The Branded Female Fencer

What would you like to do with Chaska, Your Highness?

Well...

Chaska, with Vayka's sword at his throat, collapses on the spot like a threadbare doll. And Saulka looks at it with a puzzled face. Jeměka stares blankly from a distance, and Vatorka looks at it with enlightened clarity.

It's a good idea to have a good time with them.

'If it's the law of the village--no, not the village.

The extreme penalty. The crime of waking up Ukko and nearly destroying a continent is more than a serious one. I propose that he beheaded immediately.

Of course, you can't let it go unnoticed.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea. But he was not quick enough to reach the decision to cut off Chaska's head, or to sit up.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.

'Was that boy the one who woke Ukko up?

Yes, I see.

"It's inexcusable - but why don't you ask her why she did it?

Of course I will. But I have a problem...

"...ahhhhhhh!　Eeeeeeeeeee!

Chaska suddenly started crying before she could finish saying those words. It's not a bad idea to have a good time.

It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

''Princess--this is.''

I knew it.

"I knew it?

"Alfiris, was it?　You know if your girl?　Her moon thing is terrible.

"Huh?

Alfiris, who had no idea what they were talking about, blushed after a while.

"That thing... that thing?

Yes, the thing. Chaska is actually not that different from me in terms of the number of years she's been born. I'm not going to be able to say that I'm not going to be able to do anything about it. By the way, Vika--

"It's about 17 generations.

Yes. As a warrior princess, she is supposed to be the closest to the prototype, the most powerful warrior princess - Chaska is the most powerful of them all. You see?　Her power is the manipulation of time. She can move forward or backward at will. But the power comes at a price. She's not as physically fit as a warrior princess, not much more than a well-trained human. And she spends most of her life sleeping. Well, I hope to be awake once every hundred years.

"Hundred years?

"Your Highness, that's all you have to do--

Vayka tried to appeal to him, but Saulka dismissed him. If you look at it, Jeměka and Vatorka are also rolling their eyes in surprise. I'm sure it's a secret, even among the warrior princesses.

But Saulka didn't hide the fact that he told Alfiris and the others.

It's okay, it's not a big deal. In the first place, it was their hiding that led to Chaska's escape. I've been arguing for more freedom for Chaska, as have Prateka and I.

Oh, if you say so, Your Highness...

Anyway, she's spent most of her life sleeping. The actual number of years she's been awake is less than 20 years. Sleeping and waking up changes the face of the warrior princesses around her, and she's not allowed to spend any waking hours or even go out for a decent amount of time. And my good friends, me and Pratekha, were not always awake - and as I spent time with them, her inner life changed. She began to have a death wish. But the survival instinct is a tricky one, and if you try to take yourself out, the time rewinds automatically. She couldn't even do it.

"...so you sought out the power to destroy yourself?

That's what it's all about, isn't it? And the spirit, unable to maintain its equilibrium, became brutal and desperate for destruction during the time of the thing, and at other times regressed like an infant. With this beauty and ability, his mental state is the equivalent of an infant. If a Chaska in this state were to be unleashed on the world--

Hmmm, you never know what's going to happen.

Alfiris snarled like a Saulkha. It's easy to imagine how dangerous it is, but more than that, you never know what will happen. The warrior princesses are afraid, and I wonder if it is inevitable that they won't let them leave the village.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea," continued Sorka.

I'm not sure what to say. And this means that the time of the thing is over. Chaska's abilities are almost useless in this state, but you never know what will cause him to go out of control.

"How to hold?

It's best to let him sleep. But in our village--

I heard that it was destroyed, is it true?

The warrior princesses were thinking about what the mid-level administrator had said during the battle. Sorka wrinkled her brow, but tried to remain calm.

I'm not very good at using my head, to be honest...that was the job of the other warrior princesses, and Prateka was there to control me when I needed her to. I could go for a bit and come right back, but I used quite a bit of power, so I'll have to replenish it a bit.

What is the location of the village?

It was Stelvese who approached me. The Jabberwock explains that she is a clairvoyant. Sollka claps her hands together and seems to remember.

'Well, you have such a gift, my dear. But the wards make it impossible for you to see with your clairvoyance, right?

It's a test - I'm still foggy, but I can help you with that. It's an apology for not being able to do a good job of defeating Ukko. We'll see.

You didn't have to worry about it, but you're so disciplined.

"We once fought side by side, didn't we?

Well, I'll take you up on your offer--somewhere around here.

Following Sorka's words, Stelvese activates his clairvoyance. After a while, its expression becomes cloudy.

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