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Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu (Light Novel) - Volume 3, Prologue II: —And Yet We Continue to Gaze Into it
Volume 3, Prologue II: —And Yet We Continue to Gaze Into it
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They flooded in.
Joy, love, smiles…
Sadness, hatred, anger…
They flooded in.
More and more gushed in, and they moved forward. Not moving forward was the same as not existing at all. If he didn’t move forward… if he didn’t move forward… then…
He had to keep going no matter what he may lose.
But was that correct? Were things alright like that?
No matter how much he worried, he had to make a choice. The need to make a choice was always closing in on him as long as he lived. As long as he didn’t die.
---
Sion sat in the royal throne. He shrugged at the man before him - Froaude. “So you’re telling me that all of the anti-monarchy party save Staelied - Culliard, Ishurna, and Paul - died during the Estabulian rebellion?”
A faint smile rose to Froaude’s face. He nodded easily. “Yes. Instead of leaving the battles to Roland’s army, they gallantly took to the front lines and received an honorable death in battle.”
Goodness. Sion was left unable to speak.
That was obviously a complete and total lie. Froaude obviously took advantage of the confusion of battle to kill Culliard, Ishurna, and Paul.
“…So, Froaude. Why didn’t you kill Staelied?”
”Duke Staelied betrayed his faction just before this. I believe there is still value in using him. But traitors will betray time and time again, so he will need to be dealt with at some point.”
“So you’ll use him and then kill him?”
“Should I not? If I instead left him alive, he would decide to hurt Your Majesty. There is a possibility that he would kill precious personnel as with the case of Fiole Folkal.”
Sion was silent for a moment before speaking. “You’re right. I’ll leave Staelied to you.”
Froaude smiled. “Please do. You are really exactly what I desired: a true king.”
“…What do you mean?”
“…Well,” Froaude said but then shook his head. “I will let you be.”
With that, Froaude left. He crossed paths with Claugh and their newest noble and member of the pro-monarchy party as he did. Sion understood the reason Froaude left - the beautiful woman who had appeared.
Sion looked at Noa Ehn and spoke. “Have you found Roland comfortable thus far, Lady Ehn?”
Noa smiled. “It has been nothing but pleasant thanks to you, Your Majesty. Major General Klom has done much for me as well.”
Sion’s eyes flicked to Claugh. “Oh? Claugh, you haven’t taken her anywhere weird, have you?”
“Aah? What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sion smiled. “Isn’t it obvious? You haven’t shown her to anywhere disgraceful in Roland, have you?”
“Like I’d do that!”
Noa wasn’t concerned in the slightest. “Your Majesty, Major General Klom has done wonderfully in guiding me through Roland. For example, last night, a pub with dancing naked women—”
“Wha!?”
“Claugh!!”
Noa just smiled. “—isn’t where we ended up. Please rest easy.”
What a joker. Sion smiled. “It seems that you’ve grown quite accustomed to Roland. I’m happy to hear that.”
“Yes,” Noa said. “This is a country with more smiles than I’d expected. I am certain that it’s due to Your Majesty’s efforts.”
“We aren’t quite there yet.”
Noa stared at him. “I am sure that things will be fine so long as that is what Your Majesty thinks. I shall not butt into your affairs as long as your rule does not become haughty.”
She looked serious. She was standing here so that Sion knew he could rely on her. That was what she meant to convey.
Froaude’s evaluation of her had been as follows: “She is quite a fine person - she thinks of the future, is sensible, and has a big heart. I would like it if Your Majesty made her queen and had her bear an heir. Then Estabul would be integrated into Roland both in name and reality...and even if you were to die, Roland would still be blessed with a king.”
What a thing to say… but her strong eyes were probably what made Froaude say that.
Sion was considering those things even as they just made light conversation.
She’d lost everything, but still wondered what she still had to do and moved forward with her life. She’d even smiled at Froaude who stole everything from her…
She was strong. That’s what Sion thought.
But, well…
Sion looked to Claugh and Noa, who were chatting familiarly. He probably wouldn’t be able to grant Froaude’s desire to make her queen…
Sion shrugged, smiling.
“What’re you all smiley about?” Claugh asked. “It’s gross.”
“I was just thinking that it’s great that you and Lady Ehn are so close.”
“Aah? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My, are you dissatisfied with a partner like me?” Noa asked.
“No, that’s not what I mean…” Augh, geez! Sion, you ass!”
Sion just smiled. “If you’ve got nothing else to do, why not show Lady Ehn around a little while longer? I’m quite busy you know.”
“Shut up, I know that. C’mon, Noa.”
“Yes, sir.”
Sion watched them go, smiling all the while. But that smile was soon distorted by sadness. “A country where the people are happy and everyone can grow up smiling, huh…”
With that, Sion returned to his office where he looked at documents regarding the matter Froaude had brought up before.
Then he looked to the letter Ryner and Ferris had given Iris to bring back. He read it and then slouched back in his seat.
He gazed out the window. The words he’d been thinking before rose back up into his mind. If he didn’t move forward… if he didn’t move forward… then…
He had to keep going no matter what he may lose.
But was that correct? Were things alright like that?
No matter how much he worried, he had to make a choice. The need to make a choice was always closing in on him as long as he lived. As long as he didn’t die.
Whether it made people laugh or made them cry… his decision was closing in.
“…Shit,” Sion whispered to himself.
---
At that time, Ryner and Ferris were sitting in the dining room of the Nelphan inn they’d become regulars at, waiting for Iris to come back with a correspondence from Sion.
Ryner was - of course - sleepy after eating a late lunch. “Hey, Ferris. If you ask me, I’m already tired. I wanna live the rest of my life eating and sleeping at this inn.”
Ferris was chomping on her post-lunch dango beside him. “Mhm. It wouldn’t be too bad to live here and go to the dango special sales every day.”
“But there’s no way we could really do that, huh…”
“Mm. That’s right. We have to think more realistically. The first problem is money. Without the money Sion sends us, we would lose C, F, H, and D, the four necessities of life—”
“Uh, wait,” Ryner interrupted. “I have a question.”
“What?”
“So like, I get C, F, and H - clothes, food, and housing, right? So… what’s the last one, the D? It can’t be dango, right?”
“Obviously? How are humans supposed to live without dango?”
“Ah, never mind. I thought that’d be the case since it was you and all, but I just wanted to make sure. We were having a serious conversation about how to keep living here after all. I wanted to make sure I had everything right.”
“Mhm. Let’s keep talking then. How about we cut Sion’s head off and steal his money?”
“Ooh, nice. But going to Roland’s a pain so how about we just have Iris start bringing us money without all the other stuff?”
“Ah, I see. That sort of thing could work too.”
It was a completely unproductive conversation.
It was peaceful.
It was so peaceful that one could be tricked into thinking that wars didn’t exist, and time could just be passed calmly eating and sleeping.
But that peace… was short-lived.
Dark shadows approached the inn. Its door opened slowly. “Miss, we’re baaack!”
“My, my,” the proprietress said. “Thank you for your patronage.”
The guests raced from the entryway to the reception desk.
If that were all, it’d be a totally ordinary thing. But as soon as Ryner raised his head to look, he turned and met Ferris’ eyes. “Why? Why’re they here?”
“Mm. Because of your habitual poor conduct—”
Ryner couldn’t hear the rest of what Ferris said. A different louder voice drowned her out.
The door slammed open. “Aaaaaaaaahhhhh Ryner, I found youuuuuuuu!!!”
“Uwah… it really is Milk! And the rest of the Taboo Hunters too…”
“Luke, Lach, Lear, Moe! I found Ryner! He’s here having an affair with that woman who’s nothing but beauty! Capture him!”
“Roger!”
“Don’t ‘roger’ thaaaaat!!!” Ryner yelled as Milk chased him around the inside of the inn.
Ferris just watched, strangely composed. “Oh, it’s almost time for the dango special sale. Do your absolute best, Ryner.”
“Hey, don’t leave me here alone—”
“I won’t let you escape!” Milk yelled. “I wish for thunder—”
“Uwah… we’re inside, you know. Don’t use that kind of offensive magic indoors… gyaaaaahhh!!”
In the end, their peaceful days continued to pass slowly…
Even so, the world had started to move. It slowly, slowly moved forward. It couldn’t very well exist otherwise… so it ended up moving forward on a wave of joy and sadness.
Everyone knew sadness. Everyone knew nostalgia for the peaceful past.
And so it began to move forward.
