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Chapter 17: Questions
IN the center of town, once shrouded in sadness and confusion, Elder Moltar experienced a wave of overwhelming emotions and indescribable shame. As one of the king’s closest advisors, he had failed in every way during the enemy invasion. Not only had he allowed the enemy to get near His Majesty, he even stood by and did nothing as they attacked him. Nothing short of betrayal would’ve been more inexcusable than his failure.
“Your Majesty, I cannot apologize enough,” he said, needing to apologize and atone for his mistakes. “Our incompetence led to this failure—”
“I don’t need your apologies.”
“…Yes, sire!”
Years of experience earned over his long lifespan helped Elder Moltar immediately grasp what his king was telling him through that statement. His ability to catch on quickly was one of the many reasons he directly served the king as a key player in Mynoghra’s government. Put simply, King Takuto was saying: “Put your energy into resolving the issue rather than trying to find who to blame for it.”
Е̊ ń ûm а̂
King Takuto was absolutely right. Apologies were a dime a dozen. Punishment could be meted out whenever the king wished. The results would be the same whether Elder Moltar worried about it or not, so he was better off putting his energy toward resolving their problems. The King of Ruin might’ve been alive and well, but Mynoghra was still experiencing a crisis. Things were still dire with the enemy out there with Atou under their spell.
“G-Give me any command, Your Majesty, and it will be done. Your vassals are prepared to offer our lives up to serve you,” Elder Moltar declared, unable to take the silence a moment longer.
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As painful as it was to admit, the Dark Elves were no match for their invaders. Unfortunately, it was going to be extremely difficult to come up with countermeasures when they still didn’t know what sorcery gave the enemy such an overwhelming victory. What good was it to enthusiastically offer up their lives when that did nothing to change the situation? What else could they do on their own against an illogical enemy?
Thus, the Dark Elves’ only option was to rely on their king. To rely on the overwhelming power belonging to the King of Ruin.
Takuto silently nodded in response to Elder Moltar’s plea. And then, he began to think about where to take his empire from there.
The current circumstances were far from favorable. The best outcome to come out of the whole thing was that Takuto was alive, and his opponent was none the wiser about it. However, he didn’t feel much like rejoicing when Atou was still lost to him. Atou was the girl he trusted with all his mind and soul. In his past life, she was his favorite character with whom he spent years of his life campaigning. In this life, she was the most important person to him, and they had promised to achieve their dreams together.
E n úm а̃
The woman he cared about on so many levels had been ripped away from him. Stolen from under his nose.
Takuto felt more than a little skeptical about the fact he hadn’t yet lost his cool over the whole thing and gone on a mad rampage, but he shoved those doubts aside and concentrated on solving the problem. And then he began to speak in an impassive voice…one that sounded like he was incapable of emotion or never had any to begin with.
“Letting them take Atou is the greatest blow. I didn’t think there would be any way for someone to gain control of her like that. I thought the RPG mechanics were a pain…and now there’s this.”
“Lady Atou is too important to our empire to lose. We’ll do everything in our power to get her back.”
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Making such a bold claim didn’t discount the fact they lacked the power to make it happen. They might be able to corner their opponents using the combined powers of the Elfuur Sisters. But what good would that do them if they just ended up instantly Brainwashed like Atou, who was leaps and bounds more powerful than the newly minted Witches?
They also had to consider they were up against an invisible force capable of repelling all their attacks. The odds of successfully recapturing Atou were slim if they just tried to march into enemy territory with an army and nothing more. Takuto was aware of that.
Еň um̌ а̂ . і̃ ḋ
He simply nodded in response to Elder Moltar’s declaration. The whole situation discomforted the elderly sage. Until now, his people had enjoyed living in peace by relying on King Takuto’s benevolence, but when their king was in need, they couldn’t do anything to help. But it wasn’t just the mix of negative emotions he felt over their helplessness that made him uncomfortable.
Spirits… His rage is heavier than gravity…
Elder Moltar felt like a large boulder had been dropped on his back, the pressure exuding from Takuto was so great. Takuto’s tone was calmer than a still lake, but the whirlpool of emotions he felt just under the surface was seeping out and dragging Elder Moltar under.
The King of Ruin is a transcendental being beyond mortal comprehension.
Elder Moltar always thought as much, but he was starting to doubt his own understanding when faced with Takuto Ira in his current state.
Silence fell over them.
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Darkness thicker than a starless night and more nebulous than the black ocean depths enveloped Takuto, and to Elder Moltar’s eyes, he felt like he was staring into the abyss through a dimensional rift.
Takuto Ira’s safe return should be the most joyous occasion. However, Elder Moltar couldn’t stop shaking with fear.
A few minutes passed in what felt like an eternity.
Takuto gathered his thoughts during that time and quietly looked at Elder Moltar. Then he lifted his gaze to the sky to confirm the waning moon before crisply laying out his plan to get Atou back and enact revenge on the invaders.
“My first orders for you are to keep my existence a secret, okay? I don’t mind if you let a select few people in on it, such as Gia and Emle, but no one else.”
“B-But, Your Majesty! Your people are in mourning! They may not recover mentally if we don’t inform them of your safety!” Elder Moltar promptly objected.
Е̄ ňũm̌ă. і̇ d̄
Under normal circumstances, the only correct answer would’ve been “Yes, sire,” but the situation was too grave not to object. The Dark Elves and Mynoghra’s unique creatures were reeling from shock over the loss of their king. Mynoghra’s inhuman units didn’t really experience emotions the same way, but the Dark Elves’ depression couldn’t be overlooked. If things were allowed to stay this way, they risked domestic turmoil from people acting out of desperation. Elder Moltar thought it wisest to make the king’s well-being known as soon as possible to prevent issues from arising.
“I know. Don’t worry. I don’t need long,” Takuto reassured the old man. “I’d say keep it under wraps for…a few days at most. I just need a little time for my plans to work.”
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“I believe I can manage that, Your Majesty…” Elder Moltar said, a burden lifting from his shoulders.
From that brief explanation, Elder Moltar determined his ruler wanted time to work out his strategy. Grasping and controlling the flow of information is critical during times of confusion. Announcing the king’s survival would only pour fuel on the confusion, which was the last thing they wanted when they still didn’t have a firm grasp on who they were up against. There was no telling where their spies or Brainwashed drones had infiltrated.
Mynoghra would lose the upper hand if word of the king surviving leaked. Their enemies still believed the King of Ruin was dead. They needed to make the most of that advantage.
“Good. Glad to hear that.”
Ĕ n̈ u m а̌
“I-Is there nothing else we can do for you? We will do everything in our power to fulfill your orders.”
“Hm, yeah, I guess there is something else I need from you specifically, Elder Moltar. I want to speak with the Elfuur Sisters first. I assume they’re sleeping?”
Elder Moltar had informed the twins about what had happened to their king. He’d notified them through a messenger, so he didn’t know how they’d reacted to the news, but there was no way they weren’t on edge and ready to lash out. They were the last elite fighting force left in Mynoghra. Their importance just skyrocketed.
“It’s kind of late to put them to work, but it’s the perfect time of month.”
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A waning moon hung high in the sky.
Night was their hour.
Ŵеb̊ n о̊ v̂е̊l̊ Еn̈ ů.ḿӓ
◇◇◇
NIGHT turned to day and Dragontan welcomed the morning. Elder Moltar accompanied Gia and Emle to one of the meeting rooms in Town Hall at first light. After their king requested to speak with the Elfuur Sisters in private, he sequestered himself in the meeting room.
During that time, Elder Moltar busied himself informing Mynoghra’s empire-management council of the news and laying the groundwork for them to decide their next move. He then planned to discuss everything with Takuto and the council members after having established a solid grasp on the state of things domestically, but…
“Wha?! What the seven Saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiintssssssssss?!” Elder Moltar’s shriek echoed piercingly through the building.
The situation he faced was completely different from what he’d imagined coming there, and above all, it was absolutely unforgivable. He trembled uncontrollably, his mouth shutting and closing like a fish out of water as he struggled to come to grips with reality. Gia and Emle stared wide-eyed in response to the same news.
Twin sisters Caria and Maria watched their reactions like they had expected as much.
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“I-Is what you just said true? His Majesty set out on his own?!”
The news was this: the King of Ruin had set out to rescue Atou from the Holy Kingdom of Qualia alone.
The twins nodded profusely in response to Elder Moltar’s stupefied question.
This was exactly why Takuto chose to only consult the twins last night. Having already decided the general gist of his strategy, he explained everything to the sleepy girls at the speed of a bullet and quickly left town. It was a very unconventional choice that no one could’ve predicted.
“Wh-Why didn’t you tell me?! His Majesty must never leave without a retinue!! Even you girls must understand that!”
The girls were promptly subjected to a scolding. Naturally even the Elfuur Sisters understood and agreed with Elder Moltar. They had warned Takuto of the dangers and tried to stop him, saying he was being reckless and was walking into a trap. But the king had staunchly decided to launch a solo attack. He would not be dissuaded from marching into the heart of enemy territory alone.
W ѐ b̂ nô.vе ľ Е̃ ǹ u m а̌
“His Majesty said he’s gonna show everybody how awesome possum he is!” Maria said.
“We also warned him against it, but we can’t disobey orders,” Caria pointed out. “He forbade us from telling anyone. Told us we have to keep quiet till morning.”
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“It’s the duty of a loyal vassal to disobey orders and advise their king against his own stupidity!!”
The twins covered their ears with both hands to protect them from Elder Moltar’s explosive shouting. They knew this was coming. They dreaded this inevitable moment.
They believed King Takuto’s blindsiding strategy had a certain degree of merit. And merit or no merit, this was the king’s decision—no one in this world had the authority to tell him no.
However, his plans had a decisive and fatal flaw: the twins would receive all the flak for following his orders. Caria still harbored a grudge against Takuto for dismissing her complaints on that front with a casual “Just do your best to make it work.” However, the twins must’ve gotten through to him to a degree, because he’d prepared an impromptu gimmick they could use to take the heat off of them.
W е́ b̌n о̀v̀ е́ĺ Е̌ṅu̇mа
“Caria, Caria, now’s the time to whip it out!”
“You’ve got it, Big Sista!”
Caria pulled a piece of note paper out of her pocket at Maria’s signal.
“Are you girls listening to me?!” Elder Moltar screeched, about to launch into another deafening tirade, but he shut his mouth when Caria told him it was a message from King Takuto.
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“I’ve got a riddle for Grandpa Moltar from His Majesty,” she said.
“His Majesty said it’s very important, so everybody needs to put their heads together to solve it!” Maria added.
Ẃе ḃn̆о vе l̄ Ènum̌ а̂
Caria placed the paper on the table so everyone could see it. The contents were…just as baffling as everything else that day.
“What the Saints?!” Gia sputtered.
“How…?” Emle stared at it in disbelief while Elder Moltar gasped.
Scribbled on the paper was a riddle asking them to solve how King Takuto survived. Written on it were the following seven true statements in the king’s own words:
1. I took a direct hit from Atou’s attack and died on the spot.
2. Saint Soalina’s flames also caused my death.
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3. I don’t have any recovery skills to heal my injuries.
4. It was me, not a body double, an alter ego, another organism, or an illusion that was attacked.
5. I didn’t die and resurrect or loop.
6. I escaped this crisis without the intervention of a third party.
7. All of these events actually happened.
“‘So, how did I survive?’ Figuring this out is your homework,” Caria said.
Еń ûm̌ а
“Once you solve the riddle, we’ll give you His Majesty’s orders.”
A hush fell over them. Silence was the only natural reaction to this unbelievable information.
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Elder Moltar hadn’t whiled the night away without contemplating how the King of Ruin had made it out of the day’s events unscathed. He’d run through various theories about what methods could’ve gotten Takuto out of that pinch while he took care of his workload before sunrise. But Takuto’s list disproved each and every theory he’d come up with, leaving Elder Moltar baffled by the impossibility of it all.
The wisest sage had been reduced to such a state, so obviously, both Gia and Emle frowned as they stared at the words on that piece of paper.
“Booyah, they’re quiet!” Maria said telepathically to Caria.
“Let’s slip out before they notice, Big Sista.”
Wе̂b̊ n̆ о v̊ė ľ Е́ ň um̌а
“Right foot, left foot, quiet foot~♪!”
This was the ultimate counter Takuto had given the twins. Presenting this riddle to the council members was guaranteed to buy them some time. With time, Elder Moltar’s indignation should subside, and his calmness would return. Once it did, they could discuss how to handle what was to come rather than waste time on what had already passed. The twins could then convey the king’s orders to them.
Yes, the Elfuur Sisters had received various instructions from Takuto. They weren’t ordered to sit and wait for the results of his invasion. On the contrary, they had a mountain of tasks to get done within a set amount of time. They had much to do to fulfill their side of King Takuto’s stunning Operation Rescue Atou …
The twins snuck out of the meeting room and dashed away at full speed.
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“Things are going to get festive!” Maria exclaimed as they raced down the hallway.
“They sure are. Everybody’ll get to see for themselves… His Majesty’s true power.”
Ӗ n ů mа
Everyone was in for the shock of their lives. And they were going to learn that the King of Ruin was not just a kindhearted, magnanimous ruler who doted on his people. Rather that he truly was the one destined to bring about the end of the world…
The twins’ first reaction when they heard of the king’s death was: “Impossible.” The King of Ruin couldn’t die. He’d promised to resurrect their mother—there was no way he’d bite the dust. Most of all, their supernatural intuition as Heroes assured them King Takuto couldn’t die.
It was time for them to prepare what Takuto had asked of them. The Elfuur Sisters busied themselves preparing their side of the operation.
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