319 - Cute Celes, Beloved Lariel
Having been attacked by humans who had become beasts, I lined up the corpses along the side of the road.
I couldn't just leave them, so I decided to dispose of them by incineration. I couldn't investigate them in detail here. I didn't have the luxury of taking a detour.
Beside the soldiers digging holes, I called Shannon and Mei to confirm the state of the corpses. Every single one had its neck or torso severed, having died instantly in a single blow.
With a single strike from Novem, who had transformed their staff into a great scythe, these creatures—somewhere between beast and human—had been slaughtered.
Mei looked at the corpses and spoke.
"...I get a bad feeling. There's something off. I didn't feel any presence either, yet they were moving."
Mei, crossing their arms in thought, also seemed not to have noticed any presence. However, after looking at the corpses, Shannon covered her eyes with her palm.
"They weren't alive to begin with. Besides, it looks like they swelled up from the inside and became something else. It's a really nasty feeling."
Both Mei and Shannon said they felt something unpleasant. And Shannon claimed they hadn't been alive from the start.
I looked at the corpses of the beasts that could not return to their original form.
"They let them attack on purpose."
It might be a message from Celes. Not to me, who had begun the invasion. I had a vague feeling that this... was a message directed at Novem.
The panic Novem showed during the battle, and the total absence of their usual composure. For Novem, this might have a specific meaning—perhaps something akin to a declaration of war.
In fact.
"Novem, what do you think?"
Novem, who had been looking down at the corpses beside me, started and turned toward me. They didn't look as if they had been listening to Mei or Shannon's words.
"...Yes, I believe it is as Lariel-sama says. They likely didn't think they could take down this many of us. Therefore, we should consider that they let them attack on purpose."
I placed a hand on my chin and let my thoughts wander.
"Since it's something Celes is doing, I don't know how much meaning there is to it. It might just be a provocation or a whim."
That was Celes—doing things just because it's fun, even if there's no meaning to it.
It was also possible she had taken this action as a spiteful gesture toward us.
Just then, Eva returned from the forest with the dark elves wearing robes.
"Lariel, there was nothing strange in the surrounding area. Too nothing, actually. It's strange that with this many of them, there's no sign they were waiting. They might have just arrived here with perfect timing."
If they had been waiting in the forest, there would be at least some traces. A place where they rested. Considering the season, they would have needed to keep warm. Moreover, they would need food. And they would need to relieve themselves.
Hearing that there were no such traces, I looked toward Shannon and Mei.
"Maybe the 'not being alive' part is the reality. It seems Celes has stopped being human."
Only my bad premonitions were coming true, and at this rate, it might only be a matter of time before Celes is taken over by Agrissa.
If Agrissa's goal is a revival in the modern era, it will be quite troublesome. At the very least, they likely aren't weaker than Celes.
Furthermore, it seems she's dabbled in and completed a drug that turns humans into monsters. I felt as if she was showing off that she had completed it.
"...Burn them, then bury them. If we didn't need to hurry, I would have wanted to investigate more thoroughly."
I glanced at Novem.
It was Novem who had requested the incineration and burial. If Novem, who knew something, chose that, it was likely the correct way to handle it.
――The capital of Banseime, Central.
"Sigh, I'm somehow bored. It was fun when I had my father's grave made and buried tens of thousands of people alive as sacrifices."
Sitting on the throne in the audience chamber, Celes rested her elbow on the armrest and leaned her chin on her hand. She maintained a slothful attitude, but those lined up before her looked on in ecstasy.
For the time being, since she was bored, she had the heavyweights lined up in the audience chamber since morning, creating an atmosphere as if a ceremony were about to begin.
However, even going that far, Celes had grown bored.
"I thought I'd order whatever random things came to mind, but it's dull. I'm tired of knights killing each other, and torture isn't fun when the ones without the spirit to resist just welcome it."
Something that charmed people, close to the ability of—Septem.
Because of this, there were many humans who were fine with being killed by Celes. In fact, once torture began, they would eventually come to enjoy the pain.
As Celes's power grew stronger by the day, that tendency became even more pronounced. Even without her being conscious of it, those around her relied on Celes. They worshipped Celes.
But Celes didn't think for a moment about suppressing that ability.
From the orb of the staff she held, Agrissa's voice could be heard.
'You have already acquired the power of Septem to that extent. As expected, Celes is wonderful. Even I could not reach that level at your age.'
Celes answered Agrissa without caring that there were people around. To those around her, it was as if she were talking to herself, but no one found it strange.
If Celes was doing it, it was the right thing to do. Even if she took lives unreasonably, if Celes did it, it was justice to them.
"It's boring when you get too strong. That's why you came up with various things, right?"
Agrissa, known for their cruelty, chuckled. They didn't get angry even though Celes called them 'anta'. If it were anyone else, they would have been shown the hell of this world.
'Boredom is poison to me as well. Besides, I hate enduring. I begrudge the time spent waiting for the number of people to increase. However, I also hate doing things in small increments. ...Come to think of it.'
Agrissa, inside the orb, twisted that beautiful mouth. Despite being beautiful, the mouth widened eerily into a crescent moon, and they spoke while laughing.
'That time was fun. Cute Celes, your ancestor stood up against me. I don't know if the Novem of that time was supporting from the shadows or was the mastermind, but they defied me and challenged me to a fight. For the bored me, it was the best of times.'
However, contrary to Agrissa, Celes became displeased. A frown creased her brow, and she grit her teeth.
"That insect. That piece of trash... it makes me furious that a piece of garbage who is only liked by Novem dared to defy me. Even giving them every possible pain in this world wouldn't be enough. Kill them, kill them over and over, killing them forever wouldn't be enough. Just the fact that he's alive makes the air I breathe taste foul. Just his existence irritates me. Hey, when can I kill him?"
Agrissa laughed at Celes, who ended with an expressionless, detached tone.
'There is someone who can make you show that much emotion. It wouldn't be interesting to just kill him. I was also angry at him at first. But the first person to make me so conscious of them... cute Celes, it was your ancestor, Lariel.'
Hearing that, Celes swung her staff up and brought it down. The right armrest of the throne was blown away, and the stone of the floor shattered.
"...I'm conscious of him? Yes, I am. But I won't call it love or romance like you do. I feel nothing but disgust for him. How much pain it was for me that he existed."
Agrissa enjoyed seeing Celes's reaction.
'You haven't changed from the start. But that is what makes you so dear. Now, since the opportunity has come... the modern Lariel has challenged you to a fight. Why not prepare a welcome?'
Then, a hint of panic appeared on Celes's face.
"...Are you sure it's okay to provoke Novem? Until now, you've been telling me absolutely not to lay a hand on them."
Agrissa also became serious inside the orb.
'Ah, it's fine. It's like a matter of fate. Besides, the current Celes can sufficiently oppose Novem. There is no need to be humble as we were when we made that deal in the past. You hated it too, didn't you? Every time he came to the mansion, having to flee in fear. Even though I told you not to, you laid a hand on Lariel. You were afraid that Novem would find out.'
Provoked by Agrissa, Celes crushed the armrest with her left hand.
To those around her, it would only look as if Celes had suddenly become displeased.
"I was afraid? Don't make me laugh. I only did it because you told me to! I, afraid? Enough of this. Do you even understand your own position? Despite only being able to speak."
Agrissa grinned inside the orb.
'Don't be angry, cute Celes. Besides, didn't I say you could win now? Now, you can even beat Novem.'
Celes stood up and raised her voice.
"From this moment, prepare to intercept the rebel army at Central! And listen well, kill every last one of them. I'm going to sleep now."
Celes left the audience chamber, saying she was going to sleep despite it being morning. Rufus, the Crown Prince, followed behind her. Rufus, who had short, curly red hair, left the audience chamber with Celes and spoke while surrounded by guards.
"Celes, you haven't slept with me lately. We're husband and wife, please show me some affection too."
Looking at the pleading young man, Celes felt irritated. To Celes, Rufus was an unnecessary existence.
However, there was one point where Rufus had value. Not his position as Crown Prince. To the current Celes, the royal family and the throne meant nothing.
It was simply that Agrissa would become displeased. Celes, who was always teased and provoked, kept Rufus—and thus the Banseime Royal Family—because Agrissa hated them. That was why she hadn't laid a hand on the Banseime Royal Family. They were alive.
"Today I'm sleeping side-by-side with Father and Mother. If I'm in the mood tonight, I'll deal with you."
But Rufus persisted.
"Wait, Celes. I don't care who you sleep with. You are that wonderful a person. But I am your husband. Just a little. Just a little is fine..."
Seeing the fallen state of the Crown Prince who was once popular with the citizens, Celes's mood cleared slightly.
Conversely, Agrissa became displeased.
"True. Then, I'll consider it for a bit. Wait in anticipation for tonight."
As Celes began to walk, Rufus was overjoyed. He said he would start preparing right now and headed toward the bedroom.
Agrissa spoke to Celes.
'...Keeping a human of Banseime, huh. I believe I told you to stop.'
Hearing that voice, Celes smiled.
"There's no burden on my end if I'm just making him anticipate it. Besides, if you're that angry, maybe you actually like Rufus too?"
At Celes's retort, Agrissa laughed even while being displeased.
'Very well, cute Celes. You've certainly grown. But eventually—'
After merging with the main force, I was receiving a report from Baldoor.
In one of the rooms of the Mobile Fortress, I spoke with Baldoor while reading the report.
"Returning to the village might have been unnecessary. I apologize for increasing the burden due to my own selfish judgment."
To Baldoor, who was apologizing, I spoke flatly.
"If the Wolt family soldiers had ignored the defense and attacked from behind, our losses would have been great. It had meaning. Don't apologize."
However, I had also decided something in my heart.
"Though, I might not return there again. There are too many people for whom my mere presence becomes a burden."
As a practical matter, the Wolt family territory was unsuitable for ruling the continent. It would be possible to rule if it were developed, but it would take time.
Considering it on a continental scale, the location conditions were poor.
Baldoor also understood this.
"Will you use Central as your base from now on?"
Central certainly had everything. The Centras Royal Family, the unified continental state that existed before Banseime, had also made it their capital.
Having finished reading the report, I stretched.
"Honestly, I'm wondering about that too. Monica is saying something interesting, so I might adopt that plan."
"Monica-dono? She hasn't started saying something out of the blue again, has she?"
To the anxious Baldoor, I smiled.
"She told me that for my nation-building, I should just create a new capital. Well, it's not bad. Considering the post-war period, that seems faster than reconstruction."
I stood up and opened the room's window. Then, I saw a sight where many tents were prepared in the surroundings.
The allied forces were gathering one after another, and a force exceeding six hundred thousand was assembling.
Baldoor looked at me.
"A new capital. Indeed, that seems better. If the reports are true, there would be resistance to settling there."
According to the report from Launo, who had entered Darion, my prediction was correct. The one who revived the dead or was manipulating them was the current Celes.
Central had become a city of death.