Her Majesty’s Swarm - Volume 2 - Chapter 7

Reality and Reverie 

For some time, we pursued our enemies without catching up. They burned places down as they fled... Not that their scorched-earth tactics were enough to stop our charge. 

“They’re getting desperate,” I muttered upon seeing yet another torched town. 

The townsfolk had all either been hanged or decapitated. They must have resisted, or perhaps they were subjects under a noble who’d opposed Leopold. Whichever they were, it was a terrible sight. Not that I was in any position to speak after what I’d done to Maluk. 

“We’re stopping here to rest for today, Sérignan.“ 

“Yes, Your Majesty.” 

We had been marching the whole day, but the nobles’ army was always one step ahead of us. The Dukedom’s own forces were nowhere to be found. While they were far more organized and well-equipped than the nobles’ soldiers, they avoided fighting at all costs. 

Our enemy was being frustratingly elusive, which left us with no choice but to halt, rest, and refuel. 

“Shall we have hot pot today? We’ve got plenty of ingredients.” 

We had some kelp to make soup stock as well as mushrooms, vegetables, and dried meat. I decided that tonight we would feast on hot pot—a mouthwatering meat and vegetable stew that was hard to turn down. I was sure Sérignan and Lysa would enjoy it, too, so I wanted to put my all into making it. 

But first, I was positively parched. The Ripper Swarms had procured some water from the local wells, so I filled a cup and lifted it to my lips. Just as I took the first sip, however... 

“Ngh!” 

A searing pain ran through my chest, and it felt as if my throat was rapidly closing up. I tried coughing a few times, but it didn’t make me feel any better. The agony spread through my body, shooting from my chest to my back and then down into my stomach. Unable to endure, I crumpled to the ground. I couldn’t breathe, and the pain was threatening to drive me mad. 

Poison...! That’s it; they must have poisoned the wells. You actually pulled a fast one on me, you stupid bastards... 

“Your Majesty!” Sérignan, having noticed something was wrong, dashed over to my side. “Are you all right?! What’s the matter?!” 

I pointed to the cup rolling on the ground with a shaking finger. 

“The water is poisoned...?! Curse them!” 

Now that they were aware, Sérignan and Lysa wouldn’t meet the same fate. That was a relief. 

Thank goodness... 

“Your Majesty! What happened?!” Lysa also ran over to us. 

“Lysa, Her Majesty’s been poisoned! Do you have some medicine that might be able to help her?!” Sérignan asked, her voice cracking with desperation. 

“I have some herbs that might serve as an antidote, but I don’t know if they’ll work against this kind of poison...” 

“At least try it! If Her Majesty were to die, I... I...!” 

Knights aren’t allowed to cry, Sérignan. 

“Open her mouth, please. I need to dissolve the herb in water first.” 

“Here, use this; it’s clean water. We can’t use the wells—they’ve been tainted by the enemy.” 

Lysa and Sérignan worked fast to help me recover, but I didn’t think their efforts would mean much. The pain had already spread through my entire body, and I couldn’t work up the strength to speak anymore. I doubted there was any saving me at this point. 

“It’s ready! Have her drink this.” 

“All right.” 

Sérignan tried to pour the antidote mixture down my throat, but it only spilled from my mouth. 

“Damn! I’ve got no choice... Forgive me, Your Majesty!” 

Something soft pressed against my lips. I realized it was Sérignan’s lips only as my consciousness faded to black. 

I awoke in a room. Namely, my room. I was in my apartment back in Japan. 

All around me were familiar things: my kotatsu, a calendar flipped open to the month of December, my fridge... and enshrined at the back of the room, as if it were the real master of this space, was the desktop PC where my favorite game was installed. 

“I’m... back?” 

At first, I glanced suspiciously at my surroundings. Then I hopped to my feet and opened the fridge. A pleasant chill wafted out and brushed against my skin. Inside was a plate of pork-and-ketchup stir-fry and some salad... A meal I had made myself. 

This really was the world I belonged to. I was finally home. 

Next, I looked around for my cell phone. 

Where did I put that thing? Ah, there it is. 

My smartphone was in its usual spot, plugged in and charging. I hurriedly picked it up and opened the contacts list. With trembling fingers, I dialed my mom’s number and pressed the phone against my ear. 

“Hello? Mom? Can you hear me? Mom...?” 

“Yes, I can hear you just fine. What’s wrong?” 

It was her. It was really Mom’s voice. 

“Mom, I... I’ve killed a lot of people.” 

“What? Are you talking about that game of yours again? Spend your free time however you want, but make sure you don’t neglect your studies.” 

Naturally, she didn’t believe me. 

“Take care of yourself, okay, Mom? I’m doing fine, so don’t worry about me.” 

“Well, aren’t you a good kid? Don’t forget to come visit for New Year’s. We’ll be waiting for you.” 

We both hung up the call. 

“Okay, I am back. I’m... finally home.” 

Why, then, did I feel so lonely? 

I wondered what had happened to Sérignan, and Lysa, and the Swarms. Had they managed to conquer the Dukedom of Schtraut? Had they successfully defeated the Popedom of Frantz? And what about the Empire of Nyrnal? 

I hope they’re all doing well. 

After that thought passed through my mind, I naturally reached out to turn on my PC. The computer buzzed as it came to life, and once I had reached the blank desktop, I clicked the icon for my favorite game. It booted obediently, and a gloomy tune played through my speakers as the program began a new version update. 

Did the interface always look like this? 

Once the update had concluded, the game loaded. I clicked “Load Saved Game,” then the latest save file. It had a map name I didn’t recognize, but my chosen faction was, as always, the Arachnea. 

It all felt oddly nostalgic. 

Once the save had loaded, I began to play. My faction occupied a land in the west, and it was about to invade a land in the northeast. I had a large army of Ripper Swarms—one so large it actually caused the game to lag. The army was championed by my beloved hero unit, the Bloody Knight Swarm Sérignan. Looking at it filled my heart with affection. Another unit stood beside Sérignan, an Elf Archer Swarm called Lysa. 

Huh? “Lysa”... Was she added in the latest update? I can’t remember, but it sounds so familiar. 

I randomly selected a group of Ripper Swarms and advanced them forward. The screen briefly flashed a message: “Enemy Detected.” My Swarms had encountered a group of enemy soldiers. I pulled back my little group momentarily, luring the soldiers in, and then had the rest of my Ripper Swarm army surround them and attack. 

Some of the enemy units tried to escape, but they weren’t much of a threat; I wiped them out with ease. Their remains were converted into meatballs with my units’ Predation ability, and these were then carried off into flesh depositories where they would be used to produce more Swarms. 

I checked my flesh depositories, only to find they were quite full. Perhaps fashioning some new units was in order. Just as I thought to do so, I scanned the map... and saw the very same units I was about to create. 

Oh, I already made them? Man, I’m a real creature of habit. 

Still, those units were too far from the front lines, so I had to make do with what I had on hand. Instead, I sent my Ripper Swarms out to scout. Apparently I had planted some Masquerade Swarms in various enemy cities so they could gather information. I used the intel they provided to mobilize my army. 

I could only win by taking out all enemy units and structures. With that victory condition in mind, I decimated the enemy’s defense forces and worker units stationed in various towns. Ripper Swarm losses notwithstanding, bringing down the enemy’s defenses was a breeze; they were almost too weak. 

Pushing my units onward, I crushed anyone and anything I came into contact with. Soon the enemy faction started sending out cavalry units—probably its main force. Their charge attacks were powerful, so I decided to send out my Bloody Knight Swarm Sérignan to intercept them. I also had my Archer Elf Swarm Lysa support her with ranged attacks. 

My Ripper Swarms, being early-game offensive units used for rushes and provocation, were no match for the cavalry. The cavaliers tore through them as if they were made of paper... but the fallen Swarms cleared a path so Sérignan could strike. She swung her sword this way and that, protected by Lysa’s covering fire. 

It worked. The enemy’s assault was growing slower, and the units were demoted to mere infantry on horseback. I took this opportunity to surround them with a relentless Ripper Swarm assault. I was losing more and more Ripper Swarms by the minute, but the enemy couldn’t withstand these repeated attacks. 

Within moments, Sérignan had wiped out every last one of them, securing us an invasion route. I ordered my Swarms to charge. The Masquerade Swarms committed suicide bombings in order to pry open the gates. Once my Swarms had a way in, it was killing time. The insectile comrades I’d cultivated for over a year butchered the enemy and ruined their structures with indiscriminate ferocity. 

It was one-sided annihilation. 

Things might’ve been harder for us if the enemy had deployed some heavy-armored units, but all they had left was infantry and light cavalry. Ripper Swarms were more than enough to handle these. Our side suffered some losses, of course, but so long as Sérignan was alive, I didn’t mind having to make sacrifices. All the other units were disposable pawns that didn’t gain any experience points. 

This was just a game, after all. It wasn’t as though the humans or Swarms were really dying; this was all just a world of ones and zeroes. While I was lost in thought on the matter, my countless troops overwhelmed the enemy. Nearly half of the enemy’s country was already under our control. 

Y’know, I’m pretty hungry. I should take a break and eat something. Maybe those leftovers in the fridge? Yeah, that sounds good. Can’t get my strategic juices flowing without some good old heavy calories. 

The moment I stood up from my chair, however, my computer beeped out a notification sound. I turned to look at the monitor, only to see two new text boxes. One of them had the heading “Is this where your game ends?” Curious, I clicked it open. 

“You are capable of so much more than this. The other world is where you truly belong. You could go anywhere else, but that world is the only place where your talents will be acknowledged. You haven’t forgotten the oath you swore to your precious bugs, have you? You promised to lead them to victory. Absolute victory.” 

Where I truly belong...? I belong here, in Japan. I mean, this is my place. Going to pointless lectures, then coming back home to play this game... That is my world. Is there even any other? 

My mind beginning to swirl, I opened the second text box. This one was called “Wake up!” 

“Your Majesty, please wake up. We need you. You are our guide. I beg of you, please wake up! Once you return to us, you can lead us once more. You cannot die on us, Your Majesty.” 

As I read the second message, tears welled up in my eyes. I couldn’t even understand why I felt so emotional; all I knew was that someone needed me to save them, and it was my duty to answer that call. If I didn’t go, whoever sent this message would surely fall apart. 

“You’re leaving?” said a voice from behind me. 

I whipped around to see a strange girl standing in my apartment. She was wearing all white, gazing at me with sorrowful eyes. 

“A foul being has ensnared your soul,” she said. “It’s the Devil’s Game. This game has no way out... and no ending. You are the Devil’s entertainment, dancing around in the palm of its hand. Yet here you are, ready to return. Are you certain of your decision?” 

“I have to,” I heard myself say. “They’re waiting for me.” 

What? Who are they? 

While I didn’t know, I could tell “they” were extremely important to me. I couldn’t just abandon them. There was no way I was going to leave them out there to fend for themselves, even if I couldn’t remember who they were at the moment. 

“I see. So you’re leaving. I made this space for nothing, then. A pity.” 

Suddenly, the room began to crumble away. The walls, the furniture, the flooring—all of it peeled away into nothing. 

“So this... wasn’t my apartment?” I asked, flustered. 

“No, it wasn’t. It was a transient space I created using your memories. I thought being here would put your soul at ease... It truly is a pity. This might not have been a definitive solution, but it would have healed your soul, even if your body were to perish. Despite that, you still choose to go back to the Devil’s Game.” 

I could hardly keep up with what she was saying. 

“But someday, I will save your soul. I promise you, I will save you before the Devil’s cage closes.” 

She reached out and took hold of my hand. Hers was warm and soft; it reminded me of something, but I couldn’t recall what. No... Something within me was resisting the memory. There was a wall around my heart, and inside, something was screaming. 

“Never forget your human heart, _________.” 

“Wait, my name...!” 

But the moment I said those words, my consciousness once again began to fade away. 

What was it she called me? What was my name? 

I was filled with unease. Something told me that the moment I would come to know that name, I would truly return to my own world.