Fremd Torturchen - Volume 9 - Chapter 7

7

The Young King’s Decision

It’s time for a story about a boy.

The boy was a sad little person. He was timid, and cowardly, and gloomy to boot.

Normally, it was hard for people like that to live exciting lives. However, this particular boy had been born as the heir apparent to the human throne. Although he himself never wished for anything of the sort, he was forcibly coronated and made to serve as king by those around him. On top of that, the boy didn’t have a single person who believed in him. As he lived his solitary life, he ultimately made the choice to give in to his destiny.

In the world, there was a single nitwit of a king.

With great resignation, the boy chose to live a life that would be mocked in just that way.

But the world betrayed that expectation,

and the boy’s destiny was radically transformed.

It’s time for a story of a hero.

The world once very nearly met a tragic end. However, that seemingly immutable fate was altered by a single person. And the one who accomplished that miraculous feat was a boy who had reincarnated from another world.

He got a chance at life, then had a number of experiences, some horrifying and some irreplaceable.

Then after a long series of battles, he obtained a colossal amount of mana and used it to save someone precious to him.

And while he was at it, he saved the world.

By sacrificing himself.

After burdening himself with God and Diablo, the boy fell into a deep slumber at the World’s End. Thanks to his deeds, the people of the world managed to avoid the apocalypse. The greatest good for the greatest number was, surely, the greatest outcome.

One could say they lived happily ever after.

As an aside, there was also one little fact. Hardly any knew it, and it was of little true importance.

As it turned out, though, the boy—the human king—admired the hero deeply.

Thus did the story of admiration and folly and love come to its end.

And with it, for the first time, the story of Maclaeus Filliana the Craven King began.

“It was the first time I ever had something I wanted to become. It was the first time I’d ever admired someone like that.”

“It was the first time I realized that it didn’t matter that no one else believed in me.”

“I just had to become someone that I could believe in.”

“We don’t have any problems with you buying time on your own. If anything, I think it’s admirable.”

“But we’re not about to sit here and let you choose the crystal as the finish line for your game!”

“The same goes for that drivel from the Mad King! Who would ever be willing to put their faith in something so vague?!”

“And how the hell could you let her set the Capital as your starting line?!”

A chorus of angry shouts echoed through the provisional royal castle.

After the battle against the Sand Queen and her encounter with Alice, Elisabeth had returned to mankind’s territory.

Once she got there, she gave her report about the promise that had been made. The reactions she got were about what she’d expected. As everyone dumped their verbal abuse on the Torture Princess, Elisabeth shook her head. It was all very grating on her ears.

She knew that all their complaints were legitimate, but at the same time, she didn’t hear any of them offering up better alternatives.

After all, there wasn’t a single person in the world who could take Alice in a fight.

If they wanted a different method, though, Elisabeth herself had long since thought of one.

We could simply let Alice carry out her massacre.

Then, while she was preoccupied, Elisabeth would take Kaito Sena’s crystal and hide it as well as she could. From there, all they would have to do was wait with bated breath for that “just a little longer” to pass. Compared to Elisabeth’s game, that method would provide far greater security for the crystal and make averting total destruction that much easier. However, it also carried the serious possibility that by the time the end came, humanity would have suffered too great a blow. Even if some form of salvation were to come, it would be pointless if most of the people receiving it were already dead.

And what’s more, there’s no telling what state God is in over Kaito’s body. ’Tis crucial we consider the possibility that if the destruction crosses a certain threshold, it will commence with the reconstruction… And even if it doesn’t wake, the rebuilding efforts to come will demand considerable manpower. Even if the mother yet lives, a world without children has no future.

Either way, they had no choice but to trust Kaito Sena’s words.

And if they wanted to take the option that prevented a massacre from occurring, offering the crystal up as a prize would be an essential part of that.

After all, that was the bait they needed to get Alice to come running. From there, all they could do was buy as much time as possible before Alice reached it. That said, Elisabeth was going to have a hard time pulling that off on her own.

Still, she couldn’t exactly just go up and ask others for help. Any who took part in this upcoming battle would be heading to their deaths. There wasn’t a soul who stood a chance against Alice, and that was even before taking the Sand Queen’s battle into account.

As the voices of dissent filled the air, Elisabeth quietly spoke. “I hear no alternate suggestions, so this is the way it shall be. Now, I can’t promise any will survive, but…if there are any who would be willing nonetheless, I beseech you to lend me your aid. As for everyone else, I recommend you find somewhere you can hide in utter silence.”

Elisabeth had more or less resolved to fight this battle alone. At the moment, her mana reserves had largely recovered. Her encounter with the Grand King had led her to start keeping stockpiles of her own blood, and the transfusion had worked wonders.

Now that she could stand on her own two feet again, she had no intention of lambasting any who chose to flee.

She owed her life to Kaito Sena. His love had saved her.

That meant that all of this, everything that was happening and everything that was going to happen, was her story.

Averting her eyes and passing the buck wasn’t an option.

Silence descended on the room. However, there was one person who moved. It was the human king—Maclaeus.

He solemnly rose to his feet, then laid a hand atop his chest and spoke. “Anyone who wants to run should run. The Fremd Torturchen will probably come to the castle first, so I’m going to stay here. That way, I’ll be able to send out evacuation orders as Alice and Madam Elisabeth fight. I can handle communications on my own, so by all means, if you want to go, then go.”

“Maclaeus?”

Elisabeth looked at him in astonishment. It was true enough the kingdom of man could replace their leader with little trouble.

There were plenty of other people who could serve as king. Back during Ragnarok, though, the Craven King had fled. By all rights, Maclaeus should’ve been more scared of what was going on than anyone. Elisabeth shot him a questioning glance. Are you sure about this?

However, he didn’t answer her.

That in and of itself was his answer.

There was no need for him to put it into words. Maclaeus had steeled his resolve. He squeezed his fists tight in a way that looked almost childish, then raised his voice. “Last time, I ran away. I’m done running now. I’m not going anywhere, even if it means I have to stand here alone.”

The king’s declaration echoed across the room. His entourage of high priests and influential nobles exchanged glances with each other. Izabella said nothing. Somebody tried to break the silence, but they were quickly interrupted.

The door to the conference room swung open with great force.

Heavy footsteps boomed out in concert with a soldier’s voice.

“That’s just what we’ve been waiting to hear.”

“Royal Knight Commander Darius!” Izabella cried.

Elisabeth blinked. The Royal Knights were a knight order ranked below the Holy Knight paladins, and this was Elisabeth’s first time crossing paths with their commander.

The man Darius was about as ordinary-looking as they came. He was a gruff, bearded soldier, and though his physique was rugged, Elisabeth couldn’t sense an ounce of magical potency in him. Even so, just looking at him was enough to get a sense of what an impressive military career he must have had. Darius went and stood beside Izabella.

He placed his arm over his chest and bowed, then grimly laid out the facts. “We saw those fixed batteries, so we know that the situation is as bad as it was during the end of days. But this time, the Mad King isn’t here, and I’m not about to send my men out to fight under the orders of a man who isn’t giving it his all. Not when we all know they’d be going to their deaths. But just now, we heard your resolve loud and clear.”

All of a sudden, Elisabeth realized that the hallway outside was packed full of Royal Knights.

It was unclear how long they’d been there, but by the sound of it, they’d been eavesdropping on the meeting. The guard outside must have been complicit, too. It was a bald-faced act of treason on all of their parts, but given the current circumstances, it was best not to get hung up on little details like that.

Darius’s well-worn armor clinked as he took a few steps forward.

Then he knelt before Maclaeus. The young king hadn’t been expecting that, and he let out a small gasp. Darius bowed low and spoke with great reverence. “It will be our honor to accompany you, Your Majesty. Please, King Maclaeus, hold your head high. Each and every one of us is ready to stand here until the last man for you.”

Cheers rose up from behind him. That was what the knights had been looking for—a reason to stand fast and fight. They were being faced with a calamity on par with the end of days, and all they’d been hoping for was someone to show up and lead them. They raised their fists high.

One after another, the knights let out shouts of approval.

That marked the moment that Maclaeus the Craven, the worst king in history,

was recognized by the army as a leader worthy of succeeding the Mad King.

“I…”

Tears started beading up in the corners of Maclaeus’s eyes. Before they could fall, though, he quickly wiped them away. As he did, one of the high priests nodded. It was the old man who had asked why Elisabeth couldn’t have been the one to die. At some point, a small, glowing dove had appeared in his hand.

The creases in his face wrinkled as he quietly spoke. “I see. In that case, I suppose there’s no helping it… King Maclaeus, I have a message for you from the saints. There is the sin of La Filsell to consider, the one who reacted with hostility to the prospect of having her contract with God severed and attacked Madam Jeanne. But more importantly, they wish to honor La Christoph’s vision of salvation and Her Holiness the Saint’s noble sacrifice. As such, all of them are prepared to fight and die alongside the Torture Princess.”

“The…saints are?”

The Torture Princess was shocked. That wasn’t the choice she’d expected them to make at all.

For most of the saints, their prayers had ultimately warped even their very flesh. God was all they had. And even though it wasn’t the issue at hand, Elisabeth’s eventual goal was to remove them all from God’s influence. They should have viewed her as an enemy. But now they were choosing to help protect the world. Then the high priests all moved as well.

They dropped to their knees as one and clasped their hands together as though in prayer. “The saints’ resolution is firm. As such, we shall martyr ourselves before that same fate.”

“You lot, too?”

It was only then, at long last, that Elisabeth realized something. All of them, the old man included, really were high priests.

Beside them, the aristocrats straightened their posture. Then they all heard a flustered voice from outside.

“Whoa, why’s it so packed out here? I could smell the sweat from down the hallway!”

The voice belonged to one of the civil officials who’d been waiting by the communication devices.

For some reason, there was something almost goofy about his tone.

The official waded through the sea of men and barged into the room once more. This time, there was a communication device perched atop his shoulder. He pointed at the white orb and shouted excitedly.

“Madam Elisabeth! The device followed along of its own accord, but the point is, you have a message from Sir Vyadryavka! It goes, ‘Our retreat was successful. We owe you a great debt, Madam Elisabeth. We know Alice Carroll has awoken, and we’re in the process of reassembling the army to come to your assistance.’”

“You’re incorrigible, all of you!” Elisabeth barked with no small amount of vexation. The communication device flapped its wings in an odd display of pride, and Elisabeth combed back her bangs as a poignant thought crossed her mind.

Nobody wanted to die.

Yet in spite of that, everyone was choosing death. And they were doing it to protect those who needed protecting.

Maclaeus looked straight ahead and, in his role as the sad, lonely man bearing the weight of the world, he spoke. “Madam Elisabeth, would you do the honors? We’ve all chosen to tie our fates to yours, and for the sake of the people, we’re prepared to dance this dance to the bitter end. Now, say the word and lead us into hell.”

At that moment, Elisabeth felt as though her entire body had been buffeted by a fierce gale. However, the sensation hadn’t been caused by the wind. Innumerable people were listening to her words. The strength of their gazes was striking her like an arrow. The high priests were kneeling, Vyadryavka was crossing his arms, Izabella was staring ahead with great dignity, Jeanne was grinning ever so slightly, and the human king was blinking back tears.

Countless soldiers were hanging on to her every word.

Her next few words would no doubt lead many of them to their deaths.

Even so, she had no regrets.

And so the Torture Princess made her fearless declaration.

“We go now to our deaths—to our dawn. Let Armageddon begin.”

“This time, foolish child, I, too, will join the fray.”

The hallway was aflutter with activity as everyone rushed to and fro in preparation for the battle.

Suddenly, Elisabeth heard someone call over to her from behind.

She turned back to find that the darkness in one corner of the hallway was deeper than it should have been. A smooth ripple spread across the shadow’s surface.

Then, like a fish leaping from the water, a fell beast appeared from within.

It was the Kaiser, the supreme hound. The knights present all leaped where they stood, but the Kaiser ignored them. He gave his head a great shake.

Elisabeth narrowed her crimson eyes.

During the battle with the Sand Queen, the Kaiser had steadfastly chosen to remain on the sidelines. She couldn’t imagine what was different now. “What are you up to, Kaiser? Here I was thinking you had no intention of fighting at all.”

“Ha. Fool. I told you, didn’t I? The stage wasn’t suitable for me to come out on, and that a more fitting moment lay later on. Now that time has come. That’s all there is to it. You need wings, do you not? Just this once, I shall allow you to ride me.”

His final offer caught Elisabeth completely by surprise. It was an exception among exceptions for that proud beast to allow a human atop his back. Elisabeth sank into thought for a moment. The fact that “the time had come” allowed her to arrive at a conclusion, and she confronted the Kaiser about a fact that, on some level, she had realized all along. “When your contractor Vlad died, you should have disappeared. Yet here you are, just as ever. It stands to reason, then, that in Vlad’s final moments, you used the person who appeared before him—the Saint—as an intermediary to make a new contract.”

The Kaiser offered little in the way of a response. He just silently sneered at her.

Elisabeth stared into his hellfire-filled gaze and cut to the chase.

“Your new contractor—is it Kaito Sena?”

“The one and only. Foolish child. I say, that certainly took you long enough to figure out.” As he replied, the Kaiser scratched the back of his ear in much the manner an actual dog would. For some time, the question had been, what exactly happened back there? Perhaps having grown tired of growing tired, the Kaiser finally filled in the blanks. “The Saint appeared the moment Vlad died, and part of what she did there was ensure the succession of my contract. To do so, she returned it to its original owner, and Kaito Sena received it. And when he did, he asked something of me: ‘When Elisabeth is in peril, I want you to save her,’ he said. What a dolt that one is. As always, the things that come out of his mouth are nonsensical beyond compare.”

The fact that the request came from someone he deemed worthy notwithstanding, the Kaiser had probably been loath to admit that something like that was the sole reason behind his actions. Upon recognizing that further silence would cause problems down the road, though, he had given up and explained himself.

However, Elisabeth’s response was to narrow her eyes. Surely that condition had been met long ago. “I feel I’ve been in no small amount of peril up till now.”

“Ha! How so?! The rabble died off, certainly, but I see you’re still standing. But this time is different. You’ll die if things go on like this. There can be no doubt of that. So consider this something to be proud of. I shall accompany you to the depths of Hell itself. After all, failing to carry out that single request of his would be a blemish on my reputation.”

The Kaiser scoffed. Elisabeth stared intently at him.

The supreme hound didn’t seem to realize it himself, but Elisabeth couldn’t help but give voice to her observation. “You sound more human than ever.”

“In what way?! I’ll bite your head off, child,” the Kaiser growled back. Even his expression seemed oddly human.

That said, Elisabeth had no idea if there was any deeper meaning to the fact.

Thus, the battle began.

So that the people of the world could struggle valiantly and die believing in the future.

So that they could bring the story to an end.