CHAPTER 20:

THE TWO QUEENS

Not long afterwards, the four of them began hearing rumours and the like about the other Cardinal Heroes. Motoyasu had been lauded for saving a village from famine using some sort of miracle seed he had found. He'd also become known for slaying a dragon at a village called Mirso, though Harry heard that Ren had initially taken on the job, only to refuse to finish the dragon. The rumours denounced his cowardice, but Harry had wondered whether there was more to it than that. And Itsuki had dropped off the map, but a vigilante using a bow had been mentioned in connection to many incidents, particularly the overthrow of a minor country on Melromarc's borders.

However, a couple of weeks after they began their mercantile venture, they received another call on the mirror. Thankfully, they had just gotten camp ready, and they gathered around the mirror when Harry answered it. But it wasn't Sadeena who awaited them on the other end.

The woman in the mirror could have been Malty's older sister by a matter of a few years at most, though her bearing was that of an older woman, and her hair was a dark purple. Not to mention that her manner was considerably more calm and elegant. Harry and Raphtalia had seen her portrait before in Melromarc's castle, but to see her live, as it were, was another matter. This was a woman of calm assurance and dangerous grace, like a predatory cat, beautiful but utterly lethal.

"Greetings, Shield Hero, Sir Harry Potter, was it?"

"Just Harry Potter," Harry said. He probably could be called 'sir' thanks to the Potter lordship, but he didn't really care. Only Dobby or Winky could call him that. "This is Raphtalia, this is Hermione, and that is Hedy."

"Ah, yes, your Filolial Queen. I would love to admire her some more, but time is of the essence. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Queen Mirelia Q Melromarc. And as you seem to already know, I am the rightful ruler of Melromarc, despite what my husband or my eldest daughter seem to believe. I imagine you feel considerable antipathy towards them, at the very least, to say nothing of distrust towards my own person."

Harry nodded. "I haven't met you, and I did not ask to be abducted and conscripted into this, even before your has-been of a husband backstabbed me. I trust you more than I trust either Aultcray or Malty, but that's because you haven't betrayed me, and I hope you never will. So, I want you to be as honest as possible in our dealings. No Machiavellian manipulative rubbish, I got enough of that from my mentor, for want of a better word, and I have no real interest in the politics of Melromarc or this world. I am here to save people from the Waves, and any other threat that may affect this world, not to play political games."

"Harry," Hermione hissed. "You could show her a little more respect."

"No, no, it's quite all right," Mirelia said, waving off the comment. "Honestly, I expected a lot more hostility, given the circumstances. I'm already dealing with enough here in Faubrey, especially thanks to my husband's egregious stupidity. I am trying desperately to prevent Siltvelt and Shieldfreeden from going to war against us for your treatment, as their militaries have not been as affected by the Waves as I believe my husband gambled. Though I fear it is not just my eldest daughter who coaxed him into following through with this plan, but the Three Heroes Church. I have suspicions that Balmus covets more power than he has already. He and I have been at loggerheads for years now. And my Shadows have brought me evidence suggesting that the Three Heroes Church was behind the assassination of Lord Seatto during the chaos of the Wave, and he was meant to be my viceroy during my absence. Most of my more trusted lords, those with a moderate or liberal attitude to demi-humans, have been marginalised and exiled, save for Lord van Reichnott, as he has too much power to do so…yet."

"You're being very forthright," Raphtalia said.

"Of course. Harry Potter asked me to be as honest as possible. While there are some things I need to keep to myself, I recognise that frankness for the most part would be better. Cards on the table, as it were," Mirelia said. "And truth be told, even if you were guilty of Lord Rabier's demise, Raphtalia, I would have pardoned you after enough of a hearing. But I wish to hear your side of the story first, as well as where this Hermione Granger came from. Please, elaborate…"


It took some time, but they related their story, albeit in abridged form. The Queen occasionally interrupted them with a question, before listening. They even brought up Naofumi and Kyo, albeit leaving out Naofumi's warning about the other world potentially attacking their own. Eventually, after she heard the whole thing, she nodded thoughtfully. "A dire situation all-round, not just for you, Harry Potter, but for Melromarc, and the rest of the world. While I will admit that Raphtalia's story of time-travel is somewhat far-fetched, you are either telling the truth, or are very skilled liars. However, when I do return, there may be only one means of proving your innocence, Raphtalia, though I doubt you would like it."

"…A slave-crest," Raphtalia said bitterly.

"Unfortunately, yes. A slave-crest can be set to activate whenever those under its influence lie, and is considered admissible evidence in a court of law in Melromarc, as it is almost entirely impossible to lie while branded with one. I understand that you would not want to have one, and I promise you, the moment such a hearing is over, I will have it promptly removed."

"Assuming Balmus will let you retake your throne. If he really is behind this, who's to say he won't try to kill you?" Harry asked. He didn't like that idea any more than Raphtalia did, but if it did exonerate her, then he hoped Raphtalia would agree…and that the Queen wouldn't renege on any agreement.

"I'll deal with that when the time comes, but if Balmus is behind this, then he is most certainly a threat to my person, more than I truly suspected. I wouldn't be surprised if he has allied with Malty, too. My eldest daughter is cunning, but she is a spoilt hedonist. I sent her to boarding school at Faubrey, but that didn't succeed in changing her behaviour for the better. All she truly excelled in was losing her maidenhead. I imagine Prince Takt of Faubrey was also a bad influence on her. He too is a hedonistic libertine. As much as his father disgusts me with his depravities, he at least has excellent political acumen. So, there is little I can do to support you, overly at least, until I return to Melromarc. My husband seems to be ignoring my letters, my support base has been eroded by his actions and Balmus', and my eldest daughter is free to drain the coffers and do as she wishes. However, I am having my Shadows perform some counter-propaganda, and your current work will help keep your image, if not pristine, then better than the trash your enemies spout."

"Joy," Harry snarked. "And how long will it take until you return to Melromarc?"

"I can't say," Mirelia said. "It may not be until well after the next Wave hits Melromarc, so well over a month unless I am very lucky. I am in the middle of very delicate negotiations, and I need to ensure I expose our enemies, for make no mistake, my enemies in Melromarc are your enemies. In addition, this news you gave to me, about this Vassal Weapon wielder from another world, Kyo…that concerns me. I do know a little of the legends of the Spirit Tortoise, so to think someone could be so stupid or malevolent to try and exploit its power…I will notify my Shadows to keep an eye out for this Kyo. That being said…I do have a favour to ask you."

"A favour?"

"Yes. I know it is much to ask of you, but Melty, my youngest daughter and my heir, is getting restless, and has heard something of the troubles home. I will be sending her home soon with a contingent of bodyguards, but should you meet her on your travels, I ask you to help look after her. You can trust Melty more than you can trust myself, let alone my husband and eldest daughter. And in truth, I do believe she would be interested in meeting your Filolial Queen. I know I am. She might even be able to persuade my husband to stand down and cease this vendetta, though I wouldn't hold your breath. He can be frightfully stubborn, and even his fondness for Melty may not override his desire for his petty feud."

"That's one way of putting it," Harry said.

"Rest assured, if I can bring the Three Heroes Church to heel, along with their noble adherents, I will do what I can to not only restore Lurolona, but to begin the process of outlawing slavery in Melromarc. Lord Rabier was one of the most powerful in the faction that opposed my reforms, and his demise ensured that the loss of Lord Seatto was balanced out. I will do what I can to ensure reparations are made too, to yourself and to Raphtalia. And finally…while I am not sure what you can do with the Spear Hero while he is under Malty's thumb, I would ask that you find a way to strengthen your alliance with the Sword and Bow Heroes."

"If I can, but I won't make promises I can't guarantee keeping. And are you sure you want to send your daughter to where Malty is? She might have designs on the throne herself," Harry said.

"I have faith in her protectors, but rest assured, if Malty does make any attempt on her younger sister's life, she will live exactly long enough to regret it," Mirelia said darkly. "In any case, I hope to discuss anything further with you later. It has been a long and tiring day, for all of us, I am sure, and I for one need a good meal and a relaxing bath. Hopefully, when we meet in person, it'll be under better circumstances…"


Speaking of good meals, Harry needed to start cooking dinner soon after Mirelia's call. He thought about the problems they faced. One of the big ones was crossing the borders to try and reach other countries. They could use Apparition, but he didn't know whether they had wards that would disrupt that.

And with Raphtalia accused of murdering Idol Rabier, leaving would only give Aultcray more ammunition to claim she was an agent of another country, something Raphtalia pointed out before in passing. And if they were brought back to Melromarc for a Wave, they risked being captured before they could head back to another country, with Harry's allies being potentially executed out of spite. Not to mention that if Aultcray was willing to risk a war to summon all four Cardinal Heroes to Melromarc, he could be willing to risk a war by invading a country to take him back by force.

It was a shitty situation all-round. All Harry could hope for was that Mirelia returned quickly enough that the Waves in other countries weren't as bad before he could move around freely. The reports about some giant Filolial stopping a Wave in Shieldfreeden gave him some small hope.

But as he began gathering utensils for dinner, Hedy frowned. "Umm…I smell blood. From close by."

"That is because, little one, I decided to join you for your meal, and it is only courteous to bring more food if one is an uninvited guest."

The voice, seemingly that of a young girl's, but something of a monotone, came from almost everywhere. Then, out of the dusk-dappled woods nearby emerged an extraordinary figure. A most extraordinary figure indeed.

It was a girl, maybe only a little older-looking than Hedy at most. Harry was reminded of pictures Raphtalia and her family showed of anime characters, with the girl resembling a pre-teen version of Rei Ayanami from Neon Genesis Evangelion and similar characters, albeit with lighter blue hair (complete with a trio of cowlicks poking out of her short mop like antennae) and pink eyes. She was dressed in an elaborate, frilly and regal dress that seemed completely at odds with her surroundings…or the rather large lump of meat she held in her hands.

Harry, however, was frowning. There was something about this girl that seemed vaguely familiar, apart from her resemblance to a number of anime characters known for their stoicism. And then, he realised that she had a pair of wings emerging from her back. Was she another Filolial Queen like Hedy? Or maybe some other kind of demi-human?

The girl handed him the lump of meat. "Would you kindly cook this as part of the meal? I assure you, it is perfectly edible for humans and demi-humans, and my kind have something of a large appetite, as I am sure you already know by now."

"Your kind?" Harry asked, before he realised what she meant by her words. "…You're a Filolial Queen, aren't you?"

"Not just A Filolial Queen," the girl said. "You may consider this hyperbole, but I am the Queen of All Filolials. My name is Fitoria. And now that I am here…" Her expression softened, and a faint smile touched her lips, and her eyes glistened slightly. "Yes…you smell a little like he used to. And not just of him, but of the Hallow that was both his boon and his burden. You really are Ignotus Peverell's progeny, aren't you?"

Harry blinked at her. "…Victoria?"

At this, the Filolial Queen looked embarrassed. "…I have not gone by that name for a very long time," she admitted. "But…I would like to know how you knew his name for me. And we have much to discuss. But I believe such conversations can wait until after dinner. A heavy meal helps one deal with heavy words, in my experience…"

CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Harry has talked with Mirelia, and now, Fitoria has entered the picture.

Review-answering time! I laid out my reasons for Harry not heading to other countries above. He's trying to be practical about matters, as much as it galls him. He's also understandably wary of Siltvelt, Zeltoble and Faubrey. Then again, we don't know how many Waves have hit other countries during Naofumi's time. In canon, Fitoria does say there were at least two (she says Waves, plural), but where did they hit, and how frequently?

In a later chapter, Fitoria accepts that Harry won't be able to sync with Dragon Hourglasses outside Melromarc for a time, though she urges him to do this as soon as possible once the situation with Aultcray and the Church has been resolved. And once that is done, Harry will prioritise Shieldfreeden, before going onto Zeltoble (partly to catch up with Sadeena, and potentially getting a hold of Atla and Fohl early), Faubrey, and then saving Siltvelt for last. The latter will be something of a statement, especially as he went for Shieldfreeden first. And if he ever has the misfortune to meet Jaralis, he'll know he made the right choice. From what I've read, Jaralis makes Aultcray seem like a wise ruler by comparison.

dragonc825: Honestly, I'm disappointed in how long it took me to realise that. As in, I only realised who you meant when I saw your review, and I am kicking myself, as I do have plans for Hermione that could potentially ensure she becomes (later) the wielder of the Vassal Book, but I never considered her becoming the wielder.

eragon95159: Are you talking about the fragment of Medea Pedith Machina? I'm going by the light novels, not the web novels, so Medea Pedith Machina does not exist, as the author said she won't be in the light novels. So no, no taking Medea's fragment from Malty.

Majerus: No, the Spirit Tortoise is NOT a reference to Stephen King or the Dark Tower AFAIK, though I wouldn't be surprised if King was drawing on the same mythology that The Rising of the Shield Hero did. World turtles are ubiquitous in mythology anyway.

No numbered annotations this time.