Kara no Teikoku : The Empty Empire
written and illustrated by Naoe Kita
translation by ryuuen yanagi

Chapter Four: Counterfeit Love

--page 97

"News alert: Emperor Idea's illegal clone has run off.
Please be careful. In addition, this person is a young boy
who has the same form as Idea,"


--page 98
"and a scar shaped like a flower on his forehead. The palace
has officially initiated a search. There will be a reward of
one million credits to the one who brings in this person."


--page 99

"Anyone who brings in further information will receive a reward
of ten thousand credits."

Rose: "I'm home~!"


--page 100

Ririka: "Rose!"

Rose: "Ririka."

Ririka: "Are you aware of the fact that they've launched an official
search for you!?"

Rose: "Ummm..."

Ririka: "Hey, hey!! You can't just go walking around outside!! You've got
a price on your head!!"


--page 101

Eiri: "Now, now, Ririka. He's alright, isn't he..."

Ririka: "Eiriiiii~~~~ Geez! It's because you're so easy on him that he's
dressed like this! He's gonna get caught!"

Rose: (I can't breathe...) "Oh, yeah....?"

Eiri: "Well. It is a pretty cheap disguise, isn't it."

Rose: "Well I've been inside the house for over a week now! How long is
it gonna be dangerous? I can't just spend my whole life hiding out, right?!"


--page 102

Ririka: "But if they catch you, they'll kill you! Right, Eiri?"

Eiri: "Yeah."

Ririka: "Geez, Rose. It's because you don't take care of yourself that I
worry."

Eiri: "Ririka.... Rose-kun is glaring."

Ririka: "That's okay. I love Eiri the best of all."

Rose: "Don't grope Eiri--."

Eiri: (I can't really say anything either way; Ririka will take it to
heart...) "Jealous?"


--page 103

Ririka: Rose! What the hell are you doing to Eiri's head!? It's a national
treasure~~!!

Eiri: ".......at any rate. It seems that Idem, the clone that Migime
created, is officially the emperor now. It's most likely a result of Migime
and Himmel exerting their power. Now, because Iriya and Dust are missing,
and there's the possibility that Idea's body is still in their possession...
Rose-kun! Are you listening?"

Rose: "No---pe."

Eiri: "Rose-kun~~~~" You're sulking aren't you~~ Ririka, let go of me~~

Rose: "I don't really care what happens to the throne. If Idem wants it,
he can have it."

Eiri: "Idea's body is in Migime's hands. What do you plan to do? Try letting
him make large amounts of clones; it will cause trouble."

Rose: "Eh~"


--page 104

Rose: "Tons of the same face.....? I don't even wanna think about it...."

Eiri: "........ If it were just masses of the same face, it would be alright;
Idea was good-looking. However, more importantly, they would kill you, Rose-kun.
Do you feel like running alone for your entire life?"

Rose: "! Alone?"

Eiri: "That's right. Don't misunderstand. Ririka and I knew Idea, so as far
as studying him is concerned, we're VIPs. At worst we would be captured; they
most likely wouldn't kill us."


--page 105

Eiri: "The only one they will kill is you. The other clone of Idea."

Migime: "Idem, what are you so lost in thought about?"

Idem: "Nothing... just wondering what happened to the other 'Idea'."

Migime: "Ah. It seems he didn't die. He's a tough guy. I heard that Himmel
initiated a search."

Idem: "Oh...."


--page 106

Idem: "Migime. Hurry and kill him."

Migime: ".......it's just a matter of time. What are you worrying about, Idem?
You possess everything that was Idea's."

Idem: (......everything? Really? I feel like there's something missing. Something...!)

Himmel: "You still haven't found Rose-kun?"


--page 107

servant: "No, King Himmel. We're using all our power, but..."

Himmel: "You guys aren't the most dependable of people, but.... call Bloody."

servant: "Huh?" By Bloody, you mean.... 'covered in blood'?

Himmel: " 'Bloody'. A professional assassin."


--page 108

Himmel: "It'll be easy."

Rose: "That Eiri~~~~~~. Why is he such a jerk? Did Idea do something to him
and he's getting revenge by teasing me or something?"

He says he was friends with Idea, but he's really stern with me...

Rose: "Why does Ririka like a guy like that!?"

I mean, he's hanging in there, but....

Rose: ".......I guess my life isn't gonna get any easier, huh."


--page 109

He says he was friends with Idea, but...

I wonder how they got to be friends?

If he paid attention to Eiri, they must have been in the same social class,
right?

I'm going to surpass Idea!

Rose: (Easier said than done, though, huh.) (Because I'm a wanted man, right
now...)

And because it seems I've received Idea's power, but it only comes out at
random times, the same as always.


--page 110

Eiri: "The fact that your feelings are unstable is most likely a primary
factor in that, but you should be able to use more of Idea's power than
you have up until now."

Rose: "After all, I haven't seen Idea even once...."

At least if I learn to use this power, I'll be able to become stronger...


--page 111

I get the feeling that even if I'm able to use this power, it won't be sufficient
for Idea.....

I wonder what Idea came to think about life?

servant: "Idem-sama."

Idem: "Move it; I have business with the person who knew Idea."

Dust: "You want to know what Idea thought about? Unless you mean the woman
he loved, I don't know a thing."

Idem: "What?"

Dust: "If I tell you, you have to.... you have to get me out of here!"

Idem: "Yeah, fine, just tell me."

Dust: "It's that whip-wielding girl. She's called Ririka...."

Idem: "That girl....?"


--page 112

Dust: "That's right. I didn't know until Eiri told me, but... ...HEY NOW!!
Let me out of here!! Hey, Idem!!!" Heeey! That's mean!! Hey!

Idem: "Someone. Hurry up and find that girl."

servant: "Wha?"

Idem: "The girl Idea loved. Ririka. Get Ririka!" I'll be able to get closer
to being Idea!


--page 113

Ririka: "Aaahh~~ Geez. I wonder why Eiri never notices me? I mean, I'm cute?"

Because she's the girl Idea loved.

Ririka: "........."

Ririka: Now that I think of it, I wonder which came first? Eiri meeting me, or
Idea falling in love with me? It couldn't be that.... Eiri brought me to live
with him BECAUSE Idea loved me, right?


--page 114

Someone's closeby!

Ririka: "......." Crap, I forgot to bring my whip!

Ririka: Thank goodness, it doesn't look like they're following me. "Hm?"


--page 115

Ririka: "!"

Rose: "UWAAA!?"


--page 116

Rose: "WAAHHH LET GO~~~ WHAT THE HELL~~!"

Kid: ha ha ha "Rose. It's me." 

Rose: "Kid!?"

Kid: "Long time no see, huh! How ya been?"

Rose: "Good, how 'bout you? You startled me...."

Kid: "Been earning money, so pretty busy. I've been looking for you, Rose."


--page 117

Rose: "!?"

Kid: "You've got a pretty big price on your head, I hear."

Rose: "!"


--page 118

Rose: "You can't be serious, Kid. About looking for me."

Kid: "Of course, you ARE the one who broke my ship, ya know. You can pay
me back with yourself. If I hand you over to the palace, I get a million
credits!! So, so nobody can get there ahead of me, I'll...!"

Rose: "Kid!"


--page 119

Kid: "Geh~ Ayako~~~~~~~"

Ayako: "Geez, Kid~~~~~ What kind of rotten thing are you doing?"

Kid: " 'Rotten'..... I was just playin' around! And it's all for you, anyway!"
Ugghhh, ow, ow....

Rose: "Ayako-san."


--page 120

Ayako: "It's okay, Rose-chan. This little boy won't tease you."

Kid: " 'Little boy'.... I'm nearly 2 meters tall." It's everyone else that's little
to me....

Ayako: "Anyway, I heard you talking about repayment with himself...?" ho ho ho

Kid: "I just came to discuss profit."

Ayako: "Ah?"

Rose: "!?"

Kid: "Let's just get his reward money, that's all."


--page 121

Kid: "I turn him in to the palace and get the money. Afterwards, he escapes from
the palace. They say to turn him in; they don't say anything about after that."

Ayako: "Eeeh?"

Rose: "You want me to be your accomplice, but do I get any of the reward!?"

Ayako: "But it's dangerous!"

Kid: "It's okay! We could do it a million times; piece of cake. And anyway, the
reward is huge! Plus, I'm the one who snuck Idea's body out of that same castle,
right? Just leave it to me, Rose!"

Rose: "Well, then. Can you sneak that same body of Idea out one more time?"

Kid: "Eh~"


--page 122

Rose: "Idea's body was handed over to Idem and his group."

Kid: "Steal two things at one time?"

Ayako: "Which would you steal first?"

Kid: "It's just, the security has probably been strengthened.... uuuhhhmmmmmm..."

Rose: "If you won't, then I have nothing more to say."

Kid: "UUhhmmmmm.... it'll be hard, but.... well, let's give it a try!" Because
I want money...

Rose: "Yeah, well, whatever."

Kid: "What're you mad about?"

Rose: "Nothing." *vein pop* "......you'd rather steal the REAL Idea, huh."

Kid: "A~"


--page 123

Rose: "When it comes down to it, I'm just a fake, right."

Kid: "........" Sorry~

But, this way I can see Idea!

Kirii/Kiara: "This is bad! Ririka-oneechan's disappeared!"

Eiri/Count: "Eeh!?"


--page 124

Kirii: "Look, Count!"

Kiara: "This is it, right Eiri?" It's a ribbon~

Kirii: "It got dropped."

Count: "Kirii! Kiara! You went outside!! Where did you think you were going!?"
I was looking for you! It's dangerous with just the two of you!!

Kiara: "But..."

Eiri: "If I recall correctly, this ribbon is Ririka's."

Count: "It couldn't be that someone's trying to get the reward...?"

Eiri: "But the search wasn't looking for Ririka, right."

Count: "Might it be an ordinary kidnapping?"

Eiri: "No, around here nobody would touch her."


--page 124

Eiri: "I can't think of anyone who would be especially after her, but...."



Chapter Four - Counterfeit Love - FIN
don't take the translations, please!
I'd hate to have to send Bloody after you. >=D