Side Story: An Outcast from the West, Part 1

The sun had gone down — or maybe it had vanished. Either way, there was no more light in the sky above.

There was a group of prisoners trudging up a narrow, steep road. People were connected by chains or ropes tied around their waists, and each of them wore a collar on their neck. In the Northern Nations, north of Holylight, there was no end in sight for the constant battles. Countries of various sizes were endlessly at war with each other. Nations sprouted up like bamboo shoots after the rain, and were extinguished just as often. The deluge of conflict burned farms and fields to ashes, mass-producing casualties each day and night. The enormous body count had decimated the infrastructure, causing a lack of food supply, a number of plagues, and countless refugees.

The Western Nations, west of the Northern Nations, painted a similar hellscape. There, three powerful and evenly-matched countries were in turmoil. Each battle ended in the victors marching away with loot, which sometimes included humans. Addressed as slaves or war dogs, they naturally held no human rights under their enemy’s rule. Food, water, shelter, and of course pay, were given scarcely at best. It was par for the course for them to be worked to death by their captors, but some met even more gruesome fates. Some were subjected to inhumane experimentation or sacrificed as a catalyst for a spell. Apparently, humans were creatures that, once enough hatred curdled in their minds, stopped seeing their enemy as the same species as them.

The Tsardom of Light, a particularly powerful and militaristic nation among the Western Nations, was notorious for its inhumanity. This was a country that worshipped the Great Light, which once led the angels in combat against the devils. They were exceptionally cruel to their enemies. In any world or age, when religion came into play, those who opposed a theocracy were branded as heretics, and treatment of them was often gruesome and disgusting.

“Keep walking, heathens!”

“Foul traitors against the Great Light!”

It appeared that the slowly-marching band of captives was treated as such. To the far west, there were countless island states that had formed an archipelago. One of them must have been raided.

“How dare you defy us? Know your place!”

“You truly have spat at the heavens.”

As they yelled these things, the knights whipped the captives, and occasionally beat them with oak clubs. While this was done in part for the emotional satisfaction of the knights, it served the purpose of making an example of them for the other countries. They were headed to Hellion territory, far off in the distance. Throughout their long journey, they intended to perform the cruel show for any nations they passed through.

“Tsk. Filthy demi-humans...”

“You taint my eyes!”

A knight swung his club into the back of a particular captive, full-force. With a short cry, the captive fell to the ground. Amidst the countless scars on the back of this prisoner was a pair of wings, albeit only the base of them. The wings themselves might have been cut off or lost in battle.

“Demi-human... Be devoured by devils.”

“Why don’t we just drop it off a cliff?”

“I’d be the first to do it, but orders are orders.”

The captive slowly stood and began walking again. Stay on the ground, and they would only be met with endless beatings. The band marched tediously, but the knights were not in a hurry. While parading their captives, they enjoyed local delicacies, spirits, and prostitutes. This was practically a vacation for them.

“We’ll be in Myrk once we’re through here... Not much to tap there.”

“Not a single brothel to be found. The lamb’s something to eat, I guess.”

After coming to a wider highway, the group was finally awarded a short break, so the knights could approach the government of the New Kingdom of Xenobia that controlled these parts. Even this sick circus needed permission to pass through foreign land. The bishop that led the parade wore official garb and led an excessive amount of ceremonial guards to the capital.

“We have quite the entourage, Bishop.”

“The girl who runs this playground is a bit overconfident. We shall demonstrate to her the glory of the Light.”

“Ruler of the North, was it? Someone doesn’t know their place...” The commander said, and the bishop agreed with a bitter taste in his mouth. The name was much too grandiose for a northern savage oblivious to anything but war.

“Let the apes fight. Sooner or later, they will kneel before the Light.”

“...The Pope has his eyes on this land, too?”

The commander’s eyes shone for a moment. A mouse trying to nibble at as much information as possible from the bishop he ordinarily couldn’t come close to.

“...Commander. That is something you needn’t concern yourself with.”

“...! My apologies, Bishop.”

Clergymen held incredible power within the Tsardom of Light, and commanders ranked below them. As for the priests, bishops, temple keepers, rectors and friars, as well as archbishops and cardinals above them, they were untouchable. The nation’s people even believed that looking directly at the Pope, who was above them all, could blind them from the all-too-powerful light he emanated. Rumor had it that water touched by the Pope could heal any ailment.

“We must educate the monkeys of the north all the same...”

Puffing his chest, the bishop proudly entered the capital. Inside, though, the city streets were bustling with people. Shops were filled with all sorts of goods and the streets were filled with people buying and selling them. With many adventurers and merchants in the crowd, it was easy to see that the country was bountiful in both money and production.

“Hmph. What arrogance.”

“...Indeed.”

Who knew what arrogance the bishop was talking about, but he spat this out, disgusted. In any case, energy and growth of other nations was no cause for celebration.

“That’s... the palace.”

Right in front of them was a majestic structure. The bishop couldn’t help but groan in amazement at its scale. The ceremonial guards were all affected by the sight as well.

(Foolish girl... Trying to scare me off?)

This was something that wasn’t there before, and it could be assumed that a great amount of manpower and riches were spent building it. In this world, the size of castles and palaces was an important tool to demonstrate the wealth of the ruler.

“She seems to have, uh, scavenged a lot...” The commander said timidly, and the bishop simply agreed. Win enough battles and the reward was boundless. Even manpower wouldn’t be hard to come by.

“She must have scoured madly with greed. The girl up there even banished her own father.”

“I-Is that true?”

Although frowning at the ignorant commander, the bishop didn’t seem to mind the opportunity to lecture him on the history of this nation. The self-important types always liked to showcase their knowledge.

“When the girl was ten, she banished her own father to rob him of the crown. That’s why they like to call themselves the ‘New Kingdom.’”

“I see...”

“Ever since, they have been absorbing more and more city-states and smaller nations. Some even started calling her the Little Ruler of the North.”

“Ah... That’s incredib....ly savage, indeed.”

The bishop continued, giving the commander a look. This briefing was in part to keep him from making a fool of himself in front of said Little Ruler.

“That was when she was twelve. Two years after that, they absorbed the neighboring Principality of Marmook, and Palma Kingdom two years after that. And here we are.”

“She really is a ruler... t-to her people, at least.”

“A ruler of savages. But keep that to yourself.”

When the Tsardom acquired new land, it was a crusade, but when other nations did the same, it was savagery. That may seem lacking in logic, but perhaps that was the effect religion could have on people.

“Now, let us greet the girl, shall we?”

The bishop had met the girl in question once before when she was still called the Little Ruler. Now he planned to visit her domain with malicious intent. All the while, he calculated the great impression he would make on his superiors if he could report back on the political status of countries he passed through on the way.

Eventually, the group was shown to the throne room. There were countless officials lined up inside, filling the room with intimidation. Among them were renowned generals and cunning strategists, as well as leaders infamous in the surrounding nations. These figures stood out like stars in the ensemble, all glaring at the visiting party. On top of that, a thin, golden curtain veiled the throne, hiding the occupant from the visitors’ view.

(Stupid girl... Enough with the empty threats.)

The bishop, seasoned in diplomatic encounters, continued without batting an eye, while the commander walked stiffly, intimidated by the onslaught of looks from the room.

(I knew I should have brought at least a high knight... This weasel...)

As the Tsardom was at war, all of the high-ranking military leaders were busy on their own missions. A high knight would not have been available for such an inconsequential job.

“It has been too long, Your Highness.”

Kneeling in front of the throne, the bishop executed his formality. He remained still waiting for a response, but none came. When he looked up from confusion, the curtain parted in a slow, dramatic fashion.

(She’s...!?)

A girl was unveiled, sitting confidently on the throne, and crossing her legs with a holier-than-thou attitude. Her garment was littered with flashy gold, and her luscious golden locks draped over it, as if they too were woven from golden thread. While her appearance was astonishingly attractive, her attitude was extremely aggressive. She cast a gaze that said she looked down upon anyone from a mile above. It was no wonder that her people now called her the Golden Ruler. An athletic allure exuded from her crossed legs, and the bishop secretly swallowed a gulp of saliva. He couldn’t comprehend how different she looked from their last encounter.

(She’s really that girl from before...!?)

The commander and the other guards were just as breathless, staring at her. If this was a battlefield, they would have all been killed already.

“You’ve come a long way. Admirable.”

Even her tone was aggressive. She spoke like she was addressing a subordinate. In an attempt to gain some power in this exchange, the bishop rose.

“And, Your Highness...”

Eloquently, the bishop praised the rise of the New Kingdom while subtly reminding the ruler that they wouldn’t be able to maintain their lifestyle if they were to defy the Tsardom. However, a surprising response came back from the throne.

“You are permitted to pass. Be on your way.”

“...!”

She dismissed them as if to say that she was too busy to speak with the likes of him. She was treating him as if the Tsardom was occupied by Xenobia. Her people were astounded by their ruler’s gall at first, but their expressions soon changed to that of amusement.

The Tsardom and the Northern Nations had a complicated relationship. Worn out by the constant war effort, the Northern Nations had begun to create cease-fire seasons, but that wasn’t much more than a bandage on the wound, and did nothing towards a true solution. There was no way for dead ones to return home, after all. The workforce of the entire civilization dwindled as young men were drafted to war and tradesmen and farmers died in the battlefield, leaving towns and fields to be decrepit. While most nations struggled to feed their people, the Tsardom took to exporting their abundance of food for a great profit. The warring should have brought about a breakpoint somewhere along the way that would conclude the violence once and for all, but the Tsardom continued supplying all belligerents with the food they desperately needed.

The advisors in the room all pressured the bishop without a word — they were well aware that the Tsardom fattened itself on blood money.

(Savage apes... I am an acolyte of Light! Stop looking at me like that!)

The bishop’s expression twisted in discomfort. In a sense, the Tsardom of Light was solely responsible for prolonging the wars among the Northern Nations.

“Ah, you seem busy, Your Highness. This old man will be on his way. I must say, though, I am truly amazed at how much you’ve grown, Your Highness.”

The bishop was still in his forties, but he emphasized ‘old man’ as he spoke with sarcasm, gazing up at her alluring legs.

“When we met last, you were still a girl. Oh, how time flies. Perhaps that’s just my old age talking.”

It was crude to compliment a ruler of a nation on her growth, to say the least. A few protests erupted from the advisors in the room, and the ruler raised her brow ever so slightly. At that moment, a woman appeared from behind the curtain as if on cue. The chancellor of the New Kingdom of Xenobia, famous for her prowess in the role.

“It brings us incomparable joy to have you complement our ruler’s growth...”

The chancellor looked down on the bishop from near the throne, her long hair that reached down to her waist gently swayed. In her hand, she held a peculiar foldable fan.

“If you wouldn’t mind, we would love to have you come observe our operations. Your input could be of great value to us, Bishop.”

“Oh, an outsider like me...? Are you sure?”

“It will be an amusing story to tell when you return home,” the chancellor declared with confidence, and the bishop scoffed as he stood apart from his parade.

(They may be savages, but it wouldn’t hurt to take a look...)

There was a chance that he could snag a glimpse at the secret of the New Kingdom’s rapid growth. Soon, the advisors in the room knelt one after another before the ruler and sought her guidance. The bishop watched them from aside, but cold sweat soon began trickling down his forehead.

“Your Highness, on the lack of water in the farmlands I reported the other day...”

“I remember. Permission granted.”

“The aforementioned plague prevention has gone over budget...”

“We will pull some funds from the national reserve.”

“On expanding the pastures that train our military horses...”

“You make the call.”

“As for the retreat for injured soldiers...”

“Carry on, as is.”

“Your Highness, to research the Six Dungeon Waterfalls...”

“Denied. Invite the two S-ranks we spoke about.”

“General Mueller has reported suspicious movement from the Myrk guerillas near the border...”

“Burn down a few of their ghels (houses). Hm? Don’t worry. It’s my idea.”

Split-second decision making. The countless reports were getting resolved in the blink of an eye by the ruler’s decision. Most of it was left to each advisor’s discretion, but she gave anyone who needed it a push, and each rejection came with a reason.

(She takes care of things this fast...?)

This break-neck speed was night and day from the snail-paced debates in the Tsardom. There, many clergymen sabotaged each other, engaging in power struggles. The more empty seats above them, the better their chances were at advancing. The exporting of food to the Northern Nations and prosecuting heretics were just about the only two policies that were ever approved unanimously.

(If we’re not careful, this girl could sneak up on us...)

The prideful, but not incompetent, bishop calmly assessed, as far as he could tell, that the girl delegated a lot to competent subordinates and took responsibility for their actions. Surely, her advisors were able to perform to the best of their abilities this way. No great leaders ever intervened with inconsequential matters. That only stopped the flow of work where it mattered.

Eventually, all matters were taken care of. The bishop turned down the invitation for lunch and scuttled out of the palace. The chancellor, with a subtle grin on her face, followed.

“That’s rather sudden. Why are you in such a hurry, Bishop?”

“Hmph...”

After ordering the commander and the soldiers to wait outside of town, the bishop turned to face the chancellor. Her fan waved to and fro in her hand, a vindicated expression on her face.

“I would be careful where you tread. It won’t be long until the Light takes the Island Legion.”

“Is that so?”

The chancellor’s expression remained unchanged. There were two other powerful nations than the Tsardom in the west. They would fight at times and cooperate at times to keep any one nation from expanding. It was similar to the triangular structure of ancient China. In this case, their dynamic was complicated by the Island Legion. Feeling like the chancellor was seeing past his bluff, the bishop made the mistake of talking too much.

“We have an interesting cargo, this time around.”

“Interesting, you say?”

“A demi-human. Apparently a Holy Maiden’s servant, at that.”

“My, my... how fascinating.”

The chancellor, monikered the ‘Ice Cold Chancellor’ and feared in neighboring nations for her cunning intellect, allowed her face to slightly twitch. While not as bad as the Tsardom, Holylight also had strong prejudice against demi-humans. How could a demi-human be anywhere near a Holy Maiden, who was at the top of the country?

“Bishop. Do you mean a Bunny?”

The chancellor was aware that that particular species of demi-human was given a village in the countryside. In response, the bishop proudly wagged his index finger to say ‘no.’ He grandiosely spoke with a stuck-up expression, as if he were a teacher explaining a lesson.

“In fact, it’s a Falconite.”

“Oh... That is interesting. However, I do recall that your nation and Holylight have a long-lasting friendship.”

The chancellor’s eyes gave off an icy shine. The demi-human part aside, if they really were a Holy Maiden’s servant, it could escalate to an international conflict.

“Ha ha ha! There is no way that a Holy Maiden, of all people, would keep a demi-human by her side. If she did, that would be a much bigger problem. The Light would require us to take some action.”

In any case, he seemed determined on getting rid of said demi-human. The bishop all but outright said that he considered Holylight a second-class nation.

“I believe that Holylight will soon realize the mercy of the Great Light is greater than that of the angels they follow. That is information that your ruler may benefit from.”

The bishop left with a shrug on what sounded like a threat. Contemplating how to process this news, the chancellor headed to the ruler’s private room, which was thoroughly guarded to keep any unwanted characters from coming in. In the entirety of the New Kingdom, the chancellor was the only one freely permitted to enter. Beyond the several layers of inspection, the fortress-like private room in the palace depths was strangely quiet. This was because soundproofing and eavesdrop protection were put in place to not even let a single sound escape the room unnoticed.

“Your Highness, it’s me.”

With a light knock, the chancellor held up a card in her hand and unlocked the door. She quickly stepped inside, and checked that the door was locked again. She looked around the room to find no sign of the ruler, just a lump in the extravagant bed.

“Your Highness, I know you are tired...”

“I don’t wanna!”

The ruler shouted back from under the covers before the chancellor could finish. Only her head was poking out of the covers.

“That old man was staring at my legs! The! Entire! Time! Eww!”

“Your Highness...”

“Staring at my legs, saying how much I’ve grown!? Yuck! For real! I had goosebumps the whole time!”

“Your Highness, please be careful not to act like this before any of your advisors...”

With a long sigh, the chancellor shook her head, exhausted. If anyone were to see this, her image as the Golden Ruler would be far out the window, over the horizon even.

“No! No! No! I don’t wanna! I’m taking tomorrow off!”

“Your Highness, a ruler doesn’t take a day off.”

“Then, you be ruler, Kongming. I retire.”

The chancellor, Kongming, pulled back her hair, and gazed up to the ceiling. Where did she go wrong?

“Beatrice, knock it off. The ruler is irreplaceable.”

“This all started when you banished daddy, Kongming.”

“If we had let that moron keep ruling, this country would have collapsed! And get out of bed already!”

“So why am I stuck being the ruler? You should follow through with it, Boss!”

As a sign to never give up and never surrender, the Ruler, Beatrice, dug herself deeper under her covers. Having been called ‘Boss,’ Kongming blushed, and frantically tried to peel the covers off of the bed.

“How many years has it been!? You’re the ruler of this country now!”

“I will never forget the days you’ve bullied me, made me a lackey, and sometimes even charged me a friend fee. You’re the worst, Boss Lady. You’re a demon.”

“Stop! Forget about that! You know, that didn’t happen! None of that happened!”

“I’ll n-never forget... I will never forget it for the rest of my life. I can’t pretend like those days I’ve spent running to get you cigars in the cold rain never happened.”

“Noooo! Forget it!”

A gruesome battle between the one who wanted the covers off and the one who wanted them on ensued.

It all began when Kongming, a straight A student, was selected as a friend-slash-tutor for Princess Beatrice. Kongming, who had been praised as a prodigy from a young age, acted like the obedient tutor on the surface, all the while treating Beatrice like a lackey behind closed doors. Oh, the follies of youth.

Even now, with an entire nation in their grasp, their childhood had never left them. Although their public titles had changed to the Golden Ruler and Ice Cold Chancellor, they were still just schoolmates in private.

“L-Listen, Beatrice... The Tsardom parade has an interesting member...!”

“Interesting...?”

“Th-That’s right. Apparently, a Holy Maiden of Holylight had... Pff!”

Beatrice reached her arm out and around, slapping a pillow in Kongming’s face.

“I don’t care about Holylight. I’m just a showpiece. Just go ahead with one of your schemes, Boss, do what you want!”

In truth, every policy of the New Kingdom of Xenobia was proposed, planned, and decided upon by Kongming. Beatrice was ruler in name alone and only served as a lively façade. Still, she was seen by neighboring nations and her advisors as gorgeous, fearsome, and courageous, revolutionary for scouting anyone with talent, even commoners, and giving them important roles in the government. She was, indeed, one of the best puppet heads in the history of anywhere.

“L-Listen... They’re carrying an interesting demi-human! We can use this to drive a wedge between the Tsardom and Holylight!”

“I don’t care about some faraway country!”

“I’ve told you already that a Dragonborn has appeared in Holylight...!”

Hearing this, Beatrice finally stopped throwing pillows. Kongming, placing importance on information, had made sure to send informants into Holylight, too.

“But you said it was a bunch of hogwash, Boss.”

“Yes, I... did!”

Seizing her one opening, Kongming ripped the covers off of the bed and maneuvered Beatrice into an arm lock from behind.

“Rrragh! Not fair!”

“Give up already and finish your duties as ruler...!”

Beatrice struggled, but Kongming was much stronger than her slender stature suggested. The feeble ruler was submitted in the blink of an eye.

“Now listen. Something’s fishy about that country, right now... I even hear there’s a man who calls himself the Demon Lord.”

“T-There’s a Demon Lord right behind me, right now...!”

“You little... Now you’re calling me a Demon Lord...!?”

“C-Can’t breathe! Demon Boss Lord, I can’t breathe!”

“What kind of name is that...!?”

Tangled up in the bed, their serious conversation continued.

“Don’t you get it? If we cleverly leak this info to Holylight, it could be the first step in driving them apart. I need you to remember these things so you don’t drop the ball when it matters...!”

“N-Never... Just you watch, I’ll forget it all!”

“You remember useless crap from forever ago...!”

“Y-You don’t get it, Boss... How lonely it is to eat your lunch alone in a bathroom stall...”

“Noooo! Forget it, already! I said, forget it!”

Still in the lock, the pair rolled up and down the bed. Who could tell whether they were a good pair or not? In any case, their next moves would end up affecting this world in a major way.

You Unlocked Some Information!!

The Tsardom of Light

A large nation located to the west of the Northern Nations. They worship the Great Light and are led by the Pope, who preaches the teachings of the Light. In addition to its two paladins, the country holds an Order of Knights with uncontested strength, solidifying their power. As the country is blessed with abundant farmland and temperate grass fields, it leads the continent in produce production, supplying the Northern Nations with food. In a sense, the Tsardom is responsible for prolonging the war in the Northern Nations. Since there are no storage dungeons in the country, they trade surplus food for various items.

The New Kingdom of Xenobia

What used to be a small, dime-a-dozen Northern Nation transformed after the princess banished the previous king and seized the throne. Ever since, the country has absorbed small neighboring countries and city-states, leading to its leader earning the moniker of “Little Ruler of the North.” After overtaking two major nations, her title evolved into just the “Ruler of the North,” or “the Golden Ruler.” The kingdom is led by the decisive direction of Beatrice Constance Castilla I, with Kongming (AKA the Ice Cold Chancellor) supporting her.