Volume 1 Chapter 12 (1/2)
Chapter 12: The Princess of a Country Without People
Part 1
If you follow this map, you'll be able to arrive to the nearest country Do your best, Ojousan
The chief of the village where I stayed the other day gavesuch words, so I decided to obediently follow it
It's been a half day since I've been flying on round while holding that oal without a hitch
I was able to, however
Good grief, just what is this
””
Isn't it all wrecked?
It's not a country is it?
Anything and everything All things were dead The gate that separated country from the outside was also left open, so I was able to pass under it without stopping while on my broom
The scenery inside the country stayed unchanged Houses without roofs, ere once houses burnt to the ground, houses with just outlines re, houses that turned to a mere debris debris, debris, and more debris
As for people, there was not even a sign of life
It seeo
And while the Royal Palace that could be said to be the symbol of this country was comparatively normal in appearance, it was still ruins in the end The outer as full of cracks, so much so that it seeate wouldn't budge even if you pulled or pushed it
”Ughh”
I'm at loss Truly at loss
Well, what shall I do?
I sat on the stairs that stretched towards the Royal Palace with a truly depressed expression, however, there was naturally no one who could call out tomy head
Should I turn back on the road, taking another half-day?
Or should I instead stay here?
These tere the choices presented to me And I didn't want to choose either of them If I try to follow the road I came at this time, it will definitely turn dark Even if I safely return to the village, there's also a question on whether there's any lodging place that will letto the village, that would be troubling on it's own right
After all, it's all ruins here
”Haah”
But unfortunately, staying here in these ruins seems to be the better choice out of the two
And so I chose it
After all, the problem wouldn't be solved without a sacrifice I'm very reluctant, but there's no other choice
Let's stay here
And so I stood up
In order to search for a bed
As a result of flying around on the broom in the skies of the small country, the Royal Palace turned out to be the place that retained the ood They were, after all, cru practically useless
The gate of the Royal Palace was locked, but if you thought about it, there was no one there
It's fine right?
It's fine to do it, right?”
”Eii”
After confirate with Magic and it turned to ashes
”Sorry for intruding”
Then, I entered
Compared to its outside that was full of cracks, the interior had kept its beautiful appearance Although it was covered by dust, there were shortco
Now, let's begin the search First co a bed
The castle devoid of people had an o about There was a faint air of unrest, feeling like so would jump out any moment now
While feeling a strange chilliness, I searched for the stairs Being a traveler anderedfor wasn't on the first floor If there was a bedroom, it would be on the second floor Or even further above, there should be a bedroom used by royalty
In less than a fewthe search, I discovered the stairs Stepping firmly on the dust-covered carpet, I headed upstairs
And then,
”Who are you?”
I heard a voice
I reflexively raisedThereupon, I sao at the end of the stairway
I was about to cry In every sense of the word
Part 2
”I didn't expect for someone to live here”
”I didn't expected that someone would come here”
The place she lead ance
Although there was only a bed and desk that could be called furniture in it, if you were to speak of it's vastness I wonder if it would be enough to fit one whole house froe I stayed the other day What is this even? Just what is this? Are you supposed to sleep at such place? Such extravagance
”Where did you come from I wonder?”
As she pulled out a chair froilded splendor) and sat on it, she directed a soft gaze at me
”I came from a country far far away,” I said ”I'm a traveler”
”Can I hear your name?”
”It's Elaina”
”I see I'm Milarosé Nice to meet you”
She smiled
Her hair was red as blood and ruffled as if lightning passed through it As she wore a tattered dress, I felt uneasy thinking whether she was a person ild teentle person
”Milarosé-san, why are you here?”
”I don't know”
”Huh? What does that mean?”
”I don't knohy I'm here” Milarosé-san warped her expression ”When I came to myself, I was in this ruined country”
”That is”
I wonder if it's so like amnesia──
But how? The ruin of this country shouldn't be so, it was already in this state a o
I put my questions into words as is
”Why don't you leave fro in another country should be much better If it's money, it's scattered all around here”
The valuable things could be stolen from the castle if push came to shove
””
After looking like she was thinking for a bit, she stood up Then, she took out a single sheet of paper from the desk drawer, and beckoned to me
Come here, that must be what she meant
”This is the reason why I can't leave this place”
She showed s crawled on it were tightly lined up from top to bottom
It seems it was a letter
While being urged by her, I read that letter
You, who are reading this letter, Princess Milarosé is who you are Even if you don't know anything, I know it
Why are you here? Why is everything outside the s ruined? Why don't you have your previous memory?
I's you don't know, but I want you to cal in a little while
To say that all the puzzles swirling in you will be solved, that isn’t the case But at least it will avoid your death bychoice In other words, read this if you don't want to die
By the way, is it day over there, or a night?
I'll assuht and advance the topic froood if you just put it in the corner of your head that such things will continue to occur from now on
Now
I want you to look outside theSurely, therampant That monster is the demon that destroyed this country, and also the cause of your amnesia
That ive it a name, I would call it Javillier
It wakes up along with sunset and continues to destroy the country until sunrise If you decided to go out to get food supplies, I recommend you do so at daytime The castle is safe Inside the castle is the only place where Javillier can't enter
Javillier's goal is to massacre everyone in this country It coes in search for the last re person
The re person, in other words, is you
It's ai at you who beca you, don't leave the country If you leave the country, Javillier will also leave the country in your pursuit
For you, I have a sole request
I want you to kill Javillier with your strength Although, unless you kill that monster, you won’t be able to leave the country, so I don't think you have much of a choice
If it's your, a Witch's, Magic, then so Javillier should be an easy matter Please, for our sakes, I want you to defeat that monster
So that you live
And for those ere unfortunately murdered
Then, at night
The thing referred to as Javillier, was undoubtedly a monster
Its giant body could be cos, and was covered with scales as black as dead of night
It was named Javillier, but froon
If you plucked the wings off of a dragon, I think it would end up with that form I don't know if it's because of that, but that dreadful of abuildings with its giantfire, rather than searching for the lone survivor Milarosé, it appeared as if it was just in a fit of rage
”Rather than that, Milarosé-san, so you were a Witch?”
”Rather than that, Elaina-san, you are a Witch”
”No, well,a Witch should be obvious from my appearance”
My appearance is that of a Witch no matter how you look at it Did she not see this brooch of mine?
”Just kidding”
Milarosé-san leaked a laugh while gazing down at the ed as it liked outside the
I also followed her line of sight
”But the person rote that letter also makes quite unreasonable requests, huh”
”That's right Because to fight ait's just ridiculous”
”That re me ”Why was it written that only this castle was safe”
”Even if you ask me, I don't know the answer”
Well, that true
I said
”Wasn't that letter kind of strange? In the end, wouldn't the only things we learned after reading that letter be that the ht, and that you mustkill it?”
That's right, while it's tediously written down regarding the situation Milarosé-san is placed in at the moment, there's not a ritten about the crucial part
Why did Javillier appear and destroy the country? Why was she the only survivor? What is the relation between amnesia and Javillier?
All of that is truly ato inform her, they were splendidly omitted
But for what reason?
”While it's true that there is a s I don't understand, I learned that I was Milarosé, the Princess of this country──and that this country was destroyed by the monster If all that is true, than it is my mission to defeat thatdon't you think so?”
”Have you fought it?”
As I pointed at theoutside, she shook her head
”Not yet”
”That is an opponent I wouldn't wish to fight in a lifetime”
”Indeed”
”Milarosé-san, how many days would it be today that you’ve seen that monster?”
”It's only seventh day It hasn't been that long ever since I woke up Well, the country was already ruined a week ago though”
She looked up towards the sky On a jet black sky with shi+ning stars, the roundat the moment?
I do not understand, and I can not understand
””
After being silent for a little while, she opened her mouth
”At night to that monster”
”Do you have a chance of victory?”
Even if it's ed that monster Probably the power difference is at a level where you would finally win after dying twice
”There is, of course You see, I reic one week after I woke up Perhaps I was a capable user before losing my memory” She put her hands on her back
”Do your best I'll cheer for you from a safe place”
”Ah, won't you give me a hand?”
”Is there soe for me if I aid you?”
”That absurdly frank way of speaking of yours, I don't hate it”
”Why thank you”
After that, we indulged ourselves in an aallant figure of the Javillier that raged in the neighborhood, after which ent to bed
As for my bed, Milarosé-san lent me the bed that seemed to be used by employees formerly I'm thankful It was all soft and fluffy
Part 3
Earlyof the next day
I oken up by the extraordinary thunderous roar Ene insidejust like when you sprint with all your rasped my staff, and went towards the first floor that was the source of the roaring sound
”Oh, good ”
The one who greetedon the first floor of the castle full of wariness was the the widely s Milarosé-san Her dress was different from yesterday, but it was just as torn up as that one Doesn't she have anything but the torn-up dresses? I pity her
No, now's not the time for that
”What was that sound just now Is it an enemy attack?”
”Enemy?” She inclined her head in wonder ”I was just cooking Was the sound really that loud?”
”? C-Cooking?”
Perhaps the cooking that you are referring to is just an iinary event
”Yes It will be done soon”
Nodding, she turned around and started to walk Following behind her, I arrived to the kitchen
”Wait in the next hall Please wait”
”Umm, do you need help?”
”It's fine”
”Umm, but”
”It's fine”
””
I, who lost to her indescribable inti air, stepped back as she said I was forced to step back Then, as I faced towards the hall, I sat to one of the lined-up chairs Then,
I failed huh – I thought so
I shouldn't have stepped back I thought
The sounds co from the kitchen were like the noises of construction done at top speedBaribari Guchagucha Gorigori Bekibeki Bokiboki P-Please, spare at least this girl's lif──Gyaaah Goshi+goshi+ Pechipechi
So like that
It was obviously not the sounds of cooking
Toat the end My appetite was co that took the na
It goes without saying that I greeted her, who brought food from the kitchen with satisfied expression, with a pale face
”Oh ht? Your face seems to be pale”
”Just what in the world were you doing?”
”As I said, I was cooking──Here, look at this”
The plate was put before me On top of the white plate were placed two pieces of bread One of them was a bread baked to full broith a muddy red ja placed on it
Cooking?
What was that sound?
”Itadakimasu”
Sitting opposite ofher hands together
”Itadakimasu”
I her, I also joined my hands
The rew crazier it seemed, so I didn't pay attention the minor details Probably, it would be considered a loss if I mind it
Opposite to her, I bit into one with sunny-side-up fried egg The faint appetizing soft taste of the wheat and the egg with just right degree of frying spread out throughout my mouth It is a simple taste that can be eaten whenever you want to eat, but exactly because of that, it's been a while since I ate such cooking My cheeks loosened up without
In a word, it was really delicious
”I'ht matter without delay”
Milarosé-san said
”Night matter you say?”
”Yes I want you to help me prepare a plan”
I replied while eating the egg, avoiding the the yolk
”I received bed on top of breakfast, I will help you with that ”
”Then, how about defeating Javillier?”
”That's a little”
In the first place, why is it that she ht it? It seems to me that there won’t be any problems even if she doesn't