Banished Villainess – Under Observation!

Spreading its wings, the sacred bird pierces through the night sky like a blazing meteor. Its destination was the Iris Mountains.  It was crossing a distance faster than what should’ve taken a week, which naturally, puts a lot of burden on those who ride it. Sure enough, Leddorio desperately clung to the bird to trying to not get shaken off. Albeit, with a lot of struggle, he was able to reach where Momo was soon enough. Her pink hair fluttering in the winds was more dazzling than usual, thanks to the light that the scared bird gives off, but Leddorio knew that this was not the time to be entranced.

“Mo…Momo. Are you… alright?”

“I should be the one asking Sir Benny. Please do not look below.”

Her words made him reflexively look under which he immediately regretted. The world around him was spinning.

“Buh….”

“Jeez, I told you, sir. It will take a little more time so please bear with it until then. If sir were to release his lunch here, it would put your good looks to shame. That would put me off, you know?”

“Guh…”

He wanted to put his hands to seal his mouth and prevent him from spilling but if he let go of them, he might end up falling. The first prince chose to brush his face to the body of the bird instead, and desperately bear his sickness.

(What… Has Momo always been the kind of girl to say these kinds of things? I am well aware of her unreserved speaking from the start. That’s what attracted me in the first place. It should, still now…)

He was trying to persuade himself, but he knew that this reasoning had already broken down. The current Momo is now expressionless, indifferent, and was a lady of no emotions at all. She was far from the girl he knew whose smile was warm, gentle and made him feel at peace. Leddorio began to wonder just when it started. When did this lady in front of him start changing?

“That’s right. Before we arrive there, should we continue from earlier for refreshment?”

“…what?”

The lady who smiled as she presented him the crystal ball was back to the usual Momo. Leddorio had hoped so much for that smile to return earlier but for some reason, he could feel nothing but unease.

“The observation, sir, although, she is not “Chloe” anymore. During her denunciation, you used the magical brooch on a crystal ball to show everyone the evidence of her harassment. We may not have a mirror but it should still be possible to hear them with this.”

As his hand hovered to the brooch, the prince hesitated to even touch it. He felt as though something is resounding within his head. Whether this was just brought by the rough wind due to their speed, or his brain trying to warn him of something on its own, the first prince couldn’t tell for sure.

“Sir Benny.”

Momo called out to him once more. It resounded like a gentle rebuke of a mother to her son who committed a childish blunder.  Suddenly, the ringing in his head stopped at once. He felt ashamed of himself for even thinking of doubting Momo a moment ago.

(What kind of foolishness am I even thinking? Momo is the “True Saintess”. Didn’t I swore to myself to believe in her no matter what?)

The prince buried all of his unease thus far within himself. He took off the brooch in one hand and handed it over to Momo for her to use.