In a universe where a race that transcended humans ruled humans themselves, there was a single military squad that stood out the most;

This squad was composed of Hanahime Midorima, Toshimitsu Kuroko, Haruko Kagami, Takeshi Seijuro, Yuuji Aomine, Himeji Murasakibara, Giyo Momoi, Asuka Takao, and Minami Kise.

They earned the honor of "Black Citadel", an honor given only to the most exceptional. They were the first Black Citadel squad after more than 70 years of leaving the position blank.

Though it quickly vanished because of a sin that Hanahime Midorima committed and Yuuji Aomine had tried so hard to erase from history…

Because for Yuuji, nothing was more important than keeping Hanahime alive, even if it costs his own life.

You're the queen, and I'm your servant.
We're a pitiable pair of twins separated by our fate.
I'm willing to become evil for you,
if only so that I could protect you.

I first met Hanahime when she moved right next to my house. I learned from some friends that she had a weak heart so she moved to be closer to the school. One day, I saw some no name idiots bullying her right in front of her house. For a second, I was out of control and when I snapped out, my uniform was stained with red and I was holding my weapon.

We were born into the world carrying others' expectations,
and blessed by the sound of the church's bells.
By the adults' own convenient arrangement,
our future was split into two.

Few days after she transferred to our class, I found it really strange that she always got a perfect score in mathematics. "Ah, she forgot her pouch," I decided to drop by her house to give it back, and that's when I realized the reason for her genius – she was a Midorima.

The Midorima family was widely known for their unrivaled talent and large contributions in technology. Even a middle school student of their name could design software. Unlike me, an Aomine, we were popular only in the military world for having a keen sense of sight. Our field of vision could be compared to that of a hawk's.

In that moment, I also realized that we became involved in military affairs because both of our families' abilities' could very well win a war in seconds.

Even if the entire world
should become your enemy,
I will always protect you,
so you just be yourself and smile.

It was irritating how everybody made fun of Hanahime just because she had a weak heart. The advanced technology that the military developed had the benefit of automatically (and completely) healing its owner's injuries, so she had no choice but to join the training program in order to receive it. Later that afternoon, I caught her getting bullied again. Come on, it was already the 6th time that day! I wiped her tears away.

"Don't worry about it; I'll save you from now on! Even if it means they'll hate me!"

You're the queen, and I'm your servant.
We're a pitiable pair of twins separated by our fate.
I'm willing to become evil for you,
if only so that I could protect you.

We were already 16 and were just months away from finally graduating. Because of all the bullying she received, Hanahime had gone insane and needed to be treated. But since she was a strong force and a formidable enemy, she was allowed to go back to school. And when the rankings came she was, as expected, number one. Though I still had the habit of cutting a 15-inch cut on those who spoke badly of her behind her back even after years, guess old habits die hard.

When I went out to our neighboring nation,
I saw a girl of green in a town.
Because of her gentle voice and tender smile,
I fell in love with her at first sight.

I had been assigned to send a letter to the neighboring kingdom. I could have easily used the "speed increase" skill to get there faster, but that bossy, malicious, and devilish princess told me that if I used even the minimum increase I'd lose an arm. If she wasn't royalty [and frightening] I would've punched her in the face, but just her creepy smile was enough to send chills down my spine. And she picked winter of all seasons known or unknown to make me send a letter. In the middle of a frozen forest, I saw a beautiful white haired girl and instantly fell in love with her.

That evening, I found out that her name was Irryana and that she was the Goddess of Winter. In other words, the one who made the skies snow. I excitedly told the team about it, but Hanahime didn't seem happy.

However, your highness the queen wishes
the girl be erased from the world,
so I shall fulfill your wish.
But just why do my tears keep falling?

She called me to the lab later on and I was seriously scared to death. "Her glare could stab my soul," When we reached the laboratory, she trapped me between the wall and herself. Her eyes held so much hatred and intent to kill. When she slowly raised her arm, my eyes widened and tears started falling non-stop as I felt her hand dig into my skin and rip my left eye off its socket.

You're the queen, and I'm your servant.
We're a maniacal pair of twins separated by our fate.
"Today's snack will be brioche."
You happily smile, with such innocence.

Everybody kept asking me why I had casts over my left eye, but I just told them I slipped while holding a knife so it got pierced quite deeply. "I can't just tell them Hanahime gouged it out, what if they do something to her?" I glanced at the calendar and saw it was a Thursday, my turn to make or buy snacks.

"Today's snack will be brioche,"

I announced loudly during our team assembly and Hanahime giggled like a child in excitement.

Very soon this kingdom will end
at the hands of the enraged people.
If this is what they call "retribution",
then let me take upon myself to defy it.

I was given monitoring duty that day. I was reviewing yesterday's records when the alarm blared and both Toshimitsu and Himeji's signal flashed "KILLED". I traced their location and I was shocked it was in the basement. When I got there, I could not believe my eyes. "Hanahime, what are you doing…?"

"I'm tired of us being weaker than them! I want us to be as powerful as they are!"

She sacrificed her profession to perform a life threatening experiment that had just killed Toshimitsu and Himeji, just because of some petty jealousy? And out of all living organisms that existed, it had to be Valkyrios? Everybody knew that copying those infamous [and I quote weird] cousins of our genus was impossible, they were made of plasma with a teensy bit of our DNA in them.

Being the idiot I was when I panicked, I recklessly reported it to the officials. Instead of helping restrain her, they gave out a Termination Order for our squad. I kept protesting so they decided to drag me along with them and watch as Black Citadel, the squad I loved so much, fell off its glory. They began with Haruko, then Takeshi, then Asuka… I could not stop the pain I felt in my chest. When we reached the basement, I expected Hanahime to become violent because she was clutching her weapon, but instead she smiled warmly.

"Here, I'll lend you my clothes."
"Wear them and immediately start escaping."
"It's fine. We're twins after all."
"Nobody will be able to tell the difference."

"Before I die, I have one final request: let the ones who did not have knowledge of what I was doing live. Giyo only wrote one code, so either imprison him for life or send him to the Freelance Section. Minami had refused to be part of this, so let her live as she likes. And Yuuji… he did not know anything about this at all. Exempt the three of them from the Termination Order,"

I'm now the queen, and you're the fugitive.
We're a lamentable pair of twins separated by our fate.
If they must call you evil,
then, alas, I am too, for we share the same blood.

I was the one who promised to protect her! I was the one who always saved her when she was bullied! So why… why was I treated as the "princess" this time? Shouldn't I be the one to lay down my life for her?

Once upon a time,
there was a queen, my cute sibling,
who used to reign at the top
of a savage and ruthless kingdom.

I had to admit, Hanahime was a really cute girl when we were young and up to this day. She had flocks of guys after her, but when she went insane they stayed away in fear of her life. She ruled over this blood stained race with her fierce strength.

Even if the entire world (Finally, the time has come,)
should become your enemy, (as the bell's sound signals the end.)
I will always protect you, (Not even bothering to look at the crowd)
so you just be happy somewhere else. (You utter my favorite phrase.)

The clock suddenly rung and Hanahime closed her eyes, smiling softly. She knew what the ringing meant. She slowly raised her volt weapon and placed the blade beside her neck.

"Hey, it's snack time."

Then in a swift move, cut her own head off. I was so shocked that I couldn't move from where I was.

You're the queen, and I'm your servant.
We're a pitiable pair of twins separated by our fate.
I'm willing to become evil for you,
if only so that I could protect you.

I visited the cemetery two weeks later and put down a bouquet of flowers on one specific beloved…

HANAHIME MIDORIMA

I learned just a few weeks ago that she left her son for me to watch over. Since when did she have a son? I didn't even notice she had a boyfriend… well; we all had kids at the time, even me and Irryana. I didn't notice one of my former schoolmates and the one who constantly bullied Hanahime.

"Um… I guess she never told you this but, she was the one who bullied us whenever she hears us say something bad about you, then you come in and slashed us, I know that you just misunderstood,"

That day, I also learned that she was the servant who protected me and I was the master who thought I was protecting my servant.

If we could be reborn in our next life,
then please play with me again.