Volume 11 Chapter 13 Interlude ③ – Sheryl and Chieri Returned
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Quvarian Empire—an empire bound to its emperor, yet ever fractured, each bureau clawing for its own share of power. Of the ministers, the most formidable were Gritch, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Roshima, Minister of Military Affairs. The first carried the banner of the conservatives, the second of the reformists.
Whispers ran through the marble halls that the Witch of the Turning Heavens, Livia, had aligned herself with Gritch. In those days, the scales tilted ever more toward the old guard. Balance returned only when Sheryl, in secret, lent her weight to the reformists.
”Princess, you summoned me?”
The one addressed—Roshima himself—entered the meeting chamber, stooping his massive frame to fit beneath the low beams.
Once he confirmed he was alone, the hidden door swung open and Sheryl stepped in, her presence cloaked in secrecy, as it had to be. Her understanding of the reformists was deep, but at this point their partnership was still a clandestine one.
”Forgive me for such sudden counsel, Roshima,” Sheryl began, her voice cool but firm. “There is something I must confirm with you.”
”Yes. What matter requires it?”
”For this country… no, for its people, already striding toward ruin. Will you stain your hands for their sake?”
The question struck like a blade. Roshima, though it was improper, found his eyes drawn to her face. That face, always marked by quiet intellect, now shone with something heavier—resolve.
”…That is a difficult question to answer, Princess.”
”I have decided. Better to walk the path of conquest than to remain powerless behind pretty words.”
”The path of conquest, you say…”
It was not the Sheryl he had known—even yesterday she had not spoken so. Confusion warred with relief inside him; he did not know how to respond, yet he could not deny the steel she radiated.
”Livia departs soon, does she not?”
”Yes. As an envoy to the Burghan Theocracy. She leaves in two days.”
”Then when she crosses the border, we strike.”
His brows knit tight. The person before him was far too changed. Yet he understood, without needing the words spelled out. Sheryl slid a folded list across the table.
When he finished reading, he cast it into the waiting flame of the candlestick. Watching the paper curl into ash, she smiled with a sorrow that made the air heavy.
”You thought the names too few?”
”No. Not at all.”
”These are the only ones I know to hold true loyalty to the people.”
”Not to you, Princess?”
”No. Loyalty to a woman who would seize the throne is unnecessary.”
At last, Sheryl’s purpose was laid bare. Roshima froze, words deserting him, while she poured forth order after order, each colder, harsher than the last. It was sudden, too sudden—but that only proved she was serious. He had no choice but to brace himself and follow.
”I swear unyielding loyalty to you, Princess. I will see it done.”
”I am grateful. But remember—put the people first.”
”You would spare only Flavia-sama?”
”Yes. My sister is to be an offering.”
”…An offering? Then she is not to be wed to Astoria as planned?”
To whom, Sheryl did not say. Roshima read the fire in her eyes and asked nothing further. For now, her coup demanded everything of him. Even the resolve to kill her brother weighed heavily—too heavy to ignore.
”One more thing. There should be a girl named Stella in the knight academy.”
”I am unfamiliar with her. What of it?”
”Silence her. Any excuse will do.”
Sheryl suspected Stella carried memories, as she herself did. The First Emperor had spoken much before forcing her suicide; Stella must know too much. That made her dangerous.
”As you wish.”
That much was simple. He began shaping the coup in his mind. The timing was perfect. With Livia gone, the risk of her interference lessened. If she reached Burghan’s capital, diplomatic pressure might stall everything. No—the border was the place.
”Then I will return to my chambers. If we linger, suspicion will fall.”
”Understood. I will shape the plan and report back tomorrow.”
”I know your loyalty, Roshima. I understand it well.”
They left by separate doors. Once alone in the corridor, Roshima exhaled, a sigh like lead, then resumed his usual gait.
”Ah, Roshima-sama! I was searching for you.”
A voice called out, arresting him. He turned to find a figure whose long violet hair shimmered against the dark of her uniform.
”Forgive me, I had… other errands. What is it you needed?”
”I have a request. I hear the Autonomous Government Chancellor of McGaref has resigned, ill. His successor is decided?”
”Yes. That falls under Internal Affairs, but I’ve heard the same.”
It was a minor post, stripped of power, little more than a seat at the council’s table. No great prize—yet popular for being far from war.
”Please recommend me as his military aide.”
”Strange. Are you not soon to be married?”
”Spare me that. It is an arrangement of my house.”
Her playful shrug and sly smile made him chuckle despite himself. Sheryl’s list had marked her as neutral—now he remembered.
”Even before marriage, you rebel like this. You’ll break it off and devote yourself to service instead?”
”That too is an option, desuwa~.”
”Careful! Don’t say I incited you, Chieri.”
”But of course, desuwa, Minister.”
”Very well. I wanted someone close in McGaref anyway. I’ll see it through.”
It would serve Sheryl’s plan well—ties with McGaref had to be strong. Accepting her proposal was a gift he hadn’t expected.
”Then I am in your debt.”
She parted from him with a demure smile, hiding the heat that roiled beneath her skin. Her gait was crisp, all soldier, yet her tongue wet her lips, her n***les hardened against the brush of her uniform, her thighs pressed tight for the secret pleasure of it.
”Ahh… Takumi Nasu-sama. Though you claimed me as your slave, you never took me to bed. How lonely that was, desuwa~. But wait for me. I go now to McGaref, to serve you, the ‘Sexual Champion’… how sweet, how cruelly sweet, that by returning to the past I am once again a maiden. Ahh… I long to be made yours, desuwa…♡”
Just before Livia’s Turning Heavens had flared, Chieri had slain Marina Katarina, and for it she bore the chains of Takumi Nasu’s ownership. Yet in her longing she had preserved her memories, same as Sheryl. Of all those to remember, she was the least expected. And her precious gift she squandered, using it only to fuel her burning lust.
Notes:
• Quvarian Empire – Ruling kingdom. Harsh world, restricted freedom.
• Roshima – Empire’s War Minister, stern and pragmatic, loyal to Princess Sheryl’s reformists. Opposed the Ghost Army with Livia, wielding great military authority while lamenting the empire’s decline. First appears v9c11. Reminder: Steadfast warlord guarding Sheryl’s path.
• Gritch – Minister of Internal Affairs, shrewd and power-hungry, allied with Roshima and exploited Katarina’s grudge. Manipulated by Livia, he slew the Emperor with poison, dreaming of ruling as regent and claiming Sheryl or his daughter’s marriage into royalty. Betrayed and denounced, he died in agony and his line was erased. First appears v9c2. Reminder: Ambitious minister undone by his own scheming.
• Sheryl – Second Princess of the Quvarian Empire, a striking beauty with red hair. Initially appears as a diplomatic envoy, but she is a reformer within the empire, seeking to atone for Quvar’s past betrayals, particularly the destruction of the Northern Kingdom. Sheryl is highly intelligent and politically savvy, using her position to gather secrets and undermine the empire’s plans to destroy McGaref. She is also a slave to Takumi, bound by enslavement magic, and tasked with sowing chaos within Quvar. Despite her circumstances, she maintains a sense of duty and hopes to bring about change. First appears in v6c26.
• Livia – 8th-ranked imperial witch, heir of Cartera and friend of Lilus (Neige’s sister), whose death drove her to hate Quvar. Austere, sharp, and feared, she opposed the Ghost Army and toppled Emperor by using then betraying Gritch, secretly backing Princess Sheryl. First appears v9c3. Reminder: Brilliant witch who twists loyalties to save the world.
• Stella – A royal guard and Sheryl’s companion, who was also enslaved by Takumi. She harbors hatred towards Takumi for violating her, but enslavement magic forces her obedience. Stella is a viscount’s daughter and understands the political implications of her situation. She accompanies Sheryl in lewd acts as a form of penance and to cope with their shared shame. Her defiance is internal, but she follows Sheryl’s lead in their intimate moments. First appearance in v6c29.
• McGaref – Fortress city, adventurer hub.
• Marina – Ranka’s older sister. The formal owner of Merchant Guild Katarina.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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