Volume 4: The Shining Land of Hope

[179]
*rumble*

*rumble*

*crash crash*

[180]
*crash*

Marcel- Uwaa!

*crash*

Randy- Zephel! Marcel!

*rushing*

Dia- What in the world happened, Randy?

Randy- Oh, Dia-sama.

Randy- Zephel said since he found something interesting in the basement of the mansion,
he would show us...

[181]
*hiss*

Zephel- It suddenly started moving.
Ouch. This junk-heap was broken after all.

*rustling*

Marcel- Stupid, stupid Zephel!
I thought I might die! *My nose got banged!*
*Uwaa!*

Zephel- Oh, shut up! It was mostly because you were clinging that it was hard to control!!

Randy- Stop it, both of you!

Dia- Are you alright, Marcel, Zephel?

Marcel- Oh, Dia-sama.

Dia- Come over here, I'll treat you.

Marcel- *sticking out tongue*

Dia- Zephel, you too.

Zephel- I don't need it.

Dia- Zephel.

Zephel- .........

Dia- And Randy.

Randy- Huh? I'm not hurt anywhere.

Dia- Your sleeve is frayed.

Randy- Oh.

[182]
Dia- Alright, this should be fine.

Randy- Thank you.

Randy- Um... Dia-sama, you're kind of like a mother... I'm so glad.
*ahaha*

Dia- A mother?

Dia- Not an older sister?

Randy- Wah, ah! I mean!
*Darn!*

Dia- *giggle*

Marcel- That idiot Randy...

Zephel- ... He really is careless.
*How can Dia kid him.*

[183]
Zephel- Hey, Dia-sama...

Dia- Yes?

Zephel- Why are you the Queen's Aide?

Marcel- Zephel!

Zephel- I wanted to try to ask one time.
Different from a Guardian, a Queen's Aide can refuse that position by her own will, can't she?
Why did you choose to stay in the Sanctuary as Aide?

[184]
Dia- That's right. It was because I felt I needed to... maybe.

*smile*

Dia- Her Majesty and I have been friends since when we were in school.

All- Wha!

[185]
Dia- Oh, you're surprised.
*It's a secret.*

Marcel- Dia-sama, that's amazing!
*Wow!*

Randy- I... I ended up hearing something I shouldn't have.
*It's Her Majesty's personal life.*

Zephel- Wait. So then you were both friends competing for the Queen's throne?

*silence*

Dia- It wasn't a competition.

Dia!

Dia- Because I knew that she was more fit than anyone to be Queen.

[186]
So when Her Majesty ascended the Queen's throne,
I decided I would help her as Aide.

Zephel- Then,
You're saying you gave up your parents and the place you were born and raised and became Aide?

Dia- Yes.
I'm very proud that I can exert myself for a dear friend.

Dia- Zephel, you too.

Dia- Don't you also have dear friends by your side?

[187]

Zephel- !

Zephel- Th,
That's stupid! They're not so great!!

Randy- What did you say, Zephel!

*angry*

Randy- Hey, wait! Zephel!

Marcel- Oh...

*bowing*

Marcel- I'm sorry, Dia-sama, excuse me.

*Wait! Zephel, Randy!*
*Ooh!*

[188]
*heh*

There is one other reason.

If I hadn't become Aide,
I couldn't have met with the Guardians, could I?

Dia- It's rather... a duty I wouldn't want to throw away, isn't it?
Though I can't say it very loud.

[Early Afternoon Scenery/End]