In my opinion,

What is the ultimate end but the gateway to a new beginning? In the world of this oneshot, that certainly is the case. Written in 3rd Person POV, this story follows our main character, Vira, as she comes to collect her destined head— the head of Lady Mirette Legusalle. The story is written in present tense, and endows the well-used cliché of the nobility in its background. However, Vira, part of the Headless, disrupts this common tale in her quest of destiny, and brings a fresh twist... more>> to this worn narrative.

As usual, Mirette is the daughter of a duke. She acts as is expected of her, perfect, intelligent, yet modest. As a result, she is engaged to a prince (the prince, in this instance). However, this plan is laid awry when the daughter of another duke interferes. Named Thea, this individual is a famous saint, and praised for her gift of prescience. Thea proclaims Mirette as cursed, asserting that if Mirette’s engagement with the prince is followed through, the country will be destroyed. What follows is easily foreseen. Mirette’s engagement with the prince is annulled, and Thea chosen as the prince’s new betrothed. Despite this prophecy, Mirette attempts to clear her and her parents’ names, but is incapacitated by a sudden illness, and sent to a far-off mansion, secluded in nature, at her parents behest.

“The decision was that if she rested in a place rich in nature, her illness would be cured.”

Vira, then discovers Mirette in her search for the destined head. The Headless, indeed, do not have heads, but spend their lives in search of the ideal head after their coming-of-age ceremony. Forbidden from returning without their ideal heads, the Headless are only full-fledged adults when they find the crown of their destiny. Unavoidably, this quest is dangerous, and many lose their lives in the search. Vira, however, manages to find her perfect pair in this story.

Was Mirette ever truly seen as more than just a pawn for power? Was the prince looking for an excuse to break off his engagement? Is Thea just an ass who slandered someone else for her own goals? We will never know. It is ironic though, that in the taking of Mirette’s life, her former worries fall away, and she is given a new lease of freedom— one which she never had before. The taking of the head, as the other reviewer mentioned, is not a pure mu*der. The Headless have a tradition of fulfilling the wishes of those whose heads they take. And if other headless do operate like Vira does in this story, perhaps it wouldn’t even be that far a stretch to say this could be considered a type of courting ritual.

Funnily enough, as Mirette considers her beheaded body, she is now given more power than she ever did, back in her old body. Vira asks her if she desires revenge, but Mirette is unclear. Perhaps this is the best ending Mirette could have had in this situation. She doesn’t need to pander to the wishes of those in power, she doesn’t need to have a single-track life— no, now she can wonder about cookies and tea, and maybe a dash of revenge afterwards, and a trip to the sea.

‘“Cookies and tea! That’s what I wanted to do when I got my head!”

Mirette couldn’t help but smile when she heard Vira’s innocently happy voice.

—She had never thought that the life she had given up on would continue like this.’

In terms of shoujo ai, this is indeed a pretty sweet story. The ending is left open, and if the author so wished to, the story could definitely continue on, and be all the better for it. Unfortunately, it is a oneshot, but it certainly does add on to the theme of a brand new life, here. In the physical taking of the head, Mirette’s spiritual bonds to her past life have also been torn away. It’s a nice touch, frankly speaking.

Big thanks to the author for this wholesome story, as always, and great kudos to the translator! Although the prose is a bit sparse at times, it does get the point across well enough. Sometimes the sentences feel a bit out of place, a teensy bit cumbrous, I do imagine that’s also just the result of translating over languages. Japanese is hard, so a great job has been done, translator-sama. Thank you for providing this oneshot.

And of course, thank you to you too for reading. I hope this has helped you, reader.

Addendum: I’m curious about Thea’s prophecy. I know it said that the country would only fall if Mirette married the prince, but it’s quite fun to theorise that Thea wasn’t completely duplicitous, and there was some truth in it. In the sense it was one of those self-fulfilling prophecies, and that in twisting the omen to her motives and breaking off Mirette’s engagement, she effectively doomed herself and the prince, as now Mirette has genuine reason and wish to exact revenge on them. Poisoning your rival in love is not the way, I have to say, Thea. Well, I have no basis to say that, but it’s implied that either her or the prince poisoned Mirette, well. But that’s just a theory. A... story theory. <<less

It's an interesting concept, that ends off with an open ending. I'd appreciate 3 or 4 more chapters, that concretely spell out the future events that occur, but alas, it's a oneshot. Solid 4.

More Context for the Story:

... more>>

Spoiler

The act of taking a person's head is not a plain mu*der, but thoroughly joining yourself with someone else, and serving their wish afterwards. It's implied what the wish is when the duke's daughter gives a story about her background.

[collapse]

Spoiler

I'd especially appreciate a continuation as stories with a focus on "sharing a body", especially when the two people sharing a body are romantically connected, is top tier for me. Two as One Princesses gave me a taste for it. Alas, alas.

[collapse]

<<less