Prologue - False Mask–
If looking from the conclusion, there was no G.o.d or anything for her.
–
『Rosa, G.o.d won"t abandon those who live correctly.』
『It doesn"t matter what kind of situation you are in, you have to abide by the law. That"s how a human must live.』
She was also different from any peace loving idiot.
But, she believed that both her parents must be really happy people.
After all, they were preaching such prayer toward their only daughter until the day they were miserably betrayed and died.
–
The Seven Dragon Paladins of Heiburg Republic, the one t.i.tled as The Steel Witch.
Rosa Granhide woke up early in the morning and looked down at the townscape of the capital from the window of the government building while still naked.
The state of the city where tall buildings made from stone were lining up in an awe-inspiring sight displayed its splendor.
But at the same time, the slum that was spreading at the other side with a single wall separating it from other area also entered her eyes. She could see humans gathering in large numbers living inside inferior environment and public order like animal.
Heiburg"s capital, Hidehelm was a strange city.
From a glance the city looked prosperous, while the neighborhood right beside it was completely in a bad state.
Those who plunder and were plundered from.
The strong and the weak.
Sheep and wolf.
Scenery that was like the world"s microcosm could be seen from the window"s frame.
Heiburg Republic was famous as a large military country, but before a certain arms dealer appeared, there were already the signs of the polarization.
Due to their friction against Old Empire Arcadia, Heiburg was forced to accept an unreasonable treaty, and due to a Ragnarok──Poseidon dealing a large blow to them, the country rapidly prioritized their military strengthening.
In order to excavate treasure from the Ruin, Gigas that existed inside their territory, soldier conscription was intensified and tax was levied.
Rosa"s parents who opposed war one day was captured as criminal who plotted treachery toward the country and they were imprisoned──and executed.
When Rosa enquired about the situation later, she found out that it was the citizens who were also feeling dissatisfaction toward the country"s despotic administration who secretly reported her parents for reward money.
Rosa who was a child at that time was helpless.
The situation didn"t turn for the better at all with only the righteousness that she believed in.
She was thrown into prison, received torture, then when she was about to die, a person from military purchased her. That person taught her something.
「──It"s something like that after all. Those people had no power.」
Rosa made a smile under her red hair while pulling in the Sword Device beside her pillow.
「Both my parents were just scared of straying from their path. People without wit or strength in the end can only cling on worthless thing like 『being upright』.」
It could be G.o.d, country, or hero.
「When the weak is looking for help from anyone, doesn"t matter who, they won"t be able to receive help if they are evil. Thus what is called goodness is──nothing more but escapism to satisfy their naïve thinking that they will be able to receive protection, salvation from someone just and proper.」
Rosa continued to speak her words bit by bit where she was answering her own question.
Something like justice wouldn"t be of any use against evil.
If one didn"t rule, they would only get their possession taken away by the stronger evil.
Rosa who learned from her failure received education and lived until now in order to implement every kind of evil.
Her philosophy was the proof of her status as the strong.
「King of Vices──it"s not bad getting called that.」
The shadowy existence who ruled this Heiburg from more than ten years ago.
Rosa murmured the name of the strong person who manipulated the military from the shadow and dirtied their hand with every kind of evil deed.
Obtaining Divine Drag-Ride Gorynych and getting chosen as a member of Seven Dragon Paladins were also nothing more than foothold so she could stand even higher as even more powerful person.
She already formed the groundwork in order to crush the hostile new kingdom and for Heiburg to take back its strength.
She won in the skill exhibition battle against the new kingdom as Heiburg"s representative, and obtained the right to investigate the Ruin nearby Triport, the port city within new kingdom"s territory for a month.
The conquering of the first Ruin, Babel that was the target had already been started by Heiburg"s Drag-Knights who arrived at the port city.
The calamity of world destruction called Sacred Eclipse.
The arrival to Avalon could stop it.
For that sake, it was necessary to exterminate the remaining five Ragnarok, obtained the crystals called Grand Force, and installed them into the deepest part of the Ruins, but──.
「There is no choice of letting go this chance. The strength of the new kingdom can be taken away greatly through the process of conquering Babel. If the Abyss or Ragnarok in the Ruin is stimulated and let go to the city, those guys won"t be off with just light damage.」
Stopping the end of the world due to the Sacred Eclipse by cooperating with other countries.
That was only natural, but thinking of the aftermath too was also the view point of statesman.
First, she would obtain accomplishment in front of that bunch called the Lords and took the lead in getting reward.
At the same time she would damage other countries" battle strength in the process of conquering the Ruins, weakening them.
Her plan had already started.
After Rosa chuckled and her lips burst into a grin, she gulped the water poured into her gla.s.s.
Right after that. *Knock knock* Along with that sound, the room"s door was knocked.
「Lady Rosa. Are you awake?」
「You are permitted. Come in.」
「Ye, yes. Excuse m──……-!?」
With a click the door k.n.o.b was turned and a maid who was still young entered.
When she saw Rosa who was standing naked near the window and Rosa"s aide Calensia who was sleeping similarly naked on the bed, her cheeks were tinged red.
「What business do you havee? If you want to play with us, then I"ll welcome you though?」
Rosa made a sticky smile and told the maid teasingly.
But, the maid waved both her hands in panic and hurriedly said her business.
「Tha, that"s! It seems the transport of the last goods was finished! The partic.i.p.ation ticket for the underground market has been distributed too.」
「Myy, thanks for your hard work. Is there anything out of place I wonderr?」
「No, there is no problem. Rather than that──what should we do with that person? That"s, about the girl"s elder sister who was working at the bar in the eastern district quarter seven」
There was a girl who was used as collateral for her parents" debt, but when they failed to repay it, the girl along with her family attempted to escape at night but then they were captured.
「Let"s make her into merchandise as planned. Her looks and her bloodline are also nothing special, so I think she can be used for that medicine experiment isn"t iit?」
「Unders, stood……」
The maid nodded with pale face while leaving the room.
Inside the paperwork, a catalogue of the commodities that Heiburg currently handled was placed.
Starting from Drag-Ride, there were also weapons, parts, and blueprints variety.
Goods related to Drag-Ride were immensely valuable, it was absurd to do something like selling battle strength to other country, but Heiburg managed to secure a stockpile due to a certain situation under the surface.
Thanks to them colluding with the Black Marketer Hayes in the past, they had a slight superiority in regard to military strength related to the Ruins.
They didn"t announce it publicly, but they were also circulating weapons to the organization of other country too.
The woman on the bed lifted up her body and rubber her eyes sleepily, then she turned her face toward the other girl.
「This time there will also be the transaction with Dragon Marauder. Be careful more than usual against the insects from outside.」
「……Yes.」
The woman who was the absolute ruler in this place warned the girl who was serving her. The girl nodded powerlessly.
The dinner party of the underground market that would be held by the King of Vices would be a place to secure connection with influential government officials, at the same time it would also be a place to sell illegal commodity.
There was no option to cancel it even in the situation where the tension between countries was heightening.
No, far from that, it was exactly in this transaction that the key to conquer the new kingdom"s Babel could be grasped.
*s.h.i.+ver*, the girl"s body was trembling.
The absolute ruler, the woman who noticed that pulled that body close to her and whisper.
「Is it scary? To hurt a lot of people and then getting resented by someone? Don"t worry──as long as you are at the side of 『evil』, as long as you are standing in the ruling side, you won"t have anything taken away from you.」
「But……」
「The last friend that you have──surely also wish for that. You will be able to meet her again soon, depending on your work this time.」
The woman covered the girl"s body with her body once more and her hand crawled on the girl"s skin.
The magic in the form of brainwas.h.i.+ng was applied on the girl once more.