That night, the light in Tia's office was still on.
A few people sat around the circular table, which was cluttered with various documents and empty teacups. Smoke curled lazily from Tia's pipe, forming a sluggish, gray-purple cloud beneath the ceiling.
Louis leaned against the window with his arms crossed and his eyes half-closed, looking as though he were resting his mind or deep in thought.
Fema sat backward on her chair, resting her chin on the backrest while her legs swung on either side of the seat.
They had just finished a passionate discussion and had ultimately reached a mutual conclusion.
This Esper was definitely an impostor sent by Beatrice.
This entire thing was Beatrice's conspiracy.
Although Louis and Tia felt this theory was rather far-fetched, they had no other ideas to refute it for the time being.
So, they left it at that.
“So, that white-haired old fox is definitely playing a long game.”
Sera pushed up the glasses on the bridge of her nose.
“She deliberately arranged for a girl who looks exactly like Lonia to get close to the Saintess, and then had the Church of Radiance declare her as the Hero. The sole purpose of all this is to spite Her Majesty.”
“Is Beatrice really that free? Going through all this trouble just to spite Rafina?”
Louis opened his eyes, his voice carrying the exhaustion of someone who had worked too much overtime and lost all faith in the world.
“Of course she's free. She's an old hag who has lived for over a thousand years. How else would she pass the time without some hobbies? And her hobby just happens to be torturing others.”
Fema snorted disdainfully.
“...You actually make a lot of sense.”
Ellie fell silent for a moment, then slapped the table.
“So what do we do now?!”
Silence fell over the room once more as everyone exchanged glances.
Tia took the pipe out of her mouth and spun it around her fingertips a couple of times.
“I can contact my informants on humanity's side to conduct a more detailed investigation.”
“...I'll leave that part to you. But what should we do right now?”
Louis asked, feeling a headache coming on.
“Should we secretly kidnap Esper and interrogate her for the truth?”
Fema raised her hand.
“She is currently inseparable from the Saintess, who is radiating holy light. Aside from Fema, who is a Flame Demon and relatively less affected by it, wouldn't any of us be severely injured just by touching her?”
Louis said, his head throbbing even more.
“Moreover, even if Fema could get close to her, she is no match for a Rank Seven Hero. Besides, Fema would definitely mess things up first.”
“Hey!”
“So we're just going to let Rafina carry on like this?”
Ellie's voice suddenly softened, her fingers tracing mindless circles on the tabletop.
“That is Her Majesty's private matter. What can we even do?”
Louis said, thoroughly vexed.
Tia put the pipe back in her mouth, took a puff, and stood up.
“We can at least handle Her Majesty's mood, right? Ellie, Sera, the two of you go.”
“Huh?!”
“Little sister Ellie, you are Her Majesty's personal maid. You spend the most time with her, and your personality is the most cheerful, making you perfect for brightening the mood.
“Little sister Sera, you are inseparable from Ellie, and you know Her Majesty's work habits inside out. With your calm demeanor, you can step in if Ellie says something wrong. Am I right?”
“What about you then...”
“Your big sister has to go chat with her informant~ As for Louis and Fema... do they look like the type of people who know how to comfort someone?”
“Hey.”
“Hey!”
Ellie and Sera exchanged a look, then sighed in unison.
“Fine, we'll go.”
Ellie and Sera knocked on Rafina's door the following evening.
It was already dark outside, and only a few phosphorus lights burned quietly in the corridor. The two of them had already agreed on their division of labor: Ellie would act cute to liven up the atmosphere, while Sera would calmly guide the conversation.
Holding Sera's hand, Ellie took small steps toward Rafina's office. As they passed the kitchen, she thought about it for a moment and decided to brew another pot of tea.
The emerald tea leaves were from a newly harvested batch that had been perfectly dried. If processed correctly at the right temperature and with the proper steeping time, they would release a surprisingly delicate fragrance.
But she had zoned out.
She had put in too many tea leaves and steeped them for far too long. By the time she snapped out of it, the tea had turned from a light green to a dark brown, looking too bitter to drink.
Ellie stared at the ruined pot of tea for a few seconds.
“...Whatever. Sera, hold this for me.”
“Sister, it's already bitter. Why are we still taking it?”
“Don't you know? Doing something silly on purpose actually makes it easier to make people laugh.”
“You don't need to do it on purpose, Sister. You're already naturally clumsy.”
Sera picked up the teacup as she spoke.
“Hmph, I'm not going to argue with you.”
Ellie muttered as she walked out.
After walking down the corridor, she knocked on the office door.
“Ah, it's you two. Come in.”
They pushed the door open.
“Your Majesty, we brought some tea. Though it's a bit bitter. Actually, no, it's extremely bitter. Sera brewed it. Anyway, if you don't mind, please have a taste, haha.”
“Sister brewed it.”
“Hey?!”
Ellie was about to banter when she caught sight of Rafina's expression.
Rafina's expression was a smile that perfectly suited the grace of a “Demon King,” just as she had shown them over the past few years.
Dignified, gentle, and flawless.
With her very first step into the room, Ellie almost turned around and bolted.
This was simply too terrifying!
Forcing herself to stay put, she set the tea tray on the desk and began chattering about the castle's daily trivia in her usual cheerful tone.
Like how a certain lord from the Succubus Court skipped work again today, and was still talking back even after being dragged back by his mother.
Or how the new kitchen apprentice mistook salt for sugar and baked a batch of salty cakes, but Fema actually said they tasted pretty good after taking a bite.
She told each anecdote with utmost dedication, using her signature lighthearted, playful tone.
Rafina listened, occasionally nodding or offering a soft hum. The smile remained fixed on her face, like a butterfly specimen pinned inside a picture frame.
Ellie's voice gradually quieted down.
Silence reclaimed the room. The blue-purple glow of the phosphorus lights flowed slowly across the walls, casting long shadows of the three of them.
Then, Sera spoke up.
“Your Majesty, we were just thinking that perhaps you need someone to talk to.”
Rafina's smile faded slightly, and she lowered her eyes.
“...I am fine. Just a little tired lately.”
She stood up, walked to the window, and turned her back to them. Her long silver hair shimmered coldly under the phosphorus light.
“Your Majesty, if I may speak frankly.”
Sera took a step forward.
“During the conference, you met the Hero, Esper, didn't you?”
Rafina's back stiffened slightly.
Sera took a deep breath, deciding to bring up the theory that the Court Heads had discussed at length and agreed was the best entry point.
“Your Majesty, I have a theory. That Esper might not be the real Lo—”
“That is impossible.”
There was no hesitation in Rafina's voice.
She still had her back turned to them, but her shoulders were trembling slightly.
“That is her hairpin. She chose it herself, and she has always worn it. And her expressions, the way she looks when she's angry, the way she looks at me... None of those things could possibly be imitated.”
“But the Saintess is constantly by her side, and she doesn't seem affected by the holy light at all...”
“Perhaps the Holy Sword helped bridge the connection, or maybe it's some other technique. None of that matters.”
Rafina said.
“The point is, it is her. It is not an impostor. Absolutely not.
“It is not Beatrice's conspiracy, nor is it some fake. That is Nia herself. That is my Lonia.”
Her voice finally broke on those last few words.
“So it is not that someone deceived her... She truly hates me.”
She turned around. Tears finally burst from her eyes, sliding down her cheeks under the glow of the phosphorus lights and falling into the folds of her skirt.
“How is this possible... This must be an illusion... How could Nia hate me... She was so good to me... She said I was her most important friend... She even gave me her hairpin... We were the absolute best of friends...”
Her voice trembled like a violin string stretched to its absolute limit.
Ellie and Sera fell silent in unison.
“How could she hate me so much... I did make a mistake... but I like her so much... I spent so much time and effort searching for her... I just wanted her to come back... I wanted to tell her I'm sorry... I wanted to tell her that I didn't mean to ignore her explanation back then...”
She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, but fresh ones welled up immediately.
“But when I met her... I didn't say anything... I only told her I missed her... I didn't apologize... I didn't even ask how she was doing... I didn't say a single thing...
“I clearly should have said it... I wanted to say it... but I didn't consider her feelings at all... Not at all...”
“Your Majesty...”
“It is only natural that she hates me... It is my fault... But how could she say she hates me... How could she say she hates me...”
Rafina's voice finally shattered completely.
“Sera... Ellie... She hates me... She's not coming back... I've truly lost her...”
Ellie and Sera said nothing. They simply walked over, one on each side, and gently embraced her.
“...I don't want this... I don't want it to end like this...”
Rate on N.U.
