Chapter 127: Music of the Night
I hugged Clara for at least an entire minute as she weeps in my arms. When I finished and let her go off my hands, the nobles started clapping.
"Congratulations, Queen Rose!"
"Truly a wonderful display!"
"She is the strong leader that Oriana needs!"
"She is also a gentle heart!"
"The future of Oriana is secure in her hands!"
The moment the scales tipped to the other side, they immediately switched their tones and start praising me like no tomorrow even though they mocked, accused and cursed me just minutes ago.
"Be silent, all of you. Don't think I didn't hear what you whispered few minutes ago." I sternly ordered the sycophants to stop wagging their serpent tongues as I turned to face them with a glare. They became silent immediately.
"Now take me… to my father."
"Your highness. Your father has-"
"I know. Take me to him. I must pay my respects."
"Very well. This way please." With that, the nobles took me to my father's bedroom where my father laid… on a stretcher on the floor. Sure, only a few hours have passed since his death but the sight makes me angry.
"Why is my father treated in such an unceremonious way?"
"Your highness. This man… no… this FIEND is the one responsible for all the troubles that our country currently faced. He plunged our kingdom into war and chaos! He doesn't deserve-"
"Not another word of slander." In an instant, my blade is already on the throat of the noble who dares insult my father right in front of me.
"B-But your highness! He-"
"DID YOU EVEN PAY ANY ATTENTION TO HIS FINAL MESSAGE!? THE ONE THAT BROUGHT ME BACK HERE!? OR ARE YOU SO DROWNED IN FOOLISH MUSIC THAT YOU COULDN'T HEAR ANYTHING!?" I shouted angrily, causing the nobles to get scared.
"Y-Your majesty! P-Please forgive meee..!" The man whose throat is being threatened by my blade, cried as he begs for forgiveness with soiled pants.
"Prepare a royal funeral immediately. And I don't want to hear anymore slander out of your mouths."
"Tch…! Y-Yes! Right away!"
"Did I hear a tongue clicking?"
"N-No! You didn't-"
"Are you saying that I'm deaf like you? You would do well to stop wagging your tongue traitorously or I'll cut it off."
"Y-Yes… Your majesty!"
Haaah… Father. To think you'd have to endure working with these people… and to think I've been too blind that I never noticed their true character. Is that why you sent me to Midgar? So I wouldn't be corrupted by these disloyal snakes? So my foolish and gullible past self wouldn't become their puppet ruler? Even now they still tried to influence me by slandering your name in order to distance myself from you… I will not have it. I won't let that happen. I will become strong just like you wanted! I'll protect Oriana!
The funeral for the late king went smoothly as the nobles who are opposed to it wouldn't dare object to it. They also wouldn't dare speak even a single word during the whole affair, be it praises or slander for the late king, as they know both would displease Rose, the former because she knows they are lies, and the latter for obvious reasons. They didn't even dare whisper during the funeral as they know Rose would hear it with her enhanced hearing, causing them to hate and curse Spellswords even more.
These Oriana nobles have always looked down on Spellswords. They didn't like it when the late king sent Rose to study in Midgar. They didn't like it when the king began preparing for war against Midgar and fills Oriana's military with Spellswords, both local and foreign (foreign ones are mostly from the Lawless City, courtesy of Yukime, as mercenaries from other countries would think twice before opposing Midgar) and they especially don't like it when the naïve princess that they've always sought to control become so strong and defiant.
When they heard that the Perv faction have manipulated the king, they flocked into the Perv faction. When the king broke out of Perv's influence and not only became independent but also became a warmonger, they flocked to his side as they didn't have connections to the Cult of Diablos the way Perv faction does and thus they thought that the Perv faction, even after joining forces with Marquis Grantz, would lose the civil war considering they saw how many bloodthirsty Spellswords have joined the king's forces. They feared such a force being turned against them.
When the king died and a royal guard by the name of Gwyn came to present Clara as his successor, they flocked to Clara's side, believing she would be an easier puppet to control compared to Rose who studied in Midgar. But when Rose dismantled that plan as quickly as she returned, they flocked to her side and pretended to be loyal subordinates whilst trying to influence her as they've always wanted to do… only to have a stronger Rose thwart their plans with her unyielding willpower.
Few days after the funeral they held a secret meeting, away from Rose's ears, in order to discuss their next move.
"Have you contacted Marquis Grantz, yet?"
"Yes. With Perv dead he has become the sole leader of the Anti-Raphael faction... but he said he wants to return to the capital to meet that bitch queen before deciding to continue the civil war. I don't think his goals align with ours."
"We need to make sure he also opposes the king's faction, which has been absorbed into Rose's faction, so we can switch to his side. If he loses, we can simply blame him and return to the Princess' side. If he wins, we can dispose of him and take over the kingdom for ourselves."
"Indeed. I've been contacted by the remnants of the Perv faction. They're moving behind the scenes to sow discord between Rose's faction and Marquis Grantz's faction in order to keep the civil war going."
"Good. Whoever wins, we shall be on the winning side. A toast to our victory!" A noble lifted his glass of wine in the air for a toast and the others follow.
"Indeed. A toast to fuckin' traitors." An unfamiliar voice was heard.
"Who's there!? Show yourself!"
"The name's Zack, a newly appointed royal guard. Our Queen Rose doesn't trust you lot and so she assigned us to figure out your allegiance… and figure out we fuckin' did. Much easier than I thought, really."
"How slanderous! We can have you executed for this!"
"How precious. You guys are the ones gettin' executed here." Zack snaps his fingers and several more royal guards emerged from their hiding places.
"Wha—H-Hey! You can't do this to us! You barbaric Spellswords!"
"Oh we certainly can. Men? As our queen ordered, execute them on the spot."
"No! Please! We'll pay you whatever it takes! We'll—GWAAAH!"
The royal guards executed the traitorous nobles not only without mercy but also with pleasure, with Zack watching them without taking pleasure in their deaths. Despite being a Spellsword and a royal guard, he isn't as bloodthirsty as the others and he certainly didn't enjoy the slaughter like they did.
"Haah… The people who are loyal are bloodthirsty whereas people who aren't bloodthirsty are disloyal. Queen Rose must've had his hands full with this mess. I'm so glad I ain't part of the royal family. Ain't gonna subject myself to this mess. Hope she can fix this mess so our kingdom can properly function again." Zack mutters to himself as he left the room.
Rose had become so busy these days. Much busier than when she was a mere grunt of Shadow Garden. Between keeping her kingdom in one piece by scouting and executing traitors and educating her new little sister Clara, who, due to her upbringing, didn't even know how to talk and to express herself, only how to listen to orders and swing a blade as the Cult never intended her to be anything more than a weapon, she has too much on her hands that she barely had time to rest. Her rest time is also disturbed by nightmares and paranoia about assassins killing her in her sleep.
Rose walked back to the castle after observing her subordinates place the decapitated heads of the traitorous nobles on a stake and displays them publicly in the gate of the castle as a cautionary tale. They also wrote the word "TRAITOR" with blood on wooden boards nailed to their stakes to make sure everyone know what they did and what fate befell those who follow their footsteps.
"Prepare a council meeting as soon as possible. I have many things to address." Rose declared to her subordinates whilst on the way to her office.
"Is it to discuss your Coronation, your highness?" One of the royal guards asked her.
"There are more important things to discuss."
"But your highness! Until the Coronation is done, you cannot fully claim the throne!"
"Hm… I suppose you're right. I can gather the nobles with the Coronation anyway so we can immediately discuss our plans. Then, prepare the Coronation Ceremony immediately!"
"Right away, you majesty!"
The subordinate left to prepare the Coronation as Rose returned to her office, formerly her father's, which also happens to be the place he died in, to resume her work, not letting thoughts of her father's demise in this very room… or the deaths she brought to her kingdom, be it as the Owl or as queen, distract her from her duties as they have already disturbed her sleep these past few days.
She is restless. Her mind is tired… and thus easily manipulated by one of the few people she trusts. And it is in this moment that he appears.
"I see you're getting the hang of it now." The Phantom's voice was heard behind her, startling her but also reassures her.
"Where have you been?" Rose stood up from her chair and faces the Phantom.
"Disposing the rest of the Cult in Oriana. They won't move from the shadows anymore and so you can destroy the remnants of the Perv faction and any nobles still disloyal to you without any obstacles in the way."
"What of Necromancer? I heard he's in this kingdom."
"Unfortunately, I never found him. Perhaps he has returned to Midgar or Lawless City which is his territory. I only encountered the remnants of Mordred's forces after killing the man himself."
"I see… and Shadow Garden?"
"So far there's no movement out of them from within the kingdom… but from Midgar however… I heard the Seven has made their move."
"W-What!? The Seven Shades!?"
"They must be trying to finish the job." The Phantom said ominously. The implication in his words is clear to Rose.
"To finish the job… to finish me… But why the Seven…? I could barely defeat 559!"
"Because they feared the weapon you now possess in your fingers." The Phantom's words caused Rose to look at the ring on her finger, her father's ring.
"As you've noticed, that ring is no ordinary ring. It's an Artifact. It possess the power of the Black Rose."
"The Black Rose!? You mean-"
"Not the legend of the Black Rose that gave powers to certain champions of Oriana, no. It is the Black Rose that wiped out thousands of Velgaltan soldiers when they invaded Oriana during the Velgaltan-Oriana war."
"Such power…!"
"The royal family wielded such power… but with restraints. They never used it unless it is absolutely necessary. That is the secret of that ring that only few people know. And naturally the Cult knows as well, that's why he confronted us last time."
"How did you know about it then?"
"Your father told me. Did you think I move alone? No. I've always worked alongside your father."
"Who… are you then…?" Rose's question made the Phantom cover his mask with a hand with a frown.
"I… am simply the Phantom of the Opera. I have no name besides that."
After a few seconds pause, Rose replied "I see… Then I will not pry. I'm grateful for your help. But to think the ring held such a secret… wait… The Seven!"
"Yes. They know about it. They desired that power, that's why they manipulated you… They held you hostage so that your father wouldn't use the Black Rose against them. And then they killed him in order to seize the ring for themselves. Luckily, I've secured the ring for you."
"And now that I possess the ring, the Seven Shades finally made their move. Heh…." Rose smiled with a frown, not finding the situation humorous or amusing but terrifying instead. A great power… a great burden in her hand.
"You must never let them take it, my queen. If they do, the kingdom is doomed."
"Why would they need it if Lo—Shadow already possess powers rivalling the Black Rose?"
"Because he wants to reign supreme as the sole ruler. His defeat at the hands of the Necromancer has made him desperate for more power."
"Does Shadow… wants to rule the world that much?"
"Why else would he possess such power? He and the Necromancer are the same after all."
"How about you? What do you wield your power for?"
"To serve the interests of Oriana…? No… To write a play… with you as the protagonist." The Phantom declared as he pointed his finger at her.
"Me?"
"You are… the perfect protagonist for my story… And I shall do whatever it takes to ensure you make for a legendary tale. That is my desire." The Phantom declared as he put both his hands on Rose's shoulders.
"You shall be the protagonist of my story… oh my Christine…"
"Christine?"
"Ah…" The Phantom turned away from Rose as that name left his mouth as if embarassed. "Forget about it."
"… Very well." Rose dropped the subject with pity in her heart.
So you've lost someone too… that's why you're doing all this.
"Anyway, I must leave you now. I'll return when the Seven arrived in the capital."
"Wait! Before you leave, tell me… can we win this war?"
"It will be… hard. But don't worry, your highness. Your father has prepared you plenty of capable fighters. Not to mention, you have the Black Rose and… me on your side."
"Very well. I'm counting on you, Phantom." With that last exchange, the Phantom left the room through the window.
A blunder. Uttering the name Christine like that. When I created the Phantom's character, I originally intended Rose to become Christine… and I intended to seduce her to fit the theme. But when I tried to seduce her, I held back… because I still have Sherry.
That little slip up was from my original script, the one that still have her as Christine. I wonder what she thinks of that name. Haaah.
No matter. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't… so why am I facing an angry Sherry when I returned to my base?
"Sh-Sherry… What's wrong?"
"Heard you adopted another mask and sang in Oriana… for Rose."
"W-Well… I used the Phantom of the Opera persona to manipulate her in order to separate her from Shadow Garden and make sure she reclaims her birthright."
"Then what's this entire Christine business, huh?" She said as she waved a book, a book where I wrote the script for my Phantom persona. Ohh… This feels like my chuunibyou secrets have been discovered by my girlfriend. How embarrassing!
"If it's about Christine… I scrapped that part because… even whilst pretending to be someone else, I couldn't bring myself to seduce another girl."
"Really?" Sherry widens her eyes when she heard that.
"Truly, Sherry. Otherwise you'd hear talks about how I serenaded Rose. No. I only sang the Phantom's song and played his theme music."
"… Then… can you sing for me?"
"Huh?"
"It's not fair that only Rose have heard you sing! I didn't even know you can sing! I want to hear you sing too!" She began nagging me to sing for her. Luckily I saved the perfect song for this occasion… the song that I originally intended to sing for Rose in order to seduce her but couldn't because of Sherry.
"Then listen to… the Music of the Night."
Author's Note:
The Phantom gaslights Rose again. Also, Zack made his appearance! If you didn't know, he is a character from the web novel. Gwyn (Guin) is also a character from the web novel.
Also, the scene at the end with the Music of the Night… I originally planned that scene to happen after Sherry gets jealous of Iris' advance towards Claude but considering that part will take too long because Claude is still being "kidnapped" and the Phantom arc will likely be over already by that time, which would make the inclusion of the Music of the Night becomes out of place, I decided to include the Music of the Night here. If you haven't heard it, please give it a listen. It fits the theme of Claude and Sherry. I personally recommend Ramin Karimloo's performance.
A-Yellow-Lizard: Awwww www ! That's so cute and wholesome... too bad the context of the scene isn't as wholesome lmao.
Inspired by the guest, but- Okay, now I'm imagining claude going 'gg ez' on random people in the japan arc lmao. I don't know how that'd work, but if there were fighting games in Messiah, it would be funny if he unknowingly plays against Cid in the game and it's the most skilled match ever seen in a fighting game considering their irl combat specialties.
Answer: I suppose I need to write a scene of Claude browsing the internet during Japan arc. I wonder what kind of internet villain will he become? Fighting games? Maybe that too. He haven't played them for more than a decade after all.
borregodillon9: Great chapter
Answer: Thanks.
TheVirtualPug: Wait so SG knows the Phantom is Necromancer? I was kinda hoping you would expand on the whole "slumbering legends" thing.
Answer: I had to do it in order to make the Seven Shades gather… which would make Shadow move to Oriana too. But don't worry. It's not like they know he is also Alucard and Don Jon, although they may suspect it until they dismiss it as impossible because both characters are dead.
BetweenIandGirl: The plot of this fanfic is so complicated... midgar has like... what, 5 problem plot point? and Orianna has 4 problem plot point... all of them is done by proxy by our two protagonist.
Answer: Sorry. There's so many things in my head that I want to write. The current arc's plot is about civil war in Oriana, Midgar, The Rounds… and The Seven Shades as well. Victoria's recent action solidifies a divide within the Seven Shades.
Cj The Depressed One: i love how Rose is becoming a villainess, please keep going like this and don't make it so she suddenly saved by power of friendships bullshit and all of that and becomes good again, i have no idea why some people don't want her to become a villainess like brother your reading a fanfic about a villain mc
Answer: She won't be a pure villain, but she has to behave like a tyrant. Between executing so many nobles in her own kingdom and being gaslit by the Phantom, she's going deeper and deeper into the abyss.
Guest: Thanks to A-Yellow-Lizard for noticing my post. That was basically what was going through my head when I wrote that. In canon Cid was being an internet troll. I thought what if Claude was a toxic gamer akin to Lowtiergod.
Answer: I suppose he should be a toxic gamer when he returns to Japan.
Guest: "The Alexander you mentioned is already my slave in death." Ooh a hint to Black Knight's identity perhaps?
Answer: Oh you know it. :)
Guest: Not trying to criticize anyone for liking unsympathetic villians, but I think it should be ok for them to have some redeeming qualities. There is even a trope for it 'even evil has standards.' For example Joker: a remorseless killer, yet he pays taxes and hates nazis. Claude still has his love for Sherry and his sister. He wouldn't forsake them right? Right? *nervous sweating and laughter*
Answer: I don't really consider Claude a sympathetic villain despite his love for his sister and Sherry because his love for them is not the main reason he becomes a villain and he also still torments them and manipulates despite his love for them. His motivation for being a villain is simply for the heck of it. That's why I consider him an unapologetic villain. Also, Claude starts out with more moral code than Cid, with him still reluctant to kill people despite his desire to be a villain… until he crosses the line and actually killed someone. Even he is going deeper and deeper into the abyss, not just Rose. :)
Guest: Necromancer is totally going to kill all the Rounds members, turn them into zombies, and destroy the rest of the Cult, thus establishing himself as the only threat by the end isn't he. He has done more work than any cult member could ever hope to achieve. I think he has definitely established himself as the 'eviler than thou' trope at this point. I bet he could even do what the Cult could only dream of, reviving Diabolos (Aurora). Hell, he might even resurrect the rest of the Heroes for the hell of it (or to use them as undead minions).
Answer: He is slowly but surely going to be the final boss. Even the Rounds thinks of him as a greater threat than Shadow Garden at this point, that's why instead of Operation Shadow Hunt, we have the Rounds Civil War in this fic.
DerTrap: It would be interesting if Sherry actually managed to invent a "solution" for Shadow, by sealing him. Similair to how Gojo was sealed in Season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen by the prison realm. I think that could be an interesting twist somewhere in the story if Shadow get's taken out of the story like that at least temporarily. Especially because Shadow Garden and especially the Shades will have to get things done all by themselves and will have to prove themselves. Because their leader wouldn't be there to help or save them, again at least for a while.
Answer: I don't plan for sealing Shadow… but I do plan for something else that achieves similar effect.
DickWizard: I'm not finished catching up, I'm about like chapter 116, but here are my thoughts so far.
I like the concept of a reverse cid/foil to him, but I feel the execution is lacking. Simply put it feels like Claude doesn't ever really truly win. He isn't stronger than cid and if he is, it isn't enough to offset that fact that his subordinates are fodder and dont ever really truly beat or impede the shadows. Idk it just feels like there really isn't a moment where you can unequivocally go Claude won. Meanwhile there are a couple moment where Cid won, now in some cases the win doesn't really mean much like the money and cid still being broke, but it's a matter of perception and it just feels like Claude doesn't ever really Win.
I'm not caught up so this may change but like for someone who excels at magic Cid feels like the better user, definitely not in terms of spells, but control, capacity and density. The fact that like everything Claude does Cid can just replicate it makes fights to a degree feel unrewarding, because it feels like Claude doesn't learn or gain as much from their confrontations.
Idk I'm looking forward to more because I like it but that's just my major gripe with the story
Answer: When they first met, Cid is a bit stronger. During their second encounter in the Bushin Festival, Claude has grown exponentially stronger thanks to the Tears of Diablos he received as part of joining the Rounds so I feel like I have to nerf him for now (hence his failing magic control). Don't worry though, he is growing and will soon force Cid to grow as well.