Claude frowns. “I can do that on my own.” “Well, you’re new here. ’Sides, maybe I don’t look like it, but I’m a responsible guy. Just because a teacher’s sponsored by the holy king himself don’t mean I can ignore his violatin’ the rules.” “And what about you?” Claude glances at the bushes behind Evare. Evare looks blank. As he turns back, the lamp moves, and its light abruptly reveals a figure. “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!” “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!” Evare’s scream makes Aileen shriek. She clings to Claude, then catches herself. Evare doesn’t seem to notice. He’s genuinely startled by what’s appeared behind him, and he’s busy getting his breathing under control. “Wha—? You followed me, huh?” “……” A girl with short hair is standing in the bushes, a vacant look on her face. She doesn’t answer. The light from Evare’s lantern hazily illuminates her silhouette. “Agh, don’t scare me like that. You ain’t got no presence to begin with… Sorry ’bout that, Professor Claude. This girl’s my assistant.” “Assistant…? She’s not a student?” “Nope. This’s Machina. She can’t do a thing, but treat her right, okay? Now, let’s get on over to the cafeteria.” Nonchalantly, Evare sets off with the lantern. Machina silently follows him. At that point, Aileen finally gets a good look at the girl’s face, and her eyes widen. Instead of the student uniform, the girl is dressed a bit like a maid, and she looks dead. Her short hair is as white as snow, and her violet eyes seem lifeless. Her lips are purple as well. The girl trails after Evare in a way that’s more like “moving” than “walking.” She doesn’t spare so much as a glance at Aileen and Claude. However, Aileen recognizes that face. She could never forget it. The girl’s head had been severed, she’d used up her soul and everything else, and yet she wore a satisfied smile in her final moments. She’d struggled against fate all alone without fulfilling any of her wishes and made her exit without giving anyone a chance to recoup their losses. The person who tried to prove she was the one and only true queen of Hausel. The first Maid of the Sacred Sword—Amelia Dark. Why…? The only ones who saw the girl’s true form were Aileen, Lilia, and Luciel and Grace, who knew her personally from the past. Aileen fought her hand to hand just once, but she could swear that this girl’s face is absolutely identical, and there’s no mistaking it. She can declare with certainty that the only difference is the color of her hair. “Let’s go, Aileen.” Claude has never seen Amelia. She hesitates, wondering how she should tell him, but Claude’s gaze is already scarily severe. Whispering softly, he gives her back a gentle push. “Steer clear of that girl. She’s no ordinary human.” She gives him a questioning look, but Claude shakes his head. Does he mean he doesn’t know any more than that? At the same time, the fact that Evare has someone like that with him means he’s not ordinary, either. “That Evare fellow is dangerous as well. His magic doesn’t feel human or demon… He’s probably the one who shot down Father.” “What?” “If you keep whisperin’ like that, you’ll make everyone suspect you two’re lovers or married.” Evare turns back, raising his lantern again with yet another smile. A step away, Machina turns around, mirroring his movements. Evare’s lantern is bright, and it makes the shadows sharper and deeper. “Let’s all get along. For now anyway.” Hair and eye color are tied to the laws of this world. Since the color of Machina’s hair is different, she can’t be Amelia. However, the fact that she’s with the final boss of Game 5 can’t be dismissed as mere coincidence. She wasn’t on the jacket of 5, but this girl, who looks almost identical to Amelia, is most definitely someone to watch. Claude offers to investigate the faculty, Evare included. Aileen wants to object but can’t. Without his help, she’ll be spread too thin to keep an eye on Estella’s surroundings. During their first lecture of the morning, Aileen sits in a seat diagonally behind Estella, resting her chin on her hand. The others simply treat us both as transfer students. One would think they might recognize Claude and myself, but… Perhaps it’s because this is a boarding school, isolated from the outside world. Some of the professors must have caught on, but Baal probably told them not to pry, because no one’s actively approached them yet. The one who’s been the most blatant about acting as if he knows everything is Evare… Although, that man would have been deeply suspicious even if they hadn’t spoken with him. Now then, how should she begin? Should she steal into the underground ruin to see the corpse of the first Daughter of God? If she goes in without a plan, though, she’ll merely be sightseeing. That said, she does have one lead… It’s something Baal told her when she casually asked about the underground ruin. He said the door to the underground ruin could not be opened by anyone other than those who’d inherited the blood of the first Daughter of God: direct descendants of Ashmael’s royal family, and only the women at that… She looks at Estella’s back. The girl is listening attentively to the lecture. If she really is Baal’s illegitimate child—in other words, a direct descendant of Ashmael’s royal family—she’ll be able to open that door. However, what good will it do to confirm that? Even if they ask Baal’s permission, he’ll wonder why they’re going to a place even he couldn’t open. She heard that even Sahra, the second Daughter of God, wasn’t able to open the underground ruin because she wasn’t a blood descendant. In the first place, according to Lilia, the final boss of 5 wants the corpse of the first Daughter of God so he can break the seal on the fiend dragon. Wouldn’t opening the door end up helping him? Since the fiend dragon no longer exists, I doubt there’s any point in puppeting the first Daughter of God’s body, but…Lilia didn’t seem to think Estella’s story would end as Evare’s marionette. Saving the world is always the heroine’s role; what if she says that purifying a defiled world means destroying both the evil god and humans? In a game, that could definitely happen… She wonders what Lilia’s doing. It doesn’t seem likely she’s simply sleeping inside that red barrier. Aileen gazes out the window. On the edge of the horizon, if she looks closely, she can just make out the top of the barrier. “Distracted, hmm? We can’t have that.” Something thumps the corner of her desk lightly, and Aileen looks back, startled. Claude smiles at her. He’s teaching an art history class—or rather, he’s only reading the textbook, but it’s annoying how good he looks while doing it. “Is my class making you drowsy?” “N-no. I’m sorry, sir.” With a small, amused smile on his lips, Claude bends down slightly and whispers to Aileen. “Come to the art room later. You’ve earned yourself a lecture.” If she doesn’t get this shameless professor fired and returned to the imperial throne as soon as possible, he’ll ruin the students’ morals. He’s just oozing sex appeal, and the students around them are blushing bright red. Even Aileen, who’s used to him, can’t hide her flushed cheeks. It’s all she can do to glare back at him. “Yes, I understand,” she says, hoping her intention to completely fail to show up will get through to him. “Very good.” The dangerous art teacher nods mildly. As he passes her desk, a paper flutters out of the textbook he’s holding. Aileen isn’t dense enough to instinctively say, Professor, you’ve dropped something. The sheet is folded in two. When she opens it, the missive—which begins with My dearest Aileen—is a veritable wall of words. It’s one of his usual long letters. What does he intend to do if someone else sees this…? He may have been trying to cheer himself up, but surely, he’s gotten carried away. Every day, the sight of you without your wedding ring depresses me more and more. I’m wearing mine, you know… In order to disguise herself as a student, Aileen has temporarily removed her wedding ring. She skips several lines about how sad this makes him. Evare hasn’t made any suspicious moves, but make sure to stay away from him. The very idea that man is a school doctor—he’s definitely doing something shameless. She’s fairly sure the art teacher is winning the shamelessness contest by a mile. At noon today, I’ll be meeting with the academy’s director. I’ll contact you again soon. Finally, at the very end, he’s written something pertinent. Aileen suspects that the director is the hero of Game 5. She’d thought she might be able to greet him when she transferred in, but as in Mirchetta, it was the student council president who appeared. When she casually inquired, she was told, “The director is almost never seen. Even at the school, only a handful of people are granted audiences.” It was a very gamelike explanation. If the director is the boss of an underground organization, it’s only natural that he’d be like this in reality as well, but… Technically, Claude shouldn’t be doing this. Emperors don’t do their own sleuthing. They have others do it for them. Their role is to take responsibility and make the final decisions. Under the current circumstances, he can’t do that, and Aileen finds it utterly humiliating—but this is a critical moment. Their empire has practically been stolen from them. That means Claude has no choice but to be on the front line in person. I must do what I can as well. Master Baal’s regular contact should come at noon. Praying there will be some new development or clue, she refolds Claude’s letter. Claude has been walking around the classroom, and as he passes her desk again, he deliberately runs his fingertips along its edge. On his finger, his wedding ring gleams. It’s the mate of the one that’s currently on a chain around Aileen’s neck, hidden beneath her clothes. Aileen reaches out, pretending it isn’t intentional. Just for a moment, she touches Claude’s wedding band. Their eyes don’t meet, but she sees his lips soften into a smile. Now he won’t get mad when she doesn’t appear for her lecture…probably. At noon, when she sees the pair who’ve come to the academy’s front court to facilitate the contact, Aileen blinks. “Lady Aileen.” One of them is Sahra, who’s carrying a large basket of some sort. She and Aileen are acquainted, and in terms of servants who can travel back and forth between the girls-only school and the palace, she isn’t an unexpected choice. “How are things progressing?” However, the one who’s appeared from behind her is Roxane, and her visit is most definitely unexpected. Instead of the gossamer veil that hides half her face and the red robes that mark her as the principal consort, she’s dressed like an ordinary noblewoman. However, she carries herself with such grace that it’s clear at a glance she’s someone extraordinary. Not only that, but she’s also pregnant. “Lady Sahra is one thing, but even you’re here, Lady Roxane? I’m surprised Master Baal let you leave the harem.” “My pregnancy is advanced enough to be stable, and it’s best if I move around a bit. Besides, the palace is rather hectic at the moment. Also, I had business here.” “Has something happened?” Aileen asks. Sahra looks in the direction of the palace a bit uneasily. “Thieves entered the treasure house and set fire to it last night. No one was badly hurt, but there’s a lot that we don’t understand. Ares has his hands full with that at the moment.” “In other words, the thieves weren’t caught?” Roxane nods, gazing right back at Aileen. “That’s right. In addition, they only wreaked havoc in the treasure house; nothing was taken. However, when Master Baal ordered an investigation of the whole palace, we discovered that materials related to the underground ruin were missing.” Aileen’s expression tenses. “Th-then the thieves were after the Daughter of God’s holy sarcophagus…? Is that what this is about?” “If the ruin is involved, then yes, probably. Since the academy’s director is here today, I’ve forced—or rather, persuaded Master Baal to let me come as his representative.” She’s coerced him into letting her leave. Aileen is rather amazed, but since it wouldn’t do for them to stand around talking, Roxane boldly enters the academy. “As it happens, it was time for our scheduled contact with you, and no men are allowed here. Of course, as the holy king, Master Baal may enter, but we didn’t want to cause more of an uproar than necessary. The body of the Daughter of God is our kingdom’s sacred relic, but it isn’t as if she has the holy sword.” The holy sword is a weapon the Queendom of Hausel made, based on the sacred sword. While it isn’t as powerful as the sacred sword, it can be mass-produced and used by anyone, which makes it very practical. However, mass production is only possible due to the Queendom’s technology. Both that technology and the majority of their holy swords were lost in recent battle, and if one breaks, the current Daughter of God is the sole person who can repair it. Now that the sacred sword no longer exists, since the holy sword can use sacred power to attack, it’s a rare weapon. To the Kingdom of Ashmael, it’s a national treasure that slayed the fiend dragon. “…Come to think of it, why was the Daughter of God’s body preserved in the first place?” “Probably because she was somebody important, right?” Sahra sounds mystified. Aileen shakes her head. “If the body had been kept with the holy sword, that would make sense. However, because the holy sword was in the consecrated area where the fiend dragon was sealed, they couldn’t do that. In which case, I assume burying her would be the normal thing to do…and they even went out of their way to build an underground tomb instead of keeping her in a place she had a connection to in life. The harem, for example, or the royal palace.” In Game 3, the Daughter of God’s ghost appears in the harem. It’s probably because Sahra, her successor, is there. Since everything related to the Daughter of God is in the harem, it seems odd that her body is kept elsewhere. Roxane clears up that question easily. “From what I’m told, preserving her body was the Queendom of Hausel’s idea.” Aileen is taken aback by this revelation, and Roxane continues, sounding like a historian, “The holy sword was bestowed on us by the Queendom, and there is a theory that the Daughter of God was also originally from Hausel. Considering the fact that, without her, the holy sword becomes something to be used and cast aside, it’s a persuasive theory.” “Then both the holy sword and the Daughter of God were gifts from the Queendom…?” “I believe that’s correct. At the time, this land was poisoned, and it’s hard to believe that any humans lived here earlier. The idea that the Queendom sent the Daughter of God and the holy sword in an attempt to reclaim this land, which had been polluted by the fiend dragon, seems more plausible.” The Kingdom of Ashmael, born from the myth of the Daughter of God, was founded after Ellmeyer. At the time of Ashmael’s foundation, Amelia Dark was already ruling as Hausel’s one and only queen. In other words, it’s very likely that the holy sword, the Daughter of God, and the underground ruin were all prepared by Amelia. “The ruin under the Divine Maiden Academy was built under the Queendom’s guidance, to celebrate the Daughter of God’s achievements. The same is true of the holy sarcophagus that holds her remains.” “In other words, both the ruin and the sarcophagus were made with the Queendom’s technology?” Aileen asks. “Yes. I’m told the same is true of the mechanism that will only respond to women directly descended from Ashmael’s royal family. There is a record stating it was made that way because Hausel insisted,” explains Roxane. “…Wait just a moment. If it’s being preserved by the Queendom of Hausel’s technology, then the body of the Daughter of God…” “It’s apparently in extremely good condition. Granted, that’s based on testimony from a princess who went to look at it several generations ago, so that report is perhaps two centuries old.” Amelia’s real body had been asleep on the Queendom’s altar, and if the same principles are at work here, this body may actually be in nearly the same condition as it was in life. Does that mean it could move, provided it had a soul? “The world must be purified!” They’ve passed through the school building, and just as they step into the central courtyard, they hear a shout. “Our era’s Daughter of God was an impostor. Our neighbor Ellmeyer has been corrupted by the power of the demon king and cursed. There could be no greater proof than that red barrier. In addition, the queen of Hausel has passed away, and her queendom has collapsed.” “Just as the land of Ashmael was once steeped in poison, the world is being defiled. We must come together and resurrect the true Daughter of God, and it must be done now—!” A group is giving an impassioned speech on the lawn in the courtyard. Someone thrusts a flyer at Sahra, who’s walking a little ahead. “The World Unity sect,” Roxane says indifferently. “I’ve never seen them before… Are they popular here?” “What, the World Unity sect? They’re basically playing, and it’s largely limited to the school. This is the Divine Maiden Academy, after all, and worship of the Daughter of God is particularly fervent here. However, Master Baal has been concerned that the events in Ellmeyer have made them bolder.” The unsettling appearance of that red barrier over Imperial Ellmeyer has accelerated the development of a new religion. When Aileen’s gaze falls to the ground, Roxane frowns. “It isn’t Ellmeyer’s fault, Lady Aileen.” “Even so, we genuinely are causing trouble for Ashmael. Besides, the idea that the first Daughter of God was from the Queendom gives me a very bad feeling…” “Since they worship the Daughter of God, this involves our country as well. It’s nothing any one person should have to take responsibility for. That goes for you as well, Sahra.” Roxane’s remark makes Aileen glance over at Sahra, who’s still holding the flyer. She is this era’s Daughter of God, but no one looks to her for help. After the way she disgraced herself, that’s only natural, but being treated as a fake can’t be pleasant for her, either. …And yet she smiles. “I know, Miss Roxane. I’ll just do my best at what I can. I won’t say I can do what I can’t.” She hadn’t been able to risk her life to repair the holy sword and save her kingdom, and yet she did so to repair the sacred sword and save Lilia’s life. Still, she probably can’t call herself the Daughter of God anymore. Roxane nods, acknowledging her resolve. “I’m counting on you.” “Huh…? R-really? Do you really mean it?! Even though I got water and disinfectant confused the other day?!” “…Provided you calm down just a little,” Roxane adds wryly. Aileen thumps Sahra on the shoulder. “Pull yourself together. Luc tells me you intend to study medicine. The kingdom’s first female doctor will bear much greater responsibility toward future generations than the Daughter of God would.” Sahra squeezes her hands into fists. “Yes, I’ll do my best!” “Refrain from overdoing it. When you get too excited, the results are never good.” “Oh, you know, I can see that,” Aileen says. “What?! That’s mean!” The flyer exhorting the Daughter of God’s resurrection slips from Sahra’s hand. As Aileen and Roxane make their way deeper into the school building, Sahra runs after them. When she catches up, she sails right past them before turning around. “By the way, what is Estella doing?” “Oh, she’s probably…” Aileen takes a look around. “Yes, there she is.” The cafeteria is bustling with people. Estella is in the exact opposite direction, in an old gazebo in the middle of the rather cluttered courtyard, eating a roll purchased from the school’s shop. Naturally, she’s all alone. “So she doesn’t eat lunch with her friends… Maybe she’s just not the type. In that sense, Estella’s rather like you, Miss Roxane.” “…Sahra, what is that supposed to mean?” “That’s perfect, though! Let’s all have lunch together!” Apparently, lunch is what’s in Sahra’s basket. Before they can stop her, she runs off. She’s as guileless as always. Or maybe thoughtless would be more accurate. Aileen is rather shocked. Beside her, Roxane sighs. “Surely, there are times when the girl would prefer to eat alone… Although, I suppose I needn’t worry about anyone thinking she’s the Daughter of God if she does things like that.” “I noticed you haven’t tried to use Lady Sahra as a check on the World Unity sect.” “Of course not. After all, she’s no longer the Daughter of God.” She’s speaking in the political sense, but it’s clear she also wants Sahra to be free to live her own life. “Does Master Baal suspect the World Unity sect? In the palace robbery, I mean.” “Yes, actually. One of the reasons I’ve come in person is to speak with the director about it. They may have begun looking for a way to enter the underground ruin in earnest, in search of the Daughter of God’s sarcophagus. I’m told the royal family’s genealogical chart has disappeared as well.” “Would they have taken that in the hope of finding a living female descendant of the Ashmael bloodline?” “I would imagine so. However, I believe the attempt will end as a fool’s errand. Master Baal is an only child, and the previous holy king had no sisters. The king before that had an older sister, but she passed away years ago… If this child is a girl, she will fit the requirements, but…” Roxane strokes her belly, which is still barely noticeable. Aileen presses her lips together tightly. “Lady Roxane. As a purely hypothetical question…” “Yes? What is it?” Roxane is an intelligent woman, more than suited to being the principal consort. Trusting in this, Aileen begins. “…if Estella happened to be Master Baal’s illegitimate child, what would you do?” “I would adopt her and raise her as the first princess, of course.” She answered immediately, with no hesitation or consternation. That’s a relief. “I’m not certain yet. Please don’t mention any of this to Estella.” Roxane blinks, understanding that this conversation is not, in fact, purely hypothetical. “Very well. In that case, I will investigate her origins with that in mind. I doubt Master Baal will confess honestly…and something about this does ring a bell.” “Gracious, really?” “One of the names Master Baal is considering for the child I’m carrying is Estella.” “That’s…difficult for both of you, isn’t it?” “It certainly is.” Nodding once, Roxane goes over to Estella, who’s bewildered by the lunch Sahra has begun to unpack. Roxane chides Sahra, then speaks gently to Estella. There’s a very tranquil tenderness in her profile. Even if Estella does turn out to be Baal’s love child, things will probably work out. The fact that he’s considering naming Roxane’s child Estella is worth strangling him over, but if Baal himself isn’t aware, then there isn’t much to fuss about. “That’s the principal consort, and the Daughter of God— Nah, maybe that should be former Daughter of God? Either way, it’s quite a sight.” A shadow falls over her, and she turns with a start. Lanky Evare grins, shading his eyes with a hand. “Afternoon, Miss Aileen. The sun in this country sure is intense. Be careful you don’t get heatstroke.” A little behind Evare, Machina stands like a statue, immobile and unblinking. Her eyes are as lightless as ever. “There was somethin’ I wanted to check on. See, Professor Claude got in the way earlier.” Aileen is flustered, but Evare ignores it. He points to Estella. “That girl, the one who transferred in with you. Is Estella her real name?” His question isn’t what Aileen was expecting at all, and her eyes widen. Putting a hand to his chin, Evare broods. “I hear she’s got amnesia. Which means there’s no point in askin’ her ’bout it.” “…Why would you ask me?” “Well, you transferred in together. On the principal consort’s recommendation. You’re close. Right?” What he says is completely innocuous, but the exaggerated way he’s said it makes it sound as if he’s implying something. “Is the question of whether her name is really Estella that important?” “Well, sure. Names matter a whole bunch. For example, there’s stuff people wouldn’t pick up on if your name wasn’t Aileen and Professor Claude’s name wasn’t Claude.” “……” There’s no telling where he’s gotten his information, but this man is clearly convinced that she and Claude are the empress and emperor of Ellmeyer. Of course, it also isn’t something that’s impossible to piece together given all the information. Evare is nonchalant, as if he doesn’t feel the need to hide anything. “Those names, black hair and red eyes, a gorgeous blond, the fact that you’ve got an in with some big shots, and the stuff that’s been happenin’ recently… None of that info’s a huge deal by itself. Put it all together, though, and what you’ve got is certainty.” “So the name Estella is part of that certainty for you?” Aileen asks. She’s dropped all pretense of speaking to him as a teacher. Evare gives her an easygoing smile. “Yup. Between this and that, I think that’s probably it. Still, names can trick you real easy. It happens all the time: You hear that so-and-so who shouldn’t be here is here, and then you meet ’em, and they’re somebody completely different. So I’m bein’ cautious, see. It’s secondhand intel, and it’s not like I know what she looks like.” “…You know who she is?” “Nah, nah, other way around: I want to know who she is. Heck, maybe she got nothin’ to do with anythin’.” Evare laughs, waving his hand in denial. He has information about Estella that Aileen doesn’t have. All he knows is her name and some hearsay, though, and he doesn’t know what the real one looks like. As a result, he can’t figure out whether this is the same Estella he’s heard about—is that what this is? …Lady Lilia said that Evare, the final boss of Game 5, was the founder of the World Unity sect. It’s dangerous to assume that events in reality will match the game, but… Documents detailing the underground ruin and the royal family’s genealogical chart have been stolen from Ashmael’s palace. It seems sensible to assume that the World Unity sect was behind it. That meant either Evare did it himself or it was done on his orders. If that’s the case, he can’t ignore Estella’s identity—or more specifically, her origins. What Aileen doesn’t understand is how he’s tied this matter to Estella’s bloodline. Roxane said the genealogical chart wouldn’t help. Even if the chart holds some sort of hidden information that only Evare will recognize, the thieves struck the palace just yesterday. Could he have discovered Estella’s origins in such a brief span of time? Isn’t that the sort of conclusion he could only have arrived at by working backward, as Aileen had done, based on knowledge he already had? For example, the fact that Estella is the villainess and that she may be part of Ashmael’s royal family? …He can’t possibly know about the game, can he? No, not possible. If he did, he’d know he was the final boss and destined to be defeated, and he’d avoid following the script… Mentioning hearsay means he learned these things from someone else. Could Charles have told him? Either way, this man definitely knows something Aileen does not. In particular, she recognizes the unsettling way he has of throwing up a smoke screen in his conversations. She saw the same thing during her fight with Amelia, the woman who knew both past and future. Unbidden, her gaze goes to the girl who wears that woman’s face. “…Who is she?” “Huh? Where’d that come from? Don’t go changin’ the subject. I told you, she’s my assistant.” “Have you known her long?” “Uh, lessee, how long’s it been…? Maybe three years or so?” “Dr. Evare! Would you attend tonight’s séance in the chapel with us? The divine maiden says she’ll channel the voice of the Daughter of God who sleeps in the holy sarcophagus!” calls a student from behind them. Evare shrugs, turning around. “What’re you tryin’ to do, breakin’ the rules right out in public? You ain’t allowed to leave the dorms after dinner. You’ve got a curfew. Get goin’ now!” “But we’ll be able to hear the founder speak directly!” “If you really do believe in the Daughter of God, then you gotta follow the rules. C’mon.” “But how could a séance where we hear the Daughter of God speak be against the rules?! That can’t be right!” A group of girls chimes in, agreeing with her. While Evare’s trying to wrangle them, Aileen slips away to the gazebo. Roxane and the others have heard the girls’ shrill voices; they’re looking in her direction, seeming worried. Aileen smiles and brings it up before they can: “It looks as if things may get a bit noisy. Shall we go elsewhere?” “Yes, that sounds wise… I never dreamed they were holding actual séances. I must report this to Master Baal.” “I was invited to that, too.” Estella takes a piece of paper from her pocket. It’s a handbill, neatly folded into quarters, with a time and place written on it. When Aileen sees the sheet, she grimaces. “I didn’t receive anything of the sort.” “The girl who tried to recruit me on my first day here gave it to me just now. Apparently, this séance will be held on an unprecedented scale. She said the founder is going to bring a divine maiden.” In the game, the divine maiden was Estella. However, Estella’s memories are still missing. …Someone must have taken her place, Aileen thinks. Sahra peeks in at Estella’s hand, reading the flyer. “‘The noble divine maiden will hear the voice of the first Daughter of God and open the door to the underground ruin…’ What? Is this real? Aren’t princesses of Ashmael the only ones who can open that door?” “—I think I’ll attend this séance,” Estella says. Aileen stares at her, startled. She doesn’t know whether the divine maiden can hear the voice of the Daughter of God or not, but if Estella actually is Baal’s love child, she’ll be able to open the door to the ruin. “Why would you do that? Is it something to do with your memories? Have you recalled something about the World Unity sect…or its founder, or the divine maiden?” Roxane asks calmly. She seems to have picked up on the same possibility as Aileen. Estella hesitates for a moment, then looks up at Roxane. She seems unusually unsure of herself. “…Is the Daughter of God’s body really still there?” It’s an entirely unexpected question. Blinking, Roxane responds with a careful question of her own. “What do you mean?” “I, um… I’m sorry. I don’t know. I seem to remember telling someone that the Daughter of God’s body was no longer there… I saw them leave for the underground ruin…and then I…” Estella winces, as if her head has begun to ache. Beside her, Sahra gets flustered. “You mustn’t push yourself.” “I-I’m all right. Only…unless I remember what it is I need to do quickly, I feel as if I won’t make it in time…” “I understand your concern. I’ll speak with Master Baal, and we shall check at the proper time. Since this involves your memories, I will arrange for you to come along when we do. In the meanwhile, you mustn’t participate in suspicious gatherings like this one.” Roxane has made the right decision. Aileen has no objections, and Estella gives a small nod. “…All right. I won’t get involved with the World Unity sect.” “Let’s have lunch, then! Okay?” Sahra’s voice is intentionally buoyant, and it resets the mood as intended. However, from the look in Estella’s eyes, she’s come to some sort of decision. Neither Aileen nor Roxane miss the fact that she’s put the flyer back into her pocket. On Aileen’s invitation, the outrageous professor has boldly stolen into the female students’ dormitory room at night. “I’d hoped you’d called me here to apologize for ignoring my summons earlier today,” he says. Aileen has been pretending to sleep on the lowest bunk bed, waiting for Claude’s visit, and he’s pushed her down onto it. She looks disgusted. “Master Claude. I believe you may be enjoying life as a professor far too much.” “Professor Claude.” Ignoring her husband’s incorrigible demand, Aileen asks, “Has Estella gone to the chapel?” “Yes. Apparently, there are adherents on the faculty as well. Tonight’s assembly is an open secret. Everyone’s there.” “I see… In that case, let us go after her.” “We have a little time.” “No, we do not.” “Can’t you listen to your professor?” “I am about to get very cross with you.” “Even though I borrowed the clothing we’ll need to attend the séance?” Claude shows her two supremely suspicious-looking hooded cloaks made of dark-purple fabric. Hooded cloaks are quite common, but that color would be very hard to mimic. Do all participants wear these? “Don’t you think I deserve a bit of a reward?” Claude is looking down at her, seeming entertained, so Aileen smiles back at him. He can’t possibly think his wife hasn’t caught on, can he? “I’d expect no less of you, Master Claude. And? Where did you find these? Don’t tell me you asked one of the students. Or was one of your female colleagues kind to you?” “…We should probably hurry.” Dropping a light kiss on Aileen’s chilly forehead, Claude gets up and hands her a cloak, as he should have done in the first place. Aileen gets up as well, pulling the cloak around herself. “If it is an open secret, I assume we may leave through the door,” she murmurs as she puts Claude’s cloak on him. He waited for her to do it, as if that’s only natural. Putting an arm around her waist, Claude opens the window. “This way is shorter.” “Wait— Master Claude, this is the third floor! You can’t use magic now…!” But by the time she says that, Claude has already gone out the window, grabbed the branch of a nearby tree, found footholds on its trunk, and made a skillful landing on the ground, all while holding Aileen close. “The chapel’s that way.” “……” Aileen looks stunned. Claude’s eyes return to her, and he smiles mischievously. “Have you fallen for me all over again?” “…No! I was aware that you were skilled in the martial arts!” “Why are you being stubborn about this?” Claude chuckles deep in his throat. Escaping from his arm, Aileen smacks her red cheeks, trying to cover the fact that she’s blushing as she hurries down the path. It’s nearly time for lights out, and yet girls with lanterns are standing here and there, marking the way. Evidently, it’s true that there are believers among the professors. Even Claude, who’s clearly male, joins the crowd that’s moving toward the chapel without drawing any complaints. The ancient flagstone road is buried under the throng. There’s no way all these people can be students at the Divine Maiden Academy. “…Are there are outsiders here as well?” “Apparently. I heard the principal consort and the director talking today. They said that several students are recruiting outsiders.” So Claude has been diligent about gathering information as well. With a start, Aileen looks back at him. “By the way, Master Claude, how was the director? You did meet, didn’t you?” “Yes. She was a cheerful woman with beautiful white hair,” Claude says briefly. Aileen stares at him. “…Pardon? A woman? Th-the director wasn’t a young man…?” “I’m pretty sure that wasn’t a man. At the very least, you couldn’t call her young. Even standing seemed to hurt her. She was complaining to the principal consort that she wanted to step down in favor of her successor already.” If the woman spoke with Roxane as well, it isn’t likely that Claude saw wrong or that he was taken in somehow. The hero was the director because he was the boss of the organization that ran the school… Has that changed? Or perhaps the era’s slightly different? Realizing that the hero may be the successor the woman mentioned, she tries again. “Who is this successor? Were they there with her?” “Yes, I did greet him. She says he’s still only three, though, so there’s no telling whether he’ll actually remember me.” “Three?!” Aghast, Aileen hastily claps a hand over her mouth. Wait, hang on. That’s the hero of Game 5…? It can’t be, can it? There’s simply no way a three-year-old could be the hero of an otome game. If Estella is part of that generation, he should be either her age or a little older. He’d have to be about Charles’s age, at the very least. More than anything, the game’s package showed a rather intellectual-looking young man and most certainly not a toddler. What can it mean? Something’s not right. Between Estella asking if the Daughter of God’s body is still there and Evare knowing about Estella, something isn’t… “She really is here,” Claude murmurs as soon as they enter the chapel. Pulled back to the present, Aileen looks around. She finds her almost immediately. Estella is sitting toward the front. If they’re going to split hairs, Estella said she didn’t intend to get involved with the World Unity sect, but she never said she wouldn’t attend the séance. Turns out she’s rather stubborn and once she’s made up her mind, there’s no stopping her. “Lady Roxane promised she’d investigate on her behalf. How could she ignore all that?” Aileen asks. “When it comes to this sort of behavior, I really don’t think you can talk.” “Did you say something, Master Claude?” “No, nothing. Since we have the chance, let’s watch for a little. I’ve cleared it with Baal already.” While her attention was elsewhere, Claude has circled around behind her. When she looks up at him, he smiles, puts his arms low around her waist, and rests his chin on her shoulder. “And here are the noble founder and the divine maiden, right off the bat.” From the entrance to the restless venue, Aileen hears the clear peal of small bells. A man in a hooded white cloak steps into the throng of purple-cloaked adherents, walking straight down the central aisle to the altar at the back. A smaller figure in a similar white cloak follows him, holding a staff with bells hanging from it. They ring in time with the figure’s steps, and silence spreads like widening ripples. The founder takes up his position in front of an enormous pipe organ, on a platform surrounded by a semicircular railing. There’s a brief pause. “—Friends, thanks for comin’.” Aileen has been a little nervous since this whole event started, but at the sound of that voice, her face goes impossibly tense. The founder’s identity is blindingly obvious! And the divine maiden—that’s Machina, isn’t it?! Perhaps this is part of the open secret, too. Flashing his usual smile from beneath that hood, Evare begins his speech. He clearly has no intention of hiding anything. “I’m real glad to see all y’all together like this. I still have a hard time believin’ I’ve got a big ol’ crowd here listenin’ to me. Just six months back, I was totally alone in the world, and all I could do was watch as the world crumbled. I tell ya, this is a real shock. Even if I did rig the game a bit.” Six months back. Rig. Although her tension almost disappeared for a moment, those words brought it right back. When Aileen looks around, the whole assembly is listening intently to Evare. No one stirs. “…Master Claude. Was Professor Evare staffed here recently as well?” “Not that I’ve heard. I was told he’d been on the faculty for ages.” “I’m not pullin’ the wool over your eyes, though. I mean, you’re just gonna forget me and everythin’ I say anyhow, but this is the real deal. The world has been defiled—or rather, it’s gonna be.” A shadow seems to fall over Evare’s bright eyes. “It all started with the Kingdom of Ashmael. An evil god who’d been sealed by the Queendom of Hausel long, long ago was reborn as a human and awakened. Evil gods eat the darkness in humans. Once the water dragon was soiled with human malice, it made for a fine feast. If he opened the underground ruin, used the Daughter of God’s body to break the seal on the fiend dragon by pullin’ out the holy sword, and ate that dragon when it resurrected, he’d get his powers as an evil god back. As y’all know, though, the fiend dragon’s gone and become the Holy Dragon Consort. The evil god doesn’t have enough food to revive. He never even woke up.” Slowly, Aileen draws a breath, then exhales. Wait. He’s talking about Game 5…isn’t he? However, it sounds as if Evare is describing events that should occur in the game beyond this point, and a present in which they’ve already failed to happen. “The world has a proper shape, a form it should take. That’d be destiny. Human darkness defiles the world, and by takin’ on that darkness, the evil god would end up savin’ the world. That right there was foreshadowin’ that was gonna save the future.” Evare pushes his glasses up on his nose, then spreads his arms wide, reaching toward the ceiling. “And yet that never happened! Each of the separate causes were tiny li’l things. Like the Holy Dragon Consort. That happened ’cause the demon king became emperor of Ellmeyer.” Claude’s arms tighten around Aileen, pulling her closer. “The demon king got to be emperor because the Maid of the Cursed Sword stole the sacred sword from the proper Maid.” Aileen squeezes Claude’s arms in response. “Conquerin’ destiny. That’s a wonderful phrase. As a result, the world’s chargin’ toward the future, mistakes and all. The Daughter of God, who purifies the world; the Saint of Salvation, who fosters it; the Maid of the Sacred Sword, who opens it up—they’re all gone. Even the enemies that need defeatin’ are gone. The future’s full of nothin’, buried in white ash. If you’re born into a future like that, what do you do? Should you just give up? Even though you did nothin’ wrong?” Evare raises his head. There’s a twisted smile on his lips. “There’s somebody here who should take responsibility, but it ain’t me. Ain’t that right?” Everyone in the chapel turns to look at them. Eyes glittering with purpose, they reach out to grab Claude and Aileen. Claude swings his sword without removing it from its sheath, knocking several of their assailants unconscious, but there are too many of them. “I-is Professor Evare controlling all these people?” “Probably. I should have caught on sooner.” Tossing Aileen over his shoulder, Claude kicks the chairs over, retreating into the cleared space. “The school was already under his control. —Baal. Just inside the academy is fine, but take down the barrier!” In response, Claude’s earring shines. An instant later, his magic knocks away the people who’ve been trying to mob them, along with their chairs. At the same time, soldiers flood into the chapel. They’re Ashmael’s troops. A shadow falls over Aileen’s vision. Baal is floating in midair, arms crossed, looking down at them. “Don’t summon the king of a country as if he’s your personal servant, you fool. —Arrest everyone here and take them outside!” “Nah, we can’t have that. Don’t you care what happens to this girl?” The voice is quiet, but it carries well, and everyone freezes. Since most of the crowd has been blown out of the way, they now have a clear view of the pipe organ, and Evare in front of it. Next to him, Machina stands with her white hood removed. Although she’s as expressionless as ever, she’s twisted Estella’s arm up behind her back and is covering her mouth. “It’s a real cliché, but I’ve got a hostage. Nobody move. Let’s have you clear those soldiers out, too.” Aileen and the others glare at him, but Evare shrugs. “Aw, don’t look so scary. What else am I s’posed to do, huh? I’m up against the demon king and the holy king here.” “Oh-ho. So you do understand that much. For all that, you don’t seem worried.” “Well, I mean, it ain’t like I’m up against Luciel in his prime. Now that was ugly.” Claude’s eyebrows twitch. Evare gives a thin smile. “Old stories like that don’t matter. Let’s get this job done, eh? Machina.” Machina tries to drag Estella with her, but the girl digs her feet in, refusing to budge. Evare shrugs. “They tell me your memories took off without you. You must wanna know who you are by now.” “Wh-what I want to know…is…” “There’s a real easy way to find out. Lessee if you can open the door to the underground ruin.” For a moment, Estella freezes. Baal sounds disgusted. “It won’t open. Starting a dubious religion won’t help you. Only direct female descendants of Ashmael’s royal family can open that. If there’s another way to do it, we’d like to know it ourselves.” “I guess seein’s believin’, then.” Evare grabs Estella’s arm. The girl winces, and Aileen shouts at him, “Don’t hurt her!” “Hey, it’s fine. If it don’t work, it don’t. It’ll be my fault, too, for just followin’ the stories and not checkin’ her face properly. I had no idea you’d end up bein’ such a key person, though.” Evare’s claim that the villainess is not a key person shows he really has no knowledge of the game. In that case, why does he have his suspicions about Estella’s bloodline? Ignoring Aileen’s glare, Evare goes on in a laid-back way. “There wasn’t time, and most of all, that prince kept his guard up tight. You’re so loved.” “What…are you talking about? What prince…?” Estella asks faintly, glaring at Evare. Evare just keeps talking. For some reason, he turns to the pipe organ and begins removing the keyboard. “It looks like this era is where it all starts. I can’t go back any further. The Queendom of Hausel’s only just broken up, so I figured it’d work out somehow, but even Mother’s spare didn’t stick around. I misread that one bad. On top of that, although Lilia Reinoise would’ve been a sure thing, she got locked up in Ellmeyer.” “Was that barrier over Ellmeyer your doing?” Claude asks in a low, irritated voice. Evare smiles brightly. “What’re you talkin’ ’bout? Your son did that.” He isn’t even trying to hide the fact that he knows Charles. “It’s always possible that you made him do it.” “Egged him on, you mean? C’mon, don’t talk like that; what will people think? That boy’s still a kid, but he’s smart. Now then…” Evare steps back. The pipe organ begins to play on its own, swinging open from the center to reveal a smooth, jet-black door that reaches all the way to the ceiling. “Master Baal, is that the door to the underground ruin?” “That’s right. The door to the holy sarcophagus. It won’t open, though. It’s impossible.” There’s a stern look on Baal’s face. Grabbing Estella’s wrist, Evare pulls her over to stand in front of the door, which has no handle. “Lessee if this thing opens or not.” “Estella, don’t! You mustn’t open it!” Aileen screams, although even she doesn’t know why. She shouts the warning because she suspects the door will open. “You wanna know who you are, don’cha? Open that, and we’ll know one thing for sure: your bloodline.” “Why did you come here?! To open that door?! You know that isn’t it!!” Estella turns back. Her eyes are wavering. Evare grabs her shoulders, makes her open her hand, then presses it to the door. “If you open this up, you’ll save your prince.” As if to show that Estella’s heart has tilted in a certain direction, a heavy clunk echoes through the room. A fissure of light runs across the surface of the black door, tracing the outline of a square. That section recedes, as if the door is being reconfigured. “It’s…opening? Impossible… Wait. Then is that girl…?” Baal murmurs. Estella sits down on the floor with a thump. “What…did I…?” “Thanks. To show my gratitude, lemme tell you somethin’. Your name.” Evare grabs the front of Estella’s cloak and hauls her up off the floor. She hangs in midair; he’s practically strangling her. “You’re Estella Shah Ashmael.” Baal gasps. Evare shoots him a mocking glance. “That’s your dad over there.” “What are you doing to Estella, Evare?!” The ceiling of the chapel explodes, and a black shadow flies in. Tsking in irritation, Evare shoves Estella away. Catching the girl in midair, the boy with the eye patch descends to stand in front of Aileen and the others. His black hair streams in the wind, showing just one red eye. Then he shouts at Estella, “And you! Why are you with Evare?! What happened while I was shut up in there?!” “Wh-who…are…you…?” As she looks at the boy—this screaming child who’s come out of nowhere and is holding her like a newlywed bride—Estella winces as if she’s fighting a headache. “Charles! Estella has lost her memories!” Aileen shouts. Charles blinks at her, but a blast of magic is already bearing down on him from behind. “You’re a prince, all right. Very cool. Who woulda figured you’d break through Luciel’s barrier that fast?!” “Charles!” Pushing Estella into Baal’s arms, Charles turns back. A complicated geometric pattern appears in front of him, expanding vertically and horizontally. It’s a barrier. Evare’s magic bested even Luciel, but Charles blocks it all as if it’s nothing. When he speaks, his voice is quiet. “What are you trying to do, Evare? You can’t possibly believe you can kill me.” “’Course not. I just wanna get rid of the lot behind you.” “That wasn’t the deal. You said you wouldn’t touch my family.” Evare laughs a little. “But those folks won’t just let me go, will they?” The man hurls another, more powerful blast of magic at him. Clicking his tongue, Charles expands his barrier even further to block it, then glances back at them. “What are you doing? Get out of here, now!” “We can’t. We still don’t have any idea what’s going on. Besides, Baal is stunned. Abruptly finding out you have an illegitimate child can do that.” “Huh? Who’s illegitimate…? Oh, right. She’s got amnesia, huh? For the love of—! Okay, listen up. That girl’s a genuine princess of Ashmael, the daughter of Holy King Baal and his principal consort, Roxane!” Baal, who’s caught Estella but hasn’t managed to say anything, twitches. Claude tilts his head in a rather laid-back way. “It’s true that Consort Roxane is pregnant, but she hasn’t given birth yet. What is her daughter doing here?” “That’s what I want to know! I don’t care if you don’t believe me—just get out of here!” “Are you telling us she’s from the future? And if she is, who are you?” Although Charles has been screeching at them, that makes him shut up. Claude keeps going. “You wouldn’t be my child with Aileen, would you?” Aileen does a startled double take. Refusing to look at her, Charles shouts, “Who cares about that?!” “…I see. I think I understand.” Claude draws his sword. Wordlessly, Baal pushes Estella onto Aileen. “…We don’t understand this one bit, but very well.” The two men have begun to radiate something ominous, and Aileen’s expression tenses. ““Whatever’s going on, it’s that man’s fault!”” The demon king and the holy king can harmonize at the oddest of times, and their voices synchronize perfectly. Leaping out from Charles’s barrier, they head straight for Evare. Evare laughs, putting some distance between himself and the two of them. “That’s one heck of a false charge.” “What false charge?! You’ve been openly attacking us for the past several minutes!” “To begin with, no acquaintance of that annoying imitation god of a father could be anyone decent.” “Well dang, I can’t argue with that.” A mysterious light glows in Evare’s eyes, and he intercepts Claude and Baal’s attacks, forming a wall of magic with his right hand and a wall of sacred power with his left. “There are opponents even you two can’t beat, though.” Above Evare’s head, a girl in a white hood leaps into view. It’s Machina. The bells on her long staff ring, and it transforms into a grim reaper’s huge sickle. “! Claude, get back!” Baal steps out in front, knocking the sickle back with a barrier. Expressionless, Machina spins once, then caroms off the wall of the chapel, heading straight for them again. That sickle is clearly aimed at Estella. “Estella!” Charles is the first to react. Darting in between the two of them, he grabs Machina’s wrist. Magic and sacred power crackle, both scattering sparks and repelling the other. “Machina, she’s got nothing to do with this! Evare, call her off!” “What, bossin’ me around? You’re born royalty, all right; you really dunno how to ask people for favors. Or are you tryin’ to look good in front of your fiancée?” Estella has been watching the flying sparks with a dazed look on her face, but that remark makes her eyes widen. Charles winces, then shouts back angrily, “There’s no way! Our parents decided we were engaged, that’s all!” “Oh yeah, that’s right. You said you broke off the engagement. Whoops.” Dodging Claude’s sword, Evare sits down on the head of the goddess statue that is beside the platform, then smiles. “So what’s Princess Estella doin’ here then, hmm?” “How should I know?! We’re strangers now! She’s nothing to do with this— Never has been and never will be!!” A sharp noise rings out. Estella slapped Charles across the face. The sound is loud enough to drown out the scattering magic and the noise of the fight. In the hushed chapel, Charles slowly puts a hand to his struck cheek and turns around. “What do you mean, ‘nothing to do with this’? How dare you say that to your fiancée?!” Fists clenched, Estella looks Charles right in the eye and shouts, “This isn’t what I want, either, but it’s a diplomatic issue! And yet you keep whining about it like a spoiled child— How can you call yourself the crown prince of Ellmeyer?!” “…W-woman…” Charles sounds stunned. Estella’s eyebrows come down. “Don’t call me ‘woman.’” “S-so those lost memories were a lie?! You tricked me!” Charles yells back. However, Estella stands her ground. “I haven’t tricked you. My memories returned just now. The disgustingly irresponsible things you’re saying made me very, very angry.” “Oh, they did, huh?! Then go home right this minute! It’s not like you know how I feel…!” “I’d like to send those words right back to you. I can’t leave like this. I don’t even know how.” “Huh?! How did you get here, then?!” “What about you? How did you reach the past?” “I asked first! Nobody put you up to this, did they?!” “Let me change my question, then: What are you trying to achieve by doing something this selfish?” “Don’t just push the conversation along! I told you, answer my question first! How did you even get here?!” “Is that girl the reason you broke off our engagement?” Charles abruptly falls silent. He’s still holding Machina’s wrist. Just a moment ago, he seemed to be protecting Estella from Machina, but now it’s beginning to look as if he’s protecting Machina from Estella. “I-it’s…nothing to do with you… I, um, broke off…our engagement anyway…,” he retorts weakly. Estella’s gaze cools rapidly. Charles seems to pick up on the danger in the air; he lets go of Machina’s wrist but looks at a spot on the floor off to the side, pressing his lips together tightly. For some reason, Machina doesn’t move; she just stands there, her face blank. It’s obvious what sort of situation this is, though. Watching the three stand there at an impasse, Baal mutters to Claude. “In other words, should we consider this…one of those matters?” “…And to think he’s my son. Pathetic.” “Hey, why not? It’s charmin’. Besides, bein’ able to get that worked up in a situation like this… The beauty of youth, huh?” Just as everyone’s eyes snap back to Evare, there’s a new development. Behind him, light floods from the door to the underground ruin. It’s fully open. Reflexively, Aileen crosses her arms in front of her face, shielding her eyes. “She’s finally awake.” Particles of light erupt from the ruin, making the night sky shine as if it were broad daylight. There, in the midst of light that seems to herald the dawn, is a girl. She’s dressed in the style of Ashmael, asleep inside a vast wall of ice. As the light dissolves the ice, her jet-black hair gleams. Her slim, athletic body seems rather androgynous, like a knight. Aileen knows that figure and face all too well. So does Claude. “Mother…?!” The ice evaporates. Those long eyelashes tremble, then rise. Her hazy eyes are violet: the sign of one who possesses sacred power. The twin sister of Amelia Dark. The second Maid of the Sacred Sword, who has been despised in history as the Maid of the Cursed Sword—Grace Dark. This girl’s face is identical to hers. Abruptly, Luciel presses a hand to his chest. Someone’s just broken through his barrier and escaped. Instead of staying inside the barrier and acting as the barrier’s core, he was currently outside it. He knew the weakened barrier wouldn’t hold forever, but this is a lot sooner than he was expecting. Seriously, who is that boy? The youth calls himself Charles, and he’s just like Claude—and Luciel. Based on the magic’s movement, he seems to be flying to Ashmael. It’s probably because that’s where Aileen and the others are. Grace should be there as well. However, Luciel keeps flying in a different direction. He glances down. “The floating palace is really in the Queendom of Hausel? …You’re sure?” “But of course! If the game’s started, that’s where it should be!” the girl in his right arm says brightly. “And how would you know a thing like that?” “There’s no point in asking. The woman’s not normal,” says the girl in his left arm before the other one can answer. This girl is the one who saved Luciel, though, and as far as he’s concerned, she’s plenty abnormal herself. On second thought, the god of demons is currently headed for the Queendom of Hausel with the Maid of the Sacred Sword and the Saint of Salvation—former or otherwise—in tow. This situation is plenty abnormal to begin with. Luciel has been pulled along for the ride by these two ever since Serena’s power roused him. Lilia in particular has managed to make him share lots of stories, such as the fact that he and Evare are old acquaintances who were cast down by the creator god, and that the mischief-loving Evare got himself sealed by the Queendom when he tried to mess with them in the distant past. Lilia even picked up on the fact that Luciel’s been worried about his future with Grace, and he asked her for advice. They, in turn, explained that the humans inside the barrier were only sleeping and waking them up could wait until they knew what had happened, so he did as they told him and borrowed Serena’s power to get the three of them through Charles’s barrier. “In Game 5’s story, Evare was reborn into the Queendom’s bloodline as a prince of Hausel to slip out of his seal. The Queendom was also going strong in the game. That means if the floating palace disappeared when the game started, it’s a safe bet that it’s in the Queendom! The only thing is, Evare can’t use the fiend dragon to regain his power as an evil god at this point, since it doesn’t exist, so I don’t know what he’s actually going to do.” “All that is news to me… You’re right that Evare’s not the type to just let the Queendom be after they trounced him like that, but how would you know—?” “Don’t worry about it!” That doesn’t seem like a reasonable demand. While Luciel is trying to figure out how to respond, Serena snorts. “Never mind that—he’s a prince of Hausel? Meaning he’s your brother? The Queendom doesn’t really have a royal family, but you’re technically their princess.” “If it’s like the game, then yes. Only Amelia Dark wasn’t decent, so there’s no telling how she procured that boy.” Amelia. The name makes Luciel’s heart twinge. Still, he’s aware that he probably shouldn’t think that way. Especially because Grace will laugh and tell him he’s been beaten hollow. He hasn’t pulled that thorn out of his heart yet, though, and he hasn’t managed to really consider his future with Grace, either. “It’s fine,” Lilia says, and Luciel realizes he’s been hanging his head. “Both Grace and Amelia will be fine.” “…How can you be so sure? If Grace stays like this, she may disappear…” Human souls are reincarnated. Ordinarily, Grace should have been reborn as someone else long ago. However, Amelia kept her prisoner, while Luciel—an imitation god—had poured everything into a desperate wish. Between those two things, her soul has stuck around for too long. As a result, Grace is on the cusp of vanishing. Just like Amelia, who was destroyed, soul and all. Things would be different if her body was around, but Grace’s head was lost after Amelia cut it off. They might find a different body that’s compatible with her soul, but that will effectively be the same as reincarnating: She’ll be a different person. She may not even remember Luciel. All the options are hard for Luciel to swallow, so he’s been unable to make a move in any direction. Even though Grace has probably steeled herself already for what’s to come. All I wanted was to see her one more time. Luciel gives a wistful smile. “In the end, Amelia’s getting what she wanted. She’s taking Grace from me.” “Isn’t that because you’re pathetic?” Serena says. That’s the last thing he was expecting to hear, and Lilia gives an innocent shriek of laughter. “That’s true! You’re always complaining about that side character, Serena, but the reason you don’t steal Rachel away from him is because even if he’s a side character, he’s really got it together.” “I have no idea why Rachel just came up there.” “That’s how it is, though, isn’t it? That means there’s still a chance.” “A chance?” Luciel asks. Lilia looks back at him mischievously. “A chance to improve her opinion of you. Hint: Why don’t you try granting Amelia’s wish for once?” “Amelia’s wish?” “I bet that’s what Grace wants, too. —Say, is that the Queendom?” When he faces forward, through the clouds, he catches glimpses of the small island that was once known as paradise. The Queendom of Hausel is made up of islands of varying sizes scattered across the ocean like water lilies. The only thing on the small central island is the site where the palace once stood: an expanse of bare white earth in the vivid blue sea. Luciel is very nearly a god, and even for him, teleporting here is difficult. That’s why he had to fly. I had quite a time sneaking in here, long ago. Descending, he alights on the white sandy beach. Setting the two girls on their feet, Luciel tries to step into the gouged-out site of the palace, only to be repelled by something that crackles audibly. “Wha—?” Backing away a bit, he strains his eyes, but he can’t see anything. Serena braces herself, clearly wary; she’s noticed the sound and the impact. Lilia’s violet eyes are shining. “A seal of sacred power. I knew it. The floating palace really is here.” “It’s an illusion spell, then. Breaking it is going to take quite a lot of pow— Wait, huh?!” Lilia’s stuck her hand in as if it’s nothing. A blast wind rages right in front of them. Serena screams, “What are you doing?! You don’t even have the sacred sword!” “It’s fine, just let me handle this. After all, that woman was planning to make me the next queen.” Smiling wryly, Lilia intones the words with a deep sense of irony. “‘Hear, O past. Open, O future. I am the maiden who inherits the regalia of saints and demons.’ Right?” Suddenly, the wind stops. Then transparent membranes fall away, one by one, like the petals of an opening flower, revealing the palace of the queen who once controlled the world. “The floating…palace…” It doesn’t look as it once did, though. The palace is split in two, and its time in the desert and the ocean has left the halves caked with salt and sand. Tendrils of magic and sacred power are writhing noisily in the rift down its middle, attempting to stick the two parts together again. The palace is trying to repair itself. Shuddering, Luciel takes an involuntary step back. Amelia. What in the world have you made? You did all that to… …I wonder what she actually wanted. The earth abruptly rumbles. Startled, Serena yells, “Hold on! Is this thing trying to float again?!” “Then let’s hurry and get inside!” “Huh?! Oh, for the love of—!” Lilia has started for the double doors at a run, and Serena follows her. Luciel hastily goes after them. Rocking unsteadily, the palace rises into the air. The movement is precarious, without a trace of its former majesty, but even so, the palace is moving. For some reason, this makes him sad. “I wonder where this is headed. Toward Ashmael?” “Probably, if Evare’s calling it. Never mind that, let’s hurry!” “Hurry where?” “To the altar where the ritual to appoint the queen is held. That woman may have left something there.” Lilia smiles, and her spirited eyes look very much like Amelia’s—ready to take on the future. The thought pierces Luciel’s heart. For some reason, he remembers the way Amelia smiled when she stole out of the palace with him and Grace, before she became queen, and how they stuffed their faces with food they bought at the night stalls. He just can’t believe that smile was an illusion or a lie. Amelia’s wish… What was she planning to do, after she defeated destiny? If he’d reverted to the god she’d wished for, would he have known? But Luciel only loves Grace. He can’t be the sort of god who could save both Grace and Amelia. Not yet.
Chapter 109
57 min read