Standing Before the Queen
The ancient trees began to thin out little by little. As the forest grew less dense, sunlight poured down generously from above, and something revealed itself between the trunks.
“That’s…”
Towers that seemed to stab at the sky. Structures blending silver and blue hues sparkled like mirrors under the sunlight. A city that looked as if carved from jewels stood out clearly, even from this distance.
Holy fuck.
It really is a fantasy city.
She pointed ahead.
“This is Elaris.”
“The capital of Lunaris.”
I stared at the sight, momentarily spellbound, and muttered almost to myself.
“It’s incredible…”
She straightened her posture a fraction more, her voice carrying a quiet note of pride.
“It is magnificent, is it not?”
“A city crafted by Lunaris.”
“One designed for our sake as well.”
Even while listening to her explanation, my eyes stayed glued to the city.
“It was built on the principles of order and balance.”
“This place is the heart of Elcia.”
Once we left the forest completely, the ground changed from dirt to paved stone. Soon, figures in blue-toned armor appeared along the road ahead.
Their movements were precise, their paths efficient. The entire city operated like a single, well-oiled machine.
I muttered without thinking.
“But there aren’t any men…”
“Calling them women feels strange too.”
She slowed her steps and paused in thought for a moment.
“There is nothing strange about it.”
“It is simply the natural way of things.”
Turning to look at me, she continued.
“They are simply women.”
“The same as calling air, air.”
Having finished, she faced forward once more.
Soon the castle gates drew near. Two guards in ornate blue armor snapped to attention the instant they saw her.
“Captain Riona.”
“Welcome back.”
Captain?
Their eyes flicked toward me for a brief second before snapping back to the front.
Riona spoke curtly.
“We have a discovered subject.”
“Escorting him to the royal palace.”
The two guards exchanged glances. One of them drew a small crystal orb from his belt.
“Communication open.”
A blue light slowly rose within the orb.
“Gate security reporting.”
The voice was short and firm.
“Knight Captain Riona has returned. One discovered subject.”
The guard’s expression tightened.
“Presumed to be an external entity.”
The light inside the orb shuddered violently once.
“Yes. Requesting palace confirmation.”
After a moment the light faded. The guard tucked the orb away and gave me another once-over, scanning me from head to toe before silently turning away.
Fuck…
The gates opened slowly. She glanced back at me.
“Let us proceed.”
As I stepped through the gates, I gazed at the massive palace looming in the distance.
The star Elcia, a world without men.
And right now, I was on my way to meet its queen.
----------
Shit just got real.
“What am I supposed to do?”
I asked as we passed through the gates. Riona kept her eyes fixed straight ahead.
“Do nothing at all.”
The guards fell into loose escort positions behind us.
“Keep your gaze forward if possible.”
She paused, then added.
“Even if questioned, you are not to speak.”
Her voice dropped lower.
“And the things you said earlier.”
“About gender or any related concepts.”
She still refused to look at me.
“Save those for when you stand before Her Majesty.”
I nodded.
The ground was paved with blue stone. The buildings, all in matching shades, reflected the light softly so the entire city glowed with a gentle azure hue.
People’s footsteps began to falter. Gazes gathered. Whispers rippled outward.
“…What is that?”
“…Look at it…”
I whipped my head toward the voices.
That? To a person!
The guards tightened formation. Riona’s shoulders stiffened slightly, but her stride never broke.
A few passersby recognized her and bowed their heads, yet she offered no reaction.
“Her Majesty is currently in her afternoon office.”
After the brief statement, she pointed toward the city center ahead.
“So we’re heading all the way there?”
“Correct.”
As we entered a wide plaza, the stares grew intense. People stopped in their tracks. Whispers spread like wildfire while eyes locked onto the unfamiliar presence.
I subtly lowered my bound hands.
“Ah, shit…”
Muttering under my breath, I tugged the cloak down again to double-check.
They’re staring so blatantly.
Is it covered properly?
That was when it happened.
A small child’s finger pointed straight at me, accompanied by a delicate voice.
“Mommy, that person looks weird.”
“…!”
Ha…
At least you called me a person.
The child’s mother flinched and quickly lowered the small hand.
“You mustn’t say such things.”
She scanned the surroundings nervously to see if anyone had overheard, then pulled the child close.
I heard every word, kid…
“Stay quiet.”
She covered the child’s mouth lightly and stepped back, but those curious eyes remained fixed on me.
Curiosity. Pure, unfiltered wonder at something strange.
As the guards closed ranks, the area grew quieter. My gaze naturally drifted across the crowd, and I found myself surprised for an entirely different reason.
Every single person—passersby, those chatting in the plaza, even the guards—was strikingly beautiful. Confident postures, perfectly balanced figures, flawless skin.
What the hell is this place?
Why is everyone so damn pretty?
That auntie over there. That guard. Even this kid.
I stole a glance at Riona walking ahead, then quickly looked away when one of the rear guards turned to stare.
“I wasn’t thinking anything.”
----------
In front of a colossal statue of a figure holding a sphere at the plaza’s center, several people paused, bowed their heads in respect, and continued on.
Riona never stopped. As she walked, I noticed her fingertips lightly brush the emblem engraved on the front of her armor.
“It’s so far…”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. The corner of Riona’s mouth twitched ever so slightly.
“We are nearly there.”
She glanced around once.
Buildings of identical height. Streets spaced with perfect regularity.
“Elaris was constructed according to the principle of order.”
A tense silence stretched. The guards scanned their surroundings, the air thick with caution. Riona added quietly.
“In Elaris, even beauty must serve a purpose.”
Her pace quickened after she finished speaking.
Clack. Clack.
Bootsteps rang clearly across the polished stone. The guards behind us naturally adjusted their spacing to match.
The scenery changed gradually. Ornate shops gave way to government offices and administrative buildings. The closer we drew to the city’s core, the taller and more imposing the structures became.
“We have arrived.”
At Riona’s words, a wide marble staircase unfolded before us.
As we climbed, the palace doors swung open on their own. Inside stood four high-ranking officers. Their armor bore intricate patterns that instantly marked them as important.
Their eyes locked onto me immediately—filled with curiosity and wariness. One stepped forward.
“Captain Riona—”
“Is this the subject you reported—?”
Riona gave a short nod.
“His condition is stable.”
“It would be best for Her Majesty to judge him directly.”
A brief silence passed between them. The officers’ gazes swept over me once more before they parted, opening the way.
“Do not speak. Stay close.”
I nodded silently.
Inside the palace, torches were almost nonexistent. Instead, round crystal orbs were embedded throughout the walls and pillars. They emitted no flame or smoke—only a soft blue light that pulsed gently like a heartbeat.
The sound of Riona’s footsteps echoed through the vast space.
Whoa… This is incredible…
Huge murals covered the inner walls. They depicted warriors wielding swords of light in battle, and every single figure was female.
The doors ahead stood open. Dozens of nobles and officials clustered in small groups inside.
The moment we entered, all conversation died. As if they had already heard the news, every eye turned toward us—shock, wariness, curiosity, and unease all crashing together at once.
“Wow, I really am a monkey in a zoo at this point.”
The instant the mutter left my lips, Riona seized my arm with surprising strength.
“This is no time for jokes.”
Her voice was low, teeth clenched.
“The people here…”
“If they decide you are a threat, it ends right there.”
She released me, straightened her posture, and addressed the nobles.
“This subject requests direct judgment from Her Majesty the Queen.”
“Any further questions will be answered by me.”
Riona shifted slightly in front of me, as if trying to shield me from the blatant stares. The murmuring resumed at a lower pitch.
Then—
Dong—
Once. Twice. Three times.
The bell tolled, and every gaze in the hall snapped toward a single direction.
A side door bearing the royal crest was slowly opening.
“Her Majesty Seraphina holds obedience as the highest virtue.”
Obedience?
I’d heard that word somewhere before.
As everyone lowered themselves in unison, she entered.
She wore robes the deep blue of the night sky, embroidered with silver star patterns. Every step, every glance radiated absolute authority and an indescribable pressure. She ascended the dais without pause.
Riona gave my back a gentle push and whispered.
“The moment of decision has come.”
I remained standing where I was. Riona walked forward alone and dropped to one knee.
“Your Majesty.”
“This one brings an important report.”
Her voice rang throughout the hall.
“An existence capable of shaking our order has been discovered within Lunaris.”
The queen’s gaze shifted. It passed over Riona and fixed directly on me. The moment those crimson eyes met mine, my body froze solid.
That cold, profound stare stole my breath. An overwhelming pressure bore down on me, as though I should bow my head without reason.
While the crowd leaned forward, holding their breath, the queen spoke.
“Our loyal subject Riona.”
“What manner of being is this?”
“That it threatens our order—what meaning does this hold?”
She drew out the end of every sentence with regal weight.
Riona took a steadying breath and answered.
“This person claims to have come from beyond our world.”
The hall fell deathly silent as her next words landed.
“From a world where men exist.”
Gasps erupted from every corner. Someone clutched their necklace. Others widened their eyes. A few narrowed theirs sharply while others already wore expressions of cold calculation.
The queen leaned forward slightly, her fingers slowly tapping the armrest. Her gaze never left me.
“We shall observe him closely.”
At her command, Riona extended a hand toward me. For the briefest instant, her expression wavered.
Ah… I really want to run away.