I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss, Vol. 4, page 9
Oh, that’s right.
Instantly, Aileen freezes up. As if urging her on, a gust of wind that’s stronger than usual blusters into the night sky.
Auguste is poking at the fire when the sound of a small sneeze makes him look up. “Demon King, are you cold?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m sure Aileen is waiting for me to rescue her.”
“Don’t get sappy when we’re right in the middle of the desert…” With a disgusted look, Isaac hands him a hot medicinal tisane. He may not talk like it, but he’s good at looking after people.
“Thanks. Only I don’t want to drink this.”
“Look, just down it in one go. It’s medicine Luc and Quartz sent with us so we could do something about your haywire magic.”
“That’s stopped now that we’re here. It won’t be a problem.”
They’re inside the holy king’s barrier, and the magic that was causing the trouble has been silenced, so Claude is in perfect shape. Granted, it does mean he’s now no different from an ordinary human… As that thought crosses his mind, two elongated shadows appear in the moonlight that streams through the mouth of the cave. It’s Cedric and his man.
“We’ve returned, Brother. It went well. We’ll be given an audience in the next few days.”
“I see. Good work, Cedric. And, uh—” Who was this again? Claude ponders the answer, but the young man gets angry before he can remember.
“I’m Marcus Cowell, Your Highness! Would you remember it already…?!”
“Oh, that’s right. My apologies. For some reason, I can’t get you to stick in my memory.”
“Ha! Man, if the next emperor finds you forgettable, the house of Cowell is done for.” Isaac’s sneer irks Marcus, and invisible sparks fly between them.
Auguste hastily breaks in. “E-easy, easy. Here, drink this and settle down, um…”
“I just said it’s Marcus Cowell! Are you patronizing me because you belong to the Holy Knights…?!”
“Huh? Are the Holy Knights that big a deal?!”
Auguste is genuinely startled, and Marcus’s lips tremble.
Looking as if he’s lost the urge to fight, Isaac mutters, “This is just tedious. Seriously, why would you choose this crew to infiltrate Ashmael…?”
“Isn’t it easier to work together if we each have a clear objective?”
Isaac is worried about Rachel, Auguste is worried about Serena, and Cedric and the other young man are worried about Lilia. When there’s something they want to save, people are willing to put up with a certain amount of discomfort.
“Besides, I’m using Elefas as a body double to hide my absence. It won’t look natural if Keith, Walt, and Kyle aren’t with him. I had to leave the demons in James’s care, so I couldn’t take him, either. On top of that, the members of the Oberon Trading Firm aren’t suited to rough work.” By process of elimination, he’d been left with this group.
Isaac snorts. “That doesn’t mean we need those two. Who knows when they’ll sell us out?”
“What are you saying? Cedric’s a good boy. Long ago, he came to me and asked if I could use magic to cover up the fact that he’d wet the bed.”
“Brother! There’s absolutely no need to bring that up…!”
“True, he did get a little rebellious once, and denigrated me for being the demon king. Even then, though, when I helped him practice his swordsmanship a little, he quickly broke into tears and apologized. Deep down, he’s straightforward and meek. Besides, this time around, there’s no better bait than Cedric.”
“Bait, huh…? Okay, it’s pretty clear which of you two is boss…” Isaac shoots a pitying glance at Cedric, who’s visibly flagging, his hands planted on the wall.
“At any rate, we’ll be in Ashmael’s royal capital soon. Let’s all try to get along.”
The Kingdom of Ashmael and the Queendom of Hausel were the only countries the demon king’s magic couldn’t touch. Even though a ship had vanished, the Queendom of Hausel’s messenger insisted that there had been no such accident, or indeed any ship to begin with, and that the crown princess must have run away. At that point, Jasper had brought word that the Kingdom of Ashmael’s royal harem had acquired quite a lot of women recently.
That was enough to make Claude choose Ashmael as his destination. After that, he’d simply tasked Jasper and the rest of the Oberon Trading Firm with making the arrangements.
Even if he knew where Aileen was, the Kingdom of Ashmael was protected by its holy king and sacred barrier, and the demon king would be powerless to intervene. Or that must have been the plan, though Claude still isn’t sure who is behind this. What he does know is that he will outfox them.
Or rather, he’s going to reclaim his wife, who will definitely not be behaving herself in the harem.
“I’m sure Aileen is waiting for me there. Let’s all do our best when we arrive. Cedric, Isaac, Auguste—” He falters again.
Unable to take it any longer, the young man drops to his knees. “Marcus Cowell! How many times do I have to tell you…!”
“Oh— It’s okay, Marx, I remember!”
“N-no, that’s—”
“Hang in there, Maracas.” Even that final jab from Isaac can’t bring the young man back to his feet. Cedric, who silently offers his friend a medicinal tisane, really is a good boy.
Third Act
The Villainess Pushes People’s Buttons Without Blinking
The Kingdom of Ashmael and Imperial Ellmeyer had been founded at roughly the same time. A glance at the history book’s table of contents shows Aileen their history also begins with the legend of the holy sword and the Daughter of God.
“The holy sword purified the land which the fiend dragon’s poison had defiled. Holy water welled up, and the nation came into being…”
Confirming that the real-life legends match the game, she returns the elementary history book to the shelf. The library is crammed full of books all the way to the ceiling, and it’s quiet. Rachel is waiting for her at the entrance, but Lilia and Serena are acting separately.
It’s been three days since the attack… The next condition for the Daughter of God’s awakening is the uproar over the fiend dragon’s summoning, which is a prelude to the “condemnation of the villainess” event. In the game, the event occurs because Roxane is unable to give up on Ares and has been communicating secretly with the dragon. I wonder what will happen in real life…
Even if reality proves to be different, it’s very possible that a slightly changed event will occur and retrace the path of the story. That’s happened before.
After running a finger across the spines of the books on the shelf, she picks up a history book written in the old tongue. Her thoughts break off for a moment as she scans the words.
“‘The royal family of Ashmael is of the bloodline of the Daughter of God, and children with sacred power are born unto them. In order that their blood should not die out, the institute of the harem was established…’ Hmm. Their history is the complete opposite of Ellmeyer’s.”
Ellmeyer’s imperial family also carries the blood of the Maid of the Sacred Sword, but her power hasn’t stayed with them in the same way. On the contrary, the legends said that their line would produce the demon king.
“Say, aren’t you curious? About why the demon king was born into the imperial family, for example, when they’re supposed to be descended from the Maid of the Sacred Sword.”
“You can read that book?”
A voice speaks above her, and she looks up. Baal is floating there. He descends, alighting at an intersection between the bookshelves. “Perhaps we should have expected as much from Ellmeyer’s crown princess, but who’d have thought you could read our ancient tongue?”
“You’re making too much of it. This is merely the product of education.”
It had been several centuries since the Queendom of Hausel standardized the language and units of measurement. However, in earlier eras, every nation had its own language, and these were now referred to as “old tongues.” Aileen can read the old tongues because they were drummed into her as part of her education as crown princess: She would need them when conducting diplomacy and concluding contracts.
“All I can do is read them. My third older brother can speak the ancient languages of every country as if they were his mother tongue. He can even write treaties in them.”
“Oh-ho. That’s impressive. Would that we had such talent in our kingdom.”
“Ever since another nation kidnapped a prince of Ashmael in a bid to gain its holy power, the kingdom has essentially isolated itself from the rest of the world. You’d wish for such a thing, despite all that?”
“Ah, you were aware— Still, without stimulation from the outside world, we’ll rot from within.” Coming to stand beside her, Baal takes the book from Aileen and flips through it.
“…Are you considering future diplomatic exchange with other nations?”
“That’s right. To that end, we’ve welcomed women from a variety of lands into our harem.”
“By kidnapping them?”
“Hmm. From your perspective, it was kidnapping, I suppose.” He speaks as if that isn’t the case for the others. Darting a sidelong glance at his face, for the first time, she realizes he’s pale. “Either way, it’s a triviality. Now that the demon king’s poised to become Ellmeyer’s next emperor, everyone wants a connection to the holy king. This is our chance.” He doesn’t seem to be aware of his pallor, though. He’s excited about his work. “The fools are considering going to war with Imperial Ellmeyer. But if we are with them, they can win without fighting at all. We’ve also obtained a trump card in you. There are any number of ways to—”
“Hold out your hand.”
“What?”
This is shaping up to be a bother, so she reaches out and takes his hand. Sure enough, it’s cold. However, judging from the fact he teleported here, he must be totally oblivious.
Sighing, she sends holy power into him through their joined hands. Baal looks startled, but he lets her do as she pleases. Before long, his hand grows warmer and his color improves, so she releases him.
“…Oh, that’s right. You are the bearer of the sacred sword.”
“You’ve only just remembered? Isn’t that why you made me your consort?”
“We didn’t think you’d catch on.”
She bites back a sarcastic response to that last remark and his wry smile. “…Are you sleeping properly? The fiend dragon’s power is stronger at night. You aren’t pushing yourself, are you?”
“What, does our bedchamber interest you?” He laughs and brushes her off. If life is imitating the game, though, he’ll be struggling to keep the fiend dragon in check at night.
Come to think of it, she hasn’t heard anything about evening visits to his bedchamber, even though such matters are what interest the harem most. It’s likely he hasn’t summoned any consorts.
We don’t know where the holy sword is. Under the circumstances, it won’t do to have him collapse on us… If Ares becomes king now, it’s going to be a problem.
Her motto is “Once resolved, don’t hesitate.” Still holding the book, she takes his hand again, tugging him along with her. “Hey. What’s this? Where are we going?”
“Never mind, just follow me. There, sit down right here.” She seats herself in the shade of a tree just outside the library and pats the soft lawn beside her. “Go on, lie down.”
“Why?”
“You haven’t been sleeping. It’s broad daylight, and even if the fiend dragon goes on a rampage, I’ll be here to restrain it. Relax and sleep.”
“…You expect us to believe you? You, the demon king’s wife?”
“If resurrecting the fiend dragon is my true goal, I’d hardly have any reason to share my power with you.”
Her actions should carry more weight than her title, but Baal still doesn’t seem quite convinced. “That’s…true, but you have no reason to help us.”
“You are a troublesome man, aren’t you?”
“Troublesome?! What about us is troublesome?!”
Case in point, she thinks privately. But since it’s a bother, she gives in quickly. “Very well. If you want a reason, you shall have one: You said you wouldn’t start a war with Imperial Ellmeyer. That is my reason.”
“We told you we wouldn’t need to. The demon king can’t beat us.”
“But you’re restraining the others, aren’t you? Both General Ares and Lady Sahra are determined to go to war.”
Sahra is already known as the Daughter of God. She has retrieved the holy sword, and omens point to the fiend dragon’s resurrection. However, because this man is king, they haven’t attacked Ellmeyer. He’s used Claude’s life to threaten her, and she won’t forgive him for it, but she’s compelled to acknowledge that much. “And so, until a better king comes along, I will be your ally.”
“…You feel we are preferable to Ares?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
He examines her as if he’s eyeing a rare beast. It’s quite rude. “What is that look for?”
“…Never mind. Are you implying…that Ellmeyer doesn’t intend to fight with us?”
“When you kidnapped me, I was on my way to a diplomatic conference with the goal of averting a war.”
“You were, were you…?”
He gives a deep sigh. She isn’t dense enough to miss its meaning.
“It sounds as if there really is something behind all this. Is it possible that you brought me here by mistake, or perhaps due to a trap of some sort?”
If he was considering diplomacy, not war, he would never have kidnapped the crown princess.
The mastermind would be someone who wanted to use the kidnapping to set Imperial Ellmeyer and the Kingdom of Ashmael firmly against each other.
“Do you think we would tell you so easily?”
“In that case, I insist that you sleep. It will be a downright nuisance if you collapse.”
Baal doesn’t move. With a smile, Aileen slowly balls her hand into a fist. “Or would it be quicker if I struck you?”
“Woman… Isn’t there a slightly more seductive way to put it?”
“Why should I have to be seductive for you? I’ll kick you.”
Grumbling something sarcastic about women who hit and kick, Baal finally lowers himself to the lawn, then lies back in the shade. He doesn’t close his eyes, though. Instead, he keeps looking up at the sky.
“…We can’t sleep. Sing us a lullaby.”
“You aren’t a child. Don’t be spoiled. Hurry up and go to sleep.”
“Woman, you have no concept of restraint or how to create the proper atmosphere.”
“Then allow me to speak without restraint: If I were you, I’d give up on that woman,” she says, opening the book on her lap. Baal shoots her a glare, but she thrusts the truth at him mercilessly. “She is another man’s wife.”
“…You speak as if it were so simple. You can’t know how it felt when we stepped aside.”
“Yes, I can. I’ve done it myself.”
He looks startled. Her history is rather notorious, even in other lands, but apparently the tales haven’t penetrated this isolated kingdom.
“You…have done the same? You?”
“Yes. Devoting yourself to someone who doesn’t love you and pays you no heed is a waste of time. I decided to move on quickly.”
“We must look rather ridiculous in your eyes, then.” Maybe he feels something like kinship toward her, now that he knows they have that experience in common: Baal gives a self-mocking smile, without attempting to save face. “You may laugh and tell us we’re an embarrassment. We’ll allow it this once.”
“I wouldn’t laugh at that. It simply shows how serious you were. Besides—I might have been the same.”
If it hadn’t been for the memories of her past life and the death flag, she might have clung to Cedric desperately. Exactly as Aileen had in the game.
“…You won’t laugh, hmm? Even though you say we should give up on her.”
“Well, really, you’re the one who’s suffering because you aren’t able to.”
She hears him gulp, but pretends she hasn’t.
“…Sometimes we feel as if the jealousy may drive us mad. What about us wasn’t good enough?” He covers his forehead with his arms, hiding his face, and she isn’t in the habit of peeking. “We know everyone secretly finds it comical. That they’re laughing at us. That they compare us with Ares. Everything he says is straightforward. If they say we became king just because our sacred power was greater, and that he isn’t like us, they’re probably right. What rebuttal is there?”
She gives a brief murmur of assent, just to show she’s listening.
“However, we must appear as if we aren’t bothered by it. We are the king.”
This must be the same sort of loneliness that Claude bears. There’s only one thing Aileen can say in response. “I told you I was your ally, remember?”
“…You are a thoroughly peculiar woman…”
“And you’re quite rude.”
“However, we like strong women.”
“Being liked by you would be problematic.”
When she cuts him down with a grimace, Baal bursts into quiet laughter. “You’re so cold. Well, that’s more refreshing anyway.”
She can’t help but give it a little thought: Baal can’t give up completely because Sahra leads him on. Aileen doesn’t know whether it’s intentional or by accident, but the girl’s artlessness and the way she relies on him probably get his hopes up.
And in my case, I was completely disillusioned.
It’s difficult. She considers giving him a kind word or two, but when she looks over, Baal is breathing peacefully. He’s fallen asleep.
Sighing, she returns her eyes to the book. She took it from library without permission. Thinking she’ll have to borrow it officially later, she casually glances at the card in the back of the volume. Her eyes widen.
The book is an academic text, a detailed account of the history and culture of Imperial Ellmeyer. It’s in the old tongue, and was written before the “impostor” conflict. Its content is quite different from modern versions, but it’s more accurate. It contains the knowledge one must learn if one is considering diplomacy.
