Princess Tsubakiri

A/N:

There will be violent expressions as well as cruel massacre scenes.

That man had suddenly appeared in this “world” in a rural area in North America about 50 years ago.

He was still 2 to three years old, but he had the intelligence of understanding the language and the situation around him. Still, the child-like body affected the mind, and the boy who could only cry was picked up by a man and woman of the so-called [same race] a few hours later.

The man and woman told him that they were the survivors of [Faysil].

It was the only [ancient species] that was left on this side of the world, and there were hardly any [Faysil people] left.

Thousands of years ago, there were several races existing in this world besides humans, and a lot of [Gods] coexisted with them.

3000 years ago, because of a single woman, the balance in the world was broken. Faysil was a semi-spiritual being, and because of their seemingly eternal lifespan, they were called Elven, a fairy tribe, by humans.

This was because Faysil’s outer appearance didn’t change as they grew older. But when Faysils died, half of their memories and bodies were reconstructed in this world and lived with half of their memories from the previous era. Because of this, they were an existence closer to the Gods than any human or other race and were revered for it.

However, three thousand years ago, an existence called the [black-haired girl], who was closer than any Faysil to the Gods, betrayed them and was cursed.

The wrath of the Gods didn’t subside, and the balance of the world broke, leading to the world splitting into two parts. This part of the world was the one without the Gods.

The man and woman who had picked up the boy believed that the decline of the world was because of the Gods abandoning it.

In order to appease the Gods’ wrath, he was trying to get rid of the cursed [black-haired girl] and the “book” left by her by continuing to kill her every time she reincarnated in this world as a Faysil.

The man hadn’t reincarnated but seemed to rather have been born in this world by the wishes of the man and woman.

Faysil created children through wishing for them and distributing a part of their own existence. Like humans, they could make children by the usual method, but in the last ten thousand years, only humans had made children that way, so Faysil’s existence had likely declined until the very limit for their race.

The man and woman named their child [Squall] and raised him with affection in the hope for Faysil’s prosperity.

And 20 years later, Squall would meet a girl called [Camellia¹].

“What do you mean, Mr. Mursame, the people here…”

“It is necessary to awaken that ‘person’. By devoting this offering, that person will wake up.”

The Shrine Maiden and her caretaker paled when they saw a fainted girl held by a mercenary behind Murasame.

Murasame had suddenly brought outsiders into the underground that enshrined that “person”.

Only a selected few from the political and business world were allowed to enter this place. In order to awaken that person, he brought the antique banned book [book of the black-haired girl] here, and even though Murasame had been managing this place for over 20 years, this was exceeding abusing his authority.

If the politicians and businessmen came to this place to give an offering, the caretakers who allowed this would also be punished.

“Hey, Murasame, this girl is a still alive offering, how rare!”

Nikolas, who couldn’t read the mood, smiled and approached the mercenaries without fear and looked at the fainted girl.

“What beautiful black hair… It’s just like the “black-haired girl”, huh.”

“…”

Murasame frowned slightly and stood in front of the girl to hide her from Nikolas.

“It’s a special offering, so don’t pry into it. From now on, the ritual will start underground. Nikolas, get out until it’s finished.”

“What!? Why can’t I, a theologian, witness the new moment a ‘new God’ is born!? That’s impossible!”

Thinking that he should say it, after all, Murasame disclosed some information because he didn’t have time to persuade the other.

“A bad matter happened. That [War God] might intervene.]

“What…”

The Gods had disappeared from this world. However, the five Gods called the Great Gods, a part of evil spirits, still interfered with this world.

One among them was called [War God]. It was said that when there was a great disorder in the world, an apostle with the intention of the [War God] was always in the shadow of the war.

The symbols of the [War God] were a [white butterfly] and a [black butterfly]. Murasame had come into contact with the existence he believed was the white butterfly before and had to retreat before he drew its interest.

“..Are they here for that reason?”

Nikolas directed his gaze to the 10 mercenaries Murasame had brought.

“It is not only that…”

“Oh well, I won’t run away! 500 offering is required to revive the powers of that ‘person’. Let me use these people however I want!”

“Is that so… Then, tell them to prepare for the ritual.”

Leaving the mercenaries to Nikolas, Murasame headed at last outside to convince “her”.

*

The “connection” between Hana and me conveyed her whereabouts to me.

My memories from the past were coming back to me, and it felt like my dry heart was developing a crack.

They weren’t the memories from three years ago. But from before that - from many years before that…

Running around the city in the black school uniform, I suddenly found myself in a place with few people but many trees. There weren’t only multi-story buildings in the city, but places like the Touguu Palace² or the Meiji Shrine Outer Garden³ existed too.

I had stopped at this place… There were unusually few people. There was a presence of something here, but I couldn’t see anything.

Quietly and without moving, I scanned the place. The “sword” in the distance that only I could see was instinctively glaring at me.

“...I have no use for you right now. [Blade God]...”

The existence that bestowed the [power of the blade] upon me from the far past, [the Blade God Mitsurugi].

The Blade God just bestowed power upon those who sought it. What can you give me?

“...”

Hearing the sound of someone stepping on gravel, I turned to see the young man who had helped me when I was attacked in the city. He stared at me with gentle ultramarine eyes.

“Camellia.”

“...Squall?”

His name came to my mind from my memories. That was right… I had met him before - the world before this one.

“So your memories came back…?”

“...”

He had been kind. He had told me that I shouldn’t have to live alone and to live together with him instead….

“There is already… no more need for you to fight.”

“...Why-”

“You should know why, Camellia. There is no longer any need.”

Why was he saying this?

“The curse will end now. I will end it. You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

I took a step back as he started to approach me.

“...Did you do something to Hana?”

“...It’s something the Gods have decided. No matter what you do, nothing will change. All I have done is speeding things up.”

“...Move out of the way, Squall.”

When I used coercion in my voice, he made a sad expression as if I had hurt him.

“Camellia… How much do you know about us, ‘Faysils’?”

“...”

Squall talked calmly. The Faysils that were suddenly tossed into this world. Born with half of their memories of their previous life, but being another person.

“It’s only you and that ‘black-haired girl’. Only you two were born the same as in the previous world… Because of the abominable ‘curse’.”

“...And so what?”

“Camellia… You can still be saved. As long as you forget your anger and hatred, you can live a normal life. There is no longer any need for you to be alone! I will-”

“...Don’t joke around.”

Intense rage shook my voice, and Squall stopped talking.

“Forget my hatred…? Throw away my anger? Don’t joke around, what do you think you know. What did you do to her!? We only wanted to live! I wanted to save her… I wasn’t able to save her! I saw her crying, being in pain, and dying miserably over and over!”

My field of vision was dyed in silver again, and my edged ribbon turned into a saw.

“It’s been a thousand and five hundred years… I’ve been fighting alone for a thousand and five hundred of years! If the Gods will hurt and reject her in this world, then-”

I stepped forward and stared straight into Squall’s eyes.

“The world itself will be my enemy…”

I will kill anything hurting her. Even if it’s the kind Squall.

“...”

“...”

Without saying anything, I passed the frozen Squall.

A small muttering came from behind as I ran away.

“Stop her.”

Humans I hadn’t seen appeared from the surroundings.

Children, adults, old people, men, women, all kinds of people approached me barehanded or holding kitchen knives.

“...”

Swish!

The ribbon that had turned into a saw slashed several people’s necks at once.

Still, the numbers were a lot. Up to 13 people slipped past the saw. Seizing the head of a young woman who had come close, I hit it against another man’s head, crushing both of their skulls.

Kicking a young boy who had come close, I slashed his neck with the saw and stepped on the head of an old man who had fallen down, crushing it.

Although I had defeated 50 people in a few seconds, there was still more than half of them left.

“...”

The moment I cut someone’s neck, my hair was grabbed, and the remaining humans attacked me like an avalanche, wrapping me in a wave of people.

A hard grinding sound resounded.

A dry tone rang, sounding like "Shalala".

I danced in the air, cutting the necks of more than 100 people swarming over me at once.

A bubble of blood had been formed from the spurting of blood. Soaked in it, I stood up and noticed an arm that had been cut off was still holding my hair, so I cut my hair off by my neck.

I remembered everything. I was-

“Princess Tsubakiri.”

A/N:

Next time more people will die.

Next, The black-haired Girl.

1. A reminder: Tsubaki’s name translates to Camellia. ↑
2. It refers to any residences of the Imperial Crown Prince in Japan. There are big gardens there. ↑
3. It’s a western-style garden in Shinjuku and in Minato in Tokyo. It was established in 1926 to commemorate the Emperor of Meiji and his wife, Empress Shouken. It has a 300-meter path with golden ginkgo trees.↑