Like the Moon on Water

I explained the reason to Arsen.

“Why the Imperial Military sent a Thousand Swords Commander all the way here to demand Uren and Dargal? Obvious. They’ll hold a military tribunal immediately and pin all responsibility on Uren and Dargal. Frame everything that’s happened as House Sagittari’s fault and wrap it up by declaring the rest of the Imperial Military innocent.”

That’s probably also why they handed the bombs over to the dark elves.

Arsen spoke cautiously.

“Then will you fight them?”

“Can you stomach this? Why, don’t you want to give the Imperial Military a good thrashing?”

When I grinned, Arsen also bared his teeth in a fierce smile.

“If I can land a blow on the Imperial Military, I’d sell everything except my wife.”

“Send Uren and Dargal to the hospital and attach Military Police officers and Central Police. If the Imperial Military tries to take them by force, just smash them. I authorize it.”

“Your command is received!”

Arsen shouted heartily.

Even if the Thousand Swords Commander came, he couldn’t clash head-on with Arsen.

It was a matter of weight class before individual combat power.

To even exchange words with Arsen, the other side needed stars on their collar too.

Arsen wasn’t lacking confidence in defeating them—he’d asked me considering the aftermath.

Arsen spoke.

“Then I’ll remain here to command. You should head back and rest.”

“I have some private business left.”

I turned my head.

A silver-haired dark elf standing there blankly.

Iselen had been waiting, watching only me.

The two of us leaving the noisy scene behind.

The emperor and queen, seeking escape from the commotion, stopped in front of the pool.

The place we’d walked together during the day.

Standing side by side in the quiet night too.

Gazing at the moon floating on the water, I opened my mouth.

“First, let me restate my identity. In my previous life I was Sirik Karakas, and now I’ve reincarnated as Rigen Librata. You already know this, but I’m using psychic abilities, and I also possess various memories and knowledge related to you all.”

“……”

Having spoken, I lightly stepped onto the water’s surface.

Activating telekinesis.

Floating slightly above the water.

Standing there alone as ripples spread across the surface—ordinary people would faint in shock at the sight.

But Iselen had seen me do this before.

Iselen asked in a subdued voice.

“……Are you really Sirik?”

“I am, but whether you believe that is another matter. A cocky young brat claiming to be the reincarnation of the emperor just because he’s a bit strong—believing that would be stranger.”

In fact, Iselen also had a confused expression.

Even if it’s reincarnation, the body and appearance are completely different.

“……It’s not transformation or anything like that, right? Reincarnation?”

“I haven’t fallen to the Seven Sin God. I reincarnated as a pure human.”

In Karakas, the concept of reincarnation is somewhat unfamiliar.

Reincarnation, the afterlife—these are based on faith.

Gods, or Buddha. Paradise and hell, the cycle of rebirth and such.

But in Karakas, the Seven Sin God actually existed.

If you submitted to those Seven Sin God, through a method called resurrection, you could live a second life as a completely different species.

The empire called it corruption, though.

Anyway, the idea that when you die, a god-prepared heaven or reincarnation awaits isn’t common.

“Of course, even so, there’s still considerable belief that some existence or system other than the Seven Sin God allows reincarnation. Half-belief, half-doubt.”

“……”

Iselen also had a troubled expression.

“Who else knows besides me?”

“Lang Ei, Arsen, and Lisera.”

“……Why on earth does Arsen know?”

Iselen was momentarily furious.

I waved my hand.

“I judged and told him.”

“You should have told me first……”

“How could I trust you enough to tell you?”

“……”

Iselen flinched.

It was a hurt expression, but I couldn’t hold back words I’d been keeping in all this time.

“We’re not bringing up old stories for no reason. You said you’d abandon the empire if it came to that. And throwing Orca in front of an apostle?”

“……I never said I’d abandon the empire.”

“You did. At my grave.”

“That was just something I said!”

Iselen protested indignantly.

“I couldn’t look weak in that situation. I didn’t know you were Sirik then, I just thought you were some crazy human brat.”

“Mm.”

Thinking about it, that’s right.

If she’d really abandoned the empire without thought, she wouldn’t have chased Dierk this long.

“Let’s say that’s true. Then what about Orca?”

“……”

I was harboring a terribly grim suspicion.

Orca is her son, unable to inherit the royal authority that Iselen should pass to the next generation.

So recklessly…….

Iselen shook her head sadly.

“……No.”

“……”

“What you’re thinking right now—it’s absolutely not that.”

“I want to believe you. Explain properly.”

At my request, Iselen spoke quietly.

“……As you know now, Orca who will succeed me cannot activate the dark elf information network.”

“So?”

“I thought that when that fact is eventually revealed, Orca will face threats from inside and out. So he needs to become strong by overcoming dangerous crises.”

Magical power grows faster when you fight real battles and survive death struggles.

Iselen confessed her hidden feelings.

“I even sent Lang Ei just in case. The timing seemed a bit off, but……”

“Who else knows that Orca can’t maintain the information network?”

“Just us two, and only the Fifth Empress knows.”

“……”

Doesn’t that mean even the dark elves, even Orca himself doesn’t know?

This is truly top secret.

Those with insight think there must be some special technique for dark elf information transmission when they see it.

Taking it a step further, they speculate the queen might play some important role.

But they can’t think as far as: it can only be activated by women.

I scratched my head.

“……Fine, let’s say Orca was also a difference in educational policy.”

It’s difficult for a husband to interfere recklessly with his wife’s child-rearing.

But there’s still another problem.

“Why didn’t you tell me that royal authority only passes to women?”

“……”

“This isn’t a personal issue. It’s not just a dark elf problem either. The empire depends considerably on the dark elf communication network. Starting with the Imperial Military’s contact system……”

“I couldn’t tell you.”

Iselen spoke quietly.

“I didn’t want you or Orca to know. I wanted no one in the world to know. Because if it became known…… I was afraid that child would think he couldn’t succeed me, that he was deficient.”

“……”

“The dark elf queen has an extremely high probability of bearing daughters. Bearing sons is rare.”

Iselen spoke quietly.

“And actually, among the dark elves there was considerable opposition to my marriage with you. The queen doesn’t need to do it. There were voices saying it would be better to form kinship ties with another dark elf woman, but……”

I’d heard nothing about this.

Iselen spoke quietly.

“I pushed it through. Because I couldn’t give you up.”

“Then……”

“……I didn’t want you or my son to hear talk about marrying a human and bearing a son.”

Iselen looked at me with moist eyes.

“You were happy. That it was a son.”

“……”

I was speechless.

The moment I held newborn Orca in my arms, I was simply overjoyed.

I would have loved a daughter just the same.

But at that time, watching me smile while holding my son, Iselen lying in bed secretly resolved.

Never to tell anyone about Orca’s flaw.

So that my son, Iselen’s son, could feel proud of himself.

I asked.

“……What were you planning to do about the dark elves’ next generation?”

“I could just bear another child of yours……”

Iselen’s words trailed off.

But that time came.

The moment I learned the truth about my teacher’s death and parted from my wives.

“Still, you should have told me. This is an important matter.”

All kinds of things had happened, but right now I felt conflicted.

Iselen spoke quietly.

“I’m the one who tormented you. I absolutely couldn’t tell you. Since we said we’d take time apart, I just decided to wait……”

Then I suddenly died.

I shook my head and confirmed.

“After establishing the empire, you made it so I knew nothing about my teacher’s death, right?”

“……Yes.”

“Right, the war with the Seven Sin God was chaos upon chaos, and in the midst of it many who knew the truth would have died in battle. And after establishing the empire, you concealed it so I wouldn’t know anything about that side.”

I spoke dryly, but Iselen lowered her head.

“Yes, fine.”

“……”

“I just wanted to know.”

I looked up at the night sky and organized my thoughts.

Actually, Iselen should have remarried.

No, she was an empress, so that wouldn’t work?

Then she should have secretly had a child.

She should have used the dark elf information network to conceal it as much as possible and secretly borne a daughter.

If she truly wanted only the dark elves’ survival, that’s what she should have done, and it would have been possible.

But she didn’t.

Even without a promise to return, Iselen had been longing only for me.

Pitifully.

For a hundred years.

“……There’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

Iselen spoke cautiously.

“The dark elf information network has stopped right now.”

“From being bitten by Dierk?”

“Dierk’s infection mimicked our dark elf information transmission method. We’re estimating it’s internal interference.”

Dierk bit people and fed them his blood, acquiring information through those terminals.

They said he resembled the dark elves in some ways.

Iselen added.

“It might just be a simple condition issue, so it might improve after sleeping. If necessary, I’m planning to negotiate with the Fifth Empress to get a Grade One healing potion.”

“Understood.”

“……I’m sorry for not being helpful.”

Iselen hung her head deeply.

The seductive, haughty queen had no energy at all.

I spoke casually.

“Things happen in battle. It’s stranger to always fight at full condition.”

“……I’m sorry for not being helpful when we’ve barely reunited.”

Iselen’s voice sounded like she might cry any moment.

I deliberately changed the subject.

“Come to think of it, you won. What’s your wish? I said I’d grant it.”

“……Huh?”

“You caught Dierk.”

Actually, I caught him.

I just said it to cheer her up, but Iselen hesitated for a long while.

Ah, did I mess up?

Isn’t she going to demand something outrageous?

“……Can I hold your hand?”

“……”

The words Iselen threw out while embarrassed were quite unexpected.

I feel like, at this point, what’s the big deal……but.

Conversely, it also means my wives are that wary of me.

When I nodded, Iselen spoke.

“Then hold it for me.”

“Huh?”

I’m currently floating on the water’s surface, and Iselen is in front of the pool?

But Iselen just ran straight toward me.

Without waiting even a moment.

“Whoa……”

Swoooosh!

I caught Iselen suddenly throwing herself into my arms with my whole body while sliding backward.

All the way to the middle of the pool.

I stopped, held Iselen’s hand, and wrapped my other arm around her waist.

On the water, if I don’t do this she’ll fall in.

“Hey, you startled me.”

“……”

Iselen just buried her head in my chest and said nothing.

As if speaking frightened her.

Only silence continued for a long while.

I spoke casually.

“I told Lang Ei this too, but once I finish my public duties, I’ll wrap up my private affairs. A hundred and ten years is long enough to think. I’ll reach a conclusion with you all.”

“……I hope wrapping up takes a long time.”

Words that made no sense.

Iselen explained in a shrinking voice.

“……Because then I can like you in the meantime.”

“Every time you looked at me, your eyes blazed like you’d burn me alive—it was genuinely terrifying. I almost pissed myself.”

“Th-that was……”

Iselen turned around flustered, so I quickly adjusted my grip.

The posture of embracing her from behind.

Iselen loved being held like this and acting spoiled tremendously.

Even the cold-blooded assassination queen was just a lovely woman when on my lap.

“……”

Iselen’s atmosphere also softened as if remembering.

She suddenly spoke.

“The moon.”

“It’s a full moon.”

The moon floated brightly on the water’s surface.

Iselen stroked the back of my hand while speaking.

“Do you remember what you told me?”

……Of course I don’t remember.

Men originally forget anniversaries and often forget what they said too.

Iselen whispered quietly.

“I’m the dark elf queen, having to live splattering blood in darkness, so I said I didn’t suit you at all.”

“……”

“But you said the world ruled by the Seven Sin God is dark and gloomy everywhere. So you asked me to become the moon in the night sky.”

Iselen gripped my hand tightly.

“The moment I heard those words, you were the moon of my life……”

Splash!

At that moment, we both fell into the water.

My mental power ran out.

After the battle with Dierk, plus continuously using telekinesis to float on water while talking, of course it would run out.

The water wasn’t deep, but we both got completely soaked.

But Iselen glanced back, worried only about me.

“Are you very tired?”

“Always like this since reincarnation.”

Having spoken, I looked to the side.

The moon that had been floating peacefully on the water’s surface had vanished in the ripples we created.

Iselen spoke quietly.

“They say the moon wanes when full…… Will a waning moon wax again if you wait?”

“……”

“I don’t know about that, but……”

Iselen took my hand and placed it on her chest.

“Just meeting you and talking again like this makes my heart newly race. Yes, it’s you. If it weren’t you…… this couldn’t happen.”

The warm throbbing sound transmitted through my palm.

The heartbeat of a woman others fear as cold and ruthless, but who nestled in my arms, was soft and warm.

Iselen pressed my hand while whispering.

“Thank you for coming back, Sirik.”

“Right, Lagriz.”

“……I’m truly happy.”

Iselen lifted my hand and kissed it.

Then said nothing more.

As if just being held like this was enough.

“……”

The queen’s tears fell on the back of my hand, then slid down again.

Tears falling into the water will vanish without a trace.

So no one will know.

That the queen who always reigns haughtily and seductively before others cries this sadly.

The moon that rose clearly again on the calmed water’s surface.

A secret only I know.