「According to what Camieu told me, Demon Eyes have the nature of seeing and memorizing all magic and spell formulas. Therefore, that child was shown numerous magics to learn them, and then she was sent to kill me.」
While pouring black tea, Her Majesty’s bombshell statements didn’t stop.
Um～. As for me, I don’t want to know such stories, so can I escape? Please don’t involve me any more～. I just want to live leisurely in the countryside with Noie～.
「The first assassination attempt… I have no memory of it, but it seems they had a dragon attack the carriage we were riding in as we returned to the capital from the sanatorium. Protecting my child, I was severely injured, and my womb was crushed, making it impossible for me to bear children.」
Finishing pouring the tea, she sat down in her chair and sadly stroked her abdomen.
「After that, I gathered orphaned children and spent time happily here. How should I put it… it seems that during that time, I thought I wouldn’t live long.」
Her smiling figure was painful to watch.
From her tone, it seemed Her Majesty had no memory of it.
「That child was among the children I had taken in. Her eyes were distinctive, and for some reason, the other children called her 『Bunny』.」
I could somewhat understand. Noie also looked a bit like a snow rabbit.
「However, perhaps because she was bad at group actions, she was always alone… but she was always staring at me. Then, one evening, Camieu snuck into my bedroom. And she said, 『I have come to kill you』.」
Noie reacted with a start.
The past of the woman she called her older sister was… not just a little, but intensely shocking.
「So I said, 『Yes, please go ahead』. The guards who were hiding to protect me all tripped and revealed themselves, and thus Camieu was captured.」
Guards who trip and reveal themselves are useless, aren’t they? Though I love the comedic timing.
「But I forgave her, and rather, I kept her by my side. Ignoring the opposition around me… He always said it wasn’t like me.」
That must be His Majesty the King. Her Majesty, who could admire him with such a happy expression, was truly amazing.
「But after that, Camieu obeyed my words and served me faithfully. But on the day of the New Year’s address ten years ago… it seems I was nearly killed by that child. I don’t remember the details around that time, as I seem received a strong shock.」
Lowering her eyes slightly, Her Majesty continued.
「According to what I heard… she had plunged a knife into my chest, trying to kill me. But I was saved by chance. No. As the injuries I sustained that day healed, my skin changed into that of a dragon. By the time the scars from the first incident disappeared and changed into this skin… I had gained a mysterious power.」
「A mysterious power?」
「Yes. That’s right… Noie. There is a stone over there, isn’t there? Could you bring it to me?」
「Yes.」
She, who had moved away from me, picked up the stone at the indicated location.
It was a stone about the size of a fist.
「With Noie’s strength, can you crush it?」
「Yes.」
Then, wrapping it with both hands and applying pressure, there was a ‘gagigugi’ sound… and crushed stone remained in Noie’s palm. Mmh. My wife did something amazing so casually, which was scary.
But Her Majesty the Queen, who had been watching, called Noie over and took the crushed stone from her palm.
「Then can you do this?」
「…!」
「Seriously?!」
Both Noie, who had been observing, and I were surprised.
Her Majesty had placed her fingertip on the stone in her palm and crushed it into powder. It wasn’t just superhuman strength… if it were, the force would be impossible.
「Ufufu. Keep this a secret from everyone, okay? They would fear me even more than this appearance.」
「Yes.」
「…Yes.」
Scattering the sand-like stone on the ground, Her Majesty wiped her hands.
Noie stared at the stone in her palm and pressed it with her fingertip for now. It cracked but didn’t pulverize. Actually, just cracking it was quite impressive.
Wait? If that was the case, if Noie attacked Her Majesty, wouldn’t she be counter-attacked instead?
「Is Her Majesty actually the strongest on this continent?」
「Ara ara, that’s impossible. Rough work doesn’t suit me. Besides… when I use this power, I feel like something is draining from my whole body, and if I continue using it, I faint.」
Ah～. So there were such usage limits. Fainting was indeed a harsh restriction.
「By the way, how many times would you have to do that to faint?」
「About five times?」
「So if you do it four more times?」
「Yes. I think I would faint.」
This couldn’t be counted as a military force.
「I can do various other things… but those are also limited to a few uses. Therefore, I think it is good if I can use this power to protect this place.」
「……」
Certainly, a few uses were suitable for protection. But did that mean…?
「Ara ara, the tea is getting cold. Please drink it, as it is delicious.」
「Yes, let us partake.」
After cleaning Noie’s palm, she drank the tea first. Seeing her reach for the sweets afterward, perhaps using her power made her hungry?
「The topic changed midway, but that is about all I know regarding Camieu.」
「So, Your Majesty was attacked at that time and lost your memory?」
「Yes. But I lost my memory during the first attack. I lost my memories year by year, but one day it suddenly stopped, and I no longer lost them. Although what was lost did not return.」
That side was too painful, wasn’t it?
「But since I kept a diary, I could read it to compensate. That was my only salvation.」
Again clapping her hands with a ‘pon’, Her Majesty rejoiced. Her gestures and appearance were very young… Considering the ages of her two older brothers, she should definitely be in her forties or older. Was her youthful appearance, looking like she was in her twenties, related to the dragon’s power?
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