Prologue
Humanlike, at Minimum
In a zone neither part of the Empire nor the Nebulis Sovereignty…
This section of the world seemed to stretch on forever. Though the other side of this planet housed two superpowers—the Empire and the Sovereignty—their territories did not cover even half the landmass of the world.
It contained over a hundred countries and was plotted with neutral cities. Their forces would serve to buffer the all-out war between the superpowers.
…At least, that was the plan.
“Hmm. The wind is still cold at this hour of the day.”
Dawn at the dairy farm.
Elletear stood at the top of the hill, just past the border of the Nebulis Sovereignty, surrounded by dark green fields.
“We’ll wait for the transport plane here, meet in an hour, and return to Imperial territory.”
“Understood,” she replied, nodding back at the Imperial soldiers. A beautiful witch—Elletear Lou Nebulis IX.
A darling, dignified facade. Tapered eyes that could seduce just about anyone. Emerald hair shone with flecks of gold, catching the light and billowing in the wind. A full chest, which made it hard to believe she was only twenty; cleavage peeking out from her dress, threatening to spill over.
Even the goddess of beauty would have envied her.
“And please don’t try anything while we wait for the plane.”
“I wouldn’t imagine it. I’ve been caught by the Empire, after all. I know my place,” Elletear replied, winking at the commander of the Imperial forces. It was like she’d been waiting for this situation.
“What a beautiful morning. It won’t be long until the Sovereignty is uprooted. Let it begin.” Elletear placed a hand on her chest.
There was a raw wound on it—the breast that attracted the attention of every man on this planet. A single injury to her flesh.
“The first princess Elletear, who protected the queen, had been cut by the Saint Disciple’s sword.”
A fatal wound, witnesses would have thought, including the queen and Aliceliese. They had seen the room painted red when the Saint Disciple’s sword sliced through her torso in the Queen’s Space.
“…It was excruciatingly painful to receive that blow.”
She circled the mark with her fingertips, almost lovingly. It had already started to heal. The wound on her chest was proof she was still human. The swiftness of her regenerative abilities was proof she was slowly becoming less human.
“…I imagine I’m perfectly in between, right now.” She chuckled quietly to herself.
The eldest princess was monitored by more than a dozen Imperial soldiers.
It was unprecedented; the Imperial forces had successfully captured a direct descendant of Nebulis—a purebred. In an hour, they would be transporting her to the Empire.
A seed of doubt, however, was already starting to plant itself in their minds.
How could such a beautiful woman be a witch?
Everyone in the Empire imagined witches to be vile, merciless creatures. Could these words be applied to the woman before them?
Visible grace and elegance. Breathtaking nobleness. They were clearly surprised when she showed no signs of the wickedness associated with witches.
“Excuse me,” Elletear called out. “You there.”
“…Me?!” The soldier widened his eyes in fear. “Wh-what?!”
“I must ask you for a favor.”
Elletear chuckled when he reached for his gun.
Then she looked up at him, almost pleadingly. “May I have some water? I’m feeling so hot and clammy.”
Elletear leaned forward, displaying her collarbone and what was farther down.
Her breasts were slick with sweat. The deep groove between them seemed to suck in the beads of perspiration. It was captivating.
“If you’d be so kind.”
“…As long as you don’t mind drinking water from the Empire. We don’t carry any from the Sovereignty.”
“Of course. It seems I’ll be under the care of the Empire for some time.”
He handed her a bottle of water.
Elletear cracked it open, poised to bring it to her lips when the communicator rang in her other hand.
“Hey, Elletear. I’m glad your communicator wasn’t confiscated.”
“Oh, good morning, Lord Talisman.”
Elletear seemed to have no issues speaking the name of the other person on the line, despite being surrounded by Imperial soldiers.
“I imagined you would be crossing the border soon.”
“Perfect timing. I was hoping to hear an update on things in the Sovereignty.”
“In total chaos, just as planned.”
Talisman. Head of the Hydra. Mastermind behind the plan to assassinate the queen. Orchestrator of the Imperial raid the night before.
“We’re preparing to make an announcement to the people in an hour: Never in Sovereign history have we seen more casualties than during this Imperial raid.”
“I’m sure that will rock the Sovereignty.”
The Empire had captured purebreds, including Elletear, but her abduction was part of the plan. It was all for the collapse of her motherland.
“It’s all going according to your plans, Elletear.”
“Yes…and that’s what matters most.” She brought the bottle to her lips.
Then a strange sensation washed over her. Her face paled. Sweat poured from her forehead. Her hand holding the communicator trembled.
“…Whew.”
“Oh? Your breath sounds strained.”
“I must have sustained too much of Growley’s Vice… In another form, it would have been no problem, but I am in a human body now.”
Growley. Head of the Zoa. A dreadful purebred. Possessor of Vice. He had managed to pick up on the schemes of the Hydra.
“I’ve given Lord Growley a narcotic—four times the normal dose to make sure he won’t wake up mid-transport. I imagine he won’t budge for several days… I was right to take him by surprise. Had I attacked him directly, he would have gotten me first.”
“You’ve eliminated one of our annoying enemies. Amazing powers, you have.”
“I’m a wicked witch, after all.” Sweat moistened her forehead. She closed her eyes. “I’m sure you’d be disillusioned had you seen me in that form, Lord Talisman.”
“Oh? But wasn’t that of your own volition?”
“Yes. Because I’m not powerful enough to be picky about my methods…”
Elletear Lou Nebulis IX was the weakest of the purebreds.
From the moment she was born, destiny dictated she would never become queen. Her astral power of Voice was useless.
This was the reason for her departure. She had left to put an end to the Paradise of Witches, a country that only valued those with “real” astral powers.
“Oh, yes. We’ve also secured Sisbell. I promise to treat her well—though we did knock her out to take her to the location.”
“I leave her in your capable hands.” Elletear gripped the communicator more firmly. “…Oh, and I almost forgot, Lord Talisman. Could you stay behind in the royal palace?”
“I intended to. Did you need something?”
“……” After pausing for a breath, Elletear whispered, “Please inform the queen that the night is cold, and she should keep herself warm.”
“How very human of you.” Talisman let out a strained laugh from the other end. “An emotion caught in between the human side of you—a daughter—and something else—a witch. Heartbreaking.”
“I’m leaving my life with my family. Is it wrong to be a little sentimental at the end?”
The line went dead.
Elletear could feel the stares of the soldiers on her as she opened her eyes. She handed the communicator to a soldier and brought the water bottle to her lips.
A single sip was enough to make her indescribably nauseous. She clenched her back teeth.
Her body had rejected water—like it was telling her she could live without it.
She had already reached that point.
“Right…I must get used to this.” Elletear placed a hand on her sweaty chest and inhaled slowly.
There would come a time when she would no longer need to do that anymore.
“I must act humanlike, at minimum. Even if I’m a witch.”
The princess let out a quiet snort. Her smile was dazzling, but it sent a chill through the soldiers watching her from the side.
“It’s been such a long time since I’ve seen the Eight Great Apostles. I’m sure they will be surprised when they see me. I simply can’t wait.”
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