-Nera-

We have been traveling for ten days now, this is a bit rough since I'm not used to walking this much, but at least I've gotten to know Luna a bit better, she's actually a really nice person despite what she looks like, but she does not seem very good at interacting with people.

As a princess, I've lived a very sheltered life, so I don't have a lot of experience dealing with people either unless you count formal meetings, and yet, I'm an extrovert compared to her. It's as if she's incapable to hold a normal conversation with anyone she doesn't know well, but that might also be because of how scary she is.

"Aaaah, I cannot do better than 19 out of 20"

Since she was worried about her lack of practical experience using magic in battle, I told her about some of the training exercises that I've seen combat mages perform.

Right now she's firing attack magic from a distance at some sticks stuck on the ground, trying to not damage them below a mark drawn at a different height on each of them.

This is a very difficult exercise that requires both accuracy and a high degree of control to stop the spells from damaging their surroundings, and yet Luna has figured out how to do it without any trouble, in just ten days she went from the level of a novice to an expert, her talent when it comes to magic is difficult to believe.

"I've been doing this for ten days already and yet I'm still doing it wrong 5% of the time, what could I be missing?"

"You reached that level in only ten days and you're still complaining? A success rate of 95% would be enough to join an elite squad of mages you know"

"Seriously? You should not call them elites if they're still in need of more practice, I think that your standards are way too low"

"No, you're the one with stupidly high standards..."

Because she's always been alone she never had anyone to compare herself to, so she is under the impression that her skill in magic is around average, after all, the average of only her, is her, and even if I keep telling her that normal people are not able to do the things she can, she doesn't seem to be able to fully understand it.

That's just completely unfair, you cannot compare regular people to a super genius like her.

"Hey girls! Dinner is ready!"

As for the witch... I really cannot trust her at all, she's clearly trying to use Luna for some secret plan of hers. Such a naive person having so much power... is really dangerous isn't it, and that witch is the worst possible person to be in a position to influence her, I need to do something about her...

Also, that spider of hers has beaten me at checkers ten times already, how does a spider even learn to play checkers? Am I the only one who thinks this is weird?

"Oh, Ara, this is really good as always"

Well yes, I have to admit that she's a very good cook, but eating this is making me feel indebted to her.

"I don't want to just take your food and give nothing in return, is there any way I could pay you back?"

"Of course you can pay, since you're a princess you must have a lot of money, no?"

"Ara! You cannot just ask someone for money like that"

"Money? It's not a lot, but I took some with me, let me see"

I take a look inside my purse and start counting the coins.

"8 gold coins, 7 large silver, 12 silver, and 5 copper..."

"Did you say 12 silver!!!?"

"Luna..."

The witch is holding her face with her hand and Luna is staring at me with her mouth open... what's going on? Did I say something wrong?

"Why didn't you change 10 of those silver coins for a large one when you had the chance!?"

"Eh!? Was I supposed to do that?"

"Don't mind her, that's just one of Luna's weird obsessions, she hates it when someone has more than 9 coins of the same type with them, just ignore her"

"It's not weird! You can change any 10 coins of the same type for one of a higher value, so having more than 9 is just inefficient"

"I see... I'll keep that in mind for the future"

The queen of darkness really seems to be quite an eccentric person.

Luna went to sleep already, but I'm going to stay awake a little longer, I've decided that I need to do something about that witch.

It doesn't matter how many times I try to tell Luna that her friend is really suspicious, she just agrees with me each time and then keeps going like normal, if I want her to listen to me I'm going to need something more specific to tell her, which means that I need to figure out what the witch is planning.

"Hey princess! Aren't you going to sleep?"

"Ah!"

She surprised me! When did she get behind me?

Well, this seems like a chance to learn more about her.

"Oh, Arana, you surprised me, I was thinking about you right now"

"About me? I'm not a very interesting person, you know"

I have to disagree with that...

"Luna told me that you were from someplace far away, could you tell me about your home?"

"Well, I was born in the northern continent"

"Really? Which country are you from?"

"You wouldn't know it, it's a very small country"

"And what kind of country is it?"

"You know, a small, boring one"

She keeps avoiding my questions... well then, how about this.

"I was thinking... when I told you about the witch who's working for my mother you sounded like you knew who she is"

"Oh, yeah, I think that she might be my little sister, Ranna"

"Your sister!?"

How can she say something so crazy as if it's not a big deal?

"Well, it might not be her, what you told me doesn't fit her personality after all, and I have not seen her in six years, so I wouldn't know what she's up to anyway"

Does she expect me to believe that after she just admitted to being her sister?

"Ufufu, you really don't trust me at all, do you, what are you trying to accomplish asking all of these questions?"

"I know that you're just trying to take advantage of Luna! What are you planning to do with her!?"

"Take advantage of Luna? Me?"

Huh? Why did she get serious all of a sudden?

"That's a really bold thing for a cheater like you to say"

"Wha-!? Cheater!?"

"You have been getting to know Luna these past few days, have you not? She's so smart and beautiful and yet so humble, so powerful and yet so kind, and her personality is truly one of a kind"

"Well, I guess, but what are you..."

"And I'm the only one who knows!!! Every single one of those idiots who have been lucky enough to meet her have been unable to see past her scary exterior, I'm the only one who knows her real self!"

Just what is she going on about?

"And you... you cheated to learn the truth about Luna, you were afraid of her like all the others, but then she tied you up and forced you to stay with her and see what she was truly like, that's cheating, don't you think?"

"Well, I..."

"And as her friend, I should probably get rid of someone like you, who does not deserve her, Luna will be better without you"

"What!? Who gave you the right to decide who can or cannot be friends with Luna!?"

That made me a bit angry, does she think that Luna is her pet or something?

"As I thought... you want to take Luna away from me..."

"MMMMM!!!?"

All of a sudden I notice that there's something in my mouth stopping me from talking, and my arms and legs have been tied up by something invisible, I can't move!

"If you disappear, Luna will be all for me alone again..."

Why does she have such a crazy expression on her face!? And why is there a knife on her hand!!!?

She's going to stab me! No! No!!! NOOO!!!

...

Huh? It doesn't hurt... it looks like the knife was bent when it hit my chest... what!?

"Fwahahaha!!! You should have seen your face! Did you really believe that this knife was real?"

Eeh!!!? She's bending the knife several times with her hand... it was a fake?

"How did you even fall for that? Did you forget that I was the one who said that you and Luna should become friends? Hahaha"

My restrains go away and I can talk again.

"That wasn't funny! I was really scared!!!"

"Oh, I guess a princess would not be used to being pranked, but this is normal among friends"

Is it really normal? I have to admit that I wouldn't know that...

"Let's just go to sleep already, and stop worrying so much"

So that was all a joke, right? She wasn't being serious...

I think I will hold back on trying to expose her to Luna, just in case...

forli

From the start I planned for Nera to be the 'normal person' since this story was missing a character that could play the straight man role, but she's not really shown a lot of that until this chapter.