The Alexia Kingdom is a monachal country at the western end of the continent. Spring is the longest season in the area and visitors and travellers would mostly describe it as a comfortable land. Despite only being a medium sized country, having the Thunderbolt Princess Knight and a strong army of knights to repel invaders and destroy monsters, it's a rather peaceful country whose main export is wool.
"Wait~. Onee-chan, wait up~."
"Hahh, hahh…. wait, it's a bit early."
Children play in the castle town. Leaving their home and running down a series of winding alleys. Every time their leather shoes slap the cobblestone ground, their let out their childish voices.
"Alright, we're here~."
The girls arrive at their goal, a square fountain in a plaza in front of a huge castle. Despite having run all the way here, one of the girls isn't breathing heavily at all. A heavy robe with a thick hood hiding her golden hair.
"Hehe~. I was first again today!"
"Hah, boo… I lost again~." "Ahhg, my side." "How are you first everytime, you're cheating!"
"How rude, I'm just dedicated and training properly."
A little girl stands proudly, her hands behind her back. Around her, the other children stare at her in amazement from where they sit on the ground. Or, to put it more accurately, from where they can't get up.
"If you can't beat me there's no way you can become a proper knight. So dedicate yourself and practice more."
"Gah, she's preaching!" "Yeah, yeah!" "Even though she's a tiny tits!"
"Mu, my breasts are completely unrelated aren't they!? I haven't even grown properly yet!"
"But they're totally tiny even though you're a Nee-chan!" "Yep, yep~."
"Shut up about them, they aren't something for your brats to worry about anyway!"
As her lively voice echoes around the plaza, adults who are walking along the roads look over and smile to themselves. Approaching from behind, a tall woman wearing a robe and hood similar to the girl in the plaza appears.
"Please don't go that far."
"Geh, Ire…"
The tall woman used her hand to close the girl's mouth. The movement so fast the arm seemed to instantly teleport back to her side.
"Muuuuuuuuuu! Hnnnnn~!"
"I'm sorry but I need to have a word with this person. Please continue your foot race without her."
"Uh, yeah." "Oh, okay." "Come on, let's go"
Running off and scattering in various directions, the children quickly flee the woman's intense gaze.
"This way."
"Hmmph~, I was just having a little fun!"
The two quickly duck into an unoccupied alley. After confirming there was no one around to see them, the taller woman lowered her hood. Seeing her face, one would be reminded of a cool snowy day, her skin pure white and expression chilly. She has shoulder length beautifully transparent silver hair and a strong aquiline nose that only enhances her beauty. She has an eye patch over her right eye that, while making her feel unapproachable, also adds to her sense of mystique. Her tall slender body is obviously well trained and her abdominal muscles, seen through the cloth over them, are like well-defined steel. Not only that, but strangely enough, her chest is dominated but a pair of gigantic milk making melons that assert themselves proudly.
"Why is the cornerstone of all of Alexia such a troublesome person?"
This moan is the head of the Alexia Kingdom's knights, Irene Bernstein. Despite being a woman she is known as the strongest regular knight in the kingdom who has travelled thousands of battlefields. Her strength of arms with a sword and bow are the best in the Kingdom and even a fearsome monster like a cyclops doesn't make her brow crease. However, as she now preaches at the girl in front of her, her brows are creased.
"Even though I've said it again and again, you can't just go around playing with the commoner's children. I know your duties as a princess are stressful, but please be more self-conscious of your position."
"Jeez, I get it. I'll be more serious so don't worry okay."
The girl puffing up her cheeks under her hood in none other than the Princess Knight Serena. It is her secret hobby to go into the castle town to play with children, but it seems she's been caught doing it once again. She's been caught playing outside the royal castle like this at least twenty times.
"If something happened to Serensama, there is no excuse I could offer to Her Majesty the Queen. Even though there are the knights always watching over you, never forget there are bastards from other Kingdoms who are always aiming at our Kingdom.
Serena is scolded by the woman holding her shoulders until Irene looks like she is about to burst out in tears. Known to the Kingdom's enemies as the "Silver Lion", it impossible to imagine anyway being able to make her cry. Irene's family have served the kingdom for generations and she and Serena have grown up together since their childhoods. In public they can't speak casually, but in private they are important family to one another.
(Because of all the battles lately, Durandal's curse has been getting stronger. Serena needs to start taking care of herself properly.)
Irene is one of the few people who knows of the curse. However, she isn't able to hold back and has to properly scold the princess despite her burden.
"I'm sorry I made you worry, I'll return to the castle."
"Luckily nothing bad happened. Don't forget that guarding you is why I'm a knight."
"Thanks Irene, and jeez, it feels like I haven't seen you in a while and yet you're all frowns. Fufu, then again, there are some cute places~."
"Se… Serensama, please do not tease me."
Smiling at the knight captain who is currently turning red, Serena turns and heads back towards the royal castle. The knights and their over protectiveness is because of the Queens current unusual state.
"Hey, wait a sec!"
At that moment, a strange feeling is sensed, the sign of a magical power that shouldn't be felt here. Except for the royal magicians employed in the castle, there shouldn't be any magical reactions in the town. The reaction is too small for the regular town watch to feel, but because of their duty fighting monsters on a daily basis, the two clearly feel it.
"What was that…"
"Serensama felt it too?"
The scent of magic came from the eastern side of the castle town. The two kicked against the cobblestones beneath their feet and disappeared into the air.
◆◆◆◆
"Here right?"
"Yes Serensama."
The two have arrived at an old church at the outskirts of the castle town. The outer walls of the church are full of cracks and vines and grasses grow all over the roof. Marked for demolition, the building gives of a strange creepy impression as they approach.
"The amount of magical energy is about the same as an imp's, so it shouldn't be a big deal. The real question is how it managed to sneak into town."
"Just in case something happens, shouldn't we contact the knight's order?"
"Don't be such a worrywart, It's fine, if anything happens I always have this."
Serena concentrates her magic on her left hand and Durandal appears without a sound. Instantly teleporting to the grip of its successor is one of the powers of the cursed blade.
"Come on, let's just clean this up and then head home."
"Uh, I guess."
Taking off their robes, the two enter a battle stance. Serena is in a thin white armour and Irene is in a heavy black armour. Breathing in and holding it a moment, the two deliver a heavy kick to the worm eaten door of the church and burst in. As they do so, the door's rusty hinges scream and a stale stagnant air leaks out from inside the church. Inside sunlight streaming through broken dusty stained glass only weakly illuminates the interior. Impetuously, the princess knight moves in, nimbly hopping over a fallen pew.
"Who is the idiot that dares trespass on my territory?"
From behind the altar at the far end of the church, a pair of sky blue eyes glares at the intruding pair. From the supple bodyline, the figure in the church is obviously a woman. The figure wears a nun's habit, but here and there places have been torn and there is a bizarrely high level of exposure. Especially across the chest there is barely any cloth, the top half a large fleshy valley can be seen and underneath the woman's under boob shines whitely. Not even attempting to hide herself, the intruder begins speaking while totally calm.
"Ufufu, nice to meet you Princess Knight Serena. I am Marietta, "Heretical Tool Collector" Marietta."
The woman gives her name will giving a seductive smile. As the woman's rouged lips move, the voice that comes out is completely bewitching and feminine. She gives the impression of a carnivorous plant somehow toying with the insects trapped within it.
"The barrier set up along the castle walls. How did you pierce it?"
"Barrier…? Ah, I had a kind gentleman help me. He was most useful."
A large lump rolls out of Marietta's hand and down the length of the church. A human head, it leaves a trail of still wet blood in its wake. It belongs to one of the guards of the castle town's eastern gate.
"…you!"
"Oh, how scary. It seems the Princess Knight is quite the hot head."
"Please calm down Serensama. We need to know what her aim is."
"That's… I get it."
Irene does her best to sooth the high strung Serena. Impatience on the battlefield is a quick path to death. However, even now the girl isn't completely calm. Her hand is squeezing the handle of her sword so hard her knuckles are painful and completely white.
"…so, you damn bastard, what's your aim? Tell us now and we won't harm you."
"My purpose? It is what you hold in your hand right now."
"No way, you're after Durandal?"
"That's right. That first class example of a magical sword dedicated to storms. I've always wanted to add it to my collection. Ahh, it's such a wonderful tool♥"
From within the habit, an overwhelming amount of magical energy begins welling up. A pressure as strong as a dragon's begins to shake the cracked stained glass panes.
"Getting what I want is my creed, so here goes~."
"Too slow!"
Irene leaps before Marietta finishes speaking. Before you could blink, she closes the distance, draws her blade and slashes through the woman's torso. Soft flesh is sliced and blood gouts out in an explosion.
"Guh, guahhhhhhhh…!"
"Serensama, now!"
"Since you killed one of our citizens. Please burn to nothing but a blackened stain. Thunder God's Crushing Hammer!"
"Hi, kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Durandal glows with a pale light and a lightning bolt slashes down from a thunderhead cloud that has suddenly appeared inside the church. Sparks scatter from Marietta's body and the habit she wears ignites, becoming ashes and charcoal as Serena declared. Confirming her enemy is completely destroyed, Serena lets out a breath she was holding.
"Wow, that magical energy that was being created, I haven't seen something like that. What was she, a demon?"
"Please be vigilant. We haven't checked the corpse yet."
Irene cautiously approaches the carbonised waste on the floor. It is rare, but some monsters have amazing regenerative powers, so she's still cautious. At the same time, a voice comes from the church's entrance.
"What an unexpected blow. You two truly are Alexia Kingdom's strongest Princess Knight and Knight Order's Captain duo. However, now it's my turn."
"What, how!?"
"Shit, Serensama, move---"
At that moment, the whole inside of the church wiggles like a living organ for a moment and a huge hole opens up beneath the two girls. Afterwards Durandal and the sword the Knight Captain had been carrying fall to the ground with a clanging sound.