Banished Villainess

139 : The Day Closes

The world is not just the game that Chloe and Momo knew about; it also connects to the history of an entirely different game. Prince Yello and Canaria, the other reincarnator, were moving to prevent the two countries' future ruin.

For Chloe, who already got her hands full trying to avoid her own downfall, it was quite a shocking revelation; she was speechless from start to end.

Their surroundings had already grown dark during the long, long storytelling. A long thin pole was erected near the round table they sat in, which hung a lantern as makeshift lighting. Prince Yello's close aide, Sando, made a clattering sound as he pushed the serving cart to refill their teas, replenish the cake stand, sandwiches, and other snacks.

'Thank you Sando. This cookie looks quite simple but it tastes quite delicious for something served in a lodging house deep within the mountains.'

'This was something Miss Momo had baked. She asked me to serve it to the both of you, sir.'

Because he wouldn't be heard within the magic circle, Yello bend his head over outside, asking Sando to which the attendant responded. Hearing his response made Chloe's eyes widen in surprise.

'Really!? This is my first time tasting it; I didn't think it would be this good... I-I'm utterly beat.'

'She cannot possibly procure a Himemomobana here so it's likely different to the one brother and the others tasted.'

Yello was giggling to himself, but after Sando left the place together with the serving cart, he turned back his attention to the table with a serious look on his face.

'-basically, that's what happened in the background so far. Was there anything you didn't understand?'

'Uhm, I was thinking whether the occasional interlude bragging about your fiancee was necessary, sir.'

She already knew they were out of place but she'll point it out anyway. She thought that the story would end with just the details about making allies with the House Moonlight, and the revelation of the truth behind the royal family. Prince Yello shook his head and responded as if he was stating the obvious.

'Isn't that the most important part? The reason why I was able to go to such lengths was because of her love after all.'

'Haaa... is that so? By the way, after hearing his highness' story, I realized that there's something I've forgotten since my memories returned. Certainly, from what I remember, the language within the forbidden books of the sacred church was Japanese... Does this mean that either the native inhabitants or the settler were of Japanese descent, which is to say, an otherworlder too?'

That solves the mystery as to why Momo was able to smoothly read the old books. (On the contrary, she would find it harder to learn this world's language; although she likely glossed it over by playing the country-hick as a pretext.) But this only shows the possibility that the ancient Coloflare Region had been under the intervention of an otherworlder.

'We are not sure about that yet, and this is not the right time to just reveal everything either. Our kingdom has done something cruel, and while its repentance would look good on the surface, other countries could use that as a just cause for an invasion.

Still, the things that we cannot depend on the 'Saintess', will likely increase further from now on. So I'm planning to take the steps in order to free ourselves from that myth.'

'....Looking at it with my past memories, and perspective as a former Japanese, it's making me feel conflicted, sir. I do not know which age he or she came from but, I find it hard to believe that my ancestors would assist in such wickedness, sir.'

'How do you plainly assert it as 'wicked'? Does your world have only have infallible god-like beings?'

Huh? As Chloe raised her downcasted eyes, Yello pulled back his smile and stared at her. She felt as felt pressure from him preventing her to avert her eyes.

'If this is a game world, the otherworld would be the divine territory in away, but I already know that's not the case at all.

From what Canaria told me, the Japanese people are for better or for worse, highly adaptive and easily influenced. So if they're going to this land their final abode, they'd make leverage off their knowledge while looking for their affinity with the existing culture.

Ever since Lady Chloe's memories have returned, has this country struck any Japanese impression to you? We're talking about a history long, long ago; an age where the people didn't have the means to write until the Japanese taught them. Their influences have already long disappeared; melted like sugar.'

Yello put a sugar cube in his tea and stirred the cup to melt it. For whatever reason, it attracted the attention of Chloe; she turned her gaze at the moon reflected in the surface of her own cup. The villainess of the game; the first witch; the darkness of the royal family; her fellow countrymen's relation with the ancient people; no matter how much she tries to trace them, Chloe remains bound within the confines of her roots. However, Yello remonstrated her, saying that this is no longer the time to worry about such things.

'Don't you think that it would be of arrogance to weigh the ancient customs with today's standards and call them 'evil'?'

'That may be true for 'history' and 'myths', sir. But they have caused you suffering, highness; even now.'

After catching a breath, Chloe took a sip of her tea, swallowing the moon reflected in it.