Chapter 75: Roles Are Assigned, and the Curtain Rises
“Humans are such amusing creatures who delude themselves into thinking they’re perfect,”
she sang.
“The logic that humans aren’t perfect is so often spouted…but how many truly realize it?”
she sang.
“Humans criticize others’ imperfections, you see. Despite being imperfect themselves, they demand perfection from others. As long as the heart exists, neither they nor others can ever become perfect, yet they continue making mistakes,”
she chanted.
“How ridiculous. How absurd. How utterly wrong…pretending not to see the heart, mocking and denying others’ imperfections based solely on information. Hah. Laughable, when they too are swayed by the heart. Abandoning tolerance, believing wholeheartedly they would never make such mistakes, they cast stones,”
the girl mocked humanity.
“Poor Makina. You’re the one having stones cast at you. No one tries to understand what you thought or felt…the heart hidden within you. Perfect humans just keep pelting you with stones.”
Not knowing why, Lucille laughed lightly as she traced my cheek with her finger.
“…Not that I want to be understood. Or expect to be.”
I made a mistake. I know it. This is surely a mistake.
I know better than anyone that it’s a mistake.
I should have kept it hidden. Suppressed it. Concealed it.
Ah, but…even so—I just couldn’t betray my own heart. I couldn’t hide it, suppress it, conceal it.
“Still…still, I…”
Even clinging to a demon, there’s something I desire.
There is no logic. Surely no reason. A longing animal passion bared its fangs, devouring everything as prey.
If I had a shred of reason or rationale left, I wouldn’t be here now.
Foolishly, I dreamed.
Of being by Al sama’s side. Of him loving me.
His fingers caressing my skin, handling me tenderly. I envisioned such a silly fantasy—considered the possibility. Once I considered it, I couldn’t stop. I wished for it.
(Really…I’m such an idiot.)
Saying I want love, while betraying the one I love.
A contradiction. This contradiction exemplifies the distortion in my actions and feelings.
“Ah, the impulsions love can drive one to. As its sovereign, it’s a choice I quite enjoy,”
Lucille said.
“I don’t care what you enjoy.”
“So harsh,” she lightly laughed, leaving me uneasy—surely plotting some mischief. But I’ve made up my mind to cling to this demon’s power.
“So…what do I have to do? What must I do to become—”
“A princess, you mean? At present, you undeniably carry royal blood. But you need undeniable proof, yes? Clear evidence…no, to put it extremely, you don’t actually need proof of royalty. What you truly desire is proof to stand by Alfred’s side…in other words, the magic of the Fifth Element.”
Lucille listed the obvious as she continued walking down the vacant, straight hallway.
The cold path emanated no sense of life, somehow giving an inorganic, doll-like impression…perhaps my feeling was close to the truth, since this gigantic mechanical palace itself was likely some kind of device.
“Rest assured, your body already hosts the magic of the Fifth Element. It merely slumbers now. Sealed, or frozen, one could say. Like a child’s allowance—paltry at first, only enough for some treats? The same principle. When the proper time comes, one’s guardians provide a suitable sum.”
“And that time is now?”
“Well, your parents departed this world before determining that timing.”
It seemed my parents were no longer of this world.
Strangely, I didn’t feel any particular emotion about that fact.
…Truthfully, I surprised myself.
Certainly, I had already decided what was most important to me, prioritizing the present over the past.
But that didn’t mean I had no interest in my parents. I did want to meet them if possible. Yet when Lucille told me of their deaths, the feelings I expected didn’t well up within me.
Rather than emotional turmoil, it was more a sense of ‘well, there you have it.’
The sky is blue. Flames are hot. Birds fly.
I felt like I was just being told obvious facts.
“So for now, we’ll have someone else partially unlock the dormant royal function within you.”
“So you have comrades besides Loretta and that helmeted person?”
“Not comrades—family, I’d prefer. Yes, that’s right. We children of the Six Emotions have more than just love and joy…but the one I spoke of is someone else entirely. Not a child of the Emotions, but…a loyal knight who has sworn fealty to you, becomes your hands and feet, offering his very being.”
“A knight…?”
“Ah, why the surprise? Of course. You are the princess who reigns over this palace crafted by the system—the princess of the ancient magic kingdom Orchestra that ruled long ago. As such, it’s only natural for a knight sworn to the royal family, to attend to you, is it not? The princess and her knight—a timeless tale.”
Al sama and Charl sama had been playing roles their whole lives.
The role of villains highlighting the crown prince.
The roles of an understanding fiancée and model student.
I too had a role.
The maid unlike any maid, playfully teasing Al sama. That was my role.
But those two discarded their roles.
Cast off the shells protecting their true selves, taking the stage to fulfill their desires.
I thought I had done the same—discarded my role.
…And yet, I was about to be assigned a new role.
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Taking a role and ascending to the stage.
(Really, how silly. Going in circles all on my own…)
If I’m a player performing on that stage, it’s utterly ridiculous.
(……But I don’t care.)
I don’t care if it’s ridiculous. I don’t care if I’m a jester. I don’t even care if I’m just stage equipment.
If following the strings binding me allows me to dance and obtain what I desire,
If it lets me reach for this burning love consuming me, then I don’t care if I’m burnt to cinders and discarded.
“Are you prepared to take the stage, Princess?”
In front of the massive iron doors, the demon asked deferentially.
“I’ll perform. As a foolish, laughable princess—whatever it takes.”
“Excellent. Shall we proceed, then?”
With a heavy, distorted tone, the doors opened. Beyond the threshold
Was a throne befitting a sovereign ruler. Though vastly different from any I knew.
The blood-red throne had countless bone-like tubes connected to it.
“Not the beautiful, resplendent throne from picture books?”
“…Fitting for a jester, wouldn’t you say?”
And before the throne, like guardians, sat black caskets resembling gravestones.
The throne and caskets were likely some kind of magical devices.
I could faintly hear what sounded like an operating hum. But they didn’t seem fully activated—merely sleeping, breathing softly. That kind of sound.
When Lucille touched the ebony casket, a magical glyph I’d never seen before appeared at her fingertips.
Likely for controlling the magical device. Following her deft finger motions, the glyph rotated smoothly, inputting some process into the casket.
“Shall we then…awaken the knight who will join you on the stage, dance with you?”
At the signal transmitting her magic, the casket opened, expelling white smoke that filled the space between it and the throne.
The one slumbering inside was a youth around twenty years old—hair like molten gold, pallid skin, chiseled features resembling a sculpture…no, an artificial humanoid.
His storybook knight visage radiated an aura of a constructed being.
Slowly, he opened his closed eyelids, ash-gray eyes fixing on my face for two seconds before disembarking the casket.
With flowing, rhythmic strides as if it were the most natural thing, he approached me.
Then, as though it were a core tenet ingrained into his very existence, he knelt fluidly before me and bowed his head.
“I am relieved to witness your awakening, my liege, Princess Makina of Orchestra.”
The curtain had risen on the stage.
Surely there was no turning back now.
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