Chapter 296: Bride of Chaos
I lay sprawled out on a king-sized bed, utterly drained.
Don’t ask why there’s a bed in the hot spring in the palace courtyard. I haven’t the slightest idea myself.
「Phew…」
Next to me, tentacle oneesan—the Mother of Chaos—was leisurely exhaling silver smoke from the Eternal Life Mushroom, looking like those scumbags in anime.
What is this, a scene from some manga from the Showa era?
As you might guess from this cliché reaction, I’d been completely done in by tentacle oneesan. Resistance was futile.
Her body was, well, quite different from a human’s in many ways. I couldn’t make sense of it, but somehow, I instinctively knew we’d crossed a line.
It was an encounter far beyond species, beyond even the bounds of gods and mortals. And now, as always, here I lay, sapped of all my strength.
「Wh-What—cough, cough!」
Suddenly, without any warning, she shoved the Eternal Life Mushroom into my mouth as if to say, 「You try it too.」 When I reflexively inhaled, the silver smoke filled my lungs.
Wait, am I… exhaling glittering smoke?! It’s supposed to extend your lifespan, so it’s probably not bad for me, but the sparkles cloud my vision.
Inhaling the silver smoke was suffocating and left a strange bitterness in my mouth. Is it really safe for my insides to sparkle like this?
「Yah-hoo!」
Out of nowhere, tentacle oneesan hoisted me up and let out a bizarre cheer as she carried me out of the hot spring. Her actions were as unpredictable as ever.
Too exhausted to resist, I just let it happen. Outside in the courtyard, Oracle and the other demons were kneeling.
Had they been here the whole time? Well, the Mother of Chaos is revered as their creator, after all.
「Honestly, Takeru, I knew you were bold, but to go this far!」
「Nation’s Father has become the consort of the Mother of Chaos herself!」
「It’s not… it’s not like that…」
Oracle, could you help restore my energy already? Just as tentacle oneesan finally let me go, I wobbled forward, only to be hit with even more shocking words.
「Takeru, the Mother of Chaos is clearly serious about marrying you. At this point, refusing her would be rude.」
「Serious about marriage… what?!」
And just like that, the Mother of Chaos, who had been wearing a bikini moments ago, now donned a wedding veil. She really was serious about marriage.
「I don’t mind, not at all!」
Since tentacle oneesan herself said she didn’t mind, I suppose that means she’s genuinely enthusiastic about it. So, I’m actually going to have to hold a wedding with tentacle oneesan?
What’s done is done, and I guess I’ll take responsibility. But is it really wise to have a creature of chaos attend a wedding?
Also… where did she even get that wedding veil from? She’s the Mother of Chaos, so I wouldn’t put it past her to conjure it out of thin air.
And somehow, there was now a massive rosebud, about a meter in diameter, sprouting from the ground nearby—clearly another creation of the Mother of Chaos.
「Uh… I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t make strange plants grow in my garden.」
「It’s plain as day just from looking at Mother of Chaos. Be honest with us, Takeru—you did it, didn’t you?」
「Well… if you put it that way, I guess I did…」
「This is wonderful news!」
Is it really… wonderful?
「But, uh… is it safe to just leave this flower here?」
Trying to change the subject, I pointed at the enormous flower at my feet. It was like a giant pink rose, and, I guess, you could call it beautiful, but just seeing the flower alone made it feel suspicious.
Oracle crouched down to inspect the bud.
「This is likely what’s known as a World Blossom. This is my first time seeing it, too.」
「It’s not something harmful, is it?」
「They say a World Blossom’s bud can bring about new possibilities for worlds.」
「I see…」
Even with an explanation, it was hard to make sense of this plant. But at least it didn’t sound harmful, so I decided to leave it alone.
Kaara stepped forward to give her report.
「Nation’s Father! A brilliant light has just shone from the north, and the flow of miasma within the earth has changed dramatically.」
「Oh, does that mean maybe the Mother of Chaos granted our wish and helped save the Northern Demon Kingdom?」
「I cannot say. If you order it, I’ll go investigate.」
Yeah, fair enough. Even if something changed in the Northern Demon Kingdom, it’s so far away that we wouldn’t be able to see anything from here in Silesie.
At least something seems to have happened. It should mean that Crown Prince Arche’s wish was granted.
TN: From アルビ(Albee) to アルケ(Arche). I left it be. It will return to Albee soon so worry not.
I’d given it my all and done everything I could (in every possible sense). With that, I turned to look at the long silver-haired Arche.
When he noticed my gaze, he looked startled and then dropped to the ground, bowing deeply.
「Takeru-dono… No, Lord of Chaos! Thank you for going through so much trouble for the sake of my kingdom. I’ll be returning home now to confirm the results.」
「Though I can’t guarantee anything about how it’ll turn out.」
It is, after all, the work of chaos.
「Even so, just having the Mother of Chaos intervene on our behalf is an extraordinary fortune! Lord of Chaos, next time, I will return not alone, but with the distinguished nobles of the Crowcassus Demon Kingdom.」
「Oh, that would be most welcome.」
「Diplomacy in the human style is foreign to us, but I’d be honored if you could tolerate this humble novice…」
「Yes, please do.」
I appreciated the opening of a diplomatic route, which was exactly what I’d hoped for, but the prince’s overly formal tone threw me off. Then again, with his country potentially saved, I suppose it’s only natural to be a bit excited.
「Well then… Lord of Chaos, may we take our leave now?」
「Yes, that’s fine. I’m counting on you for the diplomatic arrangements.」
「At your command, Lord of Chaos!」
Why is Prince Albee suddenly speaking so ridiculously formally? Maybe it’s because he mentioned they wouldn’t mind becoming a vassal state?
All I want is an alliance between equals, but seeing him kneel deeply before me, I can’t help feeling he’s misunderstood.
「By the way, what are your plans for Josephine from here on out?」
Josephine, who had been elegantly sipping tea on the terrace, flashed me a bewitching smile.
「I thought it might be fun to ensnare you and take over Silesie’s harem… but maybe I’ll pass on that. It seems like some scary folks have their sights on me and would kill me if I got even a little closer, right?」
「Oh, you noticed?」
Kaara beside me remarked with mild surprise.
「… They’re surrounding me from all sides.」
「Yes, the snipers are positioned in all four directions. They’re aiming from shadows five hundred meters away, and yet you noticed at this distance? I thought you had no knowledge of firearms?」
「I may not understand firearms, but if I couldn’t sense such blatant killing intent, I’d have been in the grave long ago.」
「Too bad. Personally, I’d prefer if you were to die here. Just understand that the only reason we haven’t killed you is that Nation’s Father permitted it.」
Even while being threatened with death, Josephine only nodded lightly, smiling. Listening to their exchange, I finally noticed the tense, electric air of hostility in the surroundings.
「Hey now, isn’t this a bit extreme?」
「My apologies for the disturbance. But protecting Nation’s Father from this viper is our duty.」
I was grateful for the security of the harem, though the danger seemed to have passed by now. A bit of poison from Josephine wouldn’t be enough to kill me.
Watching us with amusement, Josephine finished her tea and rose from her seat.
「Well then, I think it’s about time I take my leave.」
「Where are you planning to go next?」
I had no obligation to know, but curiosity got the better of me.
「Maybe I’ll go back to the Northern Demon Kingdom. It’s a horribly dull place, but it’s not so bad playing around with the innocent Prince Albee. Fufufu, and they’ve got quite a hoard of treasure over there, so I ought to collect some to make this whole job worthwhile.」
「Go easy on them, will you?」
I felt a bit guilty about sending Josephine off as a nuisance to the Northern Demon Kingdom.
「Don’t worry, Hero-sama. That country won’t collapse just because I ask for a few favors.」
Apparently, she wouldn’t stop tailing Crown Prince Albee. Still, it was impressive how Josephine, a mere human with no real power, managed to handle herself around powerful demons.
Once destitute and penniless, Josephine would likely soon be extracting money and influence from men again. Now embedding herself in demon society, she might cause trouble, but with Kaara and the others keeping an eye on her, surveillance would continue.
As she teased Prince Albee, draping her arm over his shoulder, Josephine sauntered away, leaving me watching her infamous, cunning figure with a strange sense of interest.
Hmm. I haven’t been ensnared, yet I seem a little… tainted myself. It seems I’ve been influenced enough to find it amusing to let this troublesome woman live a while longer, just to see what she’ll do.
「King General…. does this mean I’m dismissed?」
Admiral Mearid, who had been overseeing Josephine’s surveillance, appeared.
「Ah, yes. Thanks for your efforts. Ideally, I’d want someone keeping an eye on her in Silesie, but perhaps it’s better to let her be for now.」
Josephine fulfilled her promise to me.
As a royal, I can’t break my word and leave her unpardoned without setting a poor example.
「Well, we’ll be on the same ship home anyway. Even if it’s not as formal as surveillance, I’ll keep an eye on her to make sure she doesn’t cause trouble.」
Admiral Mearid, understanding my intentions without me needing to explain, nodded. She really had changed.
When we first met, though she feigned loyalty, she despised royalty and nobility, showing me only a sarcastic smile. But recently, she had begun to smile more peacefully.
「Admiral Mearid, I have something I wanted to discuss with you.」
「What is it, King General? If you want me to lock up Josephine again, I’d be delighted to oblige.」
「No, not that. I was thinking… would you want to get rid of that old scar on your face?」
「… This scar is part of me now.」
She replied, brushing her fingers across the mark on her cheek.
Mearid, with her slightly wavy black hair and blue eyes, had a strikingly beautiful face, yet three large scars ran across her cheeks like claw marks. The deep, bluish lines looked almost like tattoos, as though they’d been intentionally inflicted.
「I can imagine why you hated the nobility and why you marked your once-beautiful cheeks with that scar.」
「If you want, I could tell King General all about it. But it’d just be a dull story from the past.」
Mearid replied with a self-mocking smile, reminding me of the old sarcastic expressions she used to wear.
「I’d love to hear it, but first, let’s take care of that scar. You’re strong enough now to be bound by nothing. As the Third Admiral of the Silesie Fleet, with your pirate comrades secured, you don’t need those scars anymore.」
「Well, that’s easy to say, but it’s been so long that a regular potion won’t do.」
「It’s not that simple. I actually managed to get my hands on a rare cosmetic potion specifically for old scars.」
Standard healing potions have a significant limitation: they can’t heal old scars. The reason is that if wounds from the distant past could be reversed, it would effectively serve as rejuvenation.
Knowing how unsettling it might be to introduce a way to buy longevity, I hadn’t pursued it initially. But then I realized something: those high-ranking sisters at the Asama Church always look mysteriously young and ageless.
So, reluctantly using some church connections, I managed to secretly acquire this cosmetic potion that can erase old scars and rejuvenate the skin. Initially, I’d hoped to find a way to restore Admiral Drake’s lost limbs, though unfortunately, regenerating whole limbs was beyond its capacity.
Still, I’d confirmed it could remove Mearid’s scars. There was no reason not to use it.
「You’d give me such a valuable item, just for me?」
「Yes, I’d like you to have it, Mearid.」
「Oh! I’d like it too!」
「Whoa, where did you come from, Josephine?」
To my surprise, Josephine, who I thought had already left, suddenly appeared and lunged at me with great fervor.
「Oh, where I came from is irrelevant! Just give me that rejuvenating potion!」
Desperately clinging to me, she tried to wrest the potion from my grasp. For a moment, I worried she’d be shot if she came any closer to me.
It seemed even the palace guards were caught off guard, as the snipers targeting Josephine had yet to react.
And I had been careless, too.
I only brought this up because I thought she’d left!
「Josephine, what happened to that elegant composure of yours just a moment ago?」
「Please give me the rejuvenating beauty potion! I’ll do anything!」
Truly terrifying was Josephine’s obsession with beauty. Her sheer determination was enough to make even a hero hesitate.
「Whoa—!」
Josephine cried out in despair as Mearid swiftly took the beauty potion from my hand and applied it to her old scar before Josephine could snatch it away.
「This potion was given to me by the King General himself.」
「Aren’t you supposed to be that tough pirate woman who doesn’t rely on men?! That potion should’ve been mine!」
I couldn’t let that pass without objection.
「That’s not right, Josephine. A woman’s beauty isn’t just there to please men. Look—she’s stunning, isn’t she?」
The scar on Mearid’s cheek vanished, leaving her face radiant. She was now as strikingly beautiful as Josephine herself.
「And look at you! You’re actually smiling after being called beautiful by Hero-sama! After all that tough talk about self-reliance, are you really going to crumble so easily? Is that what they call gap moe or something?」
What an outrageous accusation.
Having the beauty potion snatched from her right before her eyes had completely broken Josephine.
「I-I’m not smiling…」
「Yes, you are! How ridiculous. Why don’t you just quit being a hardened pirate woman and start working in Hero-sama’s harem with that face of yours?」
Josephine’s nerve was impressive. Even with her scar gone, Mearid hadn’t lost her strength, and could knock out Josephine easily if she wanted to.
Yet Josephine, with no strength of her own, was overwhelming the room purely by the force of her words.
I had no choice.
It looked like I’d have to find a beauty potion for her as well, just to bring some peace to this conversation.
「Josephine, about that beauty potion… there’s still a way to get another.」
「Call me your humble servant, woof!」
Josephine dropped to all fours, kneeling in front of me.
So much for her self-reliant principles.
This beauty potion truly had a terrifying effect, enough to drive women mad.
No wonder the Asama Church deemed it a top secret taboo.
「Well, when I manage to get another, I’ll think of a suitable exchange.」
「Whatever you need! Oh, I know—I could share all the intel I have on the old aristocrats left in Silesie! Those former loyalists must be a thorn in your side. If you want, I could take care of the whole lot!」
In five seconds flat, she’d sold out her old allies.
Eliminating the remnants of the old royalists in Silesie would indeed make it easier to rule.
But to think there was such an easy way to use Josephine. Perhaps I should have done this sooner.