Chapter 26: This Wasn't My Intention At ALL!

What the bloody heck just happened?
What freaking heck is wrong with this world?
Does it hate me or something?
Does it have a grudge against me?

It may perhaps be true in my past life I've been quite a terrible person
Who committed murder, thievery and perhaps caused a fire just to escape.
But I was extremely desperate at that time!

I'm so tired...
This must be what people call Divine Judgement.
I just want to return to that greenhouse...
At least it was peaceful and were able to rest for a whole week in it.
Before everything went to hell.

But.
...
...
This.
...
...
is.
...
...
...

Just...
...
Too much!

As Estel showed a blank and bored expression.
The palace had turned into an undead wonderland.
With Leanne shaking her shoulders.
"What the heck did you just do!"
She said, while laughing with mixed emotions on her face while a battle against the undead had begun in the palace.

// There Is No Way It's FINE. //

A few hours ago...
Before the undead pandemonium.

Morning ----> Midday.

"Estel!... Wear it!"

"NOoo!"

Estel right now is being forced to wear a dress which Leanne particularly uses.
Due to its auspicious design, she will appear in a similar dress like her.

"There's no way I'll wear it!" She cried out.

But Lana herself had joined the fray as she said.

"I'm sorry Estel.
Apparently as a princess yourself.
You must wear appropriate clothing." She calmly said.

Estel struggles and retorts to the both of them in horror.
"It may be true I'm a princess but they haven't discovered me yet...
So It's fine right!?"

Leanne and Lana then went silent as their faces went pale with desperation.
They then thought in unison.
[There's no way it can be FINE!
Because this country will undoubtedly burn!
The moment they discover you in servants clothing!]

In a frenzy, both of them were forced to dress her.
Whether she liked it or not...

Disheartened and was now wearing a noble dress.
Her clothes were light brown and had a frilly look to it.
It wasn't too attractive nor was it too elegant.
A simple noble dress, worn by Leanne when she was younger.
Because they didn't want the demon-kins to spot her too easily.

As the three of them ate their meal and prepared themselves to meet the queen.

________________________________________________________________________________

// A Sweet Answer and an Unpleasant Presence. //

Before they left, Leanne asked a question.

"So... tell me.
You said if your sister was here.
She will understand, but why exactly is that?"

Estel fidgets, as she then told her.
"My sister promised me.
To take me away from the demon-kingdom after becoming queen.
Because none of them desired to have any kind of affiliation with me.
I felt isolated and alone most of the time.
Without realizing I began to become more afraid of the people around me.

She believed bringing me to the human countries where none of them had wings would somehow cheer me up."

She then smiled at Leanne.
"She was right, being here truly did gave me people who cheered me up.
I'll tell her all about the fun things you have done for me."

Leanne then nervously as she asked.
"and... may I ask what are those?"

Estel then walked forward toward the door in front of them.
As she showed her gentle and hopeful eyes as she said.

"I will proudly say to her...
A kind princess of this nation, have accepted me for who I am.
I am no longer afraid of strangers anymore."

Leanne at that moment could not help but blush.
Lana then pouted a bit as she asked...
"What about me?"

She tilted her head and answered.
"A reliable and loyal friend?"

Lana then shouted.
"Why do you sound so unsure!?"

Estel retorts with a click of her tongue
"Tch!,
You just tried to sell me out to them."

Leanne could only point and laugh at her as she kneeled on the floor feeling dejected.
A few moments later a knock on the door is heard as Estel opened it for them.
Caillou enters the room as he asked.

"Is everyone ready?
I mapped the area where the demon-kins are, so we should be able to avoid them."

He calmly said as Leanne requested him to be the guide.
Avoiding the demon-kin within the palace.

"Thanks, Caillou you're a life-saver."

"No problem, though her majesty is looking quite strange lately."

"What do you mean?"

Caillou deeply exhaled showing a worried expression as he said.
"It's best for you to see her yourself...
Your Highness."

Staying true to his words, their journey to the palace were peaceful.
Though Estel was looking and turning at her surroundings worried for any of her people to notice her. Leanne could only pull her hand to not waste any more time, as things might become troublesome if they truly began to show up.

As they reached the Queen's chambers,
They found her father holding her hand.
His face was full of worry as they began to approach Estel swiftly flinched at the black massive energy that completely fills the room.

[What the hell is that!?] She shouted in her thoughts.

As Leanne and Lana walked closer to her majesty to bow, she followed and copied their action as they soon saw the skin of the queen slowly turning grey.

"What... what is happening to her?" Leanne asked with a grim expression.

Her father was pale and idly watching her, as he held her hand close to his.
He turns to his daughter as he explained.

"I don't know, the curse first started from her shoulder.
Then slowly crept and spread across her body,

We thought it was minor, and decided to have the people of the church check up on her.
As well as a few adventurers who specializes in curses.

All of them said the same thing.
It was an unknown curse which they have never seen before.
They didn't want to touch it, nor did they desire to bother with it."

He then struck the wall beside him.
"Damn, cowards.
At least try to save her!"

As he said these words, Estel walked a bit away from them.
Then conversed with Aisha.

[Any clue on what the hell that thing is?]

"It appears to be an Artificial curse.
Though, such magic is taboo and usually deal with manipulating the souls of dead people.
I advise precaution if you intend to break it.

I do not know what type of curse it is..."

She then complained.
[What do you mean, you don't know?
I thought you were a magic expert.]

"It may indeed be true, I hold knowledge of the past.
But that doesn't mean I'm omnipotent.

If I did, the eradication of the white dragon-race could have been prevented."

Estel then gazed at the expression of her two friends.
They both had a grim, and worried expression as they believed it to be her last days.

[Ugh, why do I always get stuck in situations like this.
But it's not like I can just walk there and say...
 
"Just Leave everything to me!
With my ability as a white dragon!
I can make your troubles go away."

Then imagined she will be treated like a saint...
"All Hail our savior" by Unknown bystander.

Then an assassin came from behind her.

"For IMMORTALITY!"
As a stranger stabbed her from behind.
"GUAAAH!" The sound of her dying breath as her soul floats away.
*Ding...*
"Try your luck next time in the afterlife." Angel-San.]

The only thing she could think of...
[Nope, nope, nope.
Can't risk it...
There should be a way to do this without being noticed.]

As she looks around the room, she saw a large variety of decoration.
Painting, gorgeous flowers and etc.
But what struck her most intrigued was...
The Large Decorative Armor holding a Large Halberd.
Its size was twice the size of an adult and quite intimidating to look at.
She then said in a low voice.

"This will do..." as she waved her hand releasing invisible strings as it connects to its body.
[My hair is already white, so there's no point in hiding this power.]
As prepared and waiting for an opportunity.

__________________________________________________________________________

// Queen Special Secret //

Leanne right now was reminiscing her past with her mother.
She looks at her then sighed.

[To think you will kick the bucket like this...
You were probably the most terrifying person I have ever met.
But still...

Despite all that,
you were still a capable person who created a shadow organization.
Underneath the family's nose...

If you wanted to,
You could have just assassinated my father and anyone else who wanted to take the throne...

And yet...
You didn't...

Instead, you used it to gather information about any threats from the inside to protect our family.

Truthfully the moment I discovered about your organization when I was at least 11 years old...
I was completely terrified the moment you appeared behind me with that smiling face of yours.
Your sweet voice as you told me.

"I had warned you many times, Leanne."

"To never look into the private things of others without permission.
Or else it will get you into Trouble."

Were her sweet and gentle words to me, yet there was a presence of danger behind it.
As I thought my means of possible escape to evade my own mother.
I had to buy more time...

"Mo-mother? What are these?" while I gave her a troubled smile.

"You've read them, right? It's my Se-cret,♡ " she said with a sweet smile.

I shuddered the moment heard her words.
As she then snapped her fingers and servants came from across the room.
From secret passages and other means, be it floors, walls or even from the roof.

I was completely surrounded in a single moment.

"I've heard you have been quite a naughty child lately.
So I wanted to surprise you."

"Now then... how shall we punish this naughty daughter of mine."

With a sparkling smile, I knew this was the day.

I screwed up.

________________________________________________________________________________

// Trick or Treat.//

"I'll... keep it a secret! it will be our secret!" I said to her.

"Oh... does that mean you will do what I say without questions."

I swiftly nodded to her words in a panic.

"Then as someone as curious and bright as you.
You have no quarrels if you were to study the Queens Education then?"

The moment she mentioned that I flinched with a troubled expression.
The queen education was something I managed to refuse for a long while.
It was full of pointless training to soothe my husband/king.
While also to present oneself properly to the public,
which is why I used a large number of excuses up until now.

Even if I did have a strong memory that doesn't technically mean I can master it in a full day.

After all...
That thing called queen education was simply torture.
The moment I saw the schedule around it, there was no way I'd endure that crap.

"Mother... I would like to-"

As I was about to decline,
she simply stood there as one of her servants pulls something...
I never thought my own mother would do...

She pulled out a large paddle with holes in it.
As she said.

"My... my... Is my snooping daughter.
Trying to decline her own punishment for prying into my chambers..."

She then said with anger in her eyes.
"Without My Permission."
While holding the paddle,
She then tested it on a female servant as she echoed in pain.

"Aiiiieee!" the servant cried.

The terror I felt, as she did such a thing without hesitation was immense.

"Good enough."  As she said while gazing at the fine quality of wood,
The other servant around the room nods as the female servant who tested it left the room.

My mother approached me with the paddle in hand.
"I've been quite lenient, Leanne.
But it appears obedience required a heavy hand."

I felt terror, fear, and danger...
As she held the paddle tightly in her hand slowly approaching me in the room.
I went pale white leaving me with only one choice.
As I kneeled with my hands on the floor begging for her forgiveness.

"Yes!
Mother, I will learn the Queen's education!
Please forgive me for my transgressions!
I will never do it again!"

For the first time...
I cried out for my dear life.

She then dropped the paddle, with a happy smile on her face.
"Oh, finally you understood...
You're finally willing to follow your mother's wishes then?"

A teardrop fell in my eye as I cried in my thoughts.
[You didn't give me a choice at all!]

As Leanne returns to the present.
She then touched her head as she noticed the marking of the curse across her face.

[With this... I'm finally free from your Queen's Education.
Though, your death was unexpected...
It was for the greater good.

As all your hard work, shall soon become mine.]

Leanne then cried crocodile tears, which she will soon later regret.
As she heard the sound of metal armor moving around the room.
"Leave this place!" The armor cried out.

"LEAAAAVE!" It echoed across the room.
As it raised its halberd towards the ground where Leanne stood.
Lana pulls her back pulling her away from harm, as she soon engaged it in combat.

"What is going on here!
GUARDS!" Her father cried out, soon soldiers opened the door only to watch the giant armor move.

As they all watch the metal armor changing its posture, parrying Lana's blow.
She then soon found an opening as she struck its head, flying across the room.
They saw it was hollow and empty.

As the Head floated back to its body.

Lana's face then paled, as she saw it.
But Leanne was shocked as well.
However, she noticed something that happened during their escape from the bandits.
Like invisible strings being moved like a puppet.
Its movement was dull and predictable.

She turned behind her where her mother was resting.
As she saw it.

Estel who had one hand moving erratically as luminous light shined a bit beside her.

"Estel, don't!" She cried out to her but it was too late.
As malicious energy were released from the queen,
As it spread across the palace the moment she touched it.

________________________________________________________________________

// Hello, Pandemonium. //

As she touched it with her draconic hand on her right and manipulating a puppet with her left.
She then turned to Leanne, as she swiftly hid both her hand while shape-shifting her draconic hand to normal.

Leanne swiftly walked to her as she lowered her voice trying to not draw attention from them.
"What the heck did you just do!?" she said to her, while shaking her shoulders with both hands.

But as she turned to her mother,
She saw the curse slowly beginning fading away.

"No... way...You... didn't."
As she smacked her face in regret, the chaos will soon follow as Lana screamed watching the horrors in front of her.

The two of them soon turned to Lana.
They saw her completely freezing the puppet with her magic.
But then...
There was another problem, as Undead corpses had begun to crawl out of walls from thin air like a horror movie.
Sounds of screams of servants are heard as they run towards guards in search of escape.

Her father on the room saw the undead then turned to Leanne and Estel as he pulls one of the nearby sword racks beside him as he shouted.

"Look Out!" cutting down a few ghouls as its stench began to invade their noses.

"Uuugh." Leanne and Estel said in unison while kneeling on the floor coughing.

He then turned to his wife his eyes gleamed with hope.
"No way, did the both of you did this?"

As Leanne was about to retort.
Estel then interrupted.
"Yes,
Leanne brought a curse-breaking potion to administer to her in secret.
Hoping it will work."

Leanne looks at her with the face saying: [Are you #@*(#@ serious?]

But Estel had was panicking at that moment, unsure of what was happening around her.
As a ghoul was able to stand properly in the room, It then swiftly charged towards the Queen in fury.

While Leanne's father swiftly defended her as he then said.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha...
As expected of my daughter.
But they seem to be focusing on your mother."

Turning to Everyone in the room.
He then shouted.

"Everyone, help me protect my family."

Leanne could only laugh with him in both sorrow and frustration.
She then leaned on Estel as she whispered in her ears.
"You and I are going to have a private talk later."

As she continued to laugh with a mixed emotion in it.
Estel showed a blank and bored expression.
The palace had completely turned into an undead wonderland.

Inside her thoughts were.
[I thought it was just like Jake's curse.
I thought everything will be just like before, where no one will notice it.
But why the heck is this suddenly happening.] (ﾉಥ益ಥ)ﾉ

________________________________________________________________________________

// It's the Demon's Fault! //

"You Fiends!?
What have you done to the castle!" A guard shouted as he charges in with sword in hand.

Esla wearing a beautiful black dress with red roses as it showed her skin then grabbed the guards weapon with one hand as she yawned. She then shattered it in front of the guard.

As he paled in fear of her might.
"Hiiii!" As he crawled on the floor while she walked towards him.
She then calmly said.
"We didn't do this you know,
If we wanted to attack your palace,
We could have eradicated everyone here."

The shadow knight captain then said.
"How strange, this malicious energy seems to have come from the inner palace."

The few Shadow knight then asked.
"What should we do?"

"Continue your work with the gate.
We need that portal, up and running so the princesses can return home safely.
As well as gain support from the castle to spread our search further."

"Esla, act as our representative.
Seid and the rest will protect the gate.
We can't have these foolish humans use this as an excuse to delay our search."

"We can also spread our search, during this commotion while helping them deal with this stupid-

As the Shadow knight captain smashed the head of a ghoul straight to the floor making a small crater.

"Undead problem." while dusting off the dirt from his metal gauntlets.

Esla then yawned as she saw the undead seeing it as a meager threat.

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