The Daughter of Evil - Volume 3 - Chapter 1.14

Chapter 1, Section 1-The Star Fortress; Scene 4
Praeludium of Red, page 24-28

♣ Yukina ~In the Former Lucifenia Territory, “Town of Retasan/Main Street”~

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Five days passed.

“You looking for shoes, Miss Yukina?” I heard Lily call to me as I was browsing before a shoe store.

“You seem in good spirits, Commander Mouchet.”

 “Just Lily is fine. It’s a bit weird to get addressed that way by anyone other than my subordinates.”

After that day, Lily had often met with me in town again. Apparently reclining in the commander’s room didn’t suit her, so outside of emergencies it seemed she often would come to see how things were in town like she was now.

During those five days there were several things I learned about Lily.

First, she was adored by the people in town. It had only been two years since she had assumed office as commander of the Retasan Fortress, but she had adapted to the town like she’d been born and raised there herself.

And it seemed that popularity was the same among her underlings. They were intimidated by her, harsh and courageous as she was, but on the other hand she was trusted by them, and well-liked.

And then, there was her name. Lily’s real name was “Riliane”, but as she apparently disliked being addressed by that name, if any of her underlings called her that by accident her expression would suddenly turn displeased. It was only natural that she would feel that way. The name Riliane was the same as the name of the princess who was the cause of the old Lucifenian Kingdom’s destruction, the “Daughter of Evil”.

The names’ origins were both the same, each taken from the princess’ great grandmother, Empress Riliane Roses.

Lily’s father, the famous general Gaston Mouchet, received permission to give that name to his daughter because she was a distant relative of the Mouchet family, and in appreciation of his service towards the Kingdom of Lucifenia. Gaston was likely ecstatic, thinking it a great honor.  There’s no way he could have guessed that his daughter would end up shunning that name twenty five years later.

General Gaston Mouchet had also once been the commander of the Retasan Fortress, but he was defeated in a one-on-one fight with the “Masked Man” during the revolution, and died. Upholding her father’s teachings that one ought not to hold a grudge for life and death during a war, Lily apparently didn’t have any desire for revenge against the revolution and the “Masked Man”.

“In the end, my success is also riding on my father’s coat-tails.”

She had said that about herself to be modest, but it seemed she hated more than anything to be teased about that by other people. I was certain that she worked harder than anyone so that no one would say that about her. Her popularity with her underlings and townspeople was proof of that.

There was another reason for how fond people were of her. That was her kindness; that if there was anyone in need of help, even if she didn’t know them, she would aid them without exception.

Actually, Lily had promised that she would arrange things so that I might go to Beelzenia somehow.

“Well, when it comes to getting out of the country I think things’ll work out. It’s getting into Beelzenia that’ll be tricky,” she said, sighing quietly. There was no border police that would readily accept a visitor from an enemy country in the midst of such tense circumstances. She asked, a strange look on her face, “Why do you want to get there in the first place?”

“There’s an old castle that I want to go see.”

“An old castle, huh? You an old relic enthusiast, Miss Yukina?”

“Oh no, that’s not really it…”

“Well, I suppose trips are often taken for stuff like that.”

It seemed Lily had come to a conclusion on her own without waiting for me to speak.

At any rate, getting to Beelzenia with the way things were now would be difficult. It seemed that I had no choice but to use that method to make things go more smoothly.

I guess I’ll have to rely on the influence of the “Freezis family”.

The name of my father, Keel Freezis, was known throughout Evillious. I felt no sense of debt towards taking advantage of my parentage, but using the Freezis name had good consequences and bad ones. One of the things I’d learned from my travel experiences was that it was safer not to indiscreetly make a display of myself unless it was necessary.

That was especially true here in Lucifenia. My father was friends with the Kyle, the king of Marlon that was currently governing Lucifenia. If King Kyle were to by some chance learn of my whereabouts, there was a big possibility that he’d tell my father. I wanted to avoid that if I could.

“Miss Lily. Is it alright if I ask you a favor?” I started, broaching the discussion.

“What is it? Want me to buy you some shoes?”

“I do need new shoes. The ones I’m wearing now are extremely worn out. But I’ll pay for that myself. I have something else I need you to do.”

“Yeah? Well then, shoot.”

“I need you to send a messenger to Beelzenia.”

“I can do that, but what for? I can’t send out a messenger on a useless task. There’s a chance their life would be in danger.”

I told Lily the particulars. She looked a little surprised, but cheerfully agreed.

The result of that came about eighteen days later.