Her Majesty’s Swarm - Volume 4 - Chapter 16

To the Hot Springs

“You found hot springs?” I asked in surprise.

“That’s right, Your Majesty!” Lysa said excitedly. “Apparently, there’re hot springs on an island to the south of the Eastern Trade Union. The view is amazing, and it’s great for your skin. How about we go there?”

An open-air bath with a view... That did sound alluring. Enough to make me want to ditch work and go right away.

“We’ve still got work to do, Lysa,” I told her.

I was absolutely swamped. I had to mobilize our army in preparation for the Nyrnal Empire’s next attack, and I also had Worker Swarms in the Eastern Trade Union to help with the rebuilding efforts. I needed some of them to collect resources to replenish what we’d lost in the battles so far too.

On top of all that, I was studying how to use magic. Nyrnal hadn’t made a peep, but I knew it was a tricky adversary. Now that it had lindwyrms filling out its ranks, who knew which way the scales of this war might tip.

“True... It’s a pity, though.” Lysa’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

I could feel her sadness prickle at me from the collective consciousness.

Ugh. Well, if it makes you that unhappy...

“Fine,” I said, relenting. “Let’s go to the hot springs. Where are they, exactly?”

Cheering up immediately, she produced a map from her pocket. “Right here! There’s the hot springs, and there’s an inn right beside them!”

Apparently, she’d prepared the map ahead of time. It was full of notes and was visibly folded multiple times.

“An island, huh? We’ll need some way to get there. Do you think we can arrange that?”

“I-I think we can probably find a ship that’ll take us there. If we take that, uh, hmm...”

It looked like our little elf hadn’t thought things through.

“Well, if you find a ship that’ll take us there within the week, I’ll consider it. Either a ship or some other way to—”

Just then, we heard what sounded like a gust of wind flapping against my tent. Lysa quickly readied her bow, and I got in position to run in case something happened.

“Your Majesty! Look!”

As it turned out, though, there was nothing to be worried about. The source of that wind was Sérignan, who was on the back of a griffin.

“Sérignan, is that a griffin from way back when?” I asked.

“It is, Your Majesty!” she declared with a proud smile. “I’d intended to put them in the Conversion Furnace in six months’ time, but they had healthy appetites and grew to be this big before I knew it. With them on our side, we can win aerial battles as well!”

Back in Schtraut, we’d acted as adventurers and accepted a quest to slay griffins. At the time, Sérignan had taken in three griffin chicks. I’d left them in her care, hoping to place them in the Conversion Furnace once they matured, but that had happened sooner than we expected.

“Now this could come in handy...” I murmured, connecting the griffins with our hot spring destination. “Can we ride these griffins too, Sérignan?”

“Of course! They’re tame and can carry you wherever you need, Your Majesty! Getting around will be much easier with them!”

Sérignan was practically boasting. She’d never raised animals before, and seeing them turn out this successful filled her with pride and joy. The idea that the animals she raised could be useful to me excited her to no end.

“Okay, then it’s decided. Lysa, no need to prepare that ship.”

“Are we going to...?” Lysa asked, eyeing the griffins.

“That’s right. Let’s take our trip there on the Griffin Express. We’ll be there and back in a flash. It’ll cut down on our travel time for this little sojourn, right?” I said, turning my gaze to Sérignan. She still had no idea what we were talking about.

♱

Soon after, we were half a mile off the shores of the Eastern Trade Union.

“Oooh?! Whoa!”

I flew through the air on the back of a griffin that had been turned into a Swarm. Sérignan was a bit disappointed that the Griffin Swarms’ first “battle” was a flight to the hot springs, but it did serve as proof of their usefulness. They were quicker than the Ripper Swarms, very powerful, and could quickly get around regardless of terrain.

“Your Majesty, are you all right?!” Sérignan called out to me. She was riding another Griffin Swarm beside me.

“I-I’m fine... No problems here...” I replied wearily.

We had three griffins, so I figured we could each ride one. Oh, how naive I was. The griffins cantered through the sky at speeds unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and every now and then mine shook, nearly throwing me off.

Why did I think riding this thing alone was a good idea?!

“Your Majesty, gripping the reins too hard might aggravate the griffin! Holding on to them like this should be safe enough!” Sérignan told me, demonstrating her grip.

“A-All right! I’ll try!”

So I said, but the griffin seemed to fly smoothly without me having to do or say anything. I tried to keep it restrained, but I couldn’t understand what its cries were supposed to mean. Even as I focused on the collective consciousness, the only thing I felt from it was the desire to fly ever faster.

“Fine, I guess I’ll just try to hang on...” I resigned myself to just accept my fate.

“This feels so good!” Lysa called out cheerfully. “It’s the best thing ever! I never imagined I’d be riding a griffin! Feeling the wind rush past my skin like this is so pleasant... And I can see the sea beneath us! The view is amazing!”

This was Lysa’s first time riding a griffin too, but she seemed to be having fun in her journey through the sky. The griffin must’ve been happy to have such a satisfied rider.

“Having fun, Lysa?” I asked.

“Yes! This is so much fun! I never imagined I could do something so exciting outside the village!”

The elven forest was a secluded place, so everything outside it felt fresh to Lysa. She could find the new and novel in every sight. I was a bit jealous of her perspective.

“Look at how much fun Lysa is having because of you, Sérignan,” I said. “Thank you.”

“I’m not worthy, Your Majesty! I simply sought to increase our combat potential. I didn’t do this so I could fly in the name of fun!”

Aww, she’s being bashful.

“So, how long until we reach the island?” I asked.

“About ten more minutes,” Sérignan replied. “Oh, it’s coming into view now. It’s that island over there.”

In the distance, I could see a small island covered in greenery. It had small hills, and there was a visible cloud of steam hanging over it. It was like a miniature version of Japan’s Sakurajima.

“Is there anywhere we can land?” I asked as we approached. “If we just land in front of the inn with the griffins, we’ll scare the people there. We should probably touch down somewhere else.”

“That clearing over there should do.” Sérignan pointed at a spot on the island. “Thankfully, there aren’t any farms.”

The clearing was vast, but there were no crops in sight. I didn’t see any horses or cows either, which the griffins would be inclined to eat. It was a perfect spot to land.

Sérignan and Lysa landed gracefully, but my Griffin Swarm alone was stubborn, refusing to land. After spending another forty minutes circling the island, it finally touched down in a forest.

I wanted to cry.

♱

“Welcome to the Veitia Home! Are you here for a room? Or would you like to order something to eat?”

Having gotten lost in the lush forest, I’d managed to send Sérignan a distress signal through the collective consciousness, and she’d rescued me thirty minutes later. Now we had at last reached the inn adjacent to the hot springs. Just getting there had been a real struggle.

“We’ll be staying here for three days and two nights. Do you have room for us?”

“Of course! I’ll show you to your room now.”

We couldn’t take a very long vacation, but three days and two nights wouldn’t be that much. We’d been fighting one battle after another, so I really wanted to take my time and enjoy the hot springs.

The innkeeper led us up to the second floor, then to a room in the southern hall.

“Enjoy yourselves!”

Our room had four beds, with each bed having its own dedicated closet and cupboard. The window offered us a gorgeous view of the sea. A truly clean, beautiful sea, unmarred by industrial pollution.

“Let’s go to the hot springs, Your Majesty!” Lysa urged me. “Hot springs, hot springs!”

“Don’t rush me,” I told her. “I just spent almost an hour stuck on that griffin, and then I got stranded in the middle of nowhere. Let me rest.”

Contrary to Lysa’s overexcitement, I was exhausted.

“I’ll wait for you, then!” Lysa swiftly sat on the bed and stared at me.

She stared...and stared...and stared some more.

I can’t sleep with her eyes drilling holes into me like that!

“Fine, fine, let’s relax in the hot spring. Did they tell you where they are?”

“Yes, they gave me a map at the front desk!” Lysa whipped out the map, as if she’d been waiting for me to say that.

Cute.

“Let’s go, then. Do we have soap and shampoo?”

“All set! No need to worry about that, Your Majesty!”

It never hurts to check.

“Did you bring your casual clothes, Sérignan?” I asked.

She couldn’t very well go into the hot springs in her armor.

“Yes, I have the clothes we bought in Khalkha.”

Sérignan took off her armor and switched into ordinary clothes. We then made way for the hot springs. I wore a plain, casual dress so as to not draw much attention. Lysa wore a pair of boyish shorts, knee-high socks, and a black sleeveless shirt. Sérignan was in a long, black skirt and a white shirt.

“Looking awfully girly, Sérignan,” I teased. “You look like a talented secretary or something.”

“H-Huh?! I do? I picked this hoping I wouldn’t look too conspicuous...” Sérignan said dejectedly, pinching up her skirt.

This gave me a flash of her leg, and I could see she had a dagger strapped to her thigh. So that was what she meant by inconspicuous.

“That said, a long skirt could make it harder to move. Maybe I should have picked a shorter one. But that would have been embarrassing...”

“Always ready for battle, huh? I wish you’d just try to dress up for fun. You’re plenty strong already, Sérignan.” I sighed.

“Perish the thought! Protecting you is what I live for, Your Majesty. I cannot exist otherwise. Please, allow me to keep you safe!” she pleaded, desperate.

“Of course I’m letting you protect me, Sérignan. Just having you around is soothing and gives me courage. Keep me safe.”

“I will, Your Majesty!”

How did we get from talking about clothes to this?

Still, I wasn’t lying when I said having Sérignan around gave me peace of mind. She always protected me whenever I was in danger—she and the Swarm. I trusted her to no end.

“Let’s get in the hot spring, then,” I said. “I’m looking forward to it.”

“Ditto!”

Lysa and I left the room, feeling eager.

♱

The hot springs were very impressive. An open-air bath provided a wonderful view of the sea, and there was a lie-down bath where you could stretch out and relax in shallow water. Warming up in those waters would be bliss. I wanted to jump in right away, but I figured we’d enjoy the open-air bath first and then try the lie-down bath.

Lysa lit up as soon as she saw the hot spring. “Whoooa! The bath is huge! It’s like a lake, milady!”

She’d been traveling with us ever since she left the elven forest, and she constantly marveled at new discoveries. Hot springs were nothing new to me, but it was her first time seeing anything like it. She’s so cute.

“Hmm??” Sérignan glanced at me. “What are you looking at, milady?”

I, too, was marveling at the sights—namely, Sérignan’s breasts. They were big. No one in my grade had had breasts that big. I’d been teased for my middle-schooler figure for ages, so knockers like that were a pipe dream.

What did Sérignan do to get this nice figure? I was supremely jealous.

“Urk! I-If I may, milady, I think you’re very pretty in your own right!” Sérignan said hurriedly.

“It’s not convincing when it comes from the owner of those milk jugs,” I huffed, glaring at her bust.

“Um, aren’t we going into the bath?” Lysa asked.

“Yeah, let’s go in. We can see how these things float,” I said dryly, my gaze still nailed to Sérignan’s chest.

As we dipped into the water, its welcoming warmth melted away all my tension and envy.

“Phew... Hot springs are great.”

“The scenery is very pretty,” Sérignan commented.

“Yeah, bathing with a view of the ocean is fantastic.”

Lysa looked around. “Is it just me, or are there hardly any people here?”

The facilities were spacious, yet there was only one other lady bathing besides us. There wasn’t anyone else nearby, so we pretty much had the place all to ourselves.

It made enough sense. There were no ships nearby, and the island had no walls for protection. With the war going on, no one would carelessly come by for an island vacation. Seemed like a bit of a shame, though.

“And there’s that weird rumor going on,” the young woman sharing the bath with us interjected.

“Weird rumor?” I parroted.

“Well, apparently, there are monsters coming in from the south,” she said. “People say the Portario Republic in the new continent is struggling to keep them at bay, but they could break through any day now. And when the monsters take over the southern continent, they’ll cross the island and move north to our continent.”

Monsters from the south? I recalled hearing that before. Someone said as much during the revolution in Nabreej.

“But, I mean, it’s just a rumor.” The woman smiled. “There’re wars going on all the time nowadays, so nobody has the money to go on vacation. I just happen to be a famous banker’s daughter, so I can travel freely, but not everyone has that luxury.”

“I guess that makes sense...”

Few people could indulge in leisure at a time like this, as sad as that was.

After I’d had my fill of gazing at the sea from the open-air bath, I made my way to the lie-down bath. I lay down in the hot water and contemplated the future.

“What are you thinking about, milady?” Sérignan asked.

“Oh, not much. Just about how far we can go.”

Just how far should I take this war? Will everything end when I defeat Nyrnal? It didn’t feel that way. A menace in the south was coming our way. Maybe dealing with that was the victory the Arachnea sought. Could we really cross the sea and continue the war on the new continent?

Would we even beat the Nyrnal Empire to begin with? Honestly, until we did that, we didn’t have time to consider the new continent. That had to come first, and it was proving to be an immense hurdle.

Where would the Nyrnal Empire strike next? Would they cross the Phros again to strike the Eastern Trade Union? That was plausible, but they could also change course and attack the Dukedom of Schtraut. They might have been tightening their defenses, biding their time.

I imagined countless scenarios, numerous battles, and the sacrifices and casualties that might come as a result.

I didn’t want this war to continue much longer. But if I didn’t, how could I grant the Swarm the conquest I’d promised them? In the event that I failed, both the Swarm and our allies would be in danger. As the Arachnea’s queen, I couldn’t allow that. I had to keep on fighting, even if it pained me.

Sérignan, who was sprawled next to me, peered at me with concern. “Are you tired, milady?”

“A bit,” I replied with a sigh. “The Nyrnal Empire is a difficult opponent. I can’t get a handle on what they’re going to do next. They might have some kind of crazy plan in store, and that makes it harder to fight them. I just don’t know what they’re planning.”

War was all about reading your opponent’s intentions. To win, the enemy had to defy our expectations, and the same held true for us.

“Trying to discern the enemy’s malice all the time is honestly exhausting. I’d much rather spend my time surrounded by goodwill, without people making attempts on my life or having to fight a war. I want peace. I want to go back to my world...”

“Hm, you’ve mentioned this world of yours before, but is it different from this one? Can we go there with you?”

“No, you can’t, Sérignan.” I shook my head. “Someday, we’ll have to part ways. But we’ll stay together until that day comes. The time we spend together is truly wonderful.”

This world was different from the game. The heavy infantry in the game were stronger, the ballistae more potent, and the leaders simpler. Here, only some of the heavy infantry could reliably kill Ripper Swarms, ballistae were hard to aim at the wyverns, and the enemy commanders were crafty.

“I wonder if I’ll survive and go back to my world...”

“I will save your soul.”

“You killed her.”

My mother...

A splitting headache assailed me.

Can I...really go back to my world? What Sandalphon and Samael said makes it sound like I’m already—

“Milady?” Sérignan said, her concern seeping into me through the collective.

At some point, my expression had contorted in agony.

“I’m fine, Sérignan. Really. I think I just got dizzy from sitting in the water for too long... I’ll get out and relax for a bit. I’ll be back soon, so you can just relax here with Lysa.”

“Very well, milady. But do be careful. Today you seem...a bit weaker than usual.”

Weaker, eh?

Maybe I did feel kind of feeble. Between the seemingly endless war with Nyrnal and the idea of going back to my world, my resolve had been shaken. Then again, I had fought every single battle thus far without knowing what to do next. So I believed I’d manage going forward too.

Or rather, I had to. The Swarm is counting on me, after all.

Having cooled down a bit, I returned to the hot spring and decided to thoroughly enjoy myself this time. I chatted away with Sérignan and Lysa. I had seen Sérignan in the game plenty of times, but only after coming here did I meet her in person. I told her how there were times when I’d carelessly let her die in the game, which made her break into a cold sweat.

Lysa was a dear friend who I’d met for the first time in this world. When I lived in Japan, I never imagined I’d ever meet an elf. Thanks to the elves, we’d been able to live comfortably at the very beginning, and what happened to them had lit the fire of ambition inside me.

Without a doubt, there were all sorts of fun things in this world and things I’d never seen before. Still, I wanted to go home.

♱

After soaking in the hot spring, we returned to rest in our room. I stripped down to my undergarments and got under the covers. Sérignan looked like she wasn’t too pleased with that, but since we were on vacation, she let me do as I liked.

It was a welcome day off from Sérignan’s advice.

“There are really all sorts of things in the outside world, huh?” Lysa whispered, gazing out at the sea through the window. “Vast hot springs, a sea that spreads as far as the eye can see, enormous ships... I’d never see these things in the elven forest. I wish I could show Linnet this world...”

Lysa still had feelings for Linnet. I knew the elves were long-lived, but they must have let their memories linger for a long time too.

“I’m sure Linnet’s watching, Lysa. He sees this world through your eyes,” I told her.

“I hope so... Thinking that I’m the only one who gets to see the world like this, and that he’ll never get the chance... It just makes me sad.”

I didn’t see the harm in her embracing this idea. She could believe that Linnet was still with her, residing in her heart. Forcing her to embrace reality might not be a good thing.

“Did you enjoy the hot spring, Sérignan?” I asked.

“Yes, I feel somewhat invigorated. I think I’ll win our next battle with ease! I will emerge victorious for your sake, milady!”

Sérignan only cared about fighting, but that was fine by me. It suited her. And thanks to her, I never felt cornered. I couldn’t imagine fighting a war without her at this point, though relying on her so heavily wasn’t necessarily a good thing. A strategy that was dependent on one unit would fall apart if that unit was lost, and I wouldn’t have a backup plan if that happened. Ideally, I should have strived to achieve certain victory through a composition of multiple units.

But since we were only just beginning to unlock our units, I needed to rely on Sérignan just a little longer.

Fight hard, Sérignan. I’m counting on you.

“I shall, milady. Believe in me.”

Apparently my emotions had leaked over to her through the collective consciousness.

“I will, Sérignan,” I told my trusted, praiseworthy knight as I let my body cool down.

♱

After the hot springs, we got something to eat. The hot springs I was used to served traditional Japanese food, but that wasn’t the case in this world.

“Pick anything you’d like from this menu!” the inn’s employee said, handing us menus and placing glasses of water on our table.

“Hmm, there’s so much here... I can’t decide...”

The menu listed all sorts of tantalizing dishes. All of them were so alluring; I couldn’t settle on one.

Lysa, on the other hand, made her choice quickly. “I’ll have the fried seafood dinner set!”

She’s decisive, that one.

“I’ll have today’s recommendation,” Sérignan said.

Drat, I’m the only one who hasn’t decided yet.

Panicking, I scanned the menu and found something familiar.

“Curry...?”

Like, the curry? One of my favorites, the nice and spicy curry with rice?

“Excuse me!” I called out to the waitress.

“Yes, can I help you?”

“This curry dish—is it spicy, served with rice, and dripping with sauce?”

“Why, yes, it is! It’s a famous dish in the Portario Republic, but not many people have heard of it around these parts. Are you from Portario, miss?”

“No, I’m from...somewhere else,” I said vaguely.

Curry. Just the thought of it made me salivate.

“I’ll have the seafood curry, then,” I said, feeling impatient.

It almost felt like a waste, eating Japanese food when I was in a foreign land. But maybe a foreign country’s curry would be a little different.

“Got it! Your food will be out in just a bit!”

“What kind of dish is curry, milady?” Sérignan asked me.

“It’s very tasty, Sérignan. I’ll give you a taste.”

Curry. Curry. Curry rice! Mom’s curry was so tasty... I’d love to have it when I go back home. She put carrots and eggplants in it, and it was so delicious...

“Thank you for your patience! Here are your appetizers: salad and marinated tuna.”

Dinner here was served in courses. After that, they served us soup, and then we got the curry.

“Here’s your seafood curry! Just be careful; it’s hot!”

It really is curry!

Seeing the pool of amber roux blanketing the rice, I confirmed that it really was the dish I wanted. My heart positively cheered as I brought the first spoonful to my lips. It was a little too hot, but it definitely tasted like curry. It was a bit spicier than Mom’s curry, but the spices were amazing.

Curry really is the best. The pinnacle of human wisdom and civilization!

“I-Is it really that good?” Sérignan asked, a bit awed.

Oh. Sérignan had felt my emotions again, prompting her to eye the curry curiously.

“Have some!” I offered her a spoonful, bringing it to her lips.

“V-Very well, then.” She was already intrigued by the smell of the spices, and my recommendation prompted her to taste it. “It’s quite...stimulating. But I can understand why you hold this flavor in such high regard. I should have ordered curry as well...”

“Just order some tomorrow.”

We were still on our first day of our three-day, two-night vacation. She didn’t have to cram it all in one day. I felt bad for Roland and the other Swarms fighting on the front lines, but at the very least, I could transmit the flavor of this curry to them through the collective consciousness.

That said, the Nyrnal forces that attempted to invade the Popedom seemed to be getting smaller in number, so things were relatively calm on Roland’s side too. He abided by my instructions, creating a detachment as a reserve force. They could move in regardless of whether there was an attack on the front lines or from the rear.

The reserve force was crucial. Knowing when to send them in could decide a war. That was just as true in the game too. Throwing your entire army into a battle wasn’t always the right approach. Having a reserve force set aside gave you a way to handle the enemy’s unexpected actions.

Nyrnal swooping in to occupy Maluk after I’d marched my entire army into the Popedom of Frantz was a grim reminder of that. I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

“I’ll share my fried oysters with you, so let me taste your curry too, milady!” Lysa offered.

“Oh, yeah, sure. Have a taste. I ate this back where I came from, you know. It’s a little taste of my world.”

After tasting one another’s dishes, we had some nice cake for dessert and some coffee. It was a satisfying meal. Everything tasted good, and the curry sparked memories of home.

We took another bath and dipped in the hot springs again, listening to the roar of the waves as we gazed out at the nighttime sea.

Despite the atmosphere, I was feeling anxious. What was Nyrnal planning? They had a navy, after all. I couldn’t discount the possibility of them attempting to stage a landing on the Eastern Trade Union, and I wasn’t sure if the Union’s own navy could stop them.

I could dispatch some Swarms there, since they could operate ships. They weren’t as good as seasoned sailors, but they were loyal and brave, and they’d learned how to operate a ship from the pirates.

My other concern was that Nyrnal was using Gregoria units. If it were just the wyverns, I could chalk that up as coincidence, but the lindwyrms were definitely from the Gregoria. I didn’t know how the Empire was able to employ them, but that meant there might be behemoths and dragons as well.

Thankfully, my most recently unlocked unit could effectively deal with the lindwyrms. It was faster than the Dreadnought Swarm and could work alongside my other units.

But what if the Nyrnal Empire had the Gregoria hero unit? Georgius the Dragon Slayer was among the strongest hero units in the game. If they were to send him against us, would we be able to put up a fight? If we were to run into him in his final form before Sérignan evolved again, we’d be in trouble.

“Phew. So much to think about...”

The problems were piling up. At least I was able to get some rest and relaxation on this trip. I had my work cut out for me, but for now, I was grateful to Lysa for bringing up the idea. Rather than mull it all over any longer, I went to sleep. Good night.

♱

I woke up...only to realize I was in a dream. I was in my room back in Japan.

“Who’s there? Sandalphon or Samael?” I asked.

I could tell this place was fake. It wasn’t my real room.

“It’s me, _________.” A familiar figure in white materialized before me.

“Sandalphon.” I sighed in relief. “I’m glad it’s you.”

Honestly, I didn’t like dealing with Samael.

“Tell me, _________,” Sandalphon said. “How do you feel about that world?”

“That’s awfully sudden, Sandalphon,” I replied, frowning. “And it’s hard to answer.” I contemplated her question for a moment. Eventually, I said, “I’m feeling pretty attached to it right now. Being with Sérignan and the others is fun. But I know that world isn’t where I belong. I’m an outsider. So...I guess I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

“You’re very honest, _________.” Sandalphon regarded my perplexed answer with a kind smile. “Although that might be for the best. It means you haven’t lost your human heart. That’s why I want you to save that world.” Sandalphon fixed me with a somber gaze. “It’s still too soon, however. Samael set up the world, and you won’t be able to leave until you fulfill some kind of condition.”

“A condition...?” I said. “That sounds like something out of a game. Well, I happen to like games, but it’s my first time playing with such high stakes. I don’t like it.”

I couldn’t help but resent Samael for her vileness.

“Are you sure you want to go back to your world, _________?” Sandalphon asked.

“Of course I do,” I replied unflinchingly. “This apartment is where I belong. I’ll graduate someday, but until then, this is my home.”

“I see. Yes, I understand...” Sandalphon’s voice carried a hint of sorrow. “For now, live on with pride, _________. You will find salvation, I promise.”

As Sandalphon said that, my consciousness began to fade. Why was there such sadness in her eyes? I didn’t know. The only concrete thing was her heartache, plain for me to see.