The Wandering Princess (2)

<Side : Craise Seherablade>

『Martyr’s Moon – 11th (Evening)』

【Day 1 of Imperial Invasion】

The room was silent that evening.

But after encountering the Purple mist that had taken me by surprise after so many years, the events I had experienced in that short time kept swirling in my head.

I was panting, my whole body drenched in cold sweat as I tried to gather my wits, when a knock on the door startled me and I turned my head.

It was… Materi Ar Sirenniid. The Princess… the woman who had once been a Princess, but had now lost her light and fallen to the level of a low-ranking dancer in the Sultan’s Residence. And… the only surviving member of the royal family.

From my perspective, she was one of the descendants of the first Emperor who had to disappear… and now she was coming to see me?

I let her into the room, and she suddenly proposed a conversation.

“As someone who inherited the blood of the Emperor, I told the guard at the door that I wanted to talk to the Elemental, and he let me in. The Elemental… and I, who inherited the blood of the Emperor, are more related than you think.”

Neatly arranged purple hair, humbly lowered eyes, and a calm demeanor.

On the surface, she still seemed to be trying to maintain her dignity, but I could see the fear lurking within her.

“Let’s hear it…”

“Thank you for your time, Elemental.”

“I have no interest in such formalities. Get straight to the point, Materi… former Princess.”

She raised her head for a moment, looked into my eyes, hesitated for a moment, and then bit her lip tightly. Then, she finally opened her mouth.

“I have something I want to ask about… Patient Councilor.”

Hearing that name, the conversation I had with him that morning flashed through my mind.

He had asked me to cause a stir to buy them time to escape the Empire, in exchange for helping me fulfill my wish to disappear.

And… the Councilor had assured me that instead of killing the royal bloodline, he could eliminate only the royal part of the bloodline in his own way.

Recalling that memory, I gestured lightly, filling the room with smoke.

“E-Elemental… what is this?”

“Quiet… I’m setting up a Barrier. To prevent sound from leaking out.”

The smoke quietly and quickly filled the room, and soon countless wisps of smoke clung to the floor and walls. This should be enough to defend against human tricks, and even the Fox’s spying.

However, I detected a very faint purple aura in the tail of the smoke, but I decided to ignore it for now.

I had a feeling… but never mind.

“Now the conversation is safe. I’ve blocked any eavesdropping or outside eyes. So… tell me. Why are you bringing up that story now?”

I said in a dry voice.

Then, Materi, the former Princess, closed her eyes, opened them, and slowly opened her mouth.

“Patient Councilor fainted today… no, he collapsed, and is now resting.”

“That person…?”

The news that Materi, the former Princess, brought was that Patient had collapsed today and was recovering.

When I saw his face this morning, he looked so exhausted that he seemed like he would collapse at any moment…

“Patient Councilor proposed a contract to me. He also told me that the Spirit of Smoke was involved.”

“So? Materi, former Princess. Let me tell you one thing, it’s not a good idea to rush into a conversation just because you’re involved. The other party might think you suspect them.”

“That’s…”

I sighed at her hesitant words and replied.

“Still, to reward you for coming all this way, it’s true that Patient Councilor came to me with a proposal. But it’s difficult to say the details. As Materi, former Princess, knows, divulging the contents of a contract damages mutual trust.”

However, after hearing my words, Materi, the former Princess, pursed her lips again, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

“I… know the relationship between the Elemental and the Imperial Family.”

“………Huh? How do you know that…?”

Leaving me momentarily dumbfounded, Materi, the former Princess, slammed her legs to the floor and knelt down.

“The Elemental has been oppressed for a long time by some power possessed by the Imperial Family, and had to commit unwanted slaughter…”

Furthermore, she pressed her head to the floor and said, sobbing.

“Please… if the deal with the Councilor involves the lives of the remaining members of the Imperial Family, please… save at least my Sister… sob… I beg you. Merciful Elemental.”

Ah… it seems that Materi, the former Princess, is misunderstanding something…

Did Patient Councilor not tell her the full story? Or… maybe he deliberately didn’t tell her…

I silently watched her sob and bow her head. The Imperial Family was one of the noblest families in the world, and Materi, the former Princess, had not lost her dignity despite her downfall.

For her to put aside all her pride like this… it must be a self-sacrificing determination to protect even the last remaining blood relative due to the annihilation of the Imperial Family.

“Where did you hear that story?”

“I accidentally overheard a conversation between Oravina and Father.”

Her face, which she carefully raised, had tears clinging to it.

“Father said that he would seek a way to break the contract after borrowing the Elemental’s power for the last time during the civil war between the Empire and the Kingdom… And… he also said that the Imperial Family, who inherited the blood of the first Emperor Aladdin, had all committed a great sin against the Elemental, and that it was time to set you free.”

“Ha…”

Listening to those words in silence, I slowly exhaled and couldn’t bring myself to continue.

Materi, the former Princess, wouldn’t have falsely stated this in this situation, so if that was true… no, never mind.

Now that things have come this far, there’s no other way.

“There’s nothing wrong with those words. The first Emperor fixed me here in the form of a wish, and with his own hands, he crushed the flesh of many people, crushed their bones, and took their heads. A storm of blood raged, and this Empire was built beneath it.”

“Ugh…”

“You said you wanted to know about the contract I made with the Councilor?”

“Yes…”

“I made a contract with him in exchange for granting my wish. And my wish is… to disappear. Completely from this world.”

Materi, the former Princess’s eyes widened, and she was unable to speak.

“To do that, the bloodline of the hateful person who embedded me in this world must all disappear.”

Her gaze began to fill with anxiety and suspicion.

“The Imperial Family who inherited the blood of the first Emperor Aladdin. The Sirenid Imperial Family, their descendants…”

“M-me and my Sister…”

Materi, the former Princess, added before I could finish my sentence.

“If I could, I could tear off your and your Sister’s heads in less than 10 seconds right here, right now. If I did, my connection to the world would end, and my wish would be fulfilled. But… I didn’t do that, Materi, former Princess.”

“Elemental……”

“There are two reasons. One is that I’ve grown fond of it. This Empire… I despaired and resented the unwanted massacres at first. But after watching the rise and fall of the Empire for 3000 years, I can’t help but… become attached to it.”

I continued calmly.

“The second reason is… I don’t want to see any more blood.”

My voice was calm, but I decided not to hide the emotions hidden within it any longer.

“The reason I didn’t try to go to the battlefield pretending to be pregnant was the same reason.”

I stroked my belly and continued.

“To find a way to disappear without seeing blood…”

I paused for a moment and looked at Materi, the former Princess’s expression. Her eyes were shaking.

Perhaps she had realized something from my words.

“The contract with the Councilor was in the same context. He assured me that he could sever the blood ties in his own way. That’s why I accepted his offer. If he’s right, you and your Sister can live without dying, and I can disappear.”

I looked straight at her and said.

“If you or your Sister survive to the end and continue the bloodline, my disappearance will be further away. But… frankly speaking, considering the current state of this Empire, I don’t think that’s very likely. The blood of the Imperial Family is destined to be cut off.”

“That’s…”

“I’ve seen many times the fallen Imperial Family regaining the Throne. Most of them borrowed my power to cut off the legs of the usurpers, pierce their wrists, and twist their heads. But the situation is different now. The Imperial Family has completely lost control over me.”

The greatest power the Emperor has is not wealth or absolute power.

It’s a little embarrassing to say it myself, but it’s the right to control me.

I, who gained transcendent physical abilities and Magic abilities through the wish of the first Emperor, am strong… ahem, I’m not exaggerating, I’m really strong.

I can not only assassinate with smoke, but also spread smoke to wage information warfare, and I can perfectly carry out combat in all aspects, including close combat, one-on-one combat, and war.

“I’ve lived too long. I want to rest now. So, if possible, I didn’t want to see blood, so I accepted his offer. How about it? Is that an answer now?”

Materi, the former Princess, was still staring at the floor.

“I don’t particularly hate you or your Sister. You’re just descendants, and it would be a farce if I hated you, who haven’t done anything to me. So, now that you know the answer, please go back. Materi, former Princess. It’s very late now.”

I gestured to her. Adding a word.

“I’m not desperate enough to harm you or your family right now. You can go back with peace of mind.”

“………Yes. Elemental. I’m sorry for the late hour.”

However, before I could finish speaking, a question suddenly came to mind, and I stopped her as she was about to leave without a word.

“Wait a minute. Materi, former Princess. You said earlier that Patient Councilor collapsed? Why is that…”

I trailed off and fell into thought.

Dark circles under his eyes, tired movements… Could it be due to overwork?

“Patient Councilor had a one-on-one meeting with the Elemental today, and then conducted health checkups on the temporary guards he brought from the back alleys. After that, for some reason, he went directly to the training ground and suddenly collapsed.”

The moment I heard those words, my head became complicated.

Back alleys.

That word lingered in my head, and the Purple mist I had encountered just now came to mind.

As I recalled her words, I felt my body tremble and my chest heat up…

“Haa… haa… haa… Th-thank you. Materi, former Princess. Get out… now… Ugh♡ Hurry…!”

“Y-yes…!”

–Squeak…

Why, why is this happening?

I only thought about it, I only recalled it, I only heard the word…

“Ah, ah… the smoke……!”

The very faint purple smoke that I had overlooked a moment ago began to take shape, out of my control.

“This appearance is……!”

Dark blue skin, dark black hair.

A figure reminiscent of a priest’s robe, with a voluptuous and sensual body…

And a huge meat stick in the middle of her Cunt…

A liquid made of smoke powerfully from its tip…

–Whoosh…!!

Flying towards me… and my consciousness was cut off there…

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