Chapter 158 - Chapter 20: "Fire!"
Greetings! I am Violia Nico Fortesia!
But soon, I will be Queen Violia Nico Fortesia!
After all, the head and body of the hateful King have been parted forever! All that's left is to display this head in the square in front of the castle and declare the establishment of a new nation, and it's over!
...It has been a long road to get here.
But I did it.
I feel very deeply moved. I think I'll be able to have good dreams tonight.
"We did it..."
"Yeah."
"Hey, Doran. Don't you feel deeply moved as well? Your goal was to kill the royal family, wasn't it?"
When I turned to ask Doran, he had a rather complex expression.
"Yeah. Killing the royal family was one of my goals. ...But, if anything, it's from here on, I suppose."
"From here on?"
"Yeah. From here on. The royal family that labeled werewolves as 'evil' was 'evil' themselves. From here on... it will be the beginning of the first decent country for werewolves."
...That's right. Killing a hateful opponent and being done with it is... well, a bit irresponsible, I suppose. Just as I can't simply throw the country into chaos and be done with it, Doran also can't just kill the royal family and be done.
"Well, the future will be something to see. Since the royal family that made werewolves evil was judged evil and destroyed, this country will surely change greatly from here on. If we try to paint over and erase everything the previous royal family built up, werewolves will surely be able to live normal lives."
That's right. The previous royal family was 'evil'. That's how it's been decided. After all, history is made by the winner, and that's me!
...So, all the ideologies of the royal family will vanish. Unless I try to preserve them, they will all disappear.
I suppose that will be the final spite against the royal family. Yes. Thinking about it that way makes it a bit exciting.
"...I'm looking forward to the future. I'm counting on you, Queen."
"Oh my. It's still too early for that."
Well, if there's something to look forward to, Doran will be fine. If he had achieved his goal and had nothing else to do... what he would do after that would be to just drift away. Yes. Just like me, who had no intention of becoming a Queen.
Therefore... Doran will be fine. He can still move. His will to move hasn't vanished yet.
"Ah, man. I followed Doran and ended up in a crazy situation, didn't I?"
"To think a mere thug could actually become a high-ranking officer in the Revolutionary Army. Isn't your luck just too good?"
Now, next is Chesta.
He... well, due to misfortune, he ended up as this prosthetic-armed, thug-like drug addict, but he was supposed to be a good citizen originally, wasn't he?
So... no, it might be tactless to say too much. After all, he has no hesitation in killing people. He's already a full-fledged villain. It's too late to worry about various things.
"I wonder what I'm gonna do from now on..."
"Eh? You haven't decided?"
"Yeah. See, Doran's gonna do something anyway, right?"
What is 'something'? Does this guy even think with his head?
"It's not like I can just keep following him around... and doing thug stuff in Elsemarin is kind of late for that now..."
"In that case, why don't you go make golems at Rugel-sama's place?"
"No way. It doesn't suit me."
Ah, so he has that much self-awareness? Yes. I don't think it suits him either. ...It doesn't suit him, but I do think he'd be suited for it.
"Ah, Violia. Right. This is perfect. Hey, hire me at the castle? Soldier, handyman, whatever's fine."
"Yes, that's fine."
"Eh."
"Eh?"
Eh? Why are you surprised after asking? What is with this guy?
"...No, I said it, but... isn't that a bit... too thoughtless?"
"I don't want to be told I'm thoughtless by you..."
How rude. Rude. If I were Queen, I'd have handed down a sentence for lèse-majesté and made him prostrate himself.
"...I'm a drug addict, you know?"
"I suppose so."
"I'm a thug."
"And you have no education."
"No education... don't say it before I do."
Oh, pardon me.
"No... why? Is there any benefit to hiring someone like me? Is there any good in a Queen hiring someone like me?"
"That's right. Well, I just thought it would be more interesting to have someone like you around. Besides, you're an uneducated thug and a drug addict, but you don't seem to be completely incompetent."
"Interesting... no, is it okay to choose a castle soldier for a reason like that?"
It's somewhat rare to see Chesta with such a worried face. ...But don't misunderstand.
"Oh? When did I say I would hire you as a soldier?"
"Eh? There's no other job I could do besides being a soldier, right? You're not gonna say you'll hire me as a scholar, are you?"
"If I were to hire you for academic purposes, you'd be treated as a sample of a drug-addicted human, an experimental animal, or something on the side being researched..."
That would be interesting in its own way. Yes. ...If I were to think seriously, the prosthetic arm part would have more research value than the drug addict part.
"Then what is it. If it's not a soldier or a scholar... ah, a handyman?"
"Well, it might be something like that."
When I giggled, Chesta wanted to hear more, but it's still a secret. Yes. Look forward to it.
"It's over, isn't it?"
"Yes. Once it's over, it's quite abrupt."
Replying to Keeb, who came over after making sure Chesta was gone, I patted Keeb's head!
"...Why are you patting me?"
"Because you're cute."
It's troubling to be asked something so obvious. I pat you because you're cute. That's all!
"...Heh. So, you're patting me because I'm a favorite?"
"Well, you could say that. Especially since you were a big help this time."
"Thanks. ...Well, it doesn't feel bad."
Saying that, Keeb grinned. That face is also cute.
"By the way, Violia, are you really hiring Chesta?"
"Oh, you were listening?"
That means he must have been trying very hard to eavesdrop. He's a worrywart, isn't he? Truly. Have I never told him that I have no intention of letting him go?
"Don't worry, I have a place prepared for you too."
"Heh. Yay. Well, I wasn't worried. ...Because you like me, right?"
"You really are cute, aren't you! What should I do with you! Take this, take this"
Because he says such cute things, I ended up putting strength and spirit into the patting! I'll pat you! I'll pat you with all my heart and soul!
"...But, Violia, you're going far away, aren't you?"
"Eh?"
When I asked back while patting, Keeb said while rubbing his head against my hand to be patted more.
"Because you're the Queen. You're gonna be the most important person in this country, right?"
"Well, I suppose so."
An 'important person' feels a bit strange. ...Probably, there's a difference between the 'important person' Keeb imagines and the 'Queen' I imagine. A difference in perspective between someone who sees the inner workings and someone who doesn't, so to speak...
...But from the perspective of Keeb, who was originally a slave, a 'Queen' certainly is something that 'goes far away'. Surely.
"There's no need to worry. Even if I go far away, I'll take you with me."
So I say that, and Keeb probably won't be satisfied with just that... but saying more would be a bit dishonest. Yes. I won't say more. Even so, if he'll let me take him, I intend to take Keeb with me. ...Is that unfair?
"Violia-sama! Was I of help?!"
"Yes. You've become quite helpful now..."
Now, next is Lital. He also seems to have waited and waited until my talk with Keeb was over, so I must attend to him properly. After all, Lital is a very good boy. Except for the part where he got so big.
"So, Lital. How does it feel to have 'joined the winning side'?"
"...Well, yes. I suppose I should say it was indeed the right choice. My eyes were correct... no..."
Lital thought for a moment, then answered with a bashful smile.
"I'm glad I followed 'you'. Please let me say that."
"Oh my. You've become quite smooth with your words."
Truly, how should I put it, he's attached to me to a point that's a bit scary... I've really done something bad to him...
"Um, if it's alright, could you keep me by your side from now on? I'm not good with a sword, but I want to protect the new country as your knight."
"Yes... well, that's fine."
I have a bit of a guilty conscience too, you know? So I thought that since it's come to this, I should probably look after him properly until the end... Yes, I've really done something bad...
"By the way, Violia. Have you already decided on the words for your declaration?"
"Yes. To some extent."
"I see. Well, it's you. I'm sure you'll handle it flawlessly. I'm not particularly worried."
Now. While handling Lital appropriately, I'll talk with Onii-sama.
"...It's finally time."
"...Yes. But this isn't the end, it's the beginning. The beginning of the end, isn't it?"
This is the prologue to the hymn praising me. And surely, the end of the hymn will be concluded with destruction.
The beginning of a new country is also the beginning of the country's destruction.
...But I won't regret choosing this path. Never.
"I wonder if Father and Mother are watching from somewhere."
Suddenly, I let that slip.
The beginning of a daughter's destruction might be something to grieve from a parent's perspective... but I'm sure Father and Mother would support the path I've chosen.
"Hmm? What, I see. I hadn't told you."
...At that moment, Onii-sama grinned and...
"About Father and Mother, they'll be back soon. When they do, I'm sure they'll bring your birthday present."
Onii-sama said that.
"Eh? Father and Mother? What do you mean by that..."
"Yes, yes, yes, excuse me for a moment—"
At that point, a familiar, ominous voice spoke up. Yes. It's the skeleton whose role is always, always to bring me disappointing news. This time, he's the skeleton who interrupted my talk with Onii-sama.
"Giovan? Why are you here?"
"Well, I've hurried here for the sake of my dear young lady."
"...In other words, you came because you sensed the battle was over, didn't you?"
"Yep. That's it. I'd rather avoid anything painful. I came after the danger was gone."
Honestly... he's so good at sensing the atmosphere of battle. Yes. He's truly excellent as a non-combatant... In short, he's good at surviving!
"But aren't you glad I came? Say you're glad?"
"I'm so glad—"
"Not with that heartless tone, okay? ...Well, whatever. You'll definitely say it. After all, look."
What Giovan took out from his bag was... a dress and a cloak?
"Young lady. It'll be a bit bad if you go out like that. Your appearance is too stimulating."
"Oh."
That's right, if I look closely, the hem is in a terrible state, and there's blood splatter everywhere. Ohohoho.
"It's fine, just like that. There are plenty of people dressed like that, aren't there?"
"Blood aside... for me, I want the young lady to have a slightly more modest appearance. You're not a streetwalker from the back alleys."
Chesta's 'there are plenty of people' probably refers to that. Yes. The back alleys of Elsemarin. As expected, a drug addict has a different point of view...
"Besides, this is the appearance of the Queen. You should be somewhat clean. So I've come to offer this."
"Oh, thank you. But wouldn't it be too obvious if I changed and then went out?"
"I thought so, so I brought a dress that's as close as possible to the one you were originally wearing. Plus, it has processing to give it a moderate sense of battle."
...Oh, really. If I look closely, it's been given moderate damage processing. It looks like I've gone through a level of combat that was originally expected. In these matters, he's quite thoughtful, or how should I put it...
"How about it, young lady? Aren't you glad I'm here?"
"Yes, that's right. You're quite excellent."
"Well, thank you. ...So, does that mean I can continue to be of service?"
...Truly, he's so shrewd.
"Yes, that's right. I might consider it."
"Yay. Well then, when I'm heavily utilized, I'll serve you well. I'm the type to serve quite devotedly."
I don't care about that. Well, I won't allow any slacking... but I wasn't worried about that in the first place.
"Hey, hey, hey, what's going on, Giovan. What are you talking about?"
"Hmm? This has nothing to do with you, Chesta. It's a talk between me and the young lady."
"Hey, Violia. Does that mean the talk you had with me is the same as this one?"
"Wait a minute. Young lady. Why didn't you tell me something like that first, honestly. It's frustrating to be beaten by Chesta."
It's your fault for being late.
"...Well, whatever. Looking forward to working with you from now on, Queen."
"Yes, that's fine."
Giovan waved his hand and left, likely so I could change. Yes. I must change quickly and appear before the people.
The people are waiting for my appearance.
...And so, having finished changing in five minutes, I return to the square in front of the castle.
To declare the destruction of the evil royal family.
To declare the birth of a new nation.
...And!
"Evil has been destroyed! Now is the time to bury all the wicked past! The members of the royal family, and this evil castle, let us return everything to nothing!"
"Fire!"
To burn! The castle—!