In the World of Midgar 45 — The Flugel Country Gjallarhorn (19)

꒰ঌ The Flugel Country Gjallarhorn 19

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We'd just barely managed to prevent a clash between the white and black towns. However, the situation itself was unfortunately a far cry from being resolved.

It was true that we had avoided open conflict, but we hadn't solved the underlying problem of their hatred for one another. In fact, their relationship had actually gotten worse now that it was known that the people of the white town were voluntarily assembling a militia to kill the people of the black town, even if they had been tempted by the grimmfolk. And there was nothing we could do about it.

This country's queen was Hinata. So as long as she did not gracefully hold the two sides together, there would probably always be a chance of civil war.

Well, I'm saying that with a smug expression like it's someone else's problem, but it doesn't look like the world's gonna let us pretend like this has nothing to do with us now. We reaped what we sowed, though. I was the one who'd ordered Penny and Minako to do all this, so of course I didn't regret it, but the look Hinata was giving was really harsh.

I was still hiding in the shadows and watching events unfold, but Hinata's gaze bored into Penny.

Well, of course she'd be suspicious if a golem that was said to have been destroyed just appeared out of nowhere. On top of that, golems could only be repaired through an Alchemist's skill, so there were a very limited number of people who could have repaired Penny.

An Alchemist who could go all the way to the top floor of the difficult-to-conquer (in this day and age) Black Emperor's grave, repair Penny and bring her outside, and on top of all that spread false information about her being destroyed? Well, that could only have been either me or Juvia.

And as for people who would actually have done it… Yeah, it'd just be me.

Well, Minako was the one who actually spread the fake info. That was probably how she started suspecting my presence, at any rate.

"Umm, golem… Err, Miss TY-PHON, was it?"

"No, I am Divine Arsenal AA — Zeus Sky Thunder."

"… Y-yes, either way is fine. Can I have you accompany me back to the castle? Of course, your companions are also welcome to come with you."

Hinata's strong wording wouldn't allow her to say no.

But in response Penny replied smoothly and without even a hint of change in her expression. "I refuse. You do not hold the authority to give me orders."

"P-please don't say that. It'd make me really happy if you were to come." As soon as Penny came out strong in the conversation, Hinata weakly retreated.

Hey, queen. You fold real quick, don't you?

As things were, Penny would just continue to say no unless I gave her the order, and Hinata couldn't come out boldly enough to force her to… Oh well, I guess I have to go.

After I'd made up my mind, I put on my robe (Cross-dressing? Ahh, I already gave up on that… ) and showed myself in front of Hinata and the others.

"Now, wait. The queen took the trouble of inviting us. Why don't we accept?"

"If you say so, master, I have no objections."

As soon as I said so, Penny easily agreed to go to the castle and quickly stood diagonally behind me like that was her established position. Minako and Fiona both jogged over to my side as if saying that this was all of us.

Technically, Tayuya was also hiding in my shadow, but there was no reason to tell Hinata that.

"Thank you… Well then, let us go. There's a lot to talk about."

Although I knew she was putting up an act in front of her people, I couldn't feel any sort of majesty or presence you would expect from a queen looking at Hinata as she walked in front of us.

I had still felt some of that from Juvia, though. Just what had happened to Hinata?

It was bad enough that Fiona even whispered to me, "Is that person really Ootsutsuki Hinata ?" That was just how un-queenly she was.

I just couldn't feel any sort of confidence from her.

How was she in the game? The Hinata I knew was… always calm, and she was always the one to hold the group back from bad ideas.

She would never strongly assert herself or her opinions. However, she didn't just go with the flow. Whenever people clashed, she would mediate between them and gently remind everyone of their strengths and weaknesses.

It was the same in battle. She was never the type to go out in front and win glory herself. The flugels as a race were suited for battle, but they were also well-suited for back-line roles like the Acolyte class. So there were two types of flugel builds — one that fought in front while buffing themselves and one that was completely specialized for back-line support.

Hinata was the latter. She would never have the spotlight or solo a fight. However, Hinata's presence would drastically raise or lower the difficulty of a battle. She would always send support precisely when you most needed it. I suppose you could say that she could read the situation?

Mysteriously enough, the support you wanted always came flying to you before you even messaged her for it. She was that kind of woman. So I always thought that she was an amazing person. I always thought her to be the kind of girl who could control a room and always knew what the other person wanted.

… Was I overestimating her? Instead of being able to step back and see things from a wider perspective, it was that she couldn't go forward. She wasn't reserved, she just had no confidence. She seemed calm, but in actuality she just had no autonomy. She wasn't reading the situation, she was just thinking of what she couldn't do.

Is that how it was? Did I just assume that she was really amazing and build up a mistaken mental image of her? If that's the case, this is bad.

I was only ever a ruler in a game, so I didn't know anything about how hard it was. In other words, I was a novice. Even if I am Ouzelia Lucifen, I'm just a normal fifteen years old girl inside. But even I knew that a ruler with no confidence was bad.

Not to mention, having a ruler who wouldn't assert herself really wasn't good in a situation where a fuse was already lit. A ruler that could use her authority to calm both sides down, even if she did it a little forcefully, was needed here.

… This country really is going to destroy itself even without the grimmfolk's help.

That kind of makes me mad.

And you still call yourself the woman who beat Us (me)?

"Now, please sit."

Hinata led us to what seemed to be her private room and poured out enough tea for everyone.

I'd only ever experienced the types of tea that came in cans or plastic bottles, but I could still tell that the tea she poured for us was quite good just from the smell. As expected of a queen. She drinks some good stuff.

"This is tea made with leaves imported from Draupnir. I'm sure this will meet your tastes."

Another country I don't know.

I drank a mouthful of the tea and glanced over at Minako, who was sitting next to me. She must have anticipated what I wanted to ask as she whispered to me, "That's the country of beastmen that the late Blake Belladonna founded. The agricultural products produced there are all famous for being of high quality."

"Oh?"

So there's: the country of scholars, Svel; the industrial country, Blutgang; and the agricultural country, Draupnir. I see.

Seems like each country is flourishing in at least one aspect or another.

"And what about this country?"

"They use the talents of their Monster Tamers, so their main source of income is livestock and dairy. They do, however, refuse to export poultry."

"Well, of course, since we basically bird with human body."

There should be no need to mention that the flugels were people with wings. Their origin wasn't mentioned officially at all, but the most convincing theory was that they were 'descendants of angels.'

However, there was another theory that they were simply 'birds transformed by mana.' In other words, the flugels's ancestors weren't angels or anything of the sort. It was a horrible theory that posited that they came from pigeons, pelicans, cranes, or something like that. More specifically, they were beastmen of the avian variety. There was also a group of people who thought they were born because of those birds mating with humans.

Of course, the truth of that was utterly unproven, and personally, I'd expect a larger variety in wing colors if that were true. There was no way luck would have it that only white birds mixed with humans or something.

However, if that were true, then it would make sense that they wouldn't export poultry. It would be unforgivable to keep one's predecessors as livestock to sell.

"Now then… This should be enough. Will you please take off your hood and let me have a look at your face?"

"All right."

There was no one else around, so there would be no problems revealing my face here. I did as requested and removed my hood, revealing my face.

As soon as I did, Hinata made an expression like she was about to cry. Her face betrayed some complicated emotion which I couldn't tell was happy or sad as she hung her head.

"It really was you… Lucy. How nostalgic. So you were alive."

Seeing her reaction, I felt a slight sense of disappointment. I'd expected it, but… She really isn't a player. She'd lived in this world from the very start, a true citizen of this place. She's not a hybrid like me.

"You certainly have changed a lot. You've gotten quite weak in the short time We have been away."

"Is that how I seem?"

Hinata took my statement, which could have been construed as an insult, without argument, laughing weakly. She had on a truly pitiful smile, as if she could break at any second.

"You're wrong… You're wrong, Lucy. I've always been weak. I'm not fit to be a queen."

Hinata gripped her hair tightly as she wallowed in self-derision. She looked nothing like a hero called the White Empress, holding her head like that. She was nothing more than a beaten-down young woman.

"You were still around back then. And so were Erza and Jenny. Everyone stood in front of me. I was just walking behind all of you."

She must have been really tired, given how she was talking. Her 'queen' mask was completely torn off, and the way she seemed now drove me all the way to pity.

This was probably how she was originally. Weak-willed and unable to assert herself, she was a timid girl who had changed to match her surroundings. The way she looked just a little bit ago was just a facade she was desperately trying to keep up.

And I suppose all that was completely peeled away after meeting an old acquaintance like me. Although I'm not the same Lucifen she knew, either.

"I-is she going to be all right? It kind of feels like if we leave her alone stress will open up a hole in her stomach, and she'll die…" Minako asked, sounding exasperated.

But even I just learned that Hinata was like that. "Hm… This is also the first We've heard about this woman being so faint-hearted."

Was she always this fragile?

Juvia was also pretty run-down, but Hinata here was an entirely different beast. Juvia actually desired abuse and disdain. But looking at it another way, that just meant that she was well-liked enough that she was starved for that sort of thing. Basically, Juvia led her country well in the end and was well-liked because of it.

However, if Hinata were to try the same thing, I felt like she'd probably die from stress.

… Oh no. The Seven Maidens of Midgar are all really annoying.

"I should never have become queen… Sob. You should have stayed in power. Ahh, why did we oppose you one thousand years ago…? Sob. I should have died… We shouldn't have won back then…"

While she had been left to her own devices, Hinata had started to cry and spiral into some sort of depression, and she was muttering some worthless crap.

This one's no good… If things keep going she actually might just kill herself.

Oh well. This is close to shock therapy, but I guess I should say something. I'm not too big a fan of lectures, and I'm not good at them, either. But if Hinata doesn't shape up, then this country's really in danger.

I got up and walked next to the sobbing Hinata. Then, I slapped her across the face, causing her to fall over onto the floor.

She could have been in real danger if she fell wrong, but her HP was over 50,000, so an attack of that level shouldn't have hurt her.

It's a really convenient thing to think in times like these, but all hail fantasy worlds.

"You fool! You've been spouting some awfully selfish things just now. Do you mean to imply that We are a buffoon who was defeated by mistake?"

I'm not the Lucifen she knows. But if those lines I barfed out (well, typed out) back then were the same as this world's Lucifen's last words, she definitely did not regret losing.

But the winning side was regretting winning, even going so far as to say they should never have won. Lucifen would have been turning in her grave, and I didn't like it, either. If the winning side was like that, then the losing side had no ground to stand on. I can't help but wonder. Like, hey, are we buffoons who were defeated by mistake?

So I grabbed Hinata by the lapels, forcefully standing her up with one hand.

"Be proud. Stand tall. You are the woman who won against Ouzelia Lucifen. We will not allow you to continue acting so unsightly."

That's right. There's no way I can allow that. If the winners are this pathetic, then Lucifen's defeat will be wasted.

Hinata, with me holding her up, stood dumbfounded for a while. But eventually, her beautiful face warped, and she leaked more tears from both her eyes.

"… I'm just no match for you, am I? You never change… one thousand years ago — and even now — you're just overflowing with confidence."

"We have changed a little, though."

I let go of Hinata and returned her to her seat. I'd said something high-and-mighty, which was unlike me, but I didn't regret what I said. Still, I felt embarrassed after talking so big.

We can't stay here for much longer anyway, so let's hurry up and leave.

"This is your country. We cannot help you any more than this, nor will We give you advice. Show us you can take care of the rest — White Empress."

I quickly turned my back to her, and Minako and the others followed after me.

I had nothing more to say or do.

Even though we resolved this incident, Hinata was the queen. So as long as Hinata herself couldn't be self-confident, the past would only repeat itself.

"You defeated us. So show that you were great enough to do that. Do not make us into a fool."

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