Happy Life
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- "Be careful, Your Majesty," the servant hurriedly threw his own coat onto the ground to cover a dirty puddle, in front of which the hapless coachman had stopped the carriage. "...I apologize, it seems this isn't enough."
After uttering this last remark, he knelt down to serve as a step for the queen, so that she wouldn't soil her boots in the liquid seeping through the thrown garment.
Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and, with a single motion, lifting him to his feet and yanking him aside, Futaba plunged her boot into the mud.
"Don't catch a cold, you sickly one," she mumbled to him, grimly surveying the surroundings.
Immediately, another servant ran up to her and obligingly opened an umbrella over her to shield her from the downpour.
"Waaai waaai!" the little ones ran in circles, splashing through puddles in their rubber boots.
"Behave yourselves!" Roana scolded Mizuha and Lloyd, who were rejoicing at the end of the long journey. For her eight years, she took her role as the elder sister very responsibly.
Semyon, meanwhile, silently observed this unseemly behavior, then uttered a passage deemed intellectual for his age and station:
"So these are your native lands, dear mother? Indeed, quite far from the capital... Both by land and by sea, we spent a considerable amount of time..." the little boy adjusted his glasses with an air of importance and pulled up his trousers, which had slightly slipped down his ample belly.
"Thank your ancestors for such a chance..." the mother mumbled, sighing heavily for the umpteenth time over the past decade and casting a stern look at the younger ones. Noticing it, they immediately dulled their gazes, lined up in a small row with the older ones, and prepared for a disciplined procession.
Futaba strode forward. Servants with umbrellas fussed around her; behind her marched the children in raincoats. The heavy silence that had fallen after the queen's gaze was soon reinforced by the very atmosphere of the place through which the procession moved. On this rainy, gray, dreary day, not a single person other than the royal procession was present at the Ikymasu Cemetery, and the mournful sight of the grave headstones affected even the tactless children, filling them with a sensation they had never before experienced—the finitude of life, peace, and a certain tranquility in that very aspect that they themselves, for now, had the fortune of breathing air and making movements in the material space.
A few hundred meters before the destination, at the sought-after spot, a lone figure of indistinct outline could be noticed.
"Your Majesty..." a painfully familiar voice whispered in her ear. "I await only your command..."
"Don't fuss, Captain," the queen waved Neves Sipe away like an annoying mosquito. A man of many talents and unwavering loyalty—he still hadn't learned moderation, and for some reason stubbornly refused to transfer to positions more advantageous for his own career, no matter how much Futaba herself pushed him towards it.
Upon reaching the place, the queen raised her eyebrows in surprise—besides the two expected and surprisingly well-maintained graves, a third, more primitive one was located nearby, clearly made not by a funeral agency but by a solitary person. The plot of land, roughly defining the burial site, was marked by pebbles driven into the ground, and on the headstone, which was a flat, albeit unworked, piece of stone, an engraved inscription could be discerned:
"Sekihara Futaba, beloved daughter and faithful sister, 29.02.3981 - 12.02.3996"
"Se-ku... This..." catching her mother's gaze, the honors student Mizuha began to read syllable by syllable, but Roana interrupted this process with an angry look and hands on her hips.
Glancing at the unknown figure in a shapeless robe, noticed from afar and kneeling before the triple burial, forehead pressed into a puddle, the queen sighed and knelt herself, right in the mud.
"Your Majesty..." the servants clucked, but then fell silent, not daring to interrupt her session of reflection.
Time passed, the downpour continued, the servants, Cornflowers, and children stood nearby, not daring to move, while the two figures sat in the mud on their knees by the graves.
"...Enough..." Futaba finally mumbled, casting a glance at her cemetery neighbor. He, seeming to neither hear nor see anything, remained prostrate to the ground—the rainy mud nearly reaching his nostrils.
Grabbing him by the shoulder, she pulled the penitent man from this pose—his frantic gaze darted across her face in surprise, his lips continued to mumble something by inertia until they froze in astonishment, focusing on the queen's face.
Sighing heavily again and shaking her head, Futaba pressed her father's face to her chest.
"F... Sh... D... F..." the man incoherently tried to mumble something, but the queen applied such force that he could utter nothing.
"Just be quiet..." she mumbled, patting and stroking his back and the back of his head.
After an extremely short time, the man stopped trying to say anything and burst into sobs—so much so that his tears soaked the queen's garments more than the downpour could have.
***
"And this is Leila. She and I were rivals when we studied together..." Futaba pointed her finger at a photograph in the yearbook. "Strong as a beast... No wonder—she's from here too. Just further west..."
Her father nodded, as if he understood, examining the magazine and not daring to meet his daughter's gaze.
Futaba sighed heavily and fell silent. Then, feeling irritated, she grabbed him by the chin and lifted his gaze to herself. He gasped in surprise and looked away.
"Hey!" Futaba leaned right into his face, shaking her father so he would look her straight in the eye. He cast a glance but instantly tried to turn away.
"Hey!" Futaba repeated the procedure. Her father again looked at her with a gaze full of terror, awe... and guilt. "Look at me!" the queen hissed. Her father froze, looking into her eyes, unable to move.
"You are right in your fear..." she finally said. "What you did, not every person would do, no matter what situation they found themselves in..." Futaba stared sternly into her father's eyes, who seemed ready to burst into tears again. "But all that is in the past... I forgave you. A long time ago..." her gaze moistened, and for the first time, she averted her eyes, not him. "I hated you for a very long time... I wished for your death in your settlement colony..." she swallowed and wiped away her tears. "But you did everything you could... Even in the worst moment, you..." tears swallowed some words. "...I can't keep hating you..."
Unable to cope with the overwhelming emotions, Futaba sobs for a while, pressing her father's limp face to her chest.
"Pull yourself together... You raised the queen of Sakumorii..." suppressing her own sobs in vain, Futaba comforts her father, who has lost all touch with reality. "Now the responsibility for the fate of her descendants rests on you..."
In truth, she was trying to offload some emotional burden onto someone else's shoulders here.
"S-sorry... Y-your Majesty... F-Futa, forgive me... There wasn't a day when I didn't..." stuttering through snot and tears, her father babbled. "I wanted... I wanted... I was ready to gnaw my own veins when... I... F-Futaba... Since then, I... I was sure that you... D... F... Hhhhhh..." unable to finish the sentence, the father only cautiously hugged his daughter.
It was clearly visible on him that if someone were to pierce his belly with a katana at that moment, he would accept this death with honor and relief.
"C-calm down, old man... It's a bit early for you to retire... You have a chance to make amends... Not only to me and Mom and brother... But also to Sakumorii..."
***
Having discovered, to her surprise, her own father not only having served his term after eight years but also being utterly repentant, Futaba cannot help but accept him back into what is now the royal family, entrusting him, to his immeasurable happiness, with the honor of raising the grandchildren, taking into account all his previous mistakes.
The father, even then not believing his own luck and fate, which had shown his daughter alive, puts maximal effort into what is required of him, trying to atone for his previous mistakes. Someday in the future, having passed on to the other world, he will finally grasp the full picture and devote the rest of his afterlife to offering prayers to Mana, Superbia, Abelia, and all the other mysterious forces capable of influencing people's fates.
The Queen of Sakumorii, Futaba Starlight, will continue to rule the country based on the maximum permissible possibility at any given moment of life to maintain the current status quo, with all possible options for preserving diplomatic relations with neighboring states, without leading to Sakumorii's self-identification as a reactionary-tolerant state.
Concerning Oleander and the scheme with "Monaim Ko": Dinorsis was defeated in personal one-on-one combat until he confessed to everything he was involved in. Subsequently, as a one-time occurrence, a meeting was arranged between Futaba, her most loyal assistants, Dinorsis, and the Tsarina, should she deign to do so. In the event of diplomatic success, largely dependent on Futaba's eloquence and the Tsarina's goals, Sakumorii will be ready to conclude an alliance with Oleander, albeit even a short-term one, to establish a form of dominance over the region. In case of failure—with all due respect to the Tsarina's person—her nation will be issued a challenge expressed in economic and military rivalry. The fate of Dinorsis Baglioni, meanwhile, remains in Futaba's hands—mindful of the decency, even if external, of her fellow student, Futa keeps him with her as a hostage/advisor, and tries by all possible (but permissible) means to re-recruit him to Sakumorii's side, without giving him enough freedom for another betrayal.
A family dinner will be arranged with all Starlights who agree to it, during which His Majesty, together with Her Majesty, will outline the current situation in the family and the country. Futaba will hold a conversation with each of those who doubt, or even a duel, if a particular Starlight requests it—in other words, she will make the maximum possible effort on her part to convey her point of view—through diplomacy, or force, if circumstances require it. In addition, she will provide a brief summary of the school months' events that led them all to this situation, receiving on the spot, in the presence of all relatives, confirmation from the King, Levizia, Rododendron/Nikoris/Kaladium's wife, and everyone who might have been affected in one way or another by the events that transpired.
In the event that a Starlight is found ready to dispute the picture they have presented, Futaba will be ready to do everything that might be required of her, as openly and honestly as possible for the whole family, to establish the factual point of view. In parallel with all this, she will indulge His Majesty as much as possible, should he begin to establish a dictatorship—not only as the correct course of action, but also to reinforce her own authority as a balanced and rational ruler. Perhaps, in this sense, the King will be willing to inadvertently do her a favor, without even realizing it himself.
As for Adonis and the like—in the event such a conspiracy is discovered, it will be neutralized by the Cornflowers and other secret services of the state in the most possible and unnoticeable way, after which they will be given an exclusive opportunity to talk with Futaba about their goals and aspirations, and in the absence of mutual understanding—a term of infinite duration at hard, controlled labor for the benefit of the state.
Regarding Alidume—his matter will be brought to a general trial during the Starlight dinner. The final word will belong to Futaba, and as a one-time act of mercy, to increase her own authority within the family, as well as to preserve the person of the hostage for possible influence on his runaway mother, he will be granted a chance to keep his life and remain at labor works for life—with regular visits from his stepmother out of pity, or to be executed—should the rest of the family, and he himself, choose that option.
One way or another, this case will be used by the queen to emphasize the importance of family unity and the necessity of discussing all their possible grievances with her and the King, without leading to irreparable consequences.
If a historical chronicle is ever written of her reign, this period will be marked in history as an unprecedented period in which every authorized malcontent could express official disagreement and have their issue officially addressed. After the end of this period—any encroachments against the current government of Sakumorii will be perceived as high treason.
Regarding classmates and NPCs...
Ixora: in the absence of the Barbarian's agreement to this variant for herself—she will become the right hand; in case of agreement—captain of the guard.
Cassia: will receive full information about the "curse," if possible—with the father's repentance and support from Nira/Levizia/Futaba.
Vita: due to the impossibility of defeating Kaladium, she will fight the next strongest fighter, besides Thyme. Her fate depends on her actions.
Elliot: if such a vague reward suits him, he will become an international agent. Neither His Majesty nor his lackeys will ever know about this, and even if they do, they will understand that this serves the queen and Sakumorii itself.
Miho: the promise will be kept, but he himself will be obliged to become a loyal little cossack for Futaba.
Dinorsis: kept as a hostage, but with privileges. Futaba tirelessly tries to recruit him to her side.
Duncan Mandragora, Lawrence Hatiora: a meeting of the entire course's alumni is arranged with them. If anyone has a grievance against Mandragora—a friendly duel is permitted; his books go into the library as educational materials. Grateful students simply drink tea with Hatiora. Maybe this will at least help her feel that her period of study at NAILS was not entirely hopeless.
Bonita: a lackey will be assigned to her, who will help her imbue herself with love for Sakumorii and its queen, and also become a substantial, respected, and mentally healthy cog of society.
Neomarica Walze: a final epic duel will be arranged between her and the queen of Sakumorii. Regardless of the result, Futaba will shake her hand, smile, and acknowledge her as a wonderful rival and a good fellow student. Allowing her to admire the Nameless Blade, forged in Aokami and used by the queen as her primary weapon, she will express hope that their countries can find common ground for cooperation, despite old grievances.
Claudia Smaragd, Shea: will remain ambassadors of their countries in Sakumorii, and will always be able to secure private time with the queen and their old school friends to resolve any issues.
Levizia: if she wishes, she will be married off to Zheka, and blessed by Futa and the King in the most maximal form possible.
Yumiko: will be state-obligated to regularly write letters to Futa, wherever she goes.
Regarding the players... Whoever wants what—that's what they'll get 🤠
After uttering this last remark, he knelt down to serve as a step for the queen, so that she wouldn't soil her boots in the liquid seeping through the thrown garment.
Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and, with a single motion, lifting him to his feet and yanking him aside, Futaba plunged her boot into the mud.
"Don't catch a cold, you sickly one," she mumbled to him, grimly surveying the surroundings.
Immediately, another servant ran up to her and obligingly opened an umbrella over her to shield her from the downpour.
"Waaai waaai!" the little ones ran in circles, splashing through puddles in their rubber boots.
"Behave yourselves!" Roana scolded Mizuha and Lloyd, who were rejoicing at the end of the long journey. For her eight years, she took her role as the elder sister very responsibly.
Semyon, meanwhile, silently observed this unseemly behavior, then uttered a passage deemed intellectual for his age and station:
"So these are your native lands, dear mother? Indeed, quite far from the capital... Both by land and by sea, we spent a considerable amount of time..." the little boy adjusted his glasses with an air of importance and pulled up his trousers, which had slightly slipped down his ample belly.
"Thank your ancestors for such a chance..." the mother mumbled, sighing heavily for the umpteenth time over the past decade and casting a stern look at the younger ones. Noticing it, they immediately dulled their gazes, lined up in a small row with the older ones, and prepared for a disciplined procession.
Futaba strode forward. Servants with umbrellas fussed around her; behind her marched the children in raincoats. The heavy silence that had fallen after the queen's gaze was soon reinforced by the very atmosphere of the place through which the procession moved. On this rainy, gray, dreary day, not a single person other than the royal procession was present at the Ikymasu Cemetery, and the mournful sight of the grave headstones affected even the tactless children, filling them with a sensation they had never before experienced—the finitude of life, peace, and a certain tranquility in that very aspect that they themselves, for now, had the fortune of breathing air and making movements in the material space.
A few hundred meters before the destination, at the sought-after spot, a lone figure of indistinct outline could be noticed.
"Your Majesty..." a painfully familiar voice whispered in her ear. "I await only your command..."
"Don't fuss, Captain," the queen waved Neves Sipe away like an annoying mosquito. A man of many talents and unwavering loyalty—he still hadn't learned moderation, and for some reason stubbornly refused to transfer to positions more advantageous for his own career, no matter how much Futaba herself pushed him towards it.
Upon reaching the place, the queen raised her eyebrows in surprise—besides the two expected and surprisingly well-maintained graves, a third, more primitive one was located nearby, clearly made not by a funeral agency but by a solitary person. The plot of land, roughly defining the burial site, was marked by pebbles driven into the ground, and on the headstone, which was a flat, albeit unworked, piece of stone, an engraved inscription could be discerned:
"Sekihara Futaba, beloved daughter and faithful sister, 29.02.3981 - 12.02.3996"
"Se-ku... This..." catching her mother's gaze, the honors student Mizuha began to read syllable by syllable, but Roana interrupted this process with an angry look and hands on her hips.
Glancing at the unknown figure in a shapeless robe, noticed from afar and kneeling before the triple burial, forehead pressed into a puddle, the queen sighed and knelt herself, right in the mud.
"Your Majesty..." the servants clucked, but then fell silent, not daring to interrupt her session of reflection.
Time passed, the downpour continued, the servants, Cornflowers, and children stood nearby, not daring to move, while the two figures sat in the mud on their knees by the graves.
"...Enough..." Futaba finally mumbled, casting a glance at her cemetery neighbor. He, seeming to neither hear nor see anything, remained prostrate to the ground—the rainy mud nearly reaching his nostrils.
Grabbing him by the shoulder, she pulled the penitent man from this pose—his frantic gaze darted across her face in surprise, his lips continued to mumble something by inertia until they froze in astonishment, focusing on the queen's face.
Sighing heavily again and shaking her head, Futaba pressed her father's face to her chest.
"F... Sh... D... F..." the man incoherently tried to mumble something, but the queen applied such force that he could utter nothing.
"Just be quiet..." she mumbled, patting and stroking his back and the back of his head.
After an extremely short time, the man stopped trying to say anything and burst into sobs—so much so that his tears soaked the queen's garments more than the downpour could have.
***
"And this is Leila. She and I were rivals when we studied together..." Futaba pointed her finger at a photograph in the yearbook. "Strong as a beast... No wonder—she's from here too. Just further west..."
Her father nodded, as if he understood, examining the magazine and not daring to meet his daughter's gaze.
Futaba sighed heavily and fell silent. Then, feeling irritated, she grabbed him by the chin and lifted his gaze to herself. He gasped in surprise and looked away.
"Hey!" Futaba leaned right into his face, shaking her father so he would look her straight in the eye. He cast a glance but instantly tried to turn away.
"Hey!" Futaba repeated the procedure. Her father again looked at her with a gaze full of terror, awe... and guilt. "Look at me!" the queen hissed. Her father froze, looking into her eyes, unable to move.
"You are right in your fear..." she finally said. "What you did, not every person would do, no matter what situation they found themselves in..." Futaba stared sternly into her father's eyes, who seemed ready to burst into tears again. "But all that is in the past... I forgave you. A long time ago..." her gaze moistened, and for the first time, she averted her eyes, not him. "I hated you for a very long time... I wished for your death in your settlement colony..." she swallowed and wiped away her tears. "But you did everything you could... Even in the worst moment, you..." tears swallowed some words. "...I can't keep hating you..."
Unable to cope with the overwhelming emotions, Futaba sobs for a while, pressing her father's limp face to her chest.
"Pull yourself together... You raised the queen of Sakumorii..." suppressing her own sobs in vain, Futaba comforts her father, who has lost all touch with reality. "Now the responsibility for the fate of her descendants rests on you..."
In truth, she was trying to offload some emotional burden onto someone else's shoulders here.
"S-sorry... Y-your Majesty... F-Futa, forgive me... There wasn't a day when I didn't..." stuttering through snot and tears, her father babbled. "I wanted... I wanted... I was ready to gnaw my own veins when... I... F-Futaba... Since then, I... I was sure that you... D... F... Hhhhhh..." unable to finish the sentence, the father only cautiously hugged his daughter.
It was clearly visible on him that if someone were to pierce his belly with a katana at that moment, he would accept this death with honor and relief.
"C-calm down, old man... It's a bit early for you to retire... You have a chance to make amends... Not only to me and Mom and brother... But also to Sakumorii..."
***
Having discovered, to her surprise, her own father not only having served his term after eight years but also being utterly repentant, Futaba cannot help but accept him back into what is now the royal family, entrusting him, to his immeasurable happiness, with the honor of raising the grandchildren, taking into account all his previous mistakes.
The father, even then not believing his own luck and fate, which had shown his daughter alive, puts maximal effort into what is required of him, trying to atone for his previous mistakes. Someday in the future, having passed on to the other world, he will finally grasp the full picture and devote the rest of his afterlife to offering prayers to Mana, Superbia, Abelia, and all the other mysterious forces capable of influencing people's fates.
The Queen of Sakumorii, Futaba Starlight, will continue to rule the country based on the maximum permissible possibility at any given moment of life to maintain the current status quo, with all possible options for preserving diplomatic relations with neighboring states, without leading to Sakumorii's self-identification as a reactionary-tolerant state.
Concerning Oleander and the scheme with "Monaim Ko": Dinorsis was defeated in personal one-on-one combat until he confessed to everything he was involved in. Subsequently, as a one-time occurrence, a meeting was arranged between Futaba, her most loyal assistants, Dinorsis, and the Tsarina, should she deign to do so. In the event of diplomatic success, largely dependent on Futaba's eloquence and the Tsarina's goals, Sakumorii will be ready to conclude an alliance with Oleander, albeit even a short-term one, to establish a form of dominance over the region. In case of failure—with all due respect to the Tsarina's person—her nation will be issued a challenge expressed in economic and military rivalry. The fate of Dinorsis Baglioni, meanwhile, remains in Futaba's hands—mindful of the decency, even if external, of her fellow student, Futa keeps him with her as a hostage/advisor, and tries by all possible (but permissible) means to re-recruit him to Sakumorii's side, without giving him enough freedom for another betrayal.
A family dinner will be arranged with all Starlights who agree to it, during which His Majesty, together with Her Majesty, will outline the current situation in the family and the country. Futaba will hold a conversation with each of those who doubt, or even a duel, if a particular Starlight requests it—in other words, she will make the maximum possible effort on her part to convey her point of view—through diplomacy, or force, if circumstances require it. In addition, she will provide a brief summary of the school months' events that led them all to this situation, receiving on the spot, in the presence of all relatives, confirmation from the King, Levizia, Rododendron/Nikoris/Kaladium's wife, and everyone who might have been affected in one way or another by the events that transpired.
In the event that a Starlight is found ready to dispute the picture they have presented, Futaba will be ready to do everything that might be required of her, as openly and honestly as possible for the whole family, to establish the factual point of view. In parallel with all this, she will indulge His Majesty as much as possible, should he begin to establish a dictatorship—not only as the correct course of action, but also to reinforce her own authority as a balanced and rational ruler. Perhaps, in this sense, the King will be willing to inadvertently do her a favor, without even realizing it himself.
As for Adonis and the like—in the event such a conspiracy is discovered, it will be neutralized by the Cornflowers and other secret services of the state in the most possible and unnoticeable way, after which they will be given an exclusive opportunity to talk with Futaba about their goals and aspirations, and in the absence of mutual understanding—a term of infinite duration at hard, controlled labor for the benefit of the state.
Regarding Alidume—his matter will be brought to a general trial during the Starlight dinner. The final word will belong to Futaba, and as a one-time act of mercy, to increase her own authority within the family, as well as to preserve the person of the hostage for possible influence on his runaway mother, he will be granted a chance to keep his life and remain at labor works for life—with regular visits from his stepmother out of pity, or to be executed—should the rest of the family, and he himself, choose that option.
One way or another, this case will be used by the queen to emphasize the importance of family unity and the necessity of discussing all their possible grievances with her and the King, without leading to irreparable consequences.
If a historical chronicle is ever written of her reign, this period will be marked in history as an unprecedented period in which every authorized malcontent could express official disagreement and have their issue officially addressed. After the end of this period—any encroachments against the current government of Sakumorii will be perceived as high treason.
Regarding classmates and NPCs...
Ixora: in the absence of the Barbarian's agreement to this variant for herself—she will become the right hand; in case of agreement—captain of the guard.
Cassia: will receive full information about the "curse," if possible—with the father's repentance and support from Nira/Levizia/Futaba.
Vita: due to the impossibility of defeating Kaladium, she will fight the next strongest fighter, besides Thyme. Her fate depends on her actions.
Elliot: if such a vague reward suits him, he will become an international agent. Neither His Majesty nor his lackeys will ever know about this, and even if they do, they will understand that this serves the queen and Sakumorii itself.
Miho: the promise will be kept, but he himself will be obliged to become a loyal little cossack for Futaba.
Dinorsis: kept as a hostage, but with privileges. Futaba tirelessly tries to recruit him to her side.
Duncan Mandragora, Lawrence Hatiora: a meeting of the entire course's alumni is arranged with them. If anyone has a grievance against Mandragora—a friendly duel is permitted; his books go into the library as educational materials. Grateful students simply drink tea with Hatiora. Maybe this will at least help her feel that her period of study at NAILS was not entirely hopeless.
Bonita: a lackey will be assigned to her, who will help her imbue herself with love for Sakumorii and its queen, and also become a substantial, respected, and mentally healthy cog of society.
Neomarica Walze: a final epic duel will be arranged between her and the queen of Sakumorii. Regardless of the result, Futaba will shake her hand, smile, and acknowledge her as a wonderful rival and a good fellow student. Allowing her to admire the Nameless Blade, forged in Aokami and used by the queen as her primary weapon, she will express hope that their countries can find common ground for cooperation, despite old grievances.
Claudia Smaragd, Shea: will remain ambassadors of their countries in Sakumorii, and will always be able to secure private time with the queen and their old school friends to resolve any issues.
Levizia: if she wishes, she will be married off to Zheka, and blessed by Futa and the King in the most maximal form possible.
Yumiko: will be state-obligated to regularly write letters to Futa, wherever she goes.
Regarding the players... Whoever wants what—that's what they'll get 🤠
My sword, my trusted ally, unphased by my aspect.
