EMLF - 2

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Sute Akuyaku Reijou wa Kaibutsu ni Otogibanashi wo Kataru

Book 2: The Monster of Dagenhelm Inquires

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

I should have been lying in a cold, hard cage in that frigid forest.

And yet, what now enveloped my body was a soft bed and fine, high-quality blankets.

Was it all just a bad dream? The insults hurled at me, the scornful gazes, her betrayal—were they all nothing but illusion? Was I still a duke’s daughter, asleep in my own chambers?

But when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a dim, unfamiliar room.

The furnishings were refined, the ceilings high, the carpets thick and plush, and the clothes I had been dressed in were of fine make. At the very least, I understood that this was not the Kingdom of Luxborn. Nothing in this room belonged to that land.

As I sat up, I realized how light my body felt. The restraints that had once bound my neck, wrists, and ankles were gone. More than that, I had been treated—bandages carefully wrapped around me.

I had been found and taken in by a kind soul from beyond Luxborn.

Tears nearly welled in my eyes with relief. My wish had, miraculously, come true. I had not been judged by a demon of condemnation, nor devoured by the monster of Dagenhelm.

I was alive.

From somewhere, I heard footsteps. In this building with its high ceilings, the sound echoed strongly. The steps were approaching—likely the master of this place. Still in my just-awakened state, I hurriedly smoothed my disheveled clothes and hair as best I could.

Then, the door opened.

“…Oh? So you’ve awakened.”
"… Hou, me ga sameta ka."

“Yes. Thank you very much for saving me.”
"Hai, kono tabi wa tasukete itadaki, makoto ni arigatou gozaimashita."

“Hmph, no need for thanks. I merely picked you up because you seemed interesting.”
"Fun, rei ni wa oyoban. Omoshirosou dakara hirotta dake da."

The young man laughed in amusement and casually pulled out a chair before sitting down. His manner of speech was somewhat rough, yet his every action suggested he was of noble birth.

“No, I am truly grateful. Had I remained in that forest, I would surely have been devoured by a monster of Dargenhelm.”
"Ie, hontou ni kansha shiteimasu. Moshi ano mama ano mori ni ireba, watakushi wa kitto Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu ni taberareteita koto deshou."

“—Pfft, hahahaha! The Monster of Dagenhelm? How terrifying.”
"Kku, hahahaha! Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu ni ka! Sore wa, osoroshii na."

He laughed as though it were utterly absurd, and I found myself tilting my head in confusion. The monster of Dagenhelm was infamous in every land. By that name alone, people of all nations avoided the place entirely. And yet, the man before me showed not a trace of fear.

Was he a sheltered noble, unaware of Dagenhelm? Or was this place so far removed from it that its reputation held no weight here?

“…haha~. Now you’ve piqued my interest. Tell me, what sort of creature is this ‘Monster of Dagenhelm’?”
"…haha~. Kyoumi ga aru. Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu to wa ittai dono you na mono na no da?"

Though bewildered by his curiosity, I began to speak. The monster of Dagenhelm was like a tale I had heard since childhood.

“The Kingdom of Dagenhelm, surrounded by dark forests, is the place closest to death. Crows cry, wolves roam, and none who enter ever return. The king of that land—Dagenhelm—is a monster who has lived for thousands of years. Night after night, he leaves his castle to devour maidens who wander into his domain—consuming them entirely, from head to toe, from their organs to the last drop of blood, not leaving even a fragment of bone behind.”
"Kurai mori ni kakomareta Dāgenherumu Oukoku wa, shi ni mottomo chikai basho. Karasu ga naki, ookami ga hashiru. Haitta mono wa nidoto modoru koto wagozaimasen. Sonna Dāgenherumu Oukoku no ou, Dāgenherumu wa nan sen-nen mo iki tsuzukeru kaibutsu ni gozaimasu. Yona yona shiro kara nukedashite wa, kuni ni mayoikonda otome wo kurau no desu. Atama no saki kara ashi no saki made, zoufu kara chi no itteki, hone no kakera mo amasu koto naku, Dāgenherumu Ou wa kurai tsukusu no desu."

“I see. And then?”
"Hou, sore de?"

“…And it is not only King Dagenhelm. From the royal soldiers to the common folk, all of Dagenhelm are said to be man-eating fiends. Their invasions are like a procession of demons in the night, and any land they conquer is left utterly devoid of life—reduced to a realm of the dead.”
"…Dāgenherumu Ou dake denaku, Dāgenherumu Oukoku no oukoku-hei kara kokumin ni itaru made, mina akki rasetsu ni gozaimasu. Oukoku-hei-tachi no shinkou wa masa ni hyakki yakou to iu ni fusawashiku, Dāgenherumu ni semerareta kuni wa hitokake no seimei mo nai, yomi no kuni no ryoudo to natteshimau no desu."

“—Heh heh heh heh… how truly dreadful, that Dagenhelm.”
"Kukukuku… zuibun to osoroshii no da na, sono Dāgenherumu to yara wa."

“Yes, very much so.”
"Ee, totemo."

Though it should have been a chilling tale, the more he heard, the more delighted he seemed. Did he not find such monsters frightening? Or was he simply treating my words as nothing more than a fanciful story?

“…Are you not afraid of the King Dagenhelm?”
"…Anata-sama wa, Dāgenherumu Ou ga osoroshikunai no desu ka?"

“Who knows. So, this Monster of Dagenhelm, King Dagenhelm—what does he look like? If one does not know his appearance, one cannot recognize him, right?”
"Saate, na. De, sono Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu, Dāgenherumu Ou wa donna sugata wo shiteiru no da. Sugata ga wakaranakute wa, ninshiki shi you ga nai darou."

“I do not know the details. But I have heard that King Dagenhelm is a man with hair so dark it could swallow even the deepest night, and eyes a deep crimson, as though blood had been poured into glass.”
"Kuwashii koto wa wakarimasen. Tada Dāgenherumu Ou wa fukai yami wo de sae mo nomikomu kurai kami wo mochi, chi wo garasu ni nagashikonda you na kurai akai me wo motta otoko da to, watakushi wa kiite orimasu."

He closed his eyes and stroked his chin, as if pondering something. Yet the corners of his lips were lifted, and to me he looked almost like a child thinking up some mischievous prank.

“What is your name?”
"Omae, na wa nan to iu."

“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Sylph Biebel.”
"Moushi okuremashita. Shirufu Bīberu to moushimasu."

“Biebel… I believe that is a ducal house of Luxborn, no?”
"Bīberu… tashika Rakusuborun no koushaku-ke de wa nakatta ka?"

“…Yes. However, I was disowned recently, so I am now simply Sylph.”
"…Hai, shikashi senjitsu ie kara wa en wo kirareta tame, watakushi wa ima, tada no Shirufu ni gozaimasu."

“I see…”
"Fuun…"

Abruptly, he stood and drew the curtains aside. It seemed it was already around midday, and a strong beam of sunlight poured in through the window. How long had it been since I last saw such light? It was so bright that tears welled in my eyes.

With the room illuminated, I could clearly see his figure.

“Well, who you are or where you come from is of little importance. How you were cast out and abandoned in the forest—such things are trivial.”
"Maa omae ga doko no nani mono ka, to iu koto wa dou demo ii. Do no you na keii de en wo kirare mori ni suterareta no ka, sonna koto wa samatsu na koto da."

“…Yes.”
"…Hai."

“As I listened to your story, I thought—Sylph, you are clever. Are you not? So I shall give you a fun riddle.”
"Sate hanashi wo kiiteite omotteita ga, Shirufu, omae wa kashikoi. Sou darou? Dakara omae ni tanoshii nazo nazo wo shite yarou."

“A riddle…?”
"Nazo nazo, de gozaimasu ka."

He smiled, clearly enjoying himself. I felt a vague tension rise within me. Whatever this riddle was, it felt like something I must not answer incorrectly.

“Picture King Dagenhelm in your mind. A man with dark hair and red eyes.”
"Dāgenherumu Ou no sugata wo atama ni omoi ukabero. Kurai kami ni, akai me wo shita otoko da."

“Yes…”
"Ee…"

“Now then, here's the question: What do I—the one before you right now—look like?”
"De wa mondai da. Ima omae no mae ni iru watashi. Ittai donna sugata wo shiteiru?"

“…!!”

I caught my breath. Though sunlight filled the room, my body temperature seemed to drop sharply, as if cold water had been poured through my veins.

The man who had saved me—the one I believed to be a kind soul from beyond the Kingdom of Luxborn—had deep black hair and bright red eyes, narrowed as he gazed at me.

I may have been a fool, but even I could understand.

“King… Dagenhelm…!”
"Dāgen, herumu Ou…!"

“Good girl! You're correct! Hahhahahahahaha!”
"Ii ko! Daiseikai daa!! Hahhahahahahaha!"

He laughed with his mouth wide open as if unable to contain his amusement. And I, too, found myself unable to close my mouth.

Still in high spirits, he stepped away from the window and sat down once more.

“You’ve told me quite an intriguing story. It was wonderful.”
"Zuibun to omoshiroi hanashi wo kikasete moratta. Subarashikatta zo."

“Ah…”
"A…"

The monster of Dagenhelm. I had spoken of him—right in front of him.

“As you have guessed, I am the very Monster of Dagenhelm—the twenty-eighth king, Faber Dagenhelm. Welcome to Dagenhelm—the land of the dead, the land dwelled by a monster.”
"Omae no kangaete iru toori, watashi koso Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu, dai ni-juu hachi-dai koku ou Fāberu Dāgenherumu da. Youkoso, kaibutsu no sumau yomi no kuni, Dāgenherumu e."

His lips curved in delight. Crossing his legs, he looked toward me and once again stroked his chin, as though considering something.

Tension ran through me.

Surely, now he would say it—that he would devour me. This conversation had been nothing more than entertainment, and once he had had his fill, he would consume me without a second thought, leaving not a single trace of my existence behind.

“Sylph, come.”
"Shirufu, koi."

“Yes…”
"Hai…"

It was not a loud voice, yet it carried an unmistakable force—one that permitted no defiance, that compelled the will to submit. With unsteady, faltering steps, I moved forward and knelt before King Dagenhelm.

He grinned and seized my chin in one hand and lifted my face. Whether I wished it or not, my gaze met those crimson eyes.

“Now~ then, here's a question—Sylph Biebel… no, Sylph. You must not lie. Answer me with nothing but your true feelings.”
"Saate, shitsumon da Shirufu Bīberu aratame, Shirufu. Omae wa ima, kesshite uso wo tsuite wa naranai. Majiri naki honshin de, kotaeyo."

“Y-yes…”
"Ha, i…"

“What is your desire?”
"Omae no, nozomi wa nanda."

“My… desire…?”
"Nozo, mi…?"

“That’s right. Your desire. Tell me—what is it that you wish for above all else, from the depths of your heart?”
"Sou da, nozomi da. Omae ga ima nani yori mo, kokoro kara nozomi hossuru mono wo itte miro."

Wealth? Honor? Status? A return to your homeland? Love? Food? Rest? To live? To die? To curse someone? To seek revenge? Freedom?

“Speak your desire.”
"Omae no nozomi wo itte miro."

Under those red eyes that seemed to see through everything, I felt as though I was not even permitted to think. I could not scheme, nor calculate—I could only listen to my own heart, and hear what it truly wished.

“My desire… is…”
"Watakushi no, nozomi wa…"

After I spoke those words, the Monster of Dagenhelm—Faber Dagenhelm—first showed a look of surprise, and then smiled more brightly than he had at any point since we met.

“Interesting! You truly are interesting, Sylph! Very well! I, the Monster of Dagenhelm, shall grant your desire!!”
"Omoshiroi! Omae wa hontou ni omoshiroi zo Shirufu! Ii darou! Omae no nozomi, kono Dāgenherumu no Kaibutsu ga kanaeyou!!"

Thus, the monster declared, his voice ringing out boldly.

☆*: .｡. o(≧▽≦)o .｡.:*☆

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