Ex Hunter Current Queen, All That’s Left Is the Actual Battle

Translator: White Lotus 

Yesterday, he hadn’t noticed much in the darkness, but stepping outside the room now revealed an intricately crafted palace wall just beyond the balcony railing. The palace itself was predominantly white, adorned with gold and bluish crystals.

The walls were made of a stone slightly warmer in hue than marble, giving off a cozy atmosphere. Overall, the structure looked bright and fresh, exuding an almost ethereal quality. While marveling at the balustrade, which bore no signs of age or wear, Jackson turned his head to take in the rest of the surroundings.

Beyond the railing, a quaint garden came into view. The palace was built with an open layout at its center, where the garden was situated. A fountain, small but delightfully elaborate, sprayed water in delicate arcs. Flowers of all kinds blossomed alongside verdant and crimson trees, all basking under the sun’s warm rays. The garden looked peaceful—almost dreamlike.

When he turned his head in the opposite direction, a high-ceilinged corridor came into view. Supported by dozens of thick columns, the hallway was a majestic sight, bathed in afternoon sunlight streaming between the pillars.

Golden light spilled abundantly into the white spaces, and cool breezes lazily swirled around his body before disappearing down the far end of the corridor. The palace itself was a paradox—a place of bright liveliness yet tinged with an air of solemn grandeur.

“This place is not just big—it’s massive,” Jackson remarked, scanning his surroundings.

For a moment, Jackson remained silent before finally speaking. The stillness of the surroundings was so profound that it almost made him question whether speaking at all was appropriate. It was nothing like his home, where the constant hum of TV noise, roaring motorcycles, passing cars, or the occasional drunken argument filled the air.

The excessive quiet unsettled Jackson, so he decided to focus on what lay ahead. As he took a stride forward, Quill quickly scuttled to keep up, his many legs moving nimbly as he said,

“Well, it is daytime. Most of those in the palace are likely asleep right now.”

“…..Right, they’re nocturnal, aren’t they?”

Recalling how he had to wait until midnight to ambush Terencia, Jackson nodded. Despite not sneaking out under the cover of night, he found himself inexplicably tense. It felt akin to a human sneaking out of their room at one in the morning to wander around aimlessly.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered about Calint. That guy hasn’t returned to his room yet. Does he even sleep? Or is he just roaming around like this? The thought crossed his mind, but Jackson refrained from voicing it. The idea of showing even a hint of concern for the Spider King made him feel uneasy.

“Where would you like to begin the tour?”

Trailing closely behind Jackson, Quill asked. Jackson glanced down at him and replied in a detached tone.

“I was just walking forward. What, is this place some kind of labyrinth where I should be worried about getting lost?”

“Well… I do know the layout, so there’s no need to worry about that. Still, I thought it might be better to start with the more symbolic parts of the palace.”

“Symbolic parts?”

“The grand statue at the palace’s center, or perhaps the banquet hall…..”

“Those kinds of places don’t really interest me. I didn’t come here to sightsee, you know.”

Having never once set foot in a museum or art gallery, the human reacted with indifference. Jackson Carter seemed utterly uninterested in the artifacts of another race, not even enough to care a single strand of hair. Quill, who had eagerly planned to show off the palace’s most splendid sights with his little mind abuzz with excitement, became visibly deflated, his wings fluttering in a dispirited manner.

“How about secret passages or…. forbidden areas? Are there any like that?” Jackson asked.

“I don’t really know about secret passages. If I did, they wouldn’t be secret anymore, would they? As for forbidden areas, why? Do you want to avoid them?”

“What are you talking about? Obviously, I need to know about those places so I can hide there later. No one would think I’d go to a forbidden area.”

“Your Majesty..…”

Quill’s antennae drooped as he shook his body, resembling a person shaking their head in disbelief, upon hearing Jackson’s laid-back, almost rogue-like tone.

“What would you do if His Majesty Calint found out?” Quill asked nervously.

“What do you think? Just tell him to screw off. If he doesn’t like it, he can either fire me or throw me in jail.”

“…….”

At a loss for words, the small phantom moth realized that Jackson was no ordinary man. His antennae trembled, sensing that teaching the human queen the Arachron language might just turn out to be the most significant achievement of his life.

As Jackson strolled aimlessly forward, he reached the end of the corridor. The closer he got to the corner, the clearer the previously indistinct figure became. What he had initially thought was just a stain on the wall turned out to be a finely carved relief of someone’s image. Quill hoped deep down that Jackson would inquire about the figure.

However, the queen, without even a hint of interest in examining the sculpture closely, turned his body towards the spiral staircase. The moth servant leaped into the air, speaking in a flustered tone.

“Th-this is Lakron the 18th. They say he’s the one who built this palace….”

“Isn’t he dead anyway?” Jackson retorted.

“Well… yes,” Quill hesitated.

“If he’s already dead, he doesn’t matter.”

After all, calling something that wasn’t human a person in the first place was laughable. Jackson had no interest whatsoever in the imposing figure of the four-armed Arachron man. Only Quill, anxious and jittery, darted glances around, worried that someone might have overheard the disrespectful comment.

Fortunately, there was no one around, and since it had been spoken in a human language, even if someone were present, they likely wouldn’t have understood.

“Your Majesty…. please show respect to the late king. Even if you don’t favor him, making disrespectful remarks is unwise,” Quill urged.

“Look, I’d have to meet the old man first to know if he deserves any respect or not, wouldn’t I? His face… well, he does look somewhat dignified.”

The queen, hopping down the stairs with ease, was someone who had grown up entirely outside the confines of a class-based society. Quill, following closely behind, resolved that he would teach only the most polite vocabulary from all the Arachron languages, ensuring every phrase Jackson learned was refined and respectful.

As they descended the stairs, the garden they had admired from above came into view. At first glance, the fountain seemed small and the garden modest. However, now, standing at the entrance, Jackson couldn’t help but be astonished by the scale. The garden stretched wide, adorned with towering shrubs and a grand fountain at its center.

It was only then that Jackson realized the massive structures of the Arachron dulled his human sense of scale. Thinking back, even the corridors felt unusually long and high, and the stairs they had descended were significantly tall. It seemed the architecture was designed to suit their large frames.

“I’ll have to calculate the distance carefully…” Jackson muttered to himself.

Quill, curious at Jackson’s murmuring, scurried ahead and perched atop a well-manicured shrub. At the top of the tree, buds were just starting to appear.

“Look, Your Majesty! The Silian is about to bloom!” Quill exclaimed excitedly.

“And what’s that?” Jackson asked, showing little interest.

Flowers never held much fascination for him. Sure, they were pretty, but that was all. They didn’t fill the stomach, and they wilted quickly. Apart from their appearance, they seemed utterly useless.

“It’s a rare flower that blooms once every 10 years, and it’s just about to bloom now. I think even the flowers are welcoming you, Your Majesty.”

What a load of sincere nonsense.

The ecstatic Phantom Moth flapped his wings, introducing the flower from atop the tree. Unfortunately, the human queen only scowled more fiercely, glaring at the blossom. The idea that a flower could offer a welcome was absurd. Even if he conceded that anything was possible in this world of monsters, being welcomed was the last thing he desired.

There had to be something more useful here that could help with the escape, other than this useless sightseeing…..

Jackson began scanning the garden meticulously, hoping for a hidden passage that could aid his escape. Even though the fountain appeared dull and simple, endlessly spouting water, it might conceal a mechanism leading elsewhere if touched. The more he focused, the deeper the furrows in his brow grew, his trademark rugged expression emerging.

As the queen’s expression grew increasingly grim, Quill decided he had to cheer up the queen somehow. The tiny attendant insect leapt into the air, shaking his body and flapping his wings, his light form floating gracefully as moth dust scattered around him.

The powder, released from his fluffy yellow fur, spread through the air and reflected the light. Showered in the shimmering particles, Jackson looked up at Quill with a gaze that asked what on earth he was doing. The moth, floating awkwardly in the air, gave a nervous chuckle.

“Isn’t it… pretty? Only Phantom Moths can do this…..”

“My nose itches,” Jackson retorted sharply.

Deflated at the queen’s sharp words, Quill descended to the ground, his spirits dampened. Unfazed by Quill’s dejection, Jackson irritably brushed off the glittering powder from his head, shaking it from his body. It wasn’t a joke; his nose really did itch, and his face contorted further as he fought off an impending sneeze.

[Oh my, I was wondering who was making such a loud noise in the garden, and it turns out to be the Queen?]

A strange voice emerged from behind the shrubs. Jackson quickly turned in the direction of the sound, instinctively positioning himself to avoid exposing his back. It was a habit ingrained in him over years of being a hunter.

What the hell? He hadn’t sensed anyone approaching.

Lylis emerged from between the shrubs. She had reluctantly attended the royal wedding, only to end up clutching her lace handkerchief in frustration as she watched the bride and groom kiss, before storming out of the venue.

Though returning to her estate hadn’t eased her anger, there was little reason for her to linger at the palace. With nowhere else to go, she had taken to wandering the garden in the afternoon to cool her temper. By her plans, this garden should have been hers, where she could have gracefully sipped tea at a table in the secret garden she had longed for.

However, that filthy little human had stolen everything! Lylis’s eyes glinted sharply as she gazed down at Jackson. Her blue irises held a darker, murkier shade than Calint’s.

“What’s with that creature?”

“Th-that’s Lady Lylis of the Tashint family,” Quill stammered. “What brings you here at this hour…. ?”

Jackson, indifferent to the glare from the defeated queen candidate, merely asked Quill. In contrast, Quill was trembling noticeably, unable to hide his fear. Though newly assigned as Jackson’s personal attendant, Quill recognized Lylis and understood her connection to Jackson. The little moth servant was tense, fearing that something untoward might occur.

[I thought the human queen would be beautiful…. But with only a single pair of eyes, could that be why you were so clueless? It seems you didn’t even know where to sit properly.]

Lylis’s words were sharp but eloquent and polished as she addressed Jackson. Unfortunately, Jackson couldn’t understand a word she said, his face scrunching in confusion as he looked up at her.

“Hey, Quill. Is this woman insulting me?”

“Y-Your Majesty, well….”

Quill fluffed his fur, fidgeting nervously with his tiny legs. He was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to translate Lylis’s words exactly or to fabricate a polite compliment, which seemed just as problematic.

[Even rude and foolish! What on earth was Calint thinking….]

Lylis was offended that Jackson didn’t greet her or even acknowledge her presence, continuing his conversation with Quill instead. Seeing the need to diffuse the situation, Quill scurried forward, hoping to calm the furious lady.

[Personal attendant to His Majesty the Queen, Phantom Moth Quill, greets the Lady of the Tashint family. Lady Lylis, The Queen is still unfamiliar with the Arachron language.]

[Does that excuse him from ignoring my greeting? It seems fitting that such a queen would have such a servant.]

[The Queen is merely adjusting to his new surroundings….]

[It’s quite doubtful whether he knows anything of royal court etiquette. How can such an unqualified and improper person sit on the throne as queen? It’s obvious what will happen.]

Jackson stood by, observing the exchange between Quill and Lylis. To him, it felt less like a conversation and more like Lylis was unleashing her frustration on Quill. Frustration welled up in him, as he couldn’t understand a word they were saying, let alone intervene.

He felt like scooping Quill up and leaving or throwing a string of curses right back at her. From Jackson’s perspective, who had no prior knowledge of Lylis or her involvement in the queen selection, it was baffling. An unknown woman had suddenly approached him, speaking a foreign language with evident irritation.

[Lady Lylis, please, watch your words….]

[Shut up! Since when did the Tashint family have to cater to humans?]

“Hey, lady. Why are you so eager to pick on my kid? If you have something to say, say it to me.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Jackson grabbed Quill by the body, lifting him high, and stepped forward, raising his voice. Lylis, though she didn’t understand his words, was amused by the deadly glare he gave her, letting out a scoff.

[So, you do care for your little servant, do you? Your Majesty the Queen, let’s see how long your arrogance lasts. That throne will soon be mine.]

“Your Majesty….”

The yellow ball of fluff squirmed in Jackson’s grasp, trying to wriggle free. It was oddly fascinating how the two managed to argue despite the complete language barrier. Quill marveled at how deep-seated animosity could make that possible but knew he had to diffuse the situation somehow.

Just then, a commanding voice interrupted.

[What is happening here with the Queen in broad daylight?]

Both Jackson and Lylis turned their heads towards the source of the voice. Jackson recognized the rich, authoritative tone. It was Calint.

[Your Majesty…?]

Lylis’s voice wavered, caught off guard by the king’s unexpected appearance. Quickly calculating her next move, she gracefully extended her hand, clasping one of Jackson’s.

[We just happened to cross paths, and I was formally introducing myself to His Majesty the Queen.]

Heh, what a fucking ridiculous act.

Seeing Lylis suddenly change her tone and act all polite, Jackson gave her the most disdainful glare he could muster. He had no idea what she was saying, but it was clear she was putting on an absurdly fake display.

“Why the hell are you grabbing my hand? Hey King, is it okay for some random woman to be holding my hand?”

He wasn’t necessarily trying to provoke jealousy; he was genuinely curious if Lylis’s behavior was acceptable by their world’s standards. Still, given the tension between them just moments ago, his tone carried a sharp edge, making it sound like he was questioning Calint.

“…I understand it wasn’t meant that way, but it’s not exactly pleasant,” Calint replied in a gentle tone. Then, shifting his tone, he addressed Lylis.

[The Queen is still unfamiliar with our customs. It would be better to save greetings and audiences for a more appropriate time. I understand your excitement, but this was a hasty move.]

[Oh… I was truly surprised to encounter His Majesty the Queen in the garden, and in my shock… If I was discourteous, I apologize.]

As Jackson tugged his hand away, Lylis abruptly let go, her apology directed solely at Calint, not the Queen.

[To think you’d be strolling through the palace in broad daylight. Be sure not to stay out too late.]

[Understood.]

There was nothing more to say to her. Calint, moving his multiple arms with elegant precision, as if to escort Jackson, spoke to him.

“Shall we return to the room, Jackson? What were you doing in the garden? If you were exploring the palace, I would be delighted to give you a personal tour.”

“No, that’s alright. I’m tired. Besides, isn’t it your bedtime? Shouldn’t you be heading off to sleep?”

Jackson assumed Calint was deliberately trying to appear affectionate. He had been racking his brain trying to recall where he had heard the name “Lylis,” and finally remembered Calint mentioning in passing that she had been a candidate for the queen’s position. After that, everything clicked.

Ha! Of course, that’s what you’d do.

Clearly, with a woman he disliked standing before him, Calint was pretending to be sweet to rub it in. Since Jackson found Lylis more irritating than Calint at the moment, he decided to play along with the Spider King’s tune.

But that didn’t mean he fully trusted Calint’s kindness. This was all just a political farce.

“It’s a bit late, but I’d love to show you around the palace. This is the place where I’ve spent many long years.”

“Well, then let’s get some sleep and figure out our timing later. When I woke up, you weren’t there.”

“I’ve just had so much to handle…. There was a meeting early this morning. I apologize for not being by your side.”

Creepy, much.

Jackson shot Calint a sideways glance. Apologizing for something so trivial seemed odd, and it felt foolish for a king to personally attend to everything instead of delegating tasks to his subordinates.

“It’s not really something you need to apologize for. Oh, and I just remembered—I’d like to take a bath.”

Feeling awkward from Calint’s overly polite response, the human queen changed the subject to distract himself. Even if it was an act, Calint was laying it on too thick.