Clôture of Yellow: The Daughter Of Evil

CHAPTER 3, SECTION 1-THE GATHERING OF ALLIES; SCENE 6

♦ Allen ~In the Lucifenian Palace, "Upstairs Garden"~

-Perhaps there were various breaking points.

I searched for Riliane. She wasn't in the Hall of Sounds, Hall of Mirrors, or her room. She also wasn't anywhere in the Heavenly Yard.

Maybe...

I ascended the stairs, and headed for the upstairs garden.

There. It was her.

From the roof Riliane was gazing with a satisfied expression at the territory that belonged to her, stretching far and wide below her view.

She was alone.

"Princess Riliane."

When I spoke up she turned around. I couldn't see any surprise in her expression. It was almost as if she had anticipated that I would come.

"Allen-the world is so vast. Lucifenia's territory is very big. But surprisingly, there's an even bigger continent beyond that...there are countries beyond that. Across the western sea there's Marlon, in the east there's Asmodean, in the south there's Beelzenia, and in the north-"

"Levianta. And Elphegort, too."

"Right. But sadly, none of these various countries can all completely see eye to eye. Everyone has different ideas, and they work for their own goals, and sometimes they quarrel-If the whole world could become one, don't you think that our society would become happier?"

After speaking soberly, Riliane's expression quickly changed to something more self-conscious.

"...That is the opinion that Our dear mother held."

I readied myself, and asked her, "Is that the reason why you are continuing the attack on Elphegort?"

"That's not Our doing. That's what other people decided."

"But I'm certain that if you stopped it, everyone would obey you. The fact that you haven't is because you too are in favor of the war, is it not?

I had decided before that I wouldn't speak up on political matters. Such things were far from the purview of a servant.

Nonetheless I couldn't keep quiet any longer. If there was a chance I could, I had to stop it. There was that issue with Michaela, but there was also Elluka's "prophecy", which had since been on my mind.

Anyone could see that Lucifenia was coming apart at the seams. If this kept up, the country really would fall-and Riliane would probably die.

"...You know what it means to reprimand Us, yes?"

I could tell that Riliane's expression had gone from the innocent girl of before to that of the "Daughter of Evil". I caught a glimpse of a cruelty unlikely for the likes of a fourteen year old girl; anyone else would have been intimidated and obeyed her.

But I was different. She might very well be the "Daughter of Evil", but, to me, Riliane was Riliane.

"Michaela-the 'Daughter of Green' is already gone. Your goal has already been carried out."

"Yes. But that alone isn't enough. We have always felt so, that We want that verdant country."

"This again? You're always like this. You want tea cakes, you want the moon-and then anything you don't like, you immediately discard."

"That's just how things are isn't it? We want to surround Ourself with only that which We want-What's so bad about that?"

I didn't have the right to call any of it bad. I had always obeyed her. Because I had thought that it would lead to her being happy.

But if it stayed that way Lucifenia would-she would-

"Please evacuate our soldiers from Elphegort. Right now you should focus on improving our public affairs on a domestic level. If you say you can't do that, then-"

"What would you do?"

"-I will leave the palace."

It looked as though my words were surprising to Riliane beyond her imagining. She didn't try to hide her surprise.

"We will not let you do something so selfish!"

It was a gamble.

I loved Riliane. The implications were vastly different from the "love" that I had felt for Michaela, but I felt that Riliane was more precious to me than anyone.

-But what was it that she felt towards me?

Facing her emotions, I silently gazed on Riliane as she heaped one-sided scorn and abuse upon me. Perhaps I would be executed, but I had prepared myself for that.

Eventually she began to take a breather, perhaps because she was out of breath from screaming for so long. After that she took one more huge breath, and then said to me with a defeated expression, "...Fine. You must have a good reason if you would go as far as to say that...This time is a special case, mind you. We will cease the war with Elphegort."

"-! Princess Riliane..."

"We shall make a suggestion at the meeting tomorrow... Listen! We will say it again, this is just a special case! In return, for a whole month from now the teatime snack will be brioche, with even more cream! ...Ah, and go easy on the sugar. Understand!?"

"Y...Yes Your Majesty!" I replied loudly, and then went to descend the stairs.

Thank goodness...With this I've saved the country-I've saved Riliane.

And-

She needs me after all!