I watched as the other guardians patrolled the Crystal Palace. We, guardians, are but mannequins. Dressed in armor and adorned with wax-made wings, we are the battle maidens who keep her majesty safe within her rainbow prison.

And yet, I wonder what keeps her here? Could it be the same thing that keeps my sisters here? Duty? Obligation? Loss of hope? I know not what keeps any of us in this place. Not that I could ever ask. For I am a mannequin. A doll. I have no face. No mouth, no eyes, no ears. Nothing.

And yet, as I raise my gauntleted hand, I can’t help but wonder if the other guardians have these thoughts. Or if they even have names? As far as I know, I am the only guardian to have ever been addressed by name. Is it because I am the first guardian? Am I special somehow?

I sat in the palace garden as I thought about these things. It's not the first time I’ve pondered these things. Many Queens have passed since I first started to ask myself these questions.

There is nothing for it. I do not expect any answers to come to mind as I ponder them in silence. I simply think about them to pass the time.

I stood from the garden bench and continued my patrol. If you can call it that. The other guardians seem to have set paths. I just walk around until I find my next resting spot.

Oh dear, I hope this isn’t a sign of me getting old. The 40th Queen used to talk about such things before retiring herself to the 41st Queen. Maybe I should head to the training grounds, that should help me feel young!

As the first guardian, I have access to every room in the Crystal Palace. From the Diamond Throne to the Celestial Crypt. In this case, the training grounds behind the barracks or the royal training hall.

I took a seat in the Gallery of Queens. Captured in portrait and framed in majestic platinum is the history of the forty-two Queens who have existed thus far. Not sure how anyone is supposed to know who is who since all the Queens look virtually the same after their coronation.

The portraits moved up higher and higher. Almost as if the platform I was standing on was falling at a rapid pace. But every so often, a portrait would catch my eyes, and the entire gallery would stop so that I might gaze at it longer. At least, that is what I think the reason is.

The portrait I stopped on was one that never failed to pull me back. Her majesty, the 1st Queen, Kyrie, was smiling ever so happily. Donned in armor similar to my own, her wings and the plumage that adorned her helm were gorgeous. And the armor itself truly brought out her beauty as Queen and a warrior. I will never forget this day.

Lost in my somber reverie, the Gallary pulled me back to reality as it stopped and a section of portraits moved aside to form an archway.

I looked up at the portrait over the archway. The royal training hall it is, then.

Stepping through the archway, the way to the Gallery closed behind me with a door of stone and mithril. Only to open again for those worthy. Or something like that.

Whoosh…

I turned back to the doors as I heard sounds on the wind. But the door had already shut. Perhaps it was just my imagination?

“Another guardian? What’s it doing here?”

If I remember correctly… That one is Lady Christina Heartly. Ladies Lockhart, Starlight, and Lily Mint are here as well.

“Don’t lose focus! You’ll never be able to equipt if you get distracted by every little thing.” Myrian cried out.

Myrian was dressed not in her usual magical knight outfit but was instead dressed in heavy plate that emphasized her feminine figure. Her rapier wasn’t the usual rose-pommeled one. Instead, she had a shield and long sword forged from magic and crystal.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, crystals are kind of a big deal here. Smooth crystals, well-cut crystals, rough crystals. Heck! Even the stone doors, archways, and metal-looking frames are all made from crystal!

If you had the chance to break down my worn armor and wings, rather than wax or metal, you’d probably just find more crystal.

As for why crystals. Probably because it's easy to etch magic into. Many different layers and cleavage to etch a rune or leave an enchantment. Way different from when we battled against the Lord of Darkness in the first age. It was just raw magic back then!

“Guardian equipt!” Lady Lockhard raised her hand into the air as one of my sister guardians became pyres of light, fussing with Lady Lockhart as she donned my sister's armor.

As the armor equipped itself to Lady Lockhart, it changed in style and motif to suit the ballerina wearing it.

“‘Tsk, well, aren’t you always an overachiever.” Lady Heartly seemed to be a little sour that she still did not overtake her rival.

Lady Lily Mint was quick to comfort her, however. “Don’t worry, Chris, I’m sure you’ll get it down soon.”

“Ugh! I’m not sure how I feel about hearing that from the underachiever who can’t even use her weapons.”

“Haha, come on. You know I’m no good in a fight. I like my supporter role.” Lily Mint is as cheerful as the first day she was introduced to the palace. Yet it always seems different for her.

While it isn’t to say there haven’t been strange girls in the past. Surprise never seems to take her. Almost as if she’s seen it all before. Cheerful in demeanor and always excited for the next new thing, it seems.

“Ngh!” Lady Lockhart placed a hand against her head. It seems that my sister is rejecting her. Or maybe it is Lady Lockhart who is rejecting my sister?

Lady Starlight struck her sword to the ground as one would a cane. Pulling everyone’s attention. I believe the kids call this an aggro skill.

“Remain calm, Elma. It can feel like you’re losing yourself to another, but that is the battle experience and power of the guardian you just equipped. It will reject you if you can’t accept it as a part of yourself.”

Lady Lockhart’s breathing became labored. It seems that it will not hold. Maybe after another year of training, she will get it down.

It's fun watching the younglings grow…

Gah! I completely forgot that I came here not to feel so old!

Aahhhh! But I can’t just go down there and start swinging my sword! What if they think I’m weird! I’ve been watching them for so long now. What if they think I’m just showing off? Or what if they try to equip me?!

Even the Magical Girl Queens have trouble equipping me! My failure rate is one-hundred percent with anyone who doesn’t have Kyrie's blood in their veins!

Uggghhh! I guess I’ll go find somewhere else to train…

I stepped back into the Gallery of Queens. Maybe I could try going to the donjon. It has a nice view, and the only person who uses it is Lady Lumina Evergrace, and she’s supposed to be on holiday today.

“Um…”

I sometimes wonder. Does the gallery actually work like an elevator? Or does this space connect to the entire palace? Either way, it certainly makes things easy for me. A pleasant fast travel as my reward for having explored the entire palace, maybe!

“Excuse me…”

No, that can’t be true. I’ve always had access to this gallery of memories. I’ve even used it in times of emergency. If I wanted to, I could open the archway right now.

“Miss?”

But if I did that, I might miss a portrait I otherwise wouldn’t have noticed. I am a guardian, after all. it would be a shame—

“Excuse me, miss!”

Wha!

Oh… It's just some guy. It's a good thing I can’t actually speak, and most of my movements don’t include expressions. Otherwise, that would have been embarrassing.

Wait… a guy?

Looking him up and down, he wasn’t anything special. Tanned skin, exceptionally average in height. He was probably as tall as I was. He wore square-rimmed glasses and his dark hair in a ponytail.

He also looked pretty homely. It looked like his hair had never been cut, and he was dressed in loungewear. Not even semi-formal. This is the Crystal Palace, for crying out loud!

“Sorry. I kind of got lost wandering around. I usually navigate this place pretty well, but I’ve been seeing all kinds of people walking around, and I can’t seem to find my way around.”

Around? No. More importantly, who even is this person. I’ve never met them before. Are they a thief?

“... My name is Lawrence, by the way…”

No. A mortal, much less an overweight human, wouldn’t be able to just waltz into the Crystal Palace. And the fact that he’s here of all places.

“Do you have a name?”

I nodded.

“Can you tell me what it is?”

I shook my head.

“Well, that’s too bad. I guess I could just make something up to call you.”

Maybe if I just leave, he’ll go away. That’s worked in the past.

Turning away from him, an archway opened up, and I stepped out onto the birdcage. That’s what the top of the donjon was called anyway since it's shaped like a bird’s cage.

“I was actually wondering if you would show me to the treasury.”

Wait, is he following me?

“I take it that means you won’t be leading me there.”

Oh, I know what I can do to get him to leave.

I conjured a sword and stabbed it into the floor before conjuring another for myself. Let’s see how an unarmored couch potato takes to combat!

“Um…” He looked at the sword, then back at me. “I hope this isn’t a threat on my life. Don’t you have practice weapons?”

I would never kill an innocent individual. But surely he will leave once he sees that he can’t defeat me. I postured en garde.

He sighed. “Fine. I guess we can.”

He led with a thrust. It was a slow strike with no force behind it. I batted his sword away, knocking it from his hand.

?!

GONG!

“Ouch! Damn, that hurt.”

As I knocked away his sword, he closed the distance and struck his palm against my armor. I could feel the strike in my lower abdomen. As a guardian, I don’t feel pain. But this sensation… There was a force in that strike that went through my armor.

I quickly stepped back, but he followed through—remaining less than an arm's distance from me. Each time I went for an attack, he would occupy the area. Each time I stepped back, he would maintain this uncomfortably close distance.

This wasn’t working. Each time he stops one of my attacks, he follows through with one of his own.

I reared my arm back once more, this time into a thrust. Without a weapon of his own to deflect it with, he’s forced to dodge, and I’m able to put some ground between—a knife?!

I hopped back, but I’m still in mid-fall, and if I deflect it with my sword, he’ll close the distance again! I can’t dodge or parry it!

The knife tinks harmlessly against my kneck guard, and I land with not so much as a scratch on me.

“Damn, that armor just isn’t fair… Whatever, you win. I guess I’ll just keep wandering around until I find what I’m looking for.” He turned to leave and started making his way to the stares.

Ah, hey, wait! I reached out my hand as I exclaimed to no one but myself.

He turned back around, almost as if he had heard me. “Yeah?”

Our duel isn’t finished! That aside, you wouldn’t be able to enter the treasury without me or someone from the royal court!

“Listen. I’m not really into these sorts of one-sided duels. I thought I could get through your armor with a palm heel strike, but that didn’t work. I kind of just ended up hurting my hand and arm.”

I see… It's… a little embarrassing… But I guess if we are to have a fair duel…

“H-hey, what are you?!”

I removed my helm, doffed my armor, and placed it together with our swords and his knife. We’ll fight on an even playing field this time—no armor or weapons.

“Oh, at first, I thought you were stripping.”

Don’t make this more embarrassing than it already is!

“Though I guess you are technically naked.”

Ahhh!!! I knew this was a bad idea! In a sudden impulse, I lunged forward to slap him.

He placed a hand up and leaned out of my attack—my hardened porcelain fingers grazing against the palm of his hand.

“Wow, hey! It was just a joke!”

As my swing went wide, he pushed in with the hand he blocked, pressing against my forearm. While I had my other arm up to guard with, I soon found my arms pinned against my chest.

Once again, as I tried to step back, he would keep pushing forward.

“Oh, sorry!” He took his hand off my chest. “I guess I should be more considerate.”

Wait… Oh my gosh! He was touching my chest! Ugh! Why has today been so terrible?!

“Though I guess it's not like they were soft or anything.”

That’s it. He’s no longer innocent. I must terminate him.

“Uh… H-hey, this is just a duel, right? I can practically feel your killing intent from here!”

I magically donned my armor and lunged at him with my blade—taking flight while he began to flee.

The foolish human continued to run. Making his way down the stairs, I chased him across the palace, through the courtyard, the parapets, and even into the throne room. He was desperately looking around, going through any hallway he hadn’t before.

Enough of this farce.

Sacred powers, rain down your holy might upon these corrupt souls. Judgment!

“Oh, come on!” Lawrence cried out in his futility.

Pillers of holy light rained down on the palace, refracting against the crystal. Radiant power illuminated the entire palace. There was no escape—the ultimate spell to purge any wicked intruder.

As the light faded, I floated down to the garden where he had been running to rest.

The moment I touched ground, my hands were on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. I can’t believe my core crystal was already this depleted. I used to be able to cast that spell dozens of times back when I fought alongside Kyrie. Man, I’m getting old…

“Tell me about it. I thought I was going to die!” A haggard and horse voice groaned close to me—wait! I recognize this voice.