A Maiden’s Unwanted Heroic Epic

――’Well then, if you'll excuse me’, Fili said, preparing tea and sitting down.

With a faint smile, he poured tea for Reine and for herself.

The more she looked at her, the more irritated she became.

She performed her duties as a servant, yet behaved as though she were Reine's equal.

Her haughty attitude was somewhat irritating.

She always thought that she had different eyes.

She was polite in her words, and she had no complaints about her work as a servant.

She obeyed orders and followed requests.

Her blue eyes showed no sign of fear or intimidation towards Reine.

It was always directed at Reine, peering into her.

‘...You're an eyesore, after all. I've been thinking lately about how I can get rid of you without Reine noticing.’

'Indeed, doing it while avoiding Elsreine-sama's detection would be quite the challenge,'

‘Yes, very much’, Reine said, and Fili thought for a moment.

'Are Your Majesty asking for a plan to get rid of this troublesome Fili?'

'Yes. I thought I might reconsider after hearing your opinion.'

Even though it was about herself.

Fili smiled with some amusement and spoke.

'It would be best to give up on trying to conceal it. If Your Majesty must eliminate me, do so openly as the Queen. ... If distancing myself from Elsreine-sama is an option, perhaps arranging a marriage with some noble might be a consideration?'

‘Oh, you're willing to do that?’

‘If it's an order from none other than Your Majesty the Queen, then I have no choice. Fili will create a formality where I nominally hope to become the heir to the Nelas family and will marry them of my own volition so that Elsreine-sama won't find it unnatural. If there is substance to it, then there will be no complaints... that no matter what, at least Your Majesty did her best to make sure Fili is living happily, making Elsreine-sama think like that.'

‘This is a very realistic plan’, Fili said.

'However, unfortunately, in the eyes of Your Majesty, Fili is a servant who is favored by Elsreine-sama. I think that we will still exchange letters even if we are far apart, and I think that Elsreine-sama will visit Fili, as for how often... but if Your Majesty would allow the above, Elsreine-sama will not be too dissatisfied and it is an attractive plan.'

She didn’t speak as if discussing her own situation.

There was a certain amusement in her voice and no fear, as if she were making a minor suggestion.

'It's highly disrespectful for a mere servant to judge Your Majesty’s decisions, but I believe that Fili's disposal should have been decided much sooner. As it stands, Your Majesty missed an easy opportunity to eliminate a troublesome servant.'

'You're right, though it’s irritating. ...Now I have to listen to your unpleasant chirping’.

Fili smiled playfully.

Her casual mannerisms――it was much more visible than before.

'But isn't that what life is? Things happen as they will... when Your Majesty didn't get rid of me until now, and instead wished for and loved Elsreine-sama, it was inevitable that Your Majesty would hear my chirping like this.’

Fili laughed softly as Reine frowned.

'Your Majesty has remained the same since we first met, terribly cowardly. ...Without clinging to your role as Queen, you can't even meet others' eyes, can you?'

'... You certainly know how to talk. Are you mocking me?'

‘Calling it a mockery is a bit of a stretch... but I do find 'Your Majesty rather pitiable.'

As she sipped, she looked down at the hot tea and poured milk.

Then she dropped honey, stirred it with a spoon, and replaced it with Reine's tea.

She did the same with the tea, turning the hot liquid into lukewarm water.

‘Destroying the pure tea, turning it into a sweet, lukewarm liquid...Of course, it's fine if you can enjoy the tea as it is, but the important thing is whether you can enjoy it or not. Even if you don't force yourself to drink it as tea, you can reach out your hands and get milk and honey...Even if you can see it, you pretend not to see it and just put on the face of a powerful person’

She sipped her tea with a smile.

'And that’s why, even as a Queen, Your Majesty couldn't kill a single insolent servant. Even when a servant questions you, you hesitate. ... Because being a Queen is just a mask, and deep down, you know what you truly desire.'

With a grin, she looked straight at Reine.

'The one I want to serve is such ‘Reine-sama’. ...Pure, fragile, foolish, and cowardly like a child. And my purpose in life is to pour plenty of milk and honey into her tea.'

Fili's smile grew as if saying nothing else mattered.

Her eyes narrowed as if she were looking at something dazzling.

‘...You are my Reine to me.’

――I have loved you since the first time I saw you, Reine-sama.

If she had to compare it to something, it would be a commodity.

Just like Reine once was, a tool to be used.

Since her parents were dead, it was convenient in many ways.

But at the time, she was still young, not quite ready to be used as a reward――perhaps Reine saw something of herself in Fili's circumstances.

She allowed Venure’s sentimental and trivial wish and decided to make her a servant.

Now she truly wishes she hadn't picked her up.

"......"

The room where her daughter and Fili had been spending time.

There were a large number of paintings in the room.

Looking at them side by side, it was easy to tell who had painted which.

This one was her daughter, this one was Fili――she looked at whatever caught her eye, until she had seen them all.

Silly paintings. But strangely enough, she found herself coming back to them.

The painting, which seemed to be unfinished, showed a feast in the sunlight filtering through the trees.

Reine and her daughter were in the center, with Venure and Fili smiling nearby, and the servants surrounding them.

Fili had painted a similar picture before, and it was likely that she had imitated it.

In the painting, Reine was spending time with her daughter, smiling.

However, this painting will never become reality.

Venure died, and so did Fili.

This painting would remain unfinished and likely never be gifted.

'... Reine doesn't understand Mother at all.'

The memory of a face twisted with conflicting emotions surfaced in her mind.

She thought it would have been better if that person had never existed.

If that were the case, none of this would have happened.

Tracing the outline of Fili in the painting, she lowered her gaze.

Her daughter had not trusted Reine.

Reine had likely been too adept at manipulation, just as she had always been.

She understood her daughter's foolishness well.

Given time, things might have been different.

Even if it was impossible at that moment, Reine could have captured her daughter and held her close.

But Reine had been too tired, too exhausted to do so at the time.

"... If she was going to die in such a way, why did she say those things?"

If she had only been a bothersome woman, things wouldn’t have ended up like this.

It's all in the past――over.

That thought filled Reine's mind, leaving her unable to think of anything else.

Useless, meaningless memories replayed over and over in her head.

Would she notice someday?

Would she believe her?

What should she do to make her believe her?

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't find an answer.

"...Mother."

"Did I call for you?"

"No. I just happened to stop by this room. ...But Mother, why are you in the servant's room?"

As Reine attempted to leave the room, Sail closed the door and stepped in front of her.

"...So, Mother didn’t kill her after all."

"I'm in a foul mood, get out of my way."

"I'm sorry, but I won’t move until we’re finished talking. If Mother insists, you’ll have to kill me."

Sail spoke, then he looked at the ‘Small Paradise’ her daughter had painted.

He closed his eyes, clenched his fists,

"Leave it to me. I will get Elsreine back."

Then he knelt down and bowed his head.

Raine just looked at him.

"Even if she refuses the envoy, there will be opportunities to speak on the battlefield. Mother said you would let things be for now, but... I think time would only deepen the rift. ... It’s better to clear up misunderstandings sooner rather than later."

"... Eventually, Reine will realize she's being used."

"Does Mother believe time will heal everything? That she’ll eventually recognize the misunderstanding and return to Mother?"

"... Be quiet."

‘I will not,’ Sail continued.

"We should take every possible measure. As it stands, we’re playing into Lukazan’s hands. If Mother doesn't want me to go, then Mother should go herself. Take Elsreine back by force, if necessary, and clear up the misunderstanding. ... Why won’t Mother do that?"

He said, standing up.

Then he looked Reine in the eyes.

"If Mother is afraid to face Elsreine, then give me a letter. I will personally ensure it reaches her. ... As your son, rely on me."

"... I will never love you."

"It doesn’t matter. ... I will work for Mother, for the future of this country, and for those who died for it."

Reine silently moved Sail aside and reached for the door.

"Mother――"

"... Do as you please."

――In a room at the orphanage, about twenty children were drawing on cloth with charcoal.

Cups were placed in front of them, some tilting their heads while others looked on with amusement.

After seeing Reine's drawing, one of the children asked to learn how to draw, and since then, whenever she visited the place, she would often spend her time teaching him.

Reine was walking along, smiling as she watched them, and stopped when she saw a boy and told him.

"Ehehe, you've gotten better since before, Neil."

"Ah... I'm sorry. I was told to draw a cup..."

He finished drawing the cup and then started drawing something on the edge of the cloth.

She shook her head and smiled as Neil apologized.

 "It's fine. The important thing is to draw what you want to see exactly as you want it. Today we're supposed to be drawing a cup, but if there's anything else you want to draw, you can draw that too. ...What are you drawing?"

"Um, um...er, Elsreine-sama..."

"...Reine?"

Reine tilted her head and stared at the drawing.

It had eyes, a nose, and a mouth—it could indeed be a face, now that it was mentioned.

Below that, there were what seemed to be a triangle and limbs.

Next to it, there was something similar holding what looked like a stick.

Reine tilted her head again and asked,

"And this one?"

"Uh... it's me. Someday, well... when I grow up, I want to go to the battlefield and fight for Elsreine-sama..."

"...battlefield."

"I'm small now, but someday I'll grow up and... defeat the evil Grabareine, and help create the country that Elsreine-sama desires."

Raine looked troubled, then said, ‘Thank you’.

The other boys chime in, ‘Me too, me too’, and Reine looks even more troubled.

Then she quietly shook her head and smiled, saying it was okay.

"By the time Neil and the others grow up, war will gradually disappear and we will have a country where everyone can live in peace. I'm glad that you want to become soldiers, but... I want you to study hard and do your best for the sake of the next generation of children."

"Study..."

"Yes. It's not all about fighting. Carrying things, making fields and tools, raising sheep, and other work that helps everyone live happily are just as important. ... I want to create a place where swords and armor will no longer be needed, where no one will fight..."

That's the Elsren she aimed for, Reine told them.

The children looked at each other, nodded vaguely, and Reine said, ‘It's hard to put into words’.

"In that sense, Reine is the same as Neil and the others. She is the chairman of this country, but that is just a role... Reine is not particularly important, she just does her job. Reine would be happy if everyone could become children who can work for the children next to them, or for people close to them, rather than for Reine."

Status was just a role.

One person helped those around them, and those who were helped helped those around them.

That's what's important, and if more people like that were born, this country would surely become a very good country.

The children at this orphanage were all good kids.

Though they sometimes fight, if you talk to them properly, they understand and make up.

If children like them grow up, she thought they would surely be able to get closer to their little paradise.

"... Elsreine-sama"

There was a knock and the door opened, and Golzarias peeked in.

“That's all for today... Let's clean up. I'll be off now.”

Raine said goodbye as she left the room, and when she closed the door, she asked with a look.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes, the southern part seems to be holding off the enemy, but we've received reports that the army of Orcanth in the center was defeated and killed by the First Prince from Wulfenite. The northern part also seems to be at a stalemate, unable to retake the Great Sea of ​​Trees."

"Is that so?"

Six months after the founding of the country――the invasion of Alberan began last month.

The commander in chief was the First Prince Sail, with a force of around 100,000.

The initial plan was for Raine to march out to defeat them and discourage them from invading.

There were plenty of ways to do this, as long as it wasn't against her mother directly.

But the problem was the parliament.

The nobles of the west, who wanted military success, were reluctant to let Reine march out to battle.

Her opponent was not her undefeated mother, but Sail――she probably saw him as an opponent she could beat.

From Reine's perspective, taking on Sail would not have been difficult.

If it had been a defensive battle, she would have won without much damage.

However, compared to other generals, Sail was superior.

The reason they had been pushed into a disadvantageous position in the recent battle with Rougran was only because Rougran was an excellent general――an opponent that an average general would not have been able to withstand.

Reine tried to explain this to them and persuade them, but she probably had said it poorly.

It was taken as a mockery, which made them angry and divided their opinions.

Reine was the chairman. She was not the king, and had no right to give them direct orders.

When asked if what she wanted to do was to become a dictator like her mother, Reine could not say much and had to remain silent.

Orlos Natrias, the leader of the militant faction, suggested that they leave it to them for the time being, and she ultimately agreed――but even after that, the meeting became chaotic.

Opinions were divided on who would take overall command and how to allocate the military forces.

Despite the situation requiring immediate action, the response was naturally delayed, and the enemy forces from the north of the kingdom broke through the Great Sea of ​​Trees, pushing back western Elsren considerably.

If the center were to be defeated on top of that, the north and south would be sandwiched in between and defeated one by one.

"After all... wouldn't it have been better for Reine to take part?"

"If you look at this battle individually, that's true. However... considering the future, I think this was the right decision this time."

"Right..."

"Elsren right now are rabble... disorganized, and each one is acting for their own convenience. This won't make it a good country."

Golzarias said that it was time for that.

"We're gaining momentum now, and there's a strong opinion that we should defeat Alberan. However, this defeat will be a cold shower for many, and they will regain their composure. For now, rather than forcibly suppressing their recklessness, we should let them do as they like and make them suffer."

"Suffer..."

"Yes. Alberan is strong. At the very least, Elsreine-sama is the only one who can gain the upper hand in a battle against Alberan. We need to make them understand that."

Reine groaned, and Golzarias, with a wry smile, invited her into the carriage.

After sitting down in the carriage, he continued.

"This will set a good precedent for silencing similar opinions in the future. I respect Elsreine's opinion that she wants to discuss and decide, but... it's just a mechanism for incorporating good opinions. It's important to build a voice in the council and create a balance of power so that things don't go in a bad direction."

By intentionally failing, he makes it easier to get their opinion across next time.

Creates a foundation for increasing their voice.

His reasoning was easy to understand.

If you force your opinion through, there would naturally be resistance, and she understood that this was important.

However, it seemed to her that the gains and losses were not quite balanced.

"It's a bit disappointing, even though Orcanth is such a capable person..."

He was a powerful nobleman in the west of Elsreine, and a good and intelligent man.

While he imposed heavy taxes as his mother requested, he invested his own money to create jobs for the people, and was well supported by them.

He was a moderate who watched the rebellion of Rougran and his group, and when word spread that Alberan was organizing an invasion force, unlike the other nobles, he thought that Reine should lead the army.

They were pressed for time, so he left the meeting as the commander-in-chief of the Western Defense Forces and headed to the front line first, but the meeting continued to quarrel, and the result was this.

If Reine had gone to help quickly, he would not have died.

"It is a painful blow. Orcanth’s eldest son is only two years old... it would be difficult to manage the territory."

"... In that sense, his death is a problem. The family issues are a bit complicated for Reine. It would be best to leave him in the custody of the council for the time being..."

It was clear that he was someone they didn't want to see die.

He was a person who was rich in thought and quite educational to talk to――she personally liked him.

However, at the meeting, some were reluctant to let Rayne go out and achieve results, and Orcanth was an excellent warrior, so in the end, they just let him die.

It was a meaningless death.

The soldiers were also dying in vain.

"There are pros and cons... I agreed to run the country with a parliament with no hierarchy, but the current situation is the drawback of a parliamentary system. In times of emergency, decisions are inevitably delayed, leading to unnecessary sacrifices."

"...Yes."

"By forming a republic, rather than a nation with Elsreine-sama at the top, we were able to gain the support of many nobles. That's why they ultimately accepted Elsreine-sama’s opinion... but it's better to have fewer people making the final decisions. It's true that Her Majesty was able to expand Alberan's territory and make it so prosperous because she made that point clear."

Listening to the sounds of hooves and wheels, Reine nodded.

He was right.

"I'm not saying we should follow Her Majesty's methods exactly... but I feel that we need someone who can make the necessary decisions for times like these. ... To put it bluntly, I would say that the cause of their deaths was Elsreine-sama’s leniency."

“Reine’s…”

"Yes. I think that the approach of trying to incorporate the opinions of many people is a wonderful one. It should continue to be that way. But right now, Reine-sama’s just seems to be emotionally rebelling against Her Majesty's methods."

She was speechless and lowered her eyes.

She couldn't deny that this was not the case.

At the core of Reine's mind was the desire to create a country different from her mother's.

"It's important to accept and acknowledge that the good parts are good. What's important is to make this a good country... Imagine people like the children living in this orphanage, on the battlefield or caught up in the ravages of war, dying because of Elsreine-sama’s kindness."

"...Yes."

"I want Elsreine-sama’s to become the symbol of Elsren and fulfill that responsibility. Many of those who gather in this country are here because of Elsreine-sama, because they believe that Elsreine-sama will make this a good country."

――I want to help create the country that Elsreine-sama’s desires.

Remembering those words earlier, she nodded.

"I don't intend to do anything right away... but please think carefully about the future. You don't think the current situation is good, do you?"

"...Yes."

"...Of course, I intend to discuss and think about the future with the other nobles. Once we've finalized the matter, I'll make some suggestions."

She nodded without looking him in the eye, and Golzarias said he wasn't angry.

"...As Elsreine-sama vassal, I only said what I felt was necessary. Don't worry. My role is to make up for Elsreine-sama shortcomings... I may have to say harsh words at times, but my goal is to Elsren, just like Elsreine-sama."

Slowly raising her head, Golzarias was smiling.

Feeling a little relieved, she replied, ‘Thank you’.

"... This may be the first time I've been scolded by anyone other than Mother."

"This is how a master and vassal should be... It's a tragedy that Her Majesty had no one to scold her for her own good. I know my nagging may hurt your ears... but I was doing it for Elsreine-sama sake. Please forgive me."

"Yes. Thank you, Lukazan."

Raine replied with a small smile, and Golzarias nodded.

It took a long time for the meeting to reach a conclusion, and it would be another month before Raine would be on the battlefield.

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