A Dramatic Reconciliation
What a dramatic reconciliation this would be!
It was nine o’clock on a chilly autumn night, the cold wind brushing against our cheeks.
“Are you nervous?”
“Yeah. A little.”
I walked side by side with Elys.
“Don’t worry. Today, Lady Elys will gain another ally.”
We were heading for Charlotte’s dormitory.
Putting off the truth about Elys any longer would only dig the emotional trench deeper, so we had decided to reveal her real identity to Charlotte as soon as possible.
“All right, let’s go over it one more time. I was walking down an alley when I found Lady Elys being harassed by some thugs, and I saved her. Impressed by my righteous display, she revealed her identity and asked for my help. That’s the story, correct?”
“It’s a lot more flattering to you than what actually happened… but fine. That version will keep questions to a minimum.”
“Have you already thought about what you’ll say to Lady Charlotte?”
“No. I haven’t planned anything in particular.”
The words might have sounded careless, yet Elys’s expression never wavered.
“This is a place to find someone who will share my cause. If I try to dazzle her with sweet talk just to win her over on the spot, it’ll come back to bite us later. So the only way is to charge straight ahead with my convictions and my faith.”
Elys kept her eyes fixed forward without the slightest tremor. In that moment she was no longer a schoolgirl of Luin Academy, but the woman who would become a nation’s queen.
“Haha. Hearing you speak so boldly actually makes me look forward to this.”
Admiring her resolve, I continued walking with her toward Charlotte’s dorm.
And at last we arrived.
Knock, knock, knock.
—Who the hell is it at this hour?
Charlotte’s grumbling voice carried through the door.
“Lady Charlotte, it’s me. Do you have a moment?”
—S-Shion?! Wait right there!
Her flustered cry of my name was followed by the faint sounds of something clattering around inside.
If I activated Nature Realm I could have seen exactly what she was doing, but I politely refrained.
A short while later the door opened, revealing a somewhat disheveled Charlotte.
“……What are you doing barging over out of nowhere?”
“Haha. Surprises are always better, aren’t they? Think of it as a little gift just for you, Lady Charlotte.”
“You sure can talk. But didn’t we agree you’d call me sis when it’s just the two of us? Already forgotten?”
She leaned in close, grilling me.
“Ah… well, about that. I didn’t come alone.”
“Not alone?”
Charlotte’s brow furrowed slightly. Then Elys stepped out from behind the doorframe where Charlotte hadn’t been able to see her, and Charlotte’s face crumpled even further.
“……Why’d you bring her?”
“Lady Elys said she has something she wishes to tell you.”
Charlotte glanced back and forth between us, looking thoroughly displeased, then sighed.
“……Fine. Come in.”
First objective cleared: we had gotten the two of them into the same room to talk.
“Then if you’ll excuse us~”
“……Pardon the intrusion.”
Elys and I carefully stepped into Charlotte’s dorm. As I’d seen before, the place was still overflowing with pink, girly things.
“Sit. We’re only going to talk for a bit, so I’m not bothering with tea or snacks.”
Her attitude toward Elys was ice-cold—probably because she still believed Elys was a malicious demonkin.
“So? What do you want?”
“Ahem. If I might add something first—”
“No. You stay quiet, Shion. I want to hear it straight from Elys.”
Yikes. Savage.
“Charlotte’s right. This is something I have to say myself. I appreciate the thought, but please just stay there.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
With even Elys telling me that, I shut my mouth and prepared to listen quietly.
The dorm fell completely silent as Charlotte and Elys locked eyes.
“First, thank you for not throwing us out and letting us in.”
Elys dipped her head slightly.
“I don’t need the polite fluff. Get to the point.”
Charlotte made it clear she had zero interest in small talk.
“If that’s what you want. There are two reasons I came here tonight.”
Elys showed no sign of taking offense and simply continued.
“The first is to clear up the misunderstanding you hold about me. The second is to ask for your help.”
“Misunderstanding? Ha. Give me a break.”
Charlotte snorted in disbelief.
“You’re going to claim you’re not a demonkin after all this time? Ever think it might be a little late for that?”
“No. That’s not what I mean. When I say I want to clear up a misunderstanding, I mean I want to acknowledge what you’re right about and deny what you’re wrong about. I want to build a constructive relationship with you.”
“Then go ahead and talk. What exactly do you want to acknowledge and what do you want to deny?!”
Charlotte glared daggers at Elys and snapped.
Yet Elys’s expression never changed as she calmly went on saying what she needed to say.
“I’ll start with what I want to acknowledge. I am a demonkin.”
“I knew it…!”
Charlotte’s face twisted as she shot to her feet, mana already circulating at high speed. A vicious spell was about to launch at Elys—
“And I am also human.”
“……What?”
Charlotte froze solid.
“Wait. Say that again.”
“And I am also human.”
“That’s not—! Explain it so I can actually understand!”
“All right.”
Elys slowly closed her eyes and continued.
“My father was a demonkin. My mother was human. In other words, I am half-human, half-demon. So calling me a demonkin isn’t entirely wrong.”
“……But that still doesn’t prove you won’t harm Shion. I still can’t trust you.”
“Exactly. Which is why, to gain you as an ally, I’m going to tell you the identity I’ve hidden from everyone except Shion until now.”
Charlotte held her breath. Elys opened her eyes and spoke.
“Daughter of Merpis Midrianze, former king of the Trahan Kingdom: Elys Midrianze. That is my true identity.”
“……So you’re saying you’re the princess of the Trahan Kingdom?”
“In short, yes.”
“H-How am I supposed to believe that? You could just be impersonating her.”
“……Well, I didn’t prepare any special proof that I’m who I claim to be, but this is the only thing I can show you.”
Without warning Elys began unbuttoning her top and pulling it open.
“W-Wait! What the hell are you—!”
Charlotte clapped her hands over her eyes in pure panic.
“If you close your eyes I can’t show you even if I want to.”
“I don’t want to see your chest! There’s a guy right here—this is indecent…!”
“……Chest? What are you talking about?”
Blushing furiously, Charlotte peeked through her fingers—and her gaze landed on the nape of Elys’s half-bared neck.
“That black rose tattoo…”
Elys rebuttoned her top and spoke.
“It’s the only proof that I’m the princess of the Trahan Kingdom. If you still can’t believe me after this, then there’s nothing more I can do.”
Of course Charlotte recognized the tattoo. The Grand Saga she had read described every member of the Trahan royal family as bearing a black rose tattoo between the nape and the back.
“Haa…… Showing me something that solid leaves me no choice but to believe you.”
“Thank you for believing me. Then I’ll tell you the second reason I came to see you tonight.”
Elys bowed her head to Charlotte.
“Charlotte Cervantes. As the princess of the Trahan Kingdom, I ask this of you. Please help me become the queen of Trahan—help me punish the one who murdered my parents.”
Charlotte blinked several times, then drew a deep breath and asked,
“So you’re asking me to help you take the throne?”
“Yes. Shion told me you’re someone I can trust with my back.”
“I think we need to talk about that a little more. I know the king and queen of Trahan were killed by an assassin. I’m sorry for your loss. But I still don’t see why I should risk myself just to put you on the throne.”
Charlotte’s voice was firm.
“Answer me straight, Elys. Whether I help you or turn you in depends entirely on how you answer.”
“……”
“If you become queen, in what direction do you want to lead the Trahan Kingdom?”
Charlotte asked.
After a brief silence, Elys opened her mouth.
“……Just as my mother and father did, I want to build a nation where demonkin and humans can live in harmony. And beyond that, I will never stop working to end the conflicts between demonkin and humans that keep flaring up across the world.”
“What made you set that goal?”
“Partly to carry on my parents’ will… but more than anything, I met someone.”
Elys glanced softly at me and continued.
“Someone who, even after realizing we were different species, treated me with the same warmth and kindness without the slightest change in attitude. From that person I experienced the warmest kindness this world has to offer. And I simply hope there will be even a few more people in this world who carry that same gentle kindness.”
“I see.”
Hearing Elys’s honest heart, Charlotte closed her eyes and thought for a long moment.
“……All right. Having you on the throne is a hell of a lot better than letting someone else take it.”
Her eyes snapped open as she looked at Elys.
“I’ll lend you my strength.”