GalaxyTL
* * *
Sekiran Neverfall is not a capable king.
Although he’s not a bad person, he lacks motivation.
‘Make up your mind, Sekiran… Be a good king.’
His sister said that, and sacrificed her life as a tribute for the Princess Sacrifice Ritual, to support the future of Neverfall.
…What is the Princess Sacrifice Ritual?
To put it simply, it’s a ritual to melt down a sacrifice into a sludgy liquid, converting their soul and everything into magical power, and use it as energy to operate Neverfall.
Royalty with vast magical power, especially young women, are considered to be the most suitable sacrifices, and many princesses, other than Sekiran’s sister, have sacrificed themselves to support Neverfall.
Sekiran’s sister, through brainwashing-like education, was completely convinced of the necessity of the ritual, and became a sacrifice without any doubt.
Happily believing that this devotion would support her beloved brother’s reign.
But, however.
That devotion… that death.
It was ironic… that it wounded the young Sekiran’s heart, and hindered him from developing the ‘heart of a king’, like the previous kings of Neverfall.
It was nothing but a tragedy.
And since they didn’t realize the possibility of that happening, the brainwashing education that Sekiran’s sister received was indeed twisted.
* * *
After his sister’s death, the once cheerful and innocent prince completely changed.
He spent every day feeling depressed and showed no motivation for anything.
And that didn’t change even after he ascended to the throne.
That being said, King Sekiran didn’t want his people to suffer needlessly.
He didn’t dislike his people.
So he lived as a king… moderately.
Halfheartedly.
Aimlessly.
On the other hand, he hated Great Spirit Atmo, who demands sacrifices.
You could even say that he loathes it.
It was Great Spirit Atmo who killed his sister… who demanded the Princess Sacrifice Ritual.
There’s no way he wouldn’t hate it.
And yet, Atmo’s pronouncements are absolute.
Whenever he receives an email on his ‘King’s Bracelet’, King Sekiran must obey it.
That is the absolute rule, since the birth of the Neverfall royal family.
In this country, the royal family is nothing more than a ‘convenient’ pawn to the Great Spirit Atmo.
Or… a disposable, battery.
It was humiliating.
But he didn’t have the energy to openly rebel against Atmo.
King Sekiran just lived day after day, depressed.
…He appointed Nabokoris, who is clearly a villain, as prime minister, to annoy Atmo.
If the country is in turmoil, Atmo would be troubled, right?
With that motivation, he chose Nabokoris.
But contrary to his expectations, Atmo didn’t react to this blunder.
And Nabokoris was even more ruthless than he expected.
The people just suffered and were hurt even more… Sekiran’s petty rebellion ended with that worst possible result.
Before he knew it, Nabokoris had grown so powerful that even the king couldn’t ignore him, and he couldn’t easily dismiss him.
All he could do was provide a little support to the people.
King Sekiran’s days became even more depressing.
* * *
The birth of his daughter, Air, didn’t ease King Sekiran’s distress.
Rather, her existence became a further burden on his heart.
Of course, he loved his daughter.
He loved her unconditionally.
But as he watched Air grow, becoming more and more like his beloved sister every day, King Sekiran thought.
‘Won’t this child, too, be chosen as a sacrifice in the Princess Sacrifice Ritual?’
And once he thought that… it was all over.
King Sekiran began to distance himself from Air.
He confined her to a detached palace, and avoided seeing her as much as possible.
So that he wouldn’t get attached.
To those around them, it seemed that Air, despite being a princess, was being treated coldly by King Sekiran.
Air herself thought so too.
But in King Sekiran’s heart, it wasn’t like that.
King Sekiran loved Air.
That’s why, although he distanced himself from her, he tried to ensure she had a comfortable life (however, due to rampant embezzlement by officials, Air wasn’t receiving enough child support), and he brought in Ijokis, a heroine who once served as the head of the secret service, as Air’s personal maid, also serving as her bodyguard.
When he received that worst possible order from the Great Spirit Atmo, ‘Offer Air as a sacrifice for the Princess Sacrifice Ritual’, he indirectly helped Air and Ijokis escape, by deliberately reducing the security at Air’s detached palace.
King Sekiran is a bad king.
You could even say he’s a bad father.
But he truly loved his daughter.
* * *
It was only after the Great Spirit Atmo, finally losing its patience, threatened the lives of all the citizens of Neverfall, ordering him to bring Air back, that King Sekiran took Air from Takataka.
King Sekiran, for some reason… believed in him.
In the small Mice Tribe boy, and the power he possesses.
He’ll definitely save Air.
He’ll make Air happy, in his place.
He really… doesn’t know why.
But King Sekiran suddenly became convinced of that one day.
So King Sekiran waited.
For Takataka to overcome all the trials, and come to rescue Air!
* * *
And yet.
He thought Takataka had come, but.
It was a mysterious girl, with an ominous aura, who came instead.
“…………”
King Sekiran and Emi stared at each other for a while, in silence.
And then, once again.
King Sekiran asked Emi.
“…Who are you?”
…
And of course, Emi retorted…
“I said, who are YOU!?”
……