Queen's Blade Rebellion Illustrated Stories: Showdown, chapter 10

In this chapter, Annelotte and Aldra are about to reach their goal...!
Enjoy!

Showdown, chapter 10: Witch

Steering the Netherworld Horse Ambrosius through the thick fog, Annelotte advanced together with Aldra.

“Dear me, didn’t expect this from Madam.”

“Yeah, I was surprised.”

As they rocked on Ambrosius’ back, Aldra continued her conversation with the summoned beasts without a hint of tension.

Gripping Ambrosius a bit tighter, Annelotte thanked her for that. Had she been by herself, she probably couldn’t have stayed that calm.

Liliana’s pirate ship had scattered in all directions before Laila’s fierce attack, and the two people had been thrown out into the sky. Probably, one could say it was fortunate that they could come down to the ground, without being injured by falling into the marshland.

Besides, unlike their comrades who were thrown off earlier, they were close to the Witch’s Castle.

“Why were you surprised?”

Aldra asked the summoned beasts.

“The marshland where Madam’s party fell... uh, it’s one of the most toxic. An ordinary human would have been reduced to bones there and then, or you could even say they’d turn into a demon...”

“Despite that, madam and her younger sister look perfectly safe. Really, we are impressed with our Mistress.”

Annelotte’s body involuntarily trembled after hearing the summoned beasts. They were saying, both of them had been saved by the demon blood flowing inside them...

“Besides, Madam, the air around here somehow feels nostalgic, right?”

“That’s right, it feels like we’re close to our birthplace.”

Suddenly, Ambrosius stopped its pace.

“Who?”

Annelotte held her sword, gazing in front of her.

“I have no intention to do battle with you.”

As the wind dispersed the thick fog, a maid appeared.

“Ah, you...”

Aldra involuntarily called out to the familiar figure.

“It has been a long time. Miss Aldra... I’m here to welcome both of you, as foretold by the oracle my Mistress, the Marshland Witch, received.”

“No, you saved us. Although I’m strong enough to fight a thousand warriors, there’s nothing I can do against undead.”

“You sure talk big for someone who ran from place to place.”

Both Sigui and Izumi had let out a sigh of relief when they had been picked up by Bligh, as it advanced through the marshland.

“What about the strange poses, were they necessary?”

“Wha! D, did you insult the Holy Poses! Thanks to them, the undead couldn’t come close!”

“Ah~, hey hey, don’t you fight now! It was so much trouble to join you!”

Yuit got in between Sigui and Izumi to separate them, since it seemed like they were going to start scuffling at any moment.

“So, where’s big bro?”

“Now that you mention it...”

It seemed like Izumi didn’t understand the situation, due to her fainting after the battle with Liliana. Sigui told them what had happened to them all in an apologetic tone.

“It’s likely that she’s ahead... Shit, this could get dangerous… Vante! Maximum output!”

In response to Yuit’s command, Vante sped up Bligh’s pace.

“Oh? What’s with the hurry? It’s not like those two will die that easily, is it?”

Taking to her mouth the meal Mirim offered her, Izumi looked puzzled.

“Of course not. I know big bro and big bro’s sister will be safe. The problem is, the Marshland Witch can’t be defeated only by those two!”

“What do you mean?”

“If the Marshland Witch is an existence like I’m guessing, unless we seal the gate to the Netherworld that grants her unlimited magical power, we won’t be able to defeat her.”

Sigui sank into silence involuntarily. Often in the Pope’s board, the topic of a contact with the Netherworld had been raised, she wondered if those rumors she had heard about a “gate” were true?

Vapor rose from the rumbling hot spring, and hot water flowed into the huge bathtub.

There were lots of suitable furniture with no ominous atmosphere, and a spa that was gentle on the skin and removed the fatigue from the body.

It was hard to believe at first that this was one section of the Witch’s Castle, yet that’s where Annelotte and Aldra were.

“Here are your clothes...”

Airi’s voice echoed from the other side of the hot bath’s vapor.

Since they were supposed to be clean before meeting the Marshland Witch, without time for Annelotte and Aldra to resist, they had been pushed into the hot spring by Airi.

If Airi had a belligerent attitude, they wouldn’t have followed her obediently like this.

“Just what... is the witch thinking? We’ve come to bring her down.”

“It’s not necessary for you to know what Mistress thinks.”

Airi replied, stuffing into a basket case the summoned beasts, which were going to try and rush into the bathtub.

“As for me, I’m just following orders, according the prediction experienced by Mistress.”

“Prediction? What prediction?”

“Mistress said, “Sisters will reunite at the end of a long exile, and coming under my supervision, they’ll become great resources” “

“G, gimme a break! To say that we’ll become allies of the Marshland Witch!”

In contrast with Annelotte, full of fighting spirit, Aldra had an expression as if she was perplexed.

“What’s wrong?”

“Sorry... it’s nothing... Let’s go.”

Following Annelotte, Aldra stood up in the bathtub. Bubbles of boiling water glittered as they rolled down the top of her body, tracing her soft curves.

“Won’t you need a dress?”

Airi regretfully laid out the dresses she had prepared.

“No, thank you. Because, we’ve come here to fight!”

Annelotte announced to Aiir, putting on her armor.

“I won’t stop you... You’ll realize your own foolishness, and you’ll be truly sorry.”

Smiling broadly, Airi invited the couple to the hall.

“I’ve been expecting you... the sisters of fate, as noted in my prophecy.”

The Marshland Witch stood up slowly, an otherworldly radiance on her back, as a younger voice than expected echoed through the hall.

“Expecting us... what for?”

Annelotte took hold of her sword, glaring at the Marshland Witch.

Annelotte’s eyes reflected an atypical beautiful woman, the figure of a woman more beautiful than anticipated, but with huge horns, jet black wings, and a tail with a sharp tip.

In contrast with Annelotte, who was so highly fired up that she could take up arms at any moment, Aldra’s body stiffened when she saw the witch’s appearance.

“It can’t be... that...”

Aldra wasn’t the only one frightened. As soon as the two summoned beasts, who had been cracking jokes not long ago, saw the witch’s appearance, they hid behind Aldra and observed what was going on.

“You should put your sword away, Princess Knight Annelotte... and prostrate yourself before me like the Summoner Aldra.”

The voice of the Marshland Witch echoed, without her lips moving.

“Annelotte... we... can’t oppose her...”

“What!”

Annelotte raised her voice at the unexpected words from Aldra.

"Such an eager judgment... hm, an eagerness that follows the predictions too... nice, nice."

Talking happily, the Marshland Witch turned her gaze to Annelotte, who hadn’t put her sword away, and after glancing at her, she took hold of a whip from what looked like a tail.

“Princess Knight Annelotte, why art thou trying to bring me down? I didn’t kill anyone myself, the humans died on their own...”

“Don’t try to deceive me... as long as you wish for the world, there will be wars... that’s why!”

Annelotte drew her sword with an air of composure, and tried to cut the Marshland Witch. A downwards swing at the Witch’s head without hesitation would settle everything.

“Don’t! Anne! That person! The Marshland Witch, is our Mother!”

For a moment, Annelotte’s sword arm grew dull at the unexpected words from Aldra.

Not letting that chance slip by, the witch aimed her whip at Annelotte’s wrist, and knocked off the lance-sword Grim Venus.

“Unlike the elder sister, this younger sister may require some training... indeed, this body is your mother’s, the Demon Princess of the Netherworld Werbellia’s....”

Smiling as she made her whip sound, the witch stared at Annelotte.

“Our... Mother...”

Without hiding her surprise, Annelotte grabbed her wrist struck by the whip as she stared at the witch.

The Marshland Witch spoke without moving her lips, her voice coming from the jet black underwear Werbellia wore.

“That means you can’t hurt me, if you don’t want to hurt your mother... if you get it, according to the prophecy, join me. Noble beautiful sisters descended from the Demon King.”

“We refuse... Marshland Witch.”

Annelotte once again picked up the lance-sword lying down on the floor without hesitating, waking up the demonic blood dormant inside her.

“I shall free Mother from your spell! Older sister, please help me out!”

With the figure of the Marshland Witch reflected in her crimson eyes, Annelotte readied her lance-sword and pointed it at the witch.

Sure enough, can the two people bring the witch down, and release their mother?

They won’t know that unless they fight.

-To be concluded-

The witch uses a speech usually reserved for old and/or wise people (kinda like Melona uses now, but more emphasized in the witch's case), and uses "warawa" (an old "I") to refer to herself. Didn't want to get all Shakespearian with the "why art thou", but my hand was forced ^^U.

In the volume version of this chapter, Aldra doesn't reveal yet that it's her mother's body, apparently the witch disarms Annelotte just because she's faster and she wonders if she has to use a curse to get her to obey... so keep that in mind for the next one.

Next chapter: end of the line!