NOVEL NEXT Chapter 63: The Empress Has Fallen
「「「H-HER MAJESTYYYYYYYYY!!」」」
Right after Zion and Limule jumped out from the tower, the Empress' imperial guards rushed into the throne room in a hurry.
The first thing they saw was the figure of their Empress plopped in her own throne.
Upon approaching her, they found out that she had fainted with her eyes wide open and was blowing bubbles from her mouth—truly an un-empress-like appearance.
In addition, there was a small puddle of water below the throne, releasing an acrid smell around.
「「「Her Majesty…」」」
They were speechless upon seeing the shameful display of their Empress, who reigned like a god of the Empire.
Nevertheless, they were still rushing at once to check her safety.
「 There are no external wounds… but… s-she, isn't breathing anymore…」
「WHAT?!」
Appearance-wise, she was unscathed.
But upon closer inspection, they discovered that she wasn't breathing.
「Her heart… h-has stopped beating…」
「H-Healing magic! Use healing magic NOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!」
The healing unit started to apply healing magic immediately.
But they forgot that healing magic couldn't resurrect the dead.
「I-It's not working… Her Majesty, Her Majesty is already…」
「NO WAY…?!」
At that moment, when they were grief-stricken by their Empress' death that came out of nowhere…
「…U~h…」
「H-HER MAJESTY?!」
The Empress, who they thought had already passed away, suddenly groaned.
And then, her eyelids started to move again.
「I… W-What just happened… to me?」
Everyone in the throne room was raising joyous cries.
「HER MAJESTY IS ALIVEEEEEEEEEEEEE!」
「Thank God…」
「WHERE IS THE BASTARD WHO SAID THAT HER HEART HAD ALREADY STOPPED BEATING?!」
The imperial guards heaved a sigh of relief.
Only the people who checked the Empress' condition from a while ago weren't cheering along with the others. They were staring dumbfoundedly at the Empress.
「W-What's the meaning of this…?」
「I'm sure that her heart… had stopped beating.」
On the other hand, Empress Deodora herself had finally noticed what was wrong with her body.
‘What is… this? Why is my body… brimming with strength? Moreover…’
The Empress then placed her hand on the left side of her chest.
In a normal situation, she would feel her own heartbeat, and yet, it was gone.
‘My heart… isn't beating anymore! A-And yet, why am I still… alive? Is this a… mere dream?’
Or so she thought until she heard the remark of her imperial guards.
「Nevertheless, that bastard No Life King…! I absolutely won't forgive him!」
The Empress' body trembled upon hearing them saying No Life King.
‘T-That's right… I've…’
She finally recalled the memory before she was resurrected.
At the same time, she felt that she didn't fear that figure anymore.
‘What is… this feeling? Just recalling him makes me feel…’
The Empress, who was born as the only child of the previous Emperor, was raised as the future Empress of the Empire from her childhood, thus making her an extremely talented ruler.
Therefore, never once in her entire life had she yearned for someone.
Even the previous Emperor, her father, was nothing more than a person of lower status for her.
Therefore, she never met someone with higher status than her in her entire life.
…Thus, making her unable to fall in love either.
‘No Life King… You(anata) are…’ [TL : The Empress used "Omae" to call Zion before. It's the exact opposite of "Anata" since the former means someone lower or unimportant while the latter means someone dear to the caller, such as husband and wife.]
She had no idea why she felt that way.
But her mind was filled with a feeling that she never felt before whenever she was recalling that undead.
「B-But what can we do against such a monster…?」
「Like hell that's related to what kind of enemy we're against!」
「YEAH! THIS MATTER WILL AFFECT OUR EMPIRE'S DIGNITY! WE'RE DEFINITELY GOING TO―」
「THAT'S ENOUGH!!」
Before they realized it, the Empress raised her voice.
「?!」
「Your… Majesty?」
Her subordinates couldn't hide their shock upon hearing a remark that never came out of her mouth.
「I won't allow any disrespect toward T-H-A-T P-E-R-S-O-N!」
That person? …Disrespect?
Everyone in that room almost shouted, "What in the world are you saying, Your Majesty?"
Ignoring her confused subordinates, the Empress was looking at the huge hole in the wall used by No Life King to escape from the tower.
‘We are your servants… That's why this Empire is yours…’
It was only a while later did all the citizens of the Empire shudder when the Empress suddenly announced the establishment of a religion that deified the No Life King.
◇◇◇
===A Certain Undead With Communication Disorder===
「Eh? You were kidnapped to… lure me in?」
「Yeah, that's the gist of the situation. The Empress was trying to elevate the name of the Empire by subjugating you, the No Life King, since you’re considered a great disaster-class monster.」
My face cramped upon hearing the explanation of the situation from the female Holy Knight.
「In short, you were kidnapped… because of me?」
I got really embarrassed for having some sort of delusion as if I were a hero who saved the princess from the Empire's evil claws.
I would never have expected that the reason she was kidnapped was… me.
So that was why the other party went as far as telling me the place where she was taken.
I thought that they must have some screws loose in their heads or something for telling me the place where she was brought to, but it all made sense now.
「Don't worry about it. It's not like you're at fault here.」
「But still… I ended up causing so much trouble for you…」
「…Don't worry about it. You ended up saving me after all.」
It seemed she didn't really mind.
So young yet… she had a big heart.
She was somehow averting her gaze when I looked at her with eyes full of respect.
「A-Anyway… shouldn't we heading toward the Holy Country right now?」
「Naturally. There were all sorts of misunderstandings along the way, but…」
「Purification of the undead is regarded as the mission of our faith and country… In fact, this is the first time our target has asked for our help to purify him.」
In short, despite a bit of a hiccup that happened in the Empire, we could finally depart to the female Holy Knight's homeland, the Holy Country.
With this, I could finally rest in peace…
「Are… you really sure about this?」
「?」
「N-No, it's nothing. Forget what I said.」