The Sun King's Lifeline
“Kuhhh…”
Last night, the Archduke had come and gone.
“After roaming countless battlefields, bedding countless women, and ruling countless subjects… I, of all people, feel the urge to submit to a mere girl… Hah. You truly are remarkable, Seira. I swear I shall make you happy!”
Along with the Archduke’s cloying words, I learned that Puyor had finally succumbed to his persuasion.
“I’m sorry, Seira. Sob… But the Archduke promised to cherish you far more than any of his other concubines. I’m certain you’ll have a very happy marriage.”
AAAAAAGH!!! That wasn’t the point, Mother. No matter how much I’d become the most beautiful girl in the world after my TS, how could I possibly accept a man’s feelings? If I were a woman, maybe… wait, am I not?
Come to think of it, Dragonai, who spent every day in Naban Palace rolling around with two beautiful girls as if they were newlyweds, suddenly felt unbearably hateful.
‘Damn it…! I told him to come save me, and instead he’s busy frolicking with pretty girls!’
This couldn’t go on. Why was it that Dragonai never remembered the times he became me during the day, while I alone could recall everything that happened when I turned into Dragonai at night?
So I rebelled. I decided to pour every ounce of strength into provoking the Archduke’s complex.
“But Mister, you look cute, yet you smell really sour~ Smelling like that means you didn’t wash, right? I’ll wash you!”
“Seira, that’s not sour, that’s stinky.”
“Ahaang, right~!”
The knights standing guard around the Archduke began to turn pale. Because I had just pointed out the smell coming from him.
This was unprecedented. Until now, the people he met fell into two categories: those who pointed out his innate stench and died, and those who kept their mouths shut and survived. In the North, no one dared meet his eyes, let alone point out his flaws.
So what would the Archduke do to me for making that mistake?
‘Please, at least look disappointed…!!’
I needed to buy time. I desperately hoped the Archduke would delay the wedding by even a few days. Because I had to somehow let Dragonai know where I was.
Recently, I had hatched several caterpillars into butterflies. Then I used the skill Queen’s Command on them. A skill obtained through my sixth awakening that let me issue training commands to enemies ten levels below me. With it, I could make any living creature—bugs included—obey my words.
‘Please, just let that butterfly reach Naban Palace where Dragonai lives…!’
But the Archduke was relentless.
“Ha, hahah… I’m sorry, Seira. Shall we bathe together, then?”
“A-Aah…! It was the smell of the beef bone soup Mother made! Sorry for misunderstanding, heehee.”
I nearly ended up bathing naked with the Archduke. And so, on that fateful day when I became the only person to point out his smell and still survive…
*
“Huuu…”
Even after being persuaded herself, Puyor had been sighing heavily lately, saying she would miss the time before parting. Several days had passed since the Archduke had persuaded Puyor and forcibly announced the wedding date before leaving.
Suddenly, a loud thud echoed from the ceiling as something slammed into the floor.
Was it a thief?! Startled, I clutched the blanket with both hands and trembled. But then I saw Puyor’s eyes fly open as she grabbed a broom in a panic.
“Seira, are you all right?! Ugh!!!”
We both cried out in shock at the same time.
“Hiiik…!?”
Because we could clearly hear footsteps—rustling, deliberate—coming from the attic above.
‘Mnya, mnya… This is bad.’
I thought to myself. Because it was almost time for me to self-TS into Dragonai and head to Naban Palace to receive bathing service from the beautiful girls.
* * *
Startled, Puyor looked at Seira. But Seira was sleeping so soundly that even her gentle breathing could be heard. Strangely enough, Seira always fell into a deep sleep at exactly the same time every night.
‘I have to protect Seira…!’
Fortunately, if it was just a petty thief, the Black Star Knights dispatched from the Black Fortress would come running at the sound of a scream. The Archduke had ordered his subordinates to keep strict watch over Seira’s house, after all.
But what if it wasn’t a thief, but a rat or weasel? There was no need to mobilize the knights just to search the attic above Seira’s bedroom while she slept soundly.
However, when Puyor unlatched the attic ceiling to check, she once again clearly heard human footsteps.
Step. Step—
“W-Who’s there?”
The footsteps paused at the sound of Puyor’s voice. But moments later, Puyor was even more shocked to see the attic hatch she had only unlatched begin to open by itself. Then, far too casually, a man started descending the ladder she had set up.
“D-Don’t come down! I’ll scream!”
The man, who had stopped halfway down with only his lower body visible, suddenly spoke in a middle-aged man’s voice.
“I’m terribly sorry for startling you.”
“Y-You! Who are you? How did you get in here? And what do you want?”
“Allow me to introduce myself first. I am a court mage serving His Majesty Emperor Obern in the capital Lukan.”
Why would a court mage suddenly appear here…? But if he had slipped past the tight security of the Black Star Knights, his claim of being a mage seemed more credible.
“I apologize for the discourteous visit. However, my purpose is to secretly deliver a letter from His Majesty Emperor Obern, who came all this way via teleportation.”
“I-Is that true?! What on earth could His Majesty want?!”
The current Emperor Obern was said to be the greatest of saints, having led the empire into its golden age and earning the title “Sun King.” Puyor’s voice burst out louder than intended in her shock.
“Shh! Keep your voice down. Even now, the Archduke’s dogs are watching this house closely. I saw them on the way here—they’re even standing guard on the rooftops. Truly persistent fellows. That’s why I had to put one of the sentries to sleep before coming.”
“Haa. So that was the sound of the thud earlier.”
“Shh!”
The mage descended the ladder a little further and finally showed his face. He raised one index finger to his lips in warning, eyebrows twitching.
A moment later, the sound of someone climbing up and down the ladder from the wall and roof could be heard, followed by the soft noise of one sentry carrying another unconscious one across the rooftop.
“Hey, Hans—how could you fall asleep here? If the knights see you, we’ll get beaten to death! Huh? He’s not waking up even like this? Well, look at this brat. Did he eat something and pass out? There’s no liquor bottle though.”
Puyor’s heart tightened. Just how much did the Archduke intend to restrict Seira that he had already assigned this level of surveillance?
Moreover, Puyor desperately wanted to free Seira from the Demon King. But that was all she could do.
Then, as if a lifeline had descended from the heavens, a mage had appeared.
Once the soldiers patrolling the roof finally disappeared, the mage quietly suggested to Puyor that they move to the bedroom. His expression suggested he had something very important to discuss.
“Then, I shall read His Majesty’s letter to you.”
“Understood. Please come to the bedroom.”
* * *
A short while later, the mage gazed at Puyor with a dignified expression. He then unrolled a pristine white scroll sealed with red wax. Puyor steadied her breathing and knelt solemnly to listen.
“Village chief of Puran Village, Puyor, hear this. Due to time constraints, I cannot convey everything, so the contents of this letter will be brief. Nevertheless, my concern for your and Seira’s well-being is beyond doubt. I, Obern, Emperor of the Lusa Empire, shall forevermore stand as your ally.”
Even having heard only that much, Puyor felt her chest swell with overwhelming emotion. At this moment, the only lifeline being offered to her was… the Sun King, Emperor Obern!