The Queen and the Resort

Inside the Queen's chamber, in the village of Regret.

The moment I stepped in, I froze.

No—shivered.

A heavy air hung over the entire village. It was the kind of air that came from Regret’s own gloom.

This room was no different.

Only multiplied—no, tens of times worse—no.

Hundreds of times heavier. Like daggers driven into the heart.

In the center stood a single woman.

Regret, her eyes dull and hollow.

"Hey, Jenyanya, I brought Akito-chan."

"Jenyanya?"

"Yeah, the Queen."

"The Queen… Jenyanya…"

A ridiculous name… I thought for a second.

I probably would’ve thought that—if Holkina hadn’t linked her name to me.

Akito’s Akito-chan. And Sveta-rana’s Svetchi.

Then Jenyanya should follow the same pattern.

But she’s the Queen—probably not.

At least, not in Holkina’s eyes.

And that was correct.

"Queen, Jenyanya."

Jenyanya spoke her name.

The moment she did, it felt like the room temperature dropped ten degrees.

It probably didn’t. The chill lasted only a second.

That made it worse.

"Adorable child. Nothing’s changed, has it?"

The heretic god said it, beside her.

The heretic god—the god of regret—knew Jenyanya well, so that’s why she said she hadn’t changed.

Fine.

"Adorable?"

"Not adorable."

"Hmm."

She knew the heretic god’s words weren’t to be taken at face value, but this time, it was more than usual—completely incomprehensible.

Incomprehensible, so she just ignored it.

"I’m Akito."

"The human king. What brings you here?"

"To build a town. To make a place where the Regrets can live comfortably."

"Go ahead, then."

Jenyanya said nothing more. Closed her mouth entirely.

As if there were nothing more to say, she cut off the conversation entirely.

No room to retreat—this was it. Now what?

Just as I was thinking that—

"Alright, Jenyanya’s given her blessing, so let’s do it then!"

Holkina pushed me from behind.

Once we were outside, I asked her.

"Are you sure about that just now?"

"Yeah, she said ‘do whatever you want,’ didn’t she? So I’ll do whatever I want! My country too!"

"No, that’s not what she meant—"

"Never mind, never mind. Anyway, what are we making? What should I do?"

"Hmm."

I looked at Holkina.

Since the first time we met, I’d thought it.

"If you were my slave, it’d be way more fun."

"Eh? After all this, you’re hitting on me now? Akito, you’re full of surprises!"

"No, it’s not that!"

Not hitting on her—no, it probably sounded like it.

Maybe it did. But it wasn’t.

My power’s source—crafting magic—it comes from the slaves’ smiles.

Every time the Eternal Slaves laugh from the bottom of their hearts, magic flows into me.

I thought it’d be fun if it were Holkina—laughing like a rolling ball, endlessly cheerful.

“Hmph.”

The heretic god snorted through her nose.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

Her tone said otherwise, but since she said it, I’d just pretend not to notice.

☆

I began developing the village of Regret.

First, I walked all the way around it.

What struck me most immediately was the sheer apathy of the Regrets.

Worse than Jeanya—worse than Jeanya.

The Regrets here just sprawled.

You could see them scattered about, but they weren’t doing anything.

Just… existing.

Scattered here and there, drifting, sometimes moving—just to go to the storage room, grab a Pshini, eat it, then drift again.

Living corpses.

That’s what the whole village felt like.

Now I get why Holkina and Svetlana were the two brightest sparks.

Back then—no, even now.

I thought sending the Pshini when asked was a mistake.

☆

“Well, that’s why I’m asking for help. You see, everyone’s like this, right? No productivity at all.”

I explained the situation in the Regret village, with Holkina helping me.

Incidentally, the Demon God was just lounging a little ways off, watching.

“Everyone’s like that, huh? No real reason to live, I guess.”

“A reason to live.”

“Regrets were originally Eternal Slaves, weren’t they? And then their masters never showed up—so this happened.”

“Yeah…”

"Like being reborn still a virgin, told you’re a virgin again because you were one in your last life."

"That metaphor’s kind of rough."

"Then how about being reborn bald, and someone declaring, 'You’re bald again, because you were bald last life'?"

"Cut it out, you damn demon!"

Hair jokes aren’t funny, okay?!

"Anyway... it’s really that hard for everyone."

"Is it?"

"So, what’re we doing here, exactly?"

"Oh, party."

"Party?"

"More like a resort."

This is my resort.

A packed little resort—hotel, beach, all that—built with Risha before, packed tight like a chest full of memories.