Chapter 10 : Joou-sama does schemy stuff.

Note before reading : This chapter begins at the end of Arc 2 Chapter 8 : Long live the Queen. Just so you know...

-Queen-

"Meat-baaaaaag, let's speak some more~"

The Necromancer apparently regained consciousness. She was laying on the dusty ground, her black hair was caked with blood and brown eyes lost their shine.It looks like she could only endure this much. How boring. Well, I suppose it can't be helped ? She is but a lowly peasant after all. I clap my fingers and an ice lance destroys her brain. No coming back from that.

While waiting for the cat to come back from scouting, I wash my hands and start looking at her files.

Hm, she does have some good intelligence, even if it seems pretty incomplete. It mostly is about Meridiens' current political landscape.

The third duchy has fallen after the heiress died at the hand of the first Duke's new wife. How ruthless, disposing of their rival by feeding them to savage beasts. I definitely approve of those methods. We should meet, perhaps she could provide me with sufficient entertainment. But that's not for now. I read some more files, pages upon pages of holdings and titles. Aah, I might have been a bit hasty by killing that woman ...

Oh well, it's not as if they would have any use, since she was currently hunted by the Capital, she would have made an inadequate pawn.

First things first, I need to make sure that body won't fail on me. And get myself some new clothes. That dress is just plain horrible on me. Therefore, I shall endeavor to clean up this region of necromancers. If they are half as meticulous as that one, hunting them should be worth the effort. On the meantime, what to do with this...

I look at the grimoire appraisingly. It seems I will have to rely on your expertise, girl.

Why, of course your Highness-joou-sama, leave anything magical to me !

Saluted the anciently named Magical girl!Yuri, now turned into Pretty Necromancer!Yuri, after some... re-calibrating.She readjusted one of her skull hair ribbons and started speaking.

The grimoire will look at a person's blood, to see if they are from a compatible family. If they are not, they usually seek to destroy the one touching them.

Hm. This means our otherworldly status wasn't taken into account. Very well, I shall gift it to the cat safely then.

If I may ...

Yes ?

While our status won't trigger the defenses, it might mean that he won't be able to interact with the spells or draw on the book's magical reserves. We would need to open a channel permitting the transfer, and he would need to be constantly in contact with it somehow.

I lift some magic inhibiting chains that I found in the dungeons. Their touch makes me numb, I can't stay in contact with them for long, since it sucks out magic.

I gather that will do , necormancer ?

Uuuu, with a bit of this, and of that... My apologies, my lady, but I will need some time to work the theory.

Then go, and don't come back until you have results.

In the meantime, I have some shopping to do.

" Ah Yuri... You're covered with blood, what happened?!"

"Down, cat. We encountered some resistance, but nothing important. What about you."

His previously worried expression turned into a neutral one. My, he really doesn't like me, does he? Ufufu, it's going to be fun to play with him...

"I noticed several convoys headed towards another direction further down the road, on the east, towards Septentrionis' border."

"Humph, they don't even bother trying to hide, eh ? Very well, I shall teach them the price of their foolishness. On the meantime, this is what we shall do..."

Several lairs destroyed, numerous resources assembled and a means of transportation secured, courtesy of a passing 'noble', we acquired a base of operation, several thralls, and some golems for heavy lifting. You can't expect me to have done it myself, do you ? Speaking of servant, the Cat looks of mixed opinion about his gift. Humph, ingrate.

As That woman said in the capital, even with most of their forces defeated, they are still currently more than a match for the 'demon king'.

Pfah, 'Demon King'. I won't even bother to think about what I think of that individual. He's just a mongrel aspiring to be above his station, which would be under my heel.

That will not do.

If we are to go back to our original world ( which I can't fathom why Yuri would ever want to go back there) or go to another world entirely, we need a place to do the ritual, massive amounts of magic, and something to keep the so-called greater powers occupied. I leave the calculation to the necromancer, she's more than happy with spending days in her corner of our mind focusing on anything magical.

Rumors have been going on for a while that an aspiring demon king, a young woman, was wreaking havoc in Occidens. Anybody with a working brain would know that they are speaking about me. Probably to get people to keep an eye on me.

Unacceptable, to be tagged with the 'demon king' flag...

It is a novel experience, to be sure.

I shall reward their insolence thoroughly.

I currently am arriving to the third duke's residence. I left the Cat to train back home. The place had been opulent once, but now , it was empty, no servants, no guards, no nothing. What a waste. Why am I here ? Simple. I need to destabilize the human side, and Meridiens' is currently the easiest, with the power vacuum not yet filled. Hmph, even the insides are empty. That is some good quality black marble though.

After a few hours, I find a young man laying in a bed, in what seems to be the master's office.

"L-Lorell*hack*la ? -hah- no, you're not her.. heh. She was the first to go*cough*"

He's obviously dying. I'm feeling pretty curious.

"I am not indeed. I am looking for the master of this place. Are you him?"

He would have laughed if he could.

"Yes? Who asks ?"

"My name is not important. What is, is how we can help each other."

"Unless you can destroy the bitch like she destroyed us, nah, you can't."

Oh, but I am very adept at that kind of things.

"You wish for revenge? Very well. Sign those papers proving you are my father, and I'll destroy your enemy."

"My title for a revenge from the grave ? Hah, hah*hack*. I'd give even my soul if necessary!"

I smile. I love it when things go my way.

" We have an agreement, then ?"

I put a pen in his hand and lead it to the paper, that he signs.

"Aye, we have."

And he gave out his last breath.

Hatred is an extremely strong moving force indeed.

Well, it looks like my next stop is the first Duke's residence. Not for a tea party as I hoped, but I did promise I would get rid of her , eh ?

Entering was sadly very easy. A simple illusion making me invisible did the trick, and before long, I was confronted to a most puzzling scene.

The newly wed First duchess stood over the fresh corpse of her husband, laughing and crying, a dagger steadily nearing her heart.

"Now, now, that won't do, auto destruction that I have no hand in leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

I reveal myself, and the girl is startled enough to drop her knife. She gets better quickly though, so I have no choice but to reanimate her husband to detain her.

I must admit, when I came here, I didn't expect keeping my target from killing herself would be the first thing I would do.

I grilled her with questions, and soon realized that she was, in fact not my prey.

No, the poor girl, in fact, was a victim herself, from a parasite.

One of those worthless beings that intrude and play with others as if they were toys.

Nobody save me is allowed to do that !

This was getting personal, I am the Queen, I will not accept anyone defying my authority!

This worm will soon learn what exactly it means to cross your better...

The girl seems to have calmed down, even if she saw still twitching from time to time.

" Indeed, this is most troubling, especially if you take in the fact that there is a possibility she comes back."

Her whole body seized up in fright. How cute, like a frightened hamster, I want to lock her in a cage and poke at her, but sadly, she's an Ally...

"She... She's coming back ?"

"Indeed. You are now free again, so there is a distinct chance she comes back to push you into another of those men's arms."

She was trembling and rocking on her chairs.

"No... No more... I don't want it.... Leave me alone..."

"Haaah, how dreary"*slap*" Get yourself back under control girl. This is an opportunity for you to take vengeance on her after all."

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

She looked at me wearily and spoke up with a broken expression.

"But vengeance won't bring them back"

"Are you doubting me ? Did you forget that detail ? What she did to you, she will do to others if that body thief isn't stopped. I worded it as vengeance, but in truth, it's Justice."

"Jus...tice ?"

I've always been fascinated with how well people reacted to that word.

"Yes, justice for all the young girls whose life have been destroyed by that woman, protection for those that she will indubitably destroy after you. You can't undo what she did to you, but you can keep her from doing it to others. There is no shame to be had in putting down a mad dog."

Seriously, as if there was a need to explain this. Ah well, she is a lowly servant who didn't ask for it, I guess , as a noble, I should show her what true nobility is like ?

"In other words, I will provide the opportunity, but only you, yourself will have the power to kill her, because she'll take over your body, we'll erode her protections, then you'll take over hers and kill her then. You won't survive this though."

She shook her head, her eyes determined.

"I don't care, you are right. I don't have anything left to live for anyways, so why not do it for something meaningful, miss necromancer?"

She smiled weakly at the last part.

Miss Necromancer?

No. I am not a vulgar, lowly necromancer ! Calm down. She's a lowly commoner, she doesn't know any better. Ah, undead are so much more convenient.

Necromancer....

Ha ha, sorry my queen, too tempting*ack*

The next time you dare to toy with my thoughts I will erase you, regardless of your uses.

*uck*Sowwie

Hmph, as long as you understand.

"You may call me Your highness. Now rise, You'll need to subject yourself to the necromancer's mercies. I won't lie, it will hurt.

-Adeline-

The pain doesn't matter.

My heart can't be deader anyways.

I passed one week with the princess' split personality. ' Pretty Necromancer Lilia-tan' as she called herself.

She engraved symbols, magical diagrams, runic arrays, and much more on my skin.

The pain was etched in my heart and soul, but it didn't matter.

Because soon, I'll be back with them. Mother, Jeoff... I miss you so much...

My body is now empty of soul and lays sleeping. The markings hidden by magic.

I am now a lich, with a body modified to resemble a human's as much as possible. The marriage band on my finger has been replaced by a silver phylactery containing my soul. Now, with those modifications, I will be able to move my body whenever her consciousness isn't here. I will be able to appear to her in the later stages of the plan, and to wander around.

I don't know if I will be able to do it, but I must try my best.

The Queen promised I'd see them again, after all.

I want to apologize to them.

...

It's been a month now, I'm bored out of my mind.

And then my eyes opened, my body moved, and I knew the parasite was back.

My heart filled up with a new emotion, as she discarded my black mourning clothes for frilly ones, making me look desirable and exposing parts of me I would never.

It burns, that hatred...

It was strangely funny to see her die multiple times.

Each time, I was growing stronger.

Each time, this body's trap was closing in that woman.

Until one day, finally I managed to appear.

Toying with her mind will be fun, but I have something to do first.

I'm sorry, Oriens' prince, but I'll need that heart. Thank you very much.

Looking at her break down even more after each death was strangely exhilarating.

Am I a bad person ?

I think I've become one.

Anyways, Necromancer told me she needed them killed so that she could bring their cousin back to life.

I don't mind, I don't want to live.

I met the first prince during the night before the coronation, and stole his heart too, then I put a weird stick in the empty cavity. They say it's to control him remotely. I didn't really get it, but They look like they know what they're doing.

Then, I loosened the bell at the church, so that it would fall on him during the coronation.

It was boring, everyone screamed.

I'm tired, I want it to end.

And finally, we were at my old house.

That idiot fell for the wolves illusion. No way there would be so many of them in the middle of a small village like that.

If I had a heart, it would stop.

Mother was here, with Jeoff... And Alistair, but I don't care about him. They smiled at me, understandingly, I feel like crying from relief.

"Heee hee, sorry my queen, I might have derailed your plan a bit..."

Was the first thing I said when I woke up in that strange other world. The room was packed with strange, flat boxes, and I caught the nearest one.

[Doki doki love kingdom 2 Eternal love. Play Adeline in the sequel of the first game, according to who you chose in the first one. But, a mysterious character appeared, what is going on there ?]

A game.

My life... was destroyed because of a game.

I can't believe it.

There are so many boxes...

I feel real alright, does that mean that those are also ...?

If that's the case, that person absolutely must not be forgiven, no matter what.

I took a knife in what should be a kitchen, and headed down to the street, full of people.

And struck. Struck, and struck again. Always nonlethal places, those guys shouldn't die because of me.

They didn't notice at first, but at my twentieth or something, they finally noticed something was wrong.

At my thirtieth, they noticed I was the one doing it.

Ah, oops, I accidentally severed that arm.

Hard to think, she's waking up...

Ah well, My job here is done.

Mother, Jeoff, wait for me...

-Queen-

Rebuilding a body was a formality. Restarting its functions wasn't difficult. Coaxing the soul back inside was harder, but the spectacle of that woman's death was enough of an offering.

Now, my dear 'cousin' was clothing herself.

"What are you after ?"

She mused whimsically, while her body is alive, her soul obviously carried death in it now.

"War. War between Mana and the demon empire. A stalemate. This is what I need to do as I please."

"Hmm-Hmm, so you need me to lead the country in your stead?"

"That was the plan."

With the royal line wiped out, the first duchy in shambles, and the second duke not even born, it falls back to the third duchy to take the crown.

"Ah, well, it looks interesting enough, 'cousin' dear, so I'll go along with it. Are you sure It will manage to do it ?"

She's probably referring to Ai, that I sent off last week to learn the craft by hunting the remnants of Occidens' necromancers.

"She probably will, for a while, then she'll either become strong enough to become a force of her own, or be destroyed by the Hero. I look forward observing her growth."

I sipped some more wine, my twin tailed cousin looking at me , obviously enjoying herself. Ah, how pleasing, cruelty runs in the family.

"I hope you learned your lesson though, torturing is good, as long as it's the 'bad guys'."

Her smile became tighter and she answered dryly.

"I think being fed to the wolves stamped that out of me thoroughly."

"Just don''t say that to other people, 'Ariana', it's unbecoming of my 'Older sister' who was on a business travel after all..."

With that, Occidens and Meridiens will be paralyzed until further notice. Will that be enough I wonder ?

Ah, well, I got rid of that pesky demon king flag, so I can return to be low key, sadly.

At least, no paperwork for the foreseeable future.

-Yuri-

When I woke up, I was back home, with Nagito-kun in my bed, and I was thoroughly, entirely, effin confused.

Oh and I screamed too.

Bwa ha ha ha ha

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Almost 3k words

Too long xçx

I hope it lifted up several mysteries regarding what the heck happened ?

Poor Alistair, nobody cares about him.

And what did the queen do NOW. In any case, Yuri's new predicament seems to amuse her greatly.

Did some editind on 2.10 too u_u