Ara... Ara… So you have kind of fetish ecchi-kun
Queen Madeline! You were watching the whole time?
Naturally. I had a great interest in the discussion you were having with her, but I must admit, I am very disappointed it didn't end with you sleeping together on the furnishes. It would make wonderful blackmail material.
Don't say something like that. You were going to blackmail the duchess
Not her! you
Eh…but whom would you threaten to tell? It's not like I am in a relationship or anything.
…Dense
Eh!
Never mind. I need to borrow your body for a bit. I want to have a word with the duchess.
About what?
There is no need for you to concern yourself with that right now. I am asking you to trust me.
There is no reason for you to ask that, you know. I trust you with my life.
…if you say something like that even I…
What was that? I didn't get what you said
Never mind stupid…
<
"Long time, Long see Rania-chan"
This voice…It can be?
"Raise your head, otherwise it will be hard to talk to you"
"Queen Madeline?"
"The one and only "
"How!?"
After Queen Madeline explained to Duchess Rania about everything that had happened and about the contract she had made with Edwin, her complexion turned pale.
He even made a pact with the Queen of spirits. Edwin just what is he? No… what will I do now? As it stands I secured Vidfamne's future and security…but
"You always had the habit of making problems seem larger than they are Rania-chan, that has always been your undoing."
"Even if you say that…"
"It's not that unheard of, is it? A concubine having more power than the main wife?"
Duchess Rania opened her eyes wide at her words. The possibility of having more influence than the main wife or even eventually becoming the main wife wasn't even on her radar. A testament to the amount of pressure she was under, otherwise such thoughts would have naturally come to her.
"No... Even that is..."
"It is possible. In fact, I would like you to become a legal wife one day. Maybe not a Queen but a secondary Queen"
"Secondary Queen?"
"It is a practice that has been lost to nobility. It is a standing for someone who could not be a legal wife but not a concubine either."
"Hmm... Would Edwin-sama accept such a thing?"
"Leave that to me, however, let me make myself clear. Should you even think of betraying Edwin. I will wipe you and your family off the face of this world." she said while emitting an evil aura.
Duchess Rania fell back in fear. If that vampires aura seems small compared to this.
"I understand... " she replied
"Good. Now onto more important matters. Duchess Rania, I have a task for you."
"Task? This sound serious."
"It is... If you are going to be a secondary Queen then you have to prove your worth to Edwin. After your past treatment of Highland, there is a need for you to do so."
She nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now then, truth be told, before I approached Edwin there was another I wanted to lend my power to, but…"
Queen Madeline narrated to Duchess Rania what had occurred just three days before she approached Edwin.
The story she uttered made Duchess Rania grow pale.
"Are you serious!?"
"Yes, but I fear that is not the end of the story. I fear the elves have joined the demons."
"That can't be?"
"I wonder. My little one has disconnected herself from me and any spirits I send to her are turned away."
"Little one? You mean her?"
"Yes…The World Tree, 'Evergreen'"
***
In the forest of the elven race, the elven king was receiving a report from the warriors that had accompanied his daughter to Vidfamne.
It wasn't because he did not trust his daughter's words but rather because he couldn't believe her words.
The demon forces that had attacked Vidfamne, were all trounced upon and by no other than Edwin Von William Highland.
If these words are to be believed, he couldn't help but feel that the elven race was betting on the wrong outcome of this war.
After dismissing the worriers and thinking to himself for a moment he asked, "What do you think of all this?"
An elf appeared from one of the pockets of shadow in the room, he had long blond hair, a pretty face, and with green eyes.
The banished elf prince of Everwood, Theodemar Inanala stood before the King.
"This Edwin Von William seems to be a capable king if he could muster a force that could kill that army – not to mention that vampire."
"I thought you could have also easily defeated that vampire?"
"Defeat? Yes. Easily? No"
"Is that so? Does that mean we may have made a wrong decision?"
"Given the choices, we had back then I think not. Even Evergreen-sama agreed to it."
"Tsk… Even with those words I can't help but think that we are on the wrong path. Perhaps…"
"Perhaps what? King of Everwood"
The King and Theodemar Inanala both drew out their swords at the sudden words spoken within the room.
"Now…now, is that any way to greet an ally?"
"Hero Hans Varma Saifuddien… No… The demon Hans Varma Saifuddien"
With an ecstasy look on his face the Hero, Hans Varma Saifuddien appeared. To both the King and Theodemar Inanala, he looked revolting, nothing like the pretty appearance he gives off in public.
"Hahaha… what are you saying King, I am very much still human you know. Her grace has yet to bless me with all her demon blood, but soon - yes very soon, I will join her in eternal darkness"
Mad man! how I'm regretting giving my daughter to this bastard
"Why are you here?"
"Why am I here? Ah yes, I came because I felt lonely with my darling wives being away from me for so long. Is there a problem with that Theodemar Inanala."
"No, I guess not…"
"And her grace didn't want what happened in Vidfamne to clout your thoughts. So she sent me here to remind you of your obligations. But I don't need to remind you, do I? You would never do something as foolish as betraying her will."
Hero Hans Varma Saifuddien crooked his head to one side as he asked the all-important question.
However, their response was a second too long for his lunatic mind. In a blink of an eye, he closed the gap between them and grabbed their necks before choking them.
"Oi... Oi... Oi… Why aren't you answering my question. Are you perhaps really thinking of betraying my goddess"
What goddess!? She is a demon through and through… This bastard has lost his mind, the king thought
What power!! He is stronger than the vampire that's for sure. There is no way to tell what will happen if I try to fight back…tsk
"Enough!" a childish voice uttered
Behind the three a little girl with long green hair and green eyes stood.
"Evergreen-sama!" the king uttered
"There is no need for violence. We will honor our agreement."
"Is that so? I guess I must apologies for my hasty reactions." He calmly said before releasing the two. "I will return to my beloved wives now. See you later, world tree spirit."
After he left Evergreen let out a sigh of relief.
"Evergreen-sama," the king said before he knelt along with Theodemar Inanala.
To elves, Evergreen was their savior. Elves were once the weakest race on the continent and were looked down upon by all other races.
But one day a high spirit took pity on them and formed a pact with them.
Never before has such a thing ever happened. Normally a high spirit would form a pact with one individual – which already was an extremely rare case, but to perform one with an entire race was unheard altogether, by even the goddess.
Nevertheless, it happened.
This high spirit thus granted the elves superior mana, wind magic, and understanding of nature and took on the form of a giant world tree from which she watched over her people.
"Are you two alright?"
"Yes, Evergreen-sama pay us no mind"
"As stubborn as ever, I see. Let me cast some healing magic on your necks."
"There is no…"
"I will hear no arguments on the matter… besides consider this as an apology for putting you all in such a situation."
"No... no... Evergreen-sama is our savior. We would never think poorly of you"
"Thank you. Your words mean a lot to me. Now then, I heard your conversation before the hero interrupted you. While I do agree with your feelings about our current path, we have already walked too far to turn around."
"I understand…"
"However, I think there is a need to cover our backs."
Both the King and Theodemar crooked their head in puzzlement
When your daughter left for Vidfamne, I detached a small portion of myself and had it follow her. I can't be certain but I think Highland has something to do with the Queen of Fairies"
They both opened their eyes in surprise at the words she just uttered.
"Are you certain?" asked Theodemar Inanala
"I didn't see her, but I felt her presence there"
"I heard that Duchess Rania had once met the Queen. Could it be that the Queen went to her aide?" asked the King
"Hmm… considering her personality. I think that is an unlikely answer. She had been keeping herself hidden in the holy land all this time. I don't see her exposing herself to a dangerous situation like that.
Furthermore, her presence was strongest when your daughter met King Edwin Von William Highland."
"What could this mean?"
"I have a theory but it's too unbelievable to be true. But if it is…"
"Evergreen-sama!?"
"King, Theodemar Inanala... they may come a time when you will have to die."
Bonus Short Story {the Flight Home}
Onboard the spirit plane, the king of highland was sweating. His eyes were darting everywhere unable to make eye contact with the women who were glaring at him.
"So… you stepped on the duchess head as she kowtowed to you, Edwin-sama… no… ecchi-kun"
"I didn't know you liked that sort of thing… ecchi-sama, Nya"
"I am disported in you… Edwin-sama… no… Edwin-chi"
Eve, Hitomi, and Margarita spook in turns as their eyes glared at him.
Eto… Did she take the chi from ecchi and make it a horrific for my name
"If you had such fantasies you should have talked to us first"
"Agreed Nya, and why did you agree to make her concubine, Nya? Are you making fun of our relationship Nya"
"Edwin-chi, as a loyal knight I can not let this go unpunished. My king must act in a kingly manner. Are you listening to me?"
Ara… Ara... you seem to be having fun Edwin
Queen Madeline! Why did you have to tell them what I did
Ara… was meant to be a secret?
Yes it was… if word spreads the duchess
Will do nothing… I already got her permission to tell these three.
Ha! Why would the duchess… Now that I think about it, you possessed my body to talk to her. What did you discuss?
Nothing a dense man would understand
Who are you calling dense?
More importantly. Do you think it's wise to ignore those three?
Eh!?
"Ecchi-Kun, you were ignoring us, weren't you?"
"I bet he was talking to the fairy queen Nya"
"I think a lesion is in order, Edwin-chi"
"No… no… stop it..."