「――I am Maximilian Mia Avalon, the Eighth King of the Holy Avalon Kingdom.」
I was born a king.
With black hair and red eyes, the same as the legendary Ancient Demon King. Just possessing this color, which is rarely seen even in direct descendants, is already a miracle.
“Mm, that black ancient armor… without a doubt, it is the Armor of the King of Avalon!”
“To come alone to the front lines like this is not bravery; it is sheer recklessness! I shall take your head, captain!”
And I possess the ‘power’ to mercilessly retaliate against all the foolish rabble that dares to oppose the most noble blood of Elroad.
The treasure known as the ‘Armor of the Demon King’ passed down through generations of the Avalon royal family. Only I can activate and wield it among all the kings of history. Perhaps I am the only one who knows the official name of this armor, inscribed on the inside of the helm as ‘RX-666.’
“—Guah!? No, this is absurd… my knight corps has been defeated by just one person…”
“Hmph, how laughable that the barbaric folk of Spada think themselves knights. You should have quietly retreated to Galahad Mountain… now you shall pay the price for stepping into my sacred kingdom without permission, you filthy stray dogs!”
Once I step onto the battlefield, this is what happens. A mountain of corpses is built, and rivers of blood flow. I will bestow merciless slaughter upon enemies and glorious victory upon allies.
With countless dead and a hundred battles won. We, the invincible royal army, trace the legends of old—however, I do not take pride in it. Because it is all to be expected. I am the chosen one, born a king. Guaranteed victory is my destiny.
“Welcome back, Your Majesty! I have heard that you have performed outstandingly in this battle! Your performance is truly reminiscent of the Ancient Demon King, Mia Elroad—”
“Step back, Minister. I wish to rest; no one is to approach my chamber.”
Even I grow tired after battle. This ‘Armor of the Demon King’ consumes an enormous amount of magical power just by wearing it. A normal person would faint within a minute of donning it, and if they attempted to fight in it, their very life force would be drained away, leaving nothing but bones. It is akin to a cursed armor.
Yet, I wear this armor at all times. In war and in peace. What I need is not the crown and robe that signify the throne, but the helm and armor that command fear. To rule over the populace like a flock of sheep and keep my cunning wolves, the vassals, in line, this demon king form is necessary.
For I cannot reveal my face or body.
“…Hah.”
In the dimly lit bedroom, with only one lamp lit, I—no, I—took off the heavy armor and sighed deeply.
“I have grown a bit bigger again…”
Before me stands a massive mirror, large enough to reflect every inch of my armored form.
In that flawless reflection is a girl with long black hair and a mischievous glint in her red eyes, resembling a stray cat. My skin is pale from lack of sunlight, and although I wear simple undergarments like a priestess, there is not much allure.
However, I feel as if a bit of a valley is forming in my chest area. Now reaching the age of twenty, my body is still growing—still maturing, as a woman.
“Well, whatever… if I wear armor, no one will know.”
Yes, I am a girl. I, Maximilian Mia Avalon, am a king as if chosen by the Ancient Demon King, Mia Elroad. Without a doubt, I am a woman. My real name is certainly not the male name Maximilian—no, that doesn’t matter. It’s a name I discarded long ago.
“I need to sleep soon… I can’t take more than this…”
I chugged down a Magical Power Recovery Potion that I had received before entering the bedroom, tossing the empty bottle aside as I slowly crawled into bed. Normally, I would fall asleep right away in the warm, soft embrace, but on days like this, even when my body is tired, my spirit is so high that I have trouble dozing off.
And at such times, it is always trivial memories that invade my mind.
“Oh, Maximilian… my son… I entrust Avalon to you…”
I became king at the age of ten. My father passed away and was summoned to heaven the day after officially handing over the throne in the coronation ceremony.
He never recognized me as his daughter until the very end. It may be true that he was crazy, but after nearly ten years of being king, I can somewhat understand my father’s feelings back then.
The Ancient Demon King, Mia Elroad, was a man. At least, that is what is commonly believed in this country. Thus, a man is fit to be king. Since the establishment of this kingdom, or perhaps even before that, a culture of male superiority has rooted itself in this region of the country.
Naturally, my father wanted a son. If not a man, one cannot become the King of Avalon. A queen is a title that can never be accepted.
However, the extinction of my lineage, which is said to bear the direct blood of Elroad, is even more intolerable.
I cannot be a queen. The royal line must continue.
As the only child, my ascendance to the throne as a man, as per my father’s delusions, was partially expected. I too think of it as normal.
I am a king. Excluding my gender, I possess the potential to be a great king that leaves a mark in history. If I were a man, I would have certainly reunited the Pandora Continent and declared myself the second Demon King.
However, I am not foolish enough to harbor ambitions of continental unification while pretending to be a man in this precarious situation. I am a king and I also love this country. Now that there is no legitimate heir, I must protect it.
Playing the role of a king to safeguard the nation is both my duty and responsibility as royalty, as well as my heartfelt desire. Thus, every day is fraught with challenges, but it is not painful.
“Heh, at least I don’t have to take a husband, so it’s better.”
Upon taking the throne, I was required to produce the next heir.
If a boy is born, the succession problem is resolved. Worst case, even if a girl is born, it would buy time to delay the problem, for they could follow in my footsteps like myself. As long as I can safely play the role of Maximilian until I have my own child, that is the minimal bar to clear.
That’s why, the search for a husband started quickly, but it was quite difficult.
The problem is that even if he became my husband, he would essentially have no public presence. In other words, a stallion with no honor. Finding a noble worthy of being the royal consort, one who could endure the male-dominant culture, was something that no one in my country could fulfill. There were even proposals to summon something suitable from another world through some dubious ancient ritual.
Yet unexpectedly, the succession problem was resolved.
“This child is undoubtedly your younger brother, Your Majesty!”
I acquired a younger brother. The son that my father had yearned for.
It was a little while after my father passed away that we discovered that one of the concubines was pregnant.
Even if I didn’t have a child, a perfect heir was born into this world. All I needed to do was continue acting as king until my brother reaches a suitable age. With the biggest problem resolved, I could finally enjoy a smooth-sailing life as king.
The lives of the citizens are evidently more prosperous compared to my father’s era, and despite being in a state of constant tension in a warring age, trade flourishes and national strength continues to grow. Corruption among officials is strictly punished, and the deserving are properly evaluated and promoted regardless of social status, while aid is provided to the weak.
Above all, I defended the nation against repeated invasions from other countries and even expanded our territory through counteroffensives.
Thus, I became the greatest king since the founding of the kingdom.
The future of the Holy Avalon Kingdom that I lead is bright. This country will surely become a millennium kingdom that continues to prosper for a hundred generations to come――
“What, why…”
One morning, when I woke up, something that should have been there was missing.
“Where is my ‘Armor of the Demon King’!?”
The armor that I always kept right next to my bed, ready to don at a moment’s notice, was gone. Ever since I became king and obtained the ‘Armor of the Demon King,’ I have never taken my eyes off it even once. When maintaining it, I personally help along with the blacksmith and court mages, and even during cleaning, I wash it myself simultaneously with my bathing.
It is impossible for my armor to vanish from my possession. It cannot be allowed. The ‘Armor of the Demon King’ is an absolute necessity for me to remain king.
“Ah, good morning, sister! Are you awake now?”
A light, youthful voice, teasing me as I panicked in my underwear, suddenly rang out.
There is no need to think about who it could be. There is only one person in this world who can call me sister.
“Didn’t I tell you not to enter my room without permission!? And before I am your sister, I am your king. You will call me Your Majesty, you foolish brother!!”
In my anxiety over the missing armor, I turned to scold my utterly mediocre brother who showed no sign of kingly potential.
“Oh, how scary. As expected of the feared Black Armored King of Avalon… but right now, standing in front of me is just a woman. There is no sign of a king here!”
“Y-you…”
There stood not a representative pampered boy with a weak smile, but the black, gigantic armor.
“Haha, look, sister! See! I can wear it too, the ‘Armor of the Demon King.'”
“Ah, truly remarkable, Your Majesty Maximilian! As expected, this armor truly suits you!”
A man stepped forward from the shadow of the black armor, clapping his hands mockingly.
“Minister, you too… what is the meaning of this…?”
“I am not the only one here. Everyone has gathered.”
Upon closer inspection, I found a number of familiar faces behind him. The ministers who govern the politics, the captain of the Imperial Guard sworn to protect the king and the kingdom, and the chief of the court mages, who explores traditional rituals and the cutting edge of magic. Indeed, all those who govern the Holy Avalon Kingdom were gathered here.
“In short, I will be the king of Avalon from today! The noble name of Maximilian and this strongest ‘Armor of the Demon King’ are now mine!!”
“Do you intend to oppose me…? No matter who you are, the penalty for treason is nothing less than execution!!”
“Hah-ha-ha! How peculiar. The rebel who has tarnished the glorious name of Holy Avalon by deceiving us while being a lowly woman, threatening us, and desiring the status and honor of a king is you!”
“Wha… what do you mean…?”
“It is precisely because of this that I was against it from the beginning. To raise a woman into a false king… Consequently, this woman foolishly misunderstands herself as the true king and even harbors unnecessary ambitions. Such presumption for a woman!”
That it was not merely the personal opinion of one minister was evident.
Everyone looked down on me. No one acknowledged me.
Because I am a woman. Because I am a woman, no one recognized me as king from the start.
“Well, with that being the case, we no longer need you as sister.”
“…Who would relinquish the throne to a foolish brother like you.”
“Ah-ha-ha! I thought you would say that, sister. So, shall we duel?”
With a heavy metallic clatter, the ‘Armor of the Demon King’ stepped forward.
“There has never been a woman king from the start. You should be grateful that I did not secretly have you assassinated but instead brought you here for a duel, a noble ritual.”
Ah, I see, so it is that kind of story. The Eighth King of the Holy Avalon Kingdom, Maximilian Mia Avalon, is not me, but this foolish brother. The armor inside…
No one among the citizens knows who I truly am.
Even so, that’s quite a stretch. Just how old has this person been serving as king while encased in armor?
However, they must have a reason sufficient to push through such absurdity and disregard reason. The mere fact that a woman is queen is more than enough to stir up trouble.
“…Very well. If you defeat me in a duel, I shall grant you the throne of Avalon.”
“As expected of you, sister! So brave! But even with that intimidating look in your underwear, I’m not scared at all! Hehe, are you perhaps inviting me?”
With a laughter so vile it raises doubts about their royal blood, they approach step by step. The ministers and senior officials behind them show no sign of concern for their foolish brother who is to become the new king.
That’s to be expected. There’s no way one who dons the ‘Armor of the Demon King’ can lose to a defenseless girl. Even if I equipped the noblest sword, there would be nothing I could do against this tightly sealed ebony armor.
However, that only holds true if the opponent is someone capable of wielding the ‘Armor of the Demon King.’
“What’s wrong, foolish brother? Aren’t you going to get into position? The duel has already begun.”
“Haha, no need to draw my sword. I’ll gouge your heart out with my hands, sister!”
I see, he is truly willing to fight and is aware of the duel starting. Then, I shall proceed.
“—Prepare to feel the ‘Armor of the Demon King.’”
Just by whispering those words, my—yes, the ‘Armor of the Demon King’ to which I have sworn my absolute loyalty responds to me.
“Eh, eh? W-wait… Why… why isn’t it moving!?”
The ‘Armor of the Demon King’ suddenly comes to a halt, as if frozen, right before placing its stepped-in foot down.
However, the true change is not merely the halting of the armor’s movements.
You might not see it, but the pure dark material of the armor begins to glow crimson with black magic power. The output is at maximum.
“Ah, ugh… W-what is this… it hurts… it hurts so much…”
“The ‘Armor of the Demon King’ is a monster that devours magical power. If it only encounters someone with moderate magical power, they are merely food for it.”
Well, my explanation is likely lost on my foolish brother, who is in the midst of being mercilessly drained of all his magical power. Still, I’ll say it anyway.
“And above all, this armor is mine. Experience for yourself, foolish brother, what happens to anyone other than one worthy of being king when they don this.”
“Ugh… Uwaaaaaaaaah!!!”
With a crude scream, the ‘Armor of the Demon King’ shifts to its release form. The rib-like chest armor violently opens, expelling the intruder who dared to trespass.
What is expelled before me is not the ugly corpse of my brother, twisted in agony, but rather scattered remains of bones. Not a single hair, not a drop of blood—merely a dry, white skeleton.
Kicking the clean skull that rolled at my feet, I return to where I should be.
“N-no! Don’t let that woman take control of the armor!”
The ministers shout in a panic, but it is already too late.
“I said, those who rebel against me shall face execution.”
Equip. Activate. Output stable. Combat preparations complete.
Yes, this place is indeed comforting. It brings me more peace than a soft bed to sleep on.
“Imperial Guard Commander! Court Mage Director! Quickly, collaborate and capture that woman at all costs!!”
“Prepare yourselves, rebels. In the name of the 8th King Maximilian Mia Avalon of the Holy Avalon Kingdom, I command you—all of you, die.”
The events of this day made me acutely aware of how much I had been too lenient as a king until now.
Indeed, a king stands as the unique, absolute individual at the top. The vassals are merely those who follow. To consider their opinions is fundamentally misguided. Such thinking is not that of a king, but rather a shallow consideration reserved for mere representatives.
Both vassals and citizens should only obey my commands. They are disposable pieces for fulfilling my wills, my desires, for carrying out everything I wish. Tools.
A king does not protect the nation. The nation exists for the king.
Thus, I was reborn as a king. A true king. I shall no longer commit the disgraceful blunders of rebellion.
“—I am Maximilian Mia Avalon, the 8th King of the Holy Avalon Kingdom. Resistance is meaningless. Kneel before me.”
How long has it been since that day?
Before I realized it, I was in hell. I hadn’t returned to the royal castle in quite some time.
“Y-you… the Tyrant of Avalon armor, to think you would extend your invasion to my country so soon…”
“If you pledge your loyalty to me, I shall grant you a millennium of prosperity and peace.”
“What prosperity and peace! You rule the people with the terror of violence and perpetuate acts of invasion without just cause—you are merely a tyrant! My country shall never submit to such an evil king!!”
“You dare to oppose me so foolishly… very well, then perish, foolish nation.”
I continue along the path of dead bodies endlessly. What I see before me are the charred remains of towns against a backdrop of blood-red sunset. Why is it that everywhere I go, the same scenery spreads out?
“Welcome back, King Maximilian. I have heard that this expedition was an overwhelming victory for us. Look, the citizens are ecstatic at your return.”
“Long live King Maximilian!”
“Long live Avalon!”
Where have the glorious streets of my splendid Holy Avalon gone? The streets are overflowing with people… Why do they look so emaciated? Why do they wear such fearful expressions?
“Ah, why… everything appears so faded.”
My entire vision is tinted rusty red, and the sounds that reach my ears are always distant echoes, faint. The scents and sensations on my fingertips have long since faded. Even the sound of my own voice feels far away.
I have lost my human senses.
However, once the battle begins, a sharp sense transcending the five senses comes to play. I can see all the movements of the enemy, and no matter how strong they are, I can crush them, and no matter how fast they are, I can catch up. Even the countless arrows raining down or powerful magic strikes that could gouge the ground strike this armor without leaving even a crack.
I cannot lose. As long as I have the ‘Armor of the Demon King’. While I wear this armor, I will remain the greatest king.
“Hah, hah… I did it… Finally, I have captured the Tyrant Armor.”
“Don’t let your guard down; the armor itself is unharmed. If even a little magical power is supplied, it will move again!”
“Hurry and prepare for the sealing procedure!”
One day, I was defeated.
The knights of the countries I had destroyed came to the battlefield. Did they form an alliance as fallen nations? Such a horrid army of specters.
Enemies pouring forth like an inexhaustible spring, surrounding our army with their overwhelming numbers. In an instant, my forces were annihilated, and I was also greatly drained of magical power.
However, no matter how many mere soldiers surrounded me, it would have been easy to escape with the power of this armor. The reason I couldn’t even flee was that the enemies also possessed the same power.
“Still, well done, my knight Siegfried.”
“No, it’s all thanks to this ‘Armor of the Brave.’”
It was armor that sparkled silver all over. It bore a white, divine armor that appeared to be pure divine iron, gleaming with a vivid blue line.
In stark contrast to my armor resembling a skull death god, it had a beautifully angelic, flowing design.
Yes, I was defeated by this silver knight.
“Step back. I will deliver the finishing blow.”
“No, wait. Before that, let me see the face of Maximilian, which no one knows.”
“It’s a bit dangerous, but… understood. I too want to see the face of someone who has become such a formidable enemy.”
Bearing a massive sword with a blue shimmering blade and a polished, mirror-like large shield, the ‘Armor of the Brave’ approached me.
“W-wait…”
Stop it. If I reveal my true face, I will no longer be a king.
Stop it. You are the hero who has defeated me. If you call me a tyrant, then at the very least, please kill me as your worst enemy.
Stop it! I no longer want to return to being just a woman. I cannot go back.
“Maximilian, I shall forcibly release that armor—excuse me!”
The silver knight’s great sword strikes. At that moment, the ‘Armor of the Demon King,’ which I had never removed since that day, is released.
“What!? W-what is this…”
The last thing I saw was my appearance reflected in the knight’s mirror-like large shield.
The ribbed chest armor opened wide, and the inside of the armor was made clear to anyone’s eyes. There should be the naked body of a frail white woman there—
“N-nobody is here… it’s empty inside…”
There was nothing. The opened armor was merely an empty shell.
“Hahaha…”
Ah, I see now. So that was it.
“I am… Maximilian Mia Avalon, the 8th King of the Holy Avalon Kingdom…”
I had already become a splendid king.
“With my name… I shall act…”
Then, I shall fulfill my final task. My most important mission as a king.
“…Heir, come.”
How much time passed again after that? It feels like I’ve been sleeping for quite a long time.
From time to time, I wake up and feel disappointment. The heir has yet to appear. Someone worthy of being acknowledged as my heir, possessing the qualities of a king who bears the name Maximilian.
Anyone who touches this armor is the same as that foolish brother of mine. They are unable to endure the harsh operational conditions of the ‘Armor of the Demon King,’ which is the strongest armor. Just a little guidance from me, and they scream crazily, suffer, and in the end, are expelled as bones.
Ah, this won’t do. If this continues for another thousand years, there won’t be an heir. Or perhaps, a thousand years have already passed.
How much longer must I wait? How much longer until I am freed from the responsibilities of a king—
“…It’s fine.”
Suddenly, I heard a voice. A voice like always, distant and echoing.
“It’s alright now.”
No, that man’s voice was surprisingly clear. How long has it been since I’ve heard such a living person’s voice?
My drowsy consciousness quickly awakens.
I open my eyes. My vision clears. There stands a man.
“You are…”
“My name is Chrono. I will take that armor.”
“Chrono… ah, it’s you… I know, I know you… splendid, your battle stance was.”
I see, that’s his name. Simple yet it has a nice ring to it.
“Let me… see your face… more closely.”
It seems Chrono is kneeling silently before me, attempting to bring his face closer—w-wait! You fool! You’re too close! It startled me!
“Th-that color… ah, I see, so that’s how it is…”
A king must never show anxiety or such emotions. The slight tremor in my voice is just my imagination, surely.
As Chrono brings his face closer as if to kiss me, I can clearly see. His black hair and one eye, indeed, shining with scarlet.
“Very well, you shall be my heir.”
Ah, finally, I’ve found one. Now, I have nothing left to regret.
“Then, from today you are—”
Just as I was about to gently close my eyes, feeling as if I were falling into a peaceful sleep, Chrono’s hand reaches out toward me.
W-wait! Stop, you fool! Do not touch me so casually!!
“—You are mine, Miria.”
The moment those words were whispered, I heard the heartbeat of my own heart for the first time in a thousand years.