Chapter 154 Himuro Yukiko ㉙
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Ten days had passed since the incident.
In that time, the capital had been consumed by the chaos of a state funeral. The official word was that Josef XVII had been assassinated by a monster disguised as a Hero – an agent of the Ice Demon General, Blizzard. Despite the glaring holes in the timeline, the citizens were more than happy to swallow the lie.
Josef XVII had been a shallow, power-hungry man, but the public now hailed him as the hero who had unified the nation. His funeral was a massive, gaudy affair. Since I was still in the country, I was forced to attend as the representative of Greedia.
When I wasn’t playing diplomat, my days were spent in the Great Labyrinth of Wrathfiria helping Himuro Yukiko level up. My nights, however, were far more exhausting. Between Lil, Yukiko, and the others, our nightly 6Ps turned into a blur of messy, dissipated indulgence.
Then came the coronation of Leonardo – now officially Josef XVIII.
A coronation would normally be delayed, but the council decided that leaving the throne vacant was too big a risk. The ceremony was rushed through. The audience chamber was packed with royalty and the kingdom’s heavyweights, but the event went off without a hitch.
The only real problem was the absence of the Fourth Prince and his followers. Apparently, the Fourth Prince is the spitting image of his father, Josef XVII, and he and Leonardo get along like oil and water. He is the only one truly opposed to Leonardo’s ascension, and rumors are already swirling that he might trigger a civil war. He isn’t a total idiot, though; he’ll likely stick to political sabotage for now. Even I can see that a coup would be a losing move today. Even if he seized the throne by force, no one would follow a usurper.
Regardless, I had no intention of getting tangled in their politics. Leonardo seemed just as keen to keep me out of it.
Besides, I’d been away from Greedia for nearly a month. Honoka was likely climbing the walls by now, and I was more than ready for another taste of her. As soon as the crown was on Leonardo’s head, we made our preparations to leave.
* * *
We stood before the gates of Draguoth, ready to depart. Our group had grown by two since we first arrived.
”We ended up staying quite a while, didn’t we?” Lil asked.
”Yeah. We ran into some… interesting people, too,” I replied.
”True enough,” she said, nodding.
Lil was right. The Monster Hunters had been a joke when we first met, but now they were actual warriors. Even Polilina had found her confidence; she was proving to be a capable Branch Leader. Though, she’d basically become my local wife in the process.
Then there was Annamaria.
”Are you sure you want to come?” I asked.
”I am your fiancée, Sieben,” she said firmly. “Besides, I’ve never been outside this city. I want to see what Greedia is like.”
She was only ten, but certain parts of her definitely didn’t look the part.
I took one last look at the city. It was the same bland streetscape as always, but I felt a twinge of attachment as we turned to go.
”Instructor!” several voices bellowed.
There was only one group that called me that.
”Leaving without a word? That’s cold, Instructor!” one of the hunters shouted, huffing as he caught up.
”Exactly! You can’t just head out without a goodbye,” another added.
”We were reborn because of you, Instructor! We’re eternally grateful!”
I smiled. I’d smashed their dignity and hammered them back together from scratch, and here they were, thanking me for it.
”My, my… you’re quite the popular one, aren’t you, Sieben?” Himuro teased.
”Whoa! Big Sis Mihiro!” one of them shouted.
”Shut it!” Mihiro snapped.
”Mihiro… Big Sis… pfft…” I lost it. Because Mihiro had put them through even more hellish training than I had, they’d started calling her ‘Big Sis’ out of pure terror.
”Anyway, we’re not the only ones here,” a hunter said, shoving a girl forward. “There’s someone who wanted to see the Instructor even more than us!”
It was Polilina, looking sharp in her military uniform. Her face was flushed deep red.
”Instructor Sieben! Um… I’m only able to look forward now because of you. Thank you.” She bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
I reached out and patted her head. “Don’t sweat it. The raw material was good to begin with. You’re a fine woman, Polilina. Keep your head high.”
”Yes, sir!” she chirped.
”You guys, too,” I said to the men. “Make sure you listen to her.”
”SIR! YES, SIR!” They snapped into a salute. I definitely overdid it with the military conditioning.
”What’s all the racket? Oh, it’s just the goons you whipped into shape.”
A new voice cut through the noise. I turned to find Leonardo standing there, though he’d ditched the heavy crown and cape.
”The-The King?!” The Monster Hunters scrambled to look dignified, vibrating with nerves.
”Relax, everyone. This is a private visit,” Leonardo said.
”Try acting like a King for five minutes, would you?” I scoffed.
”You’re the one who should be acting respectful! I am the King, technically…”
’Technically’ meant nothing to me.
”Look, I’m not cut out for this,” Leonardo groaned. “My brothers are much better at politics, but they all ganged up and refused the throne.”
”Are we really doing this again?” I asked. He was complaining about the Second and Third Princes again – the two who had dumped the job on him because it sounded like a ‘drag.’ The Fourth Prince was the only one who wanted the job, but he was an ambitious incompetent.
”Hey, let’s trade places…” Leonardo muttered.
”In your dreams.’”
”Elder Brother!” Annamaria interjected. “You are the head of this country. Pull yourself together! Your brothers chose you because they knew you were the right man for the job.”
’Ugh… even Annamaria is ganging up on me.’
”Sigh… whatever,” Leonardo said. “I won’t be on the throne forever. Once the country is stable – maybe five years – I’ll hand it off to my son and retire.”
”Right, speaking of Annamaria… are you really taking her? This was my father’s arrangement. If you want to call off the engagement…”
”No, I’m taking her,” I said. “She’s my fiancée, and she’s already packed.”
”Yes,” Annamaria added. “It was my father’s decision, but I have no complaints. Sieben is not a bad man.”
I looked at her. She had to be blind. I’ve killed plenty of people without blinking. I’m the furthest thing from a good man.
”I can tell by how much your comrades love you,” she said with a gentle smile. “Anyone can see how much they look up to you. You are truly adored, Sieben.”
I had no comeback for that. Lil was nodding, and the Monster Hunters were in the background nodding along. I do try to avoid being a total piece of trash to anyone who isn’t on my revenge list, I suppose. My former classmates? They’re still getting destroyed – except for Mihiro and Yukiko.
”Well, there you have it,” Leonardo said. “She’s all yours.”
”In that case, I look forward to our life together, Sieben.” Annamaria gave a deep, formal bow. As she did, her breasts – which were frankly ridiculous for a girl her age – gave a heavy, suggestive sway.
God, this is going to be a struggle. Can I even control myself?
It’s fine. If I get too frustrated, I’ll just take it out on Lil and the others. I won’t touch the kid. Definitely not.
I pulled the Prydwen out of my Item Box. The crowd gasped in awe.
”Well, it’s been real,” I said. “Time to head out.”
”Yeah. See you around, Sieben.”
I shook hands with Leonardo and climbed into the driver’s seat.
”SALUTE THE INSTRUCTOR!” Polilina commanded.
As I pulled away, I saw the Monster Hunters snapped to attention. Some of them were actually crying while they saluted.
I cracked a smile and hit the gas, leaving Draguoth behind.
None of us knew the nightmare that was waiting for us back in Greedia-
—
Summary:
Sieben and his party conclude their stay in Wrathfiria after Leonardo’s hurried coronation. The group departs Draguoth, accompanied by Princess Annamaria, amidst a tearful farewell from the reformed Monster Hunters. The chapter ends with a dark foreshadowing of disaster awaiting them in Greedia.
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Trivia:
- The official cover story for the King’s death blames a monster sent by Blizzard.
- The Fourth Prince is a potential antagonist who might spark a civil war.
- Annamaria is only ten years old despite her physical appearance.
- Honoka is the character Sieben is most eager to see back in Greedia.
- The Monster Hunters were once incompetent but have been ‘rebuilt’ by Sieben and Mihiro
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Character Insight:
Sieben struggles with his self-image as a ‘villain’ when confronted by Annamaria’s genuine belief in his goodness. Meanwhile, Leonardo shows a reluctant sense of duty as King, contrasting with his lazy brothers.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the ‘ane-san’ trope to establish Mihiro’s dominance over the hunters, and the ‘melon’ description is a staple of Seinen/Light Novel fanservice.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Josef – The current King of Wrathfiria. An old man with a thick white beard and sharp, flint-like eyes. Possesses a powerful voice.
• Himuro Yukiko – The ‘Young Lady’ and daughter of a Yakuza family. Currently in the palace of Wrathfiria. The primary target of Sieben’s plan for downfall. A Hero summoned from Japan. Albino with white hair reaching her knees, large drooping eyes with double eyelids, and small crimson lips. Wears a Manabu Academy uniform and a hooded coat. Sheltered and dependent on Suzuki and Sato.
• Yuki – Yuki Chihiro. Height 178 cm, weight 70 kg (Male). Natsumi’s childhood friend. A handsome, athletic top student in the soccer club.
• Lil – One of the heroines. Height 166 cm, B-W-H: 90-56-90. She is a top-tier beauty with long indigo hair down to her waist, a large scar on her abdomen and sharp golden eyes. She has wolf ears and a tail.
• Leonardo – A Major and squad leader in the Wrathfiria military. Large build like a bear with brown hair like a lion’s mane and a thick beard. Friendly and boisterous. Actually, a prince, and now his beard has been shaved.
• Honoka – A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki, now a bound slave to him.
• Polilina – Guildmaster of the Monster Hunters Guild Draguoth. She is a dwarf with an orange bob cut. Despite her position, she is timid and appears much younger than her actual age, being shorter than Leki.
• Annamaria – The youngest daughter of the King of Draguoth, aged ten. She has long straight blonde hair, blue eyes, and large breasts disproportionate to her height. She wears a tiara and a white lace dress.
• Sieben – Young man with black hair and a mask covering his eyes. He purchased Honoka and Ria.
• Mihiro – Post-gender swap of Yuki Chihiro: Height 160 cm, B-W-H: 82-55-80. Futanari. Short haired black hair, handsome.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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