The Daughter of Evil - Volume 3 - Chapter 2.16

Chapter 2, Section 1-Footprints of the Evil Food Eater; Scene 6
Praeludium of Red, page 105-110

♣ Yukina ~In the Beelzenian Empire, “Rucolebeni ~ The Imperial Castle”~

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There to receive us when we finally arrived at the imperial castle was the noble but womanizing Duke Oruhari.

“Miss Yukina! Are you well?”

“Duke Oruhari! What are you doing here?”

It seemed it wasn’t just him, but all of the feudal lords who reigned in Beelzenia were assembling in the castle, one by one.

Naturally, it was to plan counter-measures regarding the white monsters that appeared so suddenly.

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The general was away at the warfront, so Chartette headed off to report to the second-in-command who was remaining to defend the castle. Gumillia was currently holding a conference with the emperor, so I wasn’t able to meet with her yet.

I had been left in one of the castle’s rooms and told to wait there for a little while.

“You can talk to me until Master Gumillia returns.”

Duke Oruhari sat down in a chair in the room and smiled coolly.

But I could tell he was not calm on the inside. He was shifting his fingers, looking more uneasy than usual.

“What in the world is going on?” I asked, sitting down myself.

“We’re not entirely sure either. But those strange things–we’ve taken to calling them ‘dead soldiers’.”

“…'Dead soldiers’?”

“You’ve read the story of the 'Evil Blood Drinker Vanika’, haven’t you Miss Yukina?”

“Yes, of course.”

Certainly, perhaps it was appropriate to call these monsters “dead soldiers”.

Vanika had the ability to manipulate dead people; she would dig up their dead bodies from the graveyard and then, using her cursed red wineglass, turn them into “dead soldiers”. Then they would forever work as Vanika’s loyal servants.

Wineglass…This couldn’t have some connection to what Ney did in that graveyard, could it?

I think I was six when I first read that story. I’d been too scared to sleep that night. Until I’d become able to understand that the “dead soldiers” were imaginary I’d been unable to even set foot in a graveyard, and gotten scolded by my mother over it.

Eight years had passed since then, but I had never dreamed that the day would come where I could see “dead soldiers” for real.

“They walk on two legs, and look human from far away. Actually, it’s thought that the dead soldiers were once people themselves.”

I recalled what the woman at the bar had told me.

Back then she had told me that the white monster–the dead soldier–was her son.

“You mean that their dead bodies were revived like in the fairy-tale?”

“There’s a strong possibility. In any case…” Duke Oruhari seemed to hesitate about saying something for a moment. After briefly turning his gaze to the left, he slightly nodded several times as though to make himself go through with it. “…In any case, it’s said the one leading the dead soldiers is the former emperor who died of the Gula disease–the current emperor of Beelzenia’s father.”

“Is that…true?”

“I’ve heard that several soldiers have witnessed it. Though I’m not certain.”

I could tell from experience now that Beelzenia was currently being visited by a very abnormal set of circumstances.

“Additionally, there’s no evidence of them invading from outside the country. In that case it’s actually natural to think that they sprang up from inside.”

“You mean they came from in the graveyards…”

“That’s it exactly.”

In truth, it seemed that there were many places where the dead soldiers had been spotted, but they were all close to graveyards.

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Chartette returned after finishing her report.

When I looked out the window I saw the sun was already going down.

“Whew, I’m finally done.”

Chartette stretched her back.

“Good work on your report. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m gonna head back to the garrison and get ready for battle, yannow. Oop, and with that…” Chartette quickly turned towards me, as though having remembered something, and then added, “Got a message for ya. Master Gumillia’s super busy today, so it’ll be hard to meet with her.”

That was unfortunate, but it is what it is. I had little choice but to give up on it.

“Well then, I’ll head back with you, Miss Chartette…”

Duke Oruhari called to stop me as I started getting around to follow her.

“Wait up. You’re going to be staying here in the castle, Miss Yukina.

"…? Why is that?”

With a serious expression on his face, Duke Oruhari dropped his gaze. He was tall, and when our eyes met I adopted a stance to keep looking up at him.

“This is an emergency situation. It’s too dangerous for you to stay with the army. Not to mention they’re fighting against bizarre monsters. I don’t know what’s going to happen. At this stage, the safest place in the whole Beelzenian Empire is this castle.”

“But…”

Duke Oruhari continued, without waiting for my objection, “This is the will of His Majesty the Emperor himself. It wouldn’t look good if something were to happen to his guest. Please try to understand.”

I could see from the glint in his eye that his mind was made up on it. Chartette looked at me like she wanted to say something, but she couldn’t openly interfere with the decision of Duke Oruhari, who was much higher in status than her.

“I guess this is bye for now, Yukina.” Chartette warmly grasped both of my hands. “I’m sure it ain’t as bad as it looks. I’ll hurry and finish up my weapon repairs tonight. When that’s done, it’ll all be over soon, yannow.”

“…I guess I have no choice. Stay safe, okay?”

After assuming a triumphant pose, Chartette spiritedly dashed off. Where did she have that strength remaining in her, with all of the troubles we’d faced all day?

“You may use this room. Make yourself at home.”

The room the servant boy led me to was lavishly decorated; I could be comfortable enough there.

And so, I would meekly spend my time here at the emperor’s castle until the situation was under control…

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…Yeah right, as if!