Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - Volume 22 - Chapter 3

Father and Daughter

Saturday, November 20th

Fighters from nearby bases had scrambled and rendezvoused in the area where Ohime went down. Fortunately, Maki’s illusory explosion had made for the perfect cover, allowing the real Ohime to escape and hide underwater in a nearby lake—something the Imperial Army would never suspect. They thought the ship had gone down in flames, and by the time they realized the explosion was some kind of trick, Ohime would be long gone.

“So, Kiriha, what do we do now?”

Sanae had been scanning the area for auras like a radar for some time now, but now she stretched and leaned back in her seat as she lazily turned to Kiriha. She could no longer sense any nearby presences, meaning Ohime had safely escaped from any pursuers and she could finally relax a little.

“I’d like to go look for Koutarou and the others, but the circumstances won’t allow it. We’ll head to the Elfaria faction base as planned.”

Kiriha seemed to feel a little relieved as well, seeing how her expression eased up ever so slightly. That was the first time she experienced a re-entry so it was only obvious she’d feel a little anxious.

“Is that really okay?”

“Yeah. Koutarou and the others won’t be able to find us either, so they’re probably headed for the base as well.”

“And we’ll meet up there?”

“That’s right.”

In Kiriha’s mind, the fastest way to find Koutarou and the others was to proceed as planned. There was no telling where they’d ended up, and going to search for them or trying to make contact would be dangerous. With the army on high alert, they could expect an immediate response and find themselves surrounded the moment they tried. And since neither side could contact the other, the safest thing to do was stick to the plan they’d agreed upon beforehand. The bases and safehouses Elfaria’s faction used were all part of the same network, so as long as both parties made it to one, they could connect with each other that way.

“In that case, I shall take things from here.”

That was where Ruth, who was sitting in the operator’s seat, joined the discussion. She was the most knowledgeable when it came to Elfaria’s faction. In fact, you could say she had an inside man...

“So we’re finally going to meet Ruthpapa?”

“Indeed. I certainly hope he’s doing well.”

Kiriha and the other girls were currently headed for the largest base on Alaia, which lay in Pardomshiha family lands. When Forthorthe entered the space age, the Mastir family granted territory on Alaia to the Pardomshiha family in addition to the land they already held on Planet Forthorthe. And because the Pardomshiha family personally oversaw their own territory on Alaia, they’d been able to secretly construct a pro-Elfaria base without any of Elfaria’s enemies finding out. The commander of said base was none other than Lord Pardomshiha himself. In other words, heading to the base meant Ruth would be reunited with her father.

“Say, what kind of person is Ruthpapa?”

“Well... I think he’s serious, just like me.”

“Guess it runs in the family, huh?”

“Yes. And perhaps because of his age, he’s rather cagey. Not even the empress can coax him into doing anything these days.”

Lord Pardomshiha proudly carried on the two thousand year lineage of the Pardomshiha family. He was loyal to the royal families, the strong and silent type, and well versed in both literary and military arts. Second only to the Blue Knight, Lord Pardomshiha was the perfect knight. He set an excellent example for all the other knights of Forthorthe to follow.

“...I hate him.”

Elfaria, who had been listening on the discussion, abruptly began pouting. She folded her arms in such a childish fashion that it made everyone around her skeptical that she was old or mature enough to really have a child of her own.

The reason for her micro-tantrum, however, was precisely because of Lord Pardomshiha and his steadfastness as a model knight. He was just wise and keen enough that not even Elfaria—who was known in the castle for her foxy ways—could pull one over on him. He was the only one who could stand up to her wiles while simultaneously finding a way to put her in her place. There was a reason people always said, “When in trouble, turn to Pardomshiha.”

“In short, the empress trusts him so much that she has no problem openly declaring that she hates him.”

“I can see that.”

Kiriha couldn’t help giggling, and neither could Clan sitting next to her.

“This is no laughing matter, you two! Goodness...”

It was true. Elfaria was only so open about her ostensible hatred for Lord Pardomshiha because she explicitly trusted him. He was almost like family to her, like a close uncle. Their catty relationship was a well-known media sensation throughout the kingdom, and was in part the reason they were both so beloved by the citizenry.

After travelling several dozen kilometers away underwater, Ohime stealthily emerged from the lake and continued on her way. While keeping an eye out for the Imperial Army, Elfaria and the girls cautiously proceeded to the base in Pardomshiha territory. The base itself was built underground in an expansive area of high mountains and deep valleys. The geography naturally helped to conceal the base, so finding it without knowing precisely what to look for would be most difficult.

The inside of the base was aesthetically similar to Blue Knight and employed a unique design based around smooth curves, but there were sections where raw steel was exposed. That was because the base had been built in a hurry, and anywhere that didn’t need to be polished up for safety reasons was simply left as it was. Overall, it gave the base a very different atmosphere from the facilities the Imperial Army used.

“Your Majesty! I am so very glad you are safe!”

Upon seeing Elfaria disembark from Ohime, Lord Pardomshiha ran up to her at full speed. He looked like a child running to greet his lost mother, or perhaps more aptly, a father running to embrace his runaway daughter.

“I’ve certainly caused you a good bit of trouble, Pardomshiha. Did you get any more gray hairs?”

“Hahaha, a lot has been happening here as well, Your Majesty. I’m glad to see you haven’t changed. Actually, if I’m not mistaken, you seem even more energetic than before.”

“A lot has happened with us as well. I’ll fill you in on the details later.”

Lord Pardomshiha was right. There was a certain sparkle in Elfaria’s eye now. She was excited because she’d brought the Blue Knight back to Forthorthe, because life on Earth had been far more fun than she’d ever imagined, and much, much more. However, she couldn’t reveal any of that in public right now. Moreover, there were more serious issues at hand.

“Very well. Now, from what I hear, Princess Theiamillis is missing?”

“Let’s start from there. Oh, actually, before that...”

Elfaria suddenly grabbed the hand of the girl standing next to her and forcibly pulled her in front of Lord Pardomshiha.

“Kyaaah! Y-Your Majesty?!”

It was Ruth. And it was thanks to Elfaria that she and Lord Pardomshiha—her father—were now finally standing face to face after being separated for so long.

“Let’s get the important stuff out of the way first. Both of you are too distracted right now to do anything else, no?”

Elfaria wanted the newly-reunited father and daughter to have a chance to talk before getting started with the more complicated discussions. She’d picked up on the fact that Ruth wanted to speak with her father, but found herself unable to do so. She also knew that, due to his position, Lord Pardomshiha would never stall business for personal matters.

“Your methods are as heavy-handed as ever... but I am grateful for them this time.”

Both Lord Pardomshiha and Ruth bowed to Elfaria before turning to face each other once again.

“I’ve returned, Father.”

“Long time no see, Ruth. Is it just me, or have you gotten taller?”

“Just a little bit.”

Ruth and her father were actually quite close, and being separated all this time had done nothing to change that. In spite of how long it had been since they last saw each other, they smiled at each other like they’d never been apart. If anything, it seemed the distance had even helped to bring them closer.

“Perhaps that’s it, but you seem much more mature. I supposed you’re slowly becoming a grown woman... As your father, I don’t know whether that should make me happy or sad.”

Lord Pardomshiha looked over his daughter with proud eyes. She did indeed seem to be different from when he last saw her months ago; Ruth really was maturing into a splendid woman by the day. It was almost painful to see. Though Lord Pardomshiha was happy to see her growing, part of him wanted her to remain as his sweet young daughter forever.

Though she knew it was at least partially because he was such a doting parent, Ruth was happy to hear her father praise her. It was a bit embarrassing, but she was still at an age where she looked up to and relied on him.

“I’m hardly a grown woman yet,” she said, blushing and shaking her head.

“My, my. Girls really do change when they fall in love,” her father responded, folding his arms and nodding.

He seemed as though he’d come to some profound realization, but seeing him like that sent Ruth into a fluster.

“F-Father?!”

She couldn’t help her sudden, red-faced outburst, which in turn made her immediately worry about the looks she was getting.

“Based on that reaction, you must really be in love after all.”

Seeing how Ruth reacted to what he said, Lord Pardomshiha grinned. He’d suspected that she might have someone special ever since the whole engagement incident.

“O-Oh no!”

“I see, I see... Even a serious girl like you...”

Though Ruth was still young, she’d already matured into a splendid heir for the Pardomshiha family. She was fiercely loyal to the royal families and a model knight that had sworn to always abide justice. As a young woman, however, that was perhaps something of a personal setback. As serious and devoted as she was, Ruth never chased after her own happiness. She focused all of her time and energy into serving the royal families and upholding the honor of the Pardomshihas. Lord Pardomshiha was proud of her, certainly, but he was also concerned for her. That was why he’d helped arrange the engagement between Ruth and Elexis, even if it ended in disaster.

But now it seemed he hadn’t any reason to worry—Ruth had already fallen in love with someone. And Lord Pardomshiha was elated at the prospect. Normally he was the very image of manliness and unyielding steadfastness, but right now he was nothing more than a doting father.

“So, what’s he like? Don’t get me wrong; if he was enough to win your heart, he has my wholehearted approval! I’m simply curious. So tell me—what kind of man is he? Is he as strong as I am?!”

“U-Um, th-that’s not... I mean, you see... R-Right! Please don’t bring up something like that in a place like this!”

Ruth, meanwhile, was completely thrown off her groove. She was earnest and upfront about most anything, but her sense of propriety was second to none. Talking about the man she loved in a crowded base was simply out of the question.

“I see... So you’re not denying it?”

“Please take this more seriously!”

“Ah, I’m sorry. You’re right. Princess Theiamillis is still missing...”

His daughter’s rebuke cooled his head a little, and Lord Pardomshiha quickly got a hold of himself. He too was quite concerned about the missing princess. Seeing her father like that, Ruth was also able to return to normal.

“She may be missing, but we at least know that she’s safe. She has a knight with her to protect her.”

“Is that for certain?”

“Yes. You can have absolute faith in this knight.”

Ruth vouched for him with unshaken confidence. While she didn’t know what kind of situation they may have found themselves in, Ruth was sure that Koutarou would keep Theia safe.

“I see... A guardian knight, huh?”

There, Lord Pardomshiha began stroking his beard and nodding like he’d come to some sort of understanding.

“F-Father?”

“It must be the man you fell in love with. It hit me just now when you praised him so.”

Lord Pardomshiha sensed that Ruth completely trusted the knight in question. And it was rather unlike her to fully entrust Theia to someone else, let alone feel good about it.

“Objectively speaking, you’ve accepted this man. You would never entrust the princess to him unless you believed him to be fully trustworthy and at least as capable as you are. Indeed, your feelings for him must be very special... I see, I see. So that’s what it was...”

“J-Just stop it already!”

“I’m glad you found a good man, Ruth. Yes, yes indeed... I’m very happy for you.”

“I really will get angry, Father!”

Ever since being reunited with her father, Ruth had been in a constant fluster. The earnest, heat-of-the-moment nature of their reunion helped bring them even closer, but Ruth was in too much of a tizzy to realize it. She’d spend some time yet red-faced and embarrassed over the whole encounter.

While most of the other girls were fondly watching Ruth in the hot seat, one of them was looking elsewhere. It was the former dark magical girl of the group, Maki.

“So this is Forthorthe... our true home...”

The moment Maki’s feet touched the ground upon disembarking Ohime, she felt something different from the other girls. The people of the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria, where Maki was born, dreamed of one day returning to their true home of Forthorthe. That dream had waned over the years with each passing generation, but it still lingered in the heart of every Folsarian. And here Maki was, finally setting foot upon the soil of her true home. While she was still far away from the planet of Forthorthe, Alaia was still part of the Holy Forthorthe Galactic Empire.

“We finally made it here. And alive at that, Nav―I’m sorry—Maki-san.”

“Nana-san...”

If there was anyone who understood how Maki felt, it was Nana, a fellow Folsarian.

“It feels kind of strange.”

“Heh, I know what you mean.”

In the heat of battle, the people of the Magical Kingdom of Folsaria sometimes used a special death threat: “Return to your true home.” Maki had even once said it to Koutarou. It conveyed the clear intent to kill someone and send them home—in death rather than life. The Folsarians believed that, at the very least, even if they were never physically able to return home, their spirits would find their way there in the afterlife.

It was a dark, deeply emotional sentiment. But here Maki and Nana were; they’d made it to Folsaria alive. They were truly standing where they’d only ever dreamed of making it. It was indeed a strange feeling.

“I wonder if Maya and the others felt this way too.”

Nana took a few steps out onto the dock where Ohime had landed and looked up through the window. High in the sky overhead, she could see Planet Forthorthe backlit by the sun.

“I think so. I’m sure they’ve already made it to Forthorthe proper.”

Maki stepped forward next to Nana and looked up at Forthorthe alongside her. Her thoughts turned to Maya, who was most likely already there. Since Maki had been Maya’s apprentice for so long, she had a good handle on the way she thought and operated.

“And they’ll be even more motivated than before, I imagine.”

“I’m sure. They’ll build a base and grow stronger here before taking action against Folsaria and having their real homecoming. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.”

Maya was a proud woman. She ultimately wouldn’t accept this as her “real” return to Forthorthe as long as she was under Elexis’s protection. Right now, she was just here to help him out as part of her preparations for a grand return. And now that she’d set foot on Forthorthian soil, her desire for said grand return was likely stronger than ever.

“We can’t underestimate them.”

“I agree. I think Maya-sama and the others will be an altogether different enemy now that they have a clearly defined goal.”

Up until now, Nana had specifically tried to avoid calling Darkness Rainbow their enemy. But the word slipped Maki’s lips easily. Since that was no small deal to Nana, she turned to Maki to confirm her choice of words.

“So they’re really our enemies now, are they...?”

Maki gave a decisive nod in response. She’d steeled her resolve a long time ago.

“Yes. I’m sure if we make the effort, we can come to an understanding with Maya-sama and the others. We might even be able to work together and walk side by side for a time. But...”

“In the end, we’ll choose different paths?”

“That’s right. What we value and what they value is just too different. That will be the driving factor in the decisions we make, and ultimately what leads us down different paths.”

Maki wanted connections with people. Darkness Rainbow on the other hand fundamentally wanted freedom. At the end of the day, they were opposite wishes. Maki wanted to be bound to something and Darkness Rainbow wanted to be bound by nothing. They’d never truly see eye to eye because of that. It was no different from how Maki hadn’t truly been able to hold Crimson back, even as a friend.

“This is going to be a difficult fight.”

“I’m prepared for it. Besides... I’m not alone anymore. I have Yurika and everyone else with me.”

“Ah, so that’s it...”

Seemingly satisfied with something, Nana grinned.

“What is?”

“When I was watching you fighting back then, I could tell how much stronger you’d become since you and I last fought. I was wondering what the difference was, but now I get it.”

In the past, Maki had always carried something like resignation with her like a dark cloud. But she was different now. She’d taken that hopelessness and reforged it into an iron will that bolstered her. And since magic increased in power proportionate to its caster’s will, Maki was now far stronger than ever before. Nana finally understood why.

“It seems you’ve found something worth protecting.”

“I have. And I’ll keep it safe at all costs.”

Maki firmly nodded. She knew exactly what she wanted to protect and exactly what she’d have to do to keep it safe. She was ready to fight, even if that meant going up against Maya or Crimson. Nana sensed Maki’s resolve and smiled bitterly in her mind when she realized that there was no reason to worry.

“By the way, Maki-san...”

“Yes?”

“When this is all over, do you have any intentions of becoming a Rainbow?”

“Me?!”

“Yes.”

In the past, Maki had been solely Dark Navy. But now that she’d matured—both as a girl and as a magical girl—she had more color to her. Nana fully believed that at this rate, she could blossom into a full-on rainbow.

“You must be joking.”

“Hardly. You could definitely become one the way you are now. I’m sure you could become a Rainbow to rival even Yurika-chan.”

“I... I can only hope...”

High in the sky overhead hung the planet of Forthorthe. In that moment, the sun struck it in such a way that it appeared to be wreathed in an aura that shone like a rainbow.