Reincarnated Young Lady Aims to Be an Adventurer - Volume 8 Chapter 137

Translator: NovelMultiverse | Editor: NovelMultiverse

“Hey, visitor, His Majesty is calling for you.”

A voice was coming from outside of the door, and I slowly opened my eyes. My view was one of a slightly dirty plywood ceiling. I slowly got out of bed and put my feet down on the ground.

I went to the sink to wash my face sleepily, checked that I was clean, and tied my hair behind her neck quickly. I put a purification upon my shirt and beige pants and decided that it would have to do for now.

The place I was led to was the small lounge next to the emperor’s royal office.

“You’re late, Serafiona,” His Majesty said.

I lowered my head in silence and sat in the lone chair in front of His Majesty. The first time around, when I remained standing, it made him quite upset, and so I learned to obediently sit down.

“What will you drink?” he asked.

“Water, please,” I said, pointing to the chaser next to the bottle of liquor. I wasn’t at an away field, here, but it wasn’t my home field, either. If I got too drunk, I’d be killed.

“No. Drink with me,” he said.  

Ah, who cares if I die, I thought.

“Granzeus this… No, I’ll have what you are having, your Majesty,” I said.

His Majesty Gilan twitched his right eyebrow up, but without seeking an explanation, he poured me a glass of red wine.

We clinked glasses, and I drank a mouthful. It tasted bad.

He laughed and said, “Serafiona, you are a child, aren’t you?”

“I am still 17, after all,” I replied.

“Oh, that’s right. Well, I could generally hold my drink at 17, though. If you can’t identify the taste of alcohol, you can’t identify the poison, either… Now, report to me the results of this last battle.”

“…I infiltrated the Miragi Territory in East Judor leading a small platoon…”

“Did you burn down the village afterward?”

“…As you ordered.”

Besides soldiers, there were no citizens left there, though. It seems Judor had seen through Galle’s plans. I wondered if this was under the command of Prince Gardner. Perhaps he wanted to end the war as quickly and cleanly as possible for Maribelle? I want to say about half of the thousands of murders I committed were a sin on his conscience. After all, he was the one who threw me into this war.

“It helps to have someone as familiar with the land as you, Serafiona. Did you feel nostalgia as you returned to your homeland for the first time in a while?”

“…I was in a state of mind as if everything was far away, behind a veil of mist.”

“There was no sense of reality?”

“Yes…exactly.”

“You’re a killer, Serafiona. Don’t fool yourself. You can say you were under orders, and so you hold no responsibility, but you do know just how much misery you have put the people of Galle through, don’t you? And now, I have made you switch sides and I have been the one to order you to kill citizens of Judor. I hold the deeper sin. When it comes to the number of people I’ve murdered, it’s three times yours. But, so what? You think I should just shut up, not do anything, and be killed? I won’t allow anyone lesser than me to take my life. Once I’ve killed anyone who has ever tried to kill me, brushed Judor aside, and fully subjugated Galle, I will gladly burn in the pits of hell.”

Hadn’t we been in hell for a while, already? His Majesty and I both?

“Serafiona, I can still use you for the conquest of Judor. Do not die without my orders.” 

Whatever the reason, he tells me he needs me. The only person who wants me to continue living is the terrifyingly sad man.

“Well, Serafiona, let’s continue from last time.”

“…I thought I checkmated you last week?”

“That didn’t count! I was sleep-deprived. We’ll start from two turns before that.”

Ah, fine, I thought. I discreetly smiled, a little.[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]

“What shall we bet tonight?”

I already own nothing of value. All the money I have, I’ve received from His Majesty himself.

“Well, then… would my hair be sufficient?” I asked. My long and glamorous hair was a symbol of my wealth and aristocratic status. Now that I had nothing to do with that life, I didn’t care about my hair. Black hair was rare in these lands, and any cuts of black hair were considered precious by black-haired women with thinning hair who needed wigs.

“…Fine. Well then, I shall wager my hair, as well.”

His Majesty’s hair, unlike my black hair, was a blindingly shiny silver. What was he thinking? I wondered.

“No, thank you.”

“You can complain about your prize after you win. I go first.”

His Majesty moved a piece. I saw the way he was attacking. Then, I would…

I put a little bit of red wine in my mouth and moved my piece in a different place than I did last time we played.

…This game was drilled into me during my education as a princess. At one point, Lord Gardner was addicted to it, and we played every single day. I never grew tired of it.

The only sound was the clicking echoes of the pieces on the board.

His Majesty laughed softly. This was a rare occurrence.

“Is something funny?” I asked.

“No, it’s just that your method of attack is too direct, and I couldn’t help finding that strange.”

“You talk like that, but you’re getting penned in by my direct method of attack.”

“Hey!” the adjunct officer beside us objected at my manner of speaking, but His Majesty waved him away and ended it there.

“Arthur, don’t say things that will ruin the fun. How’s this?” His Majesty asked as he moved a piece on the board with a clink.

“That is quite the twisted move,” I said.

“Do you know how many times I’ve been betrayed? I’ve forgotten all the direct methods of attack! After all, this current war started when Judor took up arms to take our sacred bird and attacked our sacred Mount Beluga. And despite that, it has somehow been established that we invaded Judor. I can’t accept that. Lately, there are many things I can’t accept all around me.  I feel like I’m being played by a pawn by somebody, somewhere.”

His Majesty spun a piece in his hand and raised his eyebrow at me as if to ask if I could empathize.

I was reminded of my beautiful holy beast with sky blue eyes. When I saw Rudalfina serving at that woman’s feet, I felt a burning jealousy. However, now… I just vaguely wish for her happiness.

I thought for a while and moved my piece.

His Majesty sighed and said, “When you’ve been stabbed in the back so many times, and yet you insist on attacking straight on, it worries me, you know?”

“I’m not very clever,” I said.

He laughed softly and replied, “Serafiona, don’t worry. I won’t stab you in the back. I won’t kill you, or order your death. I’ll make you a promise. When you die, it will be because of your own lack of strength, or luck.”

I was taken aback, and… smiled without thinking.

“There’s no doubt in my mind of that,” I said.

“Your Majesty, it’s time…” the adjunct officer said.

“Serafiona, until next time,” His Majesty said.

I took my leave with due formality and withdrew.

The moment I exited the door, the adjunct officer punched me in the gut.

“Uuu…” I groaned.

“Hmm, you can’t even dodge a punch like that, huh,” he said.

“…I’m a mage.” Without even realizing it, I applied healing magic.

“Just because His Majesty calls upon you… Don’t get so cocky! Traitor!”

“…”

“From tomorrow onwards, we will have you enter Judor’s Cyril region.”

It was a barren, arid region on the outskirts of the royal capital – an area with no places to hide.

“Are these His Majesty’s orders?” I asked.

“They’re orders from me, an adjunct officer who has official command of four battalions.”

I saw what was happening.

“Yes, sir. As you command,” I said.

I would be dragged out in full view of my former compatriots. At the very least, I may be able to die a beautiful death before those who I once loved.

“Don’t die without my orders.”

I remembered His Majesty’s words from just before. This was a man who knew loneliness even more than I did – someone who would not stab me in the back, and…”

“A cruel person. My escape route’s been obstructed.”

I had lost so completely that there was no way I could face the next game. 

I took out a knife from my thigh holster, and putting it to my hair at the base, where I tied it with a single rope, I slashed it all off in one stroke.[Read this novel and other amazing translated novels from the original source at the “Novel Multiverse dot com” website @ novelmultiverse.com]