Chapter 379-380: The Ice Queen
Merged Chapters by Reigokai
“We, the demons who dwell in the North Continent, shall become followers of Noah-sama, the Goddess of Freedom and Beauty.”
The Ice Queen suddenly said that to me as I was wandering around inside the castle.
“Why the sudden decision?” (Makoto)
“It would be rude to speak standing in the hallway before the Dragon King. Please, this way.”
She guided me forward.
We walked down a long corridor decorated with beautiful craftsmanship.
Following her, we entered a room through a large door.
“Please, come in. This is my room.”
Her voice came from inside. “H-Huh…?” (Makoto)
I-I was invited into the Queen’s room!
Why?
(Oh my☆ Is this going to turn into a lewd event, Mako-kun?) (Eir)
(With your classmate’s mother… Makoto, since when did you become such a naughty boy!?) (Noah)
The teasing voices of Eir-sama and Noah-sama echoed in my head.
Um… Could you two not say weird things like that?
“Is something the matter, Dragon King?”
“N-No, I’m coming now!” (Makoto)
Thanks to the Goddesses’ comments, I’m getting all nervous!
Inside, it indeed looked like the Queen’s private chamber.
There was a large desk, a bookshelf, and a huge canopy bed.
I was prompted to sit on the sofa just inside the room.
The Ice Queen sat gracefully across the low table.
The Ice Queen, who looked like a beautifully sculpted woman in her twenties (estimated age: 100,000), gazed directly at me.
“So then…what is the reason you wish to become a follower of Noah-sama?” (Makoto)
I asked, and the Ice Queen quietly spoke.
“Actually, the mention of Noah-sama’s Apostle reminded me of something. I believe that about a thousand years ago, someone once asked if I would like to become a follower.”
I immediately knew who she meant.
“Cain, I assume.” (Makoto)
“Yes, exactly. So you knew.”
“I heard he went around recruiting people everywhere.” (Makoto)
Though I didn’t know he did missionary work even in the North Continent.
I never heard this story from Cain, so it was probably after I returned to the present.
“At the time, many troublesome monsters were pouring out of the Abyss, and Demon Lord Cain-dono helped us greatly. I imagine we wouldn’t have minded becoming followers of the Old Goddess Noah-sama as a way of thanking him, but…for some reason, we simply could not bring ourselves to believe.”
“That can’t be helped. Noah-sama was sealed back then, so she was unable to have more than two believers.” (Makoto)
“I see…so that was the reason. In that case, considering Cain-dono’s offer at the time…and above all, the Ancient Dragon King, Takatsuki Makoto-sama, is someone we can trust. We have never interacted with other continents before, but since you personally came all the way here, it would be rude to let you leave empty-handed.”
The Ice Queen looked straight at me.
“Understood. I humbly accept.” (Makoto)
I replied briefly.
(This is…Cain’s achievement.) (Makoto)
I silently thanked my old friend.
Thus, Noah-sama gained the Ice Queen and her one million subordinates as new believers!
Well, many of them are probably monsters, so it’s not exactly a full million.
(Muuh, Noah-sama’s getting all the good ones!) (Eir)
Eir-sama’s thought transmission echoed.
(It’s fine. Still…the demons of the North Continent, huh? That’s quite an increase.) (Noah)
I heard Noah-sama mutter.
(Was it too many, Noah-sama?) (Makoto)
I didn’t ask for her judgment since I figured more believers was good.
(Hmm…with this many, I feel like the Sun Goddess Althena will complain and tell me to “manage your believers properly.”) (Noah)
(That’s true! And Noah-sama, you still haven’t picked your Hero!) (Makoto)
(I’ll pick one when I find someone good~) (Noah)
(You always say that and slack off!) (Makoto)
“Dragon King.”
“Y-Yes!” (Makoto)
I was distracted by the Goddesses’ argument, and the Ice Queen in front of me addressed me.
Not good…focus!
“We shall devote ourselves to Noah-sama, but is there anything we must do? If a temple needs to be constructed, I can arrange it…”
“Something to do…?” (Makoto)
Come to think of it, Noah-sama doesn’t have a temple anywhere.
In the Water Nation of Rozes, she’s worshipped together with the Water Goddess.
I’ve heard she has many followers on the Demonic Continent too, but I’m not clear on how they worship her.
(Wait… Shouldn’t I, as her Apostle, be managing all of this?) (Makoto)
Could it be that this is something both Noah-sama and I will get scolded for by Althena-sama?
I mean, I’m technically part of the divine side now.
“Dragon King?”
The Ice Queen asked nervously as I fell silent.
At that moment, an idea struck me.
(Noah-sama, there’s something I’d like to consult…) (Makoto)
(Approved.) (Noah)
(I haven’t said anything yet.) (Makoto)
(Do whatever you want, Makoto.) (Noah)
(Thank you.) (Makoto)
Noah-sama gave her approval before I could ask permission.
She gives me limitless discretion as always.
“Your Majesty.” (Makoto)
I looked directly into the Ice Queen’s eyes.
“Y-Yes!”
Seeing my serious expression, she straightened her posture.
“I won’t force you, but… I have one request.” (Makoto)
“What is it?”
“Would you become Noah-sama’s Hero?” (Makoto)
◇
“Um…are you sure you want me as a Hero? Wouldn’t my daughter be more suitable…?”
She declined at first, but in the end, the Ice Queen agreed to become Noah-sama’s Hero.
“No, you’re the most suitable.” (Makoto)
She’s a veteran Demon Lord who has ruled the North Continent for 100,000 years.
If she becomes Noah-sama’s Hero, the people here will likely accept Noah-sama’s faith much more easily.
She even said that with the title of Dragon King, any demon would obey me.
“To think that I could become a Hero of a Goddess… One never knows what life will bring. Fufu.”
The Ice Queen gave a soft laugh.
I was worried that I forced something troublesome onto her, but she seemed surprisingly pleased.
“Well then, shall we go explain it to my companions?” (Makoto)
The Ice Queen and I headed toward the room where Sakurai-kun and Sa-san were waiting.
There, we told everyone that the Ice Queen had become Noah-sama’s Hero…and of course, they were extremely shocked.
Especially Lucy and Sa-san.
“What about us!?” (Lucy)
“What happened between you and the Queen!?” (Aya)
They both looked at me suspiciously, and clearing up the misunderstanding took a lot of effort.
■Comments Response:
>A new heroine this late in the story: the mom of a classmate (around 100,000 years old). That’s crazy!
>I support it, lol.
-Looks like there’s readers who love their old ladies.
- Chapter 380: Urgent Report
Ruka Inoue, now the new Ice Queen, was reluctant to part ways with Sakurai-kun and Yokoyama-san.
“I’ll come visit again.” (Sakurai)
“Yeah, I’ll write you letters.” (Saki)
“I’ll come visit again! Ruka-chan!” (Aya)
Sakurai-kun, Yokoyama-san, and Sa-san included; the whole isekai reincarnation group was lively.
Meanwhile…
“Dragon King Makoto-sama. Do you have any instructions for us?”
“No, things will probably be hectic for a while with the change of queens, so once everything settles down is fine.” (Makoto)
I was talking with the Ice Queen (the previous one).
I didn’t really have much interaction with Inoue-san…
“I see…? Even though I finally received the title of Hero…”
She looked disappointed.
This Demon Lord is actually quite a serious person.
She even remembered Cain’s recruiting attempt from a thousand years ago.
With this personality, she’ll probably carry out proper missionary work among her subordinates.
“I’ll come again once things have calmed down. I’ll bring my Oracle too.” (Makoto)
Momo’s face came to mind as I said that.
I consulted Noah-sama beforehand, but for Momo, this ended up as completely after-the-fact reporting.
I thought I’d have to go tell her later, but apparently Noah-sama informed Momo already.
Seems she was dumbfounded that I’d gone and recruited a Demon Lord as a Hero.
Well…yeah, I get it.
“Then, Dragon King-sama. I will be waiting.”
She gently squeezed my hand.
I expected her hand to be cold, but it was surprisingly warm.
“…Makoto?” (Lucy)
Behind me, Lucy was giving me a cold, deadeye stare.
A quick glance told me Sa-san was looking too.
This is bad.
“W-Well, then…until next time.” (Makoto)
I said my farewells to the Ice Queen and left the North Continent.
◇◇
After that, a lot of political discussions apparently happened.
First, they confirmed that the monster stampede on the North Continent would not occur.
In exchange, the existence of the so-called “phantom Demon Lord,” the Ice Queen, whose existence had never been clearly proven, was now officially confirmed.
And the new Ice Queen turned out to be a reincarnated person.
At the Seven Nations Conference on the West Continent, they decided to establish diplomatic relations with the nation ruled by the Ice Queen of the North Continent.
They would send diplomats regularly and exchange information.
It was still undecided whether they would build an embassy.
Apparently no one wanted to live in the Arctic.
Well, it’s not exactly a livable environment in the first place.
Also…the information that the previous Ice Queen became the Hero of Goddess Noah-sama was kept secret except from a select few.
Queen Noel and Princess Sofia were apparently at a loss about how to handle this information.
Was it really that big a problem?
(That’s so unfair, Mako-kun! Now my number of believers is lower than Noah’s!) (Eir)
Eir-sama complained to me.
Yeah… I guess it is kind of cheating.
Still, the investigation of the North Continent ended safely.
I spent my days relaxing…training in water magic and time magic, visiting the North Continent with Momo, things like that.
No big incidents happened.
If anything, Lucy and Sa-san recently told me they wanted to have their wedding ceremony, so I have been consulting Fuji-yan about how we should do it…
“Elves and humans have very different wedding customs, so holding both ceremonies at once will be difficult-desu zo.” (Fuji)
“I know, but Lucy and Sa-san want to have theirs together.” (Makoto)
“Hmm… I believe it would be better to hold them separately… but if that is the wish of the two ladies, I will look into it!” (Fuji)
“Thanks, Fuji-yan.” (Makoto)
And so, I left it to my close friend.
That was about the extent of my worries in these peaceful days.
◇
“Makoto!”
“Takatsuki-kun!”
One day, while I was training magic by Lake Shimei outside the Water Country’s royal capital, Lucy and Sa-san appeared through teleportation with frantic expressions.
“Did something happen?” (Makoto)
Their behavior was clearly not normal.
“Just now, through the oracle that descended upon Sofia, the Water Goddess said…!” (Lucy)
“A Demon Lord Army is coming to attack from Hell!” (Aya)
Lucy and Sa-san shouted the message loudly.
“……Huh?”
It seems the peace was fleeting.
■Comments Response:
>Noah’s Oracle: “I don’t want overtime…”
>Water, Sun, and Moon Oracle: “Welcome to the club.”
-The Moon Oracle doesn’t seem to be too enthused about her Oracle duties.
Water and Sun are diligent in their work.
■Author’s Comment:
My apologies for the previous mistake.
The Oracle of Noah-sama is Momo.
The Ice Queen (Mother) is the Hero.
Sorry, Momo…
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