Volume 5, Chapter 21 – The Demon-Possessed Queen?

Guided by the [Omniscient Map], Yisi and Mary quickly found their way to Andrea. However, the scene that greeted them was not a harmonious one.

“Don’t think you’ve won just because of this! For a queen to associate with a monster, if I just tear this scroll, you’ll all turn to dust!”

A group of noble girls with harsh faces was in a standoff with Andrea and Tiffany. Since the group was located far from the street, and shielded by flowerbeds and buildings, it was difficult for ordinary passersby to notice what was happening inside.

It was worth noting that although this group of noble girls was holding magic staves, they all looked exceptionally ragged. Some of them had their hair and bodies covered in slime, while others had clothes riddled with holes from burn marks. Andrea and Tiffany, who stood opposite them, were only two, but they were completely unscathed.

Tiffany frowned and shook the white divine staff in her hand.

“Scum nobles.”

“Hmph, this is your fault too. As a queen, you can’t even manage your own territory. You have no qualifications to be queen at all. You should step down sooner and let someone capable rule the country. I am merely giving you an early lesson on the real world, Your Majesty.”

“Go die.”

Chanting an incantation in a low voice, Tiffany’s staff conjured a golden orb. The orb then shot straight toward the group of girls. The leader was unable to dodge in time and was struck directly on the arm by the orb.

The clothes on her arm quickly caught fire.

“Eek! Quick, someone help me put out the fire!”

Seeing her companion attacked, the girl who had been holding the magic scroll revealed a ferocious expression and tore it open without hesitation.

“How dare a mere monster lay a hand on a noble! Repent for your actions!”

Immediately after, a large number of cyan arrows appeared in the sky. But the girl who tore the scroll seemed to have no experience using magic scrolls; the tips of the cyan arrows were aimed not only at Andrea and Tiffany, but also at the group of girls who had used the scroll themselves.

“Yuri, you didn’t control the magic’s direction!”

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“This is the second-tier magic [Wind Arrow Barrier]! Why did you use this spell!?”

“If we kill Her Majesty the Queen, we’ll all be executed!”

“Quick, run! The magic is about to activate!”

But before the group of girls could escape the spell’s range, the arrows formed from wind elements all shot toward the ground at once.

[Sacred Bulwark].

A high-tier magic capable of blocking high-level energy attacks and resisting some physical damage. A translucent golden shield composed of countless hexagons, with Yisi, who had teleported into the middle of the field, at its center, covered most of the area.

Without so much as a ripple, the cyan arrows quickly dissipated.

Without even looking at the female students who had fallen to the ground in fear, Yisi walked straight toward Andrea and Tiffany.

“Are you okay?”

Andrea was taken aback at first, then timidly averted her gaze.

“Lady Yisi? I’m… I’m fine…”

“Scum nobles. Punish.”

With a rare angry expression on her face, Tiffany pointed at the noble girls who had fallen on the ground in the distance as if they had just survived a disaster. She then made a throat-slitting gesture at Yisi.

Although they had just used a lethal second-tier magic spell, judging from the expressions on their faces, which suggested they had no idea things would turn out this way, Yisi decided to find out the reason first.

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“What happened?”

“Scum nobles. Provoked.”

“They started it?”

“Mm, bullying.”

Tiffany pointed at Andrea. The meaning was that these noble girls were bullying Andrea.

But Andrea was the Queen. She could execute them with a single command. What gave them the audacity to bully her?

The question fell on Andrea. As if she knew what Yisi was thinking, Andrea just lowered her head, not looking Yisi in the eye.

It was at this moment that the group of girls who had been bullying Andrea came to Yisi’s side, lifted the hems of their skirts, and curtsied in the noble fashion.

“Thank you for saving us, milady pureblood. We are—”

Before the girls could introduce themselves, Yisi aimed the palm of her hand at them.

“You should all know that this is the Queen of the Blood Clan, Andrea Fred Alvier, correct?”

The girls exchanged glances and finally nodded.

“…Yes.”

“I am the newly appointed Duchess of this country, and I have been entrusted by the captain of the Royal Guard, Boris, to protect Andrea’s safety. Using lethal magic against the Queen is equivalent to treason. I hope you can give me an explanation.”

“This…”

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Her greatest fear having been pointed out by Yisi, the lead girl’s shoulders trembled. She first shot a vicious glare at Andrea, then faced Yisi with a forced smile.

“The magic just now was an accident by my companion. We were actually trying to train Her Majesty the Queen’s courage… As you know, Her Majesty is possessed by a demon, and sometimes she becomes not herself. We were just trying to exorcise the demon possessing Her Majesty.”

She didn’t even dare to look Yisi in the eye; she was clearly lying.

“Save your excuses for Boris.”

“Lady Yisi!”

Just as Yisi was about to take these noble girls to Boris, Andrea called out to her.

Yisi turned her head. “Andrea?”

“Let them go…” Andrea’s golden eyes were filled with nothing but a plea.

“Why? They clearly used attack magic on you. This is enough to be convicted of treason. If you are pleading for them because you can’t bear to see them punished, this is an unnecessary kindness.”

But Yisi’s words did not make Andrea change her mind. On the contrary, Andrea tugged on a corner of Yisi’s sleeve and looked up at her with a pleading expression. Yisi had seen this kind of helpless look before. It was back at the Niru Church, on the faces of the girls who were used as blood slaves by Edith, when they were begging her for a mouthful of food.

If she continued to pressure Andrea, she would distance herself from her in the future. Yisi had a strong premonition of this.

Making a person become strong was not something that could be done overnight. Rushing it would only be counterproductive.

Yisi took a deep breath. “…Alright.” As if shooing away flies, she waved her hand at the pale-faced noble girls. “Leave this place.”

“Thank you so much!” Like rats scurrying away in panic, the noble girls quickly disappeared, leaving only Yisi, Mary, Tiffany, and Andrea in their place.

A deathly quiet atmosphere.

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Why did she let those people go? Did Andrea do something to wrong them? And why did those girls have the audacity to bully the Queen of the Blood Clan? And what was this about demon possession, about Andrea becoming not herself?

Although she wanted to ask right away, Andrea’s hunched shoulders and the eyes hidden by her pink hair already indicated that now was not the time for questions. Just as Yisi had strongly felt earlier, if she were to question her endlessly like a parent here, Andrea would only distance herself in the future. And if distancing herself wasn’t a big deal, then seeing how much Andrea trusted her and considered her as her only friend, she shouldn’t ask inappropriate questions at an inappropriate time.

Boris might know something. I’ll go ask him later.

Pushing the unpleasantness of what had just happened out of her mind, Yisi took the paper bag Mary was holding and shook it at Andrea.

“Your Majesty, if you look so down, everyone at the orphanage will be worried when they see you. Let’s just put what happened aside for now.”

“Eh?” Andrea’s head snapped up, her large golden eyes filled with surprise.

She was probably surprised that Yisi wasn’t questioning her. She was, after all, an adult who knew how to read the room. Naturally, she wouldn’t do things that would lower her favorability.

Yisi gave a wry smile. “What ‘eh’? Did you think I was going to criticize you, Andrea?”

“N-No, that’s not it… I just thought you would be like Boris and the other nobles, Lady Yisi…”

“Don’t worry. I’m always on your side, Andrea. I won’t do anything you don’t like.”

Although she couldn’t shelter this small girl, who was unsuited to be a queen yet had become one, from the wind and rain, Yisi hoped that she could at least become a stepping stone to support Andrea’s growth. She didn’t want to see a girl with such an innocent smile cry. That was probably her thought. Anyone with a kind heart would probably feel this way to some extent.

Of course, this didn’t mean she would spoil Andrea blindly. Yisi said, feigning indifference, “However, if you can, I do hope you will take the initiative to tell me some of your troubles. I’m a qualified listener, you know. I won’t tell your secrets.”

“I’ll… try my best…” Andrea said timidly, with very little confidence.

Under Mary’s worried gaze and Tiffany’s displeased one, the four of them headed to the orphanage.