PROLOGUE
A Report
Nebulis Sovereignty. The Paradise of Witches.
Morning light filtered into the reception hall of the royal palace.
Lush green plants lined every nook and cranny, leaves glistening with dew. A wine-colored carpet had been unfurled over the floor. Everything about this room was resplendent and grand—rebuking the derogatory nature of the term witch with its mere existence.
…That was how things should have been.
The Queen’s Space that Princess Aliceliese knew was a holy ground blessed by astral power, serving as a symbol of their country.
Now…
“…To think such a thing could happen…”
The carpet lining the floor had been scorched, coming apart in ashen clumps. On both ends of the space, the stained glass had splintered, and even its semitransparent lace curtains had disintegrated into black char.
Such were the damages of the coup d’état targeting the Nebulis queen—an assassination plot.
“How could this happen to a room loved by the masses, sheltering generations of queens…?”
Alice, chewing her lip, tried to hold back her anger.
Aliceliese Lou Nebulis IX. Middle princess of the Sovereignty. None in the nation were unfamiliar with her name.
Her glossy blond hair emitted a gentle glow, and there was something majestic about those ruby eyes. She’d been blessed with a countenance of imposing beauty and a womanly physique for her young age of seventeen. Alice had an appearance fit for a princess.
“…” Her eyes silently swept over the tragic scene.
The instigators of the coup d’état had been trying to overhaul the nation—with the target being the queen, Alice’s own mother.
…I thought I’d prepared myself for the worst, but this is something else.
…If Mother hadn’t blocked the detonation, there’s no saying what disaster could have occurred.
The queen’s life had been spared.
Even the subordinates at the scene had gotten out mostly unscathed—save for some shallow wounds—according to the report.
It was all because the queen had used her astral powers to contain the blast.
“Someone from the royal family must have targeted Mother. To think the culprit is one of our own…”
“Thank you, Alice,” someone said.
The door swung open. Flanked by two bodyguards, Queen Nebulis IIX entered the Queen’s Space.
“I’m relieved to see you’re safe, Mother. I was worried sick.”
“…Were you?” The queen didn’t seem too happy to hear that from her daughter. “Back in the old days, I was an astral mage who could hold her own, you know. There used to be tales of Imperial soldiers turning tail at the sight of me… Well, I suppose there’s no use talking about that now. We’re lucky we made it out alive.”
The queen let out a little sigh.
She must have been sleep-deprived. Dark circles had formed around her eyes.
“It’s been three days since the coup went down. It happened to take place in the Queen’s Space, but they could have surprised me in my private chambers…or in the bath. You could say I’m a little exhausted from being hypervigilant for so long.”
“If I may, Mother…I’d like to assure you’re safe now that I’m here!”
“To be honest, I’m quite relieved you’re back.”
The queen let out a quiet chuckle, but almost instantly, her brow furrowed again, as her gaze turned to the glassless skylight.
“They really did do a number on us. Capturing the one who attacked Sisbell was the best possible outcome for us under these circumstances. I imagine they’re also responsible for this coup.”
“Yes…but, Mother, the one who attacked Sisbell was…”
“Vichyssoise from the House of Hydra, I’ve heard.”
“…That’s right.”
“ I’ll show you a real treat, Sisbell.”
“Didn’t the monster in the palace look a little something like this?”
“ She isn’t human,” an Imperial swordsman—Iska—had confided in Alice when she had come scrambling to the scene.
By the time of Alice’s arrival, Vichyssoise had run out of steam, reduced back to her human form, but by all accounts, she had been beastly when she’d attacked Sisbell.
…I found the whole thing hard to believe, especially since I didn’t see her evolved state.
…But I guess Rin confirmed she witnessed the same thing.
Sisbell, Iska, and Rin all claimed to have seen Vichyssoise the witch in her other form.
Alice had been on edge the whole time they’d transported Vichyssoise to the palace in the central state, worried she might suddenly transform into her monster form.
“How did the Hydra respond, Mother?”
“They didn’t admit to any wrongdoing, naturally. They’re standing their ground that ‘this has nothing to do with the family, and Vichyssoise acted alone.’ Until we catch them red-handed, we can’t lock them up. Suspending their activities was the best we could manage.”
The queen had been informed Vichyssoise could turn into a monster, too. Frustratingly enough, Alice could offer only a vague description of her beast form, since she hadn’t seen it herself.
…I’m certain the Hydra are embroiled in the coup.
…But they sacrificed Vichyssoise by severing ties with her.
Like a lizard shedding its tail.
It wasn’t hard to imagine the Hydra were doing everything in their power to protect their status—even if it meant foisting the blame on the assailant who’d attacked Sisbell.
“What about the Zoa, Mother?”
“Also still suspects. There are, at present, three possible culprits.” The queen continued to look up at the skylight. “In the beginning, it was just the Zoa. Then the Hydra, when Vichyssoise tried to maul Sisbell. That makes two. What do you think the last possibility is, Alice?”
“…That the Hydra and Zoa are working together?”
“Indeed. Except that has the lowest possibility. Right now, I believe the primary culprit is one of those houses. It pains me to say this because we share blood, but this opportunity could be good for the Lou.”
The queen must have been hinting at the conclave—the election to decide the next ruler. If the Lou could pin down the perpetrator of the coup, their approval rating would get bumped up, while confidence in the Zoa and Hydra would plunge down.
“But, Mother, we have no conclusive proof…”
“… Until Sisbell returns. We can solve everything once she re-creates the incident with her power.”
The queen had uttered the name of her youngest daughter, who was currently absent from the palace.
Her power of Illumination could replay past phenomena—a rare astral skill that could manipulate time and space.
“Alice, is she still in the eighth state, Liesbaden?”
“Yes. Ever since the assault, she’s been lying low to prevent another incident. Rin is with her, so I know where she is.”
Well, there was another group acting as her guards.
Alice could never confide in the queen that her little sister had hired an Imperial unit—of all people! No need to spread unnecessary rumors that the Lou were colluding with the Empire.
…If Iska is with her, the enemy won’t be able to attack so easily.
…I’m more worried she might try something funny with Iska.
Princess Sisbell was lying in the wait. Her attendant, Shuvalts, had returned to the central state, preparing to meet with the queen to arrange Sisbell’s arrival. Only then would Sisbell come back under the queen’s directives.
If all went well, the Lou would come out of this victorious. After all, Sisbell was the missing piece they needed to expose the group organizing the coup.
“Have you already had an audience with Shuvalts, Mother?”
“Alice, when will her attendant return?”
Their questions overlapped.
“…Excuse me?” Alice’s jaw dropped to the floor.
What was her mother talking about?
Shuvalts had arrived in the central state…three days ago. If Sisbell had said so, it had to be true.
“Um…Mother, what’s going on?”
“I could ask you the same thing, Alice… What did you just say?” The queen was simply bowled over by this situation.
The two guards behind her failed to hide their shock, blinking back at the royal family.
“I thought you’d already met with her attendant.”
“Nay. I’ve been waiting for him in the palace so we could settle matters immediately. I assumed he would come with you…” Her eyes began to dim. “Alice. You met with Sisbell. What did she tell you?”
“That she’s been waiting to hear back from him since he arrived at the central state.”
“And when did he return?”
“…Three days ago.”
That was right. His return, strangely enough, coincided with the day of the rebellion.
Shuvalts had arrived at the central state in the afternoon. Everything had gone down that evening.
“…How peculiar. And you?” She turned toward her guards.
They simply shook their heads.
“Unfortunately, my queen, we have not seen him, either.”
“We can ask the palace workers, but I doubt we will find any signs of him having entered the palace.”
That meant…Sisbell’s messenger had arrived in the central state but never reached the palace.
“Someone might have stopped him, my queen…”
“Indeed. If they’re insolent enough to go after me, I’m certain they won’t have any reservations in abducting Sisbell’s attendant. They must have captured him as he was nearing the palace.”
A hush fell over the room.
Tension mounted as Alice, the queen, and the two guards came to the same conclusion.
…Who could successfully abduct Shuvalts?
…He’s an astral mage and used to work as a spy. Locating him should have been near impossible.
Could this have been the Zoa or the Hydra?
Well, neither, to be honest. Even if they were working together, meddling with the affairs of an undercover agent was nigh unfeasible. If anyone could do it, it would be someone close to the Lou, someone intimately familiar with him.
For example…
“My Majesty,” someone sang out in a sonorous voice.
A pair of heels clicked softly as another princess made her way into the Queen’s Space.
“Elletear?”
“I’ve been looking for you. I wanted to get your opinion on something, and your private chambers were empty.”
Elletear Lou Nebulis IX.
Under the gaze of all present, the princess strolled across the room—an ethereal presence. Her big, loose curls were emerald with a light golden tinge. She was taller than Alice, and there was something undeniably sensual about her bust, which was far bigger than Alice’s chest, swaying under her royal garb.
She was a witch…and not in the astral mage way. In her prime, twenty-year-old Elletear was growing more bewitching by the day.
“Hee-hee. Your Majesty?” Elletear asked. “Has Sisbell’s messenger arrived?”
“—” They all gulped.
It felt as if they’d been placed under a curse.
Who would have imagined the eldest daughter would ask that herself, especially when she was suspected of having ties with the Zoa?
“This is Sisbell we’re talking about,” Elletear continued. “I’m certain she’s already dispatched a messenger—either her attendant or some hired soldiers. Either way, shouldn’t they be here by now?”
“…Not yet,” rasped the queen. “Elletear.”
“Yes?”
“Do you know something? Like if her attendant has arrived at the palace?”
“No.” The eldest daughter offered a tiny smile, answering in a jubilant voice. “I think you should be patient.”
“Be patient ? That’s impossible in this situation, Elletear.”
“Yes, why of course. I meant to say that you shouldn’t rush things. And…”
The eldest princess pressed a hand to her cheek—as if pretending to conceal her face, which was flushed pink from excitement.
“…I think someone ought to go fetch our dear sister.”
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login