The Regret Queen, Jenya hated the world.

  She hated the things more blessed than herself.

  She hated the things lesser than herself.

  She hated……herself.

  A mere shadow of herself…an Eternal Slave who could not find a Master. The Regrets more or less lived in regret and discontent…but Jenya especially.

  During her reign, most of the smiles in the country had faded.

  ********************************************

  「Yahoo~ Jenya-ya doin’ good~?」


  Khorkina entered the room.

  Inside the Queen’s Room, Jenya lay languidly on the bed before faintly moving her head.

  Upon seeing it was Khorkina her face warped in displeasure.

  「What…」


  「I brought some food from Akito-chan’s place~」


  「Oh……」


  「For now there’s enough for everyone in the country for three months~ Now we don’t have to miss meals. Yay!」


  Khorkina said energetically while sticking up her thumb and winking.

  Her excessive levity made it seem like she was saying 「I brought some snacks」.

  This irritated Jenya further.

  「You look like you’re having fun. How envious.」


  「Un, I am. Akito-chan is suuuper cool ya know? Sve-chi is all lovey-dovey. That Sve-chi you know? Unimaginable right~?」


  Ignoring Jenya’s jab, Khorkina used it to continue the conversation.

  She spoke as if bragging about herself.

  Jenya’s eyebrows twitched. On top of the bed, while languishing.

  Lying face down her eyebrow twitched about.

  Whether she noticed or not, Khorkina continued to 「boast」.

  「Right~ I had an important report to give.」


  「What…is it?」


  「Akito-chan is coming.」


  「……what did you say?」


  「Akito-chan’s coming over~」


  「I haven’t heard.」


  「Because I’m telling you now.」


  Jenya sat up and glared at Khorkina.

  She glared hatefully at this girl seemingly devoid of hate.

  This glare would usually be enough to scare someone but Khorkina’s expression only displayed a big 「?」.

  「Oh right, also umm, Sve-chi can only come to the National Border~」


  「Svetlana can?」


  「That’s right yep. Sve-chi turned back into an Eternal Slave. So, this country denies entry to Eternal Slaves yeah? So she only brought Akito-chan right to the border. It should be fine if they came that far…」


  「………」


  Jenya didn’t say anything.

  After all it seemed like Khorkina had already decided things.

  「It’ll be a while till they reach……ah don’t worry don’t worry, I’ll keep them outside properly. Ok then see ya~」


  Khorkina left the room. She left lightly with a bright face just as she entered.

  Jenya continued to gaze at the place Khorkina had occupied for a while…then she eventually stretched out her hand into the air and drew a circle with her finger.

  There the air seemed to peel away like wallpaper revealing a space and on the other side……was the outside.

  What appeared was the wasteland she was so used to seeing. There she saw a single man and a single Eternal Slave.

  She knew the Eternal Slave, her hair and skin had changed but her face was the same as ever.

  When she was a Regret she had been used as an envoy to Akito several times. It was Svetlana.

  That would mean that the man was King Akito, Jenya thought.

  Around them were many Regrets who glared at Svetlana hatefully.

  It wasn’t as great as Jenya’s but the other Regrets had let their hatred show.

  Akito and Svetlana were speaking with them.

  Then a moment later, Svetlana smiled.

  It was a huge smile that made it seem like she thought that the world and everything in it was wonderful.

  Everything that Jenya hated.

  As much as she hated everything.

  The things worse than her.

  The things better than her.

  She hated Svetlana who smiled like this after finding herself a Master.

  But even more than she hated.

  She could feel something more from that smile. From the depths of her heart.

  That was something the other Regrets, the ones who saw Akito and Svetlana in person…felt.

  Envy.

  Simple and honesty jealousy. Envy.

  They Envied Svetlana so much they couldn’t take it.

  And so the former Regret…turned around and left.

  The leftover after-effects of this smile…would signal the chance for great changes in the Regrets’ Country.