snoozing away without a care in the world. If he wanted to, he could have killed her by now. However, there were several hundred others around, not that he and Etsuo couldn't take them on. Though, the two did need her alive and believing in them to infiltrate the palace. Plus, killing a sleeping person simply wasn't his style, nor was it Etsuo's.

He tilted his head as he noticed her arms were wrapped around a stuffed animal. Though he couldn't tell what kind it was.

Is that an animal unique to this dimension?

He leaned in to get a better look at it.

"Hey, Roa, don't do that. Someone is going to think you're a weirdo," Etsuo said, grabbing his companion by the collar of his black shirt.

He quickly pulled away, and it was a good thing, too, as the princess started to stir.

"What time is it?" she asked, yawning.

"I'm not sure how to answer that," Etsuo said, smiling. He had only a weak concept of time due to their world's unending darkness.

"Didn't know princesses slept with plushies," Roa said, leaning against his seat. He stared at the thing's large brown dog-like ears but bear-like body and arms yet having a dog-like tail. The bear-like body was wrapped in what looked like a dress made out of corn husks. "What is it supposed to be anyways? A bear or a dog?"

"A bear-dog," she mumbled as she pressed the plush's head against her chin.

The young man's eyes widened. "Bear-dog? Those exist?"

"No. It's a creative design. I've had this since I was a baby. It was a gift from my mom," she said, continuing to hug it as the bullet train they had taken sped through the countryside. Violet was kind enough to escort them there. She even bought clothes for the three of them. She wished to avoid suspicion of Rosa being princess Rosalba.

"I see. But aren't you too old for such things? I mean, where we're from, we stop using such things at age five."

"Dad says the same thing..." She recalled one time when she had searched frantically for her plush, going as far as overturning an entire floor of their giant palace. When she finally found it, it was in the hands of her maids. Her father had ordered the maids to throw it away. Thankfully, the one who had it couldn't bear to throw out the young princess' toy.

Then there was the time he threw it out of the car window on their way to the east. She had opened the door and jumped out, falling down a hill. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw a boy with the same golden eyes as Roa and Etsuo. He had been treating her wounds. Ever since then, whenever she stared at her bear-dog, she would see that vision. The image of a smiling youth holding out his hand to her as if saying everything would be fine.

Etsuo stared at Rosa and then pulled on the sleeve of Roa's black shirt.

"Something the matter?" Roa asked.

Etsuo stared at him with stern eyes. "Be nice. That bear is a memento from her mom."

Roa glanced over at Rosa. "I know. Just trying to lighten up the mood a little."

Rosa glanced up and smiled. "I know. Thank you, Roa."

The raven-haired young man averted his gaze. "Y-you're welcome."

She chuckled. "Though picking on someone isn't the best way to do so."

Roa lowered his gaze to the empty green velvet seat opposite to them. "Why are you taking it so light-heartedly?"