[User] Lilly took a bag and opened it, revealing its contents. “Th-the magic stones on these wands have been enchanted with Blessing. Blessing itself is water magic, but you can use any magic type with an enchanted item. Keep in mind that Blessing only has an effect on demons.”

[Assistant] “Can you teach us how to cast Blessing ourselves?” I asked.

[User] “Th-that I cannot do… It is one of the church’s most closely guarded secrets, of an order higher than even the Tears of the Moon. Only the current pope is permitted to know it.” Lilly went on to explain that Blessed magic stones were an important source of income for the church.

[Assistant] I could put the spell to good use if I learned it, but I understood the reasoning in this confidentiality.

[User] “Bl-blessed magic tools are incredibly valuable, so I can only loan up to one per person. Please be careful with them.” We each received a Blessed magic wand from Lilly. Inspecting the wand, I noticed that its magic stone was colorless and transparent, rather than one of the four attribute colors. Ordinary water magic would cause the stone to turn blue. There really was something peculiar about Blessing. “D-demons have the same weak spots as monsters, a magic stone that acts as their core. Th-the reason why is unknown, but their magic stone is often located where the human heart would be. Don’t forget this.” With that, Lilly’s lecture on demons came to an end.

[Assistant] “Thank you for teaching us, Miss Lilly.”

[User] “N-not at all, Rae.”

[Assistant] Even so, I was grateful to learn anything that hadn’t been explained in the game. She’d even armed us with Blessed weapons to boot. “Is there any way I can show my appreciation?” I asked.

[User] “Th-there’s no need for that, I was just doing my job… But, um—”

[Assistant] “What is it? Request away!”

[User] “Well, um, I was thinking, you see, if you’re free right now, maybe we could have tea toge—”

[Assistant] “Gladly! We have so much to catch up on anyways,” I said. That was such a small request. I was willing to talk for as long as she wanted. That was when my…you know, my wife loomed over with a frightful face.

[User] "Hello, Lilly. I hope you wouldn’t mind me joining your tea party, would you?"

[Assistant] “O-of course not. I definitely had no intention of trying to get closer to Rae while you weren’t around and—guh.” Miss Lilly… Your true thoughts are leaking out.

[User] “Honestly…” Claire sighed. “I can’t let my guard down with you.”

[Assistant] “Lilly, you harebrained fool,” Lilly muttered. “You messed things up again…”

[User] “Miss Lilly?”

[Assistant] “Um, Lilly?”

[User] “Ah. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” It had been a while since we’d heard Lilly’s involuntary cursing. “Miss Manaria helped remove my second personality, but lately, the words just find their way out again…”

[Assistant] “It’s fine,” Claire assured her.

[User] “If anything, you wouldn’t feel like Miss Lilly without that,” I said.

[Assistant] “I-Is that how you guys see me?” Lilly asked through tears.


[User] We invited the teary-eyed Lilly to our room and talked away until dark. We ate dinner together with May and Aleah, after which Lilly got ready to go home. “I-I’ll be going then. L-Let’s have our lover’s rendezvous some other time, Rae.”

[Assistant] “Just hurry up and leave.” Claire spat. They squabbled briefly, and then we bid her goodbye.


[User] "Are your injuries feeling better now, Claire?” Philine asked the next morning in our classroom. She’d been lavishing Claire with concern ever since our fight with the demon, even though she had been heavily injured as well.

[Assistant] “Thank you for worrying, Lady Philine, but as I said yesterday, I’m completely fine.” Claire was doing her best to be nice, but the endless worry understandably tired her out.

[User] “So you say, but are you truly sure? While your body may have healed, I worry you might still be scarred by the memory of the event.”

[Assistant] “I am not so soft. If anything, I feel the opposite. I want nothing more than to defeat Aristo, should we ever cross paths again.”

[User] “Goodness…” They went on to have essentially the same exchange every morning since. I knew it was a good thing that we’d become friends with Philine, but I couldn’t help feeling like the girl was weird. She was too friendly. And also too close. Like, way too close. She kept making just a bit too much physical contact with Claire, raising all too many red flags in my eyes. Her feelings for Claire were definitely not those of friendship. I’d seen this person before—every time I looked in the mirror, as a matter of fact.

[Assistant] “Excuse me, Lady Philine? For the umpteenth time, Claire is mine. Think you could stop clinging to her like that?”

[User] “Ah. R-right. I’m sorry, Rae, things just kind of happened…” Philine put her hands on her blushing cheeks and squirmed. What do you mean, ‘things just kind of happened’ I thought. I swore to not let my guard down with this girl.

[Assistant] “You’re imagining things, Rae. Lady Philine and I are friends. This level of intimacy is completely normal.” Claire wore a thin smile as she took the mediating role.

[User] “Th-thank you, Claire!” If Philine were a dog, her tail would have been wagging furiously right now. Um, Miss Claire? What are you, some thickheaded light novel protagonist? She’s clearly fawning all over you.

[Assistant] “Lady Philine, you’re a member of the imperial family, right? Don’t you have a fiancé or something?”

[User] “No, not yet.”

[Assistant] “Really? How unexpected. I figured an imperial princess would have a political marriage arranged for her.” At least, that was what Claire had said. I wasn’t too familiar with high society.

[User] “Mother prefers to conquer through force rather than politics…” Philine muttered sadly. Certainly, Dorothea seemed the type to take what she wanted rather than negotiate for it. Not that I thought she was all brawn and no brain.


[User] "So, yes, I currently have no partner right now."

[Assistant] Philine glanced at Claire. "O-oh… Is that so,"

[User] "Why did you try to announce your availability to Claire just now?" I demanded. Philine was definitely, definitely interested in Claire. What happened to her being a shy character? I mean, sure, this was still nothing compared to my advances, but still.

[Assistant] "Me? Announce? I’m just being friendly with Claire, that’s all…"

[User] "I think you’re being a little too friendly though…"

[Assistant] "Am I? Oh, dear…" Philine put her hands on her blushing cheeks and squirmed for the second time.

[User] Stop that. It’s not cute. Okay, it’s kind of cute, but you’re not fooling me! I straightened, fed up. Time for a curveball. I was sick and tired of this. "Lady Philine, is it your intention to start an illicit relationship with Miss Claire?"

[Assistant] "Wha—Rae? !"

[User] "I-I don’t love her or anything…"

[Assistant] Whoa, who said anything about love? Don’t just go putting words in my mouth! This is why ditzy princess characters are insufferable… "What would the imperial family think if they found out about you flirting with a taken woman?" I asked.

[User] "The Nur Empire practices polygamy," Philine said matter-of-factly.

[Assistant] "Uh…" Oh, right. The Empire had different marital practices than Bauer. Here, monogamy wasn’t enforced, and same-sex marriage was recognized—the latter largely due to Revo-Lily being a yuri game. "Besides, you two aren’t legally married yet, right?" Philine asked.

[User] "Y-yes, but, um…"

[Assistant] "Besides, as a member of the imperial family, I’m a much better match for Claire, a former noble."

[User] Huh? Why do I feel backed into a corner all of a sudden?

[Assistant] "That’s not it, Lady Philine." Claire stepped in to chide her. "It’s true, Rae and I are neither legally married nor from similar social backgrounds."

[User] "So I’m right," Philine said. "But I’ve come to realize something, you see. Marriage isn’t just a political tool or a way to repay the parents that raised you. Marriage is for your own happiness."

[Assistant] "Your…own…happiness…?" Philine murmured.

[User] "I’m not saying entering a political marriage or marrying to make your parents happy is wrong, but it’s also important to marry someone special to you."

[Assistant] "I…see."

[User] "In that regard, Rae is perfect for me. Even if we are not legally married, she is my irreplaceable partner. Please understand that."

[Assistant] Claire, now completely finished, smiled sweetly. In contrast, I wore the smuggest look ever.

[User] "I see… I understand." Even Philine had to reconsider after hearing all that. She was a reasonable girl who’d just gotten a bit carried away by making a close friend. Now, we could all go back to—

[Assistant] "I understand completely. I would like to formally announce my interest in being Claire’s partner."

[User] Come again?

[Assistant] "Wh-what are you saying, Lady Philine? Didn’t you hear what I said?" Claire asked.

[User] "Of course. I believe I can also be an irreplaceable partner you won’t regret being with." Her curveball left both Claire and I speechless.


[User] "I understand now that Rae is a special person to you, Claire. So I’m going to try my best to be the same thing to you.”

[Assistant] “W-wait, that wasn’t what I was getting at!” Claire exclaimed.

[User] “It’s okay. Remember what you taught me? Little by little.”

[Assistant] “That’s completely out of context!” Claire was flustered. Had Philine always had this reckless side? I suddenly saw a bit of her mother in her.

[User] “In any case, I promise to become a fine lady you can both be proud of,” Philine proudly declared. Claire and I looked at each other, thinking, What just happened? It seemed I had a love rival now. And, of all people, it had to be the one person whose cooperation we needed most. Good grief, I thought, exhausted to the core, when Yu suddenly appeared. It wasn’t often she visited different classes.

[Assistant] “Claire, Rae.”

[User] “Hello, Lady Yu. Is something the matter?” Claire asked.

[Assistant] “A letter arrived from the kingdom. Bad news.” Yu looked grave. “Ex-chancellor Salas Lilium has escaped from prison.”


[User] “SALAS ESCAPED?” That sly schemer… I knew nothing good would come of pardoning him. There was trouble brewing, I was sure of it.

[Assistant] “But how?” Claire asked. “I thought he was confined in a special high-security prison?”

[User] “Someone from the kingdom is here to explain what happened. Come to the exchange student lounge after classes.”

[Assistant] “Understood.” Having delivered her message, Yu returned to her own class.

[User] “Miss Claire…”

[Assistant] “I know. I have a bad feeling about this…”


[User] “Oho, Claire, Rae. Have you two been well?”

[Assistant] “Father? !”

[User] “Master Dole?” When we went to the lounge after classes, we found my father-in-law, Dole François, waiting for us. Apparently, this was the messenger Bauer had sent to bring us the news.

[Assistant] “Where are May and Aleah? I can’t wait to see how much they’ve grown.”

[User] “They’re in our room.”

[Assistant] “It hasn’t even been two months since you’ve seen them, you know.”

[User] “And? Children grow so much in a short span of time. Why, I remember when Claire was little—” He was about to launch into a story about Claire’s childhood when Yu politely interrupted.

[Assistant] “Excuse me, Dole. Might you convey the news from the kingdom? We’re still not aware of what’


[User] "But she has taken some rather suspicious actions of late. We’re keeping an eye on her.”

[Assistant] “Father, what do you mean by ‘suspicious actions’?”

[User] “Well, you know how Riche relinquished the title of queen dowager?”

[Assistant] “Of course. I recall she returned to the church as a cardinal?”

[User] “Lady Riche has dipped back into politics ever since she resumed her position as cardinal. She’d been gathering supporters within the church while undermining the influence of the current pope."

[Assistant] “I think I see where this is going.” Claire looked at Yu with concern.

[User] Dole nodded with a worried expression.

[Assistant] “Sorry, can someone explain?”

[User] “Lady Riche probably hasn’t given up on Yu. Now that making Yu the king has failed, she’s trying to make her the next pope instead.”

[Assistant] “But the current pope is still young, right? It’d be a while before Yu could take over,”

[User] “About that…It’s just a rumor, but…I hear there is concern that some individuals intend to assassinate the pope.” Dole frowned.

[Assistant] “What? !”

[User] “You heard the pope is due to visit the Nur Empire next month, right? I suspect an attempt will be made then.” Dole’s expression was bitter as he shook his head in abhorrence.

[Assistant] “Couldn’t we have Lady Riche arrested, then?”

[User] “We can’t. She’s a cardinal of the church and the former queen dowager. It’s hard to lay a hand on a lady of her influence.”

[Assistant] “She’s shrewd, too. I’m sure she has people do all her dirty work for her, hence why we’ve yet to find a single piece of hard evidence against her,”


[User] "That being said, we’re actually not a hundred percent sure that Lady Riche is the puppet master."

[Assistant] "Isn’t the circumstantial evidence damning enough?"

[User] "The problem is that Lady Riche volunteered to be in charge of security for the pope’s visit. If she were the mastermind, she wouldn’t need to take such a risk."

[Assistant] "Maybe it’s a diversion?"

[User] "Or maybe she took the job precisely to discover the gaps in the pope’s security?"

[Assistant] "It’s possible, but I’m not so sure. She says she wants to put the actual security detail under someone else’s command. Well, more specifically…" Dole looked directly at me.

[User] "She wants you to be in charge, Rae."

[Assistant] Say whaaat? Trouble was definitely brewing.


[User] "Thank you for coming, everyone." Former queen dowager and current cardinal Riche Bauer greeted us with a warm smile.

[Assistant] "It’s been a while, Mother. I hope you’ve been well." Yu greeted her mother as the three of us knelt on the ground, heads bowed.

[User] "Thank you, Yu, I have. Everyone, please, be at ease."

[Assistant] I raised my head and looked at Riche.

[User] "Now then…" Riche began. "I summoned you all here today to ask something of you."

[Assistant] "As you’ve likely heard, the pope is coming to the empire next month. I wish to enlist your help as escorts."

[User] "Especially you, Claire François. I want you to be in charge of guarding the pope."

[Assistant] "Me?" Asked, taken aback.

[User] Huh? That was strange… According to Dole, it should have been me. Had Riche changed her mind?


[User] "While I’m ashamed to admit it, the truth is I don’t know the first thing about security escorts. Certainly there must be somebody more suitable than I?"

[Assistant] "Oh, dear… But the Pope herself requested it. Is it really not possible?" Riche made a troubled face, cranking up the pressure.

[User] "Well… If Rae and Misha can assist me, then I’ll accept."

[Assistant] "Oh, thank goodness! Of course, that would be fine. In fact, I had something to request of Rae as well."

[User] "What is it?" I asked, puzzled.

[Assistant] Riche called for an attendant, who arrived carrying something. "What I’m about to show you must stay a secret. Not a word of this must leave this room."

[User] With profound reverence, the attendant held up what looked to be a framed portrait.

[Assistant] "Is that…me?" I blinked in confusion. Pictured within the portrait was none other than myself. But why was a picture of me being handled with such religious zeal?

[User] "Not you, Rae."

[Assistant] Then who?

[User] "This portrait is of the pope, Her Holiness Clarice Répète III."

[Assistant] The four of us let out a gasp of surprise.

[User] This went beyond simple resemblance—her face was practically a carbon copy of mine. It could have been a coincidence. Lilly had once mentioned seeing someone with a face like mine on her travels, so maybe my face was just common in this world? Come to think of it, when I’d first met Lilly, she’d thought I looked familiar. Perhaps she had been reminded of the pope.

[Assistant] "As you can see, the pope and Rae look identical to one another. For that reason, I want Rae to act as her body double." Riche explained.

[User] A dangerous request. Dole claimed the rumors of the pope’s impending assassination had some truth to them, so it was safe to assume being her body double meant risking my life. And while Riche’s request was reasonable if she had the pope’s well-being in mind, if we did as she asked, we might well be playing into her hands.

[Assistant] "There is something I would like to ask, if I may."

[User] "Of course, Claire."

[Assistant] "Are you not at all concerned that the pope and Rae are so similar in appearance?"

[User] "Ahh, that. It’s a closely guarded secret, but it is understood that those who look like Rae—er, rather, the pope—are born every so often. We believe them to be blessed by the Spirit God. Many popes throughout history have borne this face. The church goes to great lengths to watch over those who bear these features."

[Assistant] So my face held some significance in this world… But why? Was it because it was the face of the Revolution protagonist?

[User] "Perhaps you were once under the care of the church, Rae."

[Assistant] "Uhh, is that right…" I muttered. Come to think of it, Elie—a look-alike of mine whom Lilly had run into—had been adopted by the church. If I hadn’t been adopted by my parents, I might have met a similar fate.


[User] "I have a question, if I may."

[Assistant] "Go ahead."

[User] "Is it true? Is there a group with designs on the pope’s life?"

[Assistant] "That’s…" Riche hesitated.

[User] I wasn’t sure what to make of this.

[Assistant] "It was Dole, wasn’t it? His lips are far too loose. Well, no matter. I would have told you regardless. Yes, it’s true, there are rumors that some people intend to take the pope’s life." Riche shook her head, as if the very thought were abhorrent. "Some malicious gossip has it that I’m the ringleader of said plot, but that is simply untrue. The pope is the leader of the Spiritual Church. To hurt her would be to invoke the wrath of followers the world over."

[User] In other words, she was saying she wasn’t that foolish.

[Assistant] "The role of a body double is a dangerous one. But you are the only one who can do it, Rae. I wouldn’t ask this if you merely resembled her; I’m asking because I’m confident you can protect yourself if worse comes to worst."

[User] High praise indeed.

[Assistant] "So please accept this request. For the pope." Riche bowed deeply, shocking Yu and Misha.

[User] I would later learn they had never seen her bow to anyone before. "All right. I’ll do it." I answered after deep consideration. We had no way of knowing who was planning the assassination, but my best chance of stopping it came in working within the church. Sticking my neck out like this would have been unthinkable of the old me. It seemed I’d changed because of Claire.

[Assistant] "I’m…surprised. I was sure you would resent me too much to accept. I tried to have you killed after the incident with Yu’s gender. I’m sure you noticed."

[User] She was talking about how my food had been poisoned while I was imprisoned. For my part, I was surprised to hear her admit it. "Considering the circumstances, it was only natural you’d hate me. I prioritized Lady Yu’s feelings but disregarded yours." I said, which seemed safe. I wasn’t sure if her words were an act, but I wanted to avoid making enemies if I could.

[Assistant] "It seems I have misunderstood you, Rae Taylor… Please forgive me for the foolish mistakes I’ve made." Riche bowed deeply once again. "Claire, Rae, I’ll be leaving the pope’s safety to you both. If anything happens, I’ll take responsibility. Please do your best. Yu, Misha, please support them in any way you can."

[User] We dropped to a knee and lowered our heads once more before being dismissed.


[Assistant] "You’re being stubborn, Misha!"

[User] "No, you’re just too emotional, Yu!"

[Assistant] Claire, May, Aleah, and I were eating dinner when we heard loud arguing from the room over.

[User] "Are Lady Yu and Sister Misha fighting?"

[Assistant] "Their voices are scary…" May and Aleah voiced their concerns with worried faces.


[User] “Go check on them, Rae.”

[Assistant] “What about the cleanup?”

[User] “I can do it—just hurry up and go.”

[Assistant] “Right, going.” I said, “Don’t worry,” as I gave May and Aleah a quick pat on the head and made for the room over. I rang the doorbell, and their arguing abruptly stopped, after which I heard footsteps approach the door.

[User] “Oh…Rae.”

[Assistant] “Good evening, Misha. Is something wrong? It sounded like you two were having a disagreement.”

[User] “I’m sorry you had to hear that. It’s nothing serious.” Misha smiled as she spoke, but her naturally red eyes were red in a different sense.

[Assistant] “Forgive me for prying, but would you tell me what’s wrong?”

[User] “That’s…”

[Assistant] “Why not, Misha? Let’s share our thoughts with Rae,” Yu said from inside the room, having heard our exchange.

[User] “Come on in…”

[Assistant] “Thank you.” This was the first time I’d been in their room since we arrived. They’d furnished it since then, making it much cozier than before. Being members of the church, they both had a number of relics and prayer objects here and there, but their overall lifestyle seemed modest.

[User] “I’ll put on some tea.”

[Assistant] “Oh, no, I’m all right.”

[User] “It’s fine. I need to go cool my head a bit.” Misha went to the kitchenette to prepare some tea. The awkward atmosphere that lingered from their fight began to ease as the scent of tea wafted into the room.

[Assistant] “I’m sorry, Rae.”

[User] “I didn’t realize we were loud enough for you to hear us.”

[Assistant] “It’s fine. I’m more worried about you two. Neither of you are the type to raise your voices like that.”

[User] “We were just…exchanging opinions about Mother.”

[Assistant] “Yu kept insisting we shouldn’t trust her,” Misha said, returning to the living room with a tray of teacups and a displeased look.

[User] “And I still think we shouldn’t. There’s a high chance Mother was involved in Salas’s escape. It’s only natural not to trust her.”

[Assistant] “She’s your own mother!” Misha insisted. “We don’t know if she’s conspiring, but as her daughter, you have to at least have some faith in her!”

[User] “Faith in her? When all she ever did was force her desires on me?”

[Assistant] “Even so—”

[User] “All right, stop, both of you. Let’s take a moment to calm down,” I interrupted.

[Assistant] “You’re right… Sorry.” Yu apologized.

[User] “Sorry…” The couple wore uncomfortable expressions, perhaps embarrassed. They had a habit of getting lost in their own little world regardless of who else was present—whether it be flirting or arguing.

[Assistant] “In short, Lady Yu distrusts Lady Riche, while Misha wants to trust her?” They nodded.

[User] “You agree with me though, right, Rae?”

[Assistant] “Mother only ever thinks about herself.


[User] “Leaving her personality aside, I think Lady Riche is trying to act in your best interests.”

[Assistant] “Like when my best interests somehow involved forcing me to live as a man?”

[User] “That’s…”

[Assistant] “All right, all right, that’s enough.”

[User] I stopped them yet again as they rapidly approached a third shouting match. Seriously, what a handful these two could be. “We don’t yet have enough information to know for sure whether to trust Lady Riche.” I kept my voice level to try to enforce calm. “Salas’s disappearance is fishy, but it’s still a mystery. Jumping to conclusions now will only hurt us down the road.”

[Assistant] Misha and Yu listened quietly. They were both sensible people who understood my logic. But feelings could so often run counter to reason.

[User] “I think I understand how you feel, Yu.” I continued. “You lost your freedom because of your mother. You can’t bring yourself to trust her.”

[Assistant] “That’s right.”

[User] “But…!”

[Assistant] “On the other hand, I don’t understand your sudden change of heart, Misha. You were never fond of Lady Riche.” Misha had even helped us break the curse on Yu in defiance of Riche’s express desires.

[User] “I’m still not fond of her. Even in the convent, we don’t get along. She tries to separate Yu and me at every opportunity—even compelling Yu to use her own influence to defy hers… But this can’t be right. No mother and child should have to feud like this. Lady Yu matters more to me than anything else—that’s why I can’t bear to see you estranged from your mother like this.” Misha’s true feelings spilled from her lips. “I’m not saying every family gets along. If this were someone else’s family, I’d likely agree with Yu. But this isn’t someone else. It’s Yu. And I want Yu to be happy.”

[Assistant] “In other words, you believe Yu needs to reconcile with Lady Riche to be happy?”

[User] “At the very least, the two of us will never be happy together as long as Lady Riche stands opposed to us.”

[Assistant] “So, it’s less about wanting to trust Lady Riche and more about ensuring Yu’s happiness?”

[User] “Yes.”

[Assistant] Now I got it. I turned to look at Yu. “Lady Yu.”

[User] “Yes?”

[Assistant] “I understand where Misha’s worry comes from now. Lady Riche is a very influential person who tries constantly to separate the two of you. You can see how this is a problem, I’m sure?”

[User] Yu remained silent.

[Assistant] “So now I ask you: Why do you still distrust Lady Riche? I understand you resent her for how she caged you before, but you’ve been freed. You’ve said yourself that she relented once you abandoned your right to the throne.” I still distrusted Riche myself, but Yu’s point-blank rejection of Misha’s words—to the point of having an open shouting match—was odd.

[User] “It’s because…I can’t forgive her for how she treated my dear Misha.”

[Assistant] “At the convent?”

[User] “Yes. Misha is my everything."


[User] "And I won’t forgive anyone who hurts her, even if they are my mother.” Now I got Yu’s feelings, too. I looked between them. “So let me get this straight… You two are arguing because you love each other.”

[Assistant] They went silent. They stared at their feet as their cheeks reddened.

[User] As for me? I was done with this whole mess. Get a room, you normies! “It’s clear you two had each other’s best interest in mind, so how about you try sorting this out again—honestly this time? Not being upfront with each other is what led to this misunderstanding in the first place.”

[Assistant] “You’re right…”

[User] “Sorry…”

[Assistant] It seemed my work here was done. “I’m going back to my room. Try not to get too impassioned again, okay? Oh, but getting passionate in a different sense might do you two some good, you never know!”

[User] “Rae!” Misha shot me a glare while Yu simply laughed defeatedly.

[Assistant] Leaving them to their own devices, I returned to my room.

[User] “Everything all right? Nothing too serious, I hope,” Claire said worriedly.

[Assistant] “Nothing at all. Just a lover’s spat.” Honestly, what a couple!


[User] We began preparations the following day. There was much to do: delegating tasks, scheduling shifts, and reviewing the floor plan of the town hall in which the conference would take place. Of course, we were exempt from attending the academy while we worked. I worried about our grades taking a hit, but it seemed they would overlook our academic performance on account of the circumstances. We still had to take tests, of course, so we needed to keep up with studying whatever we missed in class. “The name’s Hildegard Eichrodt, but please call me Hilda.”

[Assistant] During this time, we finally grew acquainted with the last romanceable character from Revo-Lily. She introduced herself as the head of security on the empire’s side. Obviously, the church wasn’t preparing for the pope’s visit alone. With the empress in attendance, the empire needed security measures, too. Much of the empire’s strength lay in its military, due in part to its extraordinary investment in magical research. This stood in stark contrast to the Bauer Kingdom, which had initially neglected magic. In fact, the empire’s Department of Magic Technology was so influential that they were second in power only to Dorothea herself. And Hilda had deep ties to that department. Hilda came off as a sharp and capable person. She wore a monocle, seldom seen on a woman, and her silver hair and red eyes reminded me of Lilly. But in contrast to Lilly’s timidity, Hilda emanated ferocity. Philine claimed Hilda was scary at first glance but genuinely a nice person—but I knew Hilda’s real personality. She was nothing but raw ambition and would stoop to anything to achieve her goals, even feigning kindness toward Philine. To Hilda, Philine was nothing but an opportunity to increase her own power.

[User] “This is the empire’s security plan." Hilda said. "Please review it.” That said, she did excellent work.


[User] This meeting was held in a shared conference room reserved for those working the security detail. The room was quite large; it had to be, to accommodate all the people involved. Desks and chairs had been arranged in rows, and the lists of required materials covered the walls. "Thank you, Hilda. This is the church’s security plan. Let’s compare notes and assist each other." Claire led the church’s security team with Lilly acting as support. As Claire was inexperienced in these matters, Lilly had been assigned to assist. Their combined efforts had allowed planning to progress smoothly.

[Assistant] “Will Her Holiness grace us with her countenance this time?”

[User] “Unfortunately, she will not. Her Holiness does not often reveal herself to others.” See: Claire’s and my surprise at the pope’s true face. She was typically hidden by a bamboo blind whenever she talked to or met people. Even when she moved, she rode in a palanquin.

[Assistant] “Oh, dear. It will be difficult to convince Her Majesty of this… I wouldn’t be surprised if she slices open the blind to forcibly reveal the pope’s face. Her Majesty Dorothea is short-tempered, after all. Even the conference staff are terrified of her.” Hilda shrugged, but her expression seemed far less bothered than her words implied.

[User] “You don’t seem too concerned.”

[Assistant] “Well, truthfully, I doubt even Her Majesty would do something so impolite to the pope in the current climate. Inviting the ill will of the Spiritual Church’s followers would only cause trouble for the empire.”

[User] “You have a lot of faith in Her Majesty.”

[Assistant] “Of course. Her Majesty loves nothing more than rationalism. Barring unforeseen circumstances, she won’t transgress, not against the pope.” Hilda smiled reassuringly. Yeah, okay, but why are you trying to reassure us when you brought the possibility up yourself? I thought.

[User] “By the way, have you met Philine?”

[Assistant] “I have. She’s very sweet. You wouldn’t think she was the daughter of someone as stern as Her Majesty Dorothea.”

[User] “Ha ha, everyone says that. But the two are actually quite alike.”

[Assistant] “Oh? How so?”

[User] “She’s strong-willed, like her mother. She stumbles from time to time and loses heart over small things, but when it matters the most, she stands her ground.” Hilda sung Philine’s praises, and to be honest, I agreed with her.

[Assistant] “I hope everyone from Bauer will get along with Philine. Especially the two of you, who led the revolution.” Hilda’s lips loosened into a smile, her cold demeanor suddenly warm. Countless players fell for that smile in the game. But I wouldn’t be deceived. I had a feeling that behind the scenes, Hilda was telling Philine the exact opposite—warning her not to get close to us, so she could stay number one in Philine’s mind.

[User] “Of course. We hope to be good friends with her.” Claire had studied Hilda’s personality in preparation for our stay in the empire.


[User] She knew Hilda was likely feigning friendliness, yet she managed to respond with a superb smile of her own.

[Assistant] “Incidentally…” Hilda lowered her voice. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about a group aiming for the pope’s life? I can safely say the culprit isn’t associated with our government in any way. As I noted, making an enemy of the church would be terrible for us. And while this entire affair somewhat embarrasses Dorothea, she understands we have no choice at present.”

[User] “We hope the church will take adequate steps to protect her Highness’s safety, too. If anything were to happen to our empress, however unlikely, it would be a great blow to our people.”

[Assistant] “Understood.”

[User] “As for your former chancellor, was he ever caught?”

[Assistant] “That… No, unfortunately we are still looking for him.”

[User] “It would be a relief to catch him before the pope’s visit. Just so we have one less thing to worry about.”

[Assistant] “I agree wholeheartedly.”

[User] “I’ve heard through the grapevine that he has strong ties to someone high up in the church. Unexpectedly, it seems the one plotting to harm the pope is—”

[Assistant] “That’s enough, Hilda,” Claire interrupted before Hilda could lay out a direct accusation. “We’re no fools. We have already devised countermeasures for this matter you’re so concerned about, so let’s end the baseless speculation there.”

[User] “I apologize. That was rude of me.” Hilda bowed slightly.

[Assistant] “All is forgiven. As co-head of security, I understand your concerns.”

[User] “Thank you. Now, shall we review the plans?”


[Assistant] This first meeting between security teams went on to finish without a hitch. Having been in charge, Claire was understandably exhausted by the time we returned to the dormitory. “So many unexpected things keep occuring… What happened to our plan to manipulate the empire?”

[User] “So many unexpected things keep occuring… What happened to our plan to manipulate the empire?”

[Assistant] “Nothing we can do about it. The circumstances have differed too drastically from my book of prophecies,” I said as I ran a comb through May and Aleah’s hair.


[User] May’s hairstyle resembled mine, while Aleah’s took after Claire’s. May had always preferred her hair short where Aleah liked hers long, so the styles fit nicely.

[Assistant] “But still, something must be done. We might as well start with what’s ahead of us. I’ll be there for you.”

[User] Finished with the girls, I combed Claire’s hair. She had quite a few split ends. Must be from stress.

[Assistant] “Thank you, Rae.”

[User] “Anything for you.” Repeatedly dropping kisses on her head, I swore to myself again that I would ease her burden, if even just the tiniest bit.


[Assistant] Preparations continued steadily, and before we knew it, the day of the pope’s arrival was upon us. The sky was clear, the air brisk, and the earth warmed by the sun’s gentle rays. Claire and the personnel she led awaited the pope at the western city gate. Lilly had responsibilities elsewhere, but Yu, Misha, and Riche stood with us.

[User] “She’s late…” Claire mumbled.

[Assistant] Transportation in this world wasn’t punctual down to the minute like in modern-day Japan, but the pope was an hour late—long enough to make us worry something had happened en route.

[User] “Are you concerned?”

[Assistant] “Of course. What if the pope was assas—ahem! There’s that rumor to consider.” Claire stopped herself before saying “assassinated.” While information pertaining to the issue had been shared with the security team, we had to watch what we said while in public earshot.

[User] “Who knows, maybe she slept in.”

[Assistant] “Why, Her Holiness would never. She’s not you, Rae.” It appeared Claire was still on edge.

[User] “You’re horrible! Just who do you think wakes up early every morning to make everyone breakfast and lunch?”

[Assistant] I covered my face and pretended to cry.

[User] “H-huh? Wait, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that, Rae. I really do appreciate what you do, okay? It was just a slip of the tongue. I’ll take it back, so please don’t cry—”

[Assistant] “No! I’m hurt! I won’t stop crying until you kiss me!” I continued to pretend-sob.

[User] “Wh-what are you saying?! W-we’re outside, I can’t kiss you when there’s people watching…”

[Assistant] “No. I. Won’t. Stop! Not until you kiss me!” I tried adding a tantrum to my act, but—

[User] “Rae…you’re not actually crying…are you?” Claire stared at me with glazed eyes.

[Assistant] “Tee-hee.”

[User] “Don’t ‘tee-hee’ me. We don’t have time for your games—this is serious business.”

[Assistant] “I did it precisely because it’s serious business, Miss Claire.”

[User] “Quit joking around,” Claire huffed.

[Assistant] “You’re being too doom-and-gloom. Look, I read in a book a while back that in times like these, you should assume the worst-case scenario and therefore take the best-case action to address it. Shall we try it?”

[User] “Sounds easier said than done… All right. What’s the worst-case scenario?”

[Assistant] “Let’s say…it’s the pope already being killed.”

[User] “Then what’s the best course of action from there?”

[Assistant] “How about sending someone to go check?” I offered, when we were suddenly interrupted.

[User] “Emergency!” someone called.


[User] "The pope and her entourage have been attacked by a pack of monsters! Requesting aid!" Everyone snapped to attention.

[Assistant] "How many, how strong?!" Claire swiftly asked.

[User] "About ten mid-strength monsters!"

[Assistant] "Dispatch security units one through three. The rest are to stay and defend the gate." Under Claire’s orders, the reinforcements quickly assembled.

[User] "Will you go for me, Rae?"

[Assistant] "If that is your order."

[User] "Go. I’m counting on you."

[Assistant] "Yes, ma’am!" I joined the reinforcements, which consisted of about fifty soldier priests from the empire’s church and a hundred imperial soldiers. I was the only Bauer student. Sped up by those who could wield wind magic, we took off from the city at a blinding pace.

[User] "They’re in sight!" a voice exclaimed from the front. Ahead, the pope and her entourage were encircled by monsters, barely managing to defend themselves with a perimeter defense.

[Assistant] "Attack!" the leader of the reinforcements ordered. Most of our units were composed of mages, but I spotted some swordsmen in the front. The mages in the back rained down magic, instantly taking out a third of the monsters, which were too distracted by the prey in front of them.

[User] "Don’t let up!" The military escorts guarding the pope promptly repositioned to catch the monsters in a pincer attack. The number of fiends rapidly dwindled. As the last of the monsters were slain, the pope’s escorts voiced their relief.

[Assistant] "W-we’re saved…"

[User] "Not yet!" I shot an ice arrow at a shadowy figure creeping behind them.

[Assistant] "Feh… So there’s a sharp one among the bunch." The shadowy figure avoided my attack by beating the large wings on its back and bursting upward into the sky.

[User] "A demon?!"

[Assistant] "I don’t care what you humans call me, but I have a name: Platos. Remember it."

[User] "Platos?! Isn’t that one of the Three Great Archdemons?!"

[Assistant] Platos—unlike Aristo, his fellow Great Archdemon—wore nothing but animal skins. His speech and attitude were rough, strikingly unlike the calculating Aristo. Wasn’t meeting big-name demons supposed to be super unlikely? Yet here I am, facing a second!

[User] "Taste my strength and die!" Platos slammed a club into the ground, sending ripples through the earth that knocked the soldiers down.

[Assistant] "Eat this!" He raised his hand into the air, and stone spikes exploded from the ground. It was the medium-level earth spell known as Earth Spike, but the number of spikes he summoned was irregular—more than a hundred, all bursting forth at once.

[User] "Muddy Soil!" I used my earth magic to change the spikes to soft mud moments before they could pierce our flesh. Stopping more than a hundred Earth Spikes took a toll on me, even with my ultra-high aptitude magic, but I had no choice. It was that or be slaughtered.

[Assistant] "Not bad. Bet you’re Rae Taylor, huh? One of the humans that idiot Aristo let slip away." I felt a disturbing lack of magic left in me…right as I caught Platos’s eye. Shoot.


[User] “I bet Aristo spent too much time playing around with you, huh? Well, I ain’t like that. I’m gonna end you nice and quick!” Platos charged toward me as he swung his club. He’s fast!

[Assistant] “Stop!” Soldiers stood in the way of Platos, readying their lances, swinging their swords, and firing their magic.

[User] “Move!” The demon didn’t even flinch. Their attacks bounced off him as he tore through, knocking the soldiers out of the way.

[Assistant] “Hnnh—die!” He grinned, confident in his victory, as he swung his club at me.

[User] “Judecca! Earth Spike!” I froze Platos in place mid-swing, then attacked him with the same spell he’d used earlier, forming my trademark combination technique: Cocytus.

[Assistant] Platos wrested free of the ice through sheer strength and flew into the air. “Whew. You nearly screwed me of all people… Man, and right after I was done bragging. You humans are freaks.” Platos glared down at me from above. “But hey, know what? I bet you’re at your limit. You humans got crazy small magic reserves. Just those few spells probably got you near empty.”

[User] As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. After countering his hundred-something Earth Spikes and then casting two of my strongest spells, my magic was nearly depleted. That wasn’t to say I was completely tapped, but I only had about one, maybe two casts of a spell that could damage him. I was about to consider retreat when a dignified voice rippled through the battlefield.

[Assistant] “Fill.” Light began to envelop the area, the illumination somehow palpable and soft. Power swelled in me where it touched. Fallen soldiers rose one after another. I, too, felt my magic power restored in its entirety. From near the pope’s palanquin, a clergyman called out. “Her Holiness the pope has granted us her blessing! Today, we shall not know defeat! Stand and slay the demon!”

[User] In unison, the escorts, the soldier priests, and the soldiers responded with a war cry.

[Assistant] Was that…a wide-range healing ability? Does such magic exist? I wondered.

[User] “Hmph. Couldn’t finish you off. Whatever, let’s just call it for today. Later.” Seeing us recovered, Platos indifferently prepared to retreat.

[Assistant] “Chickening out?” I called after him.

[User] “Hah! Wait until you can hold your own against me before talking smack,” Platos spat with derision. The demon left, flying to the east.

[Assistant] “Was that Her Holiness’s power?”

[User] “It’s a miracle!” Here and there, the soldiers began to exclaim words of praise for the pope. They’d been near death moments prior. I hated to think of what would have happened if the pope hadn’t saved us with her magic.

[Assistant] “Rae Taylor, this way, if you would.” The clergyman who had rallied the soldiers beckoned to me.

[User] I approached, though I didn’t yet know what for. “Thank you for buying us much needed time.


[User] "Her Holiness’s magic is powerful but takes time to prepare.” Have I seen this person before? I was pretty sure he was a bishop.

[Assistant] “Oh, no, if anything, I should be doing the thanking. The pope’s magic saved us all."

[User] "You flatter me." A voice answered from within the palanquin.

[Assistant] “Y-Your Holiness? !”

[User] “It’s fine, Bishop Rhona. It’s only a matter of time before she and I must see each other.” The blind on the palanquin lifted.

[Assistant] “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Rae Taylor. I am the pope.” The girl’s voice was alarmingly monotone, and her expression didn’t so much as twitch. She was Clarice Répète III.


[User] “Thank you very much for coming to our aid earlier.” We welcomed the pope at the empire’s main church. Claire and I faced the pope’s palanquin as we knelt on the ground, though she had her blind lowered, so we couldn’t actually see her face. Adjacent to the palanquin were Riche, Yu, Misha, and then Lilly, as well as other members of the church. Everyone looked tense, thanks to the recent attack.

[Assistant] “Thank you." In contrast, the pope thanked us in a calm—no, a mechanical voice, one that lacked inflection and was devoid of emotion—yet, somehow, was not uncanny in the slightest. Her face was identical to mine, as was her voice, if I listened carefully enough, but we had entirely different airs.

[User] “Thank you for gracing us with your presence. My name is Claire François, and I am in charge of the security for your visit. I am relieved to see Her Holiness was not harmed earlier,” Claire said as she formally introduced herself.

[Assistant] “I’ve heard nothing but good things about you. Everyone praised your handling of the recent situation as well.”

[User] “Thank you very much.” Claire conducted herself with utmost decorum. She never ceased to amaze me in formal situations, ever the perfect lady. It was hard to think she was the same person who grew flustered every time May and Aleah cried at home—not that I did any better in that case.

[Assistant] “Your partner is very strong. I likely wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Rae Taylor.”

[User] “Thank you very much for your kind words.” I bowed deeply together with Claire.

[Assistant] “I’m sure you’ve already heard from Cardinal Riche, but it seems there are those who desire my death. While it pains me to know some believe I have not fulfilled my duties as pope, I cannot afford to pass from this world yet. Will you lend me your aid?”

[User] “Of course, Your Holiness. We’ll do everything in our power to protect you.”

[Assistant] “Thank you very much. Now then, I must now speak on a different matter.


[User] "I ask all clergy other than Cardinal Riche, Cardinal Yu, Lilly, and Misha to take their leave.”

[Assistant] The members of the clergy whispered to one another in confusion. “I’m sorry, did Her Holiness not make herself clear?” Riche’s sharp, sagacious voice ripped through the murmurs. She’d spoken softly when she summoned us the other day, but I thought this tone sounded much more authentic. But that was probably my bias talking.

[User] At her urging, the clergy members vacated the area. After making sure all but those specified had left, Riche said, “Now then, let’s swap Her Holiness and Rae. Misha, the blind, if you will.”

[Assistant] “Certainly.” Misha lifted the bamboo blind, revealing the Pope’s small frame sitting on a modest white chair. She wore a white vestment embroidered with golden threads.

[User] “Your Holiness, I beg your pardon, but may I ask you to leave your seat so we can begin exchanging clothes?”

[Assistant] “Understood.” The pope’s expression never flickered as she stood and slowly walked toward us.

[User] At the risk of sounding narcissistic, I simply must make clear that the pope was bewitchingly beautiful. While we had the same face, she exuded an aura of mysticism I simply couldn’t match. There’s a fine line between the chilling and the divine, and her indifferent, emotionless visage wavered over it, but it landed, in the end, at divinity. Perhaps being the pope meant she had to maintain constant control of her expression? Such were my thoughts when I heard a thump. No one spoke. She tripped. The pope had tripped. And squarely on her face, at that. Unable to process what had just occurred, Claire and I stared, our mouths agape. The idea of offering a hand didn’t so much as surface in our minds.

[Assistant] Then, as if nothing had happened, the pope stood and resumed slowly pacing toward us with her coolly composed expression. Then another thump. She fell a few steps thereafter. On her face. Again.

[User] “Your Holiness? !” Claire regained her senses and rushed to the pope’s side to help her up.

[Assistant] The pope, still expressionless, took her hand and stood. “Forgive me, I’m afraid I’m not athletically inclined.”

[User] But you’re just walking? I thought. Can walking really be considered something athletic? Her vestments did seem heavy, and they dragged on the floor as she walked. No sweat appeared on her brow, but she seemed to struggle to move. I’d thought it strange that she walked so slowly, but perhaps that was just as fast as she could go? Or maybe she’s just really physically weak? I pondered. She eventually reached me and took a single deep breath, like she had accomplished a great feat—despite merely walking forty feet or so.

[Assistant] “Now then, Misha, Lilly, please help her change.”

[User] “Certainly.”

[Assistant] “Y-yes.” Lilly rushed over to the pope and began stripping her heavy vestments off, piece by piece.

[User] I stripped my own clothes and donned the vestments passed to me by Misha. Oh, they are pretty heavy.


[User] “Please wear these if you would like, Your Holiness.”

[Assistant] Claire handed over a washed set we’d brought from home. “How are these worn?”

[User] The pope looked at my clothes in puzzlement, like they were a foreign object. “I-I can help you change.”

[Assistant] “No, Lilly. If Her Holiness is to live as Rae for the time being, she needs to learn these things. Please teach her.”

[User] “Please do, then, Lilly.”

[Assistant] "Y-yes.”

[User] The pope seemed to lack basic common knowledge, as if she’d lived under a rock her whole life. Thankfully, she seemed to get the hang of normal clothing quickly. She moved her arms and legs about curiously, looking very cute.

[Assistant] “It’s light and easy to move in. A bit cold, however.”

[User] “Please wear this if you’re cold, Your Holiness.”

[Assistant] “Claire, if I’m to live as Rae, I need you to treat me like her.”

[User] “Oh… B-but, of course. You should wear this then, Rae.”

[Assistant] “Yes, Miss Claire.” The pope put her arms through the jacket Claire handed her.

[User] “Rae—I mean—Your Holiness, take care to watch your speech and behavior as well.”


[Assistant] Finished with meeting clergy from the empire’s church, I returned to the room that had been supplied to me and sloppily sprawled onto the bed with a deep exhale. “Ugh… I’m exhausted.”

[User] I hurriedly got up and sat neatly on the bed, when I heard a knock at the door.


[User] "Come in."

[Assistant] "Pardon me, Your Holiness." Riche entered the room. She peered at me, eyebrow raised for a brief moment, before fixing her expression. "Your duties are concluded for the day. Good work. I brought a change of clothes." She brought out some plain, unadorned vestments that acted as casual wear and unfolded them for me to see. "Furthermore… Please take care not to lie down with your formal vestments on, or they’ll grow wrinkled."

[User] Ah. She’d seen right through me. Yeah, I supposed the real pope wouldn’t be flopping around on a bed like this. "I’m sorry, Lady Riche."

[Assistant] "Try again."

[User] "Riche."

[Assistant] "Yes, Your Holiness." Riche smiled in contentment after I hurriedly corrected myself. She began helping me change clothes. "That said, I understand you must be exhausted. Acting as the pope must not be easy, having to be composed all the time." She spoke with consideration, her voice low enough that only I could hear.

[User] "Oh, yes. Especially since I usually act like a wild animal."

[Assistant] "I’m sure that’s not true. I hear your grades in etiquette were quite high back when you were a student."

[User] As the outer tunic was lifted off, I responded, "I can’t hold a candle to real nobles. We live in different worlds, after all."

[Assistant] "Well…that’s all in the past. Now, there’s no distinction between noble and commoner," Riche muttered, sounding unsure whether the change was for better or worse. "I recall you were originally a member of the church?"

[User] "Yes. But if you trace my lineage back, I descend from prominent Bauer aristocrats."

[Assistant] Naturally. No common-born clergywoman, not even a cardinal, could so easily become queen. "Was it difficult adjusting to life as royalty?"

[User] "Oh… In its own way. I learned etiquette at the church, but the formalities expected of the royal family were much more complex. I had to practice so much." She sounded nostalgic. "But I had help. I know you don’t like him too much, but back then, Salas was good to me."

[Assistant] So he’d actively supported Riche even before she became queen?

[User] "Everyone only speaks ill of him since his imprisonment. Of course, not even I can forgive his ties to the empire, let alone what he tried to do to the kingdom. And yet, I don’t think it right to deny what he did for the kingdom either." Her words had some truth. Salas had been an excellent chancellor who brought stability to Bauer. Even the late King l’Ausseil’s push for meritocracy would have ended before it began if it weren’t for Salas’s help in making it a reality. "He used to be a dreamer with a beautiful ideal in his heart. But that all changed because of her… Because of Lady Lulu." The queen before Riche. The one who’d had an affair with Salas that resulted in the birth of Thane. "Lady Lulu was constantly falling in love with new people. A typical noble lady, if you will."


[User] "She seduced Salas all too easily, naive as he was.”

[Assistant] My impression of the events was quite different, but I knew when to keep my mouth shut.

[User] “Did you love Salas?”

[Assistant] She didn’t respond for a time. Only the sound of rustling clothes filled the room.

[User] “Personal feelings matter little in a political word. I was l’Ausseil’s wife, and so I could never be wed to Salas. That was all.” Her words sounded like they were meant for herself rather than me.

[Assistant] “At any rate, I became queen, then gave birth to Yu… She gave my life meaning. I’m sure you…and Yu don’t think too highly of me, but I truly do love her.” Her expression softened when she spoke Yu’s name.

[User] I would remember the look on her face for a long time to come.

[Assistant] “What I did to her was unforgivable. I don’t know if I even have the right to call myself her mother anymore. But everything I’ve done, I did with her best interests in mind. And no matter what anyone might say, that is the truth.” She stared intently at me as she spoke.

[User] I felt sincerity in her words.

[Assistant] “What do you think of Misha?”

[User] Riche wore a thin smile upon hearing my question.

[Assistant] “I think Misha is a wonderful girl. Her family used to be nobles of good repute, and she cooperated with us in hiding Yu’s true gender. You might not believe me, but I was certain she would be Yu’s future spouse. That is, until her house fell to ruin.” She spoke nostalgically, as if envisioning a young Yu and Misha together.

[User] “What about now?”

[Assistant] “Now…I’m not so sure. Yu’s a woman now, but she still wants to take Misha as a lifelong partner. I just can’t understand why one would choose to love someone of the same gender. I’m sorry if I offended you.”

[User] “It’s all right. I don’t mind.” Straight people might never completely understand how queer people felt—and vice versa. Neither party was at fault.

[Assistant] “And yet, I do envy you and Yu. You both chose to live lives that were true to yourselves, choosing your paths despite knowing the hardships ahead. I think you’re all wonderful. I really do.” Her words took me by surprise. I thought she simply loathed our kind of love, but to hear her admit she didn’t understand it, and even envied it…

[User] “Perhaps the times are changing. When I was your age, whom I loved or married wasn’t my decision to make. They say the elderly tend to look back fondly on the past; I think it’s because we envy our younger selves, who had yet to make the mistakes we’ve made now. It’s easier to wish to change your past than to acknowledge what you’ve done.” Her words didn’t match her still youthful appearance. Her voice seemed to age when she spoke of the years long gone.


[Assistant] Intermission—Adultery (Accidental) Claire’s POV A few days had passed since the pope and Rae swapped roles, and things seemed to be going well for Rae, considering she hadn’t exposed herself. The same could not be said for us. It was evening, almost time for the guards to change shifts.

[User] "Don’t you think Miss Rae’s been kinda quiet these last few days?" Lana—who was helping with guard duty—asked, full of suspicion.

[Assistant] Eve looks over toward us, doubtful as well.

[User] "Not at all. I’m just as I always am." The pope responded. Her words resembled the sort Rae might say, but her tone remained flat and emotionless.

[Assistant] "Th-that’s right. Oh, I know, she’s probably just tired from guard duty." I tried my best to work up an excuse.

[User] "Hmm, really? Something’s not right… Was Miss Rae always, like, this expressionless?"

[Assistant] There it was—my biggest cause for concern. Unlike Rae, who was incredibly emotive, the pope’s face never so much as twitched. We couldn’t avoid arousing suspicion. "Th-the truth is that Rae and I have been fighting for a while now. That’s why she seems a little stiff."

[User] "Ohhh, I see, I see. Hey, Miss Rae, if you’re bored with Miss Claire, then why not start a secret relationship with me?" Lana said, joking around with Rae—who was actually the pope—like she always did.

[Assistant] Seeing Lana’s suspicion pass, I breathed a sigh of relief—but I was getting ahead of myself.

[User] "What do you mean by ‘secret relationship’?" the pope asked in her impassive voice.

[Assistant] My blood pressure shot through the roof.

[User] "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Are you giving me the okay? Oh, my gosh, this is my lucky day!"

[Assistant] "Filth…"

[User] Lana seemed to be in a state of euphoria

[Assistant] Eve made no effort to hide her disgust.

[User] My concerns just kept growing. "Whatever are you saying? Rae would never cheat on me."

[Assistant] "Whaaat, but you said yourself that you were fighting. I’m not lettin’ an opportunity like that slip by, you know?"

[User] The pope’s deadpan eyes stared at me. It didn’t seem like she was going to lift a finger to fix this mess. It was up to me to drag us out of it.

[Assistant] "W-we may be fighting, but that doesn’t change the fact we both love each other deeply," I said. "We’re just having a small…tiff."

[User] "Yeah, but isn’t, like, a ‘small tiff’ already a reason to end things?"


[User] "What’s the point in forcing a relationship that’s not working out?"

[Assistant] "Lana… Just what kind of relationships have you been in so far…?" I wasn’t even inquiring about her relationship history—just expressing my exasperation with her dismal view of love. "In the first place," I continued, "why are you so interested in Rae? You’ve been approaching her since the first day of class." Rae told me she had no recollection of ever meeting Lana prior, so why was she so infatuated with her?

[User] "Huh? I mean, like, c’mon—Miss Rae’s sooo cute and smart! And I just love how clingy she can be."

[Assistant] "Oh. Well, I’ll give you that." Cute—check. Smart—couldn’t disagree. Clingy—absolutely correct.

[User] "Besides, I feel like Rae would never cheat romantically, but she would be totally up for a purely physical affair."

[Assistant] "N-nonsense!" I rebuked Lana, not least because I didn’t want the pope to hear any more on this topic.

[User] "Is there a difference between a romantic affair and a physical one?" the pope innocently asked, tilting her head.

[Assistant] I’m begging you, Your Holiness, please don’t pay her any heed!

[User] "Absolutely!" sang Lana. "A physical affair’s not cheating if there’s no love!"

[Assistant] "You know that’s not true! Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll burn you!" I raged.

[User] "Oh, no, help me!" Lana said in a deadpan voice as she hid behind the pope. "Save me, Miss Rae!"

[Assistant] "Miss Claire, it is wrong to burn someone for mere jests. That would not be moral conduct," the pope chided me.

[User] "It was a joke… You really take such matters seriously, don’t you?" I felt like I was surrounded by enemies, no ally in sight. Rae, I feel your absence keenly. Come back soon.

[Assistant] "Aha! You like me too, Rae! I knew it! So how about you and I get dinner tonight?"

[User] "No, thank you. May and Aleah are waiting for me at home."

[Assistant] "Aww, figures. Kids add an extra challenge to the pick-up game. But that just makes it even better!"

[User] "Goodness, do you ever stop spouting nonsense? Oh, look, it’s time for shift change already. Good day, Lana, Eve," I said.

[Assistant] "See you later, Lana, Eve."

[User] "Laters!"

[Assistant] "Goodbye…"

[User] We parted company with the two and hurried home.


[Assistant] "Mother Claire, Your Holiness, welcome home!"

[User] "Welcome home!" May and Aleah greeted us as we returned to our dormitory.

[Assistant] Ahhh, I thought, nothing is better after a day’s work than seeing those smiles. I hugged them both and rained kisses onto their cheeks. They already knew about the switch between Rae and the pope. They’d actually realized something was different before I even had a chance to explain on the first day, simply taking one glance at the pope’s face and asking—

[User] "Who’s this person?"

[Assistant] "Where’s Mother Rae?"

[User] I was surprised—they tended to be comparatively lukewarm around Rae, but I suppose they were paying attention to her all the same. Rae would be ecstatic to hear it. I couldn’t wait to tell her. "I’ve prepared dinner!"

[Assistant] "Aleah’s amazing!


[User] "She’s just like Mama Rae.”

[Assistant] “Thank you, Aleah.”

[User] “Thank you very much.” The pope and I both thanked Aleah. While I was ashamed to admit it, neither I nor the pope could cook. I had considered hiring someone with the funds provided by the church when Aleah suggested she do the cooking herself. I worried whether she could handle it at first, but all doubt went out the window on the first day, when she lined the table with irresistible dish after dish. She’d only been taking lessons from Rae for a month, but she proved an exceptionally fast learner. Of course, May helped her sister a little, but it was mostly Aleah. We changed, ate, bathed, and played with the children. Before we knew it, it was time to sleep.

[Assistant] “May, Aleah, time for bed.”

[User] “Okay!”

[Assistant] “Yes, Mother.” They said their good nights and returned to their room.

[User] “They’re good kids.” Her face was as devoid of emotion as usual, but something about her felt gentler than usual.

[Assistant] “Yes. I’m proud of them.” I truly was, from the bottom of my heart. At first, I’d been worried about whether I was equipped to raise them—but those worries had long since passed. I had misunderstood what parenthood was in the first place. Parenthood wasn’t just raising a child. Parenthood was watching over a child as they raised themselves. We weren’t meant to force our children to become something, but rather to help them grow into what they wanted to be. At least, that was my take on it. Naturally, I still believed in a certain level of discipline to ensure their safety.

[User] “Now then, shall we go to sleep ourselves?”

[Assistant] “Yes.” We headed to the bedroom and got into bed. The room, originally meant for Rae and me, only had one bed. This unfortunately meant the pope and I had to sleep together. At first, I’d had misgivings about sleeping beside a woman who looked identical to Rae, but the pope was a quick sleeper—unlike my mischievous wife—so I adjusted soon enough.

[User] “Good night, Your Holiness.”

[Assistant] “Good night, Claire.” That was when I felt something soft touch my lips. I sat up in shock.

[User] “Y-Y-Y-Y-Your Holiness? !”

[Assistant] “A…physical affair…isn’t cheating…right?” She spoke drowsily before she drifted into sleep completely. I was in turmoil. Oh, Rae! Please, forgive me! With this new strangeness hanging over my head, I prayed for Rae to visit me in my dreams as I closed my eyes for the night.


[User] "I shall now begin the poison testing." The attendant says by my side.

[Assistant] My appetite, already low because of the bland food, sank even lower at the mention of poison. I understood it was a necessity, though, given the pope’s status and the rumors. I couldn’t just use my detoxifying water magic either, as the empire had a poison called cantarella that was resistant to it. I’d been able to detoxify the old variant used on Thane, but if the variant Louie used—or a newer variant, for that matter—was mixed in my food, I’d be dead. It was easy to think magic was all-powerful, but it had its limits.

[User] The attendant who was testing my food for poison was a nun by the name of Sandrine. She took regular care of me as well. She seemed to be a fervent believer in the pope and had been doing this work since a young age. She looked like most other nuns, about the same height as me, her eyes soft and kind. I’d say she was in her twenties. She was also a bit thin, perhaps from this diet the clergy lived on. Come to think of it, every clergy member I had seen so far was on the thinner side.

[Assistant] "It’s safe." After trying a part of all my food, Sandrine returned to my side on standby.

[User] "Thank you, Sandrine."

[Assistant] "Not at all. This is merely part of my duties." She says with a warm smile.

[User] I felt a pang of guilt as I spooned the pottage into my mouth. Sandrine was unaware of the swap and still thought she was risking her life for the pope. If she were to be poisoned and die, it would be for some stranger she had never heard of. I didn’t quite like the thought of that.

[Assistant] "Your first order of business will be meeting with Lady Riche to discuss the coming conference."

[User] "Understood." I didn’t meet very much with people, in part due to being a double. The majority of my work was handled by Riche. In fact, she did a lot of things, such as handling the conference preparations, collecting information the pope would need for the conference, and keeping me up to date on Claire and the real pope—as well as May and Aleah. It was thanks to her that I could focus on my role without those worries. I continued listening to Sandrine recite the day’s agenda while finishing my meal. Maybe I should ask for different options, I thought, as I moved to get changed. My heart sank when I thought about having to wear those heavy vestments for another day.

[Assistant] "I think you’ve gained a little weight, Your Holiness."

[User] Her words startled me. I shared the pope’s face, but our figures weren’t quite the same. "It must be because of the empire."


[User] "I’m sure they’re giving you the best quality ingredients out of consideration for you.” Thankfully, she explained away the difference herself. Whew.

[Assistant] "I’ll do the buttons on your back." She said as she moved behind me. It was annoying how you couldn’t don these vestments alone. The buttons were too far back to reach. Maybe I could get Broumet to start selling zippers…

[User] "I graciously thank thee for bestowing the honor of touching Her Holiness’s body." She whispered from behind me. Every time she touched me, she offered her gratitude to God and kissed her rosary. No doubt, she was doing it today as well. But she was taking an unusually long time.

[Assistant] "Is something wrong?"

[User] Suddenly, I felt the presence of strong magic behind me. I tried to turn, but I found my neck compressed, unable to breathe. Something thin and cord-like had wrapped around my throat. "San…dri…ne…why?!" I abandoned searching for an answer and devoted myself to finding a way out of my predicament. Survival first—interrogation later. I summoned a bead of magic as fast as I could behind my back and fired, sending Sandrine flying straight to the wall. I gasped for air while eyeing Sandrine warily. Her gentle expression was nowhere to be seen, her eyes now glazed over and her hands gripping a rosary. That rosary—it had to be what had choked me. Any normal cord should have snapped; I suspected it had been specifically made to double as a garrote. In fact, some strange light emanated from it—was it a magic tool? Interrupting my thoughts, Sandrine charged, cord in hand. But she was slow. She expected to be facing the physically frail pope. "Gotcha." I grabbed her right wrist and twisted it, applying pressure on the joint. I’d figured it was about time I learned some practical combat skills, so I’d had Claire teach me the basics of martial arts. Sandrine resisted for a while, but she gasped with pain and released the cord. "Sleep." I pressed my fingertip to her forehead and cast another of my trademark water spells, the same one I’d used on Claire during the Commoner Movement. It was strong enough to make even the magic-resistant Claire faint—so of course, there was no way a simple nun like Sandrine could resist. "Phew…" I was out of the woods. I picked up the rosary and thought about calling for someone when—


[Assistant] "Your Holiness!" Someone came bursting through the door.

[User] "Are you all right? I heard a noise and came as soon as I could!" Riche spoke between gasps. She had run here full speed. "Y-you’re bleeding!"

[Assistant] "Huh? Oh… I must have been cut when I pushed her back." I couldn’t see, but apparently there was a scar around my neck.

[User] "Did Sandrine do this?"

[Assistant] "Yes, but I have a feeling she wasn’t herself."

[User] "Is she still…alive?"

[Assistant] "Don’t worry, she’s just unconscious." I couldn’t have her dying on me before I could collect information.


[User] “Such a terrible scar… I’m so sorry. I thought I had removed anything that could be used as a weapon, but I hadn’t considered a rosary." Riche said worriedly as she started to cast healing magic on me.

[Assistant] That’s odd, I thought as I stashed the rosary underneath my vestment. But I can’t jump to conclusions yet.

[User] Following Riche, clergy members came pouring into the room.

[Assistant] “What happened? !”

[User] “Your Holiness, are you safe? !”

[Assistant] “Sandrine did this?” Things were getting noisy in here. A soldier priest pinned Sandrine down as she began to rouse.

[User] “Ngh… Where…am I?”

[Assistant] “Sandrine, you are under arrest for your attempt on Her Holiness’s life.”

[User] “What?! I would never!” she insisted.

[Assistant] “You still feign innocence? I see no reason to wait for a trial. Execute her here.” Riche’s harsh words took me by surprise.

[User] “Wait." I said, disturbed. "We still need to question her.”

[Assistant] “That’ll take too…” Lady Riche cut herself off. “Her crime is clear. I see no reason to waste time.”

[User] “Lady Riche, I’m fine." I whispered in a voice only she could hear, but she didn’t stop.

[Assistant] “Execute her, on the spot!”

[User] Riche left me with no choice. “Are you disobeying the orders of your pope?” I asked coolly. This was my last resort. Those words wouldn’t have meant anything if the two of us had been alone, but Riche had the onlookers to consider.

[Assistant] “Forgive me… We will obey Her Holiness’s decision.” Starting with Riche, everyone began to kneel before me.

[User] Ugh. This feels terrible.

[Assistant] After that, Sandrine was questioned by the church. She claimed she was in the middle of changing me when she blacked out. She also seemed to blame herself greatly, as—no matter the true circumstances—she had attacked the pope, and she even now wished for her own execution. I ordered the questioning to be carried out with at least one member from the church and one member from the Bauer Kingdom always present. I suspected Sandrine wasn’t the sole perpetrator, which left her at risk of being silenced by conspirators to hide information. I visited Sandrine a while later.

[User] “Why did you go so far as to save me after what I did to you?” she asked me through tears.

[Assistant] I couldn’t think of a good response, so I simply answered, “Do I really need a reason if it’s you, Sandrine?”

[User] Overcome with emotion, she started sobbing even more. Your Holiness, I might have accidentally put you on the Sandrine route. Sorry!

[Assistant] I made it clear to the others that Sandrine should not be punished until the full circumstances behind the case were made clear. “Have this analyzed for me.” I also covertly handed Sandrine’s rosary to a Bauer Kingdom clergy member on the side—without Riche’s knowledge.


[User] Intermission—The Anatomy of a Smile

[Assistant] Pope Clarice Répète III’s POV

[User] “Your Holiness, what’s wrong?”

[Assistant] “Is something stuck on our faces?” The young twins—named May and Aleah—looked at me skeptically. No, perhaps skeptically wasn’t quite it.


[User] They simply regarded me with unbridled curiosity. I was living in Rae and Claire’s room for the time being. Claire was currently out, leaving me alone with May and Aleah. I had no knowledge of housekeeping tasks, so I looked after May and Aleah instead—although it might be more appropriate to say they looked after me.

[Assistant] "Nothing is wrong. I was simply thinking about how cute you two are."

[User] As pope, I did not often have the chance to freely express myself, and this was a good opportunity to learn. I’d been taught to watch my words, expressions, and even my thoughts to best serve the church, but I’d never thought of it as a burden. This was how I’d been raised. My purpose was to be the symbol of the church. It was what I had been created for.

[Assistant] “Are you praising us? Hey, hey, are you praising us?”

[User] “Yes.” I nodded, causing May to smile happily.

[Assistant] “You’re supposed to smile if something’s cute.”

[User] “Smile?”

[Assistant] “Yeah. Even if you say we’re cute, we don’t know if you mean it with a face like that. If anything, it’s scary.”

[User] “How does one smile, Aleah?”

[Assistant] “Huh?” Aleah looked at me in surprise, caught off guard by my honest question. “Do you not know how to smile?”

[User] “I do not.”

[Assistant] “Haven’t you smiled before?”

[User] “Not that I can recall.”

[Assistant] “Oh, no! May, we need to do something!” The twins began conferring. Smiling seemed to be terribly important.

[User] “I know!” May began. “We just gotta do this!” She began tickling my sides. “Huh? Aren’t you ticklish?”

[Assistant] “It is very ticklish.”

[User] “But you still won’t smile.”

[Assistant] “It seems not.”

[User] “Then you join too, Aleah! Two is better than one!”

[Assistant] “Okay!” Aleah joined in the tickling. But it didn’t seem to change anything. “She still won’t smile?”

[User] “I thought that’d do it…”

[Assistant] I didn’t smile. I was ticklish indeed, but it didn’t result in a smile. The two girls continued to try various things, but to no avail. "I’m sorry, girls."

[User] “It’s okay. I guess some people just don’t smile very easily.”

[Assistant] “But the two of us smile all the time, don’t we, May?”

[User] “Yeah…”

[Assistant] “But, Your Holiness, you really think we’re cute, right?”

[User] “Yes.”

[Assistant] “Then I’m sure you’ll smile one day! Because Mama Rae always says ‘cute is justice’!”

[User] “Cute is justice?” The connection between justice and smiling eluded me. Just how deep down the rabbit hole did smiling go?


[Assistant] Claire returned home soon after, and our conversation came to an inconclusive end. But the fact that I couldn’t smile lingered in the back of my mind.

[User] The next day, I visited a convent in the empire with Claire. I wasn’t supposed to go out often, since I was being targeted, but staying cooped up at home wasn’t something Rae would do. That being the case, I asked Claire to bring me to the convent.


[User] “Look, it’s Miss Claire and Miss Rae!”

[Assistant] “May and Aleah, too!”

[User] “Hello, everyone. Have you been well?”

[Assistant] “Yes!” they all cried.

[User] “Now, now, children. Let’s not cause trouble for Claire. Welcome, Miss Claire, Miss Rae.”

[Assistant] “I hope it’s okay we’ve come by again, Kaja.”

[User] “Of course. The children were waiting for your visit.”

[Assistant] “Really? That’s good to hear. I brought some sweets for everybody.”

[User] “Yay!” Claire handed over the basket she’d brought, and the children shouted in glee.

[Assistant] “Oh, dear. That’s not how you show your gratitude, children. What do you say?”

[User] “Thank you very much, Miss Claire, Miss Rae!”

[Assistant] “You’re very welcome. May, Aleah, go ahead and play with everyone.”

[User] “Okay!”

[Assistant] “Yes, Mother.” The children carried the basket to the yard. There, they sat down next to a flower bed and began divvying up the sweets.

[User] “Miss Rae, is something the matter?”

[Assistant] I looked blankly back at Kaja.

[User] “You don’t seem very energetic. Normally you would go and play together with the children. You seem…different today.”

[Assistant] “Do I often play with the children?”

[User] “Huh? Um, yes, I believe so?”

[Assistant] “It’s because you’re a child at heart. Playing with children is right up your alley.”

[User] “Do I smile when I play with children?”

[Assistant] “Why, of course you do! You smile so happily.”

[User] “I see…” Rae stepped away from Kaja and Claire and walked toward the circle of children. As I came close, the children looked up at me.

[Assistant] “Hello, Miss Rae!”

[User] “Miss Rae, are you eating, too?”

[Assistant] “There’s enough for everyone!”

[User] “Come sit with us.” Aleah took my hand and pulled me into the circle.

[Assistant] “We’re playing house with the sweets.”

[User] “I’m the big sister!”

[Assistant] “And I’m the mommy!”

[User] “I’m the father.”

[Assistant] “I don’t wanna play house. I wanna play tag!”

[User] “We can play tag after. We just got snacks to eat, so we might as well play house, too.”


[User] I’d asked to come here to see more children and experience more of the same cuteness I’d observed in May and Aleah. But I now understood children were unimaginably complex and full of intriguing surprises when placed into groups. I’d learned something new—children were far more than just cute.

[Assistant] "Are you gonna eat?" A shy little girl held out a sponge cake to me.

[User] How was I supposed to react?

[Assistant] "Wow, Julia. You’re usually so scared of Miss Rae."

[User] "Miss Rae isn’t scary today." Julia plopped herself down by my side and smiled up at me. Every person I’d met since swapping with Rae had described me as strange or odd. Julia’s kind words, the first positive evaluation I had received, warmed my chest. But that warmth couldn’t last long, for that was not how I had been made. And yet, before I knew it, my hand was on her head, gently patting her. Children’s hair was soft and thin.

[Assistant] Julia giggled and shut her eyes as if ticklish.

[User] "Are the sweets to your liking, Mother Rae?" Aleah asked impatiently, perhaps because I had yet to eat my sweet. She’d made all the sweets we brought today. She claimed they were nothing compared to Rae’s, but they looked wonderful to me.

[Assistant] "It’s delicious…" The sweetness of the sugar and the richness of the butter filled my mouth as I bit into the sponge cake, followed by a citrusy smell wafting up to my nose. It was a brand-new experience for me, as I hadn’t had many chances to eat something sweet.

[User] "Was it to your liking?"

[Assistant] "Aleah’s sweets are good, right?"

[User] "Aleah made this?"

[Assistant] "Awesome!"

[User] "It’s just like Rae’s." The children seemed to agree it was delicious as well. I felt joy knowing I had shared the sensation with them.


[Assistant] The children and I played various games together. They teased me for my low stamina, saying things like "Rae’s so weak today!" I felt joy well up inside me countless times, and every time, I had to snuff it out. "Goodbye, everyone. We’ll come by again sometime."

[User] "Thank you. Until next time."

[Assistant] "Bye-bye!" Kaja and the children waved goodbye as we left the convent.

[User] "How was it, Your Holiness? I’m sure you don’t often get to do things like this."

[Assistant] "Indeed." As pope, I mainly met with nobility and high-ranking officials. Of course, I did visit convents and the less fortunate, but those were mainly politically motivated performances. Playing with children like this was a first for me. "I learned a lot today." I meant it. Today, I had learned things I might have gone my whole life without knowing. My chest was tight with emotions I had never felt before.

[User] "Oh, my. Look, Your Holiness." Claire said with a chuckle.

[Assistant] I looked to where her finger pointed and saw the children waving goodbye. Julia was there, waving her small arm with vigor.


[User] I waved back to her. Seeing this, she began to wave as hard as she could.

[Assistant] “Your Holiness, do you know what face you’re making right now?”

[User] “I do not, but I imagine it is the same as always.”

[Assistant] “He he… You’re smiling.”

[User] “Oh…!” I touched my face. The corners of my eyes had lowered, and the sides of my mouth had risen together with my cheeks. So this was what it was to smile.

[Assistant] “Let’s come again sometime.”

[User] “Yes, definitely.” I might not be able to come again as Rae, but I swore to myself I would come, regardless.

[Assistant] “Thank you for today, Claire.”

[User] “Not at all. I’m happy we came as well.” Claire smiled sweetly. I’m sure she smiles more when she is with Rae. I looked at her warm smile and made a wish, knowing full well such a wish could never be granted. I wish them the strength to brave the truth of this world.


[Assistant] The day of the conference was finally upon us. I had assumed the pope would attend as herself, but it seemed the one sitting behind the blind would be me, while Misha used her wind magic to project the pope’s voice.

[User] “Empress Dorothea would fly into a rage if she knew about this, but we have no other choice.” Riche explained in a pained voice. The church was reluctant to deceive, but, well…

[Assistant] I sat behind a blind that had been set up in the conference hall. We awaited Dorothea and her people, who were scheduled to arrive later than us. Security guards stood around the blind, among them Claire, Lilly, Misha, and the real pope, posing as me. The pope would be standing just behind the blind as well, so even if she moved her lips, Dorothea wouldn’t be able to see her.

[User] “Her Majesty Empress Dorothea has arrived.”

[Assistant] Dorothea entered through the door, clad in her usual pitch-black armor. I could only presume it to be her formal attire. Her mantle waved as she strode to her seat, stopping before it to name herself.

[User] “Dorothea Nur. Let this conference be productive.” She gave a brief introduction before sitting. The advisor by her side turned pale, but the empress remained composed. Egocentric as always, doing what she believed to be logical.

[Assistant] “Clarice Répète III. Thank you for meeting with me today.” In contrast, the pope took her time to speak. She’d abandoned most formalities, likely out of consideration for Dorothea.

[User] “Before the conference begins in earnest, there is one thing I would like to ask.”

[Assistant] “Speak.”

[User] “Did you make Sandrine attack me?” The conference hall stirred at this frank accusation. I was surprised, too. No matter how straightforward Dorothea liked to be, this had to cross the line.

[Assistant] “Hmph… So the rumors were true. Well, I did not order it. Though I doubt you’d place much weight in my words.”

[User] “I believe you."


[User] "I do not think you the type to lie.” The conference opened with this intense exchange. The atmosphere in the hall grew tense, everybody sitting on the edge of their seat.

[Assistant] Dorothea suddenly erupted into laughter. “The current pope is amusing indeed! I’ve taken a liking to you!”

[User] “Thank you very much.” Both sides, the empire and the church, heaved a sigh of relief as the tension dissipated.

[Assistant] “I have no interest in taking your life. There’s nothing to gain in the church’s enmity. I guarantee your safety as long you remain in my empire.”

[User] “Thank you for your reassuring words. Shall we begin?” As planned, I extended my hand below the half-raised blind.

[Assistant] Dorothea met my hand and gripped it. Hard. Really hard—ow! “Hmm… I see.” For reasons beyond me, Dorothea wore a knowing sneer. The discussion continued smoothly after that. The pope admonished the empire for their aggression while Dorothea objected, demanding the pope stay out of their domestic affairs. I sat alert, but nothing of note occurred. Only near the very end did something unexpected happen.

[User] “On another note, is it customary for you to use a proxy when meeting with dignitaries? Don’t you think it a little insulting, even with your life being targeted?” Dorothea sneered. The conference hall lurched into its most intense state of apprehension yet. Was the jig up?

[Assistant] “What do you mean?” the pope asked.

[User] “So you choose to feign ignorance? Fine. I’ll overlook it. But I can’t do the same for that woman.” Dorothea looked to the side of the blind and smiled—directly at Riche. “You must be wondering why your magic tool won’t activate.”

[Assistant] “Wh-whatever are you talking about?” Riche responded.

[User] “That ring you’ve been trying to activate is a magic tool, is it not? I’m sorry to inform you that it’s not going to work.”

[Assistant] “Wh-what?”

[User] “Your hint proved useful after all, Rae Taylor.” Dorothea looked back at the blind and grinned. Riche did the same, but with a face bitterly warped.

[Assistant] “I’m sorry, Lady Riche. I had the teleportation magic tool you tried to bring swapped out.”

[User] “Y-you!” Riche’s face twisted with indignation. It seemed she was behind the plot after all. “H-how did you know?”

[Assistant] “Your behavior after Sandrine’s attempted assassination was odd. You called the rosary the weapon, but you never saw the rosary itself.”

[User] “B-but the marks around your neck made it obvious!”

[Assistant] “You’d think of a cord or a rope, then. A rosary is quite a leap of logic.”

[User] Riche bit her lip in frustration, trapped by her own mistake. “I see… So you had already figured it out. Then the order you gave at the time was to seek retribution against me?”

[Assistant] “Not at all. I really hoped I suspected you wrongly and that I could trust you.”

[User] “You’re naive. If I were you, I would have had me killed at the moment of doubt.”

[Assistant] “I couldn’t. Not Yu’s mother.”

[User] “You…” Riche’s eyes widened.


[User] "Enough of this charade."

[Assistant] "Hilda, arrest her."

[User] "Right away." Hilda ordered her soldiers forward.

[Assistant] Riche seemed to resign herself to her fate, showing no signs of resistance.

[User] "Oh, no, no, no. We can’t have that, can we, Lady Riche?" A familiar voice dripping with malice echoed through the hall.

[Assistant] I knew that voice. "Salas!"

[User] "Where are you?!"

[Assistant] "Why, hello, Rae Taylor, Claire François. And goodbye." Magic filled the hall as Salas’s condescending voice echoed around us.

[User] "Hilda, sitrep."

[Assistant] "Right! I-It’s…" The color drained from Hilda’s face. "Teleportation magic! Something is teleporting here!"

[User] "Hmm…" Dorothea turned on Riche. "You. What do you know of this?"

[Assistant] Riche didn’t respond, but one look at her face made it obvious she knew what was going on.

[User] "What are you doing, Mother?!" Yu yelled at the top of her lungs.

[Assistant] "It was all for your sake, Yu." Riche gave us a broken, joyless smile.


[User] "A demon. Interesting…" Dorothea sounded genuinely amused.

[Assistant] "Name yourself, demon."

[User] "I shall grant you the right to speak as a parting gift before I send you to the next world."

[Assistant] "I am Socrat, of the Three Great Archdemons." The upper humanoid half of the demon pointed toward me.

[User] "We come only for her life. Comply and yours shall be spared." Socrat crept closer toward the pope.

[Assistant] "All hands, battle formation! Rae, you too—the body double plan has failed!" The guards obeyed Claire’s swift commands. I leaped past the blind and joined everyone else.


[User] Standing at the front, the soldier priests flailed their morning stars at Socrat.

[Assistant] "Hindrances." Without so much as slowing his stride, Socrat used the first of his three pairs of legs to sweep the soldier priests aside, sending them flying against the wall.

[User] "Get back! We’ll stop him with magic!" Seeing melee combat prove nigh impossible, Claire ordered a change in tactics. The soldiers unleashed an onslaught of magic bullets.

[Assistant] "Did I not make myself clear?" The demon stepped out from a billow of smoke, his pace unchanged—not recoiling one bit from the attack.

[User] "Well, how about this?!" Claire readied her Magic Ray.

[Assistant] "Light!"

[User] "Darkness." Claire let off four rays of light, but they were intercepted and swallowed by four rays of darkness—which continued to fly at her.


[User] “Miss Claire, look out!” I jumped to push Claire down just before a streak of darkness whizzed over her head. The darkness collided with the wall behind us, destroying—no, erasing it from existence.

[Assistant] “He’s too powerful…” Claire muttered.

[User] Everyone could see that Socrat’s magic far outstripped Claire’s Magic Ray.

[Assistant] “That magic… You must be Claire François. You’ll be next after the girl, so wait your turn.” Socrat spared a sidelong glance for us as he continued his deadly advance toward the pope.

[User] “Your Highness!” I yelled. “St-stop right there!”

[Assistant] Standing before the pope was Yu. The other soldiers had completely lost their will to fight.

[User] “Icicle Blade!” Yu’s sword took on a chilly glow.

[Assistant] As I once explained, Yu’s nickname was the Prince of Ice—although, I supposed Princess of Ice would probably be more appropriate now. Her wimple fluttered in the air as she closed the distance and sliced at Socrat’s front leg.

[User] “Nngh? !” The blade couldn’t penetrate his carapace, inflicting only a superficial wound. Socrat kept moving, about to trample Yu.

[Assistant] “Socrat?! What of our agreement? !” Riche shrieked.

[User] The leg about to crush Yu halted.

[Assistant] “Ah, indeed. I shall honor the agreement and overlook this one. Now, be gone.” With a swing of his leg, Socrat sent Yu flying through the air.

[User] Lilly bolted forward and caught her. “Uhh…”

[Assistant] “Stay with me, Lady Yu!” Lilly began to heal her, but Yu’s wounds weren’t minor.

[User] We’d exhausted nearly everything we had, yet not one attack had done meaningful damage to Socrat, who stood mere steps from the pope. We watched in horror, thinking all hope lost. But it wasn’t over yet.

[Assistant] “Did you really think I’d let you do as you please, demon?” Unsheathing her two swords, the woman sneered like a wild beast eyeing its prey. Empress Dorothea—bearer of the title Sword God—now stood in Socrat’s path.


[User] “Another hindrance?” Socrat casually swung his front leg at Dorothea.

[Assistant] He’d cut down everyone he’d hit thus far, the impact rivaling that of a battering ram.

[User] “Hm?” Something flew through the air. Yet Dorothea still stood. An object hit the ground with a shuddering thud—Socrat’s front leg.

[Assistant] “What? !”

[User] “I don’t know who you meant to address with your drivel, but you’re in my presence now. Kneel.” Something flew again. The end joints of Socrat’s remaining four legs were cut away.

[Assistant] “Y-you—? !”

[User] “I am Empress Dorothea.” Accompanied by a sharp slicing sound, one of Socrat’s human arms flew off.

[Assistant] To my eyes, it didn’t seem like Dorothea had moved at all. She appeared stock-still, standing at rest with her two swords lowered in front of her, yet the proof of her actions lay in Socrat’s halved limbs.

[User] “Hmph, this will not do.” Socrat leapt back to the safety of the wall behind him, allowing his legs to begin regenerating.

[Assistant] “Too slow.” But Dorothea was faster. She already awaited him at his landing point.


[User] This time, I saw her take the time to ready her swords, positioning herself to intercept him.

[Assistant] "Sever." A high-pitched shrill rang out as Socrat was bisected cleanly down the middle. An instant later, Dorothea landed on the ground, and the two halves of Socrat’s body crashed down behind her. I hadn’t seen her swing at all. Impossible as it seemed, Dorothea had just overwhelmed a high-ranking demon with her skill in swordplay alone.

[User] "This is…the Sword God." Claire muttered deliriously by my side. The title wasn’t for show. Dorothea’s strength quite literally surpassed the realm of man.

[Assistant] "How unexpected. You’re quite powerful." Socrat, whom I’d thought dead, spoke nonchalantly. The two halves of his bisected body melted and pooled together before clumping into a mass, his carapace re-forming.

[User] "Hmph. I suppose a Three Great Archdemon wouldn’t die from something like that." Dorothea muttered, unamused. Socrat had reconstituted, smaller than before but without any wounds.

[Assistant] "So you’re the Sword God. I heard you were strong, but to this degree? I should have listened to my subordinates."

[User] "Don’t worry about that. In a moment, you’ll have no further regrets."

[Assistant] "Because you will have killed me?"

[User] "Exactly." Dorothea walked calmly toward Socrat. "I’ll admit, your skill with the sword is divine. But how will you handle this?!" Socrat opened his mouth wide, and a thick beam of darkness spewed out.

[Assistant] "Your Highness!" Hilda screamed.

[User] "What?!" Socrat watched in confusion as Dorothea closed the distance by lunging entirely into the dark beam. Her two swords blurred, and in the next moment, Socrat’s head fell to the ground.

[Assistant] "Too bad. Magic has no effect on me." Dorothea crushed Socrat’s head underfoot. The empress possessed a unique ability called Magic Nullification. This ability had allowed her to single-handedly annihilate an entire battalion of Sousse soldiers. In an era shifting toward magic-focused combat, such an ability was unequaled. But the ability was a double-edged sword. While magic attacks were meaningless against her, support magic and healing were ineffective, too. She was abnormally strong but could only ever fight alone. I found it kind of sad—strength that only made one lonelier.

[User] "Goodness, such stupendous power." A neck grew from the stump of Socrat’s decapitated head. Look who’s talking, I couldn’t help thinking.

[Assistant] "Fill." The pope used her area-of-effect healing ability. The collapsed soldiers began to rise, their wounds healed.

[User] "Freeze." I cast my own area-of-effect freezing spell, Judecca. I’d normally never cast it while an ally stood near the enemy, but I didn’t have to worry about Dorothea—she would be untouched.

[Assistant] "You even have tactical talent. I want you even more now."

[User] "Just hurry up and hit him!" I shouted. I opted not to use Earth Spike, instead relying on Dorothea to deliver the finishing blow. Understanding my intention, she sliced the frozen Socrat into fine pieces. But even that wasn’t enough.


[User] "The moment after you learned magic doesn’t affect her, you mercilessly attacked while she was in range… You’re bold, Rae Taylor."

[Assistant] Socrat regenerated for a third time, smaller again. "Oh, dear… I imagine I could handle the empress alone, but dealing with Claire François and Rae Taylor alongside the Saint and the pope is a bit much for me." He hesitated for a moment—or at least, he pretended to. "Ahh, but of course! Let’s see how well you can deal with this." I sensed a surge of magic power as his body unnaturally swelled. He looked like a balloon on the brink of bursting.

[User] "You’re going to self-destruct?!"

[Assistant] His laugh creaked and echoed through the hall. "Well, I won’t die. But everything within two hundred feet of my body will be wiped from this earth."

[User] He’s serious! "Miss Claire, get behind me!"

[Assistant] "But the others!"

[User] "Quickly!" I raised multiple layers of tungsten carbide barriers and pushed Claire down behind them. What followed was a roar louder than the eruption of Mt. Sassal. When I next opened my eyes, I was greeted with a gruesome sight. The meeting hall was nowhere to be seen, wiped off the face of the earth as Socrat had claimed. Socrat himself was gone, presumably having fled. Not a single one of us had come out unscathed. If there was a silver lining, it was that the pope, Misha, and Claire had each respectively been protected by Dorothea, Lilly, and me—so at least the main constituents of the conference were not severely injured. However…


[Assistant] "Mother! Why?!" Yu was injured as well—but not lethally so, as Riche had protected her daughter with her own body. Yu frantically began trying to heal her mother, who lay on the floor in a pool of blood, but it was clear that she was beyond saving. The lower half of her body was shredded. She had moments left before the shock and blood loss took her.

[User] "Ah… Yu… You’re all right…"

[Assistant] "Mother… You… Why…" Yu stammered, the words stuck in her throat, as her mother looked up at her absently. She had too many things to ask, too many things to say.

[User] "Yu… I’m sorry. In the end, I couldn’t do a single thing for you."

[Assistant] "That’s… That’s not true…" Yu gripped her dying mother’s hand, desperately trying to let her mother know of her presence. "I thought…if I couldn’t give you the throne…I could at least make you pope… But I failed… I’m sorry."

[User] "I…I never wanted such a thing! I just… I just…"

[Assistant] "What is it, Yu…? You’re getting harder to hear…"

[User] "Mother!" Riche’s life faded ever further. Even Yu understood her time was running out. "Your Holiness, please heal her!"

[Assistant] But the pope only shook her head. "Doing so now will only extend her suffering."

[User] "No… This can’t be…" Yu’s eyes clouded with despair.


[User] "Yu… Live freely after I die… Find…your own…happi…" Riche passed away before she could finish.

[Assistant] Yu watched in a daze, slowly realizing she was gone. Misha dragged her injured body along the floor and embraced Yu from behind.

[User] Yu leaned against her and began to cry.


[User] About a week after the incident, Claire and I were spending the evening relaxing in our room when we heard shouting from the next room over.

[Assistant] "Rae…" Claire nudged me.