Chapter 4 - NEET and Hero
Next day.
The 「Liberator」 country of Tifalycia’s group that had obtained a temporary victory and a new objective would now welcome a momentary stabilization ── or so they thought.
An unexpected development awaited before them.
「Beastia」 declared a Heroic War against 「Liberator」.
“That’s unbelievable......!”
Tifalycia was talking to the servants in the audience chamber, when she saw the magic formation spread out in the sky above and muttered to herself in disbelief.
「Beastia」 Napoleon Bonaparte
VS
「Liberator」Houbami Reiji
Field: Tistel
Victory Condition: Subjugation of the enemy Hero
Victory Reward: 「Beastia」 Tistel Castle’s governance
「Liberator」 Tistel Castle’s governance
“M-Mistress......!” “H-How can this be!” “Did you accept the Heroic War!?” “Why did you do such a reckless──”
“N-No......I did not acknowledge this......!”
Within the castle that fell into chaos in an instant, Tifalycia was even more confused than the servants.
Heroic War would not happen unless an agreement had been reached between the Rulers.
That was guaranteed by the Great Contract Magic.
And in the current situation, 「Infirma」 ── the Ruler of the country 「Liberator」 was Tifalycia.
At least that’s what the people in the castle believed.
Then, let alone Tifalycia herself agreeing to it, there wasn’t even an application for war that was received, why did the Heroic War happen──?
The thoughts reached a dead end at this point, and could not advance any further.
What was left was simply the enumeration of words.
Why. How. Incomprehensible──
Tifalycia unconsciously peeked at the Hero next to her as she fell into confusion.
“──My oh my, all of you seem to be confused.”
That voice.
It was neither loud, nor unique.
Even so, everyone in that place shut their mouths immediately, and focused their attention towards the owner of that voice.
At the entrance of the audience chamber.
Before anyone knew, a petite girl stood there.
She had burning red hair and wore a dress in white and gold with a mini skirt.
Even though the girl looked like she was just past ten years old, an empress-like dignity could be felt from the elegant smile showing on her face that still had traces of childishness.
And, more than anything──
“Wha......”
Tifalycia noticed something, why that girl’s voice held such power, why that childish appearance contained such pressure ── she immediately comprehended.
Before the surrounding realized that fact, the red-haired girl slowly walked towards her.
The invader that showed up at the audience chamber during Heroic War.
And that girl was walking straight towards Reiji and Tifalycia.
“──”
Leu, with her black robe fluttering, attempted to stop her.
“「Please do not obstruct me」?”
In an instant, a seal appeared on the girl’s forehead, and at the same time as the magic formation appeared, Leu’s movement immediately stopped.
Then she smiled at Leu who just stopped there...
“Oh. Assaulting directly without using any magic, your power has really been sealed.”
Saying so, the girl looked around, and told the servants that put up their stances after Leu’s movement triggered them.
“「You people as well」”
Their bodies also unnaturally stopped moving.
Tifalycia muttered along with astonishment.
“Realtà──”
The seal of Five Fangs in Harmony (Beastia), the large Destiny that could not be hidden, and the Realtà that restrained even the movement of a 「Strega」 Princess with just a sentence ── there was no doubt about it.
She. She was exactly──
“......You are the Hero of 「Beastia」?”
Before his very eyes. Reiji asked as if for confirmation to the girl who had stopped just a few meters before them.
The girl nodded at those words and spoke.
“It is our first meeting. 「Elf」 ── No, it is 「Infirma」 now......Hero of 「Liberator」 is it? Houbami Reiji-sama.”
She gracefully held the rim of her dress, and bowed elegantly.
Their eyes were robbed away by that series of professional actions for an instant.
Tifalycia noticed Reiji’s change.
He, who had always been carefree, knitted his brows unlike his usual behavior.
His gaze wandered between the magic formation in the sky above and the girl before them, seemingly in doubt about something that might be amiss.
She had never seen Reiji like that.
The Hero Reiji that Tifalycia knew should be a person made up of sloppiness, sluggishness and laziness.
He was feeling troubled as the Hero of 「Beastia」 was currently before them.
Certainly, her child-like appearance did not fit the image of a Hero.
However, that vast Destiny disproportionate to her appearance was indication that she was the Hero of 「Beastia」──
And thinking up to there.
She noticed.
“Eh? Hero of 「Beastia」?”
Like what was shown by the magic formation in the sky, the Hero of 「Beastia」 was none other than Napoleon Bonaparte.
However, the Hero Napoleon Bonaparte whom Tifalycia had heard about was a robust middle-aged man that was the type to stand before the army and lead them.
There was not a single bit of resemblance to the girl before her eyes.
“Oh, what is the matter?”
The girl narrowed her eyes, and asked the obvious with an innocent smile fitting of her age.
An even more grim expression flashed on Reiji’s face for a moment, then he immediately changed into a big smile.
“No no, I have no idea what happened at all. Could it be that the Heroic War was initiated by you as well?”
“Yes ── 「You over there, please become my chair」”
The servant that the girl pointed at tilted his head in confusion, then became shocked that his body moved irregardless of his will.
Then the girl just sat down on the servant that went down on his fours before her eyes, and smiled gracefully.
“Just like this, my Realtà can make any impossible things possible.”
“......Hence, you can find a replacement as Hero, and initiate a Heroic War without Ruler.”
“It helps that you can comprehend quickly.”
The girl maintained her composed smile, and Tifalycia was astonished.
“Th-Then, this person is the real Hero of 「Beastia」 Napoleon──”
“No way.”
“......Eh?”
Not answering Tifalycia’s question, Reiji continued while laughing frivolously.
“So. The omnipotent Hero of 「Beastia」, what have you come here for?”
Reiji shrugged his shoulder purposely, and the girl smiled...
“Of course, to conquer this place.”
By me alone──
The instant Tifalycia heard the words added on, she noticed the smile from her mouth twisting into a sadistic one, and a cold shiver ran down her spine.
Such a small girl. Just one person.
Just looking at the meaning alone, Tifalycia would probably think 『Such an idiotic thing is impossible to be done』.
However, a Hero with such vast Destiny coming alone to conquer, could not be laughed off as a bluff.
Not through logic, her body could not help but comprehend it.
Perhaps understanding the mood, the girl slowly pointed her finger at Reiji and the others.
“You ── No, you people have gone overboard. The 「Infirma」 that illegally occupied the territory of 「Beastia」 ── and gave the founding declaration of 「Liberator」. Even the most tolerant race will also snap, you know?”
Tilting her small head, she spoke with a cute gesture.
It was an act that should garner smiles originally, but it felt rather scary for some reason.
It was not just Tifalycia, it was the mutual thought of every member that was overwhelmed by her power in that place.
“That’s how it is, so please allow me to conquer this place now.”
In contrast with her lighthearted words, tremendous will and pressure was conveyed.
They were bearing witness as to why a Hero was a Hero.
Words were...lost. In the restrained ── atmosphere.
“──Kuha...ahahahahahahaha.”
Only one person. Reiji was the only one totally unconcerned with her intimidation and laughed.
Laughed and laughed.
From his heart, from the bottom of his stomach.
Laughed and laughed ── and quietly spoke.
“Try it, that is if you can.”
It was an obvious provocation.
It was words spoken only for the sake of poking at the opponent’s nerves.
The instant they understood that, everyone in that place cowered and thought.
──It was over.
For what reason..did Reiji say that.
They could not understand it in their hearts, and with some anger mixed in, they stared at him──
And opened their eyes wide at those freezingly cold eyes.
That cold gaze was only directed at the girl.
He threw out a mutter.
“Rather, do you really think you can end this with that level of bluffing?”
“..................Blu...ff?”
Tifalycia murmured, and the girl furrowed her brows as if she was sad.
“Oh my, that was unexpected.”
Her expression changed to a chilling smile.
“Are you saying that I cannot defeat you?”
“How would that be possible, right?”
Immediate denial.
Reiji continued as if it was natural.
“As long as you can control these people here and restrain me, you can easily touch my seal. If my seal is touched, the winner of this Heroic War will be 「Beastia」. That’s just too convenient.”
“Eh......th-that basically means.”
“Well, it basically means we have no way out.”
“Wha──”
“That’s normally speaking.”
With a snicker, Reiji lectured Tifalycia who asked him what he meant.
“Think about it. In a Heroic War where victory is guaranteed, why would the real 「Beastia」 Hero have to personally come all the way here?”
“That’s......to confirm that there is no potential danger to the victory.”
“Even though she has just revealed a huge secret of using body replacement? There is nothing but risk to the 「Beastia」 if we leaked this to other races.”
“Ah──”
That’s right. Because it was revealed so clearly, and along with her overwhelming Destiny, she had neglected it, but that information should certainly be very important.
“Please allow me to interject here.”
As if to answer Tifalycia’s doubt, the girl quietly interrupted.
“Have you forgotten my ability?”
Turning her gaze away and speaking “「Sit」”, one of the servants sat down on the spot──
“Yes, that.”
Reiji pointed out.
“Even though we have no way out normally, the reason we have a way out now.”
From the zoned out Tifalycia, to the meaningfully smiling girl.
As Reiji moved his gaze, he smiled thinly.
“Your Realtà that can make the impossible possible is only targeted at existences that possess intelligence, and can only be activated when the target holds feelings of fear and awe towards you, isn’t that right?”
“............Ha? Feeling..is the condition......?”
Tifalycia responded in place of the girl.
Reiji spoke.
“Did you not notice? Her entrance, method of using ability, speech, every behavior always exerted intimidation ── a bluff to make herself look formidable. Of course that’s not meaningless. A reason for that naturally exists.”
That reason was──
“For the sake of using Realtà on me. To put it on a bigger scale, for the sake of using Realtà to prevent your existence from being exposed. Well, the people in this world unconditionally feel awe towards a Hero, and even I can tell the greatness of this fella’s Destiny. The conditions are already sufficiently──”
“Wai......Wait a moment!”
Her thoughts...could not keep up.
Tifalycia pressed down on her chest with her hand, noticed that her heart was beating faster, and took a deep breath.
Then she asked with a trembling voice.
“Why......Why..do you know that her Realtà has such a condition......?”
“Try to think in reverse. If it can be used unconditionally, why is it necessary to initiate a Heroic War?”
“That’s......b-but, in the end, why did the Heroic War happen──”
“Hero’s body replacement.”
“Eh?”
“Even though she can make a Hero replacement, why do you think that she cannot make a Ruler replacement?”
That caught her attention.
Tifalycia opened her eyes.
“Well, leaving the details aside ── Considering the above points, then thinking back on the scene of her using her Realtà. Do you think that it can be used on things other than people?”
All those words hinted her in the form of questions.
And the answers appeared without any doubt.
“If you reach up to here, then you should understand the reason I mentioned that feeling is the activation condition and a bluff was used for that sake.”
With his gaze as if urging her, Tifalycia unconsciously spoke those words from her mouth.
“If Realtà could be used on you, she would have used it already......”
Just like how she used it on the servants.
If she could use it on Reiji, there was no reason not to use it──
Reiji showed a smile from the relief after letting out everything, and looked straight at the girl.
“Well, it’s probably the effect of the first Heroic War. Despite the 「Beastia」 winning that rigged war, they made a major blunder of having the territory illegally occupied, and letting the other side give the nation founding speech of 「Liberator」. They probably said something like affirming a certain victory next time anxiously.”
“Anxiously......?”
Not...angrily?
Tifalycia interrupted him as she could not understand it, and Reiji fluently answered.
“What 「Beastia」 is looking at is not here. Not an insignificant existence like 「Liberator」. It’s all the other races.”
“All the other races......Ah.”
Tifalycia also noticed.
The blunder 「Beastia」 had made in the real meaning.
“They challenged us in an official battle like Heroic War. Of course all the other races will pay attention to it. 「Beastia」 fell behind an [Absence], a defective Hero, some 「Infirma」, or something like that.”
Such a blunder would definitely not be missed by other races. If there was an evaluation sheet, it would have been a demerit.
“Of course, it’s not just a problem of face, if all the other races acknowledged the independence of 「Liberator」, and made a decision that the land here becomes the property of 「Liberator」, this land will become the frontier fort for the sake of conquering 「Beastia」 land.
From Tifalycia’s perspective, the official acknowledgement of 「Liberator」country was the best they could wish for, even if they had to assist the other races in attacking 「Beastia」 as a result, it was not a bad condition.
And from the other races’ perspective, acknowledging the independence of such a gathering of motley crowd that could not even be called a small country, which can easily be crushed, would not be a problem at all.
In other words, 「Liberator」 and other races shared mutual benefits, while being a drawback towards 「Beastia」.
“What the 「Beastia」, with such a background, took, was the move of having just the Hero alone to conquer. Why is it necessary to do that ── you already know, right?”
“If Hero single handedly obtained an overwhelming victory, for the sake of resolving all the problems......”
──That’s right. In order to wipe away their blunder, they need to perfectly recover what they lost immediately, an absolute victory was necessary to shut the other races up.
As the method to achieve that, even if they had to take the risk of revealing the secret of her using a body replacement, she was obliged to conquer them by herself──
“If that’s not it, then here. I will not run or hide, so make me listen to you.”
Reiji provoked her with a frivolous attitude.
The girl put her finger to the corner of her mouth elegantly.
“──You are interesting after all.”
Like a rose with poisonous thorns ── she laughed devilishly.
Laughed and laughed.
She pointed out the finger that was next to her mouth.
With her palm facing upwards.
“「Every person in this place, become my subordinate」”
The seal on her forehead shone brightly ── everyone except Reiji and Tifalycia stood behind the girl.
Their pupils already did not contain their own will.
Before the neatly lined up servants, the girl maintained seated on the back of a servant...
“How unfortunate, it seems that not a single person has agreed with your words from the bottom of their heart.”
And snickered while tilting her small head.
“What you spoke of is the truth, I carry the risk of exposing my secret ── even so, it doesn’t change the fact that I can suppress this place alone, does it?”
Reiji spoke with a bitter smile at the girl’s words.
“I believe that saying you alone in this situation is retortable, but ── I can still affirm that you have no intention of using force like this.”
“Oh my, why do you say so?”
“Why you ask...Isn’t it because the best possibility of defeating 「Liberator」 while protecting your secret still exists? Hence you are still chit chatting with me like this now.”
“It is fun to converse with you.”
“That’s my honor, but ── wouldn’t it be boring to remain in a stalemate like this?”
Stalemate.
The girl was trying to aim for a zero risk victory of making Reiji yield.
For that sake, she continued to search for methods, and could not proceed further.
On the other hand, Reiji and Tifalycia were in a despairing situation, but they still had a slim chance as they held the secret of that girl in their hands.
The two sides could be said to be in an exquisite balance.
“Although it’s impossible ── if you can let me enjoy an even greater time than now, I cannot ask for more.”
Depending on the condition, she would take on his invitation.
She hinted as such, and Reiji floated a smile.
“I can guarantee it. You will absolutely have fun if you do a 「Showdown」 with me.”
“「Showdown」?”
“Putting it bluntly, it is literally a Heroic War between just you and me only.”
Reiji did not miss the expression on the girl in that instant.
“That is ── wonderful.”
On that unimaginably cute and elegant face, overflowing from the bottom of her heart was ── an aggressive smile.
“In that case, if I win this 「Showdown」, you have to unconditionally accept──”
“I will have you unconditionally retreat from here if I win......I pledge in the name of Great Contract Magic.”
Hearing that, her smile became greater, but she soon wiped it off.
“So, what kind of 「Showdown」 are we doing?”
The girl asked calmly as her high class dress swayed.
“Anything.”
“......Ha?”
Reiji as well.
He showed a ferocious smile that would not lose to hers.
“Hmm? Did you not hear me? I’m saying that since I won’t lose in any kind of showdown, you can decide the method.”
He offered her.
Even though she possessed overwhelming Destiny, and maintained a calm attitude, she could not help but show a serious expression.
“......That is. I wonder if you are underestimating me. Or are you trying to irritate me and make me choose a showdown that is advantageous to you?”
“Well, which is it? It may not be any of those?”
Reiji purposely answered her frivolously, the girl narrowed her eyes coldly for an instant, and immediately smiled.
“Alright.”
At the same time she saw the pale light of magic formation informing the establishment of the contract.
Without a single shred of hesitation, she spoke.
“Then, can you guess who am I?”
◇◆◇
Wrapped in a dress of white and gold, the girl’s petite body contained an unbelievable amount of Destiny.
As a Hero of 「Beastia」, who was she──?
“That’s obviously...Napoleon──”
Speaking up to there, Tifalycia suddenly stopped.
Was that...really the case?
Napoleon Bonaparte was certainly displayed in the air above, and the girl before her eyes also emitted Destiny befitting of a Hero.
It was clear to see that she was Napoleon (Hero of 「Beastia」) ── Hence it was suspicious.
Considering common sense, nobody would make a question out of something so obvious.
Then.
If that’s the case.
Why exactly was she──?
“Yes, you got it right.”
Seeing Tifalycia pondered, Reiji spoke as if he understood everything she was thinking.
“Your thoughts are correct. She cannot be Napoleon Bonaparte like what you said just now.”
──That’s right. As a visitor from the same world, Reiji knew the Historical Figure of that name. He could tell.
Napoleon Bonaparte.
Anyone would know as long as they received the obligated education, a hero of France in the nineteenth century.
A king of the world who dominated the major half of the European Continent in the center of the world at that time.
“Since that Napoleon is a man.”
“Eh......b-but──”
What Tifalycia could see was the display of 「Beastia」 Napoleon Bonaparte written in the air and the young petite girl before her.
The girl smiled brightly.
“I forgot to mention it, but is free discussion and one try at answering fine? If considering the objective of breaking the stalemate, I do not like to drag this for too long, I also want to set a time limit if possible.”
As she added more words, she displayed her overwhelming presence ── her Destiny as usual.
And the Five Fangs in Harmony seal shown on her forehead could only prove that she was the Hero of 「Beastia」.
In other words ── She could only be Napoleon Bonaparte, but at the same time, it was not possible for her to be Napoleon Bonaparte.
......Could it be that Reiji showed an incomprehensible expression after seeing her because he noticed that?
Tifalycia only reached that thought now, and understood why the girl had set that question as the content of the 「Showdown」.
The girl had felt that Reiji did not know her true identity from the start.
Hence she had immediately decided the content of the 「Showdown」.
So to speak, that was the question that would bring her certain victory.
The「Showdown」 was decided before that method was designated──
“How about it ── Hero-sama of 「Liberator」?”
She tilted her small head, showing an adorable yet poisonous smile.
She was certain of her victory, and urged Reiji who was feigning anxiety.
At the sadistic behavior of the little girl Hero.
“......That’s not necessary, is it?”
The Hero of 「Liberator」 remained face down as if acknowledging his defeat, and answered in a small voice.
......Could it be?
Really...acknowledging defeat──
As if seeing through such thoughts in Tifalycia.
“It will be decided immediately.”
Snicker.
Reiji said with a hearty laugh.
“Do you know about the『Magician’s Choice』?”
Though he threw that question at the girl, he continued without waiting for her answer.
“Well, it’s the fastest if you see it for yourself. Oi, Tifa.”
“──!?”
“Come over here and help out a bit ── huh what? Why suddenly the red face?”
“J-JJ-Just now......Just now...Ti-Ti-Tifa......!”
“......? I did say that.”
In front of Reiji who tilted his head, unable to get her point.
The girl in black robe suddenly appeared.
“Master.”
“Ou!? ──Leu, you, why are you moving? I told you that even if you escaped from Realtà, you have to stay still!”
“Now’s not the time for that.”
“......No, what’s with now’s not the time for that......this is quite an important matter though?”
Leu magnificently ignored Reiji’s complaints, and spoke after leaning closer.
“Master...probably doesn’t know.”
“About what?”
“Only spouses can use nicknames to call each other.”
“......Hmm?”
That’s...basically.
“Using a nickname to call the opposite sex is the same as proposing.”
......
............
Reiji scratched his head.
“Well, that’s that.”
“──That’s that!?”
Hearing Tifalycia’s shouting, he lightly spoke.
“No you see, calling you Tifalycia every time is troublesome so it’s abbreviated.”
“Trou......”
“Enough already, come and help. I’m going to prove that I have the prediction ability now.”
“Why had I summoned this person ── huh, prediction...ability?”
As Tifalycia was seriously pondering about Reiji’s casual remark, she heard a word that she could not leave alone and raised her head.
“Aah. You often felt unbelievable right? I will reveal the secret behind it. Using this card.”
Reiji took out a stack of cards facing up, and spoke after verifying that no trick was done to it.
“By the way, I have predicted that she will be the one doing this card guessing. Of course, the card this one’s going to choose now as well. As for the proof──”
Reiji took out a piece of paper folded right in the middle from his chest pocket.
“Just like this, I have written the answer on it. ──I will ask you to hold it.”
Reiji passed the two pieces of paper to the girl, nobody knew what was written inside.
“Alright. Then ── please choose one of these two evenly split stacks. Simple right?”
After pointing to one of the two stacks, he splitted that stack evenly into two, and asked her to choose again.
Repeating it over and over, the last two ── Queen of Heart and King of Spade were left.
“There, which will you choose?”
“......This.”
“Okay, then this Queen of Heart is the card of destiny that you chose. ──Please open up the paper I prepared beforehand.”
As Reiji asked, the girl silently opened up the paper ── and opened her eyes wide.
What was written there was ── Queen of Heart.
“Eh......Wh-Why......!? It’s certainly what I chose......!”
“That’s why I told you it’s a prediction ability.”
Seeing Reiji laugh frivolously, the girl spoke with a thin smile.
“──Can I try it as well?”
“Hmm?”
“I cannot eliminate the possibility of you two collaborating that just now.”
“Aah, that’s fine. I believed that you would say that so I have prepared the prediction of yours also.”
Reiji gallantly accepted and took out a similar piece of paper.
“Of course, you can also hold on to this. After all, the card that you will choose is already decided.”
Reiji smiled confidently, and the girl showed a similar smile as she replied.
“──I look forward to this.”
And so, Reiji mechanically divided the card into two stacks, and continued asking the girl to choose a side ── and reached the situation of having Ace of Spade and Two of Heart left, similar to Tifalycia.
“It’s the last. Which will you choose?”
“......Then the Two of Heart here.”
“Understood. Then I will remove this, and the final remaining one is your chosen card──”
“Please wait.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
“By the way ── if I have chosen the Ace of Spade here, what do you intend to say?”
An incomprehensible question. What meaning would there be in asking that──
As Tifalycia thought so, Reiji snickered.
“Of course, it’s obvious that I would say that the card you picked is your chosen card of destiny.”
“..................Eh?”
If Ace of Spade was not chosen, then remove the other card and the remaining card would be the card of destiny.
If Ace of Spade was chosen, then that would be the card of destiny?
That meant.
That meant...in other words──
“Based on what was written on that paper, no matter how the person picks, the last card left will be Ace of Spade.”
Choosing the side that had Ace of Spade inside would remain.
Choosing the side that did not have Ace of Spade inside would be removed.
From the start till the end, it appeared that Tifalycia was choosing, but it was actually Reiji controlling, so it was obvious that the predicted card would be correct.
“Wha ── Th-That’s just cheating.”
Contrary to Tifalycia complaining about unfairness without a thought.
“──Fu...Fufu...Ahahahahahahaha!”
The girl covered her face and laughed. She laughed.
“Making others think that they were choosing with their own will, but they were actually guided to the choice that was decided beforehand......Fu...fu...Magician’s Choice is a really suitable way of calling it.”
“I know right?”
Reiji also showed a hearty smile.
“Have you understood that the 「Showdown」 you picked is similar?”
Sarcasm was mixed in that smile.
The girl immediately ceased her laughter, and curled up her lips challengingly...
“In other words, the sure win 「Showdown」 I chose is actually a sure lose 「Showdown」?”
“──Eh?”
Reiji’s consideration. The girl’s answer, she could not keep up.
The prediction cheat Reiji showed just now...was also used in the 「Showdown」 with the girl?
──No, it’s different.
He let her choose the 「Showdown」.
“From the moment you showed that you could not understand her name, you already considered this......?”
“No.”
The one who denied Tifalycia’s muttering was the silver haired girl in the black robe.
Leu, who challenged the girl at the start, and was robbed of her freedom ── or rather allowed her freedom to be robbed.
She faced Tifalycia expressionlessly like a doll, and quietly told her.
“Master has considered this situation much earlier ── from before the 「Beastia」 initiated the Heroic War.”
“────Ha?”
That’s too much.
That’s too much...it had to be...a lie.
She deemed it as a bluff or an exaggeration.
If such an absurd situation, such an impossible situation, happened in reality.
That would be the same as predicting the future──
“Well, thanks to the powerful information collection method, I have grasped various things before this.”
Reiji lightly shrugged his shoulder, and continued without denying Leu’s words.
“It will be fine if you included the possibility that the person appearing before us may be different from the Hero of 「Beastia」 we know of at the moment. So ── I have been checking the answer since the start.”
“Checking the...answer......?”
“The answer...has always been there.”
His index finger pointed upwards.
He was pointing at the name of the Hero grandly displayed there.
“Eh? But that’s──”
“Aah, this fella cannot be Napoleon. In fact, the Hero of 「Beastia」 I saw before was also a musky man.”
Speaking up to here, Reiji laughed.
“However, if you exclude the part known as impossible, the answer cannot be anything other than Napoleon.”
Contradictory words.
As if unwinding the tangled up logic, Reiji gently spoke.
“Well, during the time that fella was explaining her Realtà, I had more or less confirmed. Realtà seems to be the representative of the Hero’s true nature.”
“That’s......”
Tifalycia said before.
“{Make any impossible things possible} ──That fella displayed her Realtà like that. The moment I heard that, the super famous phrase spoken by a Historical Figure that any Another World Resident (Us) would know flashed across my head.”
That was──
“The word impossible is not in my dictionary.”
Amongst the maxims spoken by that Historical Figure, it was probably the most famous one.
Therefore, that could only be his ── her Realtà.
“Making anything impossibility possible. The person who said that maxim is──”
Reiji pointed at the girl who did not interrupt him at all during that lengthy explanation and spoke.
“Napoleon Bonaparte.”
◇◆◇
“──Fu. Fufu...ufufufufufufu......”
The girl who received the answer laughed ominously.
And continued elegantly.
“You are wrong, my name is not Napoleon.”
“──Eh!?”
Only Tifalycia was shocked and anxious.
“Not your name.”
Reiji immediately answered as if it was natural.
“Fufu, you have even seen through this much.”
The girl confidently smiled, and shrugged her shoulders as if it could not be helped.
“My name is not Napoleon ── However, if asked whether I am the existence known as Napoleon, I can only answer yes (oui).”
She exaggeratedly sighed, and added with a twisted smile.
“Because the Napoleon Bonaparte you know is a character created by me.”
The aggressive smile that did not suit her young face weirdly fitted her.
“Created...character......?”
Reiji asked back in reflex, the girl returned to her angelic smile and spoke.
“Yes. My country has the environment that allows the nurture of female Historical Figure as symbolism, but a position of Emperor still has to be a man.”
“......Such...issue huh.”
Tifalycia timidly muttered, and the girl calmly answered.
“That’s the issue. Though I’m fine with emerging to the surface──”
“That’s a lie.”
Reiji sharply cut her off, and pointed out.
“A person that really thinks as such would create a body replacement in this world? Your true nature is only the mastermind that controls the people you produced from the back.”
“Oh my, would such a person venture into the enemy base alone?”
“Yeah. You, who is calculative, aggressive, hedonistic, sadistic, is greedy to your own desire. Such people possess unique values, failure seen from an objective perspective is often not a failure to them. Anyway, the end of history (Waterloo)[1] was also affected by that, right?”
“Who knows? I believe that was mostly elder brother’s arbitrary judgement. Well, I cannot deny if you say that I had led the events towards that.”
The girl poked her face with her finger, and smiled cutely.
“Elder...brother......?”
Towards Tifalycia’s muttering...”My oh my, how careless of me” The girl pretentiously covered her mouth with her hand, got off from the back of the servant (chair), and elegantly lifted the hem of her dress.
“Paulette Bonaparte.[2] That is my name.”
A refined smile.
That suspicious smile made Reiji unable to bear curving his lips upwards.
“──I see. That’s how it is huh.”
The second sister of Napoleon Bonaparte in the family tree, Paulette Bonaparte.
She, who could not compare to her elder brother’s fame, was actually the person controlling the France Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, praised as a hero by famous artists, feared as the demon of Corsica by enemy nation’s citizens, reprimanded as the squanderer of human life by own country’s citizens, from the shadows.
“And as such, instead of the brother Napoleon, it’s the sister Paulette that was summoned to this world as 『Hero Napoleon』.”
“Although it’s an honor to be summoned as 『Napoleon』, I am somewhat dissatisfied that my Realtà, 「Impossibile does not exist (Impossible n’est pas francais)」 has a condition attached.”
“That’s a lie, isn’t it? You understand your true nature. Certainly, impossibility may not exist in your perspective. However, just like creating the existence 『Hero Napoleon』 requires your brother that is a real person, a condition is necessary.”
Therefore, when she was summoned as the Hero of 「Beastia」, she had established a body replacement from the start.
Using the 「Impossibile does not exist (Impossible n’est pas francais)」 Realtà, she created a person that believed himself to be Napoleon.
“{Impossibile does not exist (Impossible n’est pas francais). However, it is only limited to the people who did not discover the mastermind that is Paulette (Bluff)} ──Doesn’t that fit you just perfectly?”
Reiji spoke in a mocking tone.
“Do you know that there are two elements necessary to make a person move?”
Paulette Bonaparte smiled thinly.
“Fear and benefit. If these two are presented, it will be simple to make a person move without appearing at all on stage. If you notice this, anybody can do it.”
“────”
The girl calmly spoke those things, causing Tifalycia to shudder.
Even if the theory was understood, not anybody could do it.
And despite losing the 「Showdown」, having many of her secrets exposed by Reiji, she was not panicking in the slightest, and stood there with a composed spirit.
In the first place, understanding her Realtà did not change the threat it had.
It was a fact was that the absolute Great Contract Magic had mis acknowledged the Ruler of 「Infirma」 due to her power.
“In any case.”
The girl suddenly opened her mouth, Tifalycia was surprised and anxiously shifted her gaze away.
Paulette spilled a smile at Tifalycia and spoke.
“Since my defeat here is unshakable, I shall retreat according to the contract.”
She turned her heels around.
And walked away with a crisp attitude.
“............Eh?”
At the same time Tifalycia let out her voice.
“Aah, by the way.”
She stopped her feet, turned to look over her shoulder at Reiji, and laughed.
“I have achieved my objective for coming to this place, so I will look forward to the formal Heroic War.”
She never intended to finish things right there from the start.
The real objective was something else, and it was achieved.
And there was the intention of starting another battle immediately.
At the speech of Paulette that seemed to turn the tide of everything that happened until then.
“That’s my line.”
Reiji confidently smiled, and put his hand on Tifalycia’s shoulder next to him.
“Tifa (This one) said so just now.”
“!?”
In place of Tifalycia who was so shocked that her voice did not come out.
Opening her eyes wide for the first time at the last moment, Paulette laughed uncontrollably.
“That makes me ── look forward to it even more.”
Chilling words and gaze remained.
The mastermind controlling the king of the world gallantly left the place.
◇◆◇
“Ah, this is bad.”
After the Hero of 「Beastia」 left, a temporary dismissal was announced.
Having returned to his own room, Reiji lazily laid on his bed and spoke to the dumbfounded Tifalycia next to him.
“Everything can end with a bluff......is what I thought. This has become troublesome.”
“──Eh? W-Wait a moment......the things you said just now are?”
“It’s obviously a bluff. Rather, I thought that you would understand if you heard those things, her objective ── Grasping the thinking pattern of the Hero of 「Liberator」 (Me) and the Ruler (Tifalycia) has been achieved.”
“Eh......eh? Understanding us is the...real objective......?”
“Well, correctly speaking, that is also a part of it. Defeat us in that place if it’s possible, otherwise adjust for a rematch in a more advantageous condition......Damn, that side’s Ruler is a simple idiot and moves according to my thoughts, but it would be a different story if she is pulling the strings from behind. There’s no meaning if we win the fight but lose the war.”
She was almost deceived by those carefree words.
She wanted to be deceived.
“She’s also quite the tactician.”
Leu entered the room before anyone noticed and spoke while sitting down on the bed as if it was natural.
“Like what that Hero said, we can never win if we face 「Beastia」 head on. That’s why Master has been looking for a method that avoids fighting.”
“A method...that avoids fighting?”
“If we make the opponent think that fighting against us is not worth it, they would stop, right? I was inducing 「Beastia」 to think that way amongst themselves. Initiating an unreasonable war makes the representative only a tyrant. The representative would be dethroned by themselves within the race ── was what I hoped for.”
“That Hero has already completed the preparation for the war. In other words, the wills within the 「Beastia」 is unified. She made use of the simple idiot Ruler for that sake.”
“A short-sighted, aggressive, foolish king during normal times can be seen as courageous and bold during war. She probably supported a simple idiot Ruler who would not pull back for this sake. It also matches the 『Napoleon』 on the surface. It’s easy to understand.”
“Eh......eh?”
“Basically, it’s total annihilation.”
“Well, no good, it’s the end.”
“S-Saying it like other peoples’ business......”
“In the first place, we can’t even muster up an army, right? Then how are we going to fight the Heroic War? Even if it’s a mock one, it is a war you know?”
“Th-That’s......the country...is just made so......”
“Do you think such an excuse would work!?”
“Uu......S-Sorry............”
“Master was the one who made the country founding declaration.”
“──!? Th-That’s right!”
“So slow.”
Leu interrupted, and Tifalycia swallowed back her words of complaint despite being not satisfied with her treatment.
If what was pointed out was correct, complaining would only be a foolish act.
Reiji peeked at Tifalycia’s behavior from the corner of his eyes, floated a smile, immediately returned to his unmotivated tone and spoke.
“Well, because it’s like this that there is a way.”
“......Eh?”
“Oi oi, did you listen properly? Leu had said it. Fighting head on that is.”
Reiji got up from his bed with an evil smile.
Then explained that method──
1 End of history - Napoleon’s last war record in history was his defeat in the Battle of Waterloo. ↩
2 Paulette Bonaparte - Known as Pauline Bonaparte, one of her nickname, neither typo nor author’s mistake. ↩
Thanks for the chapter
ReplyDeleteLali~ho!
thanks for chapter...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chapter
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing this chapter!😊
ReplyDeleteHmm... my head hurts
ReplyDeleteAnyway thx for the chapter
ty
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