Chapter 135

Chapter 135: Master and Servant

“Ugh!”

“Uh, uh?”

Asha was momentarily flustered by the sudden change in scenery, then realized she was in the cavern where she had been with the Mind entity.

“Now there’s nothing left.”

The cavern, once covered in sticky Slime, was now completely devoid of any traces of the Tentacle. Asha was certain that no trace of the Tentacle remained anywhere in this other world. Lucia, meeting Asha’s gaze, shrugged.

“Are you unharmed, my Queen?”

Asha waved as Anet approached.

“Ah, Anet. Did you wait long?”

“It was not such a long time until you returned, my Queen.”

“That’s a relief. So, Anet, what did you mean by needing my help?”

With the Tentacle problem resolved, Asha wanted to hear what Anet needed. At Asha’s words, Anet bowed her head with a joyful expression.

“Currently, our species is growing stronger by using the Elves as hosts. However, the Elves’ resistance is considerable, and we often lose captured hosts or have our Nest burned down. If you, my Queen, were to join us, we could surely crush the Elves.”

“Hmm… so you’re asking me to lay Bees?”

“Of course, that would be ideal, but even if you simply cared for the newly born Bees, it would be a great help. Your martial prowess would also be sufficient to deal with the Elves.”

Asha had somewhat expected Anet’s request, but she was conflicted.

‘Honestly, my influence wasn’t small in the Elves getting wrecked, so should I really push them to their deaths?’

If she helped and the Elves were completely annihilated, it would be a terrible thing to do. But at the same time, it was difficult for Asha to simply ignore Anet’s desperate plea in order to help Elves she didn’t even know.

“Hmm… I’ll go and think about it. Is it far from here?”

“Yes, it will take a considerable amount of time even by flying.”

“Okay, please guide me.”

“It is an honor.”

Asha decided to go and then think about it.

“Hoo…”

Maximilian placed his hand on his throbbing eyes, weary from looking at documents. Nearly three months had passed since the Tentacle incident ended, and the Artua Kingdom was recovering. The crops, hastily sown due to the depleted food supply, were ready for harvest, and the number of starving people across the country was decreasing.

It was as if the land being covered in Slime had been a lie; the winter harvest was a bumper crop. The wandering people were returning to their hometowns, and although the capital’s walls were still broken and ominous, the residences were being rebuilt with the help of all the Soldiers.

“I have returned, Your Majesty.”

Geraldine entered the office in light clothing, not even wearing armor. She was drenched in sweat.

“Ah, Viscount Obert. You have worked hard. How is the reconstruction of the capital progressing?”

Geraldine had been helping people build on the ruined foundations. As a living heavy equipment, she could accomplish work more easily than thirty strong men on her own. Of course, it was not something someone had ordered, but something Geraldine had volunteered for.

“Although many people are still living in temporary tents, more than 40% of the residential areas have been restored. If the immediate harvest is completed and we focus on reconstruction, the reconstruction of the residential areas will likely be completed within two months.”

“This work is also nearing its end.”

Geraldine smiled wryly at Maximilian’s words, which were clearly filled with fatigue.

“It has truly been eventful. I never dreamed that we would suffer so much even after those things disappeared.”

“Haha… who would have known that the struggle was only just beginning?”

The two continued to chat for a break. In the midst of it, Geraldine asked a question.

“Your Majesty, may I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

Geraldine asked, feeling awkward.

“Who was the woman who came to the castle the other day?”

“Hmm…”

Maximilian made a humming sound as Geraldine brought up a difficult topic. He knew well that Geraldine was originally a vassal of Philip’s. Maximilian hesitated whether he could speak freely to her.

‘You can’t hide it forever. It wouldn’t be right to keep lying to her…’

After confirming that there were no other people nearby, Maximilian beckoned Geraldine to come closer. Geraldine, who was flustered that she might have said something unnecessary, also brought her head closer to Maximilian.

“You must keep this to yourself, Viscount. She is my uncle, Phillip Artua.”

“Th-that can’t be… is it true?”

Geraldine’s pupils trembled as if an earthquake had struck at the identity of the woman, which she had not expected at all. Since cases of men turning into women were actually being discovered throughout the kingdom, Geraldine could not simply dismiss it as a lie.

“I swear on my ancestors, it is true. I know that you are tight-lipped, Viscount, so I am telling you this. This fact is currently only known to you and me.”

“I will not breathe a word to anyone.”

Geraldine could not hide her confused expression, but she swore to Maximilian.

Geraldine stood in front of the detached palace with a trembling heart. She still couldn’t believe that Philip was alive and had become a woman. Geraldine quietly opened the door and was speechless at the sight of the elegant woman standing by the window.

“Who is it… Geraldine? Yes, judging by your face, you must have heard it from that guy.”

“Yo-Your Majesty…”

The dignified king that Geraldine had seen before was nowhere to be found, and all that was in front of her was a frail noblewoman. The woman was wearing a simpler dress than the maids of the castle wore, but every gesture was graceful.

“Your Majesty, what nonsense. The current king is Maximilian, that fellow. Do not utter such blasphemous words.”

“Ye-yes…”

Geraldine was at a loss as to what to call her, who had once been king. Geraldine, who was usually straightforward, was at a loss and floundering after stepping into this place.

“Ugh, ugh…”

Geraldine’s face unconsciously turned red as Philip approached her. Philip, who had become a woman, possessed a thrilling sensuality even in her elegant appearance, and even Geraldine, a woman herself, felt her skin heat up when she was near.

Philip looked like a sultry woman in her thirties, or a newly blossomed woman in her twenties. She put her hand on Geraldine’s face.

“You only showed me a wooden face at the palace, but you had such a cute side to you. Was it a side that I could only see after I became a woman?”

“N-no! I’m sorry!”

What was in front of her was an infinitely fragile woman, but Geraldine couldn’t stand her getting close and backed away. The more Geraldine, who remembered Philip’s past appearance, felt a sense of incongruity with Philip’s current appearance, the more she could not help but constantly recognize her own failure to protect the capital.

Rather, Philip, who had turned into a woman, seemed fine, and Geraldine, who had risen to the position of commander of the Knights, assisting Maximilian, seemed to be hurt. In the end, she could not overcome the fierce storm raging in her heart and shed tears.

“I’m sorry… If I, if I had done better, sob!”

Philip, who had briefly widened her eyes when Geraldine suddenly began to sob, patted her shoulder.

“I clearly told you to retreat from the capital and protect the people of the kingdom, so was it right for you to disobey my orders?”

“But in the end, I couldn’t protect Your Majesty, and such a terrible thing…”

“Viscount, do not bring up the past any more.”

“…”

Philip wiped away the tears that had welled up in Geraldine’s eyes.

“I am more curious about how you are living than such gloomy stories. Would you like to tell me?”

“Ye-yes! It would be an honor!”

“Hehe… yes. I was feeling lonely because no one was visiting anyway.”

Geraldine began to explain what had happened since Philip disappeared…

Geraldine was now following Maximilian according to Philip’s words, but she was originally a member of a fallen family who had been exceptionally granted a title directly by Philip and became the vice-commander of the Knights. Naturally, Geraldine’s heart to follow Philip had not changed even now.

As the two talked together, the atmosphere, which had been stiff, gradually relaxed, and they continued their conversation in a comfortable atmosphere.

“It is truly hard to believe. That the kingdom has been revived so quickly, even though it was in such a national crisis.”

“It is the result of everyone’s efforts, combined with luck in many ways.”

“Luck, luck…”

“Ah…”

Geraldine realized that she had said something she shouldn’t have to Philip. Apart from his abilities, there were few kings as unlucky as Philip. Just when he had suppressed the rebellion and was about to expand the kingdom’s territory, a witch who had appeared in the time of his ancestors reappeared, and before he could even recover from the damage, the kingdom was almost destroyed by the Tentacle that sprang up from inside and outside the country.

“I-I’m sorry! I just made a slip of the tongue!”

“A slip of the tongue… it’s not exactly a slip of the tongue. In the end, people’s lives depend on luck, don’t they? And if it weren’t for the lack of luck, I wouldn’t be in this state now.”

“…”

Geraldine was filled with self-reproach for stirring up past wounds instead of comforting Philip. Philip frowned as if she was annoyed by her, who had been talking with a slightly excited look but had become depressed again.

“Don’t be so happy and sad about trivial things like a child. I thought you had a more rigid personality in the past, but have you become so soft after meeting another king?”

“Th-that…”

There are times when it is difficult to answer whatever the superior says, and this was one of those cases. Geraldine was at a loss for words, feeling grateful and tearful.

“Hehe, you are truly pitiful. You can just call me Philip.”

“H-how dare I… Ah!”

Geraldine let out a small groan as Philip’s hand covered her chest. She had just come to the detached palace from the reconstruction site, wearing only a blouse and pants with a sword, without armor.

Geraldine was confused as to how to interpret Philip’s actions of touching her chest.

“My body has become like this, but I am still familiar with women. I couldn’t dare to approach you when you were a vassal, but it doesn’t matter now, does it? Isn’t that right?”

“…Yes.”

Geraldine could not resist and entrusted her body to Philip’s skillful hands, who was undressing her.