Chapter 11: The Power of Love

Chapter 11:
The Power of Love

 

THE ROYAL FAMILY’S SHIP, the Weiss, had sunk. With Leon’s protection, Livia, Angie, and Marie narrowly escaped on a smaller rescue ship escorted by Marie’s lovers. After dismounting from his Armor on the deck, the masked knight came to check on them.

“Looks like everyone’s all right.”

That said, Livia was completely drained and had to lean on Angie for support. Similarly, Carla supported Marie.

Angie turned to the masked knight. “You saved us. Thank you.”

“No need. We have more pressing issues. The battle has resumed, and worse, we have a new Giant on our hands. Now that we’ve lost your ship and the Partner, I don’t know how we’ll deal with this one.”

The Partner had pinned down the first Giant until Livia’s power erased it, but now that ship had crashed, too. The destruction of the Partner, on which they had forged so many memories, made Angie’s face twist in melancholy. She shook her head, her expression grave. The new Giant’s unfettered aggression posed a dire threat; it had turned the fight into a three-way battle.

Jilk, still within his Armor, shot down a pair of encroaching monsters with his rifle. “It’s too dangerous to stay here. We should retreat.”

“Where do you propose we retreat to?!” Greg snapped. “We can’t let that big, stupid monster get to the capital!”

“What chance do we stand against it? The Partner and the Weiss went down. There’s no way to win!”

The masked knight, meanwhile, tracked the fierce battle unfolding between Arroganz and the Black Knight. His hands fisted. “Bartfort is preoccupied. We can’t expect him to deal with the Giant. We must find some way to take care of this ourselves.”

A terror and gloom fell upon them—how could they do anything but lose?

Marie lifted her head. “Wait a second. There is a way to win this!”

The masked knight turned to her, leaning in close. “Really, Marie?! Ahem, Lady Marie.”

“Y-yeah. Remember the Magic Flute? If we have the person who used it play it again, that Giant should disappear. The only problem is…”

They had no idea where that person was. Even if they did, could they really convince them to play it again?

“I see…” The masked knight stroked his chin. “Looks like we’ll have to use some persuasion.”

That would be difficult as well.

Nonetheless, Livia raised her head. “Let’s do it. We have to bring an end to this war.”

“Livia, you need to rest. You can’t even stand by yourself,” said Angie.

Livia shook her head. “I want to. And—we’re the only ones who can.”

The other combatants were furiously reengaged with their enemies, and Leon was busy with the Black Knight. Furthermore, the disruption of the communication networks had resumed.

“We’re the only ones who can do this, huh?” The masked knight nodded in agreement. He turned to Kyle, who piloted their rescue vessel. “Take us to the Magic Flute user!”

Kyle’s eye twitched with annoyance. “Why do I have to follow your commands? Besides, I don’t even know where that person is!”

“Oh, about that… I know where they are,” said Cleare.

Everyone turned toward the white robot floating in the air.

“I have already confirmed their location. Allow me to guide you.”

Livia nodded. “Please, Cleary, take us there.”

“Oh, is that your nickname for me? Makes us sound like close friends. Well then, let’s be off.”

While Cleare gave directions, Kyle steered the ship through the smoke and fire of battle. “I sure hope I’m getting a bonus for driving a ship through the middle of a war,” he grumbled.

“Onward!” The masked knight struck a pose. “We’ll bring this battle to a close!”

“Doesn’t he act overfamiliar for a stranger?” Chris muttered.

Suddenly, a cloud of white robots swarmed through the air and gathered around their ship.

“Wh-what’s going on?!” the masked knight cried, alarmed.

“They’re bodyguards,” Cleare assured him. “It seems that sourpuss has returned.”

“Sourpuss?”

Ahead, a pillar of light shot down from the sky. It pierced right through the Giant, which erupted in a cloud of black smoke. Their little rescue ship disappeared inside the resulting cloud, charging on toward the principality’s flagship.

“What was that light just now?!”

“Ha ha ha!” Cleare struggled to compose herself. “It’s magic. Incredible magic!”

That was magic?! The masked knight frowned, bewildered.

“Our target has come into view.”

The masked knight squinted through the smoke billowing around them. “The visibility is terrible. I can’t see anything.”

“If we don’t brake, we’ll slam right into it,” Cleare warned.

Flustered, Kyle slowed their ship, and as they broke through the darkness, the principality’s vessel came into view.

Brad reeled. “Hey, we’re going to hit it!”

Cleare chuckled, thoroughly enjoying herself. “It will be fine. At this speed, we can board safely.”

As they approached, they saw Hertrude sitting on the enemy ship’s deck, protected by a horde of monsters all around her.

The masked knight hopped back into his Armor’s cockpit. “I’ll clear the way.”

Angie, still supporting Livia on her shoulder, tilted her head at him and laughed. “As strange as your mask is, you’re quite dependable.”

“I’d thank you to call me the Masked Knight.” Once he’d safely closed the hatch, he turned to the other boys. “Everyone, follow me!”

“Please stop giving us orders!” Jilk snapped, disgruntled.

Nevertheless, together, the four boys and the completely anonymous masked stranger defeated the monsters swarming the principality’s ship. Finally, they were able to help Livia and Angie—and Marie—board the enemy vessel.

 

***

 

Once the girls were safely on the principality’s deck, they ran over to Hertrude. The masked knight and his comrades took up position to protect them from any untoward interference. Hertrude showed no sign of resistance as she sat there, alone, hands clasping her Magic Flute.

“Miss Hertrude, I have a favor to ask of you,” said Livia. When she received no answer, she continued, “Please, stop this war. At this rate, everyone will die.”

Still, Hertrude said nothing. Nor did she move.

Angie exploded. “Do you really want to keep struggling to your last breath? You have lost. Surrender!”

Marie gripped her Saint’s Staff and scanned the area. The battle raged on, and it’d be no laughing matter if stray cannon fire came hurtling toward them. She grimaced.

Finally, Hertrude slowly lifted her head. Marie shrieked at the dark circles beneath her eyes.

“Let’s end this,” Livia continued, an earnest appeal. “We have to. At this rate, all of your people will die.”

“They’re already on the brink of total annihilation,” Angie added. “Pull back now. That serves both of our interests. You can use that flute of yours to stop the Giant, right?”

Hertrude lowered her gaze, shoulders vibrating. As her grip tightened on the flute, she broke into hysterical laughter. “Ha ha ha! That’s right. It’d be smarter to quit now, but I refuse!” She pulled herself to her feet and threw her arms wide. Despair was written across her face as she screamed. “If you want to kill me, do it! But killing me won’t stop the Guardian. No matter how many times you destroy it, it will just revive. I wonder, how will you stand against an immortal being like that?”

Livia was not dissuaded. “But it’s attacking the principality as well as the kingdom. If this keeps up—”

“So what?” Hertrude snapped.

“Huh?”

“All I can do is laugh. One of those foul nobles told me the truth—that they were only ever using Hertrauda and me. I don’t trust anyone anymore. Every one of you can just disappear for all I care!”

Livia stepped closer. “But you’re not alone! I’m sure there are other people who care deeply for you, Miss Hertrude.”

“There were! But soon, Vandel will die, too. And Rauda is… My one and only little sister is already gone.”

Shocked, Livia pulled back.

Hertrude laughed. “You know the price for summoning a Guardian? Your life. It didn’t matter that the Sea and Sky Guardians didn’t fulfill her orders. Once they disappeared, she died. You really played us well.”

Hertrauda had taken her last breath, then, robbed of all frustration, resentment, and hatred.

“You really are heartless,” Hertrude went on, “playing with our emotions like that. You’re the lowest of the low.”

Livia’s gaze fell to the ground.

“Enough of your nonsense,” Angie snapped. “Are you really going to pretend you have no responsibility in all of this?”

“It shouldn’t take your life if you blow the flute again,” Marie timidly interjected. “A-at least I don’t think it will.”

Hertrude turned her gaze to Marie. “How clever. I suppose if I stopped it before it fulfilled my order, its death wouldn’t kill me. Of course, I’d never be able to use the Magic Flute again, and the Guardian would attempt to kill me instead… Not that I’d particularly care. I simply want to destroy this useless world before I go—to avenge my sister’s death!”

Livia shook her head. “Even if you feel that way, this is wrong. What good will avenging her do? Your sister wouldn’t have wanted that!”

“Oh, shut it, you dingbat!” Marie spat.

Livia and Angie gaped in surprise. Even Hertrude’s eyes went round with shock.

Marie got right up in Livia’s face, holding her staff in one hand, her other pressed to her chest. “What does it matter if she’s in the wrong? Sure, maybe to you it seems messed up, but not to her! And what do you know about what Hertrauda really wanted? Nothing? Then stop acting like you get to speak for her! It’s arrogant!”

Livia bit her lip. “But at this rate, no one will be happy with—”

Marie wouldn’t give her an inch. “So you’re telling her to give up on overcoming her enemies and just be miserable? To forsake vengeance because it’s ‘wrong’? What about how she feels, huh?! Real cocky to lecture her like this when you’ve never had to stand there silently while someone you cared about was killed! Although since revenge is ‘wrong,’ of course you wouldn’t do anything about it, right?”

“I—I—”

“Have you ever lost anyone you love? Ever experienced all the regret that comes with their death?” Marie snarled. “It’s painful. When someone you love is taken from you, it feels like your heart is being ripped from your chest! Everything you say is so cheap. Good girls like you may talk pretty, but your words ring hollow!”

“Whose side are you on?!” Angie cut in. “I couldn’t care less about her revenge. Our priority right now is stopping that monster!”

“Shut up! If the world is so weak that a single Giant can crush it, then it might as well go down in flames right now!” Marie shrieked. Her words came from the heart, and they seethed.

Angie flinched back, but even still, Marie wouldn’t stop.

***

 

Marie was livid. Those who preached against vengeance only denounced it because it was convenient for them.

I absolutely loathe this hypocrite. She did the same thing in the game, spouting all those ideals. Sounded like a bunch of lies to me then, too! You wanna claim that “war is wrong,” and “people shouldn’t take revenge”? Go get your brain checked!

“You think she doesn’t know that Giant is going to hurt people? That she’s going to be responsible for their deaths? She’s going through with it anyway because none of that is enough to stop her from avenging her sister!”

Even Marie didn’t know why she was defending the enemy princess. But she couldn’t sit by while Angie and Livia lectured Hertrude for “being in the wrong.” Marie knew regret. She had grown far too familiar with it in her previous life—especially after her brother died.

“And how does that justify killing hundreds of people?” Angie glared at Marie. “Look around us! The battle is over.” She turned to Hertrude. “If we keep this up, you’ll just be killing other people’s loved ones for the sake of killing them. These deaths don’t stop unless we act. Don’t you understand?!”

Marie stared around. The principality’s forces held up white flags. The kingdom’s army continued to engage the Giant, and only a few vessels still remained airborne. Those who had fallen in battle, knights and soldiers alike, had family and friends, too—people waiting for them to come home, who would never again see their loved ones.

Marie found herself losing the will to argue.

“There’s no point in fighting anymore,” Angie said to Hertrude. “If you pull back now, there’s still a chance to resolve this diplomatically. Continuing now is pointless.”

“This is now a war of attrition, one you will lose—will you continue it nevertheless?” Angie asked.

Even if the principality managed to regain their strength, they had lost too many troops to truly fight back any time soon. Another country would doubtless target them in this weakened state and destroy them utterly.

“Fanoss House was once part of the Holfort royal family,” said Angie. “You have position. Leverage. Surrender and we can negotiate.”

Hertrude laughed tonelessly. “I’m sure you’re right, but all that awaits us in surrender is slavery at your hands.”

Such was the fate of a country that lost a war.

“But you’ll be alive,” Livia said. “Those soldiers have people waiting for them back home. Please don’t let any more of them die needlessly.”

Marie bit her lip. None of this sounded wrong—but where did that leave Hertrude?

Then Hertrude spoke. “I never thought your pathetic Saint would speak in my defense. Why are you trying to protect someone like me? If it hadn’t been for you…I would never have had to experience all these feelings.”

Having said her piece, Hertrude raised the flute to her lips and blew once more. A soft melody carried through the air.

“Are you sure about this?” Marie asked.

As Hertrude pulled her lips away, the flute crumbled to dust. She chuckled. “It chafes to give up on my revenge, but seeing you defend me cooled my head. You’re right. I knew this didn’t have any meaning, but I couldn’t stop myself. I just don’t understand why…why did this have to happen to us?”

Tears streamed down Hertrude’s cheeks, and she sank to the ground. Marie knelt beside her and put her arms around the foreign princess.

Gradually, the fighting around them had ceased. The air went silent but for the wind.

Hertrude wiped away her tears. “The principality…surrenders.”

“An enemy unit is rapidly approaching!” Cleare cut in. “Be careful, everyone!”

The five Armored boys surrounding them went on the alert, but a black Armor slammed down onto the deck between them. Vandel. His suit was crumbling around him, liquid dripping down its outer plating.

“Get away from the princess, kingdom scum!” he hissed.

A wave of eyes flared open all over his suit, glaring at them all.

“Creepy,” Marie mumbled.

“Vandel, that’s enough.” Hertrude lifted her head, weeping. “Let’s put an end to this. You fought so well for me. I’m so grateful, but it’s all right now. You don’t have to do this anymore.”

But the Black Knight refused to concede. “Princess, they’ve deceived you.”

“Vandel?”

“Don’t worry. Stay here and watch as I destroy them all.” He lifted himself up, more black ooze gushing from his suit like blood pouring from open wounds.

“No, Vandel, it’s over!” Hertrude shouted.

“I won’t let it be over!”

The masked knight swung his sword, but the Black Knight deflected. The other boys charged as well, but none were any match for Vandel.

“It can’t end,” he repeated. “I won’t allow it to. I haven’t avenged my family. Nothing is over until the kingdom’s people taste the same despair I felt when I lost my wife and daughter!” He lurched toward Marie and the girls. As if in synchrony, the fully regenerated Giant lumbered closer as well.

Is this the end? Marie stared up at these twin horrors. More than anything, it saddened her to think that her second life had been as riddled with mistakes as her first.

Livia threw herself in front of them, arms spread wide. “Please, stop this!”

“You idiot, what are you doing?!” Marie tried to drag her back.

“You’re that girl from the white ship.” The Black Knight lifted his blade overhead. “All the more reason to kill you. I can’t let you live.”

Marie threw her staff arm forward and channeled her power to conjure a desperate magic shield.

“So this is all your Saint amounts to, is it?!” The Black Knight shattered it with his fist.

“Vandel, enough, stop!” Hertrude cried, but the Black Knight brought his sword swinging down toward Livia.

“Livia!” Angie leaped forward to protect her friend.

Marie squeezed her eyes shut. Bubby, save them!

And, as if on cue: “I’m going to tear you to pieces, you stupid old fart!”

 

***

 

A squadron of the principality’s Armors had surrounded me in an attempt to assist the Black Knight in his final efforts.

“Fools, getting in my way.”

I destroyed them all. But once I had, my last opponent was nowhere to be found. I flew through the air, searching for him—until I finally spotted him on the deck of the enemy’s flagship.

Livia was there—as was Angie, and Marie. Vandel raised his sword, about to cut them down.

All the blood rushed to my head. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?! I’ll tear you to pieces, you stupid old fart!”

I careened through the air at full force and body-slammed the Black Knight. He went reeling.

“It’s not over!” he howled. “I won’t let it be over! I’m going to kill all those kingdom scum!”

Luxion’s eye moved from side to side. “He’s lost his mind. The suit has taken over him.”

Corrupted by demonic influence, the Black Knight brandished his greatsword at me.

“Master, it’s about time we brought this to a close. The Giant is headed this way.”

I lifted my sword and accelerated toward the Black Knight, with Luxion providing support. “Time to say nighty night, Gramps!”

Our blades clashed again and again, and each time I adjusted my attacks, adapting to his style. As we fought, I noticed the charm hanging from my neck was glowing.

“Bastard!” the Black Knight cried.

Simultaneously, each of our swords bit through the other’s Armor. His sunk deep into Arroganz’s shoulder, while mine plunged right through his abdomen.

“Luxion, now!”

“Initiating impact!”

My blade pulsed red, and light burst through the Black Knight’s Armor.

It was like a water balloon had popped. Black liquid sprayed everywhere, and the old man plummeted to the deck below.

The left arm of my suit was broken, but it had the power to grab for him. All I managed to catch hold of was his Armor’s right arm.

An eye blinked open on the Black Knight’s severed arm. The moment it spotted me, its pupil darted here and there in a panic—like it was terrified of Arroganz.

“Ready whenever, Master.”

I tossed the arm up in the air, and a beam of light from the clouds above blew it to pieces.

“Satisfied?” I asked.

“Yes. Now all that’s left is that thing.”

We turned our gaze to the moving mountain—the giant monster Hertrude had summoned.

“Let’s take it out in style!”

“Indeed,” Luxion agreed. “I think that would be best.”

I stowed my sword and then threw Arroganz’s arms out wide.

 

***

 

Vandel crashed to the deck of the principality’s flagship, and Hertrude raced to his side.

“Vandel!” she cried, clinging to him.

His eyes slid open, but when he reached his hand to his stomach, it came away coated in blood. His right arm was gone, too.

“Ah…so I’ve lost.” The old man turned his gaze to the princess and smiled. That brat’s stronger now than the first time we fought. “Princess, I’m sorry, but—”

“Just don’t leave me!” she wailed.

“It looks like this is the end for me.”

Vandel looked up toward the sky just as Leon spread Arroganz’s arms wide to prepare an attack. Dozens of magical circles appeared in the air, stacking atop one another. Vandel didn’t know much about magic, but he could surmise this was a powerful spell, whatever it was. The light from the circles glowed so beautifully.

He watched as the light condensed into concentrated energy, and electrical discharge sparked from the joints of Leon’s suit. He was pushing his Armor to its limits. Finally, he released his spell.

It hit the Guardian dead center.

A massive explosion rocked the deck beneath him, and as smoke engulfed the principality ship, Vandel realized the battle was really over.

Arroganz spiraled toward the lake below, bits of the suit on fire, and Livia and Angie rushed to their rescue vessel to save Leon’s falling body.

Marie remained. She inched over to Vandel and Hertrude, her eyes glued on the princess. Something in her anxious stare brought Vandel some relief.

Worried about our princess? Well, if you have people like that looking out for you, then you’ll be all right, Your Highness. My quest for revenge is over now. It’s time for me to rejoin my family…

Vandel coughed up blood, then smiled as his eyes closed for the last time.

 

***

 

Arroganz floated on the surface of the lake, having activated a flotation ring. Inside the cockpit, Luxion and I gazed up at the sky together.

“Hey, do you think I made the right choices?”

Like, if I hadn’t sent Luxion to the underbelly of the continent to deal with the Sea Giant, could we have saved more people? I’d made that choice for sound logical reasons, factoring in all kinds of risks, but I still couldn’t know if they were the most correct.

“If you’d exposed my main body to the kingdom, you would have spent the rest of your life always looking over your shoulder,” Luxion said. “Besides, given the state of the kingdom, it would have been too dangerous to send any of them to deal with the Sea Guardian. But you couldn’t ignore it either. Perhaps your choices weren’t the best, merely better than the alternative.”

Other damaged ships and Armors floated on the water, too. Seeing all that destruction, I had to wonder, Couldn’t I have found a better way?

“In the end, I wasn’t able to use you to your full potential,” I concluded.

“I will agree with that. But consider this a learning experience—an opportunity to improve for the future.”

“And so many people died. There’s so much blood on my hands.”

“Man has fought throughout all of recorded history and will continue to do so. Fear not, Master, this is only the beginning.”

I frowned. “That’s not the least bit reassuring.”

“Yes, well, I’m not exactly skilled at comforting people.”

“I’m definitely going to hell.”

“Most certainly,” said Luxion, “assuming it exists. Shall we go together?”

I shook my head. “You seem like you’d pick a fight with King Enma, so I’ll pass. I don’t need you making my sins any worse than they already are.”

“I would like to remind you that normally, you are the one picking a fight with everyone, Master.”

“Idiot, I know how to tell the difference between who I can and can’t piss off. Plus, I’m good at brownnosing. I better start thinking of a way to flatter King Enma right now.”

“I should expect no less from you. You are depraved beyond words.”

At least our absurd conversation was distracting me from everything I was feeling.

“The fact remains that your actions saved many people’s lives,” said Luxion. “Both the principality and the kingdom are exhausted. It will be difficult for them to continue fighting now. Ultimately, I do think you did a satisfactory job. You also managed to make it seem like Arroganz and the Partner are out of commission. Depending on how you play things from here, you might be able to get that peaceful life you always wanted.”

If I were really the protagonist of the story, we’d probably all get to have a happy ending. Alas, I would receive no such thing. Such was the fate of a background character. But if there was a protagonist out there who could save the world, I was still committed to doing everything I could to kiss up to them.

So if you’re out there, please save me. I don’t care who you are, as long as you can rescue me. The hero role is too big for this pitiful NPC.

“I wish I could have done a better job. It’s my fault things turned out this way.”

“War would have broken out between the two countries regardless of your involvement,” said Luxion. “You give yourself too much credit.”

Is this his way of trying to comfort me? Irksome as he was, I liked him better now than when he sounded like an emotionless robot. “Sorry about the Partner and the Weiss,” I said. “They both went down.”

“I can retrieve and repair the Partner. As for the Weiss, its psychic attack is too dangerous for my liking. Whatever system amplified Livia’s power must have been added to the ship after its initial construction. I saw no indication of it in the original manual.”

“Being able to stop a whole war with the power of love is pretty terrifying. And even scarier is having your willpower to fight zapped right out of you.”

Luxion agreed. “I believe it would be best to leave that ship be. Otherwise, you risk putting Olivia and Angelica in further danger. I now understand why the kingdom hid their secret weapon.”

Yeah, I didn’t ever want to make them go through something like that again. If we repaired the ship—especially that psychic attack component—Livia and Angie would doubtless be targeted for assassination. For their sake, it was better to let people think the Weiss was beyond recovery.

“I don’t want them using it again,” I said. “So much for love.”

“A wise decision, Master. But in a way, wasn’t it love that ended the battle?”

I raised a brow. “You still going to call a psychic attack love? I was pretty grossed out, personally.”

“But did you not help those two out of love? The desire to protect your family and the people you know is a form of love as well. That was precisely what led the kingdom to victory.”

“Yeah, just wonderful. But wasn’t it love that started this whole thing?”

“There were a number of reasons for the conflict, but the ability to manipulate someone’s love was an effective one, yes. After all, you can readily incite the masses if you frame war as protecting their family and loved ones.”

“Makes me wanna barf.” I made a gagging sound.

“People fight for love. They put their lives on the line for others. Truly a wonderful thing, isn’t it?” Luxion was clearly being facetious.

Just then, a small vessel descended toward the scraps of Arroganz. It landed on the water’s surface, creating waves that rippled around me. Livia and Angie were on the deck, tears in their eyes.

“Uh? Do they think I’m dead or something?”

“Instead of cracking wise, why not hurry up and comfort them?” Luxion suggested condescendingly. “And do make up your mind before I lose my patience. You love those two, don’t you?”

“Idiot. I wouldn’t be this cautious with them if I didn’t.”

It was less a matter of me being able to make up my mind and more like I didn’t dare put my hands on them if I couldn’t follow through all the way—you know, get married to them. I was the faithful type, after all.

“I’ve done enough hard work to last a lifetime,” I said. “I just want to live in peace from now on.”

“Peaceful future or not, I don’t believe you will be able to escape them.”

“Do you really think I deserve them, though? There’s way better guys out there. And they’ve got each other.”

“That’s for the two of them and you to decide. Although, if it’s a financial concern, you should put that aside. That’s why I’m here.”

“Wow, thanks. I’m so happy I think I could cry.”

Arroganz’s hatch popped open, and I stepped out onto the flotation device. Livia and Angie leaped down from their vessel, throwing their arms around me in a tight embrace.

“Leon!”

“You big idiot!”

I looped my arms around them as they clung to me. “I didn’t really plan a speech for this moment, so, uh… Hey, I’m back!”

Tears streamed down Livia’s face as she buried her face in my chest. “Please don’t make me worry like that!”

“Oh? You were worried about me?”

Angie pinched my arm, though I didn’t feel much of anything through my pilot suit. “Enough with the jokes. Why did you run away from us back then?”

“Back when?”

“When we were underground—when that machine confirmed that Livia and I—that we love each other.” Her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. It made me want to tease her.

“Eh, you know, I didn’t want to get in the way,” I said.

“Who said you’d be in the way?! Never say that again. You’re incredibly important to both of us!”

Always one to interrupt a moment, my father’s airship landed in the water beside us. Apparently they had come to retrieve me as well.

The battle was truly over. All that remained was cleaning up and tying a few loose ends.

 

***

 

Things were settled quickly once we returned to the capital. The kingdom agreed to peace with the principality, as other countries were gunning to invade at every one of our borders. We didn’t have the forces or supplies to deal with Fanoss more punitively. Still, the principality did cease to exist as an independent nation. Fanoss House was reincorporated into the kingdom and forced to sign a pretty humiliating treaty, including reparations for their transgressions and a guarantee of military support for the kingdom. Fines would be levied against them if they failed to comply. The kingdom would also be sending one of its own to keep an eye on Fanoss.

Honestly, the treatment Fanoss House got was worse than any of the other regional lords. They were in a precarious state and would suffer the repercussions of their actions for the next several centuries.

While the other nobles finalized decisions at the palace, I was otherwise preoccupied—politics had little to do with me.

“Lord Leon, you were extraordinary out there.”

“Yes, like a hero!”

“Please, regale us with your exploits.”

Instead, I was surrounded by a number of young women.

“Ah ha ha! I wish you could have seen me in action. I shredded those principality bastards and tore them to pieces! Tiny, tiny pieces!”

Incidentally these girls weren’t students of the academy—at least not yet. They would be starting next term. They were all high-ranking nobility, which meant they didn’t have any slaves and knew little of the world. Pure and untainted, unlike the refuse at school. Considering who their fathers were, I was sure they had their own aims for approaching me, but this was still pretty pleasant.

Nothing beats being doted on like this!

These adorable girls visited me daily while I was cooped up in the palace. Rather than second-guess their motives, I had decided to live in the moment.

“When we start attending the academy next year, you’ll be a year ahead of us,” said one of the girls.

“It’s like a dream, being able to attend the same school as you.”

“I’m really looking forward to your tea parties, Lord Leon.”

I struggled to contain my glee; they were so cute! So unsullied and untouched—so different from the girls at the academy. Was this the true beginning of my life here? Maybe with the war over, I would be released from the curse of that stupid otome game!

“I can’t wait for all of you to start attending,” I said.

Their cheeks flushed red.

The rest of the student population still detested me, but I was extremely popular outside of the academy. I couldn’t stop grinning. When I first reincarnated into this world, it had been a cruel matriarchy. Now, I stood a real chance of building my own harem. I was on cloud nine!

As I indulged myself, Queen Mylene suddenly popped out of nowhere. “Viscount Bartfort, might I have a word?”

“Your Majesty!”

She wore a grave expression, eyes full of sadness and unease.

Augh, stop. Don’t look at me like that.

The other girls read the atmosphere and slipped out of the room. I was left feeling like an adulterer who’d been caught red-handed.

“Uh, Y-Your Majesty, I can explain…”

“I understand.”

“Huh?”

Was she really being understanding about me getting carried away because some girls were fawning over me? That was awfully open-minded of her. She was too perfect.

“You were trying to distract yourself, weren’t you? We put you through a lot. I heard it was a brutal fight. It must have been so hard on you.”

Okay, maybe she completely misunderstood my motives, but she did understand the gravity of what I’d gone through.

I shrugged. “I’m no match for you. Although, you know, partly, I was just happy to have them dote on me like that. Definitely not an experience you get at the academy.”

“Yes, you are like any other man in that respect,” she said as she settled in the seat in front of me. “Do you remember? I told you I would reveal everything later.”

“Yes, before I went into battle. I’m guessing that time is now?”

She nodded, adjusting her posture as she looked directly into my eyes. “Can you accept everything I’m about to tell you, Viscount Bartfort? The truth is bitter and merciless.”

She did say something about this having to do with why the kingdom became the way it is. Does that mean there’s actually an explanation for this otome game’s twisted premise? I sat up a little straighter. “I’m not an innocent little boy. I’m ready to hear whatever you have to say.”

I would later regret how easily those words left my mouth.

“Very well. I’ll start by telling you about the events that led up to this conflict, and then how things have turned out in the aftermath.”