MaruMA:Volume 01

You Are The Maoh From Today On!

Tomo Takabayashi

Kadokawa Teen's Ruby Novels

Character Introduction

Conrad

"Sir Weller Conrart"

The second son of the previous Maoh, and someone who understands Yuuri well. He has such an open mind that it's almost impossible to think he's a citizen of such a strange world.

Adelbert

"Adelbert von Grats"

A mysterious person who assists the humans and is hostile towards the mazoku. For some reason he's amiable (?) towards Yuuri but...

Yuuri

"Shibuya Yuuri"

A senior high school student with an unusual penchant for justice. He's 15 years old. He assumes the position of the 27nth Maoh at this time - What will he do?

Günter

"Lord Günter von Kleist"

A noble who serves Yuuri as an advisor, in other words, the person in charge of the Maoh's education. He can be a little overprotective.

Wolfram

"Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld"

The previous Maoh's third son. A beautiful boy who is just as prideful as he is selfish.

Gwendal

"Lord Gwendal von Voltaire"

The previous Maoh's eldest son. He's a level-headed, cynical and very handsome man.

Cheri

"Lady Cecilie von Spitzweig"

The 26th Maoh. She is the former Maoh because she abdicated. She has the pheromones of a sexy lady but she's truly the mother of three mazoku sons.

Novel Illustrations / Matsumoto Temari

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Prologue

Listen, Yuu-chan.

Well, Yuu-chan, about your name, when Mama was standing on a street corner in Boston - I was worrying, "He's going to be born any minute, what should I do?", but then a super cool fencer in a taxi kindly let me ride with him, and he tried to comforted me saying "A child that gets through the summer will grow strong, so giving birth in July is a blessing. In the village I grew up in, July is called Yuuri", and because he had such a refreshingly sweet smile, I immediately decided to make it your name. So Yuu-chan, even though your Papa works at the bank and you're always grumbling about "interest rates" or "good profits", never think that you're named after "interest" or "profits"!

Right, Yuu-chan? You're Yuuri because you were born in July. Isn't it cute? Don't you feel your mama's love? You're Yuuri because you were born in July, isn't it dreamy, doesn't it seem like something beautiful from a girl's manga? Yuuri. Ah, it's wonderful, I feel sparkly.

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Chapter 1

If that's the case, then why did she use those kanji?!

Since junior high when old enemies, some delinquents, would always call me "Furi (Disadvantage)" during fights, I've gotten used to eluding abusive language.

"Say something 1Shibuya 2Yuuri (Advantageous)!"

"Don't you mean 1Harajuku Furi (Disadvantageous)"

I've heard that cliche 50,000 times. By the way, I was born 15 years ago. That's right, my name is Shibuya Yuuri (Advantageous). 2Not Yuuri (abundant village) nor Yuuri (gentle pear tree) but Shibuya "Yuuri (Advantageous)". The name of my brother, who is five years older than me, is Shibuya Shouri (Victory). It's written as Shouri (Victory) and reads as Shouri, and even if it looks a little like "Katsutoshi (to win, same kanji)" it's not.

With the fresh leaves of May growing thick, I was in the middle of returning home from school on my bycicle.

Up to now I've looked up to a member of the middle school baseball team, but now I also look up to another senior on the kendo team, so I was talking about becoming a member of the kendo team just five minutes ago when I rode my bicycle away from my friend. I was stepping on the pedals in a good mood, heading through a quiet park near my home, when I happened across a serious scene.

Collecting money.

That's only what the bullies who practice it call it, but it's really plain old mugging. Today of all days I knew all three of them, the assailants and the victim, from samiddle (the same middle school?), and the one in glasses who was being pushed up against the back wall of the bathrooms, Murata Ken, was in the same class as me in the second and third year of middle school.

Now wouldn’t be a bad time to leave on my bike, especially since no ones noticed me. If I pass by quickly, Murata wouldn’t ever know it was me. It’s not like he’s really my friend, and I’ve never really talked to him. Besides, even if I did seem like an ally of justice, no one is looking hopefully or gratefully this way...Ah...I slowly stopped my bicycle.

A-Ah, it’s no good...My eyes met with Murata Ken's.

"...What are you doing over there? Perhaps doing something illegal as a group?"

And so, I, Shibuya Yuuri decided to deal with two delinquents, and for what I guess is the 50,000nth time I heard "Well, is it Harajuku Furi?!". Thanks to this small-town sense of justice I was born with. Mugging people is a crime, and fighting two on one is unfair by my ethics.

"We're just "collecting money". Whatever money is in that guy's wallet, that's legitimately collecting money, right?"

Please, pull out a map and show me, in what country is this legal?

With navy blue and gray uniforms, the two high school students who had fair hair and matching contacts could have been said to have no 3nationality at all. They kicked me in the stomach and pinneded me roughly against the mortar wall.

"Now look, our prey ran off because you were talking too much. Well? You're the banker's son, so shouldn't you know how valuable a customer is?!"

It's true. Oh, hell! I was going to save Murata Ken, and then he turned around and ran away at full speed. But I'm cute, I'll look around for assistance. But at 4:30 in the afternoon only grade school students are in the park.

"Why did you come save that guy? Are you friends? Or is it a secret crush?"

"Shut up! Ken is my favorite name, Tsutomu and Ken are my top favorite names."

Secretly, the teacher whom I admire is named 'Tsutomu', and my favourite actor in historical dramas is 'Matsudaira Ken'.

"Ah? It's your favorite name? Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi?!"

When they started laughing I tried to gain a tactical advantage. I was drawing out my fists and kneeing them when delinquent A grabbed my hair and pulled me into the dim bathroom.

"Hey, wait... You... Ah, wasn't this marked as the ladies' bathroom!"

"Is that so? Hunn, well, that's fine. There's a lot more stalls, so we can have our privacy. That's important."

"That's right, it's for our privacy. We want to keep a secret a secret."

Delinquent B matched his tone to his actions, and he began looking for a wallet from the snatched 4backpack. The blue strap was cut, causing a mobile phone to tumble out; which began ringing as soon as it hit the wall.

"...What's this ring tone, have you heard it?"

"No. Aah, what is this, it feels like I've heard it somewhere, oh, I can't remember, like someone, from television. I'd guess from a historical play?"

"About that, who makes ring tones from historical plays other than the recent ones by Mito Komon? Moreover, isn't that a professional baseball strap? I don't believe it, Shibuya Yuuri, what is this about Shibuya Yuuri?"

"Shut up! What do you know about the virtues of baseball! Ah, hey, you..."

Delinquent B began pulling out money. It was a pair of 5Souseki-senseis.

"What is this?! You have to be joking, are you really a banker's son?! Your father must be hesitant to lend you money because you are, but I thought you'd have more than this. 6He's doesn't want to loan you money, Shibuya-chan. "

"I'm not connected to my parent's business."

I didn't think to tell them, but I usually had about 7500 yen in my possession. He gives me change steadily, but it's barely enough to use at a vending machine, and my savings are gone in the blink of an eye.

"Ah, ah, think of it as the bank making a special loan to Murata, two 8blue bills isn't enough. 20,000 yen at least, 20,000."

Suddenly his grip on my hair strengthened. Currently there were three light blue doors reserved in the lady's restroom. I was dragged to the center one, and kneed roughly in the back. The toilets didn't look like what I'd been told, and a Western-style toilet was in front of me.

"Hey, no way, you guys... aren't delinquents of ten years ago, so..."

"For someone who passed the 7entrance exams you're not very quick-witted, so how about we teach you not to have a smart mouth for future reference?"

Surely they won't really dunk my face in the toilet. Even if these guys were junior high school delinquents, it's the year 2000 AD, who uses such old-fashioned bullying?!

"If you get in our way, should we kill you? Next time it'll be serious."

As I feared, my rivals pushed my head towards the toilet. It seems like right now old-fashioned things are back in style.

I tried to hold up my neck, but I decided I had about 10 seconds to be prepared.

But a toilet! If I thought about a different type of face-washing vessel the function is the same. The water began to flow over my chin as it was pushed in. I tried to lift my head as a reaction, but the pressure at the back of my head didn't loosen at all. I gave up, took a deep breath, and stiffened my body.

After the toilets were modernized, there wasn't anyone who'd been dunked in the toilets. If that's true, then I should get in the Guiness Book of World Records. In other words, for just a few dozen seconds, if I closed my eyes and held my breath, even if they push me in, and even if my head is pulled... Huh?

Either Delinquent A or Delinquent B's hand held me from above as usual. But some other force sucking me in, like there was a black hole in the middle of the toilet!

Is this a joke?! What hidden power brand name toilets have! It must be the ultimate secret of a strong cleaner! I couldn't fight it any longer, and while my head and shoulders and hips were painfully sucked in I, Shibuya Yuuri, thought with a scream.

Is it possible, this is the first time this has ever happened?!

For the first time ever, a man was flushed down a toilet?!

Hey, papa.

What is it Yuuri?

When we come to Disneyland why do we only go to the "Star Tours"?

What, you don't like the Star Tours, Yuuri?

It's not that I don't like it, I love it! But I at least already know all the lines of the "droid" that is the "pilot", how many times have we ridden it?

That's great, Yuuri! So you already remember all the lines the pilot droid has? Well then, Yuuri, just to make certain that it's correct, let's ride the Star Tours once more! Because someday when you grow up, this will definitely be useful.

That was certainly useful!

As my vision began to return faintly, I expressed my gratitude to my father after a long time. Even though he probably never predicted that his son would be flushed down a toilet over ten years ago, riding Star Tours at Disneyland in Tokyo 10 times in rapid succession was certainly useful.

After whirling down the flushing toilet, the scene I saw in that clear water was just like repeating what I had seen in my childhood. The droid shouted, and then we warped. The light became grainy and the stars were stretched into lines, and distorted, and then shrunk again into normal stars. My body was extended, distorted and then shrunk again...

Not really.

I could never really be flushed down a toilet. Besides, my body grew adequately, and I'm about the size of the average freshman.

I stretched out my arms and legs as much as possible, and triumphantly became spread eagle. The dirt road didn't go away after a long time. But the sky was nothing but blue. It was the clear blue sky of an area without things like air pollution or depletion of the O-zone layer, with clear air and blue sky. When I tilted my head, I saw green on both sides of the road. At my left hand were woods where the trees grew thick, and at my right hand was a meadow stretching in a slope with a private house. The house seemed like it was made of stone, and in the distance animals could vaguely be seen. Goats or... sheep, I guess.

Because of those bullies, my face was shoved into a toilet and I was dragged into a place that didn't seem to be habited, and I instantly panicked.

But, where is this? The scenery was entirely unlike modern Japan, and I muttered while sitting up.

"...The Alps?"

Like that girl Heidi. Even though I couldn't figure out how I got transported here.

As I quietly realized that my uniform was damp I got a seriously bad feeling. When I thought about this moisture carefully, it might be from the public bathroom. .. I'd better stop thinking so much. Water is water, there's nothing different about H2O.

From the other side of the road a young lady carrying a large luggage was walking. Both of her hands are under a wicker basket, but it falls from both hands at the same time. The sound of the fruits that were too large to be called apples tumbling onto the road rose up.

"Umm....."

I begin speaking and take a deep breath. Her eyes are staring in my direction. And mine are looking at her, too. Some words rose in my head.

A costume player (or cosplayer to abbreviate).

The length of the long skirt that seemed to be dragging on the ground. The old-fashioned triangular straps tied at her chin. Those blue eyes and dull blonde hair... A foreigner! But why was a foreigner in a long apron dress that seemed like that Heidi girl of the Alps climbing up the hill carrying luggage. As the girl dropped her basket, she pointed in this direction and began screaming something.

"Ah, umm, excuse me, I'm really sorry if I surprised you. It's just that I've been dumped at this place, you really don't need to feel like I'll harm you or threaten you..."

Her voice substituted for a siren, and one by one people ran out of the stone fairy-tale houses, quickly climbing up the slope. There were men and women and children. All the people were the same.

"...Every, everyone is cosplaying?"

No, these people definitely weren't modern day Japanese people. To begin with all of them were foreigners. If you look at us Japanese, the natural blonde hair and natural brown hair, natural blue eyes and natural split chin, I could only think they were a different race. Ten or more people gathered around holding useful farming equipment like ploughs or hoes or sickles. When the girl kept screaming, I couldn't understand the meaning as I watched her frozen.

"Wait a minute, really, please wait a minute, I was just dumped here. Umm, what's a better word for it, eh... Abandoned! I was just abandoned here! Ah... Ah, I know! I haven't solved the entire puzzle."

My brains and tongue rotated in a state of emergency. The houses didn't look like Japan and the people were cosplaying. All of the factors came together in me.

"A theme park?!"

That's right. Foreigners in cosplay, an outlandish town, if this the type of place used in two hour suspense dramas, wouldn't it have to be a theme park.

"Well, that's probably it. I'm stupid for not realizing it right away. I was abandoned in a theme park. But, even so, where is this? Is there a a place in Niigata with a Russian atmosphere? Even if that's true, that's a long way to be abandoned from where I live... Ow, ah, why is everyone in the Russian village, wait, why, rocks, and things?! Ow!"

Everyone working at the theme park must have been foreigners knowledgeable of Japanese foolishness. Nevertheless, why did they start throwing stones this way while I was frantically explaining?! Even if I didn't pay the entrance fee, throwing stones and setting up farming tools (they can be used as deadly weapons) is a bit of an over-reaction.

"Ah, umm, my wallet was taken a little while ago so I didn't pay the entrance fee, but I'll definitely do it in the future. If someone will lend me a phone, I'll do it by the end of today."

The end of today?

I'm holding my arms over my head as I avoided stones and mud, and I pretended not to see the peasants wielding giant fork-looking spades, I thought as I absentmindedly saw an infant begin to weep with a frightened face while looking at me.

The infinite blue sky? When I was arguing with the delinquents, wasn't it past 4 in the afternoon? It's possible to consider that I was unconscious for 15 hours. But no one found me during that time? Even the theme park's security? Furthermore in the May weather, my uniform was still really wet. What in the world happened to me?! My head is so full of questions it felt like it was weighed to the ground. Even though I'm receiving this unjust stoning, no one is helping me.

I heard a strong voice give orders, and I lifted up my head a lot. Thankfully, the shower of stones ceased.

"Who..."

I was going to ask who it was, but then I saw a man on horseback and my words were stopped. His costume design wasn't different than the villagers, but the brilliance and texture of his clothes were obviously of a different quality, and he dismounted from his horse with excessive action and took two steps this way.

American football, this man absolutely must play American football. His arms and chest seem that way. With dazzling hair and turquoise blue eyes, a fine, long hooked nose even though it inclines to the left a little, he seemed to be a beautiful Caucasian macho man with a split chin. Foreigner-loving Japanese girls would probably form a line asking for photographs in this place, and if necessary they would probably put money in his bikini pants.

The fault of this particular Caucasian was his huge nostrils on his triangular nose.

Secretly I think of him as 'Denver Broncos', that's the only NFL team that I know. When he tells the villagers a few words, and he kneels down and peers at me.

"...Umm... Seriously, thank you, for calming down everyone..."

His huge hands, which balanced out his figure, grabbed my head firmly.

I thought he was going to throw a 90 yard long pass like this. Furthermore he could probably get a touch down like that. But as he gripped my frontal lobes (no way) he didn't throw me, and with the power he put in his fingers I couldn't move for a minute.

"...Ow..."

As the pain hit me from five places I unintentionally raised my voice. You might call it shock more than pain. 10I was more afraid from the shock that he would close his fingers too strongly by mistake than in pain. Finally the man separated his hands. A stream of sound flowed in at the same time. The root from my ear to my brain hurt as if water had gotten in it.

Wind, trees, cries of the animals, cries of the baby that sounded like an animal, and words.

Suddenly everyone began speaking Japanese. What, everyone can speak Japanese?! That's it, they're workers away from home (and probably taking their families) who came to Japan to work with 11tourists, so they're sure to have mastered everyday conversation. If that's the case, why did they keep speaking Russian (?) until now? What rude people. The beautiful macho man laughed.

"How is that? Can you understand us now?"

"Aah, it's strange to see a foreigner speak fluent Japanese."

My tension was relieved a little bit when I understood him. At any rate, I needed to understand the situation. To make it easier for them to understand, I tried to ask in a fake foreign accent.

"And, I'm not sure how I got here, or where or what time it is... Ah, but we can find out the time from a clock... 12Umm... Excuse me, where is this? How can I get back home?"

"What"

Denver Broncos (or otherwise American football guy) put both hands on his waist and looked down at me.

"Just when this one looked good, this Maoh is just an idiot?"

Idiot?

"...How can you call an easily hurt young boy an idiot the first time you meet him"

My bad habit reared its ugly head. When I was a grade school child, my brain functions became overcharged and a red switch would flip on and off, and I'd begin speaking with terrible vigor. My fourth grade music teacher was impressed that I could ramble until I thought of something to say. She nicknamed me Turkish March. Only she called me that before or after.

"Certainly my enrollment in a prefectural high school, is not really because I surpassed the results of anyone or am someone to be jealous of. Even a child returning to his home country can be persistent, but I was in Boston for half a year after I was born. All the same, I'm not an idiot, what's with calling me an 'idiot' all of the sudden. If you look my father is an elite banker, and my brother is a student at Hitotsubashi."

I try to cover up my mediocre self by bringing up my family pride.

"By the way, my mother graduated from Ferris!"

"Fe... What? Is that a rural aristocrat somewhere?"

That was the response, and I found myself at a a loss for words. Questions of academic background weren't effective globally.

"Even so..."

Even so the actors of a theme park shouldn't call their guests 'idiots'. Basically for people who work in the service industry, customers are god. Somehow I stood up to preach about typical Japanese economic methods.

The people playing the villagers yelled abnormally.

"The demon stood up!"

"It's a genuine demon wearing black that stood up hurry and take the children inside!"

"It's already useless this village will be burned down like Kentenau twenty years ago."

"Wait this one is still young and unarmed and if you can get a person with black hair and eyes I hear you can get the power of eternal youth in the country to the west they're offering a reward."

"Ah I've heard about that too on at least one small island you could buy an eyebrow."

"Be careful even if he's unarmed this guy is a demon he should be able to use 13Majutsu."

"No Adelbert-sama is with us Adelbert-sama please protect this village please confine us with God's power so that this demon can't reach us."

What are these people saying! I can't figure out where to put punctuation marks even if they're speaking Japanese, it's not entering my head smoothly. Unconsciously I check my right wrist. It has a solid and clunky 14G-shock. I don't know if it'll work, but when if I hit someone with it I might get a little power boost. Wait, how can I hit someone, wait a minute, what am I thinking! But, these guys are looking at me with hostility, and everyone has the right to defend themselves. It's a state of emergency, no, it might be called an emergency evacuation. So, self-defense should be ok? I'm completely panicking.

The villagers picked up their dangerous weapons again, sidling up with desperate looks. The guy called Adelbert didn't have farming tools or stones in his hands. Instead, he was wearing a long sword on his hip. The man that seemed to have a lot of attack power said:

"Well, settle down all of you. This guy hasn't learned anything yet. We could persuade him before it's too late..."

When my back was turned, I heard the sound of something rhythmic. The sound grew rapidly and everyone was bewildered. I figured it out by listening. The sound of hoofs. Several horses kicking the ground as they galloped, a powerful clatter like an earth tremor, the sound of hoofs.

"Yuuri!"

I looked back as my name was called. A nobleman riding a white horse, coming to save me...

"...Gah..."

It's understandable that with my first impression I finished with "gah". It wasn't just three knights or noblemen riding white horses, but when I turned my gaze towards the sky a little bit, I saw something outrageous approaching. "Something" flew up there. In fifteen years and nine months, I could never imagine something like that.

It was a skeleton, tawny brown from age, and it seemed like oil paper attached to a bamboo frame had grown into wings. Moreover it flapped like a shuttlecock, and flew in the sky as if it was natural.

If you attach wings to a skeleton, it can fly?

It is wonderful, wonderful and elaborately made. I couldn't see any piano wire, or hovering devices or propellers that would keep it afloat. I wonder how this device works.

"Get away from him, Adelbert!"

The three rescuing knights rode close to the 15chestnut with star on its forehead, and they seemed to be soldiers with their swords drawn. But then, if I call it a chestnut like the 16JRA would, the villagers won't understand. The young man seemed to be the leader, even though I couldn't see his face his voice controlled the two following people.

"Don't draw your swords at the villagers! They aren't soldiers."

"But, Your Excellency"

"Disperse!"

The three horses forced their way through the people working as villagers, neighed and reared up. I covered my mouth from the cloud of dust and coughed miserably. Inside the beige mist, there were blue and orange sparks. Followed by klunking, the sound of metal striking each other heavily, the villagers trying to escape, the confused screams and the sound of grass.

Someone grabbed my arms. Slowly the surrounding scene becomes vague.

"Von Grats Adelbert! Why did you approach our border?!"

"You're the same as ever, Sir Weller, a hero among cowards!"

Ah, I get it. It's like a rule in mock battles, that they can't fight until they introduce themselves? As I'm thinking that, my body is slowly lifted off the ground. The dust clears away from the slope, the cavalry chasing away the villagers, and the young man who jumped off his horse to face the American guy with his sword. When I thought that the ground was becoming distant, I was suddenly turned away from that place and being flown away. My arms hurt from being suspended with my body weight.

"How am I flying... You're kidding?!"

Holding both my arms and transporting me was the skeleton device that was so elaborate that I couldn't figure it out. The tawny oil-paper wings flapped, chattering and flying forward. Wasn't it just a skeleton that had wings attached to it. Even if I looked up from right under its spine it was a jawbone and skull with no expression, and dark caves in the eye part of the face looked down.

"What should I say, thanks."

Even though I was being abducted, I wanted to at least express my gratitude, and I tried with all my might. It seemed that if it lost strength for even a minute it would fall, the flying skeleton desperately flapped its wings as it clattered. Adelbert made a fleeting glance this way, and remarked as he fought with Sir Weller, who seemed to be the leader of the soldiers.

"How clever! Using kotsuhi to transport him!"

"They are loyal to us, and don't lose themselves to personal grudges."

"And how about you, Sir Weller? Woah"

From what I can see from twisting my neck and looking, 17Mister Brawns who was called Adelbert, barely avoids the tip of the sword of the leader called Sir Weller.

"Don't you think your skills are too good to use for those guys?"

"Unfortunately, Adelbert"

I could only see the Sir Weller's khaki back and dark brown head. Somehow I knew that he smiled that moment.

"My love isn't as single-minded as yours."

When his subordinates returned from driving away all of the villagers, and they drew their swords out at the same time. Adelbert jumped on his horse, and called out to me as I moved at the height of the trees.

"Be patient for a while, I'll come save you soon!"

"Save... Am I being kidnapped by the good guys or bad guys right now?!"

Under my eyes, the leader with brown hair stops the soldiers that are trying to chase their enemy.

"Stop, don't chase him too far!"

"He is alone. I thought we should use his disadvantage, if we can catch up to him now..."

Sir Weller (I still haven't seen his face) orders strictly. So cooool. "Right now our top priority is taking His Majesty's body to safety."

Taking His Majesty's body to safety, does this mean this has turned into like a super-kabuki show? As I was participating in the super original theme park, with the super elaborate attractions, I secretly muttered as His Majesty.

"...Can you get me down from this super well-made sky ride for the time being?"

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Chapter 2

"Your Majesty!" that man said.

With long, thick silver hair and violet eyes, his body was about 9 times the length of his head.

I couldn't dismount alone, with my butt restrained on the horse's back, and I didn't know what to answer. What would be the best answer to being called 'Your Majesty'? Moreover, he was a super beauty at the prime of manhood at around thirty!

Since I'm lacking vocabulary and my CPU is running especially slow, I can't adequately describe this man's beauty. The average high school freshman wasn't used to being around such beauties often, much less men who clearly weren't Japanese like this man standing in front of me.

I clung to Sir Weller's back for what I would say was the rest of the day, we finally arrived at a small-scale village with wooden buildings after I after I had my first grueling experience of riding horseback. There were about fifteen houses, and it might be called a 1neighborhood association more than a village. From a different direction, armed soldiers returned to the entrance one by one from the forest a little further away. The scary thing is that "Fly, skeleton!" has followed our party without fail. I would have never thought, but maybe he's the mascot character of this theme park?

If that's so then it was bad taste, well, an original innovation.

The soldiers crossed the center of the village, and when they came to a large (I would only say 2about 4LDK) house, the door opened forcefully and a man rushed out.

3The moment I saw his face I gave up on saying anything. He was handsome, more handsome, super handsome, and ultra some hand, I mean, handsome. I would say his graceful expression makes his cleverness felt. What a smart-looking incredibly beautiful person! But such a dull expression.

In addition to being beautiful, his voice was a baritone that vibrated in your stomach. Adelbert from awhile ago was also fairly handsome but, this person was so perfect that girls would faint as soon as they laid eyes on him. It wouldn't only be girls in their late twenties who would faint. Mature women, and older women... Well, ladies in general.

"Conrart, hurry and give His Majesty a hand..."

"All right. Your Majesty, lean your body this way, and please dismount slowly, very slowly"

It seemed like Sir Weller's name was Conrart. I was finally liberated from the horse, and both of my feet touched the flat ground. I still felt a little unsettled from going up and down.

"Ah, Your Majesty, above all you're safe! I, Von Kleist, have anxiously been waiting for this day when we could meet"

While he spoke in a dramatic manner, he kneeled on the ground. I stepped back, startled. When I moved suddenly my butt hurt and smacked my lips, the beautiful man's expression changed.

"Your Majesty, are you hurt somewhere?! Conrart, even though you were with him..."

"Your bottom hurts, doesn't it, Your Majesty? Because this is your first time riding a horse"

Ne, wha. I was puzzled by his sweet smile. But, the beautiful man who introduced himself as von Kleist wasn't smiling.

"First time?! They don't teach horse riding in their elementary schools? Why did Shinou send His Majesty to that sort of world..."

"This isn't the time to talk about that, Günter. Von Grats reached him ahead of me"

"Adelbert! Your Majesty, did they do anything to you?!"

"...They threw stones and came towards me with hoes and ploughs but..."

"How horrible! Those humans... But, Your Majesty... Our language, how..."

It seemed he wanted to ask how I understood their language. I limply waved my right hand, and tried not to smile.

"Not at all, you're all very skilled at Japanese. You don't have to worry so much about me understanding, or be so modest. I'm surprised by how fluently all the characters that have already appeared can speak. Awesome, bravo, viva the actor spirit! How many years have you been in Japan? Which country are you from?"

Von Kleist (family name) Günter (name) had a dubious face.

"Country... I'm, from here"

"You were born in Japan?!"

At that time, Sir Weller said something shocking.

"Your Majesty, this isn't Japan"

"Ah, you see, I knew you weren't born in Japan, right? If that's the case then this is... huh"

What?

This isn't Japan?

Right now, did he just say this isn't Japan?

"Then, why is everyone speaking Japanese?"

"We aren't"

At this time, I carefully looked over Sir Weller from the front for the first time. He had the stature of about a nineteen or twenty year old, and unlike the villagers his garments were functional. The khaki leather belt and boots looked like they were influenced by television and movies, and seemed to be a military uniform of a country somewhere.

He has rather short dark brown hair, and eyes that were hazel with silver speckles. An old scar was left next to his eyebrow. He didn't just have scars there, but on both his hands and fingers. He placed one of those hands on my shoulder, and he purposely gazed down at me.

"This isn't Japan, Yuuri. Saying nothing of Japan, this isn't the world you were born in"

As I was being informed of something so shocking, I absentmindedly had thought about something else. Ah, I understand this man. If someone asked me to to tell them about this guy, I'd probably be able to explain him pretty well for sure.

That is to say Sir Conrart Weller seems to be like the person that the audience gives a standing ovation for when he unintentionally strikes a heroic pose in the center court of Wimbledon. But he isn't blessed like that because of his facial features. When compared to Günter and Adelbert, he is plain, and he's probably the type that could do various minor roles in Hollywood. But this person's expression is the result of the life he's lived up to now. It wasn't God's love or an artist's mold, but his own lifestyle.

That's what I would say about this guy, Conrad. I have a hunch I could tell someone that.

"Conrad... No, umm, Conrart"

"Eh? Ah, if you're used to English, Conrad is easier to pronounce. Some of my friends call me that, too"

"Have I met you somewhere before?"

After he thought for a moment, Conrad shook his head.

"No"

4The man with silver hair and violet eyes was reaching a mature beauty.

"Anyway, Your Majesty, we can't talk in a place like this. It's not a very clean place, but let's please go inside"

While he said something selfish about another person's house, Günter pushed my back. When I turned my head by chance, the residents of this village seemed to be glued to the cloudy windows of the simple wooden houses, eavesdropping on my situation.

The room had a warm heat stove, and it was a welcome environment for me since my uniform was still damp. Even though just a bit ago it was May in Japan, where I am now, what month is it here?! I can't tell if it's west or east from the dirty window, but an orange light from the setting sun is shining in.

I'm half dried from getting flushed down the toilet in the park, if it was a Japanese house here I'll quickly take a bath.

I took off my jacket that felt icky and damp, and stretch out near the fire. Günter seemed to be moved deeply by that.

"Your Majesty, do you usually wear black? How wonderful, how wonderfully suiting! Normally only people born as kings or very close to the king wear black. That noble black hair and those black eyes, certainly you are our Majesty!"

"...Even if you say that, it's just a uniform, a schoolboy's uniform... Besides, most Japanese people have black hair and black eyes when they're born..."

Though, it changes with the color of the skin according to each stage of life. Like the so-called tanned look that was popular for awhile before or Matsuzaki Shigeru. *In my case my hair had finally grown out in the middle of my third year of junior high, 5after I had been baseball team member. I was just starting to think about cutting it when summer vacation arrived.

"Uniform? Did you call this jacket a uniform? I see, this must be made by the most skilled craftsman especially for your Majesty"

They're actually mass produced in a factory. It was the most used among junior high school and high school boys country-wide in Japan. Moreover, it was a little small for my present size because I've been wearing it for three years.

"Your Majesty, you probably think that it's cold, but even though it seems that way it's spring in this country"

Conrad said that and took a position by the side of the door. He seemed to take the role of lookout, folding his arms and resting his head against the wall as his sword leaned. He closed his eyes softly.

I uselessly moved my chair as close to the fire as possible, which was connected to a table of a rough rustic make that you only find in folk craft shops in the recesses of the mountains. An unsteady lamp seemed to be in the mountain hut where an electric light would usually be hanging from the ceiling.

"...Creating minute details up to the season... What an elaborate attraction. .."

"It's not an attraction"

I was corrected by Conrad as his eyes were closed.

"Even if you tell me that, I can't believe it! Right now, inside of me, it's either o-ne, this is an elaborate money absorbing theme park attraction, two-, this is one of those surprise shows that's often on TV, three-, this will all turn out to be a dream, which is it? Well, pick one. I hope for three"

Conrad didn't answer, but in front of me Günter had a worried face, and after he muttered a word that he wasn't familiar with he turned to me.

"Teper... Surprise..? Please wait your Majesty, and explain in order. Please be calm, and please do not test me with your foreign words"

"Ok, I'm calm. So much has happened that even if you say that you're my mother, I'll just clap my hands and laugh and call it an American joke" When I raise both my hands and give up, I sit facing Günter, and he firmly leaned forward and began to talk.

"Then I will tell you. Your Majesty, eighteen years ago, your Majesty's spirit should have been born in this country. However, because of the postwar chaos at that time, or fear that your Majesty's life might have been targeted internally, Shinou decided to send your soul to another world. So, according to the instructions of Shinou, we took your Majesty's noble soul that hadn't been born yet to the Earth. Your mother and your father created your Majesty' s body, and you've grown up in that world until today. However, while you should have originally been able to grow to adulthood safely in another world, you were summoned due to a situation..."

"Wait a minute, 6you're being too polite for me to understand. Can you be more conversational!"

"Please don't say such an unreasonable thing. Your Majesty is Your Majesty, we are just your vassals"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, my name is Yuuri, Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi. I've called myself that for a long time. So here is the development to now?! I was really supposed to be born in this country, but for whatever reason I was born and raised in another world. But because I have things to do, I was summoned here from Japan. Did I get that all right?"

"How wonderful, you followed it. I admire your intelligence"

To my despair, Günter nodded deeply, happy from the bottom of his heart.

7Narnia, I mean, I see, this is the same old story. It's in innumerable movies, and overused in anime and manga. Even though there's a variation in quality, it's in paperbacks and juvenile literature so often that it's not possible to count anymore. It wasn't anything original. However, it's rare for a person to actually be dragged into it. Moreover, to get dragged into it from a public bathroom is extremely rare.

"And, I was pulled into a tunnel to another world from the bathroom toilet, and was dropped on that mountain path"

"That's correct. By our calculations, you should have been able to be summoned inside our borders, and inside of our capital. However, perhaps due to some excess power, you were at a human village on the outskirts of our borders. It's inexcusable, Your Majesty. Of the people distributed along the borders in case of emergency, it's good that Conrart arrived in time. This land is part of our territory, for the time being you don't have to worry. Please be at ease"

"Even if you tell me to be at ease, this probably wouldn't be an easy situation for you guys either. Are you sure I'm the person you're searching for? When you think about the population of Japan, isn't it possible you mistook me for someone else? I'm of about average looks and intelligence, and I don't have any unusual birthmarks-"

I didn't have any evidence of any special birthmarks anywhere on my body. If anything I only have a faint scar on my left elbow from when I was a kid.

"But, umm, Günter, san, I do have a scar from rubbing against the artificial grass from playing baseball on my left arm. I don't seem to have any natural marks on my body that are 'proof of being a king'..."

His intellectual appearance collapsed for a moment and became sweet. If I put it well it's like an actor answering passionately; if I put it badly it's like an owner talking about his cat.

"No, from the moment I first saw you I knew you were our Majesty, I have no doubts about it! Since you have pure and noble black hair, and clear black eyes that aren't cloudy, and you were born with such a beautiful color to your body, and furthermore, you were wearing pitch black clothes, I cannot think it's anyone except you"

Geh, he said I was beautiful. Beautiful - maybe like him.

"Besides, it's even more clear since you're skilled in our language. What Adelbert did... to you was regrettable but... he drew out Your Majesty's stored language from the depths of your soul. Every soul has accumulated memories of its various "lives" that it has lived up to then. Of course, usually that door isn't opened, and people have to learn knowledge in their new "life". However, that man opened that door, and part of your sealed memories have been drawn out forcibly. Using the way of those savage, cowardly, and dishonorable humans!"

At the rough tone of the explanation, I asked timidly.

"...That seems rather convenient"

"Not at all! Though it's good that only the part of the memory with your language skills was awakened, when I think of if unnecessary memories were revived. There isn't a person who wants to know all of his soul's travels"

There are a lot of people who want to know in Japan. From besides the door, Conrad calmly interjected.

"But about that thought, we're able to speak to his Majesty now thanks to of that man's art. It's useless to worry about it until your veins pop out, Lord Von Kleist"

"...In order to teach Your Majesty about advanced noble language, I prepared the textbooks and rulers..."

His tone seemed sad from the bottom of his heart, 8but what worried me is what the rulers were for. If they were for underlining text, no problem.

"At any rate, his stored language is evidence that His Majesty's soul was the one in this world. My confidence has changed into conviction now" "Oh Günter... I heard that somewhere..."

Apparently, they didn't seem to have any doubts because they believed I was "their Majesty".

But, usually in this type of scenario, a main character like a hero or savior or prince or princess solves the world's problems peacefully, and it has a wonderful happy ending. A famous author once said, If the story didn't have a happy ending it wouldn't be like.

"I get it. Maybe it's impossible to believe, but in any case in order to finish this, I have to accept your offer, right? If that's the case then let's get this over with quickly, what is the mission that I was summoned for? What princess should I rescue? Where's the dragon I need to slay?"

"Dragon? A 9ryuu?! We would never slay a ryuu, their kind have been over-hunted by humans and are almost extinct, and we protect them"

So in this world, dragons are at the top of the 10red list.

There were several knocks on the wooden door, and with sword in hand, Conrad cautiously opened the door narrowly. Children that were about ten years old were standing there, and they looking up at him with and grinned from ear to ear.

"Yo"

"Conrad! Will you teach us to throw, we can't aim well at all"

"And after that can you teach us how to hit, and how to finish?"

Though the parents weren't leaving their houses out of fear of the soldiers, it seemed it wasn't the same for the children. And to them, it wasn't Sir Weller or Your Excellency; they just addressed him as someone older.

"You guys, soon it's going to be pitch black. Soon we won't be able to see anything"

"It's still fine"

"It'll still be ok"

He looked in my direction worriedly, and he left the room after he bowed his head.

"...If the children like him, he must be a good guy, that person"

"Yes, he's the number one soldier of our kingdom. He's my prize pupil"

"You're a teacher, umm, Von Kleist-san"

"Please call me Günter. Of course, I am a teacher, and I'm also the advisor and assistant to your Majesty"

"If you're a teacher then can you explain this to me briefly? Günter, what am I supposed to do in this world? What kind of troublesome enemy do I have to defeat so I can go home"

"Humans"

The firewood in the heater crackled and popped.

"...Humans... Then, that is, what kind of person..."

"It's not a person, Your Majesty. We will destroy all the humans who are hostile towards our country, and burn their countries. For that reason we need a leader, so Your Majesty's power as a ruler is necessary."

Humans, destroy, and burn?

Destroy humans?!

I kicked the chair and ran to the back, fail, and fall to the ground on my back. A flustered Günter rushed over to me.

"Are you ok, Your Majesty"

"Uwah, wait! Did you say we should kill humans, Günter-san?! If that's true I'll be killed too! Because if you look at me I'm an ordinary human, no, wait, even when you say something like that, your face looks a bit human... You're a human, too"

"No matter where I look, Your Majesty is a 11Mazoku like us. No, more than that, you're a being with noble black hair that should be respected! The chosen spirit was born into your dark body, that only Mazoku kings or people close to them have. However, your hair and eyes are both black, to appear as a human with both black..."

"Is a what like us?"

"Mazoku"

No way.

"...Then, what am I the king of?"

"You are the 12Maoh"

Maoh.

Father, father, look, there's a "13Honyara" over there, I'm scared.

14A Hakushon Dai "Honyara"

Formerly, Yokohama's Dai "Honyara"

Huh, Hama's Dai "Honyara", I have a feeling there's something wrong with that answer.

To start with, what is a "15honyara".

I have a feeling they would curse, attack and kill humans, and be the boss of a terrible demon race.

Well, that is that, what am I the king of?

"Pull yourself together, You Majesty, please relax! Get a hold of yourself! You have become our hope, Your Majesty, the twenty-seventh Maoh!"

Aah~, as I thought~, he's still calling me this Maoh~. But twenty-seven is a good number~, 27~.

My shoulders were gripped and I was shaken roughly. I completely escaped reality from the residue of the shock. But this person, he said that I have to become a demon and beat humans to death. I could never do such a stupid thing, why isn't the enemy a slime or an evil sorcerer or a devil dragon or a big Maoh, and, if I'm the Maoh, then, am I the bad guy's side in this world?! Then there's a human hero or savior somewhere, and the last boss that's going to be defeated in the final dungeon is me?! Damn- If that's the case I can't end it by hitting reset two or three times, I'll fight the hero with all my power! It won't be possible for him to get to the ending if he's not level 99, I'll fight to the end or... Hey, I can't fight to the end, I'll die, I'm the last boss. When I'm in a pinch I'm usually quick-witted! I'll panic at the magic attacks of the enemy!

Aaah~ it's a lie~, someone please tell me this isn't true~!

"It's not a lie, Your Majesty! You are truly the Maoh. Congratulations, from today on you are the Maoh!"

What is there to congratulate!

Outside it was already purple, and the remaining half was orange.

Only the fire from the lamps that was shaking unreliably leaked from the windows of the houses. The children had cheerful voices, and were moving around with vague smiles.

"Your Majesty?"

"Uwah, stop it, don't call me Your Majesty"

Conrad is leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Over by 3 steps there are some square pieces of wood, and next to that the ten year old children are standing around there. Apparently, judging from the stick their holding in both hands, it seems to be a game that's somewhere in-between cricket and baseball. A piece of cloth is wound around the section of the strange, fat bat that's being gripped, there's two fielders behind the pitcher, and furthermore there isn't a catcher anywhere.

"I don't know the rules of cricket, but who alternates next after one person hits it?"

"There are no alternates, this village only has five children"

Another was in the outfield. He was only a shadow because it was evening.

When the pitcher threw the something that looked like a ball, the batter made a dramatic miss. The ball hit the wall and rolled, Conrad picked it up and threw it back, and it progressed like so.

"You've struck out three times. Howell, take the place on the first base"

"Was that baseball?"

But, why would they have baseball in this sword and magic world... The child in the outfield ran up. The five children standing have good physiques and fair hair.

"Wait, wait, if this is baseball then why isn't there a catcher? Shouldn't you squat down?"

"It's not fair if an adult joins"

"No, that's not a problem, it's not a problem. Well, let's see, who is that outfielder. What is your name?"

"Brandon"

His voice was irritatingly hoarse, he was definitely in the middle of his voice changing.

"Well then, Brandon, you be the catcher. Look, squat over there, and catch the balls when they come. Aah, there aren't any mitts or gloves?!"

"Your Majesty... No, Yuuri-sama, this is a village of refugees that flowed in from the other side of the border. The don't have a complete set of sports equipment"

The child shakes free from my hand, and looks up at me with a frightened appearance.

"Your Majesty?! Conrad, did you call this person Your Majesty?! This is the scary person mother told me about?!"

"Brandon! This person will become our country's king. He's far from a scary person, he's the one who will kindly be defending your village"

Don't tell the children something I haven't even thought about.

"King?!"

But the five children gathered... Four boys and a girl, knelt in place and covered their faces. Some of the children pressed their foreheads to the ground. I wouldn't say it looks like great respect.

"Please forgive us Your Highness, please don't chop off our heads, or burn down our houses"

"Howell, you didn't do anything wrong, so His Majesty has no reason to do such a thing. Look, Ema, raise your head"

"But the king... my father..."

As the girl recalled a painful memory, her voice rose and she cried. When several doors opened and mothers called out their names, the children all ran off towards their houses.

I picked up the ball at my feet. If the ball is this light and that was the pitcher, a mask and mitts might be unnecessary. The ball was a round leather bag softly stuffed with straw and sewn up, so it wasn't possible for the person who threw it to predict how it would curve.

"When I was their age, I used to play baseball until it got dark. And when it was night I'd have games and television, I didn't have any free time to do homework"

"Children are like that in any country"

I stepped on the board that was substituting for home base.

"Hey, Conrad"

"Yes?"

"Is it true that I'm the king? Furthermore, I'm the head Maoh scary enough to silence a crying child"

"It's true. I'm not sure whether you're the head or not, but you are genuinely His Majesty, the twenty-seventh ruler of Shin Makoku"

"Then, I'll be chopping off people's heads too"

"It's not like that! I should have said this is a village of refugees. If I remember correctly, the winter six years ago, they were oppressed because of a religious misunderstanding and all the men were executed. The women and children came to the national border seeking protection, and we lent them this land with almost no taxation on the condition that they can't extend their farmland. It's foolish king in the country of humans that they've deserted that killed their men and burned down their houses. But then..."

Conrad bit his lip, and seemed to look down regretfully.

"...I want you to remember that not all humans are like that. Well, Your Majesty, let's go inside. When it gets dark the temperature drops quickly. And Günter will lecture us"

The stars began to shine. The moon is still low. The light leaking from the windows is dim and unreliable.

There was nothing else shining. No neon signs or vending machines or convenience stores.

Where have I ended up.

"...What kind of trap have I fallen into"

"But, this is your world"

Conrad smiled as he opened the door to the private house. Without any other source of light at dusk, even the light of the indoor lamp is like a searchlight turned sideways.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty"

This is the place where your soul should be.

Ah, what different culture of food!

This thing called supper that I was given seemed like the leather of shoes that not even a dog would chew, dry bread that you could hit a nail with it even at normal temperatures, and some dried fruit that might have been better for the teeth if I licked it instead of biting it.

"This is food we carry for military use, so it's dry like this"

Günter insisted across from me, and I practiced chewing each mouthful thirty times silently. Though I was hungry to death, I wouldn't be able to swallow the dry meat if it wasn't chewed thoroughly.

The number one soldier, Conrad, seemed to be loved by the children, so it seemed like he was at Brandon's or Howell's or Ema's, or one of the other two children's whose names I didn't hear, house being treated to a meal.

"I want to go there too~"

"You can't go. The citizens of that village are human, what would you do if some man-made food hurt your body?"

"I'm a human so it's ok"

"No! How can you say that for certain when they planned such evil things? This Günter cannot let His Majesty's life be exposed to danger at all"

And then, ah, the bedding culture is different!

Of course, I believed I would be able to borrow the best bedroom in this house from the residents. Because they call me the Maoh, I seems like I should be allowed to rest my tired body on a soft futon. Though, judging from what I've seen of the world here, it might be a bed rather than a futon. However, my question was answered by Günter with a matter-of-fact face.

"Why? Hey, just a minute, why do I have a sleeping bag, when just a little while ago a soldier went into a room with a soft bed?! Well, am I really a king? Shouldn't this sleeping bag have been dried properly in the sun before that?"

"If an insurgent breaks in targeting Your Majesty's life, the soldier you saw awhile ago is a substitute for you. There is no attack from the window if you're here, and because Conrart fortified it, the entrance is safe"

"Your Majesty, tomorrow we'll be on horseback all day. Please take a long rest tonight and store your energy"

Even if he says to sleep soundly, there's not even a window in this cramped, dusty back room that I've been shut up in, spread out on this outdoor, tawny sleeping bag with barely any cotton stuffing... The floor is hard and the camping sleeping bag is made especially for tough guys. To make matters worse, it's my first experience being surrounded by handsome foreign men sleeping. Ah, sleeping like the "16character of the river". Even the king of a king game might have more freedom.

And then, ah, what a different culture of transportation!

In front of me, with my lack of sleep, five lively chestnut horses were drawn out. The early morning has perfectly clear air, and their snorting is hot and white.

"Horses again?!"

I was wearing my stiff school uniform, which had gotten wet and dried, I reached out my hand to the giant animal timidly. I'm threatened with a "17Uhihin" and withdraw.

"But since you're Mazoku, can't you use magic freely~?"

"Magic... You mean 18Majutsu?"

"Yeah, that's right, magic. Why not use it to go to the capital? Or up to the castle, you can go blistering speeds without galloping on a horse, with magic bashu~n and you can skip to the end"

Like the 19anywhere door, or bamboo copter, or something convenient like that.

Günter cleared his throat unnaturally and said,

"Your Majesty, Majutsu isn't for all purposes"

"Eh? From the television that I saw, witches and wizards only have to shake a staff and anything can be done almost disregarding science"

"I don't know who wrote the play or stage drama 'Terebi', but that information is needlessly exaggerated. Majutsu is mostly useful for combat, and besides that, look, for extremely important circumstances, like summoning Your Majesty"

So television is different from reality. When I'm going to argue with him, "When you say it simply, it conserves energy"

While being rubbed by a snout, Conrad said,

"Naturally, even if I, who doesn't have a fragment of magical power, say so, it won't be persuasive. Well, Your Majesty, will you ride with me or Günter? The horse-riding experience you mentioned from yesterday..."

"I've barely even been on a merry-go-round"

"That's right, you've only had a little experience on a carousel. It'd take at least three days to reach the capital with such limited experience, so please keep riding behind me. Their burden will increase, but if we switches horses at relay stops they'll probably hold out"

"My butt hasn't even stopped hurting from yesterday yet... Eh, how would you know what a carousel is"

"Please be prepared. Today your front will probably also hurt"

The soldiers from earlier greeted them and left one by one. When I look up at the sky, it has the skeleton models the same as yesterday. Of course, they're above us. Are they still the mascot character, what was it called? Kotsumohibimaru? Mr. Calcium?

"How about Kohhi? Yahoo~, Kohhi~, thank you for carrying me yesterday. I don't know if you're the same one, there isn't much difference"

I decided his name without permission, and waved my hand quietly. Then, his jaw made a clattering sound, and he repeatedly flapped his wings vigorously. It's awfully grotesque. I instinctively asked the person in charge of education.

"Uwah, it's mad! Is it possible for it to get mad?!"

"No, it was overcome with emotion when it was addressed by His Majesty's voice. Because they don't have the concept of "individuals", if you inform one of them you inform them as a whole. Because it's easy to communicate with the entire bone tribe, it's very useful on lookouts and scouts"

A lot of those words were hard to understand, but is he saying it's one for everyone, and everyone for one?

"Well, Your Majesty, we go soon too"

Conrad held the bridle in his right hand, and held out his left hand to me to pull me up.

Only the door of one house was narrowly opened, with a frightened villager who had blond hair peeping without showing his face.

"Ah~ ah!"

Facing that direction, I called out.

"What a waste! If you practice with a slightly heavier and harder ball, you'll become more skilled! And if the bat is cut more smoothly, and if the grip is thinner it should be easier to hit, and besides that..."

And still after that, don't they need a catcher?

"You have to have a catcher, for baseball~!"

I saw his mother grab him, and she closed the door frantically.

"I visit this village every now and then"

I give him some momentum so he can pull me up.

"Through this heart-breaking experience, the children are doing their best to grow up"

"Ah"

I can't even imagine my father being killed and my house being burnt down.

Günter had a discontent look on his face, but he struck the horse's stomach as he pretended not to look.

And that was the start of my first day of hell.

According to the G-shock that continued ticking away gallantly, running six hours from morning continuously, we transferred horses at places called relay spots about two times. At the third relay spot, in a village that was much larger than the villages before, the group tethered the horses to the outside fencing and took a rest stop at Günter's signal.

"You've become very tired, haven't you? A bit ago your mutterings became incomprehensible, Your Majesty"

Because it was forced to run with Conrad's constant encouragement, I remembered the horse's name. While I was tumbling off of that hazel mare, Nokantei, I begged in a hoarse voice.

"Help me"

"Of course. When we've run halfway, I'll do it for you"

"No, right now"

"Then for the time being, let's replenish our calorie intake. In a word, lunch"

Although I should have descended to the ground, it entirely feels like riding a boat. To make matters worse, although it seemed to be the second month of spring, but the sunlight was making me miss my refrigerator.

"I don't have an appetite. The nights are cold, noon is hot, and my throat is completely parched from dust, ah"

I was presented with the object of my desire, and spontaneously reached out my hand and stopped panicking.

It looked like a shapeless glass that an amateur made on their first day in the classroom. It was filled with cold water to the edges, and frost and drops of water clung to the outside. This is definitely what I wanted now.

"...Cold water..."

"Your Majesty!"

Günter came my way at a quick pace. At any rate, he'll probably tell me not to eat or drink anything that's given to me by humans. But the girl holding out the tray of water to me is about ten year old, and her hair and eyes are violet. Everything other than that is the same color as a human, but, but...

"Are you a Mazoku?"

The girl nodded.

"Yes Your Majesty. If we can help His Majesty with the last drop that we possess, we'll be happy"

If that's true, then it's fine. She's a Mazoku, and I'm and the King of the Mazoku. I touched the glass with my fingers. As I thought, it's painfully cold. The person in charge of education says something.

"Your Majesty, please wai..."

The water disappeared from my hands, and when I looked up at my side Conrad had taken the glass and put it to his mouth. After he drank a mouthful he returned it. Shortly he only whispers "Leave a little".

When I drank and returned the glass with only a little water left, the girl seemed glad, and she bowed deeply and ran away. The cold sensation in my throat quickly spread to my chest, just like the pain you get in your forehead when you eat shaved ice, and for just an instant my feet stagger. Suddenly my head was clear, and the surrounding greenery looked more vivid.

"...It seems like I was really thirsty. Like when you get dehydrated from midsummer activities"

"Being able to give water to His Majesty will definitely be the pride of that girl's life"

The man with the nice smile said something like that. But, I know scenes like this from historical plays. Just now he tasted it for poison. For my sake, he taste tested it.

The man in charge of education approached with a seemingly shocked face.

"Your Majesty, even though I've told you not to eat anything other than what we've brought over and over"

"But isn't this a completely Mazoku village? And hey, the people living here even look like you, and there's oddly a lot of beautiful men"

"While that may be true..."

Conrad unfastened the saddle on Nokantei, and lifted up the water to her the same as a person.

"It didn't taste strange, and in case there was anything at the bottom that didn't melt, I had him leave the last mouthful. Even His Majesty isn't slow to understand, he only wanted his first drink to be cold, after that he can endure everything, the water from the water bags or portable food. "Conrart, you support the common people too much"

"So what?"

Conrad spoke with a knowing face.

"If we don't support the people, then who will? Ah, of course..."

Nokantei chewed on his hair. Happily, and lovingly.

"If it would help His Majesty, without even mentioning my shoulder, I would give my hand or chest or even my life"

"...You don't need to give your chest or life"

"Don't say that"

"Lend me your Majutsu. It's already a state of emergency for me, so use your magic to skip me there with a bafyu~n. I've had enough of horses, I'm already tired of horses"

"In regards to a bit about magic. At any rate, didn't I tell you I have no magic power? The top magic user in our country, Günter, could help you"

He raised his eyebrows. Kyah~, Günter-sama's grieving form was so cool, too.

"Your Majesty's magic is several times more powerful than mine. At any rate, even gods are frightened when they speak of the powerful of the demon king"

"Wait a minute. I'm a human so I don't have any magic power or spiritual power"

"Your, Ma, jes, ty, is, a, Ma, zo, ku!"

"But I've never seen a ghost, or hit the lotto, or seen through a girl's bikini, or has a 10 yen coin move on a 20Kokkuri-san..."

A confession. When I was in the fourth grade, I moved a ten yen coin on a Kokkuri-san myself after school. I was playing it with Nozawa, and he was so scared he cried, so I couldn't tell him I did it. I'm not sure what was misunderstood, but Günter showed a smile of admiration.

"I would guess that's an advanced ritual of a foreign country? Though I can't understand its relation to Majutsu because of my ignorance... But it's fine, Your Majesty. Magic power is the disposition of the soul. Even if you can't use it now, everything in this world will become as you desire sooner or later"

Conrad, who doesn't seem to have any magic power either, gently brushed his favorite horse's muzzle slowly.

"Even though I cannot use it, I haven't felt inconvenienced. Well, that is given a long term view on it. For the time being, though, I'm worried about you riding a horse alone"

"Alone, me?!"

Nokantei shook her head excitedly, and drops of leftover water on her nose scattered. This, me?!

"No, of course, it goes without saying that you won't be going fast. It's fine if it's only after you enter the capital. Won't it be pathetic if the citizens are disappointed? They demand a strong, sublime, absolute ruler, so you absolutely have to ride a horse alone, or it won't be an impressive entry into the castle"

"Uwah... On this one?"

"No~. The best mare has been prepared~. I've raised her beloved daughter up to today, making every effort. Without mistake she suits Your Majesty's jet black"

My dream of a noble riding a white horse has been smashed.

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Return to MA Series

Chapter 3

There were countless lights from the shops lined up, and people bustling around busily and lively. An enormous gate opened up for us, and the guards on the other side stood at attention with serious expressions.

As his horsed moved forward by my side, Günter spoke.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty. This is your, and our country. Long live the great Shinou and his people ah we should never forget the entire world originated from the Mazoku with the power to defeat the Creator and wisdom and courage to prosper for eternity..."

Is this the national anthem?

"...kingdom, welcome to the capital"

He said the name of the country when I was thinking. Conrad whispered to me that to abbreviate, it was Shin Makoku. That's the only thing I will remember.

My impression as I entered the capital is very easy to understand by saying "huge 1Huis Ten Bosch". I could say that the stores and houses, and the residents, from my eyes, it looks like a foreign country. However, I no longer have any doubts that this isn't a theme park. Such an enormous, elaborate theme park couldn't exist in Japan. Even if this wasn't Japan, and even if this is somewhere overseas, where would someone have a motive to go this far to deceive one individual?

Me, who until yesterday, I was an ordinary high school student.

Me, who was told that from today on, I am the Maoh.

The only answer that remains that isn't deceiving is that this is all a dream.

"Until I wake up, I can't do anything but keep associate with people here" You can't get off a boat until it's at the harbor, and a baseball game isn't over until the ninth inning, either. I can keep company with people here until I can see the end mark.

"What are you saying? Your Majesty, well, let's go, Conrart and I will ride on both sides of you"

I see, I'll go, of course. Nine people in front, and accompanied by the remaining in the back, we progress down the main street in three lines. Citizens are on both sides of me, and they move out of the way and bow deeply to me.

"Ah, hello. Ah, umm. Ah, hi. Ah, you're so polite"

When I express my gratitude honestly one by one, the senior person in charge of education has a shocked face.

"Your Majesty... Please stop bowing your head to the citizens. Please have more dignity"

"What are you saying, the greeting is the basis of an interpersonal relationship. That's the same in any country in the world. It's a common rule to all nations"

This town looks prosperous compared to the towns we've passed through up to now.

At least, the places facing the main street.

As if I'd become an honor student, I looked down from the horse which was walking gracefully. It didn't seem like the same horse which had shaken off its master, and was feared by him as the black demon a while ago.

The 2spanker that was prepared for the king was born a rare jet black, black fur in Japan, called dark fur in this country. It was also heavier and stockier than the racing horses I saw in a paddocks. It is said that it possessed all disposition required to be an army horse. Even if its heart stops, it'll carry its master and keep running. That's because it has two hearts. It's pretty nifty.

Because it's easy to remember, I named it "Ao". In the olden days in Japan it was common name for a horse like "Taro" for a human. That often comes out in historical plays. The color of each person's hair and skin was truly variegated and unreal. Like I've heard, there's certainly no one with black hair. Blond hair, brown hair, silver hair, white hair, red hair, chestnut, orange (I wonder if it's dyed), 3purple (I wonder if it's a trendy hair dye), green (probably chlorophyl)... green?!

"Hey hey hey hey hey heeey, Günter!"

"Yes"

"There is a green person there, 4spaaace, space, space"

"Ah, they are a family of healers. Because their blood is a little peculiar, their skin becomes pale, and they possess the unique power to increase patient's healing. Humans seemed to persecute them two thousands years ago, so they seem to have flowed to this land. We owe the current longevity of our lives to them"

"Well, well then, what about that purple haired person? That girl awhile back was like that too"

"They're a lake side tribe. There are a lot of people born with strong magic, and they're involved in the training and security of the king's capital. As you have probably noticed, Your Majesty, I also have the blood of the lake side tribe."

Violet eyes, I see.

I sighed on top of the horse.

"A horse with two hearts, skeleton frames flying in the sky, natural green and purple hair. It's not possible to come across these things in Japan. It definitely can't get any further out. Like a girl with bunny ears, or a sexy black panther girl, or a birdman with three eyes"

I couldn't help but laugh at my bewilderment from my own imagination, as Conrad winked at the person in charge of education.

"There is an unbelievable amount of races in this country. Günter and I have lived long lives, but even the scholars can't confirm the amount of people. For example, if you limit the counting to person-like individuals there's about fifty million, but if you count the flying bone race and ground bone race, aquatic races and bird races, it's impossible to have an accurate number. Furthermore, if you include the souls who live quietly in the forest and mountain areas, that means the Mazoku live in the skies, the earth, the rivers, the woods and everywhere. Your Majesty, the souls who will follow your are scattered all over this country"

A girl with golden eyes, who was obviously a member of one of those tribes, came scurrying over to the side of Ao, trying to hand me flowers. They were in a bouquet, and their multi-layered pale pink petals were slightly opened. After Günter received them and did a one round confirmation, he reluctantly presented them to me.

"These are ordinary decorative flowers. They aren't poisonous and they aren't thorny. That young girl probably wanted to pass it to Your Majesty more than to me"

"That's not true~. You seem way more popular than me~"

It's the very first time I've received flowers from a girl, so I was actually feeling pretty good about it.

Our troops marched forward without incident until we finally reached the true rampart. The gate made a heavy sound as it opened.

"...Uwah"

At that exact moment I swear I could hear the theme music stream inside my head, and the narration of 5Naoto Ogata. World heritage, ah, world heritage, world heritage. A poem of the wonderfulness of the castle.

The white stone paving of the road continued for a distance, with flowing waterways on both sides. The water branched off in two directions, going towards the town's eastern and western sides. When I looked ahead, I could see a castle often seen in European castle stories. It wasn't the German type of old castles but the large-scale type of country houses of Great Britain; a building with the left and right symmetrical. Being oversized in both width and height, I almost wondered if it was wide-screen. Rich green mountains protected the back, and the waterway started from a tunnel inside the hillside.

"...Umm, excuse me, I don't know what I should say anymore"

"Even if you don't say anything, here is the Maoh's castle, 'Blood Pledge Castle'."

Blood Pledge? There was a group in Japanese history who had the terrible motto, "One person one kill!", but it's not a very peaceful name. Such a beautifully magnificent castle, maybe it's better not to hear the origin... Even though I don't want to hear it, the person in charge of education explains it.

"It is said that when Shinou selected this land, he promised to not let harm come to the spirit of the land. As a mark of gratitude and friendship, when someone other than the Maoh occupies this castle, the spirit of the land swore to make him atone for his crime with his blood. An oath of blood, in short, "Blood Pledge Castle", obeys only Your Majesty the King. It's impregnable, no, it's an absolutely flawless castle"

"So that doesn't mean that both the castle and the king stamped a seal with their blood, huh?"

Conrad seemed to be very happy, and pointed the central path with his chin. Soldiers were standing at attention in rows on both sides for a distance. When I pass by them they're sure to bow their heads, like a reverse-wave of a stadium. The last time I was in a situation like this was when in an attempt to take a short cut, I ran through the department store. As it had just opened, I was greeted by the store clerks' welcoming bows, who were standing in rows on both sides.

From somewhere I can hear a tune that sounds like a mix of 6Ravel and 7Elgar. Maybe it's the national anthem.

"Judging from this reception, Von Spitzweig's persuasion seems to have failed"

He seemed to bite his tongue at that person's name, who is he? More than that, why does everyone in this country have something like Von or Sir attached to them at the same time? Perhaps, Von is like the "Yama" of Japanese names, with Yamada-san and Yamamoto-san and Yamakawa-san, and is representative of numerous family names? Or... I guess I looked like I wanted to ask, and Conrad explained to me. More and more as I step into the garden, sure enough, I was welcomed to Hell.

"This country is divided into this area directly controlled by the Maoh, and territories of the ten nobles who obey the Maoh. Von is attached to their surnames. In Günter's case, he governs the Kleist region of the ten nobles so he is Lord von Kleist. I added Lord because in an emergency on the battlefield he is the person proceeding me. Basically the nobles are a military rank. Men and women are the same. Those who are prepared to fight will be invited to do so when they're adults"

Huh, I just noticed that macho guy I met in the beginning seemed to have Von attached to his name.

"Lord Stoffel von Spitzweig is the former Maoh's older brother. He is a man who did as he pleased as the regent. The previous Maoh... She was the top Queen, but she declared her intention to resign and we moved immediately to summon your Majesty. But that guy tried to have her declaration of resignation withdrawn by any means. He will try to persuade your Majesty to try to protect his own position. However, he seems to have failed somehow"

Huh, Conrad's name was...

"Now he's celebrating the new king's triumphant entry into the castle, and he's probably contriving to take in your Majesty"

For the first time, an expression resembling hatred appeared on the good-natured Lord Weller. But it immediately vanished. In the short amount of time that I exchange the bouquet of flowers to my right hand. I don't know whether I'm controlling my own feelings or the words Günter added immediately after that are.

"I won't allow that man to do as he pleases anymore. I think Gwendal and Wolfram feel the same way about that"

"I hope so"

Did something happen? Although any idiot would notice, I thought so too as I rode on. My right hand holding the flowers got near the deceptively innocent Ao's ear.

"Umm, that man called Spitz or Spielberg or something..."

How many times did he get an Academy Award? I couldn't even say it was a joke. Suddenly, my horse is a black demon who lost her temper, because the trained V8 engine goes full throttle.

Even I, the rider, don't understand what she didn't like or why she started running wildly. Certainly, I only wouldn't be safe if I was shaken off. I desperately clung to the horse running quickly down the straight course, while screaming with a "yay" and a shout that doesn't make it out, I was about to be the only person who reached the front of the castle strangely early.

The soldiers who were lined up to salute me would never think that the black hurricane that passed in front of the was their new king. From behind I could hear some advice.

"Your Majesty~, the reins, pull the reins-!"

"Conrart! As I thought, that horse still didn't have enough training"

Günter's words were brief, while he pursued me after kicking his horse's stomach.

"Don't cry just from this. She was, trained reliably, but even I, did not, train her, to have, a hover fly, go into, her ear. Your Maajeesty, pull the reiins, squeeze your thiighs!"

I run wildly through the the gift shops, interfering with things such as customers and shop assistants as they cover their heads, only thinking of going every which way. Ao easily jumped over several places, continuing to press on towards the entrance of the castle. Up to now soldiers were in a long row, but suddenly Ao intruded and ran beside the line in an obstructive place, and she ran through them. Down the center of the nice middle aged, dazed men.

She jumped over them again. During the short time in the air, I imagine the worst scenario.

I fall from the horse, and as my head drops I tell Conrad and Günter that the rest is up to them. What is the rest?! Why does my head drop?!

Just a little after the closed door of the main entrance, Ao suddenly reared up. I fell! And I hurriedly grabbed not only the reins but her jet black mane, and closed my eyes as I predicted the impact. But, the pain didn't come even after I waited five seconds.

"...Stay..."

And, the second I let my mind drift I fell. I'm sorry to say that this time under me is hard, cold and expensive marble. I learned the hard way that a passive voice is important.

As I looked upward, I thought absent-mindedly.

Ao stamped a few times, then brought his face near me. She didn't seem to remember her fears as her clear eyes ask, "What are you doing, Boss?". Her lips are covered in bubbly drool.

By my shoulder is someone's foot. When I moved my gaze a little, there was a face in a high position. What a surprisingly tall person. But if I did call out to that man, he wouldn't lend a hand to help. Since I've come to this world, this is the first time I've met an obviously apathetic person. Am I really the Maoh, the master of this castle, is this really my own dream? Then, isn't it ok if I'm amused more?

"Your Majesty!"

I can hear Conrad and Günter's voices. And the sound of hooves striking the stone. The man seems to have realized something from the words of the two people. From way above me, a seemingly shocked monologue descends.

"...His Majesty... This is?"

What is "this", "this", faster than I could object the Love Theme from the Godfather was streaming through my head. I've already decided your theme song. Standing in front of me without lending his hand, as I expected, was a man I couldn't match in height no matter how many times I was reborn.

Not just height, but his face, too, I couldn't match his face.

His hair was as long as half his body, an undiluted gray that could even be called black, and only a portion was tied behind his back. He squinted with a deep blue eye, and he didn't seem happy about anything. Whether he seems sullen because the space between his eyebrows and eyes narrowed, or because he is sullen, is something I don't understand from my short life span. But his sullenness would have girls whining for sure.

While I've been called the Maoh, my face and outward appearance and position haven't caught up to high school students. At any rate, my appearance and intellect are getting there. I'm not muscular, and my voice isn't low. To make matters worse, when I played baseball I was a bench warmer for three years.

The man's interest was brightened, and he tilted his head to gaze at me. His melancholy was increasingly conspicuous.

"Your Majesty, are you hurt?!"

Conrad arrived before him, smoothly getting off the horse and meeting me halfway. Trying to pass him, a group of nice middle-aged men from that I bothered a bit ago run this way. Günter also jumped off his gray horse, shouting something. I couldn't believe that I was in the center of everyone.

"Is that the new Maoh?!"

His alto voice resounded in an offensive tone.

As for the super beautiful shape of the fourth person, even I might be able to match his physique physically. It can't be helped because characteristics like the length of the legs is a racial feature, like height and shoulder width and body weight. Since when did I become someone who only worries about body build. Maybe, because of that day when the second pitcher said, "You, since you're a small target, it'll be hard to throw a ball into you".

Even if our bodies are evenly matched, when I just glanced up, I've already been defeated. How can they be this beautiful! Because of them, his face emits an aura. Although it's likely to seem that way because of his dazzling blond hair. His looks and voice are like an older Vienna chorus boy. His white skin seems transparent, and his irises are an emerald green that make me think of the bottom of a lake, and furthermore he doesn't have a split chin. He an angel, definitely an angry angel. However, being in this place, he's also probably a beautiful Mazoku.

"Gwendal... No, big brother, is that guy planning on ushering in this human of unknown lineage as our king?!"

When he says "that guy", the super handsome boy, like in shoujo comics, glares sharply at Conrad. I heard the name Gwendal awhile ago, together with something like Wolfgang or Wolfram if I'm not mistaken. If the man with the Love Theme from the Godfather is Gwendal, then the older Vienna chorus boy is probably Wolfram?

"I can't put my confidence in such a filthy human! Judging from appearances he doesn't seem intelligent or dignified, and a man that would be lying around in the road in that area..."

"Wolfram!"

It wasn't Gwendal, the one he called brother, but Günter suppressed his words.

"What an awful thing! If his Majesty didn't have such a large heart, you would be losing your life about now"

A large heart, me? He seems to be thinking of someone else.

"Watch your mouth, I can't allow you to speak of his Majesty in such an awful way, even if you are the crown prince! Stop speaking so unfavorably of Conrart, even for an instant, he's your older brother"

Huh.

As I'm only listening, the character correlation diagram becomes jumbled up for me. The Godfather and older Vienna chorus boy are siblings; and he said Conrad is Wolfram's older brother.

Gwendal, Conrart, Wolfram.

Three Mazoku siblings.

"...Now way?! You, you don't look alike"

"That is, inexcusable"

Conrad spoke with a smile as he walked to my side. He had an expression as if he was already used to these kind of things.

"Each of us have a different father. Well, not looking alike can't invalidate our blood relationship. Gwendal is my older brother, and Wolfram is my little brother. Perhaps they don't want to say something like that"

"You?" I asked inside my head.

Conrad, what do they think of you?

But sooner than I could ask the question, everyone's attention is turned back to me again. You are His Majesty, such are Günter's words.

"The new king, Your Majesty"

The nice middle aged men rush over. I've already gotten used to beautiful forms, so I don't mind these men's outwards appearances. Hnn, umm, oh, beautiful for their fifties, older men with dull blond hair and blue eyes. However, in their vicious military training they were taught to conceal the hidden door inside their eyes.

"I am the former queen's, Lady Cecille von Spitzweig's, older brother, Stoffel Von Spitzweig, who worked as a regent for the prosperity of this country. I sincerely welcome Your Majesty's safe arrival!"

"Umm, Lord von Spitzweig"

I spoke in a broken tone on purpose.

"Between me and your sister, who would you want to be Maoh?"

"Huh?!"

Stu~pid. If you can't respond right away, it just proves you only care about yourself.

"Hah, of course, Your Majesty the new king. The chance to choose the ruling family would be profitable for all the people of the nation. Your Majesty the new king is entirely our savior, who will create this country's future, and I hear the owner of a great soul"

"I think you're mistaken. I don't have such a great soul"

"Such modesty! That jet black hair and dark eyes! Your Majesty is certainly a Mazoku of high standing"

By the standards of this country, if you have dark hair and eyes, you're a handsome guy like them! Can I win? In short even though I'm only an average Japanese person, I have the authority of this country's seed?

That's a bit of a lie.

I only have the authority of a seed if I accomplish something.

"Where's the proof?!"

In a clearly hostile tone, he said exactly what he thought just now. The blonde that looks like an angel; Wolfram.

"What proof do we have that he's the genuine article? Until I've confirmed that, I'm not going to recognize such a kid as the Maoh!"

"Kid?! Ah, no, that is, I might not be able to tell the age of a foreigner, but I can guess. But, but that? You look like you're about the same age as me, no matter how I look at you. If you look older than you are like most American high school kids, maybe you're even younger than me"

"How old?"

Cocky, he folded his arms as the third son arrogantly asked me. It seems like this person decided it was necessary to ban 8honorific words.

"...Fifteen... In two months I'll be 16..."

"Hmph"

"What's with this 'hmph', hmph. Then what age are you!? Such an irritating pretty boy, and you're already acting like an old man"

"I'm eighty-two"

"...Yes?"

Eighty-two? Even so he has clear skin, a full head of hair and youth.

"Yeah, right!"

You guys wants me to believe that you have more life experience than my grandfather?!

The bath of the second day was reserved for my personal use.

The stone floor of the bathroom was based on a cream color, in the Maoh's private bath the bathtub is officially seems wide enough to swim in, with water gushing out from five cow's mouths in the corner. At the edge of the first lane, while sank my body cosily, I thought of myself up to now.

What now, what will happen, Shibuya Yuuri?!

I was flushed down a toilet, spit out in a strange theme park like world, had stones thrown at me by the citizens, got called a demon, got called the Maoh, was told to kill humans, was made to ride on a horse until I about died, was greeted by everyone, brought to a castle with a scary name, was called "this is?", was told that he'd refuse to admit I was the Maoh, it was confessed that their real age was five times their appearance, and I had to go inside the castle with the scary name.

There were two-hundred and fifty-two rooms, three stories high and in one part five stories, the ceiling was impossibly high, and built tough enough that even Godzilla would have a hard time with it.

The stairs are so long you about lose your breath, there's about one-hundred and ninety people or more working in the castle, on the other side is a modest stable but an enormous barracks, with four-thousand five-hundred full-time soldiers. In another directions, Gwendal and Wolfram's personals soldiers are at a lodging right now, brought from their own territories.

For the time being I was guided to a room the size of a basketball court, a fire was in the fireplace and the floor was paved with fabric and fur. The stone wall was completely concealed by white coating, it looks like picture of Ueno my mother took when I was a grade school student. On the remaining three walls seemed to be tapestries of the national flag. Surprisingly, there's a decorative plant in the corner of the room.

"No television, no games, no minidiscs"

Before that, there's no electricity or gas, so there's also no telephone.

"...The bed... is super huge..."

The bed was, big. Even though a canopy wasn't attached, it was big enough for sure that even if a set of quintuplets became junior high school students, they could still rest together on it and be fine.

A beautiful bathhouse attendant wearing only a loincloth that barely covered his important parts offered to wash my back in the gorgeous gilded tub, which I clearly refused. Because I'm bothered by an inferiority complex.

I took a light pink liquid from a nearby bottle. It has a good aroma. Maybe this was shampoo. I roughly pour the splashing hot water from the bucket. There is no conditioner! Rather than manly, I'd say I'm acting like a 9sports guy.

I firmly washed my body, because I was satisfied with the bath I took on the second day, I wondered at the time if I should take a long bath again. "Huh"

From the opposite side of the place I entered, the shape of a woman only wearing a bath towel appeared. Not a girl, a woman. It can't be that this is, a mixed bath?! Wait, Günter definitely said that this was a private bath. Or is the said girl supposed to service me? There's not going to be that kind of service. No, because it's just been common people until now I didn't know, but perhaps she was a queen or minister or parliamentarian. But wait, wait-! Of all places in this huge pool she's in the second lane, where even if your body isn't stretched out in a lineLR!

She had golden curly hair down to her hips, a super sexy woman, whose chest was submerged only one meter from me. From steam, or from tension and excitement my eyes get misty, and I can't see clearly but she's surprisingly attractive. The measurements under her towel makes blood rush to my eyes and my cheeks and lips turn a lovely shade of pink.

But she's a "woman". She's not in the same generation as a "girl".

"Oh"

"Aaaaah, I, I, I, I didn't hear this was a mixed bath"

"No~, it's fine. This bath is only for your Majesty, the Maoh. I only came in for a little bit out of habit. Don't mind me, new king, yo, ur, Ma, jes, ty"

"Uh, ah, that's a little bad, please don't come closer"

"Say, so you're the new king? How unexpected, to meet you in a place like this"

Now, my blood is rushing to my head and heart and the lower half of my body, and I couldn't make a calm decision. Danger danger danger! All the more because I've just reached puberty, it's ten times, or twenty times more dangerous!

"Ah~ah umm, young lady, no, miss, isn't it a violation of the rules to suddenly enter the bathtub without rinsing?! And besides that, with a bath towel! Don't you know it isn't good manners to put a towel in the water in a public bath?!"

My voice was almost turned inside-out. It's not possible to say it like 10Monomonta.

"Oh my, I'm sorry. It's because it's been a very long time since I've taken a bath with men"

She said that as she gazed at me while I was unable to move.

"Damn... Cu-cute"

At that time, with a cry and a scream and a shout that didn't make it out, I left and began to run.

Why am I saying "cute", Miss Sexy, and why is Miss Pheromones in the king's bath, and besides all that, who are you Miss Sexy Queen!

I ran quickly in the form of only having a towel wrapped around my waist, and leapt into the place that I think I was told was my room, but once again there are young and cute girls there, and they raised their voices without seeming to make any words.

"What's the matter, Your Majesty!"

"What's wrong Your Majesty!"

When two people (the self-proclaimed Yuuri faction) came running in, the girl holding a lustrous black cloth trembled in the corner, and while she was made to avert her blank gaze from the new king crouching behind the gigantic bed, she murmured something lowly. My ass was exposed.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty"

"...I like girls, I like girls but if you ask me if I'd like to be seen, I'd rather not be, I'm not really that big or huge"

When he sent the maid back from the room, Conrad came over to the bed. By that time I had finally regained my composure, stabilizing and prudently wrapping the sheet around my waist again.

"Oh my, you put your behind away"

"Is there no privacy in this country?!"

"Your Majesty, as king you naturally have servants and maids. If you're surprised by each one..."

"Are they supposed to even be in my bath and my room?! Then what good does it do to hide this country's erotic books somewhere?! If I'm going to get picked up by beautiful naked women in the bathroom, where can I run away to and catch my breath?!"

"A nude woman in the bathroom? Oh..."

Conrad looked up to the sky as if to say, "My God!"

"...Come along"

"I thought this was some kind of service so I was just about to make a small request... Well, first of all, because I'm not a that great of a man, I ran away"

"I'm glad, I appreciate Your Majesty's sense of reason"

"Oh, ooh, Your Maje'y, please try this on"

The person in charge of education said that as he held a black cloth in front of his nose for awhile. His eyes had become completely teary.

"What's wrong all the sudden, hay fever?"

"E, ejuse me, I'm in an entirely different standpoint than I usually am, and I'm having trouble looking at you... You are too praiseworthy and lovely at the same time... Ah, my apologies! I said something offensive, I should know better, I, I'm flustered"

"What's wrong, Günter, this doesn't seem like you"

"If it's hay fever you should rinse out your nose, wash your nose. I makes my older brother feel better"

In the beat I intended to take off my clothes, my finger touched Günter's arm. With incredible speed he drew back to the wall. His face was red as if he had a fever. When he held up the glossy black cloth higher, it seemed to be some sort of underwear.

"They're underwear, but black, and glossy"

A thong. It can be tied on both sides. When I looked back at Conrad, he had his usual face.

"Why would a man wear a thong?!"

"Eh? It's the popular underwear for the time being"

"No way, then, that person and that person and that person are in a thong?! Even that guy making such a face was in a thong?! It can't be, you are too?"

"Ah, no, I prefer something more natural"

"Bihyaah"

When they simultaneously turned their heads, Günter was holding his nose towards the wall. Was he suffering from cedar pollen as I thought; if he sneezed I'd be certain. His eyes were also drooping heavily, how should I say this, like, he began speaking in a tone like he'd suddenly become an Italian man. Because of his incredible beauty from the start, if he was a girl I'd probably be reeled in by these.

"Please don't trouble me by talking like a stubborn old wife, Your Majesty. It's the same as if I knocked on the door to avoid seeing you take off your underwear...Che... Hah?! What did I just say?!"

Even though he seems to present an ambiance like a crimson rose, my joke was thrust back to me.

"P, blease ejuse me! I've had, in, in, insolent thoughts!"

"If you rinse out your nose with a normal saline solution, a normal sal... Insolent, eh, what?"

"I'll go cool off my head!"

I shouted for him to rinse, not cool off, at his fleeing back, but he didn't seem to hear it. But for the time being the problem is the underwear I'm holding in my fingertips. Since I'm just a kid in the middle of break, I can only think it's a little embarrassing.

"But, well, even Japanese have a 'sumo wrestler's loincloth' traditionally"

"That's true, Your Majesty. Maybe it'll feel surprisingly good, and can meet a new you"

I don't want to meet a new me.

"At any rate, what in the world is wrong with Günter? Well, this is my next underwear. Huh"

As I'm passed clothes one after another that are very similar to my uniform, Conrad brings his face close to me.

"...Your Majesty, you smell good"

"Oh, it's probably the shampoo. There was some pink stuff in the bathroom"

Who put it there, I don't know.

For Shinou's dinner, it wasn't a convenient trick to introduce a program, nor a program where the former five-star pitcher of a professional baseball team oozes their knowledge of wine to the guests.

"Your Majesty, the king, will only be surrounded by close relatives at this noble and special dinner"

Somehow with his nose crammed with cotton, Günter is strangely guiding the tension while his chest is held high. With his hair neatly settled behind him, he's wearing an outfit that resembles priest garments, off-white white a long beautiful gold thread embroidered down the front.

"Excuse me for being late"

Conrad returned after changing his clothes in a big hurry, and caught up with short, quick steps. As far as his appearance is concerned, I decided that he was the cosplay king! - this year.

His clothes were the pure white of a navy officer, an American woman's yearning. "Ai to Seishun no Tabidachi", originally called "An Officer and a Gentleman, starring Richard Gere. The theme music that everyone has heard is the BGM, refreshingly called an all-American number one hit. Without the hat.

"For the time being this is full dress"

The surface of the mountain stretched to the other side of the window, and I saw a light at the summit. The surrounding air was already dark, and the light was stronger than the twinkling stars.

"Please look closely, that is the holy ground of the Mazoku, the light of Shinou's shrine. That is where we all come from, the resting place of the great Shinou"

Putting aside the problem of a 'Mazoku, holy ground?', I looked at the wavering flame at the summit. Would it be like the temples in Japan? When seen through the eyes of a modern day Japanese person, Shibuya Yuuri, Shinou seemed to be like a god to these people. He probably has a grave there where he left from this world.

But, I was brought here because of an oracle or the words of Shinou.

"...I don't know whether or not I'm a king"

"Your Majesty, please look over here. This corridor is also an exhibition room, decorated with the gallant figures of all of the successive generations of kings. The portrait of your predecessor and yourself are incomplete"

Continuing to wander down the corridor, the paintings are so large that you can't even stretch both arms to each side, and there are twenty pieces. All the drawings are realistic with precise details so small if could make your eyes hurt.

"It reminds me of when I went to see the Barnes Collection at Ueno"

"They're lined up on this side in order of the newest. This is the 24rth Maoh, His Majesty Von Radford Bertrand. He was called the 'Lion King' by the people and revered"

"The Lion King? I think there's a similar nickname somewhere in the world"

"This is His Majesty the twenty-third, Jeannot von Karbelnikoff, called a strict ruler. And then His Majesty the twenty-second, Arsenio von Roberski, famous as a powerful military man. His Majesty the twenty-first, Dwayne von Gyllenhaal, the belligerent king, and before him that is His Majesty Davison Henstridge the slaughterer, and Basilio von Rochefort the brutal king..."

"What's with these names gradually becoming more terrible? Isn't there someone more peaceful, like the oil magnate king or the newspaper king or a brand king?"

"Well... because we don't have oil or newspapers or brands"

"The fifteenth Maoh, Her Majesty Grisela Trantinian Yaft, the head-cutter queen. Her Majesty Brittany von Wincott, the bloodshed queen..."

I've seen the national traits of the Mazoku. Some are sitting on a chair with their hands on a dog's head, and other are leaning against a sword that's been thrust into the ground. On a horse next to a pole with the severed head of his defeated enemies, this is definitely a painting of a Maoh. There were about three woman, and a king that could only be called a boy by his size.

But, even though they had different colored hair and eyes, and each one of them were on par with each other in beauty, as we go further back in time they seem to become more and more superhuman. Well, I guess because they basically aren't human. The clothes are much thicker fantasy colors than the present day Mazoku, and they're drawn with mantels and armor.

"They look like they're from an RPG of ancient times. Ah, of course, this is a world of swords and magic after all. Your modern military uniforms make that more than clear. Oh, this person"

"He is the seventh Maoh, His Majesty Forgeas von Voltaire"

"He looks just like the guy with the Love Theme from the Godfather from a little bit ago!"

"God... You mean Gwendal? That's because this is his direct ancestor"

"Eh?! Then shouldn't that guy be the next Maoh? If his ancestor was the king, then one of his descendants should succeed him"

Günter, like a teacher, tilted his head thoughtfully and replied.

"Your Majesty, the position of the Maoh isn't inherited"

"But there's no elections? How difficult, what a pain"

"Oh, right. You've grown up in a different world for about fifteen years. Well, you'll learn little by little, there's still up to a year before you become Maoh"

"A year?! I'm supposed to stay here a year?!"

Conrad looked at me as I asked in return, and the tutor looked astonished.

"Your Majesty, you're the king of this country, you'll be spending the rest of your life here. Why would you question one year?"

This has become serious. The way things are going I'll have to repeat a class. Moreover, it's too early in May to decide to repeat the first year of high school. Now all I can do is accomplish this imposed goal quickly, and head for the goal in a beeline.

"And this is our founder, who united the Mazoku, who defeated the Creator and established Shin Makoku, the original king, His Majesty Lord Shinou. Glory be to his holy soul!"

"Huh, this one looks just like that kid. He must be one of his ancestors. Eh, his name was?"

"I can't speak his name without authority"

"You can't say his name, che, how stingy"

"Your Majesty!"

"But isn't it thanks to this guy that I was brought here and can't go back? At the word of this guy who should be dead, my soul flew here from a different world? And you can't even tell me his name, as I thought, stingy"

"I will tell you later, Your Majesty"

Conrad's voice was holding back laughter.

In the particularly large portrait, he was arranged at the front, a young man with blond hair standing with a naked sword in one hand. Just like Wolfram. But, his eyes are a bright blue like the clear surface of a lake, and somehow, somewhere something was different about him than the future generations of Mazoku. My amateur impression was, "He's proud, he's important, he feels like a natural king".

"...This person is?"

Only this picture wasn't one person. In a place a little bit behind, someone that was obviously a different race than the current kings was drawn. He has very ordinary, functional clothes, and he has no sword and no armor. Although his thin smile doesn't seem to say that he's a vassal or a retainer, either.

"He looks a little oriental, doesn't he?"

Günter was very proud as he explained about him. His respect and affection from the bottom of his heart is transmitted to me, when I don't know him either.

"The Great Mage has black hair and eyes, and he's the only person in this world who is of equal status to Shinou. If he wasn't there, we Mazoku would have been torn apart by the Creator, and we wouldn't have this land or this country but would have lived as wanderers. Before that, this world may have been destroyed"

"In a word, he's an amazing person?"

"Quite so. Moreover, he's more beautiful than anyone!"

"Huh?!"

Apparently, this group's aesthetic sense was unfathomable by Japanese. More than likely, the oriental with the calm expression was barely prepared. His intelligence seemed to win over his beauty.

"This gentleman and Your Majesty look very much alike. All the people will notice Your Majesty's absolutely noble nature and praise it!"

The cotton is about to shoot out of Lord von Kleist's nose. Ah, wait, he has a nosebleed, his nose is bleeding!

"Alike?! How?! Where to we look alike?!"

"Look, look Your Majesty, like your hair and eye color. Your Majesty resembles an amazing person, charisma, charisma!"

"But black eyes and black hair is dominant and Japanese culture!"

Other than that, he doesn't look like me or my family at all.

Curse you, Shinou. In my heart I curse at you.

Thanks to you, who should be dead, I'm quickly getting caught up in all of this. Besides that, once I have to repeat a year, I'll go to your mausoleum or whatever it is and ransack it a bit.

These cursed thoughts. Without realizing it everything is bounced back on me.

Günter seemed like he was in a drunken trance, as he recited romantic things.

"Shinou is the darkness, and the Great Mage is the light. They yearn for each other, love each other, and are born bearing each other's colors in body. In short, darkness is light, and light is darkness!"

"Shall I leave you alone, because it's getting long"

It seemed like he was used to hearing it.

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Return to MA Series

Chapter 4

Is this really a banquet?

As I stepped up to the round, opal table, I felt my limbs stiffen from the tension. "This looks more like an military discussion than a dinner party"

The eldest son and the third son were in the room, and both were wearing what seemed like their usual uniforms. Since Conrad is that way, it must mean that full dress for those brothers is being in uniform. Each uniform has the same design but different colors. Gwendal was viridian without a speck of dirt, and Wolfram was a deep navy blue. There are many varying colors for each post. It's easy to tell the difference between land, sea and air.

A man that seems to be a waiter carrying a tray bow's his head to me very deeply. But the eldest son and the third son, as they have have what seem to be champagne glasses in their hands, won't even try to greet me. Of course, I wasn't able to bear the awkward atmosphere.

"Good, good evening."

Wolfram laughed through his nose. Being scorned by a person with a nice face makes it at least three times as offensive. Conrad enters while smiling, and places his left hand on Gwendal's back.

"Your Majesty, this is my older brother Lord Gwendal von Voltaire, and over here-"

When he reaches towards the glittering blond he's swatted away as if to say "Don't touch".

"...is my little brother, Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld. Both of them were called Your Highness until the other day; now they're Your Excellency. Of course, they're several positions lower than Your Majesty, so it doesn't matter if you just address them by their names as you wish."

"Don't touch me"

Gwendal is quiet, but the young one is hysteric and yelping noisily.

"Didn't I tell you not to touch me with your human fingers?! I've never even thought of you as my older brother once!"

"Right, right, I get it so I won't pour your drink for you. Because my white cloth is different than yours it'd leave a serious stain."

Looking as if he's really used to it, the second son leaves his brothers. The pretty boy and the idler.

"I explained to you that we have different fathers. You probably noticed that only I, Sir Weller Conrart, am not one of the ten nobles. My father was a traveller of unknown origins; he was a person with no value other than his sword."

Wolfram made an irritated face. Gwendal was indifferent.

"Then, you're a 1half? Ah, why didn't you say something like half or 2double? Your mother was a Mazoku, and your father was..."

"Human. With light brown hair and eyes, and penniless."

"And he was a great man."

All at the same time everyone's eyes turned towards the entrance. The Sexy Queen who had such an amazing body that it was almost a crime smiled. It's a tight black dress that made with a lusterless material, has a cut that might reach her navel, and a slit that makes her shapely legs completely visible. She doesn't have a single accessory, as if to say, "I'm the jewel".

She's letting out even more pheromones than when she was nude.

"Mother!"

"Mother?!"

After all, if any of the three called her that, that would make her the mother of three people. Is it ok for the mother of people who are almost one-hundred to only look about thirty?

"Thirty... About fifty... one-hundred and fifty... She's about one-hundred and fifty years old?"

That is, awhile ago I got excited about a woman who is about one-hundred and fifty years old. Her golden curls stretch out elegantly.

"It's been a long time, Conrart. It's only been awhile since I've seen you, but you're looking more and more like the handsome man your father was."

"Mother, you only grow more beautiful as well."

"Oh my, you probably say that to all the girls."

This is a conversation between a mother and son?

She hugs her sons one by one, but they barely look like mother and son except for Wolfram, and even if the eldest, Gwendal, is younger than her, she looks like a skilled older girlfriend spoiling a calm boyfriend. I secretly asked the second son.

"Is he a son brought in from the husband of a second marriage, or something like that?"

"No, I assure you, all three of us were born from that woman."

"Gwen, your forehead is wrinkling again. You won't be able to get the girls that way. Ah, Wolf! Wolf, let me get a good look at your face. Oh, you still look just like me. The men probably won't leave you alone!"

"...Mother, we just saw each other this morning. Besides, even is men liked me it wouldn't make me happy."

"Is that so? Are boys like that? I can't understand the feelings of young men these days. Aah, why couldn't I have had a girl? Boys are so rowdy and they distance themselves from their mothers so fast!"

"That's not true, I wouldn't distance myself from you, Mother!"

"Oh? Really?"

"Really!"

What an silly parent and child.

But, the queen's aim of attack is immediately directed towards me.

"Your Majesty."

"Hyah."

Her captivating body was pressed up against mine, an average body of a young fifteen year old high school student. Our faces were the same height, so close that we could have kissed. Her rose-colored lips shaped into a smile.

"We've met in the baths, didn't we, Your New Majesty?"

"That's, that's right."

"You've gotten so tense that you're stiff, you're really darling. I was thinking that it would be nice if someone like you would become the new king."

"I see." The reason I was becoming stiff is because the first 'big' of your 3'big skinny big' is hitting my chest.

"Ne, King Yuuri. You're King Yuuri, right?"

"I see," this isn't the place to respond like an audience member of 4Alta.

"Do you have a lover?"

"Hyaaah~!"

While she's making strange sexy sounds, their mother is pulled off of me. With an expression that wasn't shy or angry, Günter forced his way through.

"Please don't fall in love with the new Maoh, previous Maoh!"

"No~, really, Gunter. You sound like a cynical widow!"

"I don't care even if you resent and abuse me. Anyhow, I, if the previous Maoh and new Maoh were to be lovers... No, excuse me, I want to avoid an improper relationship such as being lovers."

"Previous Maoh? Who? This... woman is?"

Not a Sexy Queen, but she was a real queen? The lovely Mazoku in the black dress (or witch) smiled and presented her white hand to me.

"Welcome to Shin Makoku, King Yuuri. I am your predecessor, Lady Cecilie von Spitzweig. Your Majesty was summoned because I said I would step down from the throne."

"Then, this is because of you, uh, no, eh, Lady von Spitzweig Ce... umm, Cecilia? No? Li, e?"

"Call me Cheri. Che, ri. My older brother told me to reconsider it, but I'm tired of a life where I can't love freely!"

Lady Cheri, because you have that sort of motive, I had to become the new Maoh even though I'm still a minor. As her slender fingers grasped me before my eyes, I sighed. Ah, the owner these delicate white fingers, if she could hold onto power for about one hundred more years, I could be sent off to live a normal life in Japan, and when my unfortunate wife died before me, half a year later on a spring day, when I was being watched by my only son and daughter-in-law and cute grandchildren, then I could take a trip to the next world. Wait, what if this is the next world? If that's true, am I dead now...

"What's the matter, Your Majesty?"

My cheerful family planning rises and vanishes like a 5revolving lantern, rises and vanishes.

What a story.

I've been invited as a guest to a certain country, my teeth chattering from the tension of being in front of a ruler and nobles, and I made a mistake in one instant and drank from what would normally be a bowl to wash your fingers. All the nobles surrounding me laughed scornfully and said, "Doesn't he have any manner", while elegantly dipping their fingers in the bowl. However, only the princess drinks the water out of the finger bowl with a cool face. It seems like she doesn't want to embarrass her guest.

Even if it's called "bowl" it's not a game of American football, so they should be hospitable! That's an anecdote of my mind that warms my heart.

If she drinks all of the water, I wonder if that means she's a kind princess.

I secretly sighed while watching water be poured into silverware nearby.

I want to stop. I feel like I can get along with Conrad, but the eldest son and the third son are hopeless. I'm not sure about Madame Cheri, but I probably shouldn't try to the point of her feigning ignorance about everything.

I arranged the tips of my fingers on both hands and prudently dipped them in the small bowl. And...

"Eh?!"

Everyone else was holding it with both hands and drank it all in one gulp! Damn, I didn't read the textbook of morality very seriously. Conrad has the waiter move back without drinking.

"You seem to know a lot about filth, cleaning yourself with sak���."

Wolfram, sitting next to me, is maliciously straightforward. So that was sak���. Then it's ok, I can't have alcohol anyway. Not to observe the law, but to preserve the height I want to be and a healthy heart, I won't smoke.

Günter is a bit away from the round table, giving instructions to the waiters. He isn't a close relative of the Maoh, so he doesn't get a seat at Shinou's dinner. Therefore, there are five people around the table. Sitting clockwise from the youngest.

The new king, myself, His Highness Wolfram, a former crown prince, His Highness Conrart, a former crown prince, His Highness Gwendal, a former crown prince, and the previous Maoh, Cecilie.

When I'm enclosed by Wolfram who hates me a lot, and the pheromone queen, I can't concentrate on eating dinner.I understand the feelings that Wolfram hates me well because until recently he was a prince and he was suddenly demoted. It wouldn't be so troublesome if they had safely stuck to the hereditary system.

Pouring a drink into a faceted glass like from Edo (probably sake again), the waiter lightly leans over and asks about something like an in-flight meal.

"Your Majesty, fish and meat... Bird, mammal, reptile or amphibian, which would you like?"

Which?! If I remember right in the old days of 6Yakult, I think there was an athlete who may have eaten crocodile, but don't be surprised, this is what's called the difference in food culture. Even in Japan the viper is a popular dish. But it's really eel even though they say it's a viper.

"We, well, in that case, as a growing child, mammalian. No, wait, wait a minute. What kind of mammal is it tonight? It's not something like a fresh monkey or a newborn puppy is it?!"

A reflection of the image of the food market in China.

"It's cow." What a relief.

"The highest quality with eight stomachs and five horns."

"Five horns... Maybe something like gene manipulation, or... Uuh, well, the cow."

7Hochinosu, mino, ginoa, yan... It's no good, I can't remember anything else about stomachs. A plate the color and smell of consomme soup and seems to be the appetizer is carried over. I took in hand what I had instead of a knife or fork. A dull, polished silver,

"...This brings back memories, a spork. Well, it is pretty rational. Totally rationally."

In elementary school, at lunch, this served two roles. For soup and hors d'oeuvre of the day.

"So, Your Majesty, what was the country you grew up in like? I wonder how it's different from our world."

The previous Maoh, Cecilie, grips my right hand tightly. At once the temperature of this male high school student who was formerly an unpopular jock goes up by 2 degrees.

"I, I don't know, there's nothing particularly odd, it's a boring world. Ah, but, this world is extremely different. We don't have people who can use magic, and we work more on improving scientifically..."

"Science! I've heard of that. It's a technology where people who don't have magic power or religious power can kill their enemies from far away, isn't it? The human countries seem to be doing that sort of research. It's terrible, the military capability to be able reach further than bows. If humans get that sort of war capability, I wonder if they'll abide by the agreement."

The third son said to his mother with cold eyes.

"I don't think they have those sort of ethics."

"Please don't say such scary things, Wolfram. If that happens, what are we going to do?"

"It's simple. We should stop suppressing our magic. When we fairly have equal war potential, we'll dispose of them because the humans will be too cocky."

"Wait wait wait, I didn't mean that kind of science! In short, well, umm, machines that will do troublesome chores like cleaning and laundry, and machines that will plow fields all at once. In short, stuff to make daily living more comfortable."

Cheri seems sweetly surprised.

"I don't think cleaning and laundry are troublesome. That's the job of the cleaning men and laundry women."

I didn't even think about how the queen lives up to now.

"So, so, instead of people in charge of cleaning or laundry, you'd have a machine."

"If that's so, the servants lose their jobs?

"If that happens, those people work at factories to build vacuum cleaners and washing machines..."

I don't really know if people can live easily.

"Ne, well then Your Majesty, how about love? What is love like between different kinds of people? After all when there's obstacles and opposition, doesn't passion just flare up more?"

I can't figure out what she means by 'different kinds'. She's probably alluding to mazoku and humans, but how should I relate that to Japanese? International marriage? People already aspire to, not even mentioning that they're free to, or a human with a chimpanzee, which rarely happens.

"At any rate, you came from a very distant world. I'm glad you're succeeding the throne. Because of that I can finally leave the castle. It's been my dream for a long time to go on a free love trip."

She's dreamy, I grip my fingers and nod my head at this and that.

"That, that's great."

Great things are brought out to the dining table. The meat of the main dish. A red meat dish that I wouldn't say is favorably rare is in front of me. In front of the previous queen is almost a whole amphibian... No, it is whole. 8With that sort of face, how could you be eating frogs, Madam Sexy Queen. I tried to recite a haiku.

"You must have been anxious about whether you could do it when you suddenly found out you're a king. I was too. That day a messenger suddenly came, and it was made clear that according to Shinou Genshi Your Majesty had the soul of the next Maoh. But, Your Majesty, don't think about it too much. For the difficult things everyone around you, my brother and my sons, will help you as much as they can."

"Mother!"

Sticking a knife in his bird, Wolfram speaks in a voice that seems aggravated.

"I don't plan on working for this man! I can't agree when it's not clear if he deserves to be the new king."

"Oh, then will you succeed the throne, Wolf?"

Next he scoops up something white that seems to be potatoes, and shakes his head as he puts it on his plate.

"Of course not. Big brother is far more suited to that position than I am. If it was big brother, he would show that those cowardly humans are fools."

Subsequently he picks up a glass for wine or something like a type of alcohol.

Next to him Conrad looks like he isn't listening as he takes a bite of fish. When the youngest child says "older brother", he seems to only mean the eldest brother of few words.

"Right, Gwendal?"

He knives the chicken meat again. He seems to have decided his eating order. The previous queen tilts her head sweetly.

"But Wolfram, don't you know the consequences when the king opposes Shinou's words."

It seems like he's a god-like being and when they don't follow his words, terrible things happen. Then, in the case that I refuse to be the Maoh, will terrible things happen to this country and all its people, or to me, the newcomer?

"Of course, that means Your Majesty, too."

"Eeeh?!"

Conrad answered as if he saw through me.

"What's with that~! I never asked or wanted to be king. Then that's almost coercion."

"...As I thought."

When his spoon should definitely go towards the potatoes as the next in sequential order, Wolfram gave a sideways glance to watch my involuntary reaction towards Gwendal's murmur. Because in that short phrase, there is the sound of contempt.

"From the beginning, you never intended to be the king."

Holding his wine glass too strongly, Gwendal continues without looking this way. His blue eyes seem frozen over; nothing like a timid Japanese person.

"He may have black eyes and hair, but that doesn't matter. Because this person won't become the Maoh. He wasn't prepared from the start. Isn't that right, visitor from another world?"

"Eh... well, yeah..."

I unintentionally reply positively, and Conrad's words interrupt.

"He's only been in this country two days. His Majesty is confused. Don't you think your speculation is ill-mannered, and a bit too arrogant, Lord von Voltaire?"

"But you can't escape the reality. Shouldn't you know that better than anyone? How many sacrifices are made when a king doesn't feel like carrying out his responsibilities? Your Majesty, take my word for it, if you aren't prepared to live as a king please return to your original world immediately."

The man with the most suitable appearance for the Maoh turns to me with an icy smile for the first time.

"As a representative of Mazoku, please go away before the expectations of the people rise."

"But I..."

I want to say that I wanted to go back but stop mid-sentence, because something inside of me seems to block my throat and my voice stopped. It seems like my willpower or pride or a show of courage or something like that is being troublesome.

I face the red beef as I pull myself together. The new Maoh bashing still continued over the table.

On the opposing team, Gwen and Wolf; Cheri was neutral, and Conrad seemed to be fighting alone.

"I especially want to confirm whether he truly has the soul of the Maoh. At any rate, the visitor should return immediately. It would be wise to search for a substitute."

"He is the genuine article, Gwen, the real thing."

"How can you say that so positively?"

Even though I was could only see a rare steak, I could see Conrad's smile. I feel like I can see it. Even when I can only see the back of his head, I can still see his smile.

"I wouldn't mistake the wrong person for Yuuri."

As soon as he finishes his last word, Wolfram flares up hysterically.

"What kind of proof is that?! Just saying you wouldn't be deceived isn't adequate! He probably dyed his hair, and his eyes... He could put on colored contacts or something like that, there are tons of makeshift methods."

"Unfortunately, I can't show you evidence that would make you consent."

"Then don't declare something like that! Mainly, if by chance this guy is the owner of the Maoh's soul, after all, wasn't he raised among humans with a low social status? I can't trust our country to someone like that. It would be a blemish on the great history of the Mazoku."

"Wolfram, this isn't about what position he was born into. It's about how he lives, and how he decides to behave. But if you're going to make such a fuss over it, I'll tell you. His Majesty's soul was entrusted to the Maoh of that world, and he chose a suitable man from his subordinates. So even though His Majesty's father isn't from this world, he still has the blood of a Mazoku flowing through him."

"Ueeeh?! No way, my dad is a demon?!"

Not demon, but, Mazoku. When Japan had fallen into a great depression, bankers were called devils and demons. But, my father really was a Mazoku! How should I treat visitors in the future, as a son?

"What kind of face should I make when I see him, knowing my father is really a Mazoku."

"That should be fine, since when your father sees you, his son's really going to be the Maoh."

The second son is nonchalant. He has a point. That makes it harder.

"But Conrad, why do you know about my fath..."

"Even if his father is a Mazoku, isn't his mother still a human!"

It seemed like he wasn't going to stop attacking under any circumstances. Wolfram gulps down his glass, and because he's beautiful the way he glares this way is all the more fierce.

"You only have half the blood of a Mazoku flowing through your body. It's no wonder Conrart gets along with you, you're both "fake"! The other half of you is filthy human blood and meat, some person of doubtful origins, probably the blood of some girl with loose morals? That kind of person..."

Damnit, when I thought that it was already too late. I always regret what I do afterwards. It was because of this quick temper and flying into a rage that I stopped playing baseball after ten years. There are moments when my small-town sense of justice can't be suppressed. As a catcher, that's a fatal flaw. It's very disadvantageous in life.

Right in front of me I had slapped that beautiful face.

It was a good smack. The sound and angle were good. It was better than a one-base hit, but I how much damage it did to my opponent was immeasurable. As proof, the other party stared this way, dumbfounded. He doesn't make a counterattack. The surroundings became so still you could hear a pin drop, and Wolfram's left cheek, where I hit, was dyed red. Not just his left cheek. His right, too, and his forehead, and the whites of his eyes...

Conrad knocks over his chair as he stands up. This time his complexion is changing.

"Your Majesty, take it back, please take it back immediat..."

"No!"

Cheri slowly puts her knife on the plate. Gunter plunges forward while running.

"I don't plan on taking it back or apologizing! This guy said something he shouldn't have said, he did something he shouldn't have done! I don't care if you make fun of me and insult me! But how can you say someone else' mother, someone you haven't even met, has loose morals?! What the hell do you mean by person of doubtful origins?! That some floozy and a man had a kid?! My mother is a human; no matter how I look at her, she's human. As far as your concerned the human blood flowing in me is dirty! What do you plan on doing? What do you mean by filthy human blood? If someone talked about your mother that way, what do you think you'd do as a son?! That's right, I'm not apologizing."

My temper was always like this, non-stop objections like the Bay Stars. I had the upper hand on Gunter, and continued.

"I definitely won't take it back! He has a pretty face so I slapped him instead of punching him."

"Are you saying you definitely won't cancel it?"

I nodded my head to confirm that, and Lady Cheri clapped her hands in front of her chest.

"How wonderful, the 9engagement is complete."

9Bulbs?

Like the ones you plant to grow tulips?

"You see, Wolfram? Isn't it just like I said? The gentlemen can't leave someone as beautiful as you alone."

With her fingers entwined together she seems to be dancing for joy.

By gentlemen, she means... Me?!

"Because His Majesty is so cute I feel a little bit jealous. But it can't be helped, for the sake of my beloved son." "Wait a minute, settle down, well, someone calm me down. Can someone tell me what's happening? What kind of manners have I violated this time, can someone explain it to me simply?!"

My favorite tutor hangs his head, heartbroken. As if to say, "Oh no..."

"...You didn't violate any kind of etiquette. On the contrary, it's not used by nobles recently, but by an ancient refined, and traditional manner, Your Majesty just proposed."

"By proposal, you can't mean..."

"You asked for his hand in marriage."

Marriage?! In Japan a boy can't ask get married to a girl without permission if he isn't eighteen. Before that, if the type of engagement wasn't a problem, Wolfram and I weren't the opposite sex of each other.

"Ma, ma, ma, marriage?! A man and a man?! And I proposed?! When did I do that?"

"If a noble strikes the other on the left cheek with the palm of his hand, it's a request for marriage. And if the one who was struck shows their right cheek, then they've accepted the request."

"Uwah, no way! B, but, we're both men, booth meen!"

"That isn't unusual."

Damn it all, I proposed to a man who insulted my mother?! The flower of love of the famous couple doesn't bloom as a 10tulip or hyacinth. Or maybe it's not a famous couple, but the birth of a royal couple?!

Gunter is sobbing. I don't want to think about whether or not they're tears of joy.

"Your, Your Majesty, this sudden proposal is leaving me speechless... No, I should be delighted. With this, Your Majesty can settle down in this country as king..."

"Won't someone please say it's strange that we're both men~!"

"How can you allow something so humiliating!"

Finally, Wolfram seemed to regain himself and shouts at me. He didn't appear to be showing his right cheek. "How can I do anything about it?! No one ever told me I had to make a fist when I punch people!"

"Shut up! This is the first time I've ever been humiliated like this!"

"Heeeh, really? You've had a really blessed life then. When I was told to wash the junior's socks, or was designated the slowest one on the team, that was really embarrassing! If you've lived for eighty years and can't forgive one mistake by another person..."

Agitated by the marriage proposal, Wolfram swept his arm across the table. Dishes and glasses fell to the floor, and a silver knife fell by my foot.

"Uwah, he, hey, that's dangerous. That's reckless. Completely reckless."

"Your Majesty, don't pick up..."

I squatted down and picked up a knife slightly covered in chicken meat.

"You picked it up."

Huh?

I look around my surroundings as I'm squatting; Conrad and Gunter seem to have sorrowful expressions with their heads hanging, and the pretty boy who dropped it in the first place has an angry, sardonic grin.

"You picked it up. Good, noontime tomorrow. The weapons of your choice. If you haven't even been on a battlefield, you're a coward who can't even ride a horse satisfactorily anyway. At least use good armor, and give me a good challenge."

"Wha, what?"

"Prepare to be torn to shreds."

After that he smiled maliciously and left after he apologized to his mother and older brother for leaving during the meal. The mostly useless tutor slumped his shoulders with a sigh.

"You propose and then immediately accept a duel. Your Majesty, I can't understand Your Majesty's mood swings."

"A duel? I was challenged? I was?!"

"Purposely dropping a knife is a silent challenge to a duel, and if you pick it up you are accepting the challenge."

"A duel?! Hey, then, suppose I get defeated, or, I probably will be defeated, but, will, will I die?! I casually pick up a knife to be nice, without even thinking about it, and that guy gets to shoot me to death?!"

With my poor imagination, a cloud of dust flutters around a Western desert as we take ten paces before we turn around and shoot each other, and I can't think of anything but the quick drawing gunman of 11spaghetti Westerns.

The two people who are in "My Clique" try to comfort their new king, saying "It'll be all right", or "People rarely lose their lives in duels nowadays" or "You should come up with an eccentric weapon that Wolfram would never think of, to surprise him" or "Maybe if you wear a cute animal costume, it'll make him lose his fighting spirit". Gwendal and Madam Cheri watched them silently until they finished their drinks. Then they began talking.

"I knew he had no control over his emotions before... But I never expected him to be this impulsive."

"I know, I never thought he'd suddenly propose a duel."

When I calm down I instantly realize they're overlooking the marriage proposal. I am the so-called child who has returned from another world, who doesn't even know left from right. Surely I couldn't master the customs of Mazoku, moreover of aristocrats.

"But, he's not entirely to blame."

"What do you mean?"

Gwen asked in return with a side glance.

I have a bad feeling about this. The mother was hiding something when it looked like she was suppressing a giggle.

"Well, uhuhu, it's because of the aroma of my perfume in Your Majesty's hair. I left it in the bathroom with the shampoo. Surely you didn't know the effect it had when you washed your hair."

"The effect?"

"I asked a apothecarist to make it; it's something valuable that only works on Mazoku. If someone smells it and likes someone even a little bit, they'll become much more passionate."

"In short, it's something like an aphrodisiac or a love potion?"

"Oh my, what a crude way of putting it."

So if they favor someone they become more passionate. On the other hand, if they hate someone? Lowering his eyebrows slightly, Gwendal signaled a waiter to pour more sake.

"If one hated someone, they could become dangerous... It's no wonder Wolfram is in a frenzy. Mother, you should tell us those sort of things beforehand."

"Oh, why? Isn't Wolf's angry face the cutest? Is there a mother who doesn't want to see her son looking adorable?"

"...No."

"Oh, yes! How did Anissina's experiment with you go?"

"...I'm not ready to die yet..."

I listened dumbfounded as it sounded like a English radio broadcast.

Someone who hates someone else will become more dangerous. Someone who likes someone else will become more passionate. I see, so that's why Gunter was tearing up a little while ago.

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Translation Credit

Translated by Emeryl, originally posted here. Re-posted with permission.

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