Jaw-Dropping Rollett Connection

Ow, my knees!

Who the heck pried up all these paving stones?!

Are those insurgent jerks planning to replace all of them along with their queen?!

If you're gonna pull them up, pull them all up! Leaving random gaps everywhere just made me trip!

Hoo... Let's hang in there, Erpin. If you keep your head down, this will all blow over!

If I can just hurry up and reach the Order, I can go into hiding...

Ner and the guards will protect me and make the kingdom go back to normal.

Ow!!!!! That hurts!!

I should be falling cheek-first, but it hurts like hell because I keep landing on my knees!

Greetings.

Yikes! Wh-Who are you?! Are you one of the insurgents?! S-Stay back! I don't have any food on me!!

Ah, Mademoiselle.

You have no need to fear me.

For I am here simply to help you. Hehehe.

Help me...? *Sniff, sniff* A musty potato smell? You're a witch?

Did Belita send you to help me?

Who can say? If believing that makes things easier for you... then, sure.

...Is that a yes? You talk weird.

Fine, hurry up and come with me! I'm gonna run really fast, so do your best to keep up, okay?!

Aaarrgh!!! No wonder I kept falling... You were tripping me?! Why?!

Hehehehe.

I am merely trying to guide you down the right path.

Grrr...! It's not like I can exactly hit someone my sister sent...!

What's wrong with you anyway?!

*Whistle, whistle*

I'm gonna get going again, so don't do anything funny, got it?

*Sob* Urgh... Why are you doing this to me?

Did my sister send you to punish me for not doing my job well?

I know, I know... I suck at my job! I'll do better!

What the...? Are you crying, Mademoiselle?

Interesting. I didn't expect things to turn out this way.

Why are you such a jerk?!

Don't be so angry. Like I said...

I am truly here to help you.

Let's just say I'm running this little "circus" to keep you on the right path.

Circus? What the heck are you talking about?!

Find the Queen! She's close! I can smell her perfume!

You idiots, that is not perfume. She eats so much strawberry cake that the smell is practically seeping out of her pores!

Even if you ate a ton... can the smell of cake really seep into your skin like that?

.........

I-I dunno! Just find her! You can smell her, can't you?!

The insurgents have already caught up!

Ah... You'd better make your choice quickly, Mademoiselle.

Think... What is your best option right—

Argh! Shut up with your best options and your choices!!

You are going to cast aside the witch your sister sent? Heh.

There's no way Belita would send a meanie like you!

Get away from me right now! Stay waaay behind me! I'm not talking to you anymore!!

Owww!!!!!!!

Oh, tut, tut... You really don't listen, do you? That's not the—

*Seethes*

Huh?

Ngggh... grrrrrrrr... ARRRRRGH!!!

Huh? What's with all these strange sounds you're making?

You sound like some growling beast...

I'VE HAD IT UP TO HERE WITH YOUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!! I TOLD YOU TO STOP!!!

GUUUUUURGH!

What an annoying jerk you are! Acting all high and mighty! With your smug little laugh!

You're trying to HELP me, you say?! How, exactly?! What choice? What the heck are you telling me to think about?!

I don't have time to think right now, okay?! If I don't run, I'm gonna get caught!!

Hnngh! *Cough, cough!*

*Cough!* How the heck is she this strong? Did they completely ditch magic just to work out or something?!

You should be grateful I'm letting you off with just that.

If I ever see you again, I'll rearrange your face until it's just one large cheek!

Ugh... How upsetting. I can't believe you're such a blockhead...

Yeah, fine, I'm a blockhead! So what?!

You think you're so great just because you're smart?! Is that why you pick on blockheads?! Does it make you feel good?!

I'm not going anywhere with you anymore! You're awful, so I'm going the other way! Don't you dare follow me! If you follow me, I'll hit you again!

That sounded like the Queen! Over there!

Tch... if those insurgents weren't on my tail, I'd give you another whooping.

Count yourself lucky!

Hngh... Well...

Let's just see... *Cough* Hngh...

Just you wait... Sprite Queen.

AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Huff, huff, huff!*

Wh-What the...? I-Is this a dream...?

Huh? Master? Why are you...?

Y-Yeah! I'm fine! Thanks for worrying about me...

I think I just had a bit of a scary dream.

Hey! Like you've never had a scary dream before!

Hm? What is it?

A... witch?

Whaaa...?! Huuuuh? Uhhhhhh!

NO WAAAAAAAAY!!!

Ahh, this outfit looks quite smart as well.

Thank you, mon amie, for always tailoring clothes that suit my tastes so perfectly.

Well, I am good at what I do.

You know, maybe I should take on an apprentice and open a second branch over in Witch Kingdom...

I recently met someone with a truly unique sense of fashion... I've been tempted to recruit her as my apprentice!

Ah... I wouldn't do that if I were you, Master Couturier.

Why not? I think business would boom. Witches are always walking around in potato sacks, after all.

Not all witches share the same refined taste that I do.

Besides, a master artisan running a franchise? It'll ruin the brand image.

I truly believe your boutique should be the only one of its kind in the entire world, Master Couturier.

Hmm, you think?

Trust me on this, mon amie.

Unless you wish to watch your reputation plummet because of a reckless apprentice choice.

Plummet because of an apprentice? Well... if you say so, Rollett.

Anyway, what's the special occasion today?

You got fitted for a brand-new suit, and you're looking so clean and polished... You headed somewhere important?

Ah... a very important meeting indeed.

Shall we say I have discovered who the true "conductor" of this world is?

And I merely wish to be interviewed for a part in that grand circus.

I see! It sounds like an important interview. I'll be rooting for you!

Ah... thank you, mon amie.

Now, before my interview, I shall treat myself to a cup of tea...

Sure, see you later! I know you'll nail the interview, Rollett!!

Phew... Let's see... The next customer isn't until after the lunch break, so maybe I'll take a little break and have some knotted bread and lemon tea.

Uh, it's lunchtime, you know! We're closed!

Freeze! I am an Erpien Inquisitor!

Huh...?

What? An Erpien Inquisitor?

The Sprite Kingdom may have the Order, but THAT I've never heard of!

Huh? Uhh... I-It's new! Today is my first day!

Strange... Well, what brings you to my shop?

I'm after Erpien's number one wanted criminal!

The punk in this photo was just here, wasn't she?

That's... Rollett! What about her?

Ha! I knew it. Are you also an accomplice?

What? You don't even explain what's going on, and suddenly I'm an accomplice?

Rollett is plotting an attack against the ultra-super-amazing Queen Erpin!

And I am stepping in to stop her!

.........

How much longer am I supposed to play along with this?

Wh-What?

Did you honestly think I wouldn't recognize you just because you put a bread bag over your head?

I honestly cannot tell whether you're treating me like an idiot or just trying to mess around.

I mean... you bring your jam-stained clothes to me for dry cleaning all the time, Your Majesty.

Eeeek! How did you know?!

I'm always telling you that this is a tailor shop, not a laundromat...

But you still force me to take them after insisting that washing clothes and making clothes are basically the same thing!

Tch.

You helped me secure this shop so easily, so I just play along, but normally, I would have had Sebastian throw you out already!

Okay, okay! I'll just take this stupid bag off, happy?!

By the way, what's with your weird delusions about Rollett?

Why do you act all friendly around her?!

Because no other customer respects my tailor shop or utilizes my services for their intended purpose the way Rollett does.

Well, stop being so friendly with her!

That brat is a rotten witch who is constantly watching for the chance to bully me!

Urgh... I just don't get it.

Wait... that picture...

Where did you tear that out of? There's some writing on it... "Membership Application"...?

Is this Rollett's application to join the Order?! Wait... the interview she was talking about was for the Order?!

Y-Yeah...

Why do you have this, Your Majesty?

Master brought it to me... and I tore it up...

Why did you tear it up?!

Master got angry, too... Look... I just did it without thinking, okay?! I didn't mean to do it on purpose!

I had a perfectly good reason, okay?!

Do you have any idea how much that jerk bullied me during the insurgency?

And then she threatened me by saying, "Just you wait!"

When I hit her, it was totally self-defending, okay?!

Self-defense, you mean.

Y-Yes, self-defense!

...Urgh.

I think I understand what you're trying to say...

*Sigh* Fine. Then start from the beginning and tell me everything about what happened. I've still got time before my next appointment anyway.

*Sigh*... Listen up. This is going to be the most mind-blowing story ever.

...Anyway, she pretended to be on my side, then kept tripping me so I couldn't even run away.

If that went on any longer, I would have been caught and dragged away by those insurgents!

Rollett did something like that?

I don't know about this. I mean, it's not exactly out of place for you to spout complete nonsense, Your Majesty.

Hey!! I say reasonable stuff sometimes, too!

And right now happens to be one of those times!

The fact that Rollett wants to join the Order...

means she is finally acting on that "Just you wait!" threat she made to me.

It's not easy getting close to the Sprite Queen, so she's trying to approach me by joining the Order!

Huh? Is there any sprite who is easier to get close to than you, Your Majesty?!

One just needs to walk around with some cake, and you'll just pop outta nowhere asking for a bite.

Hmph! Just trust me this once!

How do you even know Rollett is plotting something?

We can just tail her!

She said she has her interview today, so if we follow her around, she is bound to do something suspicious.

We can make our final judgment after that!

Ugh... Unlike you, Your Majesty, I'm not some carefree—

C'mon, just help me this once! Or I'll tell Ner that we've been calling it even with a single box of éclairs for your rent!

Excuse me?! That is your own fault, Your Majesty, not mine! You'd be the one getting in trouble!

Naturally, I would be the one getting punished... but you would have to cough up all those back taxes you skipped out on!

Are you sure you want to see Ner go wild with her axe?

Ugh, damn you!

Oh, there she is! Is she here to get some food before her interview or something?

Keep it down! You'll get us caught! How are you going to tail someone while shouting like that?

You don't have any Yule Log Cakes?

Sorry, that's a seasonal dish...

Oh well. I guess I'll have the melon bocconcini and a cup of coffee, then.

Barf! She's ordering a fruit salad type of thing?! I knew I didn't like her!

Melon bocconcini is mostly cheese, not melon, you know.

Whatever! If cheese isn't in a cheesecake, it tastes gross!

.........

Er...

I've been able to see and hear both of you perfectly this whole time... Why don't you just come out?

Eeek! Chloe, it's your fault we got busted! You kept talking to me and making noise!

How is that my fault?! You should have whispered, Your Majesty!

Why, hello, Sprite Queen. Long time no see.

Have you been well? Though I suppose if you hadn't been, you wouldn't even be standing here.

I-I have, okay?! I've had a full stomach every day!

I suppose things have been pretty... peaceful for you lately?

H-Huh?! Y-You threatening me or something?!

Wandering around like this during working hours... Are you perhaps looking for an amusing little incident?

I am not just slacking off here!

We were tailing you because Her Majesty claims you bullied her before.

Hey, why are you telling her everything to her face like that?!

Usually, keeping things like this bottled up and stewing over them just makes a mess of things later!

Just put it all out in the open! If you have a problem with each other, talk it out! Wouldn't that be nice for a change?

Ah... bullied, eh?

Are we referring to that little incident during the insurgency?

I was under the impression we settled that matter there.

Your coup de tête, Mademoiselle... I recall paying for it with that headbutt that day?

That wasn't the end of it! You're plotting something right now, I know it!!

It seems you have held quite a deep grudge over it ever since...

Now, why don't we all sit down at my table and have a little chat? What do you say?

Waiter, a cup of lemon tea and a slice of strawberry cake—no, better make that a whole cake.

Huh? Strawberry Cake...? I-I'll hear you out just this once!

Chloe did say that it's better to talk it out, after all...

.........

.........

Yeah... s-sure...

The Sprite Kingdom insurgency... Where should I even begin?

No need to make it complicated! Just talk about the part where you kept tripping me!

Oh... Hehehe... Mademoiselle...

The world doesn't work in such simple terms.

Just as a fire requires kindling to spark, every event has a catalyst that sets it in motion.

A catalyst? I thought it was because of the sugar... The elves monopolized it.

Ah... Yes, there was that, too... But there was a far more direct cause.

Allow me to tell you an interesting story. So, bear with me and listen closely.

Hey, did you hear? Fricle's up to something big.

It seems like she's scheming something up with the elves.

If she fails this time, it'll be easy to push her aside and take her spot.

Hmm... Same old Witch Kingdom...

Everyone is so power-hungry that they only focus on tearing each other down...

How terribly boring.

The world is highly entertaining enough if you simply observe the natural flow of things.

Ever since the Witch Queen stopped intervening, everyone treats it like open season... and they've become even greedier.

Listen up!!

Hm? Wait, that's Velvet. She can't even use magic, so all she does is wave her axe around.

So it seems like Fricle is gonna do something to Sprite Kingdom...

Why don't you guys come topside with me?

To the surface? With you? Why?

Trying to accomplish anything in the Witch Kingdom is impossible, don't you think?

There are way too many competitors, and even if you somehow manage to claw your way to the throne...

The moment the queen happens to come back, you'd probably have to hand it all right back.

If you are going to overturn the board, wouldn't it be easier to go after a weaker target?

I mean, take the queen of Sprite Kingdom. Rumor says she's a total loser...

I'll drive her out and become the new queen of Sprite Kingdom myself!

If you join me, I'll promise you some nice positions alongside me.

Oh? Hehehe... Now there's an interesting one.

Velvet as the new queen of Sprite Kingdom? Watching that from the sidelines already seems amusing!

That doesn't sound like a bad idea...

Right? Hehe... It's decided then. You're all coming with me, right?

Why exactly should I help you become queen, though?

Excuse me?

Instead of a small-timer like you, I could just become Queen myself.

Ugh... Here they go again. Sizing each other up before the plan even gets off the ground.

What was that?! Are you saying you're stronger than me? Well, bring it on, then!

We'll settle who's strongest right here, and the last one standing becomes queen!

Tsk, tsk, tsk... That won't get us anywhere...

You will exhaust yourselves fighting each other, and won't be able to execute the plan properly.

I am curious to see how this little performance unfolds, though... Maybe I should lend a hand...?.

Personally... I think Velvet will do just fine.

Hm? What is this, Rollett? Why are you taking the side of someone like Velvet?

Quiet down and hear me out, everyone.

If we place a fool like Velvet on the throne, we have absolutely nothing to lose.

She will be incredibly easy to manipulate, and if we truly end up disliking her, we could simply overthrow her later, no?

For now, we play along, pool our strength, and carry out the plan...

It will not be too late to decide what we do next after that, compagnes.

That... makes sense.

Then we are in agreement to follow her lead for now, yes?

Hey! I told you to bring it on! What are you guys whispering about over there?!

Ah... Velvet, mon amie.

We have decided to follow you without complaint.

Huh? J-Just like that? Are you guys serious?

Yes. We will help you overturn Sprite Kingdom.

Oh... I didn't think it'd be this easy...

Wait... Rollett, did you pull something here? How did you convince them?

The world's a circus... One must know how to perform a few tricks.

Well, fine. Hehehe.

Looks like everyone finally recognizes my greatness.

Hey!!!!

Wh-What?! What's gotten into you all of a sudden, Your Majesty?

This punk just spilled everything, didn't she?!

She admitted she manipulated Velvet into invading our kingdom!

Huh?

I knew it! There is no way the denizens of my kingdom would ever rebel against me!

My throne is a sacred right passed down to me by Yggdrasil! It's only natural for everyone to obey me without question!

Ner told me! Something about the deriding right of queens or whatever!

Divine right of queens.

E-Exactly! The divide right of queens!

Anyway, it didn't make sense that there would be an insurgency in the first place!

Rollett, you brought Velvet over and... the witches attacked Erpien!!

Calm yourself, Mademoiselle.

Did you actually see any witches besides me during the insurgency?

Uh... Oh... No, I didn't.

Then the witch invasion you just mentioned never actually happened, did it?

The witches never launched a direct attack during the insurgency.

Come to think of it... the witches didn't actually show their faces until later.

Really?

Tch. Then what's your point here?!

Please continue to hear the story, s'il vous plaît.

What did you say you'd be using all of these for?

To perform an entertaining little act.

Oh? Do witches these days put on stunt shows or something?

When's the performance? I'd love to watch.

Sure. It's a free show. Anyone will be able to watch. Hehehe...

Got it. Well, there are instructions on handling these inside each box, so make sure you read them carefully...

And keep it a secret that you bought these from me, okay?

Ah... Of course, bombardière.

Rest assured, your secret is perfectly safe with me.

Hehe... With this money, I can finally buy that bomb from the elves!

Follow her home and let some rats loose in her house, compagne.

Rats? What for?

I heard that little sprite bombardière is afraid of them.

When the sprites rise up, we cannot have her interfering. Better to keep her trapped at home.

Hey! Are you done getting everything ready?!

Oh, hello, Velvet. Here to complain again?

What's taking so long?! I wanted us to charge straight into the palace and go full bam-crash-boom as soon as we got up here!

*Sigh*... Sometimes I wonder whether you're even a witch at all.

Excuse me?

I mean, you're too thoughtless to be one... Too simple-minded.

To execute a plan properly, one must make the appropriate preparations.

Are you trying to ruin a project we're all working together on just for your own ego and greed?

We should be assigning roles and focusing on how we can all reach the grand finale together.

Ugh, that is way too complicated! Anything we can bulldoze our way through with force is worth doing just that!

I've been keeping an eye on the Sprite Queen, and I think brute force would work!

I could handle that dimwit all on my own!

Are you not aware that the Sprite Queen is not alone?

The advisors at her side are quite capable individuals.

Think carefully about how the Sprite Kingdom has managed to survive this long.

If you underestimate them and just charge in blindly, failure is guaranteed. Things would become terribly uninspiring.

Like a tightrope walker plummeting from the wire mid-performance.

Ugh... what a pain...

Looking back at it now... I really should have walked away back then.

I wanted to place Velvet on the throne as a puppet queen, but even puppets require a certain baseline of competence.

I had started to realize she was pretty hopeless.

So then... the fires during the insurgency, and Marie getting stuck in her roof... That was all your doing?

Precisely. We couldn't risk that sprite getting involved somehow and defusing the bombs, after all.

Then you really were involved in the insurgency to some extent, weren't you, Rollett?

That means Her Majesty was right. You are partly to blame!

See?! I knew it! I totally knew it all along!

I shall offer my apologies for that, Mademoiselle.

But...

But?

...It was fun, wasn't it?

Wh-What?! What the heck is wrong with you?!

You turned my kingdom into a sea of flames, and you have the nerve to say something like that?!

The world is like a circus - entertaining when viewed from a distance.

Everyone is busy practicing their routines, performing feats of survival just to get by.

I love watching that.

Shut up, you terror twist!

Terrorist.

T-Terrorlist!

It doesn't matter what you say! You're nothing but a terrorlist!

Elena from the next town over does a ton of weird stuff... but I totally agree with her rule about never negotiating with terrorlists!

Now that you've confessed to all your crimes, I'm gonna lock you away this instant!

Through whose power?

Wh-Who do you think?! Mine, of course!

I'm sorry, Mademoiselle.

But that gut-punch of yours will not work on me anymore. All I have to do is avoid it now.

To be perfectly honest, I just took it the first time because I thought, "How much could it possibly hurt?"

But if I took another one of those, the melon bocconcini I just had would come right back up...

I-I'll call the guards!

Unfortunately, that will be difficult as well.

The guards from before might have been a different story, but the new recruits hired after the insurgency are rather pathetic, no?

The guards...? How do you know about that?

Wait... Do you know where all my original guards went?!

Ah... well, a little...

Why? Are you curious, Mademoiselle?

The Guard Captain and the Guards... Tell me where they went!!

Don't you know already?

What?

All I did was tell them one simple truth.

I asked if there was any real point in protecting a queen who couldn't even keep them properly fed...

And whether it was truly worth their time to wait for a queen who might never return.

Ugh... Hngh... ARRRRRRGH!!!!!

YOU drove them all away?!

That's why they all abandoned me?!

Don't pin all this on me. It's not as if I lured them away with lies, you know.

I... I tried my best to take good care of them too!

But things just didn't work out, so what am I supposed to do?! I... Urgh...

I wanna be capable too! Like Belita and all those other large cheeses!

Leaders.

Yeah, I wanna be capable too! Like all those other leaders! *Sniff, hic-hic!*

I am trying my hardest! But things just keep going wrong, so what do you want me to do?!

Your Majesty?

*Sniff, hic!* Huh? What?!

I think you knocked Rollett out with that one hit.

What? How is she this weak? *Sniff*... She was talking a big game, but she's just a total lightweight!

.........

Note to self: I really need to watch myself when talking back to her from now on.

I thought I could simply dodge and avoid getting hit...

I never expected her to throw a straight punch out of nowhere.

Though... I suppose it is quite obvious that my cheeks are a much closer target than my gut.

Sacré bleu, I must be more careful in the future.

Rollett?

Hm? Ah, Chloe, mon amie...

What brings you all the way to my prison cell?

I came because something is still bothering me.

When you were talking with Her Majesty earlier... that was not the whole story, was it?

Hm?

I just thought that if you really were the mastermind behind the Sprite Kingdom insurgency...

Then I don't think you would still be wandering around this place that easily.

Besides, you never explained why you kept tripping Her Majesty, either.

There is more to the story, isn't there?

I mean... never mind if that's not it.

Master Couturier, your intuition is every bit as sharp as your needles.

I mean, I'm just that skilled.

Then go on and tell me. This time, all the way to the very end.

Very well. It is not as though I have much else to do in here anyway.

Hehehe, perfect.

Those sprite weaklings always let their guard down whenever it's time to eat...

We'll carry out our plans during lunch today.

The sprites are completely at their boiling points right now, right?

Yes. The sugar supply is nearly exhausted, so everyone has been growing irritable.

They might manage to hold out until this evening somehow...

But since we planted bombs inside their sugar warehouse as well, total chaos will erupt once they detonate.

Today, we say goodbye to all those desserts that threaten our blood sugar levels! Mwahaha!

The moment the lunch bell rings, boom! Every bomb we planted across the kingdom goes off, right?

Exactly. At first, the sprites will panic and run throughout the kingdom as it burns...

Then, once the confusion settles down, the witches hidden among them will spread rumors.

That the queen has been hoarding the sugar.

If a witch wishes to become queen of Sprite Kingdom, she must create a story of a caliber like that at least.

Hehehe! Perfect! Hmm, in that case...

We no longer have any use for you, do we...?

...What?

Yes, Rollett. You.

You're way too smart for your own good.

I never liked you from the start. Always rubbing how smart you are in my face... Not to mention, your name also sounds annoyingly similar to mine...

On top of that, it was always "do this," "do that," "not yet," "be patient"... Ugh!

You're betraying me?

Hey, weren't you planning on doing the same to me?

I already know everything, okay? I heard it from your little... whatever they're called... your compagna, your comrades?

Those fools...! Even now, they squealed on me to keep me in check?

Heeheehee... That's why it's easy to deal with the witches under you...

They are constantly at each other's throats, keeping each other in check from every imaginable angle.

I can't believe Velvet found out about everything...

This completely ruins the fun. I envisioned her getting played until the very end as the clueless idiot...

Oh, don't worry too much. Once I'm done with you, I'll eliminate the ones who ratted you out, one by one.

I'm only going to keep those who are dumber than me under my command.

Apparently, that's what you're supposed to do once you take the throne! Heeeeheeheehee!

Urgh...

Velvet... You are far more idiotic than I anticipated.

If you only keep those who are stupider than yourself around, you simply become the leader of fools.

Shouldn't one normally strive to become smarter if they find themselves lacking compared to their subordinates?

*Sniff! Sob! Sniff!* Hnnngh...

Huh?

What's that...?

Ner... *Sniff*... scolded me... again...

Arithmetic, 21... Ethics, 8... Etiquette, 14... *Sob, sooob*

*Sniff!* Magic, 10... Language Arts, 27... P.E., 53... I guess I really am a dummy.

I'm behind on my picture diary, too... This one is actually from 13 days ago.

I am writing my diary from the future... *Pfft!*... Hehehe... *Sob!*

This sounds like...

Yes, I sometimes heard this voice near the bakery while scouting Sprite Kingdom... Is this the Sprite Queen?

Studying... is so hard... I really want to do well.

Ner doesn't sit by my side and teach me as she used to, either. She keeps telling me I'm all grown up now and forces me to study by myself...

But when I am alone, all I can think about is food, so I can't focus...

The Guard Captain said she was too busy and canceled our P.E. practical exam classes too...

That was the one subject where I always scored a perfect score, too. Ugh... Now my grade point average has totally tanked. *Sob*

Hmm... how interesting.

Belita always used to score a 0 in her P.E. practical exams.

But she never got into serious trouble since she aced every other subject...

I also wanna become smart like my sister, and have everyone treat me like a real queen.

.........

Perhaps you should seek out someone else.

Yikes! Wh-What the...?!

Er... I'm a guard... I was organizing the warehouse.

You scared me, kid! I see you have it rough, too... working in the Bean Log warehouse...

Mademoi—I mean, Your Majesty, why don't you keep someone beside you who can help you study as a friend would?

Every time I ask Ashur to help, she smells like baked goods, and I completely lose focus!

Then perhaps you should seek someone who is not a sprite.

Please remember that the Sprite Queen is responsible not only for Erpien but for all of Elias.

All of... Elias? Then who? Werebeasts? Elves? Elementals? No... witches?

That, I do not know. Perhaps there's a perfect amie for you out there, Your Majesty!

Amie? What's that? You talk real weird. What squad are you with again?

Aaaah! What was that?! An earthquake out of nowhere?!

Please evacuate at once, Your Majesty.

Why the heck are you so calm?! Do guards get anti-freak-out training or something?

Head for the Order. The Head Priestess will protect you by any means necessary.

Wh-What about you?! Come with me!

I must go alert the rest of the guards. Please hurry and evacuate.

Urgh... r-really? Okay, I'm going, then! Take care of yourself, alright?!

...May you find your "mon amie," Your Majesty.

Aaah! My house is on fire!

A brilliant spark! The creative juices are flowing!

This is all because of the Sprite Queen! The kingdom is up in flames because she's a fool!

Her Majesty? Is that really how things work?

Obviously! I mean, look! It's happening before our very eyes!

On top of that, the sugar warehouses blew up, which means no more baked goods!

Wait, there's no more sugar?! Th-This means revolution!!!! Cough up the sugar, Queen!!!

Sugar is a right, sugar-free is a blight!!! Crush the evil zero-sugar empire! Down with aspartame!

Let's find the Queen and shake her down! Gooooo!!!!

Look at these sprites! They snap right into action the second sugar is involved.

Simply setting fires wouldn't have been enough—this entire plan would have failed!

Velvet...

Huh? Wh-What the heck?! Rollett? I locked you up in the Bean Log Warehouse... How did you escape?!

Oh, that was nothing...

The world's a circus... One must know how to perform a few tricks like that.

Hah! You're nothing but talk!

Velvet, you are going to fail.

Since this insurgency is doomed to fail anyway, I shall put an end to all of this right here.

Fail? Can't you see what's happening? We've hit the jackpot, baby!

This momentum won't last. The Sprite Queen is not quite the—

What? She's not an idiot? Is that what you were going to say? Hah! You're wrong!

...She may be an idiot, but she is still better than you.

Hehehe... I don't know why you're getting in my way after masterminding all of this yourself...

But do you really think a street magician punk like you can beat me?

Don't make me laugh. You'll make me have an aneurysm.

Hoo... Is this really the only way?

I've only just escaped, so I have no allies, no plan... And direct combat is hardly my style...

But if I want to avoid missing this golden opportunity, this is the only way.

Oh? You're actually going to fight me? The look in your eyes changed a bit there. Hehehe...

Urgh...

That Velvet jerk may be a blockhead, but she certainly possesses brute strength.

That took a lot more energy out of me than expected.

Still, Velvet took some damage too, so she won't be making any moves for now.

If the witches cannot intervene during the early stages of the insurgency, the plan is only half-complete.

As long as the Sprite Queen actually puts in some proper effort, she should be able to reclaim her position... right?

The underground is too far away, and returning would be too exhausting...

Maybe I'll just hide nearby and watch this show unfold...

I wonder what the Sprite Queen will do. Watching someone grow is the most entertaining part...

Especially when someone starts from absolute zero and climbs step by step...

Ahhh!

Huh?

What the heck? This is a dead end, too? Argh! Where the hell am I supposed to go?

That sounds like...!

That was the moment.

For what?

That's when I started pulling up the paving stones.

When Her Majesty tripped and fell for the first time? Why did you do that?

She was having trouble finding her way.

.........

It honestly made me a little angry. She kept trying to go down the wrong path.

I mean, it's ridiculous... Losing her way in her own kingdom and being unable to find her way to the Order...

Ah... I see.

When they say to pick yourself up and try again, it's not supposed to look like that, is it?

I don't know if it was pure obstinacy or what, but she kept turning back toward the palace, so I kept tripping her.

I go out of my way to change my mind and decide to place my bets on her... so watching her flounder like that right in front of my face? Yeah, it honestly ticked me off a bit.

Yes... Her Majesty does have a tendency to be like that.

Still, she is kind.

Yes... well... kindness alone does not necessarily make a good queen.

But then I saw a ray of light...

It was very brief, but a ray of light descended from above in the exact direction the queen had run.

Oh? A ray of light? Yeah, I've heard of something like that before, too.

The kingdom was in flames, so hardly anyone noticed it in the chaos...

But they say that is exactly how Master appeared. I read about it in the Order's records!

...Ah! So that is why you are trying to join the Order?

Ah, mon amie. You're as sharp as ever.

Master of the Yggdrasil Order...

I wanted to check and see whether this individual was capable of properly teaching and protecting the Queen.

This should help the horse I bet on to cross the finish line...

...I wanted to see who the Queen's "mon amie" was.

Is it even grammatically correct to say it like that?

Just let it slide, mon amie. It has a nice ring to it.

Sigh...

Oh well. Guess it can't be helped.

What do you mean?

Rollett, climb inside Sebastian.

Huh? What's going on all of a sudden...?

I am getting you out of here.

You still have that Order interview to get to, right?

If you are truly sincere about wanting to help Her Majesty and the Order, it would be a total waste to leave you here to rot.

I mean... she'd probably let me out eventually, no?

Huh? Her Majesty? Let you out? It's more likely she'll forget after two days and leave you here forever.

Are you sure it is all right to release me? The Queen will hate me.

Once you have your interview at the Order and work under Master, I'm sure Her Majesty will learn of your side of the story.

Her Majesty... Yeah, to be honest, she can be a total blockhead, but she is at least cool enough to move past things.

Folks always say that Sprite Kingdom only functions because everyone around Her Majesty props her up...

But don't you think there is a reason why they all choose to stay by her side instead of leaving?

Those who left, those who stayed... in the end, it was all because of the Queen, was it?

Interesting.

Sprite Kingdom is actually a pretty decent place, you know?

I think I'm starting to get that...

Then stop dawdling and get inside Sebastian already.

You're the most dedicated regular at my Tailor Shop, you know!

Thank you, mon amie.

Watching this circus unfold from here on out may not be so bad after all.

The Order... I wonder if they will accept me...

Things are bound to get quite entertaining.

So, basically, according to Rollett...

This was the state of affairs in Elias when you first came here?

I never left the Order, so I had no clue what was going on out there.

I just assumed there was some loud, flashy commotion happening out there.

Hmm...

I wonder if I should actually be grateful to Rollett...

Well, if you think about it, Rollett making this mess is what led you to the Order and eventually to me.

Does talking about the past like this make you feel homesick?

Well, for me, I'm glad you're here since I used to be bored out of my mind for the longest time.

Still, this whole thing really reminded me of how witches are schemers.

I guess when you spend all your time around folks with loose screws, someone whose screws are actually tightened properly starts to look like the weird one.

Though the fact that she spilled everything so easily makes her seem all the more suspicious...

It looks like that restaurant opened again... Didn't it close down because of Erpin?

Can't blame them.

Hmm... What else? Let's see...

Oh, yeah. Chloe's Sebastian is something else.

I can't believe she just bent those steel bars of the prison cell like that...

That's technically property damage. Did Sprite Kingdom not make a fuss about it?

Velvet is just a simple, loud witch. She doesn't even bother to hide what she wants.

But when it comes to Rollett, you should definitely keep your guard up.

You can never really tell what someone might do next when they get their kicks from watching how others react to things.

Well, suit yourself if that's what you want to believe...

Don't come crying to me when she stabs you in the back later, okay?

Hehe, was it that obvious? But listen...

I've been around Elias for a long time. You should take my advice seriously.