“Yes, that’s right.” The boy gives her an artless smile. Now that he’s standing in the sunlight, she can see he’s almost frighteningly handsome. A body as lithe as a young sapling. The sharpness of his face and eyebrows, his straight nose, skin as smooth as porcelain, even his thin lips—no doubt many would call them a gift from the gods. Then there’s his black hair, which is glossy even though it’s been cut carelessly, and that right eye, as red as a ruby. Put simply…he looks just like Claude. Claude made young again. “…You called Master Claude ‘Father,’ didn’t you?” Aileen lowers her tone to keep from sounding overawed. Raising one neat eyebrow slightly, the boy shrugs his delicate shoulders. “Not that I’m happy about it, but yes.” He’s a little shorter than Aileen, probably around thirteen or fourteen years old. Claude will be twenty-eight this year—it isn’t totally impossible. Aileen draws a deep breath. “In other words, you’re his love child?” Startled, the dragon looks up at her. The boy looks stunned, too, and then he bursts out laughing. It’s a boyish laugh and rather high-pitched, but there’s also something in it that reminds her of Claude. “Hey, I like it. Yes, that.” “Skwee?!” “Even if you don’t remember me, it’s a fact that we’re bound by blood. It’s a nuisance for me, too.” The look the boy turns on Claude suddenly goes cold. Apparently, they can communicate just fine when Claude is in this form as well. In Aileen’s mind, the suspicion that he’s Claude’s illegitimate child has cemented into fact. “There’s no way you could know, so I’ll introduce myself. My name is Charles.” The boy takes another step forward, smiling with eyes that are more wistful than cold now. “I’m the son of that damnable demon king. And apparently, I’m the next one.” The memories from her previous life always come back to her at the most inopportune times, but this child isn’t in them. As the wife of a fiendishly beautiful demon king, Aileen has made a certain resolution. Claude has shouldered the heavy responsibility of protecting both the humans and the demons, and she intends to let him find human happiness, as well as happiness as the demon king. In addition, his valet did mention that he went a bit wild after being disinherited and exiled to the old castle, before she met him. Aileen has no qualms about accepting that past in its entirety. “I want you and Father to get out of the public eye for a while… Sorry, but Father’s new form is insurance. Just think of it as a minor curse and bear with it.” In the hushed corridor, Charles speaks as if this whole thing is a pain. Holding Claude’s young dragon form in her arms, Aileen breathes deeply. She’s never publicly declared her resolution before, but now, finally, it’s truly being put to the test. “Or, Father, are you not yet emper—?” “Call me Mother!” Aileen demands firmly. The boy looks stunned. The young dragon’s mouth also falls open in astonishment. It flaps its wings, kicking and struggling. “Skwee, skwee!” “I know, Master Claude, don’t worry. You said your name was Charles, correct? If your birth mother is here, I will ensure that she is treated well.” “…Skwee, skirr…?!” “Just leave this to me, Master Claude. You would like to live with Charles as family, would you not?” “Skwee!” “Yes, Master Claude, that’s right. There’s no need to stand on ceremony. I always knew this day would come, and I have been preparing for it since long ago!” “Sk…skwee…” “……” Claude’s head is drooping, and he’s gone quiet. Aileen, on the other hand, throws her shoulders back. Dubiously, Charles looks from one to the other. “So you don’t doubt that Father has an illegitimate kid.” “Of course not. As a matter of fact, I’d always thought it strange that he had none! In addition, Master Claude is the type who takes responsibility for his actions.” Claude doesn’t say a word; no doubt he’s relieved. Determined to live up to the trust he’s placing in her, Aileen steps forward. “Therefore, don’t do this. I know there’s ever so much you’d like to say. However, you may very well become Imperial Ellmeyer’s crown prince.” “—Who’d want to be a thing like that?” Charles mutters, glaring at Aileen with his red eye. The hostility in it makes her take a step back, while Claude unfurls his wings and hisses. “Don’t fight this. You know you’re no match for me. Look what’s happened to Father.” “What did you do to Master Claude?” “I had him take on a little of my burden, that’s all. I don’t want you two getting in my way. It’s fine; he won’t die. Just be quiet and behave.” “That depends on what you intend to do.” “I don’t have to tell you anything,” Charles says coldly. Then, very slightly, his tone softens. “Don’t bother trying to resist… You don’t have the sacred sword anymore, do you?” “That doesn’t mean we can’t fight. I really wish you’d quit underestimating us!” “Even if you are Master Claude’s child!” Walt and Kyle charge Charles from behind. Scowling, Charles beautifully evades Walt’s kick without wasting any motion. Kyle slides in front of Aileen and Claude, firing a shot that makes the boy back up a step. “Walt, Kyle…! Master Claude is—” “—That dragon, right? I don’t know what happened, but I can see what we’re dealing with. We’re used to this.” With his gun still trained on Charles, Kyle glances at the young dragon, briefly indicating that he understands. “Sweet Ailey, Kyle and I will take over here. You run for it,” Walt whispers in her ear after he comes over to stand beside her and Kyle. Aileen’s eyes widen. “How could I possibly do a thing like that?!” “Everyone in the castle—no, in the entire capital—suddenly fell asleep. That includes the whole Oberon Trading Firm.” This news makes Aileen go quiet. Kyle picks up where Walt has left off. “It’s as if they’ve all gone into hibernation. They’re alive, but none of them are waking up. Even Sir Keith, Prime Minister Cyril, and the demons.” “By the way, the sky’s crazy red for some reason. That’s gotta be a barrier.” “I think we’ve been able to stay awake because Master Claude’s magic is protecting us.” In Aileen’s case, since she doesn’t have the sacred sword, she’s probably unaffected thanks to the magic-infused wedding ring and the spell on her shadow. Why? What for? Questions circle in her mind, but the cause is clear. It’s the boy who’s standing there, very still, watching her. “Frankly, I dunno how much longer we’ll be able to stay awake, either.” Walt sounds like he’s joking, but Kyle doesn’t deny it. Aileen presses her lips into a thin line as she realizes this abnormal situation is far more than the simple appearance of a love child. “All right.” Whatever Charles is after, if he’s willing to go this far, they need to run. If he gets control of both the capital city and Claude, the Ellmeyer Empire will truly have fallen into his hands. An illegitimate son unleashes years of resentment on his father—I suppose this isn’t anything half so endearing as that makes it sound. This is a national crisis. “Have you decided what you’re going to do? Whatever it is, I think it’ll probably end the same way.” Charles tilts his head in a gesture identical to Claude’s. “Go!” Walt bellows. Aileen makes an about-face and runs. In the same moment, Kyle and Walt lunge at Charles. She hears magic explode behind her, but she knows she mustn’t look back. Claude stirs in her arms but doesn’t struggle. In front of Aileen, a beautiful god with silver hair appears. “Aileen, and—that’s Claude, isn’t it?! This way!” “Father!” Luciel, whom she thought was in the old castle, holds his hand out to Aileen. As soon as she takes it, the world around them changes. When she opens her eyes, they’re in a plaza with a fountain where broad flagstone roads merge. “Damn! So he won’t let us leave the capital, hmm?” Luciel spits out. Apparently, his teleportation has failed, and they’ve only managed to escape the grounds of the imperial castle. As surprising as that is, a much more shocking sight elicits a gasp from Aileen. People are asleep all around them, some lying on top of one another in the streets. It isn’t just people, either; dogs, birds, draft horses—everything. Most of all, the sky overhead is a vivid red. The intense color makes it look like the heavens could start dripping blood any second now on this abnormal space. The sunlight shines through the waves of magic, which seem to pulse like veins. “Father… Is this all that child’s magic?” “I don’t know. I think it’s some kind of spell, but this is strange. Even my magic can’t break it. It’s much more comparable to a god’s power.” “What…? Then—” Could the real sacred sword—? Aileen almost says it, but there’s no sense in asking about something she no longer has. She falls silent. A voice calls down from above them. “Luciel! Aileen and Claude! You’re all right?!” “Grace. Any luck?” Luciel always manages to disgrace himself in front of his wife, but this time, there’s dignity in his voice. Grace shakes her head, her expression grave. “I couldn’t slip through that barrier, either. Time throughout the capital seems to have stopped. Not only that, but the barrier is also expanding. It may cover all of Ellmeyer.” “It doesn’t seem to have any effect on the demon realm, but this space has been completely cut off from the outside world. Making a spell like this in the first place is… And even if he did manage to make it, casting this would require an enormous amount of magic… What in the world is that boy?” “The analysis can wait. Luciel, isn’t there any way to get out of here?” “Oh, there you are.” Pulling Aileen by the hand, Luciel leaps into the bright-red sky. Claude spreads his wings, launches himself out of Aileen’s arms, and spits flame behind them, but all it can do is slow their pursuer down. Slashing through the flames with one stroke of his longsword, Charles gazes up at the group as if they’re being a major annoyance. “Look, there’s no point in running.” Jumping up from the stone-paved street, he closes the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Even if they keep climbing, they’ll quickly run into that red barrier. From beside Aileen, Grace says, “Aileen, let me borrow your body. I may be able to use the sacred sword through you.” “No, Grace! If you become the sacred sword now, you may not be able to go back—” “He’s right, Grandmother. Just sleep and behave yourself. I’ll settle everything in the meantime.” Charles’s sword bears down on them. Luciel turns back, trying to block it—and then the red sky shatters. Something darts in like a comet, cutting between Charles and Aileen’s group. “That’s enough, Master Charles.” A shaft of pure sunlight lances through the red sky, illuminating rather short golden hair. A smooth face. Sharp eyebrows. Her skin is fair, and her pressed lips are pink. The girl probably isn’t much younger than Aileen, but she’s still young enough that it makes sense to call her a girl—and she’s lovely. There’s nothing immature about her expression, however, and there’s a touch of elegance in her gestures. Her eyes are violet—proof she possesses sacred power. More importantly, Aileen has seen her on a game package. The villainess of Game 5?! “What are you doing here, Estella?!” Charles’s blast of magic feels like a manifestation of his wrath, but the girl deftly turns it aside with a barrier, then glances back at Aileen and the others. “Lady Aileen, right? I’ll take over here. Hurry and run, please.” “Y-you’re…” The villainess of Game 5 has come to their rescue? What sort of twist is this? Not only that, but she’s also acquainted with Claude’s love child? None of this makes any sense. Don’t tell me—was Charles a secret character in that game?! Aileen is understandably confused. However, Estella doesn’t seem at all flustered, and her voice is quite composed. “You should be able to get out through the rift in the barrier. I’ll cover you.” She’s heard those lines somewhere before. Estella continues, her dignified gaze fixed on Charles, “If Master Charles fights in earnest, even I won’t be able to stop him. Hurry, before he patches that hole.” “Let’s go, Aileen!” Luciel pulls Aileen along by the hand while Grace flies ahead of them. “Wait!” Charles hastily raises his sword, but another barrier blocks his way. That must be Estella’s. Even though Charles managed to break through Claude’s barrier, he can’t get through this one, and he tsks in irritation. “Stay out of my way, Estella! What if you get hurt?!” “If you don’t want me in your way, then explain yourself.” “Shut up! How did you get here anyway?!” “You won’t tell me anything, so I’m under no obligation to answer that.” The odd argument unfolding behind Aileen piques her curiosity, and she glances back. In the meantime, Luciel stops abruptly. He shouts as if he’s spotted something, “Why are you alive again?!” Even as he yells, a ray of heat blasts out of the blue sky from beyond the clouds, piercing his shoulder, and he falls. Charles is still inside the red barrier. This attack came from a new enemy. Grace screams, “Luciel!” “Ghk… No, Grace, stay back… Aileen!” With his uninjured arm, Luciel flings Aileen—who’s holding Claude—out into the blue sky. “Father!” “It’s fine, just run! I’ll keep that Charles kid pinned down here— You too!” Abruptly, even though she’d been blocking Charles’s way, Estella appears beside Aileen. Just as Aileen realizes Luciel must have teleported her there after that yell, the hole in the red barrier closes up. Or rather, Luciel has cast a fresh barrier, sealing the crack. Pale-faced, Grace shouts angrily, “That idiot! Is he planning to make himself the core and seal himself in with him?!” Charles, who’s been shut inside Luciel’s barrier, seems to yell back, but they can’t hear him now. The red of the double-layered barrier grows even deeper, hiding the imperial capital from view. “Father, please wait!” “Look out!” Estella yanks on Aileen’s arm, and Claude breathes fire, intercepting the light ray that’s targeted them. “Th-thank you. You’re—” However, before she can express her gratitude properly, another attack comes their way. Estella thrusts both arms out, casting a barrier that surrounds Aileen and the others like a sacred shield. More attacks rain down like a meteor shower, but the enemy is nowhere to be seen. One of those landed a solid blow on Luciel even though he’s essentially a god. Naturally, the barrier can’t block them entirely; little by little, it’s coming undone. Crimson streaks appear on Estella’s palms, her arms, her cheek. Even so, she keeps her gaze fixed forward as she shouts, “If this goes on, they’ll win by brute force! I’m teleporting us!” “But Master Luciel and the others…” “—It’s fine. Let’s go, Aileen. If they’re inside a barrier Luciel cast, then he’s protecting them. Things won’t get worse in there. Everyone will simply sleep.” Looking at the situation below them, Grace gives her consent. The attacks are also hitting the red barrier, but it shows no sign of breaking. On the contrary, it seems to be rippling from the inside—Charles may be doing his best to break out of Luciel’s barrier. It’s clear that if they get caught between Charles and this unseen foe, they won’t be able to deal with either. Holding Claude with one arm, Aileen taps Estella on the shoulder. She doesn’t yet know whether the girl is friend or foe, but she’s the only one they can rely on. And since the villainess of Game 5 has appeared, their destination is bound to be the Kingdom of Ashmael, the setting of that game. Once they go there, they can get help from Baal as well. “Teleport us to Ashmael!” “Right!” Just as Estella nods, the barrier shatters. In the moment before the attacks can reach them, space warps. The sensation of falling from a great height sweeps over Aileen, and her consciousness fades. Even then, she keeps her arms locked around Claude, holding him to her chest, determined not to be separated from him. Baal Shah Ashmael, Ashmael’s holy king, is enjoying a leisurely afternoon nap. The sun shines year-round in the Kingdom of Ashmael, but the sunlight is relatively merciful in this season, and the days are pleasant. Mana’s pool has cool water and shady trees, and it makes a perfect spot to rest. Additionally, no one can come near it without Mana’s permission. Mana seems comfortable, too. Like Baal, she’s lying on the grass, drifting off to sleep. “Terrific weather, isn’t it, Mana?” “Skwee…” “We don’t want to go back to work. Frankly, we don’t care what’s become of the floating palace. Don’t you agree?” “Skwee…” “Roxane has entered her second trimester, and she’s settled down. We’d like things to stay peaceful.” And right then, with no warning, several people fall out of the sky into the pool. Water splashes Baal in the face, and he sits there blinking in abject shock. Mana, who’s also been soaked, gives a pathetic cry. “Wh-wha…? What in the…?! What happened?” “Baal.” Just as Baal hears his name, something black surfaces in the pond. He scoots back involuntarily, then exhales in relief. “Claude, hmm? We thought you were seaweed.” “Who are you calling seaweed? Never mind that, help them.” Claude first drags Aileen then a girl Baal doesn’t know up onto the shore. They don’t seem wounded, but Baal has a nasty feeling about this. The demon king climbs out of the pool, giving no indication whether he is aware of Baal’s feelings. “We’re going to impose on you for a bit.” “…What’s that supposed to mean?” “Exactly what it sounds like.” “Go home.” “We can’t. The thing is—” “Don’t say a word. We don’t want to hear it. Don’t drag us into your problems. Deal with it yourselves.” “—a boy who says he’s my son has occupied the empire.” For a moment, Baal stops breathing. Then he sucks in a lungful of air. “It serves you right, you idiot! Go fall with your nation!” “I can’t do that. I genuinely don’t remember him. I’m begging you, believe me. Please.” “No one would be fool enough to believe a man with your face. Try it with a mirror!” “Also, give me clothes. I was a dragon until a minute ago.” Falling silent, Baal takes another look at Claude. Now that he’s paying attention, both the arms the man used to pull Aileen and the other girl out of the water, and his neck—which is usually buttoned up so severely that it looks uncomfortable—are decidedly bare. “You… You’re…” “…It couldn’t be helped.” Claude looks away awkwardly. Suddenly feeling very tired, Baal covers his face with a hand and heaves a long, long sigh. This is the moment he realizes what a fragile thing peace really is. When Aileen opens her eyes, her husband is there with a smile, so she hopes she’s just been having a nightmare. Oh, thank goodness. I thought a game might have started again… I needn’t have worried, though. We’ve been through all of the events connected to Ellmeyer and this timeline already… Still, Claude always has trouble waking in the mornings, and it’s unusual for him to rise before her. She nuzzles her cheek into his cool palm, asking for attention. The difference in temperature is nice. She hears a door open, and when he takes his hand away, she actually feels lonely. “Is Aileen awake?” “She still seems out of it. How about the other one?” “The girl’s still asleep. We’re having Ares watch her, just in case. Who is she?” “Your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that her name is Estella.” “Estella…” “She seems to be an acquaintance of Charles, the boy who attacked us. I don’t think she’s an enemy, but it might be best to stay wary.” “You’re certain you don’t have a second illegitimate child?” “I never even had a first one.” Aileen bolts up in bed. Claude is sitting on the edge, and she grabs his shirtfront. “You mustn’t speak like that, Master Claude! Imagine how the child would feel, having his own father deny him!” “That’s the first thing you say?! Wait, Aileen, calm down and listen to me.” “No. As his mother, I object to the term illegitimate as well.” “I think you’ve adopted him a little too quickly!” “Well, his face! It was the spitting image of yours, Master Claude.” Claude falls silent, his expression stiffening. Baal steps into the room, chuckling. “Ah, is that so? They look that alike, do they? He’ll never talk his way out of this one.” “Master Baal? Why…? Oh, of course, I asked her to teleport us to Ashmael… Wait—Master Claude?!” She pats her husband’s chest and arms to make sure what she’s seeing is real. He’s human. Didn’t Charles’s curse transform him into a young dragon? “I reverted the moment we reached Ashmael. It’s a bit better inside the holy king’s barrier.” “You’d better be grateful to us.” Baal—who’s arrogantly drawn himself up to his full height—possesses enough sacred power to suppress the demon king’s magic. Sacred power is meant to protect people, so it isn’t good for offense. However, by neutralizing magic, breaking seals, and lifting curses, it purifies the demonic. “It’s the same as when your magic was unstable. Wearing that earring should slow its progress.” “Progress…? Master Claude?!” Claude has abruptly begun removing his shirt—a black garment in the style of Ashmael, which Baal must have loaned him—and Aileen is aghast. The moment she lays eyes on his exposed skin, though, she falls silent. From his collarbone to the vicinity of his heart, the skin on the left side of his chest has turned dark and dull. When she gingerly touches it with her fingertips, it’s rather hard for skin. More like soft scales. “…If this covers you entirely, will you become a dragon again?” “Probably. I’m sorry.” Claude lowers his eyes. Giving him an intentionally self-assured smile, Aileen points to the area around his heart. “Oh, what a pity. I was hoping to keep your adorable young dragon version as a pet.” “Don’t even joke about that.” Claude grimaces. Then his expression softens, and he puts an arm around Aileen’s shoulder, pulling her close. To keep the symptoms at bay, he’ll need to avoid using magic. For Aileen, just having him by her side is enough. “Conversely, that does mean the curse isn’t very strong… Why do you think he did something so negligent?” Baal murmurs. “Claude is the demon king,” Aileen reminds him. “Perhaps he simply wasn’t able to cast the curse fully?” “We sent scouts to the national border. They tell us Ellmeyer is surrounded by a red barrier and they can’t see anything. As you probably suspected, they can’t get in. We can’t imagine someone with the power to cast a barrier that strong over the whole of Ellmeyer failing to cast a curse. It was all even that demon god could do to cover the barrier and hold him in, and we doubt he could have broken through it.” The image of her father-in-law, who sent them outside the barrier, rises in Aileen’s mind. “Master Luciel… That’s right, where is Mother?” “Watching for any changes to the barrier. As long as Father’s barrier holds, that boy Charles won’t be able to move, and the situation shouldn’t deteriorate. I think we can be sure of that.” Grace encouraged them to retreat. She probably won’t make any reckless attempts to rescue Luciel. After all, Luciel bought them this time so they could come up with countermeasures. “Speaking as Ashmael, we’re concerned that the red barrier might extend to us. However, as of now, it doesn’t appear to be expanding. We intend to stand by and treat this as Imperial Ellmeyer’s internal conflict, but… Claude. Are you really innocent?” “What are you talking about?” “The love child.” “Completely innocent.” Claude’s voice is low, practically a groan. Aileen frowns. “Master Claude, try thinking back carefully.” “I’m telling you, there’s nothing. Why doesn’t anyone believe me? I really wish someone would. At least one person.” “Master Claude, in this world, there are things that can be done and things that can’t. Come, think hard.” “No matter how many times you say that, if there isn’t anything, then there just isn’t! In any case, even if he did catch me off guard, he had enough magic to fight me on equal terms. If he’s really my child, why haven’t the demons stirred or noticed him before? It makes no sense.” He has a point. Aileen falls silent. This seems to relieve Claude; some of the tension drains out of his shoulders. “And so let’s set the love child theory aside.” “If you don’t remember, Master Claude, there’s no help for it… If Sir Keith were here, I believe he could have given us a list of potential mothers, but…” The demon king’s adviser must know all of Claude’s movements like the back of his hand. As Aileen falls deep into thought, Claude slumps over. “So you’re still going to doubt me.” “If he were a total stranger, there would be no explaining this. It would make more sense if being your love child has made his life pointlessly hard, and he’s come to repay that grudge by destroying the empire.” Claude can’t argue with that. He broods. “If we take everything at face value, this appears to have been an attempt to get rid of me and take over Imperial Ellmeyer. But strangely, his heart didn’t seem to be in it… He probably has some other goal.” “It’s likely. That is precisely why we need information about that child now, including the identity of his mother. Without that, we can’t even negotiate, much less deal with him.” “Look for information on his father, too, please. I want to clear my name.” “If you’re going to insist that you don’t know, Master Claude, we’ll just have to ask that girl Estella. Where is she?” When she ignores Claude’s protests, Baal gives him a rather pitying look. “She’s still asleep, or so we’re told. By the way, that girl—” “King Baal.” There’s a light knock at the door. The voice outside belongs to Ares, Ashmael’s general. “The girl is awake now. Sahra is with her.” Baal tells him he’ll be right there, and Aileen slips out of bed to go with him. “Can you see? Yes? Good. Do you think you can sit up? It’s all right; your wounds have been healed.” In Ashmael’s royal harem, which is slated to be dismantled, the Daughter of God’s kind voice echoes. The palace is well-maintained but noticeably shabby and generally gloomy. Sahra, the Daughter of God, is the heroine of Regalia of Saints, Demons, and Maidens 3. As such, she has the power to heal wounds. While her abilities aren’t quite what they were in the game, her power is undeniable. When Aileen and the others enter, Estella is sitting up in bed with Sahra’s help, drinking water from a pitcher. “Drink slowly. Talking can wait.” “I… Where…?” Surrounding her with unfamiliar men at a time like this doesn’t seem like a good idea, so Aileen makes Claude and Baal wait by the entrance, then approaches the bed alone. “I’ve only healed her wounds,” Sahra tells her. “You mustn’t make her push herself.” “I know,” Aileen says, and Estella looks at her with hazy eyes. Lovely violet eyes, and golden hair that reminds her of starlight. The cut of Estella’s navy-blue uniform is rather curious; in Aileen’s previous life, it would have been referred to as gothic. At a glance, Estella almost looks like a nun. Now that she’s taken a good look at her, Aileen is even more certain. This girl really is the villainess of Game 5. If memory serves her right, the girl in the center of the jacket had flaming red hair. She was probably the protagonist. By process of elimination, she can safely say that the girl with the dark smile in the corner was the villainess. On top of that, Game 5 had been set here, in Ashmael. She has a bad feeling about this, but she has to make sure. This girl is their only possible source of information regarding Charles, Ellmeyer’s invader. “Thank you. Because of you, we were able to flee to Ashmael.” “Ash…mael… Is that where I am?” Estella asks in a hoarse voice. Aileen nods. Slowly, the girl looks around her. She thinks for a while, and then her eyes come back to Aileen. “And who might you be?” “…Pardon? But you know me.” “I’ve asked the wrong question. Who am I?” Seeing Aileen’s eyes widen, Estella draws her eyebrows together apologetically. “Why am I here? I’m sorry, but do you know me?” “My dear… Don’t tell me…” “I don’t remember. I can’t remember… Everything’s gone.” The girl’s long eyelashes tremble. Aileen can’t believe it. Gently, Sahra squeezes Estella’s hand. “It’s all right. You’re a little confused, that’s all. Calm down, okay?” “But I think there was something I had to do…” “We have a clue, so we’ll find out quickly. That’s the uniform of Ashmael’s Divine Maiden Academy, isn’t it? If we ask them—” “The Divine Maiden Academy?!” Aileen’s temples throb. She recalls what Lilia said. Right…apparently, Game 5 was set in the Divine Maiden Academy, which was supposed to be run by the hero… As Aileen struggles to get all the information straight in her mind, Baal steps closer. “That’s right. We were going to mention that. Is this girl not one of our citizens?” “Well, um…” Aileen is at a loss. Estella’s gaze goes to Baal. “Who are you?” “Hmm? Very well, let us introduce ourselves. We are Baal Shah Ashmael.” Instead of responding, Estella winces as if she’s fighting a headache. Seeing this, Baal laughs. “Don’t push yourself. If you have amnesia, you can’t be expected to remember names, even if it belongs to the king. Once you’re back in shape, why not stop in at the Divine Maiden Academy? Someone there may know you.” “I’ll accompany her,” Aileen volunteers. Baal blinks. Claude, who’s come up beside him, speaks tentatively. “There’s no need for you to go in person, is there? If we send an inquiry—” “Her identity is tied to Ellmeyer’s continued existence, Master Claude. After all, she is our sole source of information regarding your love child.” “How many times must I tell you I have no love children?” “I beg your pardon. She alone may have information regarding Master Charles, your illustrious son.” Claude moans something about how she’s gotten it wrong, but Aileen is confident she has the right of it. “Now that Ellmeyer’s in that state, it may be dangerous for Ashmael to attempt to uncover Estella’s identity. No doubt the Divine Maiden Academy has its own secrets and will take action! That’s clearly where this is going!” All eyes are on her, and every mouth hangs open, but Aileen goes on, almost defiantly. “Some may attempt to take advantage of Estella’s missing memories and use her for nefarious purposes. We must investigate carefully and swiftly. There’s bound to be something we can learn about Charles, and there’s no doubt it will be linked to Ellmeyer’s secrets. We can’t simply leave this in others’ hands, nor should we inquire in a careless manner.” “I understand, but if we can’t ask directly, then…what do we do?” “Why, that’s obvious.” Aileen still isn’t sure whether a game has begun or not. However, if Estella really is the villainess of Game 5, there’s certain to be a denunciation in her future. There’s no way the game developers got all the way to the fifth game and suddenly changed their policy. Aileen doesn’t know what sort of person Estella really is. However, she did save them, and she has enough sacred power to oppose Charles. She’s someone extraordinary. Aileen refuses to let the girl be condemned. “Estella and I will infiltrate the Divine Maiden Academy, posing as ordinary students.” She may be setting up a development identical to the one in the game, but so what? That’s how she’s always smashed through difficulties before. Aileen smiles dauntlessly. Even when she pinches his cheek or pushes him, Lilia’s husband won’t wake up. The same is true of his bodyguard, and of Aileen’s brilliant lady-in-waiting, who escorted her here. What’s going on? She’s noticed the noise outside, but she wants to figure out this situation first. However, she’s starting to tire of tugging on her husband’s cheeks and making funny faces. Sensing an intruder, she hastily pretends to be asleep like the others. “You’re awake, aren’t you? I was told you would be.” At the sound of the brusque voice, she opens one eye. He’s looking right at her. Lilia recognizes this boy. Or…do I? I think I might, but perhaps not… Sitting up, she puts a finger to her temple, thinking. “…I shouldn’t be the one saying it, but I’m pretty sure this counts as an emergency. What are you doing?” “Searching my memories.” The vaguely-familiar-yet-not boy seems exasperated. He is young and a little untidy, but the beauty of his face is perfect enough to cover for all that and then some. If he grows up that way, in terms of the game, he’ll be a classic hero or a final boss. With a face like that, he could be a romanceable character either way. “Did you do all this? Aren’t you surprised I’m awake?” “…I’m here because I was told to greet you.” “Gracious, by whom?” His only response is silence. She has the feeling she knows who advised him, though. Should she sense respect for a previous game, or is it provocation? “My name is Charles Jean Ellmeyer,” the boy tells her. Then he turns on his heel. “That’s all… I don’t plan to hurt anyone, so don’t get in my way.” He seems to be in a hurry, because that’s all he says, and then he’s gone. Lilia blinks a bit, then starts thinking. Charles Jean Ellmeyer—that name proves he’s a member of Ellmeyer’s imperial family. Charles is the false name James used, and in the game, it refers to the next demon king. In other words, this is the next demon king, and he belongs to the imperial family. Add that face, his hair, and the color of his eyes, and there’s no room for doubt. “The sequel is heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere! That’s the spirit!” If that’s the case, she has to hurry and get ready, or she’ll miss seeing Aileen in action. Will the stage be Ashmael, home to the Divine Maiden Academy with the holy sarcophagus and the Daughter of God’s corpse? She has no idea how this came about, but beginning her investigation there is probably the correct approach. Humming cheerfully, she starts to pack for a journey—and then she notices it. The sky is bright red. Is it a barrier or something? Ellmeyer has been cut off from the rest of the world. On top of that, there’s the state of the people around her… How is she supposed to get to Ashmael like this? What? Don’t tell me—am I going to have to stay home? Inconceivable. “……” For a moment, the light vanishes from Lilia’s eyes. Then she chuckles, her lip curling, and takes out her frustration on her husband by pinching his cheek again. “Wake up, Cedric.” “……” “At times like this, as a rule, the heroine and hero are inexplicably the only ones left awake, and they have to solve the mystery! So why are you asleep? Wake up! Take me to Ashmael! I swear, prince characters are so useless. Wake up, waaake uuuup, I’m going to divorce you, wake up! Fine, divorce it is—” “Look, you, this is an emergency. What do you think you’re doing?” Lilia’s eyes widen. She looks between her husband, who’s still stubbornly asleep, and the newcomer. “Serena, my goodness. Were you actually a hero instead of a heroine?” “There you go, making no sense again. You’re not the one behind this mess, are you? I heard something about the floating palace disappearing, too.” This woman—who’s addressing the second prince’s consort without even a semblance of courtesy—is Serena Gilbert. She’s an outstanding individual who was appointed as a bureaucrat this spring—a fact that Lilia cannot possibly care less about. What truly matters is that she’s a character from the game. “Anyway, come here a second. The demon king’s father has collapsed. It looks like he’s hurt.” She probably means Luciel, the demon king and hero of Game 4. “You can heal him, can’t you? Assuming he’s alive.” Serena is the heroine of Regalia of Saints, Demons, and Maidens 2, the Saint of Salvation whose special ability amplifies every sort of power there is. Unlike Sahra, the heroine of Game 3, she doesn’t have her own healing abilities, but she can accelerate others’ inherent healing ability. Lilia’s suggestion is quite natural, but Serena frowns at her. “In this situation, I don’t know whether it’s okay to heal him or not. Obviously.” “You’re really wary about that sort of thing, Serena. Don’t you have the heart of a saint?” “Nope. I’ve never been a saint. Anyway, he’s tossing around and babbling about weird things. It’s extremely suspicious. He said ‘Evare’ or something like that.” “Evare?! But that’s the name of the final boss of 5…! We have to hear more. Let’s help him!” Gleefully, Lilia starts rising to her feet, then pauses, thinking hard. The evil god Evare. The final boss of Game 5… In that case, who is the boy who called himself Charles? He can’t possibly look just like Claude and not be a game character, and yet… But the hero of 5 didn’t look like him, and if he isn’t the final boss, either, then… Hmm… This is a mystery worth pondering. It may be best to start her search at the beginning. Aileen seems to have escaped, and she’ll no doubt be hard at work wherever she is. Perhaps Lilia’s best move is to find out what she can here. Someone told Charles to introduce himself to Lilia…not to Aileen. It’s as if they’ve challenged her to a contest: Figure out who Charles really is. We know you know this. Could he be, for example, a character from Game 6, the final installment of the series, which was supposed to be linked with 5? “Heh-heh! This is going to be so much fun. You think so, too, right, Serena?” “In a situation like this? You’re as crazy as ever.” She can say what she wants, but the heroines of 1 and 2 are both here. How can they let the sequels underestimate the first two games in the series?
Chapter 107
33 min read