The Reincarnated Transcendent Wants to Fill the Hole in Their Chest - Episode 12: The Broken City

Episode 12: The Broken City

After drinking the tea Ternelica had brewed for him, Konoe decided to go out into the city.

He felt a little unsure about what to do when alone together with her in the room.

“……”

With Ternelica naturally following alongside, Konoe stepped out from the castle’s front gate into the city.

He lightly raised his hand in greeting to the guards at the gate and passed by the people busily rushing about. Beyond that was a large street.

It was the main boulevard in Silménia. It was right in front of the castle gate.

It used to be the liveliest commercial area in the city, lined with countless shops. Merchants and adventurers had once come and gone in a constant stream. And it had been quite the bustling place.

…Yes—*had been*. Not anymore.

To the right and to the left, all that could be seen were mountains of rubble. The scars left by monsters—particularly the Hecatoncheires—had trampled everything. Everything had been crushed.

Everywhere you looked, the places left intact were fewer than those destroyed.

Even the distant fields were withered and dead. They had only the brown color of the soil remaining.

“……”

…Silménia had apparently once been called the City of the Holy Flower.

The Holy Flower referred to a sacred bloom blessed strongly by the gods. And Silménia had been a city known for its large-scale cultivation of that flower.

Its history was long—said to span thousands of years.

Even in this world of long-lived races like elves, it had stood out with its exceptional heritage. Many of its buildings held cultural value. And even archaeologists had come to visit, Ternelica had said.

It was a city where people had treasured their ancient architecture.

They had worked together to preserve records and uphold the ancient building and cultivation techniques.

…And now, all of it had been destroyed.

The holy flowers had been tainted by miasma and withered. Even the seeds that had been preserved had rotted away, Ternelica said while biting her lip.

“……”

…That was the current state of Silménia.

The city had been reduced to nothing, with only piles of rubble left behind.

Even though this world had magic and restoration could happen faster than on Earth, just clearing out all the debris could take an entire season.

And rebuilding the city afterward—how long would that even take?

The holy flower industry had collapsed as well. And it was unclear when, or even if, it could resume.

Unlike Konoe, whose duties had decreased, the real struggle for the residents was only beginning.

Even before this, they had suffered from a deadly plague and witnessed hell itself. But the hardship wasn’t over yet.

The people now lived in harsh conditions. Though food had been stockpiled in the castle, there were no homes left. Many houses in the city had been destroyed. And people were now sleeping haphazardly inside the castle. Not even proper beds to rest in.

They must be horribly exhausted. Deeply suffering.

And when suffering continues, people’s spirits begin to break.

…And once they break, what do people do?

“——”

…That far in his thoughts, Konoe let out a small sigh.

He realized his thinking was growing increasingly negative.

Konoe knew the truth—broken people start looking for reasons.

Reasons to give up. Reasons why they no longer have to try. Targets to direct their stress toward.

And the easiest targets become the weak.

The weak are always the first to be oppressed. Children and the elderly—those who cannot protect themselves.

—Just like young Konoe who was abandoned by his parents, and had once been pelted with stones. Helpless and with no one to turn to.

“……”

Konoe looked at the city again. Reconstruction had already begun.

There were few people visible. But those who were present were hurrying around. Carts loaded with building materials rolled along the streets.

Repairs to broken roads, debris removal from collapsed buildings.

And most importantly, the city’s barrier tower… was also under repair. A vital structure for human survival in this world.

The faces of the townsfolk passing by were raised. There was no look of despair on them.

He could hear strong, spirited voices calling out from somewhere.

Konoe watched their determined efforts to look ahead…

“……”

…But still, how long would it last?

Konoe remembered his own past and thought in a dry tone.

He used to curl up in a corner of the room and cry.

He had been weak. No one had come to help him.

…Maybe now the townspeople were full of motivation.

But Konoe thought: give it a few days, and who knows?

Fatigue builds. Suffering doesn’t end. And if that continues…

◆

Feeling somewhat unpleasant, Konoe returned to his room.

He wondered what the point of going out into the city had even been. But since he treated an injured person on the way back, he decided it had been meaningful enough.

“Konoe-sama, please.”

“…Ah.”

To forget the unexpectedly depressing thoughts, Konoe sipped more of Ternelica’s tea and nibbled on some cookies among the tribute goods.

The cookies had just been given to them earlier. Uneven in shape and slightly burnt in places, they were apparently made by the elderly and children who couldn’t help with the reconstruction. They had brought them specifically for Ternelica and Konoe.

Konoe had never eaten handmade cookies before. He absentmindedly ate one, then another. Ternelica watched with a warm smile.

“Then I’ll have a little, too.”

“…Yeah.”

Ternelica also took a cookie.

She usually wouldn’t sit at the table, saying she was a maid. But this time, Konoe had encouraged her—since it was something given to the princess.

“……”

Ternelica ate a cookie. Then brought the tea to her lips.

Konoe watched her somewhat idly.

—Such graceful movements, he thought.

No sound at all. Whether picking up the cup, sipping, or placing it back down. It was an upper-class way of eating. Her upbringing was clearly showing.

“…Delicious. I’ll need to thank everyone later.”

As Ternelica murmured that, Konoe narrowed his eyes.

Such refined dining manners. She really was a noble.

Though she had been wearing a maid uniform for days, she was the daughter of the city’s lord.

“……”

Why is this girl even wearing a maid outfit? Konoe wondered.

Actually—how does it look from the outside, treating the lord’s daughter like a maid?

The nobles of this world were very different from those that once existed on Earth.

The systems and roles were different. Nobles in this world were those who had made contracts with the gods to destroy evil. They were families blessed with strong divine protection.

Therefore, nobles didn’t do jobs that didn’t require divine blessings—like that of a maid. On old Earth, there had apparently been noble daughters who served in higher-ranking homes as maids. But not here. Maids were a proper profession. Female knights who acted as bodyguards were a different matter.

…In a world where noble roles were that defined, Konoe was treating Ternelica as a maid. How did that appear to the city’s people?

From what he’d seen these past few days, Ternelica was beloved. When she walked the streets, people would call out “Princess, Princess.” Just today, they’d even brought her tribute gifts.

A man treating the beloved princess as a maid and giving her orders.

Looking at it coldly—that was what Konoe was now.

…Was that okay?

He felt a bit uneasy. Were there strange rumors about him behind his back? Things like “that lust-crazed scumbag”?

“………………”

Konoe grew increasingly negative.

Perhaps because of the bad mood earlier—his true self was showing.

Konoe’s core was shaped by harsh training and near-death experiences: pessimistic, suspicious. It always saw malice. Unable to trust the people before him, and ultimately putting his faith in drugs instead.

That was who Konoe was.

“…………Ternelica.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“……Well, um.”

Feeling a little anxious, Konoe asked her.

If there had been any bad rumors about him spreading around town lately. If people had started to look at him oddly.

And if there were such rumors…

He was thinking maybe he should use that as a reason to stop Ternelica from acting as his maid.

“……………………Bad rumors about you, Konoe-sama? There’s absolutely no way something like that exists.”

“…Really?”

Ternelica’s mouth was agape. She was stunned for a few seconds, then responded.

Her face clearly read: “I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about.”

…Was what he said really that strange?

“Everyone in this city owes their lives to you, Konoe-sama. There’s no way anyone could forget your devotion during those seven days.”

“……”

“Everyone here respects you. And they’re doing their best to repay the debt they owe you. I hope you can see that for yourself.”

…Saved their lives, huh. Well, she wasn’t wrong.

Konoe had simply done his job properly. So calling it “devotion” didn’t sit right.

Still, Konoe *had* healed all of the city’s residents.

Some must feel grateful. That was probably true.

But at the same time, people are creatures that forget gratitude. At least, that’s how Konoe saw it.

Once the danger passed, people forgot the pain. It had already been a few days. Konoe figured many had already forgotten. People always put themselves first and are selfish.

Just like Konoe himself—who was seriously thinking about creating a harem of love-potion slaves.

“……”

…Well, as for the Ternelica in front of him.

She’s kind of hard to understand.

‘――My body… doesn’t matter!’

‘――There is no time! Our city is… *cough*, on the verge of collapse!’

Konoe recalls that day ten days ago, the sight of her shouting while coughing up bl00d.

Even as she was dying, she didn’t give up. She continued to act not for herself, but for others.

A figure unlike any human Konoe had known.

—Konoe doesn’t understand Ternelica.

“…I see.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Konoe, for the time being, nods and sips the tea at hand.

Ternelica’s tilting her head. She watches Konoe do so…

“……”

However, setting aside things like gratitude for the moment and getting back on topic—

In any case, Konoe thought, isn’t this maid outfit a problem? He had accepted it vaguely until now.

He wondered why no one was stopping her.

A noble daughter playing at being a maid—wouldn’t people around her, especially her family, normally stop her…?

“—?”

—Hmm? Huh?

…Come to think of it.

(Even though it’s already been ten days, I haven’t seen Ternelica’s family…?)

Konoe, only just now, thought that.