Queen's Blade Unlimited Story: Chapter 3-1(b)

For this week's news, apparently Firelight Company is announcing a new QB book shortly? Ballsy of them to have it for preorder with no kind of information available anywhere tho...

Btw, in my search, found this review of the QB 15th anniversary expo from a few months ago, so nice~

Anywho, back to Elina and co, what are they up to anyways?

Enjoy!




Chapter 3: Beautiful Fighters, Vanquished (Part 1)

The Port Town of Boundary Island

Boundary Island, a remote island found directly between the Hinomoto and Continent land masses, also known as the closest Hinomoto-owned territory to the Continent.

It’d been around a week since the group last parted ways with Tomoe at Hinomoto’s port and upon finally reaching the island’s port city, they found it to be as bustling a place as one would come to expect from a trade stop for merchants.
“Lady Elinaaaa, could you please grant me that essence you promised now?”
Airi needily requested of Elina the moment they were off the ship. Looking at her closely, anyone could tell her clothes were in the midst of becoming more see-through by the second.
The wraith’s outfit being immaterial, it had a tendency of disappearing like this whenever its wearer ran short on essence. Once they were gone, Airi would be next.

Unfortunately for her, Elina had been suffering from seasickness from the moment they got on the boat, as such, it’d been days since she last got anything.
“J-Just give me... a little more time.”
The blonde answered, shakily grabbing some luggage to sit on. Onboard the ship or not, Elina still felt more than a bit weak in the knees.
“Besides, this street is far too busy, we can’t just kiss here.”
“A-ah, but it’d be fine if it were somewhere less busy, right?”
Airi quickly glanced around at their surroundings.
The tiles used for the pier’s rooftops, constructed with sturdiness in mind for stormy weather, helped remind her they were still in Hinomoto territory. She spotted several workers entering and exiting the pier, unloading the boat, along with numerous passengers wandering around, making for a big enough crowd already... add that to the numerous peddlers looking to do business with either group and finding a secluded enough space nearby seemed less than likely.
“Yeah. The moment I get some rest at the inn, we can do it then.”
Elina placed a finger to her lips.

“Right! Then allow me to secure us an inn.”
And with a bow, the maid hurried off into the crowd. When it came to travel preparations and so on, Elina had the utmost trust in Airi’s abilities. Honestly, her devotion to whatever task given to her was so impressive Elina often forgot she’d made her a slave via the Queen’s Blade.
“You think she’ll be alright? All alone right now?”
Still holding on tightly to the bag of goodies they’d received during their stay in Hinomoto, Michel shot an anxious look in the direction Airi had gone off to.

“I doubt there’s any reason to fret. She’s much stronger than any thug or third rate beautiful warrior, you know that.”
“But, she said she was low on essence, didn’t she? She’s been acting a little strange...”
“Airi will be Airi, she knows full well the quicker she gets the task done, the sooner she’ll receive her prize. Knowing what motivates a servant to work hard is also a ruler’s duty.”
Elina’s smile showed no signs of worry whatsoever.

They’d been on this small detour for a little more than half a month now and since then they’d: cured the Hinomoto emperor’s illness with Tomoe (using Michel’s flute), scoured Hinomoto for clues to Maramaks and participated in several amazing adventures... like the time they took part in a battle between the Warrior Priestess and the Kouma Ninja Corps at the foot of the Hinomoto Mountains.

And now that they were getting closer to home, all Elina’s mind wanted to do was relax.
“I wonder what we should do once we get back?”
“Shouldn't we be heading for Maramaks?”
“And how do you propose we get there?”
They’d made no progress whatsoever on that front, a thought Elina found extremely irritating.
“Well, we’re just about due for a break in any event, we’ll just have to figure things out then.”
The blonde turned her attention to the stalls lined up by the edge of the wharf and sighed.

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