Ars, the capital of the Kingdom of Asura, was the largest and most populous city in the world. At its very center, there stood a whitewalled castle—naturally enough, one said to be the world's largest and most beautiful. It was known as the Silver Palace, and it was the residence of the royal family.
Within its walls, there raged a vicious, ugly, and perpetual struggle for power that belied its immaculate appearance. The kingdom's nobles never tired of plotting, deceiving, and betraying each other. They waged battle day and night.
The world of this palace was a small and hellish one—a place where it was said that absolutely no one could be trusted.
As it happens, the "Displacement Incident" that had taken place in the Fittoa region of the kingdom had a major impact on the course of the wars waged within this castle.
This is the story of how those events were set in motion...
Aside from the residences of the royal family, the Silver Palace contained a number of splendid gardens.
There was the Rose Garden, full of plants with red flowers; the Peony Garden, full of plants with black flowers; the Hydrangea Garden, full of plants with blue flowers; and finally, a place where only white flowers bloomed—the Lily Garden.
This last was the particular favorite of a certain personage.
Her name was Ariel Anemoi Asura, and she was the second princess of the Kingdom of Asura. From her mother, the queen consort, a famous beauty, she'd inherited lovely features and shining golden hair; from her father, the king, she'd inherited a peerlessly beautiful voice. And though she was not yet of age, her charisma was overpowering. The majority of the capital's residents already spoke of her as the most beautiful princess to have ever lived.
Once every three days, this young lady came to the Lily Garden. She would seat herself at a pure-white table, accompanied only by her guardian knight and her mage, and quietly take her tea.
In these moments, the sight of her was charming enough to make any woman sigh longingly, and so enthralling that no man could help but stare. Her beauty, like that of a fairy from some old folk tale, was such that it seemed uncouth even to approach her. Thus no one came up to speak with the princess when she visited the Lily Garden. Not a single soul dared to try and drink tea with her.
Sitting all alone at her table, she enjoyed her momentary respite alone, exchanging only a few brief words with her two guardians.
Her guardian knight was a boy of great beauty in his own right. He had lovely bright chestnut hair and strong facial features; his nose was shapely, his jawline well-defined.
His name was Luke Notos Greyrat. Second son of the Greyrat family, one of the kingdom's four great provincial houses, he was a talented young knight who had already reached the Intermediate rank in the Sword God style. There wasn't a single girl inside the castle who didn't know of him. Although still in his early teens, he already possessed a silver tongue, and never lost the interest of any lady he conversed with. With his dashing looks and clever mind, he was said to entrance every noble daughter who crossed his path. At the very least, no other man in the castle was nearly so admired by the girls his age.
The princess's guardian mage was somewhat older, perhaps sixteen or seventeen—a young man rather than a boy.
While not as remarkably good-looking as Luke, he was still handsome by any ordinary standards; his somewhat slender face possessed an amiable attractiveness. His presence added a dash of playful charm that nicely complemented the beauty of the other two, making it all the more difficult for anyone to imagine approaching them.
His name was Derrick Redbat, third son of the well-known Redbat house, and he was a magician of Advanced rank who had graduated from the illustrious Asura Institute of Magic.
What did these three talk about when they were alone? It was a matter of the utmost interest to all the young people living in the Silver Palace, but none of them knew the answer. On this day, as on many others, they were conversing quietly in the Lily Garden.
"Well then, what color were they?"
Ariel's words echoed faintly through the quiet garden. Her voice truly was uncommonly beautiful; the sound of it brought to mind the tinkling of bells.
"A lovely shade of pink... Ah, but with a tinge of orange as well," replied the young knight Luke from across the table, where he stood in attendance. His own voice was somewhat high-pitched, as one might expect from a boy of his age, but had clarity and fullness.
Derrick, the princess's guardian mage, listened in silence. The somber expression on his face suggested he was ruminating on their words.
"Personally, I prefer pert cherry-blossom buds on a field of porcelain white..."
"With all due respect, Lady Ariel, I feel those that turn inward have a certain appeal as well."
"Goodness! You like the inverted ones?"
Ariel's tone was somewhat shocked, but Luke replied calmly. "Well, I will admit I'm not especially particular when it comes to such details. In the end, size is all that truly matters to me."
Ariel sighed and shook her head. "Honestly. You have no taste at all, Luke."
In reply, Luke simply shrugged his shoulders. What exactly were these two talking about, one might ask? "In any case, how did you enjoy this new maid? Sarisha, was it?"
"Her body was very sensitive, and her innocence was charming. It made for quite a pleasant evening."
The answer was quite simple: Luke had been describing the nipples of the girl he'd bedded just the other day.
"Is that so? Hmm. Now you've made me want to smuggle her into my bedchamber somehow."
"T would be perfectly happy to assist, milady."
"Oh? You're already prepared to toss her aside, after sleeping with her only once?"
"Tm afraid Sarisha's breasts weren't quite large enough for my liking."
Ariel and Luke, in stark contrast to their appearances, were in fact a pair of lecherous young philanderers. For some time now, they'd been preying indiscriminately on the palace maids and the daughters of midrank nobles.
"Nothing's more exciting than teasing cute girls like that, if you ask me. I imagine Sarisha would squeal quite nicely..."
Only a limited number of people in the palace were aware of this, but Princess Ariel was both bisexual and a sadist. Many among the Asuran nobility possessed extraordinary sexual proclivities, and she was certainly no exception. Luke wasn't quite as extreme a case, but his love of big-breasted women knew no bounds.
Hiding in the shadow of their outward appearance and reputation, the two of them lived carefree lives of pleasure—indifferent to the plotting and intrigue that defined the royal court of Asura.
In this, they were hardly unusual for those of their rank. The majority of the nobility indulged in behavior just as scandalous, or even more so. Asura was a kingdom with a 400-year history that had never known war or famine. For many of its upper class, a demonstrated taste for decadence was a sort of status symbol. Ariel and Luke were still young, but they were already immersed in the amusements of their kind.
However...
"Luke. Lady Ariel. I think it would be best for you to behave... somewhat more discreetly."
Derrick was a man with a more conventional mindset. In no small part, this was because the Redbats were merely mid-rank provincial nobility. They lived in an entirely different world from the decadence of the capital.
One might wonder why such a young man had been granted the prestigious role of guardian mage to the second princess, but the answer was quite simple: his results in the Institute had been superb. Advancedtier magicians of noble birth were a rare commodity.
"Oh, Derrick...you really ought to learn what it means to be an Asuran noble."
"Milady is quite right, Derrick. You're always like this. If you don't figure out how to read the room, you'll never be popular with the ladies."
As Ariel and Luke shrugged their shoulders, Derrick heaved a heavy sigh.
"That's not what I meant, Lady Ariel. You may very well rule this kingdom someday, so it seems unwise to expose yourself to gossip and jealousy. You risk making enemies."
This time, it was Princess Ariel's turn to let out a long sigh. "Look, Derrick. You're always saying things like that, but you do remember that I'm the second princess, correct?"
"Of course. Which means you're high in the line of succession, and a potential candidate to succeed the throne."
"T have two older brothers and one older sister. It does appear that they've found a husband for my sister, but my brothers are wrestling ruthlessly for the throne. With them around, there isn't the slightest chance IIl ever become queen."
"That isn't true. You're the daughter of the queen consort. That makes you the only fully legitimate heir to the throne, and—"
"Stop it, Derrick," Ariel interrupted sharply. "What if those words reached my brothers' ears? Do you want them to send assassins after me? It's bad enough that I've got all these nobles swearing fealty to me out of self-interest..."
"If you chose to fight, Lady Ariel, Pd happily lay down my life to protect you from anyone they may send."
"Would you please stop saying such alarming things? That's not too convincing anyway. I know what you really think of Luke and me...
You'd probably like to get me caught up in a power struggle just so you can abandon me when the fighting starts, wouldn't you?"
"Wha—." Derrick's eyes went wide with shock. After a moment, his body began quivering, his face grew fierce, and he clenched his hands into fists.
"Look here, Derrick. I don't care if I never take the throne. I can still drink tea in a lovely garden and live my life the way I please, and that's enough for me. I wouldn't stand a chance against my brothers anyway. The idea of throwing myself voluntarily into that mess is just absurd."
Ariel's pessimism was fully justifiable. No matter how high her place in the order of succession, she was younger than her rivals and had far fewer allies. Her chances of victory were slim to none. Surely, then, it was wiser not to strive for the throne at all and simply live a life of indulgent pleasure. She was still a princess of the largest country in the world, so that option was available to her.
"Never mind then..." Derrick's heart was clouded with frustration, but he could find no other words to say.
As he turned and left the garden, Ariel and Luke shrugged their shoulders, then resumed their discourse on the nipples of the palace's women.
It wasn't that Derrick had abandoned his responsibilities as the princess's guardian mage. He was just going to the bathroom.
Derrick and Luke were tasked with protecting Ariel at all times, but they were only human, so their bodies had certain needs. When either of them felt the call of nature, they would usually inform the other and do their business as quickly as possible. In this world, as in any other, people were never so vulnerable as when they were relieving themselves.
The sweetly fragrant air of the Lily Garden had never agreed with Derrick. At first, he'd informed Luke every time he felt the need to leave it for the nearest facility, but over time, this became so routine that Ariel and Luke began to expect it. Eventually, the princess ordered him not to bother announcing his intentions anymore. However extreme her tastes might be in some respects, she didn't care to be reminded of scatological matters in the middle of her tea-time.
As he shut himself up inside the lavatory, Derrick let out a long sigh. He was mentally replaying the conversation he'd just had with Princess Ariel. Ariel insisted she had no interest whatsoever in becoming queen, but Derrick so badly wanted her to take the throne.
It wasn't that he thought her brothers, the first prince and second prince, were unworthy candidates. If either took the throne, they'd no doubt mature into a respectable, ordinary king comparable to those who'd come before.
But the way Derrick saw it, that wasn't good enough. With either prince on the throne, Asura would continue on its current path—rotten to the core, but expanding nonetheless. The nobility's ugly, meaningless squabbling would continue unchecked, wasting money and energy that may otherwise go toward progress. And in time, Asura might grow vulnerable to foreign influence.
This land had never known hunger. No matter how corrupt the nobility, no matter how severe their taxes, the people never went hungry. Thus, their discontent rarely festered into fury; few emerged to challenge the status quo. There had been no major rebellions or civil wars.
As a result of this, the kingdom had stagnated.
Of course, it was still making steady progress in the fields of magic and technology. But the King Dragon Realm to the south had overtaken it in technological development, and the Magic Nations to the north were making greater strides in arcane research.
While Asura still had overwhelming advantages in other respects, at this rate it was hard to say where things would stand after another century...or even half a century. The King Dragon Realm in particular was watching Asura like a hawk for any sign of weakness, eager to claim some part of its bountiful land.
Asura currently believed that the mountains lining its borders meant it was safe from foreign invasion, but how would it fare against an even more technologically advanced King Dragon Realm army fifty years from now? And what if the Magic Nations seized the chance to invade from the north...?
"Lady Ariel could change everything, and yet..."
Derrick genuinely believed that the second princess was capable of pushing Asura onto a different path.
He still remembered the first time he'd met her very clearly. It was only a few years earlier, at a coming-of-age celebration held by the kingdom. At the time, Derrick had just graduated from the Institute of Magic. While he hadn't been the top student of his class, he'd placed very highly, and he'd already secured a post with the Asuran Royal Magicians, who he'd be joining a few months later.
Derrick knew he was a capable magician, but also an unremarkable one. He had no high expectations for himself. But that day, he encountered a certain charming young girl. Although Ariel was not yet of age herself, she'd been invited to the party as the guest of honor. Despite her youth, she delivered her congratulatory speech in a clear, confident style; in Derrick's eyes, her wit and intelligence outshone the top student who'd spoken at his graduation from the Institute.
Sometime later, after he'd joined the Royal Magicians, his father told him that the position of guardian mage to the second princess was vacant, and offered to recommend him for the post—while warning it'd be a long shot. He had enthusiastically accepted.
Ariel was a competent and dynamic person. At the moment she was spending her days drinking tea and her nights jumping on the maids, yes...but by nature, she was diligent, sociable, and willing to work hard to improve herself. If she were to assume the throne and devote herself to strengthening her country, Derrick was positive Asura would take great strides forward in a single generation. It might even be possible for it to conquer the entire Central Continent.
For one thing, she was remarkably charismatic. Both the Institute of Magic and the Royal Magicians were full of what one might call disaffected people. There were many who whispered words of criticism toward the ministers who currently dominated the government, or toward the nobility and the royal family.
However, in all the years he'd spent in these places, Derrick had never heard anyone speak badly of Ariel.
He had every confidence that she could become a ruler like Gaunis Freean Asura, who'd led humankind through the latter stages of the Laplace War and taken the throne in its aftermath—a ruler beloved by all her people. There were already quite a few people who would gladly give their lives for Ariel's sake. Derrick himself was one of them; it had been painful and infuriating to hear her dismiss that loyalty so casually.
"To be sure, her life's at little risk if she keeps acting in this fashion... but she's lowering herself to the level of some corrupt nobleman..."
Perhaps she truly didn't want to shoulder the expectations of her countrymen? Had he been chosen as mage guardian specifically because she thought he wouldn't push her toward a more difficult path? The princess never said as much, but perhaps she detested him...
Derrick heaved another sigh.
But just as he was sinking deeper into melancholy, he heard the faint sound of a human voice.
"Hm?"
Someone was evidently having a conversation out behind the lavatory.
"Princess Ariel..."
"kill..."
Having picked out a few alarming words, Derrick held his breath and pressed his ear to the rear wall.
"Sir Grabel views Lady Ariel as a threat then?"
"That's right. Her popularity with the commonfolk is remarkable after all. He's quite upset that she's better-known than he is, even though she barely ever shows herself in public."
"It is a little strange, come to think of it... Whatever part she's playing at the moment, she might be laying the groundwork behind the scenes."
"Right. When you can't win a head-on fight, you've got to skulk around in the shadows instead, I suppose."
Derrick furrowed his brow at this. Ariel's popularity with the citizenry was partly due to her natural charisma, but she also showed herself to them far more often than First Prince Grabel. Her brother dutifully attended internal palace ceremonies, but rarely ventured to
events held outside its walls; in contrast, Ariel spent a good deal of time at various external functions. For example, she'd recently attended the dedication ceremony for a new bridge over the Alteir river, becoming one of the first people to cross it. Not long before, she'd been the guest of honor at the Institute's major magical combat tournament, handing the winner his prizes with a bouquet of flowers, and allowing him the honor of kissing her hand. It was precisely because she invested time in such events, totally unconnected to the power struggles within the royal court, that she'd grown popular with the commonfolk.
"Tf that really is the case though..." "Indeed. The girl will become an obstacle."
" ..1 suppose it might be best to take precautions against future trouble."
"I feel similarly. And so, out of deep concern for the interests of Prince Grabel and the Kingdom of Asura as a whole, I've already made certain...arrangements."
"Hahaha. I really ought to have expected as much from you, I suppose."
Derrick was tempted to burst out of the lavatory and kill the men outside it, but quickly quashed the thought. These two were almost certainly nobles of the first prince's faction. They were men who'd spend their fortunes freely—and resort to the vilest deeds imaginable— for the sake of shaping events to their liking; when cornered, they would offer every cowardly excuse they could to save their own skins. There were many of their ilk inside the palace.
Derrick could kill them here and now with his magic, but that would be a meaningless act. Everyone would assume that Ariel had ordered her guardian mage to murder two nobles loyal to the first prince. That would be interpreted as an act of open hostility against Grabel himself, and lead to a constant stream of attacks from his followers.
For a moment, Derrick wondered if such an outcome might force Ariel to pursue the throne after all...but if the princess had no actual motivation to fight, they would be put on the defensive, driven into a corner, and ultimately butchered like animals.
Abandoning the idea of killing the men, Derrick left the lavatory without a word. One way or another, he had to take action against this new threat.
One of the nobles said that "arrangements" had already been made. In which case, something would likely happen soon—perhaps even within the next few days. Their objective was likely Ariel herself, but as her most loyal guards, Derrick and Luke were also potential targets.
Would it be an assassin? Or perhaps some type of poison?
He had to tell Ariel of this immediately...and urge her, once again, to face this battle head-on.
With these thoughts running through his mind, Derrick strode rapidly back toward the Lily Garden, clutching his staff under his robe so he could protect himself against any sudden ambushes.
"..-How long has it been since the last time I fought?"
Back at the Institute of Magic, he'd participated in regular mock battles—sometimes against other young magicians, sometimes against students from a knight academy. At times these were larger-scale group matches, pitting off teams of three to five. Several times a year, the students were also escorted into a local forest by their instructors and hired adventurers, in order to gain experience fighting against monsters.
It wasn't as if Derrick had never taken a life before. In one mock battle, he'd accidentally killed his opponent with a spell that happened to strike him in the head. And during the selection process for the role of guardian mage, he'd been required to fight and kill a convict previously sentenced to death—as a test of his willingness to do what was necessary.
However, if someone were sending an assassin to face both himself and Luke, they'd undoubtedly choose an experienced and efficient killer. Itd be a life-or-death struggle. The thought sent a small shudder down Derrick's arm.
"Can I protect her...?"
He voiced his anxieties...then shook his head to clear them from his mind.
This was something Derrick had no way of knowing, but...
The Fittoa Displacement Incident was taking place at this exact
instant.
"Lady Arie— Wha—?!"
The moment Derrick stepped back into the Lily Garden, his jaw dropped open in shock.
His eyes were fixed on an area toward the back of the garden—a section known as the Hibiscus Forest.
An enormous beast that stood on two legs had just trotted out from among the trees.
It was a Terminator Boar.
By itself, these were D-ranked monsters, but they were often accompanied by loyal packs of Assault Dogs which could raise their threat level to C- or even B-class. Normally, they were only found in the depths of forests, but their numbers were large, and sometimes one would emerge to attack a nearby town—typically seizing livestock or human children to consume.
Many years ago, a Terminator Boar accompanied by twenty Assault Dogs had killed every soul living in a small Asuran village. As a result, they were one of the most infamous monsters living within the Kingdom's borders. In settlements near forests, children were often told that a boar would carry them off and eat them unless they went to bed on time, as others might be threatened with stories of the Superd.
Derrick, like most of his countrymen, was familiar with the name and appearance of these monsters, and their reputation as a fearsome beast.
"How...?"
Why was there a Terminator Boar here? This was the royal palace, home to the ruling family of the world's largest nation. It wasn't a safe place by any means, but it was certainly the last location one would ever expect to find a wild monster. How could one possibly have appeared here?
Derrick's mind flashed to the conversation he'd just overheard. Had that noble somehow arranged this? That couldn't be right. No mere nobleman could possibly have smuggled such a wild, enormous beast into the heart of the palace. Even the kingdom's most powerful ministers wouldn't be capable of such a thing.
Although he had no way of knowing this, the Terminator Boar had in fact been teleported to this location only moments ago as a result of the Fittoa Displacement Incident.
As Derrick's mind struggled to process the situation, his gaze found Princess Ariel, and he let out an involuntary gasp.
She was still at her table, chattering happily away with Luke about some vulgar topic. The two of them hadn't noticed the Terminator Boar—even though it was staring right at them, its eyes glittering like a hunter sizing up its prey.
Derrick broke into a run. And as he ran, he began chanting a magic incantation.
However, the Terminator Boar was also on the move. Perhaps it had noticed Derrick, or sensed a threat; either way, it charged through the garden's vegetation, heading straight for Princess Ariel.
I won't make it in time!
Derrick abandoned his incantation halfway through and shouted, "Run, Lady Ariel!" at the top of his lungs.
With an exclamation of surprise, the princess rose to her feet—just in time to notice the huge brown blur rushing at her from the side. She jumped out of its path.
As Ariel hit the ground, the Terminator Boar smashed its way through a number of the garden's delicate trees, then turned back toward its target.
By this point, Derrick had placed himself between Ariel and the monster. The enormous boar loomed before the magician, drool dribbling from its mouth. Its glittering, bestial eyes were fixed on him.
What could a magician possibly do in this situation? At this close range, against this large a monster? There wasn't the slightest chance he could complete an incantation in time.
So Derrick didn't even bother. He simply spread his arms out wide, and shouted with all he had. "Luke! I leave the rest to you!"
A split-second later, the Terminator Boar's fist sent him flying.
The punch broke all his ribs and crushed several vital organs. Blood shot from his mouth as he hurtled through the air. When he finally smashed into a wall some five meters away, he felt his spine shatter as well.
"Ghaagh!"
He was only fortunate in that he didn't lose consciousness immediately. But perhaps that wasn't much of a blessing.
Oh... I'm dying.
Derrick's mind was oddly clear. He knew he was done for. He could smell his own death in the air. The wounds he'd suffered were fatal ones, without a doubt. I saw someone die from injuries much like these once, didn't I...?
He felt no fear. Perhaps it had all happened so suddenly that his brain hadn't quite caught up yet.
Staring across the garden, Derrick watched Luke draw his sword and charge straight at the Terminator Boar. Don't be a fool, Luke... You can't possibly beat that thing single-handedly... Oh, right. The door's on that side... So you can't just run away, can you...?
Derrick tried looking around by moving just his eyes. What about Lady Ariel? Is she safe?
He found her soon enough. She was rushing toward him—her face full of shock and confusion, but not terror.
"Derrick! Oh, this can't be happening... We've got to get a healer here at once!"
As the princess cried out in alarm, Derrick mustered what little strength remained to him to speak. "Ungh... Leave me... You have to... run away..." He coughed.
"Don't try to speak, Derrick! Someone, help! Is there no one here?!"
"Khh... This is...pointless, Lady Ariel... 'm well past saving..."
"No...no! Don't be ridiculous! You've got to hang in there, Derrick!"
Derrick looked at the princess, now clearly on the verge of tears, with some surprise. He'd been convinced Ariel and Luke hated having him around, but perhaps that wasn't entirely true. Despite everything, he felt a small roguish impulse rising inside him. "Well, Princess? I didn't...a-abandon you...now did I?"
Ariel jerked back, seemingly startled by his words. And after a moment, she began gazing at her deeply loyal guardian in a way she'd never looked at him before. "Derrick..."
"Lady Ariel, this is...my last request. Please, I beg you...take the throne...and make Asura into...a better country! Gggh!"
A broken rib pierced Derrick's lung, and he coughed up a large amount of blood.
Ariel watched in silence for a moment, then nodded and turned around.
An enormous boar stood in front of her.
Luke, knocked aside some time earlier, was looking over at Ariel from the ground with an expression of pure despair.
Ariel glared fiercely at the creature for a moment, then began shouting. "I don't know where you came from or why, but you stand before the future Queen of Asura! I'm not going to die today. Begone!"
Naturally enough, words meant nothing at all to a Terminator Boar. The beast only snuffled softly, its nostrils trembling in anticipation of a tasty meal.
It took one step forward, then another.
Watching helplessly from the ground, Derrick said a silent prayer. As a follower of the Millis Church, he turned to the heavens in search of aid.
Please, God...please help us. You can take my life, but help Princess Ariel. This world still has need of her...
He prayed in vain of course. Derrick knew that better than anyone. Saint Millis had been a truly great man, and the savior of humanity...but you couldn't expect him to grant you a convenient miracle every time you needed one. That was just the way things were. Even so, Derrick couldn't help beseeching him.
At last, the beast drew within striking distance of Princess Ariel. Its massive fist rose into the air.
But then—the prayer was answered.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
With an ear-splitting shriek, an angel tumbled from the heavens. It was a young, white-haired angel—wearing rather shoddy clothes.
"Aah! Aaaaaah!"
With a charming, half-crazed war cry, she stretched both hands toward the massive boar...and somehow, blew the upper half of its body apart.
Thank you, God... Thank you so much. Witnessing this, Derrick shed one final tear. Please... watch over Lady Ariel.
And with his heart full of peace, the guardian mage breathed his last...
The Fittoa Displacement Incident cost one young magician his life —and provided Ariel Anemoi Asura with a new and different purpose.
What path did she follow in the aftermath of these events? How did they change Luke Greyrat?
And what became of the angel that fell from the heavens? These are tales for another time...