AN:
Hello, I know that it's been a really looong time since I have updated GSQ. I do apologize for that but I promised myself that I will finish this long fanfic. Please bear with me as it might take awhile. I already half forgotten about this and how I wanted the story to progress. I'm slowly getting it back on track.
As I reviewed my past additions to this fic, I started editing some of its contents. (primarily spelling and misuse of certain words and scenarios) I hope you like it. I will also insert image links for imagination purposes along the way. Since FF doesn't support placing images mid chapters.
Please use this link to view image references since FF doesn't allow mid chapter images. Please also be reminded that all the photos in the pinterest link are NOT mine. All the credits goes to their original owners because they made really amazing photos that I can use for inspiration.
The board contains images of how I imagine Branwen's looks, Her Clothes etc. I will be continuously updating this together with the fic.
/leiiiriuuki/god-save-our-queen-story-board/
Disclaimer: I do not own Kyou Kara Maou and any of its characters. This story is made solely because I can't get enough of Conrart and Yuuri.
Conrart's POV
Julia, I'm a lucky man.
When I lost you, I once hated everything about this world, blamed everything. I hated myself, I blamed myself. I took my survival as a sign of sin and guilt, panting in despair.
Never again in my life will there be something worth risking my life to protect- I, a Mazoku cursed with longevity. But, it's different now.
Back then, I just wanted to take away all the sin and pain from that soul of yours that went ahead of me. If there is a so-called heaven, I'm sure that's where your heart went.
Nevertheless, if you once again graced one corner of this world, I pray that your life is a happy one. One in which you won't ever again meet a man like me, and lose your life over it.
Julia.
I'm still living in this world.
I can't forget about you, but, I've found something worth protecting again.
Earth
"MOOOOM! We have to get a new violin before my time comes!"
I yelled to my mom who's not yet finished preparing. It's a wonder to me why she had to dress up. It's only the first part where all the picked students will do a recital so that the teacher will be able to pick who they are going to send to compete to different schools.
"Opps I almost forgot" the blue pendant that he gave me. I placed it on my neck and utter the words "For good luck"
Today is the day of my recital and to make it worse, I lost my violin well not entirely since I know where it is but not "here"! Mom said that I can still make it if we buy a new one. So mom drove me to the music store that supplied me with my "missing" violin. They said that every violin is different, especially if it was made by a different maker. That's why ever since I was young, we always get from this certain shop. I felt all of the violin and when I finally got the one that felt right, we hurried to the recital venue. The venue was packed with all the music students and teachers. The recital had 2 parts and my solo was moved to the last of the first half. One more performance and it'll be my turn. My heart skipped just a bit with the thought of not making it.
I went backstage to wait for my turn…
"The next performer, Shibuya Yuuri." the host announced
Okay that's my queue! I went up the stage and played Canon D-major.
After my performance, Ken appeared backstage holding a bouquet of flowers. "Splendid as always Branwen!" He smiled and gave me the flowers. Mom is also there and is overreacting by crying and telling me how awesome the performance was. Even though it was just a small recital.
"Thank you Ken even if this is only a tiny recital and mom please stop crying already."
"Ohh don't sweat it Branwen! Come on! We'll be going ahead, aunt Shibuya!" My mom nodded and told us to enjoy the day. Ken then pulled my wrist and led me to the taxi stand.
"Where are we going?" I asked, puzzled about his actions.
"Just follow me! I know you're gonna love it to where we are going"
The cab stopped in a field. A baseball field?
"Ken! What are we doing here?"
"I know how much you love baseball Branwen, even if you don't say it. You love a lot of things but I know baseball is one of the best. Iko ka? Let's play together again! I will be your manager." He said beaming with glee.
Astounded with everything. I thought yeah, I really can't shake it off, my love for baseball. Ever since I was young papa always played with me and took me to professional games. I eyed Ken with bright eyes, I was happy. He tossed a bag towards me motioning for me to change.
"How?"
"I already asked aunty and she was the one who prepared those for you!"
I skipped to the bathroom to change.
I guess I couldn't get over it after all, Ken knows me too well; and ended up founding an association of baseball lovers. Every Sunday is going to be hectic from now on. Thankfully, the schedule of the recital is in the morning so I can squeeze time for baseball in the afternoon. I'm so happy!
Few Sundays passed as I was juggling between the recital and baseball. I finally got my break! The recital is finally over. Now I can focus more on baseball and since the recital schedules are done, the baseball schedule was also moved up in the morning.
I looked at myself in the mirror and stretched as I finished buttoning my baseball uniform. The blue necklace caught my attention.
"I wonder what he will say if he finds out that I have started playing again. Even though it's only a glass-lot" I can't get that warm smile off my mind. It made me smile as well.
Ohh! Look at the time! Ken's gonna be here any minute now. I headed downstairs to grab breakfast. When I got to the dining table and saw mom looking at me inquiringly.
"Uhh Good morning mom! What's up? Where's dad?" I know that she has something on her mind and it's better to ask and talk about it rather than her giving me that kind of look all day.
"Good morning Yuu-chan! Your dad is entertaining his clients with golf. And your brother is still asleep. He partied till late at night yesterday."
"Ohh I'm jealous about how college students are so carefree"
" I also have something to talk to you about Yuu-chan. You know that as much as possible I don't complain about your preference and other hobbies now that you are a teen. But I don't think wearing something like this is appropriate for a teenage girl like you" She held out the undies (g-strings and more strings for the chest) I wore when I was in Shin Makoku.
"Ohh no! Where did you get that mom? I was trying to hide it! Anyway, I don't have these kinds of preferences mom. It just happened. Please don't ask me about these things anymore."I half snatched it away from her. It's not that I have those preferences but I can't really complain, you know.
Ding ding~~~~ Save by the bell! Ken is here already! Thank goodness. It saved me from having to explain anything to mom. (no hard feelings mom, but I can't just say that it's standard underwear from another world. Especially demon world)
I ran outside and greeted Ken! Without looking back at the house, I grabbed his wrist and ran towards our bikes.
"Yo! Branwen! What's the rush? I wanted to say hi to aunty!"
"Not today Ken! We might be late! Let's go!"
Our goal: to be the number one grass-lot baseball team in Japan; our rallying cry: "maltz and handshakes at the Tokyo Dome!"
We started playing when we got to the field and after a few sets in the game the practice ended we took a break and went to the public bath together. Although the bath house is separated by a wall for female and male usage, the wall is quite thin which allowed Ken and I to talk without any difficulties. I narrated to Ken what transpired the other day. There was a TV reporter outside the court last time and he was waiting for me for some questions.
"So this cable TV reporter points his mike at me and asks: 'Why did you start playing baseball again after having already given it up?'"
I slap the Kerorin bucket: kapoon! and raise my voice to make sure I can be heard beyond the wall. "Aaah, this is heaven! And you know what he said at the end?—'Thank you very much. This was the captain of the Dandelions, Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi-san!' Can you believe it? Okay, so it was cable, but he was still a TV reporter! I was so nervous, I had no idea if I could say any of that stuff on national television! Hey Murata Ken, are you listening?"
Kapoon.
"I've never watched cable TV except at the neighbor's."
"Yeah, but—!"
Ken yells back over the sound of the water, "That's pretty nice though—Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi! Sounds like the name of a comedy duo, doesn't it?"
"Like Ucchan Nanchan?"
"Yeah, or the All-Hanshin Giant."
"Uwagh, stop that, geez! You think putting me with the Giants and Hanshin would make me happy?! I'm Pa League through and through—I've been in the Pacific since I was born."
"Yeah, and you're the one who said you wanted to show me the joy of the burning Pa. So why're you still taking your sweet time pickling yourself in the bath? Are we really going to make it for the 13:00 start? Nevermind whether you're Miyagawa Daisuke Hanako or Seto Tenya Wanya or Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi already."
"...Ken, how old are you again?"
Yup, my name's Shibuya Yuuri. Not the 'Yuuri' for 'fertile country' or 'gentle pear tree' or 'enduring lapis lazuli'—no, it had to be 'profitable'. I can't tell you how many problems I've had in my fifteen years of existence just because of this name.
I resented my parents for it for a long time, wondering if my dad, who's a banker, was so obsessed with interest rates that he even named his son after them. Then I finally found out that the one who gave me my name was actually a young man who shared a taxi with my mom just before she gave birth to me...though it was still my dad who chose those particular characters. I am happy with my name now. It means July.
Just a couple of weeks ago, Ken and I were in our usual spot. Then right after that it was through a drainage to another world: GO! I got caught up in all these things that you'd totally think couldn't happen outside of a dream, and learned the shocking truth about my birth.
I'm a feudal lord at the proud age of fifteen.
A queen, even. And not just any common queen. I mean, I probably lost out a bit to world record holder Manager Ou of the Daiei Hawks, but my title is pretty amazing too. I might be just a senior in high school, but...
I'm the Demon Queen.
I was suddenly summoned to another world, mobbed by transcendently gorgeous beauties, told me 'starting from today you're the Demon Queen'—anyone would think it was a dream. I thought so too. But when I opened my eyes, a charm that I'd been given in that world was still hanging around my neck.
I grip the stone that I've worn constantly around my neck since then. It's the size of a 500-yen coin, a magic stone of a hue deeper than the blue of the sky: a lion's blue in a silver setting pleading for the case that it hadn't all been a dream.
I was born with the soul of the Maou, and I made a promise to protect that world.
I promised.
"Branwen! Bran-wen, we should be making the transfer at Tokorozawa right now."
"I told you, we'll be fine! If we don't stop at the convenience store, we'll have plenty of time to get to a day game this early in the summer. Let me soak in for a bit."
"Well I'm done branwen. I'm going to wait outside, so hurry up a bit."
"All right, all right already."
He's a disgrace to the Japanese race if he doesn't understand the wonders of the public bath. I'll get out after counting to a hundred. I sink into the tub to my nose. The water flows gently in front of me: left to right, slowly, slowly.
Hmm? Why is the public bathhouse bathwater flowing in a fixed direction?
I fearfully turn to my right against the alarms going off in my head. The wall's on that side: light blue square tiles with white joints, laid out in an orderly pattern, Kyoto-style. In the middle of it is a fist-sized black disc.
"...Black disc...black hole?!"
That's where the water's going. The hot bathwater, now clearly moving much faster than a few seconds ago, is being steadily sucked inside.
I hurriedly stand up to tell someone, forgetting even to cover my body. Since it's the middle of the day, the lady's bath is empty of children, adults, and elderly—it's like the place was reserved just for me.
"Hey, heeey, Ken! Can you call—can you call somebody from the bathhouse?!"
I stand up and crouch down again in senseless repetition, thinking: no, wait, I can't ask someone for something like this.
"Ken!, where'd you go? Are you still there?! Ken! Just call someone! There's a hole in the bathtub, and all the hot water is running out!"
Nobody's coming.
My gaze abruptly falls on the hole again. It's now bigger than a heart. Oh God, what should I do? Please show me the right path. Or maybe it's bad form for the Maou to ask God for advice? Okay then, this is from the bottom of my Japanese heart: please let your power be manifest from the sacred mountain of Fuji —I turn to look at the huge mural at my back.
A smiling Hakone Hachiri no Hanjirou in his travelling outfit: doesn't look like he'll grant any request of mine.
"Dammit, the things they put on bathhouse murals nowadays...! I'm soooo sorry, the hot water ran out and soaked into the building foundations or building substructure and rotted through and that's why the entire place crumbled, and it's so terrible—!
Okay, I'm scaring myself. For now I've gotta stop the water from flowing out. Think think! I look for something to stuff into the hole, but there's nothing but buckets and chairs lying about. I hit on soap, but I only have a bottle of body shampoo.
What should I do? Should I thrust myself into it?
"Argh, geez, I'm not gonna die or anything...huh?!"
When I boldly stick my right hand inside, the impact breaks the tiles, and the hole grows almost twice as big. Does this mean I'm now the 'culprit'?! I hurriedly pushed my left hand in too. Rather than sealing the leakage, the flow of water gains strength so rapidly that now my body's almost starting to move too. The vacuum-ish hole is so powerful that I feel like it's about to suck me in. There's no way my average high school female student's body is going to be washed down the...
But haven't I been sucked down the drain once before?
This again?!
I'm pulled into the hole in the tiles by the arms. No, that's just impossible, physically impossible, biologically impossible, and impossible on a global scale too. No matter how much I contort myself Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco-style, it's totally impossible!
As I expected, it's the same Star Tours as last time.
FLASHBACK!-
I remembered my conversation with Sho when I was little.
"Hey, Nii-chan."
"What is it, little sister?"
"What happens to a person's body when they "warp"?"
"Huh?!"
"I mean, we'll eventually build amazing spaceships and go to other planets, right?"
"Like the models you see in Star Wars or Star Trek or Red Dwarf. So we have to train our bodies, because it'd be really embarrassing if we threw up in the middle of a warp, right?"
"?Are you stupid?! Stop obsessing over these fantasies. If you've got the free time to think about stuff like that, why don't you use it to memorize a few English words? This is why your grades are so bad!"
"Hey!It's not so bad and I'm studying with dad!" I retorted. Hmp! Me and my brother really can't get along well.
"Just last week at the station Mototan Okamura saw us, and he was joking, 'I couldn't believe that was really your little sister!' Space travel isn't going to become a reality in our lifetime, so there's no use worrying about it! And no need to train for warping either!"
That's what he told me, but I should've trained after all.
Shin Makoku
Yuuri's POV
I open my eyes to somewhere obviously different than where I was, but all the panic's gone out of me.
'Cause I've just been summoned again, haven't I.
This isn't the first time that I've been washed away to another world, and I'm rather happier for it not being from the public lavatory again. There are oodles of stories about the main character of a story getting lost in a sword-and-magic world and becoming a hero. Mine is a bit different, since my character profile happens to have 'Maou' for a job description.
I landed face-up, and I wriggled around like a jellyfish. My vision is still foggy and completely gray. My back is slightly warm, but my chest and stomach are somewhat chilled. Though I know I thrust my arms into the hole in the bathtub earlier, I can touch my hands together just by poking out my index fingers. What is this, ninja arts? That childish prank where you poke people in the behind?
What kind of hole was I trying to plug up again...?
The gray is a high ceiling, and when I slowly look around at my surroundings, I can see palm trees in an artificial jungle. It looks like Summerland from the kindergarten in my neighborhood I went to when I was a kid. I've apparently been floating unconscious in a heated swimming pool.
When I cautiously try to stand up, I can feel my feet solidly touching the bottom. The water comes up a little above my belly button, like in a pool made for children. There are several people in a huddle some distance away. Maybe they're afraid of my hair color? Only the Mazoku have black eyes and hair in this world, and even then very rarely, so most Humans fear it as a bad omen.
Or rather, something more sinister than a bad omen. Or rather, something more evil than sinister.
Sadly, racial discrimination is pretty bad here, and Mazoku and Humans are violently hostile towards each other. Humans fear Mazoku and attack them, while Mazoku hate Humans and scorn them. Though I swore to become the queen so I can improve this situation, even if just a little bit.
I can see silhouettes of women.
"Um, it's all right. See, I'm not going to burn anything."
No matter how fired up I am with my ideals as a queen, I'm a bit lacking in persuasive power naked in a pool.
"And I'm not an exhibitionist or anything either."
I can't really tell because they're submerged up to their shoulders, but I'm guessing from their shyness and bearing that they're female. The orange-haired lady at the front of the five, six-person group asks in a jazzy, husky voice, "...Your Majesty?"
"Huh? Men?!"
I immediately went down to cover my exposed body. This is a MEN's Bath?!
Only the Mazoku would call me "Your Majesty" at first sight of my Japanese-born black hair. Which means they're Mazoku, and this is somewhere in Shinma Kingdom. Last time I fell outside the border, and a group of Human villagers threw rocks and pointed spades and hoes at me—it was a really disastrous welcome event.
"All right! I landed in an ordinary place this time! But...um, if somebody can lend me a towel, I promise to return it. And if you can all close your eyes, I'll take my leave...huh?!"
"Your Majestyyyyy!" a blonde with unusually wide shoulders yells in a throaty voice, standing.
It's not just me—they're all naked, too. OHH NOOO! I immediately turned around and closed my eyes! OHH DEAR GOD! WHYY?! Of all places a MEN"S BATH!
"Your Majestyyyy! She's the real thing! She's soooo cuuuute!"
They come rushing over, accompanied by loud splashes.
"NOOOO! Don't come near meee!"
I curled, my knees on my chest. This is an awkward situation for me. The blonde beauty wants to hold my hand dreamily. But I struggled to not do so because it will expose my bare figure.
None of them have chests. Well, yes, they have firm bulges where breasts should be. Except those are more like pectoral muscles than breasts. I can't stand this. I can't look anywhere and I have to get far from them too. Thanks for the mist that's here I hope they don't see a thing. I'm thankful for the orange head for somewhat controlling the emotions of his peers and persuading them to keep a bit distance from me.
"PLEASE LET DON'T LOOK at me and someone please hand me a towel! This is so embarrassing." I can only submerge till the water is lined with my nose.
"Your Majesty, welcome ba...aaaah!"
The door opens.
A familiar voice reaches me in this other world I've been brought back to, a world that's just wrong in pretty much every way. The two-person faction trying with all its might to make Shibuya Yuuri a fully qualified Maou comes running over in a real hurry. They look like idols passing through the audience on their way to the stage.
Except the Earth-manufactured hunks can't hold a candle to them when it comes to looks. They're so good-looking that you can almost see flower petals floating in their wake.
The long gray hair of my tutor, Lord Günter von Kleist, is disheveled, and his lilac eyes look like they're about to overflow, spoiling his transcendent beauty. On the other hand, Lord Weller looks like he's trying to resist an indiscreet grin and gamely has his actor's face on. Stop that, Conrart—the situation is really uncomfortable and embarrassing.
"Hurry up and save me...gurgle...aaah...cough...!" I forgot that my face is half submerged into the water.
"Your Majesty, are you all right? All of you turn your back now! Do you have any idea who this is?!"
This isn't Mito Koumon. Not caring that his clothes (pearl white in cell phone terms) are getting wet, Günter forces his way through the group huddling them to keep them away. I should've left my seal of state with him or something.
"...Is that Lord Günter?"
Their expressions change.
"Wh-why are you looking at me like that?" My tutor is suddenly nailed by their stares.
"Kyaah! Her Majesty is adorable, but Lord Günter is so dreamy! That's the first beauty of Shinma Kingdom for you—he's even more beautiful when he's wet!"
"Gyaaaaaaah!" The beasts attack the beauty with cries that are more bellows than melodic invitations.
Geez, beauty is a sin.
"Here we go, rescue complete." I looked up to see Conrart a blush formed in my face knowing that he might see my naked body. But as Conrart approached he shut his eyes, held out his had to help me stand. I don't know how he knows where I am with his closed eyes. He opened a what looks like a hotel bathrobe and waited for me to slip on it. Only then did he open his eyes.
"Welcome back, Your Majesty," my precious baseball buddy says in that refreshing way I remember.
"...Thanks, Conrart. And since you are the guy who named me, stop being so formal. I don't want to be called 'Your Majesty' by you."
"Ah, right."
He's also the first-rate chap who took my soul to Earth and offered my mom a ride as she was standing on a Boston street corner in her last month of pregnancy. That's why Lord Conrart Weller was the one who gave me my name in America before he returned here. The girls in my class would go green with envy if they knew my name came from such a cool young man. But though he may look like he's around twenty, he's actually older than my granddad. In this world, those who possess Mazoku blood are really long-lived—and even worse, are certified beauties to boot. Conrad's on the plainer side since he's half Human, but all the other aristocrats are so beautiful it's scary. Even if they're not all on Günter's level, there are still droves and droves of people who're superhumanly beautiful. Luckily I'm not really a fan of beautiful men. I'd rather have a simple man with a really amazing personality! Like_ I shouldn't be thinking about that. Scratch scratch…..
Well, okay, so they're not Human. It really irks my inferiority complex because I'm always, thumb-gnawingly worried about whether I can really be the Maou.
"How is your world? Is your mother doing well? Oh, and—" Conrart adds, his silver-flecked hazel eyes narrowed impishly, "How're the Red Sox doing right now?"
"I haven't looked at the rankings this season."
I grin back at him. This is our common passion. Conrart, who caught the baseball bug in Boston, even has a ball signed by a Major Leaguer. The population of baseball players in Shinma Kingdom right now is a grand total of two—in other words, me and him.
"But you know, this year Nomo...achoo!"
"Gesundheit. Are you all right, Yuuri? Please bear with my jacket for the time being. Günter will put me through the wringer if you catch a cold." He unbuttoned his brown jacket and held it out to me. He led me to the corner of the room with line up shelves as a cover for me to dry up and change into it. His back facing me. It looks like a long-sleeved formal dress to me. The hem of his jacket reached up just before my knees.
"I'm fine, just got some water up my nose. Speaking of which, what happened to Günter?"
"He's being crushed by the men in the heated pool." Hahaha!
"Con-Conrart, stop laughing, help me...!" I can hear Günter's shout and protest while the other men says:
"Nooo, please don't run away, Lord Günter!"
Actually, that sounded more like a 'you're not getting away!' This is the first time ever that I've been grateful for his beauty.
"Okay I don't want to see nor hear that anymore." I looked at Conrart now just wearing a plain white long sleeved shirt with open buttons just before the collars showing some of his collar bones. I mentioned for us to go to the door and leave.
"Thank you, Günter, for sacrificing yourself for my sake. I'll never forget you."
"Your Majesty?! Please wait, Your Majesty! I'm not dead yet, I'm not—!"
Around a month ago Japan time, I came to stay at the Blood Pledge Castle in this country's capital.
"This place feels kinda different."
"That's quite true, Your Majesty. We are in the eastern region of the kingdom founded by the great Shinou and the powerful, wise, and courageous Mazoku who—ah, it must not be forgotten are said to be the origin of everything in the world—defeated the Soushu and his army to their eternal glory..." Günter sings with his eyes closed, enraptured, exactly like a tenor in an opera. He's even got upward-pointing fingers.
Though that might have sounded like the national anthem, it's actually the country's name. I daringly abbreviate it Shinma Kingdom.
"...and this is Voltaire Castle." he added.
"Voltaire! Which means this is Gwendal's castle?!"
"Oh, you have guessed it already! Your Majesty's sagacity astounds me constantly."
The room to which I'm taken is as spacious as the event hall of a first-class hotel. Swords and shields hang on the walls, and medieval-style suits of armor stand in the four corners.
The master of this castle, Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, is nowhere to be seen. Only the three of us are standing at the fireplace: me in my fresh change of clothes made in the style of a Japanese recital uniform, Conrad leaning against the wall with his long legs crossed, and Günter smiling so hugely his eyes are narrow slits. It's the third month of spring in the Shinma Kingdom calendar, but after sundown the fire still feels wonderful.
"Aah, Your Majesty, you seem in good health, and that is more important than anything else. When you suddenly disappeared from before our very eyes, my sorrow was such that I wept for ten days."
Behind him, Conrad mouths 'It's true.'
"Sorry 'bout that. But I want to be a member of my family before being a Maou."
"What fine words!"
There's still a huge kiss mark on Günter's cheek. Regardless of who left it there, there's such a thing as being a little too popular.
"Then you must think of your kingdom all the more. Now that you have ascended the throne, all the people of this country are your children."
"That's a lot of kids for somebody who's only fifteen!"
"Yes. Now, Your Majesty, please sign these documents. This is a report of the spring tax from the lands under your direct control, and this gives approval to those districts which have requested fortification of their riverbanks for the rainy season. If I may be so bold, I believe from the reports of the officials in charge that these figures are indeed correct."
You understand this a lot better than I do, don't you. Huh, I guess this is what statecraft is all about. The staff is smarter than the guy at the top.
"So I sign here, right?...sign...agh, that makes me kinda nervous. When I was a kid I thought only baseball players were asked to sign stuff."
Up until the summer I was twelve, when I learned that anybody who uses a credit card to buy something will be asked to sign for it.
My signature sends Günter into eulogy mode again.
"Magnificent! Look at these elegant lines, their soul-stirring combination! I have never before seen such a tour de force of calligraphy. And of such complexity as to foil all imitation, no matter how dexterous the imitator!"
"Now then, This is something of great import which requires a decision from Your Majesty." Günter says, suddenly serious. I'm getting a bad feeling here. When a teacher looks at me like that, it usually means T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
He glides close to where I am seated and my heartbeat picks up a notch because of his beauty.
"There is unrest among the Humans, such that we may cross swords before long. In any case, they appear to be preparing for battle."
"Battle...as in, war?! Didn't I say that I will absolutely not go to war?! I don't care what they're preparing, no war means no war. Did I not decide when I became the queen of this country that we would not go to war?!"
That's right, I became the Maou so that the Mazoku could coexist peacefully with Humans. It's wrong for people to fight each other just because they're from different races. War is absolutely not the right choice: if this world has no one to chant that axiom, then I am determined to become the first. I may have the soul of the Maou, but I was still born and raised Japanese, and that was what I was taught in the other world.
"But Your Majesty, if we do not take the offensive, what happens when they bring war to us? To simply roll over and surrender is not something this kingdom will ever..."
"Still! At least for now war is out of the question! And I'm not signing any documents declaring war! Ack, you didn't have me sign anything like that earlier, did you?! And what does "unrest" mean, anyway? How am I supposed to know anything if you don't give me any concrete information?"
"The gathering of magicians, no expenses spared. When Humans quarrel with us, magic-users are essential," an absolutely unrivaled deep bass voice answers from behind me.
An angel and a demon are standing in the open doorway: the master of this castle, Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, making his entrance to the Love Theme from The Godfather, and a Vienna Boy Choir OB-style pretty boy, Lord Wolfram von Bielefelt.
Brothers who are nothing like each other really do exist.
Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, oldest son of the previous Maou, with his ash-gray hair so dark that it might almost be called black and sullen blue eyes that not even the most beautiful woman can coax into good humor, totally looks like the best choice for the position of Maou. His voice is so low it sounds like it comes from his hips. Lord Wolfram von Bielefelt, on the other hand, is my twin in stature and physique, but angelically handsome. If you didn't know he was Mazoku, you'd think he was God's greatest masterpiece. Glittering gold hair, white skin, long eyelashes, and emerald-green eyes. But that damn arrogance of his makes him sound like a yapping Pomeranian.
Well, heredity runs deep for these brothers. Rather more surprising is the fact that Conrart is between them.
The previous Maou, now Her Majesty the Prior Maou, Lady Cäcilie von Spietzweg, aka Pheromone Queen Cäli, once fell in love with a Human of unknown lineage who owned nothing of value except for his sword. Their son is Lord Conrart Weller. Beside the beauty of the other Mazoku, he looks very close to Human. I can't explain it very well, but...there must be a lot of average-looking actors who go to Hollywood movie auditions; if the scriptwriter picks one person from the lot to play a supporting role, that person would be Conrad. The judges would give the following comment:
"He hit on the delivery perfectly—I can see 'truth' in his performance and warm."
That's how I'd respond if someone asked me, "What kind of a person is he?" Lord Weller is the only one I'd only be able to answer that question for. I don't think anyone but a language teacher would be able to sufficiently sketch out the other Mazoku, but it'd be impossible to completely describe them, no matter how flowery the words.
In any case, even though Gwendal, Conrart, and Wolfram are half-brothers born from the same mother, they have not one characteristic in common, in outward appearance, personality or worldview.
"I don't remember giving her permission to enter my castle," Gwendal tosses at me, looking down on me with dislike—
"Yuuri! How could you disappear in the middle of the coronation? I can't believe you..." Wolfram, who's made a hobby of biting my head off, begins.
They start off together at the table at the center of the room. Gwendal with his longer legs arrives at my chair first. Those eyes looking down at me from their lofty height are full of authoritative dignity and self-confidence.
No matter what you say, I've already been crowned the Maou, so don't try to explain it away or trivialize it—I don't even have the time to put myself on guard before he walks past me and spreads a map open in front of Günter and Conrad.
"It's Cavalcade."
"Cavalcade? It can't be."
"No, they're using Sondergaard as a front, but Cavalcade is providing the funds. If you do not believe the intelligence provided by my spies, then you will have to do an independent investigation."
What's going on with kava in what zone?
I peer at the map. He's pointing at a large continent separated by an ocean from the area that looks like Shinma Kingdom. Two of those color-differentiated countries are probably Cavalcade and Sondergaard. Judging by the first thing Gwendal said, I guess the people of Cavalcade are planning to attack the Mazoku.
Günter adopts a stereotypical smart-person tone.
"But how can Cavalcade have the leisure when they're so preoccupied with their pirate problem? Ships from Taurog are coming under attack, so the report of aid from Sondergaard and Hildyard is..."
"On the surface. But reports say that a percentage of the resulting damage has been returned to their country."
A ruse?! Make-believe piracy?
I prick up my ears at these dirty goings-on of the adult world, but Wolfram roughly jerks my head back. His lake's bottom green eyes meet mine.
Target: lock on.
"How dare you vanish from right in front of us after saying that you would become this country's queen?! I was going to settle things with you properly after you were safely done with the coronation ceremony!"
"Se-settle? YOU LOST! still find it that hard to swallow? 'Cause ultimately that duel was like one of those things where an exchange of blows forged a friendship, you know?"
That's how it was. Since I didn't know anything about Shinma Kingdom's etiquette the last time I came here, I managed to inadvertently insult this angelically beautiful young man (who's actually over ninety years old). In present-day Japan, you'd never imagine that slapping somebody across the face is a marriage proposal and picking up a knife dropped during a meal is acceptance of a duel. I mean, this bloody custom of dueling is completely alien to a pacifist space-casey high school student. And as for the other thing—I mean, I DO NOT LIKE annoying guys and I'm too young to be engaged.
"You're pretty strong, and I gave it my best too, so why don't we just leave it at that? We don't have to go into all of that stuff about duels and revenge again."
"That's not any kind of...hey, Yuuri! What is the meaning of this?! You're not wearing the gold bird I gave you, but you have Conrart's pendant...?!"
"Huh? But that was a brooch, right? I mean, you can't really wear it except by sticking it into your clothes. And I wasn't wearing anything this time—I was totally na-ked when I got summoned here, so..."
"You weren't even wearing any clothes? So you were in the midst of a liaison with some mongrel Human from that world?!"
"Liai...huh?! Me?! As in me, don't group me with like those people you fucktard!"
"You can't deceive me, Yuuri! You're too lacking in prudence. Well, yes, I guess...you're somewhat good-looking...just a bit...so you can't help but be a temptation..."
"Ah, pru-prudence, huh? What the hell are you talking about?! Can you even hear yourself?! I am a dignified lady that has nothing to do with what you say."
Yeah, and stop making me out to be some kind of lady that will go to a love hotel with just anyone!
Meanwhile, Conrart is asking Günter and Gwendal in his usual casual but subtly pointed manner, "Shouldn't both of you start off by reporting this information to Her Majesty?"
After a moment of silence, the flustered tutor recalls his position, and the eldest son gazes with displeasure at his youngest brother and the thorn in his side.
"The children seem to be talking amongst themselves."
I put everything into rushing through the crack Conrad has opened for me with his foot in the door. I have no right to call myself a queen if I don't live up to his faith in me.
"Didn't I just say that we are not going to war? While I'm alive I don't want to see anyone dying in battle. I have understood that some of the Humans are planning to wage a war against us. The Shin Makoku. But this is my take on this concern. You say that this country will not go down without a fight and I'm sure you guys will not just stand by and surrender. I want our people / troops to prepare for defense. JUST defense. Make sure that no one gets killed."
I can sense Lord Voltaire's amusement at this. He looks down at me with arms crossed, his chill gaze impregnable. But I will not have him scare me with those looks.
"If we know that they're going to attack, then shouldn't we be able to come up with a counter-plan pretty easily? We can find an opportunity to talk to each other. Let's ask what they want from our kingdom, and see which of their specialty products they're willing to offer in exchange and make a pact or treaty or something."
Gwendal waves his right hand in disgust and summons one of the reserve guards placed outside the room.
"Her Majesty appears to be tired. Guide her to her room." I, the new Prior Maou, am about to unthinkingly allow myself to be guided. I'll show you.
"Lord Voltaire do you intend to dismiss my orders? The orders of the new Queen of this country?" I looked at him with threatening eyes even though I do not know the consequences he might face from disobeying the ruler of his country.
His glare traumatizes me for life.
"Don't speak as if you know anything. If they were the type to agree to a discussion, I wouldn't need an amateur to tell me to arrange for one."
"Were you turned down? Well, yeah, I mean, if somebody as self-important as you looked down from your high horse and told someone that you wanted a meeting, I wouldn't blame them for being scared. I may be an amateur and an ordinary human but I know that waging a war and losing countless innocent lives will bear no fruit and it will not bring a lasting peace."
Gwendal, who thinks of me as nothing more than graffiti on the wall, is starting to become visibly irritated. Anyone would be pissed off if they were treated like graffiti. The more so if it were for good reason.
"Ordinary Human?! You?!" he asked
"Your Majesty is Mazoku! One in whom resides the black of Mazoku nobility, the true Maou, through and through!" Guinter exclaimed.
"Conrart!" Gwendal barks the name of his younger brother, the acknowledged military man. Looks like his irritation has reached the boiling point—on the table, his long fingers twitch as if he were holding a game controller. He's probably trembling with rage. Conrart shows not a hint of tension. What would it take to panic him?
"Yes?"
"This pet Maou of yours, is she planning to give the victory to us or the humans?"
"...That is a difficult question. Her Majesty is a personage of rarely-seen caliber. However."
He pushes himself away from the wall in a vigorous motion, gives me a cheerful side glance, and says: "If we are looking for a way to avoid battle, I do have a suggestion."
"What? What?!" I was eager to know the answer to that.
"Here now, calm down. Günter will explain."
My tutor breathes a long long long sigh, obviously reluctant. Is it my imagination, or does even his thick hair lose its gloss and a cloud passes over his radiant beauty?
"We the Mazoku possess a legendary weapon which cannot be wielded by any save His Majesty the Maou. It is said that once invoked, it has enough power to burn the world to nothing...though in reality maybe a small city... In any case, the fact remains that it is a legendary sword: the mightiest ultimate weapon in all of history. Even its name..."
"Ultimate weapon! Melgib, right?!"
"No, Your Majesty, Morgif."
What the heck? A lethal weapon's gotta have Mel Gibson. Gwendal tsks slightly upon hearing that misleading name. He doesn't look pleased.
"The last to invoke it was His Majesty Basilio von Rochefort, the Maou eight generations ago. It was later lost, its whereabouts unknown until just recently when it was d...wh-when its location was...d-d-dis!"
"You found it, right?!"
Wolfram, who was so engrossed in his criticism of me just a few minutes ago, lets his true feelings slip.
"I see, if we let it be known that the ultimate weapon has returned to us under the auspices of the Maou, our neighbors will not dare attack us carelessly. No one has held it for close to a thousand years; they will fear the might of the queen/king who does."
"Is it really that amazing?"
"Records claim that when Morgif's fullest power is unleashed by the absorption of a Human life, it can smash a boulder to pieces, reverse the flow of a river, burn a person to ashes, and make a cow dance in the air."
"A cow?!"
I have the feeling I'm kinda missing the point here, but anyway, I do get that it's a pretty awesome weapon. I wonder if I wield it would it be like a fencing sword?
"So that means if we can get our hands on this weapon, then our country will be the strongest, right? Then everybody will be afraid of us and not want to fight us. All right! Then everything will be good, right?! Let's dash over and fetch it right now! Where is it? Who's going to go get Morgif?"
Günter's eyes are still fixed on the floor. His long lashes tremble.
"It is a very long trip by ship from the Voltaire region here on the eastern edge of Shinma Kingdom. It was d...d-dis...covered on the savage and barbaric island of Van der Veer in Cimarron..."
"You shouldn't call it savage and barbaric if you've never been there!"
"Th-that's quite true, but, ooooh Your Majesty! I cannot bring myself to give my approval to this plan! Your closest subjects are brought to tears by your great kindness and your compassionate desire to protect your people from the ravages of war."
Uwah, that's mucus, not tears! No, please don't cling to me like that! Ack, not the hand! Don't rub your cheek against my hand! Don't rub your nose against my hand—!
"None beside the Maou can take up Morgif. But to have your Majesty cross into the domain of the Humans is akin to throwing meat of the highest quality to a pack of slavering beasts!"
"Stop comparing me to meat, geez!"
"And besides, the beasts wouldn't really care what kind of meat it was—right, Your Majesty?"
"But Your Majesty, Van der Veer is preparing for its annual festival! You will be a target for the islanders as well as enemies from every land!"
"It will be okay, Guinter, I am sure I'll be able to handle it."
I caught the sight when Lord Voltaire leaves the room in disgust. But just before he can open the door, "Lord Voltaire, I will not let this country fall down to ashes. That I assure you." I didn't see his expression on that and only heard the bang of the door.
Looking after his impressive figure, I have to admit it to myself: it's quite true that I don't have his dignity or his style. And he really is thinking of the future of this country. But we do things differently. I don't know just now which of us is right or wrong, and I'll probably never know.
Sorry Lord Voltaire, but the justice I was brought up with is really different in your way of doing things.
"...which is why the effect of Majutsu is weakened in the domain of the Humans. Those skilled in Majutsu would therefore be unable to protect Your Majesty."
I haven't really been listening, but since I can't use Majutsu anyway, it doesn't really matter.
"That's okay. So this Morgif is a sword, right? And since it's the past king's ultimate weapon, I bet it's one of those holy swords that you absolutely need to defeat the last boss, like Ragnorak or Excalibur or the Bizen Sword made out of Orichalcum, that you have to go to the heart of some super-complicated dungeon to get, right?" I stated while happily to the people in the room.
Günter, Conrad and Wolfram all ask in the same tone: "Holy sword—?"
"I-it's not a holy sword?"
"Ah, Your Majesty is jesting again." - Günter
"That's right, Yuuri, what would you want a holy sword for?" - Wolfram
"Your Majesty, it is the sword that belongs to the past Demon King, so..." - Conrad
"Of course it'd have to be a demon sword, wouldn't it?" - Gwendal
Ohh right. A demon sword for me. The DEMON Queen. Why do I feel like I'm becoming a moron lately.(Sweat drop)
"It's still will be okay Guinter, I know my way with the sword so.."