Enjoy!
“You might not know, but this place was once a lush green paradise.”
“The desert!?”
She couldn’t begin to picture Menace’s paradise, not after seeing that barren dust bowl left behind.
“...What made it a desert was conflict between humans. No doubt it was the curse of our Amara dynasty...”
Menace sadly cast down her eyes.
The neighboring country Sadler - which destroyed the Amara dynasty - probably hadn’t been aware... but the royalty had laid a curse upon the land they ruled.
The Amara royal domain had been swallowed up by the sand mere decades after her death. The curse of the royal family with control over the earth itself was a part of the Amara Kingdom’s authority.
“Did you see the Nubias? They’re a result of a curse too. The curse that soaked into the very earth itself after thousands of years have passed took on a creature’s shape in response to my words.”
The princess sounded proud of that fact.
It was Setra who had told her: “With the Cursing Power you have now, Milady, you should be able to use those guys.” And indeed, just as he said, she had been able to summon about a dozen Nubias.
If she had had that power back in her time, the Kingdom of Amara would have never fallen.
“If you have so much power, why do you need me?”
“For the sake of winning Queen’s Blade... that’s the reason.”
War has changed between Menace’s time and the modern day. In order to rule the land, massive battles involving everyone in a territory no longer existed; now those who won over the people’s minds would become rulers.
“Doesn’t Queen’s Blade say only women can participate in the battles? Setra and Nubia might be strong, but they possess a man’s appearance, they can’t ever participate.”
Menace’s fingertip brushed along Leina’s spine.
“Auh!”
The subtle stimuli forced a moan out of the blonde’s lips.
“I must win the Queen’s Blade, and lead the people of Amara as their Queen.”
Her majestic voice roused Leina despite herself.
“For that, you will be my vassal, the female warrior I need to defeat my enemies. It’s for the sake of our Amara dynasty.”
It wasn’t hard to imagine what Menace was getting at.
“Sorry, but I can’t become your vassal.”
Leina refused Menace’s offer before the woman could delve into details.
“You really won’t?”
“There’s no way I’ll become a vassal of someone who kidnaps people from the villages and forces them bend to her will!”
“I see... it is a pity~”
Menace’s finger reached Leina’s tailbone.
“W-What?”
“You can’t become my vassal because you’re the Exiled Warrior Leina... so...”
A black aura rose from Menace’s fingertip. Leina felt as though lumps of ice were flowing into her body, and froze in fear.
With her limbs restrained as she was, there was no escape. She could only take it all.
“Now, you’ll be the Guardian of Amara... my warrior.”
Along with Menace’s voice, something cold and numbing crawled up her spine from her tailbone.
The horrible feeling once again made Leina’s consciousness go out like a light.
***
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Lady Menace.”
By the time Sitaara and Nubia returned to the massage room, Leina had lost consciousness again.
“She fainted again. Maybe she’s unexpectedly weak?”
Menace tilted her head to one side.
Menace knew they just fought, but it's boring if she keeps fainting.
“I wanted to enjoy talking with her for a bit longer.”
Pouting in dissatisfaction, Menace removed her finger from Leina’s tailbone.
Setra and Nubia had only brought men to the Khan Oasis (including Sitaara); she had no other women to talk to.
“Lady Menace, Lady Leina isn’t weak at all.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. From what I could tell by touch, Lady Leina must have been born in a rural area, a cool place that's easy to get around. For someone such as her, this desert is a harsh land. Perhaps just getting here drained her strength...”
“Oh, she must have gone through a lot.”
Menace nodded at the masseur’s words. Taking the modern people at their word seemed to be a trendy thing to do.
“Now, Lady Menace. I would like to do Lady Leina’s makeup...”
“I understand... huh?”
The princess’ gaze was caught by the blue and white striped underwear brought by Nubia.
“Master Setra was very insistent.”
Nubia’s answer was short and to the point.
“It’s not a bad idea to wear matching underwear to show the master-servant relationship. Yes, as expected of Setra, it’s a great decision.”
Menace took the underwear from Nubia’s hands, and gently placed them besides Leina’s bed.
“As you clean the sand from Leina’s body, please dye her hair as well. It seems it has gotten damaged by sunburn.”
“Yes, Lady Menace.”
Sitaara nodded while painting Leina’s body carefully with brown oil.
***
No comments:
Post a Comment