Maydare Volume 3 Chapter 1 - The Assembling Kings (Part 2)

These chapters keep getting longer and longer

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“It’s no use talking about what already happened. Move on, you’re wasting our time.”

General Kanon spoke briefly in a cold voice.

Unbeknownst to anyone, I trembled at the sound of that man’s voice.

It seemed that he was a man who didn’t talk much, and that was precisely why both Bishop Eska and Professor Ulysses couldn’t ignore his words and had no choice but to resolve their conflict.

“...Tch.”

“Ahem. Excuse me.”

In this delicate atmosphere, Queen Shatoma asked us that question again.

“Makia O’Drielle. And Thor Bigreitz. I ask you this. What did you feel when you met the〈Blue Jester〉in person?”

Her voice was so pleasant that it gave me goosebumps, and it was difficult to read the emotions in her amber eyes. Her presence grabbed us head-on.

“May I have your permission to speak, Your Majesty?”

“Allowed, Thor Bigreitz.”

“Is the Blue Jester a magician of the Heavenly Empire after all? Or is he a demonic being that is not human?”

Thor’s question was sharp.

To sum it up, I guess he didn’t seem like a human to Thor. I felt the same way.

It was the blond soldier, Kanon Pachelbel, who answered that question.

“The Blue Jester. He is a great magician who often appears at the turning points of Maydare’s history and takes over the bodies of many people to influence the world. He is called this world’s ‘calamity.’ If you were to ask me whether he is human or not, I would say he is human, more or less.”

His low, dispassionate voice was the same as the one I heard when he had killed me.

A shiver of fear ran down my spine, and I shrank myself even more.

“What does that mean? Does the fact that he had appeared many times in this long history means that he has survived for a long time using the magic of taking over the bodies of others?”

Thor was the only one who wasn’t intimidated by the important people in the room and continued to ask questions about the things that bothered him.

“Wait, Thor Bigreitz. You are too clever for your own good. You are right to ask that question, but there is no end to the details we can go into about that creature. But the fact that it is on the move is troubling. You two are valuable witnesses who encountered them and survived. Answer our questions first.”

Queen Shatoma told Thor that to pacify him.

“Especially, Makia O’Drielle.”

She then went on to call on me.

“It seems that you have spoken with that Blue Jester. What did he tell you? And what did you answer him?”

“Ah…well…”

I gulped once, swallowing down my saliva. Calm down, calm down.

I steadied my breathing and answered without pretense.

“The〈Blue Jester〉called me the〈Scarlet Witch〉and asked me to come with him to the Heavenly Empire.”

“...”

“Of course, I refused…but…”

After I said those words, I felt like the atmosphere in the room had changed completely.

The countenances of Bishop Eska, General Kanon, and even Queen Shatoma changed, and they fell silent.

I had a bad feeling. I might have said something I shouldn’t have.

“I-I am indeed the descendant of the〈Scarlet Witch〉, but I am just an inexperienced student at Lune Ruschia Magic School. I am by no means an evil witch!”

“An evil witch?”

The reason why I emphasized that point was because I was suspected of being one by the Savior Airi not long ago. I was afraid that the people here might also be under the impression that I was an evil witch, like the〈Blue Jester〉.

“Fufu. By the way, you. You’ve got a rather pathetic look on your face. Your complexion is pale, and you look like you’re about to burst into tears. You don’t look like the spirited little girl who was at that soiree.”

“T-That’s…”

The queen seemed to have a different impression of me than when we first met. Perhaps because of this, I felt a tinge of suspicion in her gaze.”

I certainly didn’t feel like myself right now. I think I looked pale and shriveled up, like a frightened puppy.

But that was because there was a man in front of me with the same face as the one who killed me in my previous life.

“I’m sure she is nervous. Miss Makia is usually a cheerful and energetic student, but anyone would shrink in the presence of the princess.”

In the midst of this tense atmosphere, but Professor Ulysses covered for me.

Immediately after, there was the crisp sound of a fan closing, and the air in the room tensed again.

“Ulysses. I should remind you that the present me is not a ‘princess.’”

“Ah, please forgive me, Your Majesty. It was out of habit…”

“Oh, well. ‘Tis true that I prefer to be called Princess rather than Queen.”

Then she peered at the blond general next to her called out to him. “Oi, Kanon.”

The blond general crossed his arms silently with a sour look on his face.

Ignoring the queen so lightly. This man truly was no ordinary person…

“Keh. That black-hearted prince must have deliberately called Your Majesty that in order to get you to retort to him. He’s a disgusting guy with his ulterior motives in plain sight!”

“As usual, Mr. Eska, your unwavering faith in Vabilophos is shaken when you are in the presence of Her Majesty. Is it alright for a bishop to be that way?”

“S-Shut up! There’s a difference between faith and worship, you shitty black-hearted prince!”

Bishop Eska stood up forcefully, pointed his finger at Profesor Ulysses and ranted something incomprehensible. And then he cursed at him for a while and sat down in his chair with a bang.

“Anyways, let’s skip all this slow talk and confirm it quickly.”

Where was that petty laziness from earlier?

With a ruthless color alit in his eyes, Bishop Eska leaned forward and looked down at me and Thor.

“Whether or not these two had their bodies taken over by the〈Blue Jester〉.”

“...!?”

It was then that I finally understood the reason why we were summoned here.

The people here summoned us to see if we hadn’t had our bodies taken over like with Eugene Batiste.

That was how wary the foreign leaders were of that blue clown.

“Especially Makia O’Drielle. She’s clearly acting suspiciously, and even I can see she’s not her usual self.”

Bishop Eska pointed at me.

“T-That’s…”

What should I do? How could I explain to the rulers here that my body hadn’t been taken over?

“With all due respect,” it was at that moment that Thor spoke up next to me and stood up.

“If you suspect Miss Makia, you have nothing to worry about. Milady might be a little confused, but there is no doubt that it is her. I know that better than anyone.”

“...Thor.”

Thor sensed that I was being suspected more than anyone else and stood up for me.

“Oh ho. Then why is this girl acting so strangely?”

Queen Shatoma sounded like she was testing Thor.

However, Thor wasn’t intimidated by the queen.

“General Kanon Pachelbel.”

He quietly glared at the blond man sitting next to the queen.

“For some reason, Milady seems to be very afraid of you.”

…Thor, you…

Even though I didn’t tell you anything, you were aware of that, weren’t you?

I was amazed at his perception, but my chest couldn’t help but tighten.

“Fu. Ahahaha! I see. ‘Tis true that this man often makes children cry.”

Queen Shatoma kicked up her legs and laughed out loud. “That’s right,” Bishop Eska also burst into laughter, slapping his knee.

No, it’s not quite the same as being scared in that way.

General Kanon crossed his arms, still silent and his sour look not slipping.

“I should remind you, Thor Bigreitz, that you are also under suspicion, not only Makia O’Drielle.”

The queen laughed for a while and then told Thor again.

“If I’m wrong, prove it. Give me the literal devil’s proof.* You two are not the〈Blue Jester〉, are you?”

(TN: Devil's proof is a legal requirement to achieve an impossible proof.)

“...”

We were being tried.

Because at that time, we faced the evil presence of the Blue Jester.

But that was why there was something I knew.

“I can prove it.”

I, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

Everyone in the room paid no small amount of attention to me.

Just like Thor, I stood up and opened my mouth again.

“Please allow me to say this. If that blue clown takes over the body of a Guardian, the crest on their chest will disappear. Eugene Batiste lost his Guardian emblem because of this, and I was chosen as the fourth Guardian after a delay.”

“...Oh ho. Then, you are…”

I undid the buttons that closed my chest and exposed the crest that appeared just above my heart.

“The fact that I have the Guardian’s emblem here right now is proof that I am me.”

This wasn’t the place for feeling embarrassed.

If I can’t prove that to the people here, we would surely continue to be suspected.

That would definitely undermine our freedom and dignity.

Thor also followed my example, exposing his chest to show his crest.

Thor and I were, without a doubt, ourselves.

After a while, Professor Ulysses clapped his hands together.

“How about that? Do you still suspect them?”

He was smiling, but there was a sense of pride in his words and gaze.

Queen Shatoma gave Professor Ulysses a sideways glance, and then smiled.

“Very well. If the Guardians were taken over by that creature, it would be difficult to get the information that the ‘crest will disappear.’ Now, the〈‘Blue Jester〉will not be able to lay his hands on the Guardians.”

She hit her palm with the closed fan.

Then she looked down at me with a slightly different look than before.

“I apologize for all this trouble, Makia O’Drielle. And I see that you finally got into your stride.”

“...Eh?”

The queen was smiling like a young girl. I probably still looked blank.

“I apologize for suspecting you. The〈Blue Jester〉has been quite the trial to us. …Isn’t that right, Kanon?”

“Yes, Princess.”

I was shocked. General Kanon had given Queen Shatoma a proper answer.

And he called her “Princess,” not Queen. The queen didn’t correct him this time…

“Shatoma~~I wanted to see you~~!”

Suddenly, the door to the conference room opened and someone barged in.

“Eh!? Another Queen Shatoma…!?” 

I blurted out in shock, and then hurriedly covered my mouth.

The other Queen Shatoma was wearing a dress, which differentiated her from the queen in military uniform who was here, but her face looked exactly like her.

“Oi, Misty. This is an important meeting, don’t frolic here.”

“But I was so lonely, being left in this country all by myself~~”

The queen in the dress who broke in hugged the queen in the military uniform and rubbed her cheek against hers, like a spoiled child.

Both Thor and I were taken aback.

What was going on right now?

“You must be tired. Sever your link with me for the moment and return to the form you should be in——My spirit, Misty.”

When the Queen Shatoma in military uniform chanted that, the body of the Queen Shatoma who barged in was wrapped in light, and then scattered into flickering purple light, like petals caught in a whirlwind.

No, that wasn’t it. They were dark purple butterflies.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? That one is called Misty, the butterfly spirit. Her attribute is【Light】.”

Professor Ulysses was next to us, teaching us that just like a Spirit Magic professor would. He also seemed to be watching the beautiful performance of the light butterflies.

Most of the scattered butterflies were absorbed into Queen Shatoma’s body, but one remained to flutter at the end and assimilated into her hair ornament.

“Fufu, I surprised you, didn’t I? The spirits that I use are all insects. Misty is one of them, a spirit that can transform into me. Even so, she shares her consciousness with me at all times, and can exert the same influence as me even when I am far away. In other words, Misty is another me. She is my ‘avatar.’”

“A-Avatar…”

I heard a futuristic word that I don’t think I would be hearing in the Kingdom of Ruschia for some time.

“Makia. Misty was the one you met at that soiree, but the one talking to you was me using Misty as an intermediary. In short, it was me.”

“Is it that kind of magic?”

“Oh, yes. That is my magic——alter ego magic.”

——Alter ego magic. With this magic, using a spirit, you could create an alter ego that looked and sounded exactly like you.

Since Misty shared her consciousness and vision with Queen Shatoma herself, even though she was an alter ego, she was practically the person herself, able to communicate with her own words and make decisions based on her own will. She wasn’t just an alter ego.

I thought it was a little like the〈Blue Jester’s〉magic, but that clown’s magic was replacing others and using their power. On the other hand, Queen Shatoma’s magic was about increasing yourself.

She could exercise her influence anywhere, concurrently. As the ruler of a country, there was no magic that was more worth using.

How terrifying Her Majesty was.

Queen Shatoma opened her fan again, and as she held it to her mouth, she interwove a chill into the magical power that she was clad in. She looked down at us with eyes that were the same color as that magic.

“We are done here. Retire.”

The intimidating presence and the magical power of the people in this place were faintly in the air.

Great magicians——for some reason, those words came to mind right then.

People like us were like tiny ants in front of them. We had no choice but to be flicked out of this place as was ordered.

I left the palace’s main conference room with Thor.

All the tension left my body, and I leaned against a wall, feeling dizzy.

“Milady!”

Thor immediately supported me. He had already noticed that my body was getting cold and trembling.

What I had been continually enduring in that place seemed to almost spill out of me.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Thor.”

“Milady, what’s wrong? What are you apologizing for?”

“...”

“Ever since we were in the harbor, you haven’t been like yourself! You’re afraid of that man, General Kanon.”

Yes. Thor always knew.

The fact that I wasn’t acting normal, that I feared that man.

“That man…”

With my eyes wide open, I stared at a point in the middle of nowhere and clung to Thor’s arm. 

“That man killed me…!”

Not only me. Us.

If I said our names in our past lives, Oda Kazuha and Saitou Tooru.

Thor probably wouldn’t remember anything.

But we were indeed killed by that man——and now, we were reborn in this world. 

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