Epilogue: New Departure
The peaceful forest was wrapped in fresh green and singing.
Small birds danced in the treetops, the sunshine filtering through the leaves shook gently, promising a golden holiday.
It was almost impossible now to catch a glimpse of evidence of the forest having been overrun by wraiths and being driven to the point of death.
Only the sound of one part of the side road and the air corridor being reconstructed told of the remnants of the battle.
“On behalf of the forest elves, we extend our thanks to sir Fiotiel Shelagleed and his partner Miss Leina.”
Mother Elder slowly kneeled in front of them, before the elders—the full set of the forest’s leaders—sitting in a row in the assembly hall.
“And, this is for you, sir Fio.”
She handed a small silver bottle to the boy. The bottle, with delicate sculptures easy enough to identify at a glance as belonging to the elven tribe, was packed with a colorless, transparent liquid with the scent of weeds.
“This should have been able to undo the curse you suffered for us, but unfortunately we do not have the ability to dispel it. We can only mitigate the pain.”
Mother Elder stared firmly at the woman besides the boy.
“You can’t touch this elixir, the Soul Drop, with your hands. Hands come into contact with a variety of evils. If you don’t prevent evil from touching this Drop, its effects will be lost immediately.”
“If using my hands is not allowed, do I just drop it on the affected area?”
“No, after putting a small amount on your body, you rub it against the affected area. With your body, it will be easy for you.”
Noticing that the elder was looking at her breasts, Leina blushed.
[In other words: I put it on my breasts and rub him with them.]
“Do not be ashamed, it has a true curative effect.”
Perhaps guessing what was going through her mind, the elder emphasized that, and bowed again.
“Please raise your face.”
The elf did so, following the boy’s wishes.
“The person you should really thank doesn’t seem to be here.”
The councilors frowned at Leina’s words.
It was an unusual event for the Mother Elder—she who stood at the top of the council—to bow before a mere human. If Leina hadn’t been Fio’s pair, they would have asked her to leave and not allow her to stay in the tree city, like in Nowa’s case.
“This occasion is only to convey our gratitude to you two, there’s no need to call the half breed.”
Mother Elder cleared their doubts, not meeting Leina’s gaze.
“Are you serious?”
It was Fio’s turn to frown this time.
The only reason they were there in the first place was because Nowa had brought them. If it hadn’t been for her, the elven forest would still be dominated by wraiths, and half the councilors would have lost their lives by now.
And yet, the councilors stubbornly refused to admit it. Rather than thanking the girl who had contributed the most to their victory, as soon as the battle ended they had relegated her to the periphery of the forest—away from the tree city, as before.
“That’s how we have lived. That won’t change, even now.”
Mother Elder quietly cast down her eyes.
“There’s no point in staying any longer. Let’s go, Leina.”
The dancer took the warrior’s hand, and started walking towards the exit of the assembly hall.
“Ah, one last thing.”
“And what is it, sir Fio?”
“Don’t forget that it was your own narrow way of thinking which brought about this disaster. Unless you change your ways…”
For a beat, he glanced at the rulers of the forest—with Mother Elder at the summit—with cold eyes devoid of emotions, so as to punctuate his words.
“There won’t be a next time.”
The boy muttered in the coldest tone he could muster, and left the building.
***
Leina couldn’t help getting goosebumps up her spine when she saw Fio’s eyes and tone back then. Contary to his usual manner, his cool-headed, tense expression made him seem more like a fearless teenager than a mere girl.
“Say, Fio?”
“Hm?”
“Seems you got quite angry.”
The blonde called out to the boy walking along the side road with big steps.
“You couldn’t stomach that either, could you, Leina?”
Fio asked back, not changing his stride.
“You could say so.”
Certainly, Nowa’s treatment by the elves was rather irritating, but the forest elves had their own rules. It might look strange from a human’s point of view, but they might have their reasons.
“Still, we were able to fulfill our promise with Nowa and save the forest, so all is fine, isn’t it?”
The heiress added cheerily, to try and brighten up his mood.
“It’s not like we were expecting any gratitude or reward in the first place. What matters is doing the right thing, and being satisfied at a job well done.”
“Yeah… thanks. I feel better now.”
He smiled at her, making his skirt flutter.
“By the way, Fio?”
“What?”
[Your memories didn’t return, did they?]
The words died in her throat.
“Isn’t it about time you stopped dressing as a girl?”
“Eh?”
“Well, how do I put this, I’d like to see you in other clothes, like a nicely-dressed boy.”
She looked away to try and play it cool. If he had gotten back his memories or not, it wasn’t something that concerned her.
Considering the change in the Sword of the Unicorn, it wasn’t that far-fetched to think that it had some connection with his new tough expression.
“Hahaan… finally fallen for me?”
“Wha!?”
“At long last, you noticed your ideal man was right beside you~… auh!”
Hearing him getting carried away, she let out a chop on his head.
“That hurts~”
“I didn’t mean it that way at all. Sheesh.”
She pursed her lips and hurried on ahead, overtaking him.
“If you were honest…~”
The boy followed, stroking his head.
“I’m always honest.”
After getting off the huge tree, Leina stopped in her tracks.
“We are grateful to our saviors!”
Alleyne—who had been waiting for the two of them—and the warriors following her held their swords in front of their chest.
Displaying one’s sword was a ceremony to follow when seeing off important guests.
Alleyne stood before them in a dignified manner, with the warriors lined up side by side behind her.
“We apologize for having caused you trouble on account of our cowardice.”
The captain bowed deeply. The others followed suit, bowing right away.
“Yeah, yeah, why are you exaggerating now?”
With a wry smile, he stood before her.
“There was something I absolutely had to tell you, so excuse our impoliteness for staying here waiting.”
Alleyne leaned over to him.
“Eh?”
Her cleavage approached his eyes. Remembering the feeling of her soft bulges back when she had treated him, he bent forward involuntarily.
“Ehem!”
Leina cleared her throat, sending a telling glare at him.
“Ah, no, this is…”
“ ‘I’ll be waiting at Fiend Island’. This is a message from the one who cursed you, Fio.”
“Fiend Island…”
Having found a new destination, Leina’s face lit up.
“By all rights, we should be accompanying you, to repay you for this debt.”
Alleyne looked up at the tree city, irritation showing on her beautiful face.
“Say no more, we understand.”
Imagining how the situation must have played out, the blonde smiled at the elf. It was easy to figure out that the council had limited their movements.
“Thanks. We’re going to Fiend Island.”
“Tell Nowa not to worry about us.”
The boy added, and started walking, leaving the forest behind.
Leina did a bow of her own and followed him, with the warriors seeing them off.
***
Lou was screaming violently, asking if they didn’t have to see them off.
“I want to see them off… I really do, but…”
She firmly grasped her rod.
[I don’t just want to see them off. If I’m honest with myself, I want to go with them to this Fiend Island. I’m responsible for Fio being cursed.
However, I have a role to fulfill. Even if it isn’t what I was expecting, it’s an important role given to me by the council of forest elves.]
She calmly took in a deep breath, and started singing with a voice that she hoped would reach far:
“In this world, there may be many amazing, legendary blades
Yet there’s but one that matters above all else
And that’s the one the Queen holds
There may be many named weapons
Yet there’s but one that matters to a master
And that’s the master’s own skills”
That was the song Fio had once sung in the Khan Oasis, which Nowa had danced to.
Her singing voice was clear, by no means inferior to that of Fio’s.
Maybe Fio and Leina heard her after all, for they stopped for a while, looking for her.
“Masters of the world, aim for the Queen’s Throne
She who is fit to become Queen, there’s but one
The Queen of the Blade is the Queen of the World
Dance beautifully, grip your blade
Dance beautifully, risk your life
Dance beautifully, in the field of battle.”
At the same time she finished singing, Fio raised his right hand high, as if he had seen her.
[It must be a coincidence. From the place he is at, he shouldn’t be able to see me, on top of a tree.]
“I’ll repay this debt in Queen’s Blade. That’s why… come back safely.”
Nowa whispered to the two who walked towards the other side of the forest, and kept singing until they left her sight.
***
Beyond the stormy, rough sea, a small light was lit on a faraway, solitary island in the distant seas.
As if it acted as a signal, pale flames sprang out everywhere through the island.
A cold shine which bore no trace of heat was something that belonged in this otherworldly area.
Not even pirates laying waste to the north sea or experienced fishermen dared approach this island.
The island’s name was: Fiend Island. It was an abominable place, rumored to be the castle ruins of those who had rebelled against the gods and their ancestors, back in the age of gods.
In one of the temples, having long become abandoned and fallen into ruin, a magic circle emerged.
“Oof, here we go.”
From the other side of the magic circle, a girl in a maid dress with a pretty basket came out, her red hair hanging on both sides swaying. Holding down the hem of her skirt—which gently whirled up—, she landed elegantly on the stone pavement.
Or rather, she didn’t exactly *land*: a blue light shimmering from the girl’s ankles kept her up in the air.
“Melona, I brought a lunch box.”
“Thanks, I’ve been waiting!”
A cheerful voice—ill-matched for this place—sounded from behind the ruins.
Without a sound, the girl slid over the pavement in the direction of the voice.
In the deepest part of the ruins, illuminated by the lights of spirit orbs, Melona had grown more arms than usual and was moving suspicious magic equipment.
“Thanks for your hard work, leave the lunch box there, will you~?”
She kept moving her hands restlessly without ever turning around.
“I was told by my Mistress to check up on the situation, though…”
“Well, just tell her it’s going great.”
At the center of the magic device was a huge glass tube. Inside this cylinder—filled with a liquid glowing purple—there was a woman with blond hair that reached up to her waist.
“Looks to me like you’re quite busy, for something that is ‘going great’.”
“I suppose… the witch did the basics, but you gotta pay close attention to the finishing touches.”
All the curves of the female body floating in the liquid had a perfect proportion, from the tight sides up to the soft line to her waist—not to mention the breasts, of course.
The only thing that was different from a mere human being was that in her chest, a jet-black ball stood out, embedded in the position where the so-called “cleavage” started.
“We do want to avoid the failure with Princess Menace, do we not?”
“You got that right. Thanks to that the witch is quite pumped up, so it’s quite the big deal.”
Despite complaining, Melona’s tone was playful, and continued the preparation of the liquid filling the case. Every time she pressed switches, drugs of various colors were released into it, mixing with each other.
“Even now, Fio’s life force is coming through the Devil Ring and the stake~, I have to properly distribute the balance between what is used by both the island system and her.”
Inside the bubbling liquid, one of the blonde woman’s fingers moved with a twitch.
“Is she alive…?”
“To be accurate, it’s more like she’s reviving. It’ll take a bit longer until she’s fully resurrected.”
What the witch had asked from Melona wasn’t just revival or regeneration. The next step would be more difficult.
“Won’t the young master and Miss Leina come here before that?”
A stake in Fio’s body, a Devil Ring fitted in his other half, the Sword of the Unicorn.
Both powerful Cursed Items made by Airi and Melona’s master, and ‘certain actions’ had to be carried out in order to dispel them.
“I gave them an invitation letter in preparation for that.”
“Yes, but, what is Mistress really thinking about?”
“I guess she’d say: ‘let us make a merry celebration before the main battle begins’?”
The pink girl wasn’t interested in what the witch was planning. All she knew was that she needed to kick up a fuss now that the main tournament had yet to start.
“Well, I hope I can have some fun.”
With that, she reached for the lunch Airi had brought her. A rumbling sound could be heard from the crustaceans shifting around inside the basket.
“The legendary Holy Swordswoman Maria will become our companion. Reliable, wouldn’t you say?”
The shapeshifter bloomed happily, absorbing the crayfish into her body from her fingers.
***
The sacred tournament of Queen’s Blade, which decided the supreme ruler of the Continent once every four years.
What kind of disturbance will take place at the end of its three-year period of preliminaries?
Can they dispel the curses placed in Fio’s body and on the Sword of the Unicorn?
What awaits the two of them at Fiend Island?
They won’t know that unless they fight.
(End)
Afterword
I did it!
I’m not gonna say “I frickin’ did it!”, but I did remove one of my mind’s limiters. Thanks to Fio’s hard work!
There might be some people saying it’s still too mild, but they can satisfy those desires with other, specialized books, so please refer to the battle of the beautiful fighters first.
This might be a bit of a downtrodden topic, every time, but… regarding the size of breasts, there are “huge breasts”, “enormous breasts” and “super breasts”?
Come to think of it, the band of the third volume said: “Outburst of the super breasts battle!?”
So suddenly I thought, what about men? Maybe I’m just ignorant about the issue, but though we often hear about “huge cocks”, we don’t really hear about “enormous cocks” or “super cocks”.
Regarding boobs, when they’re big you can get troubled by stiff shoulders or sagging breasts, but in the case of a man’s you-know-what, if it’s bigger than necessary they might get anemic every time it stands up; those were the weird things that I was getting bothered about.
Well… it’s not like I’m constantly wondering about such things, you know.
Now then, for the characters this time, Leina as the main character is a matter of course, the “Infernal Temptress Airi” playing a very active role since the first novel, the “Protean Assassin Melona” continuing from the third book, the “Forest Keeper Nowa” who popped up in the second one, and the “Combat Instructor Alleyne”, who was waiting until her time was ripe. Four beautiful fighters with plenty of variety in both looks and battle styles.
Among them, the Combat Instructor Alleyne was still not for sale at the time of writing this story. That’s why I contacted Mr. Souvenir Shop Manager Hans, in charge of the game, and he provided me with all the materials he could show, but…
I was bested.
The Combat Instructor Alleyne is so AWESOME in so many ways. Thanks to that, my brush was happily flying along too.
In particular, it was fun to come up with the Captain’s Teachings.
Fourth: Always grasp your surroundings.
Sixth: Don’t think, feel.
Tenth: Don’t forget to smile even when things get difficult.
Forty-eighth: Betray your opponent’s expectations.
It might be fun if you try to come up with teachings like this and speak them out loud when you’re playing the game.
Speaking of the game, let’s talk about visual books. As you know, Queen’s Blade is compatible with Lost Worlds.
I don’t think there are many people infatuated with monsters, but battling monsters with high BP like the Hill Troll or the Frost Dragon brings a different kind of flavor to the table than the fights between beautiful fighters.
Ah, of course, you can also fight against the characters of Queen’s Gate!
As I wrote earlier, the power of visuals is great. My heart goes *pitter-patter* with excitement even now thinking about what kind of illustrations will be made by Mr. Eiwa’s hands.
Every time I’m looking forward to what kind of illustration will be done. In particular, I’m always surprised with the cover illustrations.
Thanks to all the readers who have supported me so far. It’s thanks to you that I’ve been able to keep piling on the volumes.
Every time, Mr. M in charge allows my stupid ideas in, laughing them off.
Thanks to my wife who supported me as much as she could, and to my son, who forgave a father who couldn’t play with him (despite it being a weekend) with his generous heart.
If any of you hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to complete this book.
I look forward to working with you.
This might be going off-topic, but while I was writing this book, I was in perfect health for the first time in a while.
All you dear readers, please take care of your health too, and spend your days happily.
Eiji Okita
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