While I fell headfirst into the valley, I thought back to the story of [The Queen of Darkness and the Valley of Death].
There was a single picture book on it in the Infinite Book Corridor.
What’s this doing here…..
I found it strange so I consulted Master about it.
“That’s the most well known fairy tale in this world. It’s passed down as a cautionary tale for children but sadly the events are real”
With a bitter smile, she opened the book.
It was late in the night and I was preparing to sleep in the corner of the hallway as I usually did,
“How about I read this to you as a bedtime story”
I turned on the magic lantern and entered my sleeping bag as Master sat down beside my pillow.
Her smooth kneecaps and the pure white panties behind them flickered in the dim light.
“Long ago, there was an extremely beautiful girl”
Her lovely voice, like a ringing bell, reverberated throughout the silent corridor.
“More than Master?”
“Fool, don’t interrupt the story as it’s just beginning!”
Master pouted her red cheeks cutely but the punch she gave me afterwards almost sent me to sleep forever.
“Tha-That girl was…… well, just a little bit less cute that I am but she had captivated all the men of the kingdom”
With a red face, Master turned the picture book’s page.
That girl’s beauty caught the eye of the Almighty God Greides. The almighty god descended upon the land to propose but as Greides already had a wife and child, the girl declined.
In anger, Greides changed the girl’s appearance and abandoned her in the [Forest of the Lost]. Seeing this, his wife, Lilianess, spoke to the girl,
“When someone who truly loves you appears, your appearance will return. I will give you my blessing to live on until that day comes”
She cast a spell of immortality on the girl.
The girl, who had become ugly and immortal, thanked Lilianess but…..
At that time she did not realise it was a curse brought about by Lilianess’ jealousy.
The girl wandered around the forest, being killed by monsters over and over. Each time she would revive and eventually she began to gain their techniques, eat their flesh, and even steal their mana.
Her hatred grew and the more power she gained, the more unsightly she became, eventually her appearance was so grotesque that even demons would tremble at the sight of her.
One day, a group of adventurers proclaiming themselves to be heroes appeared at the castle she had built for herself.
“Foolish Demon Lord, become rust on the blade of this holy sword entrusted to me by the God of Justice, Arius”
The girl was surprised by their words but finding the heroes to be weak and childish, she thought there must have been some mistake and defeated them.
After which the holy sword glowed with silver light and a valiant god appeared.
“Oh girl who has received a trial from my father Greides and a curse from my mother Lilianess”
It was the one revered as the God of Justice, Arius.
“Why do you ignore his trial and bring suffering to the populace”
The girl laughed at his question.
“What right do you have to say anything, as one of the gods who ruined my life. If the justice you uphold is true then tear my unsightly body to pieces and bring an end to my cursed life of eternity”
However Arius gazed at the girl sadly,
“It seems that people misunderstand something. I am not the god of justice, just one who watches fate. I simply wished to know what happened to the chance to find true love that was granted to you by the whims of my father”
Those words caused the girl to tilt her head,
“True love and happiness are the opposite of hate, pain, and suffering. If without knowing that you act the same way, although different in form, the same tragedy will occur. That’s how fate works”
Arius took a deep sigh and disappeared within the sword.
Trembling, the girl picked up the sword,
“Then what was the point of my life up until now?”
She stabbed the sword into her chest but due to the curse of immortality, she did not die and instead the hatred and pain of the witch known as the Queen of Darkness flowed out for all eternity…..
Eventually the Demon Lord’s Castle sank deep into the ground becoming what is known as the [Valley of Death].
After hearing the end of the story,
“Master, there’s nothing redeeming about that story at all. Surely it’s not something to read before bed”
I voiced my objections.
“Fairy tales are those kinds of stories to begin with. Besides, true salvation and happiness can only be found by oneself”
Master closed the book and extended her hard to my cheek.
“But if that story was true then was Master also bothered by that malicious, omniscient, and omnipotent god?”
“Indeed, The Almighty God Greides came to propose to me many times. I would beat him each time until he eventually stopped coming. I only know of one fool who has not changed no matter how many times I strike them”
“There’s an unbelievably fearless person in this world it seems”
At my amazement, Master closed her eyes and took a small sigh.
“It might be interesting to let the God of Fate Arius know of this. He said that he takes interest in what conclusion comes of those with great power after all”
“Does Master not have someone she loves”
“With this kind of power, not that many men appear”
“One day you’ll find them, Master is a very attractive woman after all”
“Then I’ll be looking forward to it”
Master took her hand away from my cheek,
“Perhaps truly precious happiness can be found in a place as small and modest as the area lit by this lantern”
She looked at my face and smiled.
Her eyes were the same as I had seen on Kanako-chan’s before, mixed with profound affection and sorrowful darkness, causing something within me to hurt as if being squeezed.
But at the same time, it felt as if something warm had been lit in my heart…..
“Precious happiness?”
“That’s right, obtaining it may be the most certain method for supplementing the part of you that is missing. It is something more valuable than a wealth too vast to spend, a reputation left in history, or great power”
After speaking, Master slowly stood up, straightens the skirt of her mini dress and leaves.
I saw her off, her pure white panties clinging to her cute butt, before turning off the lantern.
Then perhaps from being engulfed in darkness, or perhaps because Master was no longer there…..
The meager warmth that was within my chest before, disappeared.
Translator’s Notes:
Make sure you haven’t missed last chapter because I forgot to put great sage in the title and the chapter wasn’t picked up by automatically on novelupdates.
Edit: This one didn’t update automatically either for some reason, guess I’ll have to start doing them manually from now on.
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Thanks for the chapter, interesting to know what happened to the Dragon Queen before.
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Now I kinda wish his master came with him, who else would raise that flag but Saito?
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