The Daughter of Evil - Volume 3 - Chapter 1.16

Chapter 1, Section 1-The Star Fortress; Scene 6
Praeludium of Red, page 30-34

♣ Yukina ~In the Former Lucifenia Territory, “Town of Retasan/Fortress Gate”~

 .

It wasn’t very far from the inn to the fortress gate. After we were clear of the road of stalls, bustling since that morning, that big iron door came into my line of vision.

A soldier standing upright next to the door immediately saluted upon noticing Lily, and the other one followed suit.

“The girl’s going through. Open the gate.”

“Yes sir!”

One of the soldiers turned an iron crank to the left of the gate, and it gradually began to open. After that I would be able to see the road to Beelzenia beyond it. Or so I thought–unfortunately it seemed my expectations hadn’t been accurate. Once the door had opened all the way, it was still blocked off by a wooden slab.

This time the other soldier began to turn a crank on the right side, and the wooden slab began to incline further in time with his motions. When I looked more closely I was able to determine that there were chains connected to the upper side of the slab, and that there was a very deep moat on the other side of the door and walls.

“Hurry up!”

“Yes sir!”

Lily pressed the soldiers to go faster. I felt that was a little unusual. What was she so impatient over?

“Miss Lily, is it alright if I ask you something?”

“…? What is it?”

“Are you trying to run me out of the country?”

“Huh!? …Ah, sorry. That’s not why I’m doing all this. The upper brass have done something a little bothersome, that’s all.”

“Something bothersome?”

“It seems the king himself has personally dispatched some of his troops this way. They’re due to arrive this afternoon. Well, anyway I thought it would be safer to get you sent off to Beelzenia while I can still do as I like. You don’t want the country to find out your parentage, right?”

“Ah, so you’re doing this for my sake. Thank you very much.”

I thanked her honestly, but I also wished that she had explained that to me while we were walking. Seemed she had a tendency to prefer action over brief explanations.

When the slab had become level with the ground it bridged the gap between here and the other side of the moat, and I was able to go on ahead. What I had thought was a mere slab had actually been a drawbridge.

“If you go along this road about half a day you should be able to see Rucolebeni, territory of the Beelzenian Empire. Word should have reached the checkpoints on the way there, so if you hand over this pass then you’ll be able to get through.”

So saying, she handed me a sheet of paper.

Rucolebeni! A place related to the vampiress, Vanika!

I hadn’t been this excited since visiting the ruins of the Venomania mansion in Asmodean. This time for sure I might be able to approach the heart of the matter regarding these legends of the “Vessels of Deadly Sin” that I’ve only been able to read about in books.

The “Vessels of Deadly Sin” were devilish tools said to house “Seven Demons”. I didn’t know if such artifacts really existed or not. But visiting places that were related to them was one of the reasons for my current journey.

“Thank you for all of your help, Miss Lily.”

 "You take care. War might break out between here and Beelzenia. If you get caught up in it I want you to get out immediately. Got it?“

"Yeah. I’ll bear that in mind.”

“You’re very level-headed, but even so you’re still just a fourteen year old girl. Stick to what you’re able to do. Make sure you don’t do anything rash. If you die I’ll have nightmares about it, and your fans’ll be upset too.”

“Fans?”

“You’re a writer aren’t you? One of my subordinates knows the name Yukina Freezis.”

It wasn’t that I’d been trying to hide the fact that I was a writer. I just hadn’t said everything there was to say about me. I was still nameless as an author, and I as yet was still severely lacking in merit.

Yes, the writings of a sheltered girl who knew nothing of the world could never truly shake people’s hearts.

 .

It was for that reason that I went on my journey.

To learn more of this world, and learn the truth.