Fourth Act Predictably, the Villainess and the Heroine Fight “All right, now for the next item on the agenda.” Baal impatiently changes the subject, and nobody objects. He seems to be implying that this is the main reason they’re here. “This concerns the questionable group that’s been specifically recruiting women and taking them out of their countries. They began as a cult with roots in Ashmael, but their philosophy’s changed recently.” “The same thing is happening in Olgen. We ignored it at first, but when the disappearances are this frequent and always women, there’s a good possibility of organized kidnapping. What’s the situation in Maiz?” “I looked into it after hearing about this from the rest of you. Several of our missing persons seem to fit the profile. They each disappeared with a large sum of money. I suspected human trafficking…but we managed to trace the women’s movements part of the way to Ellmeyer’s port, where we lost them.” “Nothing like that has happened in our country, of course. However, we heard that a ship bringing refugees from Hausel to Ellmeyer was taking on women in Ellmeyer for its return voyage to Hausel. Three days ago, we captured the refugee ship and questioned the passengers. They said they were going to become Valkyries and get a second chance at life.” “Oh, come on! The women consent to it. Nobody’s forcing them,” Diana argues, and several people sigh. “It’s not happening in Gloss.” “Likewise, I’ve heard nothing about it in Hirikka. I’d imagine it’s because they know about the Valkyries and that surgery. Is it the same in Kilvas?” “Yes. There are still Valkyries in my country, but they’re all opposed to making more of their kind through the conventional method. More importantly, only Hausel can perform the required surgery. It seems obvious who’s behind this.” “Kilvas has always made Valkyries, and now you’re criticizing us for trying to build up our forces?! You must realize there’s something wrong with that—” “Diana, enough.” Cattleya’s voice is cold, and all eyes in the conference room turn to her. “It’s over. Let’s go.” “There are grounds to sympathize with the Valkyries.” Still seated, Claude gazes at Cattleya. She looks back at him. Baal and the others cast reproachful looks his way, but Claude can’t resist throwing her a lifeline. Will his wife be angry? —No, she’ll probably laugh and say it couldn’t be helped. “If the Valkyries say they will become a new people of Hausel who will protect it and serve its new queen, I’d like to consider that option.” “You’re always so kind, Emperor Claude.” Cattleya catches the veil she’s wearing and pulls it aside. The rouged lips she never had as a Valkyrie curve into a smile. “I wish we could have struck you down with the sacred sword.” “Everyone get back!” Baal jumps to his feet, knocking his chair over, and casts a barrier. At almost the exact same moment, Diana’s chest flashes, and a magic lance is protruding out of the floor. The conference room is blown away. Baal blocks the actual blast, but the floor crumbles out from under them. Everyone is tossed up into the air, and Claude’s magic catches them, holding them suspended. Keith, Walt, Kyle, and Vica help support those who aren’t used to magic. No one is hurt. “This is your final chance, Emperor Claude. Where is Princess Claire?” “Unfortunately, I don’t know where my daughter’s gone.” It’s true, but Cattleya snorts contemptuously in the half-demolished conference room. She doesn’t believe him. “I see. In that case, negotiations have broken down.” Baal comes up beside Claude. “You’re taking on the holy king and the demon king at once? You’ve got guts; we’ll give you that.” “Be careful. My sister and Diana really are strong—!” Vica says, but his warning is cut off by an extraordinarily bright light. It’s blue—the light of a magic lance. “It really would take too much time and effort to kill the holy king and the demon king. However, if all the heads of state vanish, there will be no one left to stop us, hated though we may be.” Cattleya picks up the source of the blue light and raises her unveiled face. “None of you will ever leave this island again… Diana!” “Yes. All of you, become nourishment for the sacred sword.” The pair cross the tips of their magic lances, and the blue light grows brighter, turning transparent. Claude recognizes that light. It’s the sacred sword. It looks extremely similar to the light of the sacred maiden, which saves the world from demonic darkness. The earth rumbles. The whole island is moving. The weather shifts as though someone’s fast-forwarding through it. All he knows is that the women have done something. The overwhelming light blows away both magic and holy power, then takes the shape of a whip and lashes out at them. The instant it catches Claude’s leg, he loses altitude. His magic is being siphoned away at a terrifying rate. The same is true of Baal’s power. The thing is feeding on both sacred power and magic. “Brother…!” He sees Cedric’s hand, reaching out in an attempt to help him. In that moment, Claude comes to a decision. He has to leave pawns for his wife. “Wh—?! Master Claude?!” his reliable guards shout, but there’s no time to explain. He sends both of them flying, along with Keith. He watches Ernst go flying as well; Vica’s the one who’s done that. Apparently, he’s had the same idea. Send them somewhere far away, beyond the Valkyries’ reach. The crows have sensed combat and turned their attention in his direction, but Claude orders them not to approach under any circumstances. He and the other rulers are a separate matter, but Cattleya won’t bother dealing with the crows or any of the smaller demons. That’ll be their shot at victory. “I’m sorry, Cedric. I can’t send you away. We’re decoys.” Cedric has grabbed Claude’s hand, and his eyes widen in astonishment. Claude glances to the side. “Sorry, but I’ll have you keep me company, too, Baal.” “Listen to yourself. You’re not the least bit sorry about it.” Baal gives a fearless smile. He’s noticed it, too: They’re about to be caught. As if to confirm that premonition, a net of light falls from the sky, blotting out their vision and shutting off their minds. There’s a noise like an explosion, and then the earthquake hits. However, both the noise and the tremor happen only once, and then they subside. Aileen holds her breath, watching to see what happens. She slips quietly out of the gazebo and can’t believe her eyes. Although the sky was clear just a moment ago, the color has changed. It’s red, as if the sun were setting. “…Is it evening? At this time, in this season?” “No, I don’t think…it’s the right time of year…” Dana has stepped out of the gazebo, and Nina stays close to her, uneasily gazing up at the sky. Carol is doing the same, having been lent a hand outside by Audrey. “That was the sound of an explosion, wasn’t it? Did something happen at the confe—?” “Don’t move!” Several sets of rapid footsteps approach and surround them. It’s the Valkyries. Roxane reflexively steps in front of Aileen to hide her, but the Valkyries don’t seem to care about her. “Surrender yourselves to be bound.” “On whose authority? I am queen of the United Kingdom of—” Audrey quickly shuts her mouth as the tip of a lance is pointed straight at her. The Valkyrie sneers. “Silence. You’re a princess who’s only ever known a comfortable life, never a battlefield.” That’s no way to talk to the queen of the nation that’s been their patron. Aileen looks down at the shadow beneath her feet. “Almond,” she says quietly. “If you don’t want to be stripped naked and thrown into the ocean, don’t answer back. Tie them up!” “Come forth, demon king’s army!” “Aye, aye, sir!” With a loud cry, a huge flock of crows bursts out of the shadow at Aileen’s feet. It looks like a magic trick, and everyone shrinks back, startled. Only Roxane is unruffled. She raises her voice. “Ladies, please run!” “I carry!” Dana, the most agile, pulls Carol over her shoulder without giving her a chance to object. She must be quite athletic, because it doesn’t slow her down at all. Nina runs at Dana’s side, watching her flank. “But where shall we run to?” she shouts. “For now, we’ll steal a nearby wagon— Lady Audrey!” A lone Valkyrie has emerged from Almond’s swarm. Her hand reaches for Audrey, who’s bringing up the rear, but Audrey turns and thrusts a dagger into the Valkyrie’s leg. She does it in one smooth, flowing motion without the slightest hesitation, and Aileen’s eyes widen. Dana whistles. “Good moving. Very nice!” “As if anyone could serve as the queen of a conflict-ridden country without being able to defend herself.” “This way! Hurry, bring Lady Carol!” Roxane calls out. She’s found a wagon that still has horses hitched to it. Roxane climbs in first, then pulls Carol up onto the bed, followed by Aileen, who lends a hand to Audrey. After Dana leaps in, Nina clambers up into the driver’s seat as if it’s second nature to her. She picks up the reins, swings the whip, and the cart hurtles ahead. “Come to think of it, the Duchy of Hirikka was founded by a nomadic people, wasn’t it. Their specialties are jewels and horses,” Audrey murmurs to herself, sounding exasperated. “Lady Nina, make for the wharf! My retainer is there!” “All right! I’m going to take the back roads, so everyone hold tight!” The wagon they’ve found themselves in is for transporting cargo, so it pitches and jolts ferociously as Nina turns away from the back garden and heads into the forest that leads to town. “The vote…must have gone well. I expect this uproar is the result.” Roxane glares at the receding assembly hall, stern-faced. “I would imagine so,” Carol agrees, having settled herself in the bed of the wagon. “Princess Aria has been successfully voted in as queen. No doubt that’s why the Valkyries have decided we’re enemies… I wonder if my husband is all right. I do hope he isn’t getting in the way of the young men.” “Aileen, Aileen!” Almond and the others have been keeping the Valkyries pinned down, but now they catch up and keep pace with the wagon. “Has something happened to Master Claude and the others?” “Demon king, holy king, everyone caught! They say not to come…” Almond’s eyes grow moist, but he promptly shakes his head hard, assuming a sharp expression. “The demon king…is a decoy! What’s our strategy?!” That’s the leader of the demon king’s army, all right. He hasn’t been through all those hellish battles for nothing. The spell on Aileen’s shadow is still active, so she knows Claude is safe. “Did anyone manage to escape from the conference?!” “Keith, two guards, and the prime minister of Kilvas all flew off!” “Tell that to Isaac, then. Tell him everything you’ve seen and heard, as usual. You got that?” “Understood!” Almond and the rest of the crows form up into neat ranks, then soar away from the wagon. Carol lets out a sigh of relief. “The demons are quite charming, aren’t they.” “…The Valkyries not give chase. Town, not many people…?” Dana murmurs, staring at the streets they’re catching occasional glimpses of. Many people in this town were involved with the Valkyries. They’re probably gathering their forces somewhere. Hausel’s undersea facility, perhaps? No, but the final battle with Hausel in Valkyrie of the Magic Lance occurred aboveground… The horse’s ears suddenly prick up, and it whinnies loudly. A moment later, the earth rumbles. This time, it’s a loud, drawn-out sound. The women all stiffen and look around warily. At last the rumbling subsides, as if it were only a figment of their imagination, and a harsh noise echoes around them. “—Be…beginning…now…” “What is that?! Where is that voice coming from?!” “Over there.” Aileen has jumped down from the wagon, and she points toward the island where the royal palace once stood. There are buildings in the way, and normally you wouldn’t be able to see anything. However, Aileen is pointing at a wall that stretches into the sky. It’s a long, thick wall, like the one that enclosed the Valkyries and the demons. It’s likely that the undersea facility has emerged, rising aboveground from the former site of the palace. In the game, the Valkyries blew the flying palace away, and the queen of Hausel summoned this walled fortress as a last resort. It’s an ark of an island, capable of withstanding the tsunami that swept the world away. “Beginning…now…we will conduct…the coronation…of the new queen.” With every burst of audio, the wall flashes. Is that the work of divine stones? They may function like loudspeakers, so the queen’s voice can reach them from belowground, or the sky, or some untraceable source. “Those who glorify…Queen Cattleya…come to the site…of the palace. “Those who object…will become debris…on the shore. “In three hours—we will submerge everything except the central island.” Is Cattleya herself speaking? The quality of the voice has changed. The pause was just long enough to take a breath. “I no longer wish for you to understand.” “The demon king sure is popular, huh,” Aileen’s right-hand man says the moment they reach the storehouse. “Of course he is. He’s the man I chose.” “That was sarcasm, all right? And he’s never around when you really need him… I’m getting reports that the tide’s pulling back.” Aileen closes her eyes, compressing her lips into a thin line. She thinks about the queen of Hausel’s counterattack—a woman who’s been backed into a corner by Diana and the others. The queen has activated the walled fortress and intends to cause a tsunami, sinking her own country after realizing there’s no way out. Except for Diana and whoever she chooses, the ocean will engulf all of the Valkyries. Gazing at that ocean as it swallows her comrades, holding the sacred sword the queen didn’t let go of until the very end, Diana makes her choice. Will she trust in the future and live on, or start over again? Cattleya and Diana must intend to start over. The voice that declared it wouldn’t ask for understanding sounded as if it had given up on the world. As far as they’re concerned, the tsunami will be no more than a reset—either that, or one final way to torment her. But perhaps… Someone who’d genuinely given up on being understood wouldn’t go out of her way to say so. Aileen lets out a long breath, then breathes in. “For the moment, it’s safe to assume that Lady Cattleya and the others intend to cause a tsunami and submerge us along with the islands.” “Using Hausel’s undersea facility, I assume?” Audrey says, seating herself on a crate. “Yes. She predicted whirlpools and the earthquake, remember? It’s part of the same thing.” “So prophecies…are lies?” Dana’s shoulders slump dejectedly. Sitting down beside her, Nina thinks hard. “First, we need to prepare for an evacuation by ship, don’t you think? Hirikka came in a single vessel, so I would say the most we could carry is five hundred, including the crew and the servants we brought with us.” “Ashmael is roughly the same. And just the island on which we’re staying has more than ten thousand residents.” “Olgen came in two ships. Not only that, but one of them was a large vessel specifically for the Valkyries. Between the two, we should be able to carry two thousand.” “We aren’t on the ocean, so our ship is only small… Three hundred is about the most we could manage.” “Oh, we came on much—many boats! I wanted to show you them. If we pack tight…maybe a thousand people fit.” “Ellmeyer can manage a thousand as well. Considering there will also be fishing boats and private vessels, we may just barely make it. Besides, half of those ten thousand are Valkyries… What do you think, Isaac?” “It’s no use. The kings are the ones who’d have to give the orders, and they’re all missing. That’ll be a problem.” Standing a little ways away from their group, Isaac waves his hand dismissively. Carol laughs. “Oh-ho-ho. If there are no kings, then we’ll simply have to do it ourselves. That won’t be a problem for Maiz.” “Nor for Ashmael. I won’t let Master Baal complain.” “Th-the Duchy of Hirikka will also be fine. In fact, I think my husband would be angry with me if I didn’t do this properly…” “It isn’t unusual for Olgen to wake up in the morning and find our king is dead, so it won’t be an issue here.” “Lady Audrey, don’t you think that’s rather a bit too ominous…?” “I knooow! If Father dies, the next chief is me! No problems!” Dana says, nostrils flaring. Her idea is the scariest of them all. “Uh…” Isaac seems to shake off the awkwardness he feels. “So searching for the kings…” “—can wait. Yes?” When Carol asks for agreement, the only one who shows any hesitation at all is Nina. Aileen is relieved. “You’re all so reliable… I’m in favor as well.” “No, not reliable—you’re all terrifying!” exclaims Isaac. “I can’t help but feel bad for all of them!” “By the way, everyone. I wish to go and stop the tsunami,” Aileen says. “Is there a way to do that? What would that entail?” Audrey asks, quickly closing in on her. Aileen gives her a wry smile. “Unfortunately, there’s no way I could tell you. You’re all quite cunning, and there’s no knowing what you might do after this.” “After this…?” Nina asks in confirmation, and Aileen nods. “Yes, after this. I would like to ask a favor of you. I am determined to stop this, but just in case, it will be necessary to evacuate the islands’ residents and secure their safety. May I ask you to aid the civilians regardless of nationality? My daughter is here, along with my lady-in-waiting. Princess Aria is scheduled to join us as well.” “You’re going to abandon your nation and your daughter? That’s what it means when you say you’re leaving them to us.” Audrey’s tone is critical—understandably so. Regardless, Aileen holds her head high. “I believe that you will protect them, as those who shoulder their own nations.” Audrey falls silent, her expression sour. Beside her, Carol smiles. “Go ahead and do what you must. We should make any moves we have left to us.” “Lady Carol, making rash promises won’t benefit Ellmeyer.” “If the older cohort don’t let the young ones run, then what are we doing? It won’t change what we need to do. Still, since we have no rulers as things stand, let us select someone to be in charge. Lady Roxane, I think it should be you.” “Me?” Roxane asks, bewildered, but Carol nods calmly. She also checks Audrey when the other woman begins to say something. “There’s no one from Kilvas here at the moment, but we mustn’t abandon them. Fortunately, you have a long-standing relationship with Ellmeyer. No doubt Lady Aileen will find this greatly reassuring. Please use your connections with Ellmeyer to save Kilvas as well. It will be all right; you can do it. You may be young, but you are the holy king’s principal consort. Many people will heed the words of Ashmael, the kingdom under his leadership—more than they would nations that have no divine authority, at any rate.” Roxane tightly squeezes her hands together in her lap. “Now then, let us send out all the ships that our seven nations have,” Carol continues. “We’ll put as many people on board as possible, no matter what nation they happen to be from. Even if the worst happens and Hausel sinks, as long as its people survive, things will work out somehow. Ellmeyer’s port is the nearest to Hausel, so if anything happens, we’ll head there. There won’t be any need to worry about entry permits, seeing as we’ll have their princess in our care. And Prime Minister Cyril knows how to behave like a good boy. Since we have the opportunity, let’s help people and earn ourselves a lot of favors and debts in the process. It’s times like these when queens show what they can do.” No one objects as Carol lays out their course of action. The woman has lived more than a decade longer than the rest of them, and they don’t want her to think they aren’t capable. Isaac is also watching this play out, resting his chin in his hand. “…I’ve remembered, Lady Carol,” Aileen says. “I traveled with my brother Cyril to Maiz once, didn’t I?” “Yes. I recall it clearly. Your brother was still only about this tall.” Carol smiles, holding her hand level with her shoulder. “He walked in boldly, introducing himself as the eldest son of Duke d’Autriche. He said his father had kicked him out and told him to get himself and his little sister back to their residence in Ellmeyer all on his own.” “That’s right… What did Cyril say to you when he asked for your help?” Her brother had managed to get them an escort home from the neutral power of Maiz. “He said, ‘It wouldn’t be good for a disturbance to arise in a neutral country, would it? So would you care to arrange for safe passage back to Ellmeyer for my sister and me? You’ll be putting Ellmeyer’s future prime minister deeply in your debt as well. What do you say? It’s quite the bargain, don’t you think?’” Every word sounds like something her brother would say. “I recommend you follow his example, Lady Aileen.” At that, Aileen stands up straighter. She still has much to learn. “I assume none of you wish to be indebted to us when Ellmeyer stops the tsunami?” Both Dana and Nina let out short bursts of laughter. Audrey looks appalled, while Carol seems satisfied. Roxane answers, as their representative. “In that case, let us say that protecting Ellmeyer’s people and princess in your place will make us even.” They exchange firm glances. This is a woman’s battlefield. Realizing that he shouldn’t get in the way, Isaac signals Aileen with a glance, then sets off. Before Aileen follows him, she whispers in Roxane’s ear, “Lady Roxane. I would be delighted if you’d allow me to borrow Lady Sahra.” “Sahra saw an apprentice Valkyrie from Ellmeyer and went off somewhere.” Aileen hadn’t been expecting that. She gazes back at Roxane. “An apprentice Valkyrie from our nation? It can’t be…” “She hasn’t yet returned, so I couldn’t say. The girl is a problem. I don’t know how the Valkyrie won her over, but she was saying that if magic lances can be made, then it might be possible to make holy swords and even sacred swords. She was quite enthusiastic about the idea.” Silence falls for the space of a breath. “You hoped to get a hand up on us, didn’t you?” Aileen asks. “Of course. After all, with the sacred sword, Ellmeyer would be a threat. It’s too bad it didn’t go according to plan. May I borrow Ellmeyer’s demons?” “What? Yes…you may, but I don’t know whether they’ll listen to you.” “I’ll try negotiating with them by saying Estella may marry into your family. If I decide whom to marry our daughter to while Master Baal is missing, it will no doubt be a good lesson for him.” Aileen suspects the holy king would likely vent his resentment on Ellmeyer. However, for now, relying on Roxane is the wisest move. Smiling, she gives her consent. Still, all the heroines are assembling? It may be a standard development for the final act of a game, but perhaps she should give up on the weapon she’d considered using against those magic lances. No doubt Lilia’s thought of the same thing; she should let her have it. Fortunately, Aileen still has many pawns at her disposal. Pawns Claude has left her. We’ll just have to charge through head-on. Isaac beckons to her silently, and Aileen follows him. They emerge at a stairway to the second floor of the storehouse. At the top of the stairs, there’s a room at the back. As soon as Aileen enters, she cries out. “—Rachel! Claire…!” “Lady Aileen!” Rachel rises to her feet with Claire in her arms and hands the infant to her mother. When Aileen nuzzles the baby with her cheek, Claire’s lips move as if she’s just waking up, and her eyes open sleepily. “You were napping, weren’t you. I’m sorry I woke you up. You’re okay. Good girl…” “Serena also brought Princess Aria a moment ago.” Aileen peeks into a large wooden cradle to see her niece looking up at her, dressed in an identical outfit. She’s woken the other girl as well. “Princess Aria was registered as a royal candidate. Have you noticed anything strange about her?” “Nothing,” Rachel replies. “There are no marks or bruises on her anywhere. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea what was done to her.” “That’s good, I suppose… Won’t it be difficult caring for the two of them?” “Not at all. They were playing together happily until just a moment ago. Anyone would think they were twins.” “Don’t even joke. But I see… That’s good.” Aileen hugs her darling daughter tightly, then puts her to bed beside Aria. Her cousin seems happy Claire’s returned and gives her a droopy smile. “Mother’s going to be away for a little while longer. Rachel, make sure you take good care of them. Claire, of course, but also Aria.” Otherwise she’ll end up deeply in debt to Lilia. Rachel bows her head low without a word. Isaac, who’s been watching them from the door, sighs. “So you’re still gonna go stop the tsunami?” “Oh? Did you think showing me Claire would give me second thoughts? Unfortunately, it’s made it impossible for me to lose.” “It backfired, huh?” With a wry smile, Isaac leaves the room and shuts the door. The fact that he hasn’t even greeted his wife, since they’re both on the job, is very like him. “So? Destination and objective?” “The central island—the former site of Hausel’s royal palace. The objective is for either myself or Lady Lilia to touch their sacred sword, which is on the other side of that wall. It will be right in the middle of the false queen’s coronation, so we will have to slip through the Valkyries’ lines. We’ll have no sacred or holy sword with which to oppose their magic lances. In addition to all of that, we have only two hours. Can it be done?” “We’ve got two whole hours,” Isaac says briefly. He takes out his pocket watch. “First we’ll meet up with the demon king’s adviser and guards, as well as Kilvas’s prime minister. We’ll take the Oberon Trading Firm’s ship. Have the demons scope out the situation on the island. Then we’ll call Denis, the mage, and the others and use every blasted thing we can. It’s just business as usual.” That’s her right-hand man all over. Even the way he flatly declares that he refuses to save the demon king is the same as always. Serena Gilbert is a bureaucrat in Imperial Ellmeyer. However, because of an empress she seriously dislikes, she’s frequently, inexplicably dragged into situations like this one. The job never has anything to do with her actual work. I always mean to tell her I’m not taking any more of these jobs, and yet… She’s gotten married, she’s earning a stable income, and she has a plan for her future. Yet even so, having a reputation of being in the empress’s good graces is terribly useful when it comes to succeeding in life, and she’d like to put the woman as deeply in her debt as she can. Not only that, but since her husband’s superior is the empress’s second oldest brother, his success is riding on this as well. As a result, Serena can’t let Ellmeyer’s current emperor and empress be deposed. Not only that, but if she gets through this, they’ll owe her for saving the queen of Hausel as well. She knows that. That’s why, when she received a suspicious invitation while serving as a member of the inspection team before the intercontinental conference, she accepted it. In what ended up being a total land mine of an offer, she volunteered to become an apprentice Valkyrie. Of course, while she was waiting to learn whether they’d accepted her, she swiftly reported it to her superior and waited for instructions. If she hadn’t, it wouldn’t have won her any approval. Annoyingly, she ended up receiving a written order to continue her investigation. It had been signed by Cyril, the prime minister of Ellmeyer. That was ten days ago. If it hadn’t been for that order, she’d planned to weasel out of this on a technicality. By rights, she should have been back in Ellmeyer long before now. Her luck really couldn’t be worse, getting caught up in this mess. “And on top of everything else, you’re here?! …Why?!” “Huh?! Oh—I’m sorry!” A single glare from Serena unsettles the Daughter of God, or doctor, or whatever she is. The woman’s ready to burst into tears. However, Sahra is the secret favorite of the principal consort of Ashmael. She can’t send her flying with a kick just because she feels like it. “Goodness, Serena, don’t talk like that,” Lilia chastises her. “Sahra’s the reason I managed to come this far unscathed. She gets into rooms by claiming to be with the medical team, then hands out potions to everyone.” Apparently, that’s why the corridor to the chapel is littered with sleeping Valkyries. When Serena glances over, there are several Valkyries collapsed behind pews and in doorways as well. “Eh-heh-heh. I only came because you told me to, though, Lady Lilia…” “That’s clearly the worst possible reason,” Serena says. “Would you learn already? I didn’t drag you into this so that woman could use you.” “Huh?! But she told me she was counting on me…” Sahra’s extremely suggestible attitude is a problem, but capitalizing on it is a bigger one. Serena gives Lilia a cold glare, but the woman who’s to become the mother of the queen smiles back innocently. “It’s the League of Heroines!” “I don’t recall ever agreeing to be involved in that. So what do you make of that thing? They said it was a copy of the sacred sword…” Can they use it to fight against the Valkyries’ magic lances? A sword is displayed ostentatiously on a pedestal at the back of a worn-out altar. It doesn’t shine like the sacred sword, but instead looks like a simple cold blade made of stone. It’s even cracking in places. The chapel itself is also pretty run-down. It’s dusty, and there are puddles on the floor from where yesterday’s rain leaked in. Serena had thought that the altar and such were only decorative and that this place was just used as the gateway for people traveling between the island with the conference hall and the central island where the royal palace had been. That’s probably what the Valkyries think, too. “This really is just a model of the sacred sword. It does function the same way, though; it can tell whether someone belongs to the Maid of the Sacred Sword’s bloodline.” “What’s the point of that? What we need is a weapon that can fight magic lances.” “The point is that it’s working in combination with the actual sacred sword. It has to be somewhere. It’s probably the Valkyries’ one, though.” That’s the first Serena’s heard of this, but she’s well aware that saying so would be a waste of time. Lilia circles around behind the altar and touches the inorganic sword that’s stuck into the pedestal. Small patches of light bloom where her fingertips touch it. The light is like moth scales; however, it quickly fades away. “I bet recognition is really all it does.” “But don’t you think the material is the same as the holy sword?” “Oh!” Sahra says. “I-in that case, I could fix it.” “But if the magic lances have as much power as the sacred sword, it’ll end up breaking when we use it and we’ll just have to fix it again. That seems pretty inefficient. And we only have the one.” “One is enough. It just needs to function as a weapon until we get close to their sacred sword.” “—You there! How did you get in here?! Who are you?!” Serena gasps and turns to look at the chapel door. They blocked the one that leads underground, but they didn’t do anything about the main door. Before the Valkyrie guard can call for backup, Serena’s jumped her and pinned her down. Lilia squeals and claps her hands in glee; clearly, she won’t be any help. “Hurry and repair it!” Serena shouts at Sahra, who’s turned pale. “O-okaaay, I’ll do it right awaaay!” “Once Sahra’s done, you do the same, Serena. We’ll need your power.” “Huhn?! Why?! If you’ve got a sacred sword, you’re practically invincible!” “Well, they’re picking a fight with us, you know—with the villainess and the heroine. We have to take them up on it.” This is hardly the first time this woman has said things that don’t made sense. Yet Serena has the feeling that her tone has never held this sort of bitterness. “I mean, I understand that reality and the game are different things. I’m satisfied with the decision Cedric and I made, too. But even in a different series, I do think games should show respect for previous installments. After all, the present is built on the past.” The glint in Lilia’s eyes vanishes. The corners of her lips rise, and she spreads her arms wide. “And so, as the heroines, let’s band together and make them see just how far we outrank them!” Serena wants to return home to her husband alive, so she shuts her mouth. She feels just a little sympathy for their Valkyrie enemies. Claude hears the sound of a bell. It’s a low, long, echoing noise that seems to carry the hesitation of a farewell. It sounds dull, likely because it’s muffled by the thick wall. “Hey, Claude. Claude! Wake up already!” The sound of Baal’s voice makes Claude’s eyebrows draw together. He groans. “I’m bad with mornings, as I’m always telling you—” There’s a sharp, ringing smack, and the impact runs through the back of his head. “Did that wake you up?” “…Yes. Thanks to the sheer violence of it, I’m wide-awake. I’ve never been awakened like that before… Naturally. No one could possibly smack the demon king upside the head and simply walk away…” “Be grateful that we can.” Baal jerks his chin, gesturing. “Take a look.” Claude shuts his mouth and sits up. The room they’re in is a strange shape: long, thin, and curved. It’s as if someone has cut off a section of a winding corridor. There are no furnishings, nor even any lamps, just a long row of chairs by the window. There aren’t any guards, either; the only occupants of the room are the people taken captive. There are eight of them in all: the kings of Olgen and Maiz, Grand Duke Hirikka, Chief Gloss, Vica, Cedric, Baal, and himself. Apparently, Claude was the last to wake up. Everyone else is over by the chairs, looking out the large, long window that takes up half the wall. Baal starts toward it as well. Claude gets to his feet, frowning. They must be fairly high up; most of what he can see out the window is sky, which is bright red. It’s an ominous hue that Claude can’t picture belonging to a normal sunset. It seems like the color the sky in hell would be. “Where are we?” “We were at the bottom of the ocean just a short while ago. And now, it’s as you can see.” Prompted by the king of Olgen, Claude moves to stand at the window. When he looks down, he sees an enormous hole, large enough to engulf an entire castle. That’s probably the former site of Hausel’s palace. However, although the reports had said the hole was all that was there, a stairway stretches toward the center of the site, and a plaza towers high in the air. The plaza is a little lower than the room where Claude and the others are, and it’s surrounded by columns. It has no walls, and there’s a pedestal at its center. Under the red sky, only that pedestal is shining. It’s eerie. Something seems to be protruding from it, although the light blurs the object’s shape. “A plaza and a shining pedestal, hm? Perhaps they’re about to hold the queen’s coronation. Hmph. I gather we’re spectators, then,” Grand Duke Hirikka says, pushing up his glasses irritably as he watches the Valkyries who have gathered around the edges of the plaza. Chief Gloss bangs on the glass with his fists a few times, but it doesn’t even vibrate. “This is a sturdy structure. And the window’s the only way in or out. Escape seems impossible, eh? What do you make of it, Kilvas?” “They took all my magic earlier, and it’s still being siphoned off. What about you, Claude?” “The same. It must be like the mechanism in Kilvas’s capital. Since you’re still here behaving yourself, I assume it’s the same for you, Baal?” “Yes, it doesn’t seem to care what sort of power it takes… That’s probably what’s drawing it away.” Baal nods at the pedestal, which glows immaculately beneath the red sky. “Is that a magic lance? Or perhaps the sacred sword? Olgen, do you know anything about it?” “I had heard there was a sacred sword. I just assumed it was a weapon meant to be used against the demon king.” “…Either way, it must be my sister and Diana’s trump card.” “Debating back and forth will only wear us out. We’ve been invited as spectators, so let’s watch.” With a laid-back “Down we go,” the king of Maiz seats himself in one of the chairs. Grand Duke Hirikka scowls at him. “You’re not going to try to think up a way to escape? Did you not hear the broadcast a little while ago? They played it several times. The Valkyries intend to sink the islands into the ocean.” That’s the first Claude’s heard of it. He looks at Baal, who gives a shrug. Apparently, it’s true. “While they’re holding us captive, we can’t mobilize our armies or do anything else. Who knows how much confusion has broken out…?” “Oh dear, that is a problem. Can Duchess Hirikka not even issue an evacuation order?” The king of Maiz gives a smile full of meaning, and Grand Duke Hirikka clams up. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about it. My consort will handle things well. It’s the wisdom of age, you see.” “I’ll thank you not to mock my wife! In a crisis, Nina has more courage than I do. I just thought she was probably worried about me… I hope she doesn’t do anything reckless…” “I envy how close the two of you are. My wife is likely thinking, Okay, on to the next one.” “Hey, Olgen, don’t cry. It has to be better than having your daughter constantly checking with you to make sure she’ll be chief after you’re dead.” The king of Olgen and the chief of Gloss console each other. Baal staggers on his feet. “E-Estella’s going to say things like that…?” “Stop that. Just imagining it makes me want to destroy the world, too!” “Calm down, both of you. Ernst will probably handle this situation somehow…” “Um,” Cedric says, raising his voice. “No matter what else happens, we’ll have to get out of this situation on our own, won’t we. We can’t just relax and take it easy. We need to find a way to make contact with the outside, or—” “If we’re going to spot an opportunity to return safely, we will need to closely watch what’s about to happen. That goes especially for you, the father of Hausel’s queen. This is happening in your daughter’s nation.” The king of Maiz’s reprimand startles Cedric, and his eyes widen. He presses his lips into a thin line and takes a seat. “And you, Emperor of Kilvas. You have a duty to watch what your sister and empress are about to do. After all, this uproar is the result of your country’s carelessness.” “…It’s just as you say. I have no excuse.” Vica sits down, too. Still gazing out the window, the king of Maiz nods. “It’s good that the young listen so well. Do the rest of you have anything to say?” “The wisdom of age, indeed. Very well; it isn’t as if we can move anyway. We’re curious about what they intend to show us.” Baal also seats himself, and the others follow suit. It doesn’t mean they’ve given up, though. “Come to think of it…do you suppose we might still have a chance to negotiate if we offered them Kilvas and Ellmeyer?” “Oh, quite possibly! That’s a good idea.” “Shall we use them as negotiation material in an emergency?” “You heard them. It’s for the sake of world peace. Are you prepared to become the queen’s chair, Claude, Vica?” “I think I’ve wanted to try that at least once.” “Same. If it comes to that, I think I’d try it out.” “Are you serious, Brother?!” “However, I suspect my wife will come rushing in before that happens.” Some of the men fall silent. When Claude sits down, his chair is surprisingly spacious and comfortable. It even has cushions on it. As he leans against the armrest, he glances over at Cedric’s profile. “Cedric, I’m sorry. I wasn’t able to save you.” “…No. I was happy you couldn’t.” Claude doesn’t understand what he means. As he’s puzzling over it, Cedric glances at him briefly and smiles. “I always wanted to stand beside you, as an equal. This is that sort of place, isn’t it.”
Chapter 154
36 min read