Chapter 2. The Woman in The Habit
Alexia kingdom is a monarchy at the western edge of the continent. Spring occupies most of the year, making it a popular stay for travellers during this comfortable period.
Even though it was just a mid-sized nation, the existence of the Thunder Princess Knight and a powerful knight leader, the invasion of monsters and enemie nations could be restrained. A peaceful country whose main commodity is wool.
"Wait- Onee-chan wait for me!"
"Hah hah… aren"t you bit too fast?"
Children were playing in the castle town. They were racing through gaps between buildings and twisted small alleys. The steps of leather shoes on the cobblestone often brings to mind the presence of children.
"Yeah, I"m first."
The girl arrived at the goal set on the fountain at the plaza. Though she ran a considerable distance from the front of the castle, her breath wasn"t disturbed.
"Ehehehe. I"m first again today."
"Haa, huh… lost again~" "Ah, ah, my side hurts." "First again, huh? Somehow, aren"t you cheating?."
"How rude! It was the result of training of course."
The girl arrogantly decline it with her hand on the waist. The other children looked at her with admiration, joy and sorrow alternating in their heart. They also had doubts if she had cheated or not.
"If you can"t beat me, you can"t become a splendid knight you know? Devote yourself."
"Chiih, still preaching huh?" "Yeah yeah." "Even though her chest is flat. . ."
"Che-chest has nothing to do with it, right!? In addition I"m still in my growth period you know!"
"But yours is smaller compared to my sister"s."
"Jezz, let"s stop talking about it! It"s not like I"m worried about it!"
A lovely voice resounded through the plaza. The adults who walked on the road glanced at them with a pleasant smile, then continued to their workplaces.
And, there was a tall woman approaching them. On her head was a hood like what the girl wore.
"That"s enough."
"Geh, Ire…"
The woman blocks the girl"s mouth with her hand. She moved to the girl"s back at a speed that it was similar to teleportation.
"Unnnnn! Hnnnn!"
"I"m sorry, but I need to talk with this girl. You guys can play with your own."
"Ye, yeah." "Wa, waai~" "Oi, let"s go."
The woman"s sharp sight held a scary gaze, making the children scatter in all directions from there.
"Come here."
"Nnnn, wa-wait, I said wait!"
The two women left behind entered a deserted alley. After confirming there was no one else around her, the woman slowly lowered her hood. It was a cool lady whose face reminded you about the snow flakes when you see it.
Semi long transparent-like silver hair and a smoothly extended nose bridge enhanced her beautiful face. Even though the eyepatch at her right eye gave off a feeling being unapproachable, there is no one that wouldn"t be captivated by her.
Her slender tall body was tightly squeezed through training. Under her thin one piece, there were steel like abdominal muscles pulsating. Only her chest was unbalance with a pair of gigantic melon like breast, fully emphasising her presence.
"It would become troublesome if the most important person of Alexia is doing these things."
She was Alexia kingdom"s knight leader, Irene Valstei. As a woman, she was called the strongest female knight of the times. Running through thousands of battles, she was the first in sword, bow, and arm. Monsters like cyclopses wouldn"t even scare her.
Irene preached with a lifted eyebrow.
"I have said it multiple times, you can"t play with citizens as you like. Though you might be under a lot of stress because of your duty as princess, please restrain yourself."
"Jezz, I already know that. Because I"m serious."
The pouting girl was the princess knight, Serena. She has been sneaking into the castle town and secretly enjoying herself, but it seems that she was caught again this time. Since it was her 20th time sneaking from the royal castle, it was a matter of time.
"If something happens to Serena-sama, there is no excuse for the Queen. Because even though we, the knights, keep monitoring, the enemies who aim for this country will never be gone."
"Do-don"t make such face. I also don"t want to make mother sad."
Serena was overwhelmed by Irene suddenly grasping her shoulders with an expression which was on the verge of breaking down crying. Irene who was called "The Silver Lion" and feared by other countries could only show such expressions to Serena.
Her family has served the royal family for generations. They had also spent their childhood together. Although she can"t speak casually with her even when they became adults, she was as important as family.
With the battle so far, the curse of Durandal should have become stronger. If Serena-sama didn"t take care of herself then. . . .
Irene was one of the people who knew about her secret. She had preached for the sake of lowering the burden of her lord however small.
"Sorry to make you worried. I"ll head back to castle."
"If you do that, it would save me a bit of trouble. My sole existence is to only protect you."
"Thank you, but it"s been a while since I had seen such face from you. To think that you have such cute side, usually you only show your grimace."
"Se-Serena-sama, please don"t tease me."
While smiling to the increasingly fl.u.s.tered knight leader, Serena set off to the castle. It was reasonable for her to be in a nervous state with an absent queen.
"Wait."
At that time, they felt something out of place. They felt magical power that shouldn"t be there. In the castle there were employed magicians, but the reaction was different from any of them.
The guards patrolling around didn"t realize it since it was too delicate, but for the two who fought monsters everyday, it was obviously out of place.
"Don"t tell me, this is…"
"Did Serena-sama feel it too? So do I."
The sign lead to the east side of royal capital. When they kicked off the stone pavement, they left the place like the wind.
"Here right?"
"Yes, Serena-sama."
The place they were arrived at is an old church at the outskirt of the castle town. There were a lot of cracks on the outer wall, the vines were growing until reaching the roof. Because it was planned to be demolished, n.o.body would come here unless they were very curious.
"Well, the amount of power is about the same as an Imp, so it wasn"t that great. The problem is from where it slipped."
"We can"t let it to become a worst case scenario. Should we contact the knight order just in case?"
"What a worrywart. It"s fine, because I have this (・・) with me."
Durandal quietly appeared when Serena put magical power on her left hand. This demon sword also has the power to immediately move to the successor"s hand.
"Let"s quickly settle it and go home."
"Yeah."
Throwing off their robes and getting ready for battle, they entered the church. Serena had thin white armor while Irene had unrefined black armor. The two of them synchronizing their breaths kicked open the porous door. A rusty hinge made an unpleasant sound and mold smelling air gushed out. The sunshine entering from stained gla.s.s dimly illuminated the gloomy indoor. The princess knight went ahead and stepped between the pews.
"Who is the fool one who has sneaked to my country?"
Behind the line of blue-sky like eyes, there was the intruder before the altar. From it"s refined bodyline, they could discern that the intruder was a woman. Her nun habit was full of indecent tears everywhere, giving an abnormally high exposure. Especially the chest fabric, which consisted of an upper half, with the lower half exposing the white skin of the mature big breast freely. Without trying to hide her appearance, the intruder opened her mouth in an agitated state.
"Huhuhu, nice to meet you, Princess Knight Serena. My name is Marietta. Marietta of the "Magic Tools Collector".
The woman gave her name with an erotic smile. The voice that came from her rouge lips was sweet and full of fascination. Like a carnivorous plant that would slowly melt its prey in their stomach.
"There is barrier stretched at the castle walls. How did you sneak in?"
"Barrier…? Ah, since I was helped by a kind gentleman, I didn"t realize. He was very helpful."
A bundle rolled from Marietta"s palm. Sticky and wet with fresh blood, that thing was a human head.
The guard of the eastern gate"s.
". . . You!"
"Oh scary. The princess knight is hot-blooded, huh?"
"Calm down Serena-sama. We need to know the enemy"s aim first."
"You are right… I understand."
Erena calmed Serena who going into rage. In the battlefield, recklessness often lead to death.
But she wasn"t calm enough.
Her hand tightly grasped the handle, strong enough to make her hand hurt and bleeding.
". . . so, you are not just a thief right? It would help if you tell us your goal."
"My goal? That thing in your hand right now."
"Don"t tell me, are you aiming for Durandal?"
"Binggo. Its cloudless blade, and a handle with first cla.s.s gold works. I always wanted to add it to my collection. Aah, what a wonderful thing~♥"
From inside her habit, unordinary magic power boiled up. It was equivalent to a dragon, the pressure was vibrated and created cracks on the stained gla.s.s.
"I have believed that I will always get what I want. Then, without delay—"
"Slow!"
Irene already leaped before Marietta finished her words. In an instant the distance was shortened, with sword in hand, she mowed down Marietta"s body. The soft flesh was cut, scattering fresh blood on the floor.
"Gah! Guhuuuuuu…!"
"Serena-sama, now!"
"The fiend who endangers the people"s lives. Be burned black! Iron hammer of thunder G.o.d!" (TN: should I use mjolnir here?) (EN: No, the weapon"s name is Durandal. You"ll confuse the readers if you use legendary weapons to describe attacks out of the blue.)
"Hyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
When the Durandal shone pale blue, lightning was struck down from the thunder clouds which appeared at the dome. From the body of Marietta, sparks were scattered, the habit was ignited and burned out, becoming a black coal like ruin.
After she confirmed that the enemy was completely dead, Serena finally let out a breath.
"Fiuh, what a let down. That"s some wave magic power that I haven"t see before. I wonder if she was a devil."
"Please be careful, we don"t know if she still has a trump card."
Irene carefully stepped closer to the charcoal sc.r.a.p. Some demons, though it"s rare, have resurrection abilities. They can"t let their guard down just yet. At that time, there was voice from outside the door.
"Just with one hit, I was surprised. As expected of Alexia Kingdom"s strongest princess knight and the knight leader. However, the one who have the upper hand is me."
"Ho-how come!?"
"This is bad, Serena-sama, quickly—"
In an instant, the entire church wriggled like worms in a digestive organ, on the floor, the pit to their h.e.l.l was opened and swallowed the two of them.
Leaving Durandal and a sharpened white sword rolling on the floor, with a dull sound.