The Queen Behind the Smile

When we arrived in front of the tavern, Shana began to tremble.

“Hey, calm down,” Koharu said, touching her shoulder.

"No one will humiliate you in front of us," Koharu said.

— By the way, Shana… — I asked

—, how old are you? — I asked.

— Twenty years. — Shana replied.

"What?! Three years older than us?!" Koharu and I said together.

She blinked, confused.

“Is this bad?” Shana asked.

— No, just… unexpected. — I replied , laughing awkwardly.

We went in. The noise stopped immediately.

Everyone looked at us, in fact the looks were focused on Shana with contempt for her.

A large man with a scruffy beard stood up.

"Well, well... if it isn't that loser Shana. Have you brought any new idiots to die with you?" the man said .

Shana lowered her head in shame.

Before I could say anything, Koharu stepped forward.

"We're from the adventurer registry. Our goal is to help those in need, just like heroes do," Koharu said.

“Koharu… stop lying… I can feel it …”

The pain came suddenly. A tightness in the stomach.

I started to sweat coldly.

"Fujimoto?" Shana asked , startled.

The pain got worse.

My right eye began to burn, and a purple light escaped through the iris.

I looked down—my abdomen was also glowing the same color.

— P- please… Koharu… Shana… take me to the room… now. — I said desperately.

Koharu realized something was wrong and carried me with Shana's help.

They laid me down on the bed in the room.

Koharu lit a lamp.

“What is that purple light?” she asked , startled.

Shana, with a shaky voice, removed my shirt.

They both held their breath.

Right in the center of my abdomen, a black eye was open and pulsing alive.

"What is this?!" Koharu shouted .

“I’ll try to heal it!” Shana said , touching the spot with her hands glowing in golden light.

But… nothing happened.

Koharu thought quickly.

"It must have something to do with his power… Hidden Observatory," Koharu said .

"What are you going to do?" Shana asked .

"Tie him up," Koharu replied coldly.

"If that thing reacts again, it could be dangerous," Koharu replied.

She tied my arms with ropes, trying to keep me calm.

"I'm going after the red dragon. If I defeat it before it attacks the city, no one gets hurt," Koharu said.

“This is suicide!” Shana shouted .

Koharu smiled, but there was something sad in her gaze.

"I don't care. Even if I don't live long… I've already been happy for these two days," Koharu said .

She looked at me one last time.

"Rest easy, Fujimoto. When I get back, we'll look for Max together."

And he walked out the door, disappearing into the darkness.

Some time later, I opened my eyes.

The pain was gone.

The black eye on my abdomen had disappeared.

But my hands were still tied.

— Shana! — I called .

"What 's going on? Let me go!" I yelled at her.

— I can't. Koh aru asked me not to let you go. — Shana replied.

— Where did she go?! — I asked.

— Behind the dragon, — she replied.

My heart froze.

"What?! She's going to die! We don't even know the true power of this monster!" I screamed desperately.

Shana tried to calm me down.

"She looks strong. She'll be fine," Shana said.

I banged my head on the pillow in frustration.

"You don't understand, Shana. Max will kill her if we don't explain the truth!" I said.

Her eyes widened.

— What do you mean?! — she asked me without understanding anything.

— Max is alive! — I shouted .

"The man downstairs, Roman, knew, but he was afraid to tell. Max and the dragon are going to attack this village," I revealed to Shana.

— W- why?! — Shana asked in disbelief.

"Because he found out the village humiliated you. And now he wants revenge," I replied.

Shana turned pale.

— I… I understand. But even so, I can't let you go… — Shana said.

I sighed, gritting my teeth.

—Then I'm sorry, Shana. — I said.

Before she could react, I kicked her in the abdomen.

The dagger that was on the table fell, ricocheting and almost hitting me.

I managed to grab it with my mouth and cut the ropes, spitting the metal onto the floor.

“Koharu… hold on tight. I’m coming.”

I decided to escape by throwing a rope out the window, but when I thought about it a light appeared behind me and I got scared.

It was Shana.

I first felt it like a chill in the air, like an aura so dense it made my skin vibrate.

Raw, compressed, almost sweet energy… and dangerously familiar.

(That aura… is very strong.)

“Are you the Shana I met today?” I asked , staring at the silhouette in front of me.

She answered me with a beautiful, calm smile, as if nothing around her mattered.

— It's me — he said.

Behind her, winged creatures floated like elegant shadows—they looked like bats with smooth masks and translucent wings.

Their eyes assessed me.

“Are those… monsters yours?” I asked .

They hissed in irritation. The girl raised her hand.

"Calm down, my loves. He doesn't know anything," she told them.

And he turned to me:

"How about we stop and talk for a bit, Fujimoto?" she asked.

"After we save Koharu, we'll talk," I replied.

Her smile faded. Her expression turned cold;

"Do you understand the position you're in?" she said in a heavy voice.

I swallowed hard.

"So this is your true face. You and Max planned this together," I said.

—Don't get me wrong, — he said calmly.

"I just want to talk. Besides… I didn't even know Max was alive. And before you ask, I've already guaranteed Koharu's safety." She continued.

“What if I refuse to talk?” I asked.

"I'll kill you right here. And let the dragon take care of Koharu," she replied.

For a moment, the world seemed to tighten. I had no choice.

If she was telling the truth… I needed to confirm it. I closed my eyes and whispered:

“ Hidden Observatory.”

The magic window opened before me—and my blood ran cold.

Name: Shana ???

Class: ???

Level: 15

Attack: 660

Defense: 860

Intelligence: 880

HP: 1160

Speed: 560

Magic Attack: 660

Magic Defense: 1030

(What…? Why are her numbers at such absurd levels? And where is “Priestess”? Where is “Melria”? Who is she really?!)

—So you're snooping on my statuses—he said, with slight irony.

"It's ugly to see other people's things without permission," Shana said in an ironic tone.

She began to laugh. A light laugh, but there was nothing fragile about it.

“What… are you laughing at?” I asked tensely.

"There's no reason to be afraid, Fujimoto. Like I said: I just want to talk," she replied.

— Okay. Then let's talk. — I agreed even though I didn't want to.

— Sit down. It'll take a while. — she said.

I blinked.

The next moment, I was already in the room, sitting on the bed.

Shana also sat down… on the same bed, next to me.

“ T-there’s another bed,” I stammered.

“Why did you sit here?” I asked stutteringly.

The winged creatures, her “monsters,” stirred, as if amused.

Shana held up a finger.

"Quiet, Transmons ," Shana told them.

—Transmons …? — I muttered .

—Transportation demons. — She smiled.

"They're my flight companions, " Shana continued.

"Transportation… demons? So you're a demon?" I asked.

"I'm not a demon." She tilted her face, her eyes shining.

"I am the current Demon Queen. The 222nd in all of history," Shana said firmly.

My legs felt shaky.

(So… she’s the “demon king” they want me to kill?)

—But don't worry—he continued.

—I'm not like past generations,— Shana said.

Her aura, once sharp, became warm. Almost serene.

My chest loosened a little.

—So we have nothing to worry about…? — I asked suspiciously.

— We do. — Her gaze turned serious.

"There are demons who believe Lucifitus is salvation… and they tried to resurrect him," Shana said.

—Who is Lucifitus ? — I asked.

"The first demon king. Cruel. Dictator." Shana replied firmly.

— I want a world where demons live in peace with other races… but I was betrayed by those who still follow his ideology, — she said.

"Did they manage to resuscitate him?" I asked her.

"No. I interrupted the ritual. But since then, I've been on the run… and I had to seal my own power. Because of the seal, I'll only regain my original form when I reach level 100," Shana replied.

“So this form of yours isn’t complete?” I asked.

—Exactly. — she replied.

— And the surname “Melria”, the class “Priestess”… — I was going to ask, but Shana interrupted me.

"Effects of the seal. The power rewrote me as a human and decided the labels on its own," Shana answered.

Her aura darkened when she spoke of betrayal.

I felt it.

—And these transmons ? — I asked , just to breathe.

She laughed.

"They're my darlings. I like playing with them. That's why I go to the field every now and then, " Shana said happily.

The transmons swirled happily in the air as she hugged them.

Then Shana looked me in the eyes.

"I was honest. Now… answer what I ask," Shana said.

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" I asked her.

“Easy.” She pointed to her wrist.

"I'm not wearing the bracelet that protects me against mental techniques. Your power can check if I'm lying now," Shana said.

A shiver ran down his spine.

(She knows about the Hidden Observatory…)

— My power? What do you mean…? — I asked.

—I noticed you at the tavern, — he said firmly.

"When Koharu lied about the 'adventurer class,' you felt pain." She continued.

When Roman lied about Max, too. The transdemons and I deduced that his power reacts to lies.

I swallowed hard. She was right.

“And how do I prove that I can see through your lies?” I asked.

—Want to try it? — She stared at me, motionless.

— Yes. — I replied.

She smiled, changing her mind on purpose.

"I don't love Max. I love you, Fujimoto," Shana said , telling a lie to test me.

The pain came like a blade. My abdomen glowed purple; the black eye beneath the skin tried to open.

I bit my teeth.

"Does the intensity of the lie increase the pain…? Or is it the accumulation of lies that breaks you like this?" Shana observed clinically.

— I… don't know. — I replied.

"Why are you and Koharu here?" Shana asked.

“We were forcibly summoned,” I replied , breathless.

—The Kingdom of Syros called the whole gang as 'heroes' to destroy the Demon King, — I replied.

"Do you intend to kill me?" she asked me.

— No. — I firmed my voice.

"As soon as they discovered my power, they lied to turn us against each other. They spread rumors so the other heroes would want to kill me and Koharu," I revealed to her.

"You want to protect her, don't you?" Shana asked.

—I… I… — my throat closed. I wanted to say yes. But the word wouldn't come out.

In one swift movement, Shana threw me back onto the bed and brought her face close to mine.

"Look at me and tell me: do you dare go where Koharu is?" Shana asked me with a piercing gaze.

I was speechless for a second.

The memory came like a thunderclap: me, seven years old, paralyzed, unable to help a crying girl.

I never forgot that day.

(Not this time. I won't tremble.)

— Shana! — I shouted.

She turned, ready to leave.

— What is it? — she asked.

— Wait. I'll go with you. — I replied.

The girl smiled, finally.

—That's how it's said. Let's go. — Shana said with a smile.

—But… how are we going to get there on time? — I asked.

Shana opened the window and jumped out. The wind lifted her blue hair, and a Greater Transmon , a colossal, broad-backed version, appeared beneath her feet.

The wings beat once, and the air vibrated.

One of the smaller transmons whispered something in her ear. Shana paled.

"Quickly! We need to go now!" Shana said firmly.

(That idiot… didn't do it… If we don't get there in time, Koharu will die.)

I swallowed my anxiety, jumped, and almost fell. My body swayed in the void.

“Hold on tight to my waist!” Shana shouted .

I blushed.

— T-that's not…! — I tried to say the words.

"Idiot! This is no time for shame! Do you want to save Koharu or not?!" Shana asked.

I squeezed her waist.

— H-hey ! My body… stuck! — I said blushing.

Anti-tremor magic . Makes the passenger stick to the pilot. Helps with the flight," he explained dryly.

transmons ' wings sliced through the sky. The city was left behind, a tiny dot.

Ahead, the dark edge of the forest where Koharu and Max were—and where the red dragon roared impatiently.

—Hang on, Koharu. I'm going . — I whispered .

Shana tilted her body, and the transmon shot out like an arrow.

We were.