Hand Over the Newbies
Throwing a pebble into the lake called the Queen had successfully created ripples. By now, she was probably racking her brains, hair falling out in clumps. Sisilia's maid cosplay had been worth it.
But if she stopped at just making ripples, the small waves she'd stirred up would soon fade away. Before they vanished, she needed to land one big blow.
"The proxy of humanity has arrived."
And so Sisilia had come to find the sulking prince. The problem was that the location and state Edward was in right now appealed to her tastes immensely.
This is...
Loud music. A slightly unbuttoned shirt. Shamans glancing nervously at Edward. And that cold expression to top it off.
This scene is...!
"Vice-captain."
"What."
"Could you just once follow my lead?"
"...What is it."
"Am I fit to be king? Just once."
"Even so, no treason!"
Edward cried out with genuine grievance. Sisilia pressed a finger to her lips and glanced around.
"...These are remnants of the clergy. They always hold a religious event around this time."
"So you weren't gathering forces on the verge of rebellion."
"What the hell do you think I am?"
Edward let out a deep sigh.
Too bad. I was sure it was that scene.
Sisilia blinked, scanning Edward with her expressionless face. He wasn't in his usual uniform but casual clothes. She approached him and reached for the buttons on his shirt.
Edward stared blankly as Sisilia fiddled with it, straightening his attire neatly. She tilted her head.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"...No, it's nothing."
Edward closed and opened his eyes once. First, he led Sisilia out of the secret cathedral. It wasn't a sight for a young girl.
"Don't wander around carelessly."
"You're not going to kill them?"
"...You're really something. Forget it."
Edward spoke in a slightly annoyed tone.
"It's not Windsor Knights business. Warning the clergy is the royal knights' job."
"Then why are you..."
"Who knows. Maybe demons are mixed in with the clergy."
Demons...!
Sisilia turned a chilling gaze toward the cathedral, gripping her sword.
"No... there are no demons."
Edward said dismissively.
"I just came by on my day off because they were annoying. Don't worry about it."
"I see."
Edward halted. The cathedral was in a remote corner, and the alley was empty. Sisilia stopped too, placing a hand on her chest in instinctive heroine mode.
Take courage! Vice-captain!
Sisilia cheered on Edward's pure love. Of course, since she was still a minor, if he tried anything bad, her sword wouldn't forgive him.
"It was filthy gray, Sisilia. Darker and murkier than you can imagine."
Edward glanced back with a smile.
"I'm dying to know why you came all the way to a place like that to find me."
Sisilia bowed her head slightly.
"I have a proposal, vice-captain."
"Speak."
"I don't want to be the proxy of humanity or anything like that."
"Oh dear, that's a problem. From the Queen's face yesterday, she won't accept that easily."
"Help me, vice-captain."
Edward was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected her to say it so outright.
"...Me?"
"Yes."
"That's an impossible request."
Edward gave a bitter smile.
"The Queen doesn't think of me as proxy material at all."
"But she can stop me from becoming the proxy."
Edward's bitter smile faded. His face grew expressionless, coldly staring at Sisilia.
"You already knew. No need to hide it, then."
In truth, Edward's visit to the cathedral wasn't mere curiosity. Over 200 years of religious persecution had bred mountains of resentment against the Queen. He planned to use them to block Sisilia's appointment as proxy.
If he couldn't have it, destroying it was the natural order.
"How long have you known? About this plan."
...What are you talking about?
But Sisilia's near-animalistic heroine instincts kicked in, and she made a sad face.
"Somehow."
Edward chuckled and sat on the stone wall.
He could have denied it, but it didn't feel right. Sisilia walked over and squatted beside him. Edward stroked her head.
"Does someone like me disgust you?"
"..."
"Me, who throws every tantrum to stop my little sister figure from becoming proxy."
Sisilia shook her head.
"No one disgusting strokes my head."
Edward closed his eyes briefly.
"Yeah, you're that kind of kid."
Bringing in the clergy meant bringing in the Holy Nation. Even without them, no country would accept the Liannen Kingdom arbitrarily picking a 'proxy of humanity.' It was the ultimate rebellion against the Queen.
No matter how royal, she couldn't ignore it easily. Of course—Edward had a perfect countermeasure ready. An escape route she couldn't punish even if she found out.
But Sisilia didn't seem to know that far. That's why she came teasing it out, framing it as a 'request' to share the blame for Edward's crime.
The Queen was soft on Sisilia, after all. Such a good girl.
"Maybe the Queen's decision is inevitable. You could convince anyone. Captivate anyone."
Sisilia made a wistful face.
"...Vice-captain."
"Didn't know you could make a sad face like that. Not like you, Sisilia."
Edward showed a genuine smile for the first time in a while.
"The Queen will understand your feelings, vice-captain. But..."
Tears welled slightly in Sisilia's eyes.
But Sisilia. Even setting aside my personal wishes, I think you shouldn't become proxy.
Edward thought, watching her vulnerable side.
You're too fragile for such an inhuman mission. Even pitying the family circumstances of a vice-captain who antagonizes you.
A Queen giving such a heavy duty to a fragile child. Edward couldn't accept it.
Even if the result was glorious, peace bought through Sisilia's sacrifice—he would firmly refuse.
"I..."
Sisilia spoke, her wistful eyes red and teary.
"Have never seen you as a man, vice-captain."
"...?"
"Sorry, but I can't accept those feelings."
Edward's eyes narrowed to dots.
"My eyes hurt."
Sisilia stared coldly at the herb in her hand. The so-called Tearjerker Herb! Great effect, but the stinging aftereffect was the problem.
She tucked it carefully into the space under her skirt and stood straight on the rooftop. A cool breeze blew. Her silver hair fluttered naturally at the perfect angle.
"The vice-captain fell for it hard. He won't look at another woman for a thousand years. Such a handsome guy staying single forever."
The vice-captain was a god, indeed. Who'd have thought he was plotting something so terrifying...
Of course, she had no idea what the plot was.
"...Revenge for the soon-to-arrive newbies."
Sisilia smiled brightly. A happy ending for both girl and boy newbies.
Happy newbies make Sisilia happy. Happy Sisilia brings world peace. All a foundation for solving global warming, really.
Sisilia stepped lightly into the air. She plummeted fast—but landed so softly no dust rose.
She strode confidently. Stopping at the cathedral where she'd met Edward earlier.
Who knew there was a cathedral here.
The clergy were tenaciously persistent. Despite Queen Lydia's merciless executions, eradicating goddess-worshipping priests entirely was impossible. Faith sprouts anew in human hearts, no matter how much you kill it.
And in a world where the goddess was real, the phenomenon was even stronger. Thus, this tiny sprout of faith had bloomed splendidly.
As a newbie lover, Sisilia was a splendid veteran who cherished even small weeds.
She placed a hand on her waist.
The vice-captain is scheming something, but I don't think it'll make the Queen yield.
Sorry, Edward. But the transcendent Queen—hope for understanding.
Facing the Queen alone was daunting even for Sisilia. She'd already failed several times, nearly breaking yesterday. Good thing she'd licked Bianca quick, or it'd be hikikomori Sisilia.
So—
...I need backup too.
The big blow could only be that.
"True name release."
Sisilia smirked slightly, drawing the sword from her back and slamming it into the ground.
"Sword God Sisilia."
**
"Y-You are..."
Lumen, bishop of the secret cathedral, backed away in terror.
"Where's the prayer room."
Crackle—
A silver-haired girl. Pupils burning white-hot. He'd seen her with Edward earlier—but
Lumen was certain. This was a blatantly different existence. An irregular that shouldn't be.
"Shaman?"
Sisilia tilted her head.
"Ah."
She opened her mouth impassively.
"Don't worry. I'm not here to harm you. I'll keep your secret."
"Th-Then why are you here..."
Sisilia smiled brightly.
"It's a cathedral. I came to pray."
Lumen clamped his mouth shut.
-I'll keep your secret.
The words sounded different.
-You need to keep it secret.
Lumen quietly pointed to the prayer room. Where one of the few remaining 'goddess statues' in Liannen Kingdom stood.
Sisilia entered. Closed the door, knelt demurely.
"...Looks just like her."
It was a spitting image of GM Michael, whom she'd faced while capturing the Demon God. Sisilia wondered idly: Was there really a bearded old man behind her, or was it Michael herself?
Not that it matters.
Such trivialities didn't matter. What did was something else.
Sisilia clasped her hands before the goddess statue.
"Goddess."
And prayed.
"Hand over the newbies before I ascend to heaven and get executed."
Moved by her holy prayer, the goddess statue tilted about 45 degrees.