The Girl With the Blackwings 2

And now, we're back to the beginning.

With all these people prostrating themselves around me.

My chest was feeling especially heavy, and I had a feeling of loss along with a lighter feeling around my crotch.

I noticed the dress and cloak I was wearing, as well as my long hair on the edge of my sight along with black wings growing out of my back.

Looking with my vision, which had gotten strangely good, and using a window that was a distance away, I saw an unbelievably beautiful girl reflected back at me. It was like a joke.

I… became Haru? Nonono. No way.

I'm a guy, right? Haru is a girl, right? She was a beautiful girl character that I made after several hours of scratching my head over her, and for a stupid reason, too, you know? I just thought I'd be more into it looking at a cute girl the entire time rather than at a guy. Like, what's even the point of becoming her? Now I can't see her at all!

"...Hm. Now, We're quite unable to grasp the entire picture… Will someone explain this to us?" ...Heyyy!

I knew that my voice would be different. I was prepared for it.

But what was up with my speech?

I tried to say 'Sorry, I'm not really sure what's going on, so can someone explain this to me please?' But instead, something needlessly pompous spilled out of my mouth.

Isn't this exactly how I used to roleplay Haru when I was playing?

"What is wrong, children of man? Raise your heads. How long are you planning to lay there? Or is this the natural posture for your people? If that is so, We apologize for our ignorance." No, that's not what I meant! This is just roundabout sarcasm!

This isn't what I want to say.

'What's wrong? Please get up. If you keep staying like that we'll get nowhere. Also, this might be rude, but is this just how you all are normally? If that's the case, I'm sorry, I didn't know!'—That was what I was really trying to say.

But like that it was just really oppressive.

Oh no, with this habit everything I say gets blown out of proportion. What should I do?

...Ah, right! That's what it is, my racial skill, "Pressure!" I probably have it turned on.

Uhhh, I should be able to turn it on and off… Turn off, turn off! Come on, my Pressure!

Ghhh! My Pressure tingles…! "...Ah, is that it? Excuse us, what a thoughtless thing We have done. Of course it would be difficult to talk like this." Pressure, OFF! I tried to will it off, but unlike in the game, no convenient window popped up, and all these strange old guys stayed with their heads down and wouldn't move.

...Hey, I said OFF! You get it right? I want to stop my skill.

Please, just take a rest, Pressure.

Ah, no, please turn off, I'm begging you.

My desperate pleas must have worked, as all the people that had stayed prostrated up until now raised their heads, and started sending terrified looks my way.

"Oh, ohhh… Th-this figure is… No way… Sh-she was alive..." Some stick of an old man with long ears dressed like a priest said while shaking like a leaf.

How rude. I don't remember ever dying.

Ah, but didn't Haru just die yesterday?

"O-Ohhh... What a mistake we've committed... Something that will never be forgiven… never... Just why did the ritual for the descent of the hero... Instead of a hero, we have released the Black Empress..."

"—Hm, We understand now. It seems you all know of us. Then this situation, We shall have you explain it." It seems like that old man knows me.

Then things should go a little better if I get him to explain.

In order to calm him down I put on a smile, and tried to place my words as nicely as possible to convince him I was harmless.

"Do not be so afraid, child of man. We shall do nothing to you... Do not worry, and tell us everything."—But still, can't I do anything about the way I speak?

***

The Black Empress, Haru Heartfilia.

It happened one thousand years ago. The distinguished girl turned out, in the year 2000 of the Midgar calendar, to be hiding her true nature as an absolute ruler.

Her power would behead dragons bigger than mountains with a single swing of her arm, and her legs could carry her leagues in an instant. She was arrogant, and no one was more ruthless. Anybody that tried to stand against her would be beaten to the ground. Weaklings would not even be allowed to stand before her, and even the strong were torn to pieces like scraps of paper.

It was even said that she was the only opponent the grimm queen ever avoided.

—There is no shortage of historians who insist that if she had been allowed to remain in power, we might be living in a world without a grimm queen at all right now.

She was strong, relentlessly so. She used that strength to unite the world into one country and ruled over all races, with the exception of grimmfolk.

However, being too strong incurs fear.

Back then, people were not nearly as weak as they are now. There were heroes that could oppose Haru who gathered their courage and stood up to her.

The people came together, and with the objective of casting her down, they rose up against her.

That was probably the time people were most united in recorded history. Whether as a ruler or an enemy, for better or worse, no one united people like Haru had.

The heroes, who came together with bonds like steel, splendidly brought down her stronghold. They defeated her loyal subjects, the Twelve Zodiac's Guardians, and finally managed to drag Haru Heartfilia herself to the battlefield.

The battle lasted the entire night.

The sheer aura of willpower that Haru emitted would not even permit weaker opponents to stand, and out of eight million brave warriors, seven million of them had their wills crushed.

While carving through, piercing, or crushing countless warriors, Haru ran the line between life and death. Even while being cut by swords, pierced by spears, and burned by countless magics, she finally managed to land a fatal blow on The Chosen, the symbol of everyone's hope.

But The Chosen stood up once more. Using hope as her power, even after losing her life, she thrust her sword in order to destroy evil.

Then, the heroes all attacked at once.

Not even Haru Heartfilia could escape unscathed.

However, even so, she laughed.

With a pleasant smile, she shouted as if she would stand up once again:

"Well done! Well done, heroes of Midgar, you surpassed us splendidly! We have nothing but heartfelt admiration for your bravery and strength! But do not forget, the darkness has not left. With your union, you may yet defeat even the grimm queen—but should you lose, the world will be plunged into even greater darkness. Whether your path is one of light or darkness, We will be watching from the depths of hell! Khhahahahaha... HAAAHHHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"

Just like that, the story of Haru Heartfilia ended. Having already been defeated, she was further sealed into subspace, and it should have been impossible for her to ever return to this world.

Should have been.

Ahh, but then how should I explain this situation? How should I explain this black-winged girl, giving off an aura of absolute presence?

"So, how long are you planning to stay silent? You, were you not going to explain to us this present situation?" He, pitifully, was sitting across from Haru in one of the castle's meeting rooms.

—The elder elf, who thousand years ago succumbed to her Pressure without even being able to fight, thought:

Is this punishment from heaven for trying to summon a hero? The object of the ritual was to draw in an uninvolved bystander from another world, and make them fight. Yes, it was a sinful thing to do. He knew that.

That's why he was sure he would receive divine punishment, and was convinced that he would be cast down into the depths of hell.

Ahh, but Great Creator Naru, this is too cruel!

It's too much to revive the Black Empress when we were trying to summon a hero!

In response to his confusion, Haru Heartfilia crossed her arms and thought:

My wings are in the way; it's hard to sit. The situation wasn't as serious as the young elf was thinking.