Lost Sword story · Main story, Part 2
Chapter 78: The Empire Never Forgets Its Debts - (2)
5 scenes, 489 lines
1. Gray End
105 lines
Oh my... I accidentally dropped it.
I'll have to be more careful next time. If he breaks his neck, he won't fetch a good price.
W-Who is that...? I don't think she's a local here...
And she said she came to collect a debt from Britannia...?!
It seems you already know who I am.
I am not fond of empty formalities either. If you have business with me, please speak freely.
Oh... Elizabeth is finally back to normal!
She clearly isn't the type to play along with something like playing house.
Let's stop playing around...
......!
......!!
......!!!
Tom! Jerry! Th-This isn't a dream, is it?!
That ebony hair, that embarrassing tailcoat... and that mace that looks like a walnut pastry!
That has to be the 'Brown Sugar Witch', arch-nemesis of the 'Cotton Candy Knight Order'!
To think the moment of our showdown would come so soon... My oven is heating up.
It is the time of revenge and glory, meow.
What kind of witch dresses like that and carries such a brutish mace?
...Actually, don't say a word.
I'm sure it's some trivial, perverted reason again...
You know nothing! That's the third form of the Brown Sugar Witch!
It's a cunning strategy that exploits the assumption that a witch would only use magic attacks!
Indeed... since the walnut pastry mace is a physical attack.
If we only prepare for magic attacks, we'll be caught off guard!
Um... everyone? I am sorry to interrupt while you are so immersed, but...
...Right now, it is time for the 'Queen of Britannia' to step forward, not the 'Pudding Queen'.
We can save the <Cotton Candy Knight Order> roleplay for later...
Hehehe... Have you figured it out already?
Yes, I am indeed that Brown Sugar Witch.
I am plotting an evil scheme to monopolize all the sugar in this world.
Hahahahat! Just kidding, just kidding!
Actually, Nia and I already know each other.
Well, though this is the first time we've met in person.
...What?!
That's right. Lumi has worked as my informant for a very long time.
Especially since this 'Gray End' is a place where all kinds of underworld information and corruption flow...
...There is no better hunting ground to spin a web.
Hey, does Grand Duke Isabel know about this?
Calling them an informant is a nice way of putting it. From Aurelia's standpoint, they're basically a spy.
It's fine. Grand Duke Isabel is actually in a cooperative relationship with us too.
Oops! Come to think of it, this was confidential too!
Could you forget what I just said? Just think of it as making a debt for the Empire.
...Damn, I can't tell where the jokes end.
You are Nia, correct? First, I would like to thank you on behalf of Britannia.
Thanks to Crassa giving us advance warning, we were able to protect Cameliard.
You're very welcome. Her Excellency was simply investing in the future.
Just like planting seeds in spring to prepare for winter, she is creating 'debts' all over the world.
Even if there was another motive, a favor is still a favor.
And since I owe my very life to it...
Oh dear... It seems there is a slight misunderstanding.
The 'debt' I came to collect today is of a completely different nature.
...Yes? A-A different nature?
One moment... I will read you a wanted poster I found in the archives.
Name: 'Clara'. Presumed to be an alias, naturally.
A young female swordfighter with red hair and a red cape. Special note: wears armor that is practically underwear.
What? That description sounds strangely familiar.
Shows classic signs of gambling addiction. Main focus is slime racing, but has the worst win rate.
Charge: default on debt. Fled after stealing back the armor she left as collateral.
W-Wait a moment! Could that person be...?!
Yes, that's right. The progenitor of the Pendragon Royal Family, Queen Luna's only older sister... 'Clarisse Pendragon'.
It's a record from back when he was young and reckless, showing he was wanted for unpaid debts.
It wasn't actually that large of a sum, but interest has been piling up for a very long time.
Plus, if we calculate the late payment fees and the fines incurred during the theft of the collateral...
...It comes out to roughly this much.
That's equivalent to Britannia's entire yearly budget!
How are we even supposed to believe a scrap of paper like that?! It's probably hundreds of years old!
Heheh, I suppose it would be hard to believe if I were in your shoes.
But in the end, I am merely an employee, so I must deliver the results my superiors want.
So, if you do not cooperate quietly...
...I will have no choice but to resort to harsher measures.
You do realize you're all alone here, right?
And you can clearly see that we have the great Fairy Queen and her associates here.
Of course, doing it alone would be impossible.
But there is a saying in the Ygritte Empire.
If there is a problem that cannot be solved with money, consider whether you simply lack enough money.
Huh... L-Lumi?!
Hey, don't tell me you guys...
.......
Sorry! Nia has been supporting us with tons of money, food, and sugar.
I don't want to turn my friend into cookie dough either! But...
...It can't be helped. If we go even a single day without sugar, our kids will go through withdrawal.
This is a struggle for survival, meow.
Hey, are you serious?! You're going to fight us just for sugar?!
How dare you say 'just' sugar! Are you insulting the Brown Sugar Witch?!
Y-Yes, Ethan! Even to an enemy, there are some things you just shouldn't say!
Whose side are you even on?!
Money really is wonderful. It's so easy to make friends with it.
Now, members of the 'Pink Knights'! It is time to clear the debt you owe to Crassa!
In the name of Cinnamon and Vanilla! Defeat the enemies of the Brown Sugar Witch!
2. Gray End
93 linesAaaargh! I-I've been bested...!
There are still so many desserts I haven't tasted... To think I must die like this!
Shall I finish her off? She clearly isn't dead enough.
Leave at least one alive. We still need a guide.
Huh? What are you doing?! You have to stay in character until the very end!
That fight just now was the most important scene in Volume 4 of the <Cotton Candy Expedition>!
Let it go, Lumi. You can't expect too much from a rookie.
Every cookie has its time as dough, meow.
Y-Yes! If you keep practicing, Ethan, you'll definitely get better!
What exactly do I need to practice for? Should I do an impression of a 'Choco Rock'?
......!! I-I might actually look forward to that...!
Oh! Then should I recommend one for you?
I happen to know a line that's perfect for the Swordbringer.
...A 'Choco Rock' actually has lines...?
I am sorry, Lumi. I also truly, deeply, genuinely love the <Cotton Candy Expedition>, but...
...Right now, as the Queen of Britannia, I must uphold the dignity of the Pendragon Royal Family.
I will postpone our promised "Cotton Candy Knight Order" performance until next time.
My, the Queen of a nation shouldn't break promises so easily.
I don't mind continuing my role as the 'Brown Sugar Witch'. I've had a knack for acting since I was a child.
No, from now on, please take this seriously, Nia.
Since you have touched upon a taboo of the Pendragon Royal Family... I cannot simply let it slide.
Did the Pendragon Royal Family actually have a lore like that?
Why are you asking that?
A taboo of the Pendragon Royal Family...? I've never heard of that either...
.......
......!!! C-Could it be...?!
'Clarisse Pendragon'. She is famous for being Queen Luna's older sister and an outstanding swordfighter, but...
...She was also the greatest 'Slime Racing' gambler in Britannia's history!
And this is recorded in the chronicles of the Pendragon Royal Family!!
.......
.......
.......
...Pfft!
And this is clearly written in the <Slime Racing Bible>, a book left by my great-great-grandfather, the <Slime Racing King> Edward Pendragon, who was the greatest "Slime Racing" competitor second only to Clarisse! I've already cross-referenced this with all other remaining records in Britannia!
Although she never officially ascended the throne, her great achievements were honored so much that she was even posthumously named the <Slime Racing Queen>!
Yet, you claim that Clarisse!
And in her specialty, 'Slime Racing', no less!!
Recorded the absolute worst win rate instead of the best!!!
Ah... yes...
The Pendragon Royal Family has always responded firmly to such 'historical distortions'.
Even if you are Britannia's benefactor, we cannot possibly overlook this matter.
.......
Please retract your statement right here, right now.
And we shall conduct a thorough investigation of all imperial documents to correct the flawed records...
Whoa, whoa... Calm down, Elizabeth. We are on our way to Ygritte to prevent a war.
Why don't we just declare war while we're at it? Under the pretext that they dared insult the <Slime Racing Queen>.
...Um, sorry to interrupt while you are discussing... matters of state...
But what happened to that 'debt' story from earlier?
Oh right! That was also the reason we fought earlier, wasn't it?
It was so fun, I completely forgot!
I should be the one to apologize for that matter.
I committed a discourtesy to the Queen with unverified information.
Sigh... Enough of that, can we get to the point?
You wanted to test our skills from the very beginning, didn't you? Or maybe you were just bored.
Oh, of course not! How could a mere servant like me dare to 'test' you?
But... yes, it would be a shame to let such a precious bond go to waste.
So, shall we start by building our friendship with a simple request?
Do not worry about the reward. My master is exceptionally generous.
Hmph, are you asking for our cooperation now?
No matter what kind of human your master is, in front of this Fairy Queen, they are nothing but...
Ah, come to think of it, I forgot a gift for you all.
Namely, 'The Tribute Offered with Deepest Respect to Avalon's Great Fairy Queen Morgan le Fay, and Everyone Else'!
...Now, is that description sufficient?
More than enough. Except for the part where we became 'everyone else'.
.......
...Ahem, you underestimate this Fairy Queen.
No matter how delicious your pastries are, there's no way the same trick will work...
Of course, I brought a different gift this time.
Have you ever heard of a dessert called 'baklava'?
Layers of paper-thin phyllo dough, brushed with hot butter and filled with crushed pistachios.
And just as it comes steaming hot out of the oven, it is drenched in sweet date syrup.
Yes, yes! That is incredibly delicious!
It's like they used a lethal dose of sugar. Just one bite makes your head spin!
Hang in there, Moriring! You mustn't give in to the temptation of the Brown Sugar Witch!
Can we please stop getting immersed in weird details? We haven't made any progress.
Ethan is right, Bedi. Let's hear what the request is first...
And I have enclosed the recipe this time.
Some ingredients might be hard to get now, but that will be resolved once trade between our nations is active.
...I accept the request. After all, trade is necessary for Britannia's prosperity.
Hey! How can you give in so easily too?!
A-At least let's hear what the request actually is first...!
No, it's already too late.
Once you taste the Brown Sugar Witch's dessert, you become a slave who can never forget that flavor.
Even the Cotton Candy Knight was tempted several times...!
3. Gray End
67 linesNia's request was surprisingly sensible.
First, a deserter from the former 'Knights of the Holy Flame' owed a massive debt to Crassa.
Second, a ruthless contract that if he couldn't pay, he would be handed over to the 'Pink Knights' alive.
It is quite a chore to drag that many people all the way to the Empire.
In times like this, even if we take a small loss, utilizing the local 'market' is more efficient.
That is exactly the problem, you sly snake of a woman!
Even though we are deserters, in our hearts, we are still servants of Ygritte!
Instead of giving us a knight's death, you're going to turn us into toys for those perverts?!
Hey, what do you mean toys?! People will misunderstand!
We 'Pink Knights' beat up all garbage with absolute sincerity!
Yes, yes! The 'whip of love' is bittersweet because 'sincerity' is melted inside it.
Chocolate without sugar is just bitter, meow.
Exactly! If you want to uphold your own knighthood, you must respect others' knighthood first!
Like a Cotton Candy Knight who trained in the etiquette of the Pudding Palace for 100 years just to have an audience with the Pudding Queen...!
.......
...Damn it! There is no reasoning with these perverts.
Shall I just kill you before things get any worse?
Putting aside your knightly honor, it looks like your very humanity will be stripped away soon.
It can't be helped. War is inherently cruel, after all.
At least we can bear witness to their meaningless struggle.
No, their sacrifice is by no means meaningless.
If we can prevent the upcoming war through this matter, and advance the friendly relationship between our two countries...
...Britannia's dessert culture will advance to the next level!
That would be a truly meaningful sacrifice. Why not name a dessert after him while you're at it?
Excuse me, if we are doing that, it should obviously be named after me.
I've already sacrificed this Fairy Queen's honor several times...
Huh...? No, wait! Where did they all go?!
Did they escape again? That many people, in a single split second?!
Tsk, tsk! You should have stayed focused until the end!
The touching scene of 'Leave this place to me and go on ahead!' has already passed!
That's a shame in many ways. I was hoping I'd finally unlocked a story skip function.
But the good news is, the climax is still to come!
Now, that friend left all alone will give a solemn soliloquy...
.......
...My name is Tres. Before I die, I want to eat a well-toasted pancake.
He reflects on his past life and steels his resolve...
A pancake drenched in syrup with half a peach... and a piece of goat cheese.
...Mmm, a milk tea would make the perfect finish.
And finally... shouting his epic last words!
Ah, I want to go home.
.......
Tom! Jerry!! There lies a pitiful soul who has lost both his knighthood and his inner child!!!
The narrative we built together will crumble at this rate! We must save him right now!
He looks to be in serious condition. Shall we start with some physical correction?
Then I'll handle the mental correction, meow.
I-In that case, I will prepare some healing magic!
Sweet cotton candy... I can't bear to watch this...
It can't be helped. War is inherently cruel, after all.
Everyone? Before you begin this 'correction', do you mind if I step in for a moment?
I have a few questions I'd like to ask while he is still of sound mind.
Of course you can! We owe Nia so much.
But make sure you don't break him, okay? That friend is slated to become our companion soon!
Of course I will be careful. Valuing other people's property is a casino manager's basic virtue.
And... yes, since I happen to be the evil 'Brown Sugar Witch' today...
To truly stay in character, I suppose I should show you some evil black magic.
...What?! If it's black magic at this timing... could it be?!
C-Could it be...?!
Yes, I understand as well. Under the circumstances, 'that' would indeed be the best option.
Leave the tedious labor to me. On the honor of the Pudding Palace...
Oh, wait, no... on the honor of Britannia! I will assist in completing this black magic with all my might!
.......
Don't try to follow it. Just feel it.
If you try to understand the abyss, you'll only end up swallowed by it.
4. Gray End
28 linesAnd so, combining our strength, we completed the Brown Sugar Witch's evil black magic.
Plating the mysterious peaches, goat cheese, and even milk tea...
Mmm...
The over-toasting of this pancake, and the syrup with its faint hint of char.
It is perfect. I can die with no regrets now.
...We successfully extracted all the information from the soldier.
.......
Because it's delicious?
It's because we saw through his traits and weaknesses, and chose a strategy that fits the world's lore.
In the <Cotton Candy Expedition>, love and sweetness always win!
Yes...! Which is why the Brown Sugar Witch's desserts are so dangerous...!
I feel like I'm losing my mind. Well, as long as it gets results, I guess it's fine.
Anyway, what matters right now is that this Spike guy is looking for the 'Holy Grail', right?
And his goal is to sell it to pay off his debt.
The legend of the 'Holy Grail' is famous in Ygritte as well.
I'm sure it's just another fake or rumor, but to a debtor, it must look like an oasis in the desert.
Why are you over here? Are you fine not eating pancakes with them?
I am seriously suspicious right now. I keep wondering if she laced that sugar with something.
Oh my, what a terrible thing to say! Who would do such a thing to ingredients that children eat?
In any case, there is more than one way to buy a person.
Money, sugar, honor, power... and even love.
Since my master can give anyone anything, that is what makes them truly terrifying.
Sure, though checking if it's real is up to the recipient.
.......
Sigh, let's go deal with those poor debtors first.
If I keep doing this, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind too.
5. Gray End
196 linesAnd so, after repeating 'Leave this place to me and go on ahead!' five times over the course of half a day...
We finally succeeded in cornering Spike, who was left all alone, at a dead end...
I-Is this... indeed the 'Holy Grail'...?!
...Far from steeling his will for a showdown, he was grinning foolishly while holding a stone bowl in his arms.
All those long years of humiliation and oppression... but now I can pay off all my debts...!
I'm finally free! I am free!
Haha! Hahahahahahaha!
Here! Take this and get lost, you perverts!
Keep the change! Just leave me alone!!
Um... excuse me, but what is this?
No matter how I look at it, it just looks like a stone bowl...
It is indeed just a stone bowl. A very old one, too.
It's just a stone bowl. At the very least, it's not the Holy Grail.
W-What do you mean... The information was definitely accurate...!
.......
You sly snake of a woman...!! Did you orchestrate this too?!
Pardon? I've never seen a stone bowl like this before either.
Of course, we at the Bacchanalia Casino accept physical assets as payment.
But junk like this costs more to transport. It's pointlessly heavy too.
It can't be helped. Since you couldn't settle your debt, according to our contract...
Wait a second. Now that I look closely at this...
...This is a relic infused with mana, isn't it? A very ancient one, at that.
......!!!
Um... then, how much can I get for it...?
You could name your price, of course.
Relics from dungeons like this usually have ancient spells engraved on them.
.......
...Haha! Hahahahahahaha!
Yes, the heavens haven't abandoned me yet! To grant me such fortune at the very last moment!
Here! Take this and get lost!
Keep the change! Just leave me...
Thud!
Oh my... I accidentally dropped the 'stone bowl'.
Handling another's property so carelessly. Truly embarrassing for a manager...
...Oh, it's sturdier than I thought.
......!!!
W-What do you think you're doing?! Pick it up right...
Bam!!
.......
Oh my... This time I accidentally dropped my 'mace'.
But don't worry. The value of the 'stone bowl' you just gave me has already been deducted from your debt.
Unfortunately, it fell short of the required amount.
Huh? But earlier she clearly said it was priceless... Mmph?!
This is the real world, not a fairy tale. Just stay quiet.
Ahaha... I figured it would turn out like this, but...
Seeing it with my own eyes is quite heartbreaking... yes...
Hmph, at least the ending is realistic.
A story about 'political purging' is much more to my taste than nonsense about sugar and cotton candy.
Yes, yes! Sometimes you have to eat bitter and spicy pastries to appreciate the sweet ones.
Hehehe... But you can rest easy now!
Once you join our 'Pink Knights', you'll be eating nothing but sweet things three meals a day!
.......
..........
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!
Spike, the noble knight who bore the name of the 'Holy Flame'.
Spike, the loyal subject who dedicated his entire life to the Empire and Emperor.
The man who lost everything to a vile conspiracy, but ultimately could not lay down his responsibility... Vice-Captain Spike.
.......
...Kill me. Stop tarnishing my honor any further.
Hey! How can you give up already?! You have to fight back solemnly until the very end!
No matter how fun a story is, if you ruin the climax, it's all for nothing!
Indeed, at this rate, it would be a dragon's head ending in a snake's tail.
But since the ending is just around the corner, please hang in there a little longer, Spike!
Let's go! Let's go! Go Ygritte!!
.......
...Just kill me already.
Fine. Could you just stay still then?
With just one shot of this Fairy Queen's 'sincere magic', you won't even have time to feel pain...
Don't take it out on an innocent bystander. He's not the pervert who was tormenting you.
Hehehe... Not 'yet', anyway.
Can you really say that after looking at his gloomy face? I'm showing him mercy here!
Ugh, she actually makes a decent point...
.......
..........
Ugh... Uuuuugh...!!
Sob... I thought everything was finally... finally over...!!
I thought I could finally repay my men's devotion and sacrifice...
Why... why can't I even be granted death...?
What did I do that was so wrong?!
You did quite a few things wrong. It's not like you guys haven't been terrorizing our turf day in and day out.
Th-That was... because we were under orders from the Emperor!
Right, right... how completely unavoidable.
If it's the Emperor's command, of course you can bully poor commoners. Of course, of course!
Bully them...?! B-Back then... we were trying to catch the rebels hiding here...!!
This reason back then, that reason another time, some other reason now...
...Seriously, don't you get tired of squeezing out excuses every time?
Ugh! Even a dummy like me gets a headache just thinking about it!
What does a wench like you know to spout such nonsense?!
I have always fought for the Empire! Even at this very moment!
Yet, how dare a mere slum thug try to pass judgment on me?!
Well, I don't completely misunderstand that feeling.
Honor, status, achievements... and even minor relationships.
The trajectory called life has an inertia as strong as its length, after all.
That's why you couldn't stop, even when you knew something was wrong.
Real politics are different from the <Cotton Candy Expedition>. You had no choice but to keep acting, if only for your beloved subordinates.
.......
But it's a good thing, really! If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't have lasted a day before beating up the Emperor.
I guess our Spike quite liked his role as the 'honorable knight'?
Though her tastes may be a bit peculiar, Lumi is still the leader of Gray End.
Though her tastes may be a bit peculiar, it means she is, in a sense, a great senior of mine.
I see... So other than her peculiar tastes, there is much to learn from her!
I'm getting anxious, so could you emphasize that one more time?
"Other than her peculiar tastes," there is much to learn.
.......
..........
...Kh! Khhhggghhh......!!
Thud!! Spike fell from his horse.
Like a kitten shivering in the cold, his trembling shoulders betrayed his expression.
Ugh-huh-huh...! Yes, honestly, I knew it all along......
That someone like me... was nothing more than a convenient hound from the start......
And that I ended up like this... only because I outlived my usefulness......!!
Kh... ugh-huh-huh......!
Who could call it pathetic? The regret contained within a grown man's hot tears.
Who could dare to understand? The despair of having one's entire life utterly denied.
Yet, sometimes... a straightforward, shameless attitude is exactly what moves a person's heart.
.......
.......
Like a pair of swans, shadows stepping out of the darkness side by side helped the man up.
Surprised, Spike looked to either side. But the two men merely stared into the distance.
...You can cry, Spike. At least I won't blame you.
I know, too. That our sins can never be forgiven.
To those caught up in our trashy deeds... any words we say would just sound like mockery and excuses.
B-But... there might... have been... another way...!
At some point... I just couldn't think of anything anymore......
You were scared, right? So you pretended not to see all the things that terrified you.
S-Still...! I... I shouldn't have done that......
We will face judgment one day, meow.
But at least we can understand and be understood, meow.
That's right, because what was done to you is a tragedy that can never be forgiven.
W-What... what meaning does that have now...?!
The subordinates who died... will never return!
My friend, you're saying some crazy things. Why would we kill them?
If you mean your subordinates, they are all alive, meow.
They just have two or three broken bones, meow.
......!!!
Oh my... Now you're finally showing an honest face. And here you were, saying you'd die honorably earlier.
It's hardly a confession, but we were just like you before we met Lumi.
Every day, we did trashy things and blamed others, blamed the world... even blamed ourselves.
If we didn't wrap our lives in all kinds of excuses, we were just trash who couldn't even tell right from wrong.
Only by stripping away that wrapping can you face your true self, meow.
My true... self......?
I'm sorry, but we can't give you the answer either. Because what you need to find in the first place isn't some 'right answer.'
To borrow the words of the Cotton Candy Knight, it's like 'there are as many cookie recipes as there are people in the world.'
<The Cotton Candy Expedition>, page 3,891, section 125.
.......
Heh, I suppose that's enough comfort.
Well, since your tears must have dried by now, shall we gaze at that magnificent sunset together and savor the moment?
What a magnificent color, meow.
.......
...Ah, indeed.
It's almost as if......
.......
Hey, I'm sorry to ruin the emotional moment, but......
...How can we see a sunset in a deep dungeon like this? It's not even sunset time.
And does a pink sunset make any sense to begin with?
No, I mean... is there some kind of magical reason behind it or......
Hey now! Our Choco Rock is still trapped in conventional thinking, huh?
Every story is supposed to have its own plausibility!
Sob... Still, I'm so glad...! I'm so glad everyone got a happy ending......!!
...This is driving me crazy.
Good job, everyone. Thanks to you, the debt collection went quite smoothly.
Now we just need to appraise the seized 'items' and 'transfer' them to you, the "Pink Knights."
Um... I'm just asking out of curiosity.
How did the "Knights of the Holy Flame" end up as deserters and debtors...?
Well, I wonder... There are so many complicated issues intertwined that it's hard to give a simple answer, but......
...But of course, the biggest factor would be the cost of feed for the "Pixie Dragon."
What? Feed cost for what?
It's a long story, but to keep it as short as possible......
...One day, His Majesty the Emperor 'happened' to obtain a Pixie Dragon egg.
And Spike, who 'happened' to be gifted with it, had to pour his entire fortune into buying mana stones for its feed.
Since they couldn't just let the Emperor's gift starve to death, they ended up going into debt.
Ha, what a convenient coincidence.
Yes, from start to finish, and from top to bottom.
It's all a 'coincidence' with absolutely no context or connection.
As the Queen of Britannia, that is a coincidence I would never wish to experience.
I hope there isn't even a slim chance... that I will have to be on guard.
Of course. Preventing such coincidences is also my job.
But what is more important is discerning the inevitability hidden within countless coincidences.
...Just as our meeting today was no coincidence.
.......
No sooner had Nia finished speaking than she turned her back and left.
Without knowing what to believe or what to doubt, we......
...watched the massive mace disappear into the darkness.