The Eminence in Shadow, Vol. 2 (Light Novel)

by Daisuke Aizawa

  This is how the world goes round, I think as I gaze at the endless blue summer sky.

  Rose walks down the dark underground tunnel.

  Blood is still trickling from the wound she sustained on her back during her escape. The cut isn’t deep, but it definitely isn’t shallow, either.

  It should have been treated immediately, but Rose’s pursuers haven’t given her time to indulge in such luxuries.

  Instead, she’s focusing her magic on the wound to prevent it from getting any worse. As time presses on, though, the pain grows and her stamina dwindles.

  Her breathing is shallow.

  As she keeps an eye out for her assailants, her mind keeps racing.

  What had been the right thing for her to do?

  What would have brought about the best outcome?

  The questions spiral around in her mind, but no answers seem forthcoming.

  Stabbing Perv, her fiancé, had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She hadn’t done it impulsively, though. She’d used the limited time she had to figure out her best option, then acted on it…or at least, she’d tried to.

  But she’d failed.

  Perv had survived, and she had to flee.

  However, it was only a failure in hindsight. She’d misjudged Perv’s skill, but the choice to eliminate him hadn’t been wrong in and of itself.

  In fact, she’d had no choice. The moment she’d seen her father’s—King Oriana’s—lifeless eyes, she knew she had to get rid of Perv. In her estimation, all the rumors—Perv’s connection to the Cult and the empty puppet that was left of her father—had changed to fact.

  That was why she’d drawn her blade.

  Had she been overly impulsive?

  Had she acted in haste?

  Could she really say she hadn’t been spurred on by impatience and rage?

  Rose had thought she was making the rational choice.

  She hadn’t wanted to rely on Alexia and Natsume. After all, the Oriana Kingdom had to resolve the matter internally. That had only been a hunch, but Rose had been confident in it.

  And politically, at least, she’d been right.

  Her gambit had ended in failure because of it, but it was still Rose’s mistake and the Oriana Kingdom’s problem. The Midgar Kingdom still hadn’t gotten wrapped up in the mess. She’d subconsciously dodged the worst-case scenario.

  It was just a matter of time, though, before that came to pass, too.

  The words Perv yelled after her as she’d fled echo within her ears.

  “Turn yourself in before the Bushin Festival ends! Or I’ll make King Oriana kill one of the other guests of honor!”

  If King Oriana really did kill another dignitary like Perv said…it would mean war. Rose isn’t sure how serious he was about that, but it’s possible the Cult only sees King Oriana as a minor pawn.

  And if that’s the case…

  Rose grinds her teeth. Her face contorts in anguish.

  Her father is no brilliant leader, and Oriana is no vast kingdom.

  To her, though, they’re the only father and motherland she has.

  All she wanted was to protect them.

  But that desire led to impatience.

  Rose slams her fist against the tunnel wall.

  At the end of the day, she let her emotions get the better of her and acted impulsively. She’d thought she could just kill Perv and fix everything, but that had been naive.

  Perv was nothing more than a sacrificial pawn. She should have realized how deep the Cult’s roots ran throughout Oriana and that killing him wouldn’t accomplish anything.

  There has to be some other option…some magical action she can take that would fix everything…

  Rose slumps onto the damp ground.

  Implausible scenarios dance through her mind, taunting her. If only she’d done something cleverer and everything had lined up neatly…

  But now, it’s all over. She isn’t even sure why she’s fleeing.

  What good would escaping do her?

  What would it change?

  Shouldn’t she turn herself in?

  Yeah…that’d be for the best.

  “I see… All I have to do is turn myself in.”

  She still doesn’t know what the optimal course had been then. However, her best option now is simple.

  By turning herself in, she can at least prevent a war.

  Thinking that makes her feel a little better. At the same time, she’s assailed with sorrow and grief, as though she’s lost something precious to her.

  Rose pulls the Tuna King wrapper from her pocket. She ate the sandwich long ago, but it still smells faintly of bread.

  It reminds her of a certain boy with black hair. He’s almost certainly heard what’s happened by now. She wonders what he thinks of it.

  Is he worried about her?

  Does he still believe in her?

  Is he perhaps…searching for her himself?

  If she’d been able to kill Perv and bring the king back to his senses… If a future existed where everything had gone right… Would she have been able to marry him and live out her life by his side?

  That is, no doubt, what she’s been dreaming of.

  “I’m sorry…” Rose chokes out the words.

  A single tear rolls down her cheek.

  Her actions had shattered that picturesque dream into pieces.

  Rose delicately folds up the Tuna King wrapper and puts it in her skirt pocket. She thinks of it almost as her dream’s last remaining fragment.

  “Ow…!”

  A sharp pain runs through her chest. When she parts her clothes to look at it, she finds a series of dark bruises.

  It’s a symptom of the possession. The bruises only appeared recently.

  Rose hangs her head and lets out an empty laugh. Her dream was never destined to come to fruition.

  Suddenly, a small noise reaches Rose’s ears.

  Is it her pursuers’ footsteps?

  No—it’s too gentle, too lovely to be footsteps. When she strains her ear, she recognizes it as a piano.

  “‘Moonlight Sonata’…?”

  She’s well versed in music, so she’s familiar with the piece. The composition received unusually high praise, even in Oriana, a kingdom of the arts, and now she can hear it coming from the end of the tunnel.

  “It’s beautiful…”

  It’s as though the “Moonlight Sonata” is all there is.

  The performance is polished to a profound degree of perfection, almost as though the pianist’s entire life was spent building up to this one piece.

  Rose follows the music toward the source as if a ray of moonlight is beckoning her.

  The tunnels are referred to as the capital’s underground labyrinth, but they feel less like a labyrinth and more like ruins. The walls are made of sturdy stone and covered in carvings and ancient glyphs.

  Each has a number of doors in it, but the majority of them don’t open. Maybe they need keys, or perhaps some mechanism inside the ruins is stuck.

  Rose can hear herself getting closer to the piano.

  When she turns the corner, she discovers a massive, dilapidated door.

  The noise is coming from beyond it.

  When she slips through one of the door’s large holes, she finally reaches the source of the music.

  She’s in a cathedral filled with fantastical light. On the wall, there’s a set of stained-glass windows depicting the heroes and a dismembered demon.

  Light rains down from beyond the stained glass.

  It’s all centered on a grand piano.

  “Shadow…”

  He’s the one playing “Moonlight Sonata” in the abandoned cathedral.

  Rose closes her eyes and takes in the beautiful melody.

  Shadow’s “Moonlight Sonata” is different from all the other renditions Rose has ever heard. The composition is the same, but thanks to the instrumentalist, the tone is different.

  Shadow’s “Moonlight Sonata” is one of
darkness.

  The deep, permeating darkness of the night with a single ray of light shining through it.

  Perhaps that ray is coming from the moon, or perhaps…

  The piece reaches its conclusion before Rose can come up with an answer.

  She takes in the music’s final reverberations, then claps.

  Her solo applause echoes through the cathedral.

  Shadow, of course, hears it. He rises from his seat and replies with an elegant bow.

  “Shadow, that was…”

  When Rose gets to that point in her sentence, though, she realizes that she doesn’t know what to say next. She just knows she has to say something or Shadow will leave.

  “That was, without a doubt, the finest rendition of ‘Moonlight Sonata’ I’ve ever heard. Um…”

  Rose finds herself wondering what she’s trying to get at.

  This isn’t what she needs to ask him.

  “What have you wrought…?” Shadow’s voice echoes like it’s coming from the abyss itself.

  “What…?” Rose thinks for a moment, then understands. He’s asking why she did what she did. “I…” She casts her gaze down, then chokes out the words. “I just wanted to protect everyone… I wanted to reach a happier future… But I couldn’t make that happen…!”

  “Is this where it ends…?”

  “What…?”

  “Is this where your fight ends…?”

  “It’s not like…I wanted it to end here…”

  Rose clenches her fists.

  She wanted to make things better. She still does, even now. But there’s nothing left that she can do.

  “If you have the will to fight…then I shall bestow it upon you,” says Shadow. Bluish-purple magic gathers atop his palm. “I shall grant you power…”

  “Power…?”

  The bluish-purple magic flares, casting its radiance over the entire cathedral. The air trembles from the magic’s density.

  “Will I be able to change the future…with your powers?”

  “That depends on you.”

  Rose suddenly realizes she’s drawn to the magic. If she was as strong as Shadow…she’d be able to change everything.

  If she had power…then there were things she’d still be able to do. Things that, as a princess of the Oriana Kingdom, she had to do.

  Light returns to her eyes.

  “I want it… I want power…”

  “Very well…”

  And the bluish-purple magic bursts.

  It makes a beeline for Rose, then plunges into her chest and body.

  The power’s warmth suppresses her raging magic and settles it. It was heavy and uncontrollable a moment ago, but now she can command it with ease.

  “It’s amazing…”

  Her voice is full of sincerity.

  So this is Shadow’s magic…

  This is the world he sees…

  “Revolt… And prove to me…that you have the strength to fight alongside me.”

  She suddenly realizes she can’t see where Shadow’s gone.

  His voice is the only thing left of him still in the cathedral.

  “Remember… True strength comes not from power but from the way you live your life…”

  And with that, Shadow’s presence vanishes completely.

  Rose finds herself alone in the cathedral.

  She can hear her pursuers’ footsteps. She can sense the subtle movements in the air.

  Unprecedented amounts of magic are churning within her body.

  She had been prepared to let them catch her, but with this power…she still has a hand to play.

  Rose draws her rapier and stares at the broken door.

  A group clad all in black bursts through it…and blood fills the air.

  They die before they can even perceive Rose’s blade.

  Having drenched the cathedral in blood, Rose stows her rapier and closes her eyes.

  This must be how Shadow has fought against the Cult. Unseen and unceasing.

  Rose is reminded of Shadow’s rendition of “Moonlight Sonata.”

  She feels as though she finally understands what the sole ray of light amid the darkness means.

  Perhaps the light is Shadow himself.

  He isn’t the darkness but the light standing against it.

  That’s how Rose sees it, at least.

  “If we keep rolling out this string, we’ll be able to find our way back just fine.” Alexia strides forward through the underground labyrinth.

  “I can only hope you’re right about that,” replies Beta from behind her. She yawns.

  “Wait, did you just yawn?”

  “Why would I do that? I will say, though, it’s already been more than half a day. Would you consider turning back? It seems most unlikely that she’s even down here.”

  “Maybe you’re right. I was pretty confident in my source, though…”

  “Once we get back, we can try digging around for information again.”

  Their footsteps echo through the lamplit tunnel.

  It continues on monotonously.

  Suddenly, Beta senses a powerful burst of magic and stops in her tracks.

  Alexia stops a beat slower and whirls around.

  “Just now…someone was using magic. And a lot of it…”

  “It could have been Princess Rose.”

  “Wait, did you notice it before I did?”

  “Only by chance. And the only magic I can perform myself is defensive.”

  “Well, if you say so. We should hurry.”

  The two of them rush toward the magic.

  After passing through a massive, broken door, they find themselves in an old cathedral.

  “Rose…”

  Rose is standing there with her eyes closed.

  Strewn at her feet are a group of corpses all clad in black. Seeing that Rose is clearly different than normal, Alexia stops in her tracks.

  “Alexia, is that you…?” Rose slowly opens her eyes.

  “What is with your magic…?”

  “I’ve obtained power…and now, I have to follow through on my beliefs.”

  With that, Rose strides past Alexia.

  “W-wait! What’s going on?! Why did you stab your fiancé?!”

  Rose looks over her shoulder. “Alexia…I’m sorry. I don’t want to get you wrapped up in this.” She gazes at her as though something is too bright.

  “Please tell me why! At the very least! If you don’t, I won’t know what’s going on!”

  “If I tell you, you’ll be part of it.”

  Alexia returns Rose’s look with a glare. “Back at the Sanctuary…we were all powerless. We were just there, spectating. We didn’t even know who was in the right and who was in the wrong. We only knew that if we stayed in the dark, we’d eventually lose everything we held dear… That’s why we got together and talked. We agreed we’d protect that stuff together, the three of us.”

  As Rose listens to Alexia’s speech, she looks as though she’s gazing at something distant and hazy.

  “I believed in what we said that day, so why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’m just a spectator, too?”

  “I’m sorry…”

  “Answer me!”

  Rose offers Alexia a sad smile. “It’s too late for me to go back. That’s why…I’m jealous of you.”

  “I don’t follow. You’re jealous of an ignorant spectator?”

  “That’s not what I mean. I’ve already lost so much, and I’m sure I’ll lose even more. People will disavow me, call me evil.”

  “What are you planning on doing…?”

  “I’m sorry… I have to go.”

  Rose makes to leave, but Alexia clicks her tongue to halt her in her tracks. “Stop right there.”

  With that, Alexia draws her sword. “Enough of this. I’ll just make you listen by force. I’m no spectator.”

  Rose draws her rapier in kind.

  The two of them stare at each other. Alexia’s red eyes are
filled with rage, Rose’s honey eyes with a deep sadness.

  The tip of Rose’s rapier twitches.

  Then, they move in unison.

  Their reactions are simultaneous, their speed is identical, and their overall skill is a perfect match.

  For an instant, surprise colors Rose’s face. She’s supposed to be the strongest dark knight in the academy. There’s supposed to be a definitive gap between her skill and Alexia’s. That was true when she enrolled, at least.

  In that tiny time frame, though, Alexia’s sword work has progressed so rapidly, it’s nigh unrecognizable. It bears a striking resemblance to the style of a certain man.

  That’s right, Alexia’s technique…is Shadow’s.

  The two blades collide.

  Magic explodes, covering the cathedral.

  The two of them are evenly matched, yet the result is clear.

  Alexia’s sword goes flying into the air, and Rose strikes her in the chin with her rapier’s hilt.

  Alexia crumples.

  Rose simply has more magic.

  If Alexia’s magic had been on the same level…who can say how the fight would have gone?

  “I’m sorry.”

  Rose apologizes to Alexia one last time, then stands to leave.

  That’s when she notices Natsume.

  Oddly, Natsume has been completely outside of Rose’s view.

  “Miss Natsume… I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

  “I won’t try to stop you. I don’t have the right.”

  Natsume’s expression is impossible to read.

  Rose remembers Natsume as having been a much softer person than this.

  “But…I will say that this is a surprise. Even idiots have their worries, I see. We may have come from different countries, belonged to different organizations, possessed different dispositions, and held different beliefs. Nevertheless, we were all working toward the same goal. Maybe this alliance of ours wasn’t so bad after all…”

  “Miss Natsume…?”

  “Godspeed. Someday, our paths will cross again… Until then, I have a little more babysitting to do.”

  With that, Natsume kneels and starts tending to Alexia.

  “Miss Natsume, who are…?”

  “You’d best be on your way. She’s only fainted, so she’ll be up any minute now.”

  Natsume grins impishly.