Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest Volume 6.
CHAPTER I: A DISTURBING DARKNESS Shea was the first to notice something.
“Hm? Hajime-san… isn’t there someone being attacked over there?” As always, Hajime and Yue had started flirting, which had led Kaori to interrupt them, distracting Hajime from his driving and making him swerve recklessly. Shea’s words finally tore his attention away from the battle of the stands that was happening between Yue’s thunder dragon and Kaori’s now powered-up ice demon, so he looked out the front windshield.
He spotted a merchant caravan under attack. They seemed to be holding their own for the moment. As they grew closer, Shea’s ears picked up on the sounds of people shouting, and Hajime activated Farsight to get a better idea of what was going on.
“Looks like they’re fighting bandits. There’s… forty of them, it looks like. They’re all dressed in rags. Hmm, only have about fifteen guards… I can’t believe they’re holding their own with only that many people.”
“Yeah. That barrier’s pretty good.”
“Indeed, it’s protecting them as well as a castle wall would. Those brigands cannot approach the merchants so long as it stands. Plus, they won’t last long if they continue taking such concentrated magical attacks.”
“But it doesn’t look like the bandits are backing down.”
“Well, unless they’ve got an entire party of Barrier Masters in there, they won’t be able to hold something that powerful for long. As long as the bandits keep at it, they’ll win. Their defenses won’t last.”
They must have been taken by surprise. A number of the merchants’ guards were lying on the ground in a pool of their own blood. A few others were gravely injured.
The only reason they were still holding out was because of the barrier. But with such an overwhelming difference in numbers, each guard that went down was a huge loss. Once the barrier fell, they’d be overwhelmed in seconds. One of the female adventurers had already been captured by the bandits. She’d been stripped naked and strung up as an example to the others still fighting.
As Hajime had predicted, the merchants weren’t able to keep up the barrier. Right around when their conversation ended, it began to crumble.
The bandits swooped in with whoops of joy. Their thoughts were already turning toward the loot they’d soon have, and they smiled viciously. The remaining guards fought valiantly, but they were completely outnumbered. One after another, they began to fall.
Kaori raised her hands to her mouth and gasped. She turned to Hajime and begged him to help.
“Hajime-koon, please! We have to save them! What if…” Hajime didn’t even wait for her to finish. He poured more mana into Brise and sped up. The merchants would be doomed if he spent time debating whether or not they should help. He’d hear Kaori’s explanation later. First, he needed to save them. If there was one thing Hajime prided himself on, it was his decisiveness. Especially when it came to requests from his comrades.
Brise roared down the plain, a trail of smoke rising in its wake.
“Hajime-koon… Thanks.” Kaori smiled, glad that Hajime was willing to listen to her. Hajime just shrugged his shoulders.
Meanwhile, Yue and the others hurriedly strapped on their seatbelts. They knew what Hajime was about to do.
“U-Umm, Hajime-koon? You aren’t planning on…” Kaori’s expression stiffened as she saw Brise hurtling toward the crowd of bandits. She knew she’d been the one to ask Hajime for help, but as someone who lived in a world with cars, she’d assumed he would have hesitated in doing something so unethical.
Hajime turned to Kaori and replied with a straight face.
“When you see criminals, you run them over… Isn’t that what they teach in driving school?”
“It’s not! Stop making up your own traffic laws! Look, even Yue and the others agree with me!”
Hajime ignored Kaori and drove Brise straight toward the rear of the bandits, aiming for the one that appeared to be their leader. It was clear he believed vehicles existed to run over bad guys.
The bandit leader noticed Brise too late. He started shouting panicked orders to his men and began casting a spell. He was sure this strange black box was some kind of new monster; he would never have guessed it was actually a metal vehicle made for transporting people.
Hajime poured more mana into Brise and activated one of the gadgets he’d attached to it. Meter-long blades popped out of the sides and front of the hood.
The men hurtled fireballs at the monstrosity bearing down on them, but they had no noticeable effect. Hajime ignored their pathetic attempts at resistance and powered forward.
The bandits trembled in fear as they watched the black box shrug off their best attacks. There was a sickening crunch and Hajime powered into the mass of unarmored bandits. Despair and confusion was etched onto their faces as they were blown away by Brise.
A few of them were pushed up onto the hood and sliced apart by the blades on there. Others tried to dodge out of the way and were sliced apart from the blades on the side. Those fortunate enough to avoid death by slicing were blown apart by the force of a giant truck slamming into them at 80km/h, their bodies utterly pulverized.
In the span of a single second, seven bandits were killed. After destroying the bandits’ backline, Hajime drifted Brise to a halt.
Both the bandits and the merchants stared blankly at Brise. The sudden carnage had left them speechless. Some of the guards and bandits had stopped mid-swing, even.
Hajime ignored them and turned to Kaori.
“If we’re doing this, I’m not going to show any mercy. I’ll kill them all. No healing any of them. You get that, right?”
“Yeah. I know.”
He knew how kind Kaori was, but he had no intention of letting her heal his enemies. If she did, she’d no longer be his comrade, at which point she’d have to return to Kouki’s party.
Kaori took a deep breath and nodded. “Alright, then go. I won’t get in your way.” “Okay!”
Kaori leaped out of Brise and ran to the injured merchants. The bandits had been shocked senseless when Brise had showed up. However, Kaori just looked like an ordinary girl. That was something they could handle. They let their anger fuel them and attacked.
“Die, you bitch!” One of the bandits brandished his sword at her.
Kaori only spared the man a glance before turning her attention back to the injured. She continued running to the injured merchants and started chanting a healing spell.
That only made the bandit angrier, but before he could vent his frustrations, he was slaughtered. Hajime had blown his head clean off.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! With each gunshot, another bandit lost their life. Even the guards, who were the ones being saved, shivered in fear as they watched Hajime slaughter the bandits.
It was just so merciless. In the span of a few seconds, over half of the forty-odd bandits were executed.
Some of the bandits panicked and tried to take the merchants hostage, but they were met by Shea, who leaped in front of them.
One of the guards shouted out a warning to her, but it was entirely unnecessary. At this point Shea was so overpowered she could even give Hajime a run for his money. This fighting rabbit had no blind spots. She summoned Drucken from her Treasure Trove and held it aloft. Then, she swung it with such force that a wall of air was pushed forward. The three men charging at the merchants crumpled to the ground with the upper halves of their bodies missing.
“Huh? Wah, look at all that blood!” It had been so long since they’d fought an actually weak enemy, so none of them were able to hold back too well. Shea had been planning on only sending them flying, but she’d accidentally cut them in half. It was quite a gruesome sight. Shea jumped back away from the sudden fountain of blood that erupted in front of her.
Yue and Tio spared Shea a single glance before obliterating the remaining bandits in a storm of magic.
The few who tried to escape had their heads blown off by Hajime. They didn’t even have time to beg for their lives. Their punishment was swift and thorough.
Kaori used Holy Blessing, an AoE healing skill, to heal the injured merchants and adventurers all at once. Unfortunately, a number of them were already dead. And sadly, not even restoration magic could bring back the dead.
She ground her teeth, frustrated that she hadn’t been able to save everyone. As she was lamenting their deaths, someone came running up to her. They were wearing a cowl over their face, so their features were unrecognizable. However, Hajime could tell by the color of the mana surrounding her that she was the one who’d cast that barrier earlier. And so, he saw no reason to stop her.
“Kaori!” The girl threw herself into Kaori’s arms. Kaori was honestly surprised that her guess had been correct.
“Lily, is it really you!? I thought I recognized that barrier, but I still wasn’t sure. I can’t believe you’re out here…” The person Kaori had called Lily was, in fact, the princess of the Heiligh Kingdom, Liliana S. B. Heiligh.
Liliana breathed a sigh of relief and pushed back her hood to reveal dazzling blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. She looked at Kaori in admiration and whispered something to her.
“I didn’t expect to see you here either, Kaori. Thank goodness you were passing by, though. It seems my luck hasn’t run out just yet.”
“Lily? What’s happened…” Kaori looked worriedly at her friend. As if just noticing something, Liliana covered her face with the cowl once more. She then put a finger to Kaori’s lips and implored her not to use her real name.
It appeared she’d been traveling incognito, without taking any attendants. Kaori’s expression grew grim. Something serious must have happened for Liliana to embark on such a dangerous journey. The two of them looked at each other for a few seconds.
“Kaori, have you finished healing everyone?” Hajime walked up to the two of them and asked Kaori that.
Liliana hadn’t heard him coming and squealed in surprise upon hearing a voice right next to her. She stared at Hajime for a few seconds before recognition dawned on her.
“You must be Nagumo-san, correct? It’s been a while. Shizuku told me you were still alive. It must have taken an unbelievable strength of will to escape the labyrinth. I’m glad you survived. It hurt to see how sad Kaori looked when she thought you were dead.”
“Lily! Did you really have to bring that up!?”
“Fufu… I heard about your confession from Shizuku, too. You should tell me all about the adventures you’ve had later.”
Kaori blushed and Liliana smiled at Hajime from beneath her hood.
Most people couldn’t resist her smile. It had grown famous throughout the kingdom. Men and woman, old and young, were all captivated by how dazzling it was.
However, Hajime didn’t seem affected by it at all. He gazed suspiciously at Liliana and asked her a question, his words echoing his confusion.
“Wait, who are you?” “Huh?”
Kaori and Liliana had been friends even when Hajime was still in the capital. In fact, Liliana had made an effort to talk to all of the members of the hero party at least once. Since Hajime hadn’t been looked favorably upon by the others, she hadn’t had as many chances to talk to him. Still, they’d conversed a few times when he’d been with Kaori.
Liliana wasn’t used to being forgotten. Not only was she royalty, her affable personality made her memorable to most people. And so, she was honestly stunned when Hajime didn’t recognize her. Due to that, she stared at Hajime with a dumbfounded expression on her face.
Kaori stepped in, explaining in place of Liliana. She whispered in Hajime’s ear, since Liliana had told her she didn’t want her identity revealed to the caravan.
“H-Hajime-koon! She’s the princess! The princess of Heiligh! Liliana! You’ve talked to her before, remember!?”
“……Oh……”
“Hic… I never knew being forgotten could hurt so much… Hic…“
“Lily, don’t cry! Hajime-koon’s just a bit, you know, dense. No normal person would ever forget you! Please don’t cry!”
“Hey, did you just insult me?” Hajime hadn’t expected Kaori of all people to just casually insult him like that. Even more surprising, Kaori snapped back with “Shut up for a bit, Hajime-koon!”
“No, no, it’s fine, Kaori. I shouldn’t be thinking so highly of myself anyway.” Liliana smiled bravely, and Hajime found he couldn’t really say anything back to that. Besides, it was his fault in the first place for forgetting about her.
Yue and the others walked up to Hajime, along with the leader of the merchants. To Hajime’s surprise, he recognized the man.
“It’s been some time, hasn’t it…? You seem to be in good health.” “You’re the energy drink guy…”
“Energy drink? I do sell those, among other things, but… I don’t think my energy drinks in particular are all that famous…”
“Ah, sorry, just talking to myself. Your name was More, right?”
“Indeed. I’m honored you remember me. More Nos, of the Nos Trading Company at your service. This is the second time you’ve saved me from certain death. I’m beginning to think we’re connected by fate.” The leader of this merchant caravan was none other than the same one that Hajime had escorted from Brooke to Fuhren, More Nos.
He still remembered that trip well. It was there that he’d learned just how far the merchants of this world were willing to go to make a sale. His mercantile spirit hadn’t waned one bit, and he thumbed the ring on Hajime’s finger as he shook his hand. It looked like he still hadn’t given up on buying Hajime’s Treasure Trove off him.
Shea explained to Kaori and Liliana how they knew More, which caused the princess to sink further into depression.
“He remembers someone he met just once… but not me… the princess…” she mumbled.
Kaori tried everything she could to cheer Liliana up, while Hajime continued his discussion with More.
It turned out he was en-route to Ankaji via Horaud. Everyone had heard of Ankaji’s plight by now, and More was hoping to make a huge profit selling the starving city food. He’d already finished one trip. Then, he’d gone back to acquire more food from the capital and was on his way back now. Judging from his smug expression, Hajime guessed he’d already made quite a profit from his first trip.
On the other hand, Hajime and his comrades were on their way to the Haltina woods. However, they were planning on passing through Horaud and Fuhren first. Horaud was on the way and they needed to tell Ilwa that they’d successfully reunited Myu with her mother in Fuhren. As they would both need to pass through Horaud, More asked Hajime if he’d be willing to guard them until then.
However, Liliana interrupted them.
“My apologies, good merchant, but I would like to hire their services myself. I understand I’m being presumptuous, especially as you were so kind as to let me join your convoy, but…”
“Oh, do you no longer need to go to Horaud?”
“Yes, this is far enough. Of course, I will still pay you the full fee.”
It seemed Liliana had originally planned on going to Horaud too. However, now that she’d found Hajime and his friends, there was no need.
Hajime wasn’t sure he’d like what Liliana had to ask, but he knew if he said anything now Kaori would just yell at him for being mean to the princess, so he held his tongue.
“I see… I’m happy to know I was of assistance. You don’t have to worry about paying me.”
“Huh? But I can’t just not pay you…” Liliana seemed at a loss. The caravan had provided her with food and lodging, and she couldn’t imagine not repaying them for their hospitality. In fact, she’d been expecting him to ask for more than the usual since she’d promised to pay him upon reaching Horaud and not up-front.
However, More simply smiled at her.
“I doubt I’ll ever say those words again… Let me give you one piece of advice before you go. Normally, you pay up-front when asking to join a caravan. If someone doesn’t ask to see your money right away, then they’re either up to no good, or they have their own reasons for not wanting to take your money. Fortunately for you, this time it was the latter.”
“Wait, does that mean…”
“I have no idea why someone of your standing needs to sneak out of the capital, but I have no doubt it is a matter of utmost importance. If I didn’t assist you in your time of need, then I could hardly call myself a proud citizen of Heiligh. I may be a merchant, but I’m a patriot too.”
So he knew from the start… Despite that, he hadn’t revealed Liliana’s identity, and had tried to help her to the best of his abilities.
“In that case, I owe you my gratitude. It was only thanks to you that I was able to leave the capital.”
“I see. I’m sorry to change the topic so suddenly, but do you know what it is that merchants want most, but find hardest to obtain?”
“Huh? No, I don’t.” “It’s trust.” “Trust?”
“Yes, trust. Without it, we would be unable to conduct any business. At the root of every merchant’s profits lies a relationship built on trust. Furthermore, even if a merchant finds themselves bereft of money, as long as they have the trust of others they won’t be ruined. After our little trip, would you not say the Nos Trading Company is worthy of your trust? If you do, then I’ve already made a far greater profit than any amount of money you could provide me.”
Liliana smiled to herself. He certainly knew how to give a speech. If she paid him now, it would be the same as saying she didn’t trust him. Her thanks would have the opposite effect of what she intended.
Liliana pulled back her cowl and looked More in the eyes.
“Your company is one I would trust with my life. I swear that I, Liliana S. B. Heiligh, will never forget the kindness you have shown me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
“You are far too kind.”
More, along with the rest of his merchants, bowed deeply to Liliana.
After all that, More left Liliana in Hajime’s care and continued down the road to Horaud. Just before they were out of sight, he turned around and yelled one final warning to Hajime. More had heard that Hajime was now a heretic, but despite that he chose to believe in the man who’d saved his life twice. He informed Hajime that something sinister was happening in the capital, and that he should be careful. In return, Hajime told More that his party had purified Ankaji’s oasis and that they were no longer in dire need of food. That was all the information More needed to guess as to why the Holy Church had turned against Hajime. He left with a final “If you ever find yourself in need of supplies for your journey, please come to the Nos Trading Company first.” He really is a merchant through and through.
Once More left, Hajime and the others took Liliana back to Brise and asked her what she’d come for. The tension in her voice did not bode well, and Hajime was worried he’d get dragged into something he didn’t want again. However, the first thing she said took him completely by surprise.
“Aiko-san… has been kidnapped.” This was far worse than anything Hajime could have imagined.
Liliana explained her story to the shocked party.
For a while, Lilliana had been worried about how strained the atmosphere in the palace was. Her father, the king, had been spending more and more time with the pope, and had grown far more religious. He’d oftentimes praise Ehit during meals or conversations, and his piety influenced the ministers and nobles to become more religious as well.
Liliana had kept trying to tell herself that it was just a side-effect of all the time he was spending with the Holy Church officials. Humans needed to be united in this time of crisis, or the demons would overrun them, she thought. However, things steadily got worse. Many of the soldiers started looking listless, as if someone had sucked out their souls. Whenever she asked any of the knights how they were doing, they’d always reply that they were fine, but to her they all looked seriously ill.
She’d then tried to consult Meld, the knight she trusted most in the palace, but he had seemingly vanished. He still showed up to Kouki and the others’ training from time to time, but whenever she managed to catch a glimpse of him there, he’d vanish before she could talk to him. In the end, she never got a chance to see him.
It was then that Aiko had returned to the capital. She’d given the king a report on what had transpired at Ur.
Liliana had been in the audience chamber at the time and had heard the whole story. At that point, an emergency vote had been held.
That was when they’d decided to declare Hajime a heretic. They ignored Aiko’s protests, the fact that he’d saved both an entire city and the hero party, and declared him an enemy of mankind.
Liliana had naturally found the vote absurd, and had said as much to her father. However, the king seemed convinced that Hajime was an enemy of Ehit. His hate was so vehement that Liliana feared he was possessed. As a matter of fact, he had claimed Liliana herself was lacking in faith when she even mentioned the possibility that Hajime was innocent. As the meeting progressed, he began to look at his own daughter as if she were the enemy.
Terrified, Liliana had pretended to agree with her father and fled his chambers. She’d run to Aiko, hoping to share her worries with the teacher.
Aiko had told her she planned on telling her students what Hajime had told her about the gods and the true goal of his journey during dinner. She’d expressed her hopes that Liliana would join them.
So that evening, Liliana had headed for the dining hall where the students took their meals. On the way there, she’d heard Aiko arguing with someone. She’d peeked out from the edge of the hallway to see what was going on, and watched as a silver-haired nun incapacitated Aiko and took her away.
Liliana had been terrified of that nun, and hidden herself in a nearby guest room. Once inside, she’d entered a secret passage that only royalty knew about.
The nun had come looking for her, but had been unable to find her. Fortunately for Liliana, the passage had been an artifact that hid the presence of whoever was in it. Liliana knew she had to tell someone. The nun was clearly behind the strange atmosphere she’d been feeling in the castle. Or if not behind it, working for whoever was.
However, she knew if Aiko had been taken that the students would likely be under surveillance. And Captain Meld was still nowhere to be found.
After a lot of worrying, Liliana had decided to turn to the one friend she knew who was outside the palace.
Kaori. Plus, she knew that Kaori would have to be traveling with Hajime. Those two were the only people left that she knew she could rely on, so she’d followed the secret passage out of the castle and tried to find someone willing to take her to Ankaji.
She’d picked Ankaji because she knew the Zengen family would be willing to help her. On top of that, they were far enough from the capital that they were likely still unaffected by the darkness that hung over it. And more than anything, she guessed that there was a good chance she’d run into Kaori there.
“After that, I joined More Nos’ caravan and traveled with him out of the capital. I didn’t think he’d recognize me straight away, or that we’d be attacked by bandits, or that the people I’d set out to meet would be the ones to save me, though. A few weeks ago, I would have said that this was all because Ehit was watching over me. But now… I’m… afraid of the Holy Church. I don’t know what’s happening anymore. I have no idea who that silver-haired nun is… or what’s wrong with my father…” Liliana hugged her knees and trembled in fear. Right now she looked less like the wise and confident princess she was reputed to be and more like an ordinary, frightened girl. Hajime couldn’t blame her though. Everyone she knew and loved had either gone insane or was missing.
Kaori hugged Liliana tight. That was all she could do right now to ease her friend’s worries.
Hajime mentally shook his head. Liliana’s story had borne a surprising resemblance to the visions they’d seen in the Sunken Ruins of Melusine. One by one, Ehit was starting to possess people. Things were not looking good.
Under most circumstances, Hajime would have just washed his hands of this and said it had nothing to do with him. He would simply have sped up his schedule, conquered all the labyrinths as quickly as possible, and left this world without a second thought.
However, Hajime could more or less guess why Aiko had been kidnapped. He couldn’t say this had nothing to do with him. Someone affiliated with the Holy Church had likely taken her because she’d tried to tell the others what Hajime had told her. Ehit likely didn’t want his own pawns, Kouki and the others, to stop following his script.
She’d been kidnapped because Hajime had tried to use her for his own gain.
Seeing as they’d kidnapped her, Hajime doubted they intended to kill her any time soon. Still, he didn’t want to imagine what kinds of things they might do to her. After all, the so-called gods had no qualms about manipulating people like pawns. He doubted they’d shy away from torture.
More than anything, he owed his current happiness to Aiko. She was the one who had advised him to change the way he lived his life. Even if her kidnapping wasn’t his fault, he wouldn’t have abandoned her.
That was why he knew there was only one option.
“Guess we’ve gotta save Sensei.” Hajime made his decision. I won’t abandon her. This isn’t someone else’s problem, but mine.
Liliana looked up at him, relief flooding her face. She had been expecting him to refuse. Shizuku had told her how he’d said that the people of this world, and even his own classmates, meant nothing to him anymore. She’d been mentally preparing herself for a long debate.
“You’ll come back to help?” Liliana asked one more time, just to be sure. Hajime just shrugged his shoulders.
“Don’t misunderstand. I don’t give a damn about the kingdom. I’m only going back to save Sensei. It’s my fault she got kidnapped in the first place, and even if it wasn’t, I do owe her.”
“Aiko-san’s…”
While it was unfortunate that he cared nothing for her kingdom, it didn’t change the fact that he would come back with her. Liliana was content to settle for that.
Hajime’s next words brought a smile to her face.
“And, well, if whatever’s messing up the palace tries to get in the way of me saving Sensei, I’ll beat the shit out of it for you.”
“You’ll… Fufu. In that case, I pray it does try to get in your way. Thank you so much for agreeing to help, Nagumo-san.”
Aiko had been kidnapped by a nun. That, plus the strange fanaticism of the king told Hajime that chances were the Holy Church was behind this.
Saving Aiko would almost inevitably entail fighting against them. Hajime knew that too. In other words, he understood that accompanying Liliana back to the capital would mean he’d end up having to save her kingdom in the process.
The corners of Hajime’s mouth inched upward as he watched Liliana and Kaori smile at each other.
He had a secondary reason for going to back to the capital, too. After all, the Divine Mountain housed its very own labyrinth. In other words, an ancient magic that he needed was in there. However, he had absolutely no idea where that labyrinth’s entrance was. Searching the area would be difficult with all the priests and clergy running around.
It was because he hadn’t wanted to start a fight with the Holy Church just yet that he’d decided to ignore the mountain and head for Haltina first. With the situation being what it was, though, he had ample reason to conquer the mountain immediately.
Rescuing Aiko would put him in direct opposition with the Holy Church. In which case, it made sense to launch a pre-emptive strike against them. Plus, he’d be able to get his hands on ancient magic that he’d need eventually anyway. It was killing two birds with one stone.
The silver-haired nun Liliana had spoken of reminded Hajime of the hooded figure who’d been by King Aleister’s side in Melusine’s visions. When they’d disappeared below the deck with the king, Hajime distinctly remembered seeing a flash of silver hair. He wasn’t sure if they were the same person. After all, centuries had passed since then. For some reason though, Hajime had a feeling they were. And he was sure that they’d soon find themselves at odds with each other.
He was raring for this fight. The monster incubated in the abyss was thirsting for blood. Anything that stood in his way would die, no exceptions.
He broke into the same fearless grin he had whenever he was up against grim odds.
“Hajime, you’re amazing.”
“Hawawa, Hajime-san’s making that face again. I’m falling for him all over!”
“Hm, Master. If you keep grinning at me like that.. my panties are going to get soaked.”
The trio of girls drooling over Hajime ended up ruining the tense atmosphere he was building up.
Let’s turn back the clock to a few days before Liliana met up with Hajime and the others.
A lone figure stood near the outskirts of the royal palace. They were in an empty, quiet clearing. It was a solemn place, the silence punctured only by the night breeze. Crisp moonlight illuminated the area.
Truthfully, the figure was standing in a graveyard. However, as it was near the palace, it was no mere graveyard for the masses. There was a single stone monument carved directly out of the mountainside. A towering edifice that immortalized the sacrifices of the brave souls who’d given their lives for this kingdom. All those who died in battle for the kingdom had their names engraved there.
The man standing in front of the grave was Heiligh’s knight captain, Meld Loggins. Though his expression was neutral, there was a deep sadness in his eyes.
This late at night, the only people wandering the palace grounds were the soldiers on patrol, but none of them passed through this graveyard.
That, of course, made this quiet graveyard the perfect meeting place for clandestine activities.
“Captain.” The whisper was so quiet it was nearly snatched away by the wind. Meld turned around and saw the man he was waiting for. The newcomer walked up without making a sound. His name was Jose Rancaid. He was the vice-commander of the knights, and Meld’s right-hand man.
“Were you followed?”
“No, I didn’t meet a soul on the way here. Still, it would be unwise to linger too long.”
“We certainly wouldn’t want people starting rumors that the two most important knights in the kingdom are plotting something, especially considering the current state of the court. The ministers all suspect even their own shadows.”
Meld smiled bitterly, which Jose reciprocated.
“How are the soldiers?” Meld asked, his expression serious once more. Jose’s expression didn’t inspire confidence. In fact, he was pale.
“Including the captains, over sixty percent of the soldiers are showing signs of ‘Hollowness.’” The Hollowness Jose referred to was a strange phenomenon that had appeared over the past few days. It had spread quickly through the ranks of common foot soldiers and knights. Put simply, the Hollowness was some strange affliction that made them lethargic.
They still continued doing their jobs, and responded to direct questions. However, they were clearly more listless than usual, and none of those affected by it smiled. They became social recluses, leaving their room only to work.
The epidemic had spread fast, and now it was affecting even nobles and commanders.
Naturally, Meld had launched an investigation as to the cause of the matter. He was worried about his men, and feared that this was worse than simple lethargy.
“Already? I should be thankful only 10 percent of my knights are affected. That, and none of my captains seem ill yet.”
“But Captain. I’m not quite sure how to put this… but should we really assume this is an enemy attack? Could it not simply be that the men are burnt out?” Jose’s tone was hesitant.
“Kouki’s been beaten, we’ve lost many of our best knights, and the demons have overturned the numbers advantage we had over them. Do you really think this is a coincidence? I understand how you feel, Jose, but blind optimism will get you killed.”
“My apologies.” Jose was by no means being optimistic. It was his job as Meld’s confidante to offer alternate viewpoints and contradict any potential flaws in his boss’ reasoning. And so, Jose cleared his throat and continued.
“How are things on your end, Captain? Has the king been affected as well?”
“His Highness is still safe for now. He shows no symptoms of Hollowness. If anything, he seems more lively than ever. He swears by Ehit that he won’t let the demons’ atrocities continue. However…”
“What is it?” Jose wasn’t used to seeing his boss hesitate.
Meld tried to search for the right words. In the end, he wasn’t able to find them and he shook his head.
“It’s nothing.” He could hardly tell his vice-captain that the king was too religious. It would be blasphemy, both to Jose and to his own faith.
“The prime minister seems unaffected as well. However, some of the influential nobles haven’t been so lucky.” Jose staggered as Meld rattled off a list of people who’d become Hollow. The nobles who were integral to the government’s continued operation were fortunately still safe, but many other highly powerful people had been laid low.
“I’ve given His Highness a full report, and he’s guarded by a contingent of knights 24/7. I don’t trust the templar knights or the royal guard. My men have orders to come see me the moment they sense anything even slightly out of the ordinary.”
“What does His Highness have to say about the Hollowness?” Meld had informed King Eliheid there was a possibility that this was a mental attack orchestrated by some unknown enemy.
Even if it was just apathy, the numbers spoke for themselves. Meld was certain this required a swift response. However, the king had not met his expectations.
“The fact that the two of us are meeting in secret here’s answer enough, isn’t it?”
“He rejected your request to start an investigation, didn’t he?”
The king had indeed ordered Meld to stop worrying about foolish things like apathetic soldiers and to start building up the country’s army.
Though he was forbidden from conducting an investigation, Meld couldn’t let it go. His instincts were telling him that this Hollowness was dangerous. That was why he was operating in secret with his vice-captain.
“The demons have grown more powerful than ever. His Highness has more important concerns than unmotivated soldiers and some vague hints that it might be an epidemic.”
“Still, the king heeds your words, Captain. Normally he’d never dismiss your concerns out of hand…”
Meld cut Jose off with a look. Though the Eliheid may have been acting strange recently, Meld didn’t want to hear any insults against the king. He was, at heart, a loyal man.
“That’s why we need to gather proof. Jose, talk to all of the dark magic experts you know. Figure out what this Hollowness really is, and devise countermeasures. Also, try and convince the guards to open up the royal vault. Surely we have an artifact in there that can deal with mental attacks like this. At the very least, get a catalog of items from the vault manager.”
“Yes, sir. What about Kouki-koon and his friends?”
“Let me worry about them. They’re in a delicate state right now. I didn’t want to burden them with more worries than I had to, but… I suppose I have no choice but to tell them now. I’m really not cut out to be a teacher.” Meld sighed, and Jose smiled at him.
“I’m sure those kids understand how hard you’re trying.”
“Who cares if they understand me. The problem is that I don’t understand them. It’s honestly my biggest worry still. Fighting’s so much easier than this.”
“Still, I think it would ease some of their worries if you talked to them.”
Prospective knights applied knowing what they were getting into, so Meld’s way of cheering up his men usually consisted of training them until they collapsed and then sharing a few drinks. It usually worked. However, he knew that wouldn’t be a good idea for Kouki and the others. They were students who’d been dragged against their will into his world’s war, and they were only fighting to go back home.
He had no idea how to help those kids come to terms with the fact that they’d have to kill. Jose snickered. Meld was acting just like a father who didn’t know how to teach his kids.
The two of them talked for a bit longer about less pressing matters. Once they gave each other their respective reports, they melted away into the darkness.
Meld snuck back to his room while keeping an eye out for patrols. As he was the knight commander, no one would challenge him even if they did spot him, but he didn’t want anyone wondering what it was he’d been doing out this late at night.
I can’t believe I’m acting like an intruder in the palace I’m supposed to protect. Meld smiled to himself. A second later though, his heart leaped into his throat as someone called out to him.
“Captain Meld—” He looked around, but saw no one. Despite the fact that he’d been on high alert, someone had managed to sneak up on him. In fact, they’d gotten so close that they were able to tap his shoulder. In other words, they could have killed him had they so chosen to.
“Zaaah!” His overblown reaction was a symptom of how nervous he was. The moment he felt a hand on his shoulder, he pulled out his sword. It drew a silver arc through the air as he turned it on his assailant.
“Hiii!?” His sword met only empty air, though. Whoever had snuck up on him had good enough reflexes to dodge out of the way in time.
Or well, at least trip over himself. He looked down to find his attacker in tears.
“K-Kousuke!?” The boy Meld had mistaken for his attacker was indeed Kousuke Endou, the scout of the hero party. He was nodding, terrified.
“C-Captain. D-Did I do something to make you mad?” Realizing his mistake, Meld hurriedly sheathed his sword and helped Kousuke up.
Everyone knew how difficult it was to notice Kousuke. Even when his friends were talking with him, they’d sometimes forget he was there. Back in Japan, automatic doors often wouldn’t even open for him. Furthermore, he was almost always forgotten during role call in class. He was a natural master of stealth.
Meld understood now why he hadn’t sensed anyone.
“N-No, sorry. I was just surprised to find someone behind me and kind of…”
“You sound like Golgo, Captain.”
You “kind of” almost chopped my head off! Meld cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“Anyway, what are you doing out so late, Kousuke?”
“After practice today, I fell asleep in my room. We went pretty hard, and I was exhausted. But it was still pretty early, and…”
Meld looked pityingly down at his pupil. He could tell where this was going.
“And no one thought to wake me up for dinner or anything, so I slept until now.”
“I-I see.”
“When I finally woke up, I hurried over to the dining hall, but everyone had already finished eating. They’d noticed there was an extra meal laid out, but they thought the chefs had made more by mistake and ate it. No one even realized I didn’t come to dinner.”
“I-I see.”
“Well, I guess it was partly my fault for not arriving on time. I felt guilty about asking the servants to make food just for me and I figured skipping just one meal wouldn’t be a big deal. But then I got so hungry I couldn’t sleep… which is why I figured I’d go to the kitchens to see if they had anything. I found some vegetable scraps leftover and ate those, but…”
“But?”
“Whatever they were, they didn’t sit well with my stomach… I spent two hours fighting in the bathroom. You really don’t want to go in there right now.”
“What a night…”
“Anyway, once I finished, I realized there was another problem.”
“Your story’s not over yet!? And what on earth is in that bathroom!?”
“It’s not what’s in there, but what isn’t. There wasn’t any toilet paper.”
“…..”
Kousuke didn’t explain how he eventually did manage to find some toilet paper, but considering how far from the kitchens he was now, Meld guessed he must have spent a long time searching for it.
“Kousuke… go rest.”
“Will do. Good night, Captain.”
He’d been forgotten, had his dinner eaten by someone else, gotten sick off the leftovers he’d found, and then spent the night wandering the halls looking for toilet paper only to nearly be killed by his teacher. Meld felt for the poor boy.
As he watched Kousuke totter off to his room, Meld gave him a crisp salute.
Meld made it the rest of the way back to his room without incident. He heaved a heavy sigh and put his sword up on the stand on the wall. After disarming, he flopped himself onto his sofa and massaged his temples.
Once he’d rested for a while, he started planning.
“Magic that only affects troops’ morale… It would make sense that demons are behind it, but I can’t believe they’ve infiltrated the capital already. And if they have, why not try something bolder than just hitting our morale? And why only target our rank and file soldiers? If they can cast spells undetected into the palace, why not come for me? Killing me would remove a powerful enemy and lower their morale anyway. So why? What on earth is going on?” Meld spoke his thoughts aloud. He was still extremely worried about this unknown threat that had wormed its way into the palace. He wasn’t exactly at his limits, but the constant planning and worrying had been taking its toll. Doubly so since his fellow palace officials didn’t seem to share his concerns.
Worse, the problems kept on piling up. He could feel his impatience permeating every inch of his thoughts, like an ink stain spreading through paper.
“I wonder what he’s up to right now?” Meld thought back to the boy he’d been reunited with in the Orcus Labyrinth. The boy he’d believed he’d failed to protect. The boy who’d used legendary medicine to save his life.
After reminiscing for a few minutes, Meld stood up and walked over to his desk. Then, he pulled out two pieces of paper and as many envelopes. Looking conflicted, he began to write.
He needed to be ready for the worst. The first letter was addressed to the duke of Ankaji. The second, to Hajime. He was hoping Duke Zengen would know how to get in touch with Hajime and pass it on.
This way, even if something happened to him, the kingdom would have a fighting chance.
Glimmering moonlight illuminated his room as he wrote away.
He finished writing and started going over the letters again. Just then, he heard a knock on the door.
Meld warily grabbed his sword off the wall and asked who was at the door.
“Who is it?”
“Umm, it’s me, Captain Meld. Hiyama.”
“Daisuke? What are you doing up at this hour?”
“Well… there’s something I really need your advice on.”
Wondering what could have made the boy sound so desperate, Meld slowly opened the door. Hiyama stood in the hallway, his head bowed low.
“You said you needed my advice but… why this late at night?”
“I’m sorry. I know I’m being a bother… but I don’t want any of my classmates to overhear this.”
“I see… Well, it’s no trouble for me. Come in.” Meld thought he had a good idea of what Hiyama needed advice on, and invited the boy into his room.
Hiyama’s standing among his classmates was tenuous. It was his own carelessness that had nearly gotten Hajime killed. He’d apologized profusely for the incident, and the other students had all agreed not to bring it up again too, so no one blamed him for anything. Still, that was only on the surface. Most generally kept their distance from him.
Especially now that they’d all learned Hajime was alive.
Meld was a little worried about his relationship with the others too, so he was actually glad Hiyama had come to him for advice. At least, that was what Meld assumed Hiyama had come for.
Hiyama kept his head bowed low, so Meld couldn’t make out his expression. However, Meld didn’t like what he saw. Hiyama seemed on the verge of doing something drastic.
Meld ushered the boy over to his sofa. He waited patiently, but Hiyama didn’t say anything. The boy simply sat there, wringing his hands and tapping his foot.
“Daisuke, I think I know what it is you wanted to talk about. You don’t have to sugarcoat anything. Give it to me straight. Tell me what’s troubling you and we can come up with a solution together.” Meld’s reassuring words did nothing to ease Hiyama’s apparent nerves. He still kept his head bowed, unwilling to meet Meld’s eyes.
This must have been eating away at him more than I thought. Meld tried to reassure him again.
However, before he could get more than a few words out, he heard another knock at his door. I sure am getting a lot of visitors today. He called out to ask who it was.
Surprisingly, it was Jose’s voice that answered him. It appeared he had an emergency report to make.
His timing couldn’t have been any worse. Hiyama was still in Meld’s room, and it was entirely possible what Jose had to report was something Meld didn’t want the students to hear.
Hiyama noticed Meld’s hesitation.
“It’s fine, Captain Meld. I’ll just wait in the hallway until you’re done.”
“If you’re sure… Sorry, Daisuke.”
“It’s fine,” Hiyama replied curtly, and stood up.
Meld walked to the door and turned the knob. The door opened with a soft click. Standing in the hallway was Jose, but he’d gone Hollow.
Meld felt goosebumps run down his back. His instincts screamed at him to run.
“Ah!?” he gasped, and leaped backward. A second later, a knight’s sword whistled through the air where he’d been standing.
“Jose, what’s gotten into you!?” Meld yelled out to his vice-captain. The only response he got was a diagonal slash aimed at him. Meld rolled out of the way, pulled his sword free, and blocked Jose’s follow-up attack. The two swords met with a resounding clang.
“Shit, so it was a form of brainwashing after all!?” Up close, Meld could tell Jose’s eyes were blank. It was one of the symptoms of Hollowness. However, the other Hollow soldiers hadn’t ever tried to attack him, which meant that Jose was following someone’s orders, and that all other Hollow soldiers could be made to do the same.
Meld shivered. I knew it wasn’t something as innocent as apathy! In order to cure Jose of his brainwashing, Meld first needed to immobilize him. He yelled loudly and shoved Jose’s sword back.
“This might hurt a little, old friend!” Meld rushed at Jose. Jose was off-balance after having his sword repelled, and Meld hoped he could pin his vice-captain in place with a tackle.
However, Jose didn’t move according to the plan. Since he’d been attacking Meld thus far, Meld had assumed he was the target. However, Jose now ignored Meld and turned his gaze to Hiyama, who was staring at the two of them, dumbfounded.
Jose’s sudden change of target made Meld hesitate for a second. He turned to see Hiyama take a few steps back and trip over himself. Meld couldn’t believe it.
Hiyama was one of the frontliners of the hero party. Moreover, he had an extremely powerful job. He shouldn’t have lost his courage when faced with a single measly knight. No, wait, maybe this was what he wanted to talk to me about! Meld clicked his tongue and changed directions.
His legs screamed in pain as he pivoted without losing momentum. The sudden change in direction required him to step with so much force that his floorboards snapped, but he managed to get himself in between Jose and Hiyama.
“Ngh… Such power.” Their swords met in a flash of sparks. Because of his sudden shift in direction, Meld’s stance was in tatters. Still, even after taking that into account, Jose’s blows were more powerful than they had any right to be. Meld’s arms went numb as they absorbed the impact of the blow.
Jose was definitely a master of the sword. However, his style favored speed over strength. Technique and agility were his weapons, not raw power. Yet somehow, the blows he was raining down were a match for Meld’s.
Plus, Meld couldn’t dodge, since he was covering for Hiyama. He couldn’t push Jose back either, since his stance was all wrong. His full strength was utterly out of reach. I’ve got no other choice. I’ll have to use magic.
“Sorry about this, vice-captain!” There was a risk of him severely injuring his right-hand man, but he put his faith in Jose’s resilience. Meld held out his free hand and prepared to fire a blast of wind at point-blank range.
“Heed my call, O wind— Blitz—!?” However, he never got a chance to finish his spell. He stopped chanting midway… when a sword stabbed into his side.
“Daisuke?”
“Tch… I can’t believe you managed to dodge that.”
Meld turned around, his disbelief evident. However, just as he’d thought, the person who’d thrust the sword into his side was none other than Hiyama. Moreover, his eyes weren’t blank. They were bloodshot.
“Daisuke, you…” Meld didn’t know all the details, but he was certain that Hiyama had something to do with the Hollowness that had been spreading through his men’s ranks. If Meld hadn’t dodged to the side at the last minute, Hiyama’s sword would have pierced his heart. He had his uncanny instincts to thank for his survival. Hiyama had aimed for the kill.
He ignored Meld’s question, yanked his sword out, and once again tried to drive it into Meld’s heart.
“Blitz Hammer!” The mana from Meld’s unfinished spell was still primed, so he called out the trigger that would cast it. He aimed not at Hiyama, but at the floor below him. A compressed ball of wind slammed into the floorboards with tremendous force. Fragments of wood struck all three of them. The following gust of wind blew all three of them away in different directions.
Meld rolled across the floor, a trail of blood leaking out behind him. The pain was so intense that he should have fainted, but Meld stood up as if his wound didn’t even hurt, then charged at Hiyama.
Jose was just a knight, but Hiyama was a frontliner who’d delved deeper into the Great Orcus Labyrinth than Meld ever had. He was definitely the more dangerous foe.
Unfortunately for Meld, even more enemies joined the fray. A horde of Hollow soldiers poured into his room.
“Tch… Looks like they planned this well.” Meld swept aside three soldiers’ blades with one stroke of his sword. He then stepped to the side, avoiding Jose’s overhand slice. Hiyama then rushed forward and launched a furious assault, which Meld parried with the flat of his blade.
Following up on that attack, Meld blew away the soldiers that had circled to his rear with another blast of wind. He’d shortened the spell’s incantation so much that all he had to say was the spell’s name. Taking advantage of the opening caused by the spell, Jose swung his sword down on Meld’s rear, but Meld kicked a chair into him, tripping him.
Irritated, Hiyama tried to chant a spell, but that distracted his attention for a moment.
Meld had been waiting for this moment. His blade danced through the air, circling around Hiyama’s short sword. He slapped the weapon out of Hiyama’s hand and rushed forward.
“Haaah!”
“Ah!?”
Meld ducked under Jose’s and tackled Hiyama.
His shoulder connected squarely with Hiyama’s stomach, and the air was driven out of Hiyama’s lungs as he slammed into the sofa and tumbled over it.
Two of the soldiers tried to pincer Meld, but he rolled underneath them and blocked Jose’s next attack with his sword. The blow sent him flying backward, but he used the distance he gained to straighten his stance.
“Scatter— Wind Wall!” With the precious seconds he’d gained, he summoned a barrier of wind to protect him.
Jose, who’d been in the middle of launching another attack, was knocked off-balance.
Meld then blocked one of the soldier’s swings and threw an uppercut at another. Though the soldiers’ blows were powerful, their movements were clumsy. He knew he could handle them. Meld’s uppercut connected squarely with a soldier’s jaw and knocked him clean off his feet.
The captain then swept his leg out, tripping Jose. And while the soldier was still stumbling, Meld slammed the flat of his sword into the man’s head. There was a sickening crunch, and the soldier fell to the ground.
“Come on, Jose, I know you can do better than that.” Normally, Jose fought with a lot more finesse, but right now he was letting his weapon swing him around. Meld parried another one of his blows and threw the man over his shoulder.
Jose gasped as the air was forced out of his lungs.
“You stay quiet for a bit.” Meld slammed his fist into Jose’s stomach. The man spasmed, then went limp. Meld spared him one last glance before standing up and punching behind him.
The last remaining soldier was blown away.
“Goddammit. I even brought the vice-captain over to deal with you. How’s someone from this world so strong? Are you some kinda monster?” Hiyama coughed and stumbled to his feet. Meld looked sadly over at his former pupil.
“You overestimate me. I just have a lot more experience fighting people. I am still the kingdom’s greatest knight, you know? You may have me beat when it comes to fighting monsters, but I’ve had years of experience fighting people.” So please, just surrender. Sadly, his unspoken plea didn’t reach Hiyama. The young boy tore at his hair and glanced at the unconscious soldiers.
“What, you think you’ve already won?” Hiyama sounded completely insane. Meld gasped as he saw the look in the boy’s eyes. He knew that look. It was the broken look of a man who’d fallen too far to have any hope of salvation.
“Daisuke, what did—” Meld broke off when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He couldn’t believe it.
They were standing back up. Both the soldiers, and Jose. It was as if they didn’t feel any pain. They simply got back up with the same blank expression as before.
“Give it up. Hehehe… Those guys won’t stop even if you kill them!”
“What? What have you done to—” Before Meld could finish his question, two more knights walked into his room. There were at least half a dozen more standing outside it, all of them Hollow.
Whatever brainwashing magic had been used on them, it was extremely high-level. Even if their movements were a little sluggish, the soldiers never tired and their attacks were abnormally powerful.
Suddenly, it hit him.
Despite how loud their fight had been, no one had come to see what was going on. Meld finally realized how dire his situation was. He’d completely fallen into his enemy’s trap. There was likely some barrier around his room that kept the sound and vibrations from escaping. Chances were no one even knew he was under attack.
They completely got me. This is what I get for putting too much faith in the castle’s defenses. He hadn’t expected his enemies to be capable of setting up such an elaborate trap in the heart of the capital. For the past few hundred years, humans and demons had been relatively equal in strength, which was why the castle’s multilayered defenses had never once been breached.
That left only one possibility. Meld looked over at Hiyama. Considering the boy’s skills, Meld knew he couldn’t have been working alone. He was almost certain Hiyama had an accomplice. Said accomplice was probably the real brains behind this operation.
In that case, this is no time to be thinking of making a valiant last stand. I need to escape alive and inform someone of this betrayal. Unfortunately, the doorway was filled with knights. He slowly backed up. Jose and the others surrounded him.
“Just give up and die already, Captain Meld!” Hiyama’s mouth twisted into a sneer.
“I refuse. As shameful as it is, I’m afraid I’ll be escaping with my life.”
“Wha? You little—”
Meld turned on his heel and dashed for the window. He slammed through it, the glass shattering with ease. For a moment, he hung suspended in the air. Meld’s room was on the fourth floor. A fall from that height would leave him crippled at the very least.
“Wind Wall!” However, he slowed his descent with magic and landed softly on the ground below.
He knew Hiyama and the others would soon chase after him, so he hadn’t truly escaped yet. Not by a long shot.
However, he’d at least bought as much time as it would take someone to chant a high-level spell. Specifically, a very powerful fire spell.
With it, he’d be able to buy himself enough time to find someone who wasn’t brainwashed and tell them everything he knew. I can do this!
“O crimson—” He stopped chanting almost as soon as he started. Or rather, something stopped him. He wasn’t sure what. Hiyama and the others still hadn’t made it down yet, and there was no one else in the palace courtyard.
There was no magic stopping him from continuing, and no one had fired an attack at him.
“…” However, his instincts screamed at him to be silent. He knew not to make a sound or move a muscle.
It felt as if his heart was caught in a vice. Cold sweat dripped from his chin. He stood stock still, wishing his breathing and heartbeat weren’t so loud.
It was exactly like when an animal sensed a predator nearby. Meld knew his only hope for survival was to hope whatever this thing was passed him by.
“First I had to step in to take care of the king, now the knight commander. I must say, your performance is quite disappointing. I suppose this is as much as I can expect from a human. Very well, it seems I must lend you a hand…” The voice was so melodious that it sent chills down Meld’s spine. It was also utterly devoid of emotion.
Only after hearing that voice did Meld move. He slowly looked up, his head moving like a badly oiled machine.
Floating in the air, silhouetted by the moon, stood a girl. A pair of wings sprouted from her back. She created a glowing silver sphere in front of her. It looked so fantastical that for a moment, Meld couldn’t believe what he was seeing was real.
However, there was no time to be impressed. His body, his mind, his very soul despaired.
There was an overwhelming difference in strength between him and this creature.
The sphere’s silver light intensified. It looked like a miniature version of the moon. A very beautiful miniature version of the moon. The power stored in that light was anything but beautiful, though. It was cold and merciless.
Meld knew full well what was about to happen to him. He also knew that there was no escape.
“Ehit…” Meld, the strongest knight in the kingdom, prayed to the god he’d believed in since childhood. However—
“Correct. This is what your lord desires.” Ehit didn’t stop the girl from bringing the silver sphere down on him. It was no larger than the type of balls children played games with, but its light eradicated all life.
The silver light of death filled Meld’s vision.
This is what Ehit wanted? He wanted me to die!? Meld thought back to what had happened to his subordinates. He was sure even worse things awaited them.
So in the final moment of his death, Meld’s thoughts turned not to Ehit, but to… Please take care of the rest for me… Well, even if I don’t ask, I know you’ll do it anyway. She’s your enemy, after all, so— Beat the shit out of her for me. The kingdom’s strongest knight put his faith not in god, but in the monster who’d crawled his way out of the abyss.
Soldiers with Hollow eyes silently repaired the window and floorboards of Meld’s room. Another figure looked down at the letters still on his desk.
“Oh my, I guess I should have expected as much from the captain. He didn’t miss a thing. That was close.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?” Hiyama walked up to the figure, not even attempting to hide his displeasure.
“It’s nothing. At any rate, how does your stomach feel? From the looks of it, he hit you pretty hard,” the figure said with a sneer.
Hiyama grimaced and spat his words back at them. “This is nothing.”
The figure’s sneer grew. Hiyama turned to watch a soldier fit a new window frame in and something occurred to him.
“What about her?”
“She already left. She said our performance was disappointing.”
“I see. Well, I expected her to intervene. I’ve gotta say, it really feels like we’re blessed by god. Fufu, never expected her to be such a cruel bitch, though.” Hiyama shuddered as he thought back to the girl who had killed Meld. Originally, the plan was supposed to have taken much longer. But thanks to her help, all of the obstacles standing in their way had been removed.
Hiyama still didn’t know why she’d chosen to cooperate with them. She claimed her god had told her to, but he had no way of knowing whether that was really the truth or not.
He didn’t even know what she really was, just that she was far stronger than him.
Hiyama shook his head, shaking off the fear that started creeping up on him. He decided to change the subject.
“Well, all of the biggest problems have been solved now. At this point, we’ll be fine as long as Yaegashi doesn’t catch on.”
“Indeed. Thanks to our little accomplice, both the king and the prime minister are effectively our puppets. Plus, the Holy Church was never our enemy to begin with. With the captain gone, there’s no one left who can stop me.”
A hint of madness tinged the figure’s voice. Even Hiyama, who’d already killed someone, took an involuntary step back.
The figure crushed something inside their hand. Upon closer inspection, Hiyama realized it was a letter. The letter Meld had written to Hajime.
“Things are going to progress very fast indeed now. The ball’s rolling, and it’s only going to speed up from here. There’s no stopping now, not until we achieve the future I wish for.”
The figure grinned, and their pupils shrunk to tiny dots. Maniacal laughter filled the late Captain Meld’s room.
Diamond. diamond. diamond.
