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Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Chapter7

2014-03-15T06:36:19Z

173.51.129.107: /* Part 3 */

==Chapter 7: Empty Verdict==
===Part 1===
Over thirty swords and guns took aim at the Mephian statesmen. The nobles turned pale, and even the commanders were left momentarily speechless in the face of their silent, murderous intent. The guards that should have been protecting the stadium tried to rush them, but

“Don’t move,” a voice from amongst the soldiers pierced them. “Not a single one of you move. Take even one step, and we’ll start shooting one by one.”

Being threatened so, they were unable to provide rescue. After all, all these men here were Mephius’ central figures.

“Y-Your majesty...”

Brushing aside Empress Melissa who tried to take hold of his arm, the emperor stood up.

“State yourselves!” Guhl Mephius’ white beard was trembling. “On whose deed is this? Do you fools understand who you’re pointing your guns at?!”

However, these men who wore helmets over their eyes did not even flinch from his thunderous roar. He was aware their equipment came from Mephius, but they bore no crests nor carried any sort of war flag that may have disclosed their origins. It was impossible to tell whose subordinates they were, or if they possibly belonged to a completely separate power that had stolen the equipment from Mephius.

“Tch.”

Commander Rogue Saian had his hand placed on the sword on his waist, but it was hard to do anything in this situation. The young Romus clung to his leg. He hugged the boy’s shoulders, and muttered “I’ve blundered,” countlessly to himself.

“I will not have you come any closer to the princess, you ruffians!”

“Theresia, stand back.”

Her mistress, Vileena, was of course also present in the midst of this insurgence. A cold sweat ran down Vileena’s whole body, but she kept a constant watch in all directions.

Compared to her, the nobles’ trembling stood out like a sore thumb. Having no means to oppose them, some left their seats, some cowered away at the sight of the guns, and some absentmindedly called on the names of their retainers, their bodies frozen in fear, hoping this was nothing more than a bad dream.

''So this is what the current Mephius amounts to.''

Only a single person, Zaat Quark, found himself submerged in a torrent of satisfaction, and alternately, one of despondency.

''Not realizing they had been cornered by Noue and Oubary’s artifice,. I, who have brought them to up where there are now, with a single swing of my blade, can have them surrender this easily. This is the current Mephius.''

Zaat swallowed his laugh with difficulty. The Garrison flagship was a hurriedly prepared substitute. He had stolen his own troops aboard the ship, and immediately after they received notice of the rebellion, seized control over the ship.

Next, would be for him to stand up and take a step out of the encirclement. At that time, the emperor and his foolish retainers would finally realize who dared to point his swords at them, and who it was that held their lives in his hands.

And he would declare himself as the one to lead Mephius. Amongst them, the majority would no doubt choose to be his ally. He was dissatisfied with the emperor from the beginning and pretended to be a loyal retainer that would one day do this.

''They never had the talent to flatter the emperor. They’re the same as wild beasts that obey the strong.''

Dissenters were to be imprisoned. Of course, the emperor and his family were no exception.

What face would Guhl Mephius make? The mere thought sent Zaat trembling in excitement. This time, he would be the one to stand over that old man who disregarded the thoughts of others.

Zaat, at the peak of his pride, raised his back at long last. He tread that first step in creating a new country.

But, right before he could finish that step, his hands were forcefully detained.

“What are you—“

He was interrupted as he began to speak these words. The tip of a dagger pressed against his neck.

At the time, a great many people saw this as an insurgent capturing Zaat in his attempt to escape. Ineli and some others near him gave a cry as they fumbled out of their seats. Vileena alone made a face that went ‘Ah.’ The one who stopped Zaat’s movements was the beautiful slave girl she saw before.

''Is she also participating in this?'' Vileena thought. And bearing that same thought was Zaat.

“What are you doing?!” He confusedly whispered in a small voice. “Aren’t you a slave who also knows about the plan?! The soldiers here, the whole lot of them, are my—“

“That’s ''exactly'' the thing.”

The slave spoke disrespectfully and caused Zaat to go wide-eyed. That voice did not belong to a woman. The force detaining his hands also did not belong to that of a frail woman. And as the slave pointed his dagger at Zaat of all things, he spoke with a clear, resounding voice.

“Gathered ladies and gentlemen, I regret to admit that there is something I must inform you in the midst of this crisis, and for that I beg your forgiveness. However, I am convinced this is something that would tickle the interest of all you ladies and gentlemen. Above all, who the mastermind who staged this rebellion is, and who would hold such misgivings—I shall try to provide those answers to you.”

“What?!”

Zaat shouted, as dumbfounded as everyone else. Amongst them, Vileena had finally noticed. Clean cut, a charming gaze, a thin nose bridge, and a man with such good looks that made it common to mistake him for a woman—

“It can’t be...Shique? Of the prince’s imperial guards...?”

The slave dressed as a girl gave a wink to Vileena, who pointed this out.

“The imperial guards, you say?!” Rogue Saian spat out.

“B-But your actions can be seen as nothing more than supporting the rebellion. Who’s the mastermind? Go ahead and say it!”

“Do you not understand? Just now, I was in the middle of presenting that to you fair ladies and fine gentlemen.”

Though he had been found out as a man, Shique flashed a bewitching smile. “Ah,” Rogue and Simon both responded, dumbstruck. Pressing the dagger against Zaat’s neck, he used the noble as a shield and turned to face the soldiers.

“It is as you see. Now, what will you do, Mr. Soldiers-who-just-landed-from-the-sky? Haven’t you lot not taken a single step for some time now? Do you worry for Zaat-dono’s life? Why is it that amongst His Imperial Majesty and the mass majority of the statesmen you’ve restrained within your sights, he alone is not part of them?”

It was as Shique mentioned. Because the soldiers all covered their faces, they could not read their expressions, it was clear from their behaviour that they were trembling.

And at this time, below in the arena across on the other side, a riot was occurring.

Roughly the same time the soldiers landed from the air carrier, several men tried to run up the watchtower there. They had, until then, posed as security guards and hidden their real identities, but as they tried to move according to plan, an obstacle suddenly barred their path.

''It seems a certain someone made the right choice.''

Shique muttered, and sent a fleeting glance towards Vileena.

''They were likely planning to make use of the confusion, knock down the guards, and snipe down the princess.''

But because a certain someone had anticipated it, the ‘plan’ had been obstructed. This was in fact, done by the imperial guards who disguised themselves as slaves and were deployed into the surrounding area. The snipers, taken by surprise, offered no forms of resistance and were all apprehended.

Taking notice of the signal, Shique broke into a deep smile.

“This makes it a stalemate now, doesn’t it?”

“I-I don’t know what you mean. Unhand me, slave. How long will the likes of you continue to touch me?! The likes of you are much more suspect to be the mastermind.”

“You’re contradicting yourself, Zaat-dono. There’s no way the likes of a slave could be the mastermind. Why do you think they haven’t moved for the longest time now? Come, feel free to shoot the both of us together.”

As Shique made a step forward, they nervously took a step back. Everyone within the arena now watched him. The citizens who were previously in a panic came to a halt, and the grand nobles who once lost their wits also shifted their attention towards him, unable to tear their eyes away.

Zaat’s mind was now beginning to wander, and just before he lost all hold of himself, he suddenly remembered there was one final hope left and formed a grin.

“Damned fool. You said you were an Imperial Guard, I believe? All the more reason that there’s no way you can sit back and let him be killed, can you? That blundering idiot of a crown prince that was caught by the slaves, that is!”

Prince Gil was still captured by the slaves in the arena. It was natural this would prevent Shique from moving recklessly.

Everyone’s attention turned to the arena, as Zaat chortled.

“If you understand, then unhand me, you filthy mongrel!”

Shique, however, did not waver.

“So he says, my prince,” he called out.

At that point, Zaat’s eyes came across an unimaginable sight. The rope that should have bound the prince’s hands had easily come off and dropped to his feet. The prince walked forward to him. None of the slaves tried to stop him.

“You bastard.”

He only saw Pashir tightly clench his teeth. No, the slaves sent glares filled with animosity and hatred towards the prince, even if they had not moved a single step.

Gil—Orba, while aware of this, felt bitter.

Him having been taken hostage by the sword slaves was a ploy from the start. Naturally, the one to order this was Orba himself. Orba had taken hostage of the young slave girl in the detention camp, Mira, loved by all the slaves, in order to confront them.

His blood ran cold when he had been discovered together with Kain, but even the Strong-armed Pashir was unable to fight back with Mira being used a shield. He had Kain thrust his gun at the young girl, made mention that he had ‘heard the entire plan from Orba’, and contained the slaves’ movements. With their plan exposed by the imperials, their resolution to fight to the death turned to vain. The slaves collapsed on their knees in despair.

Only Pashir continued to stare at the prince with a gaze so intense, that if a gaze could kill someone, it wouldn’t have been enough for Orba no matter how many lives he had. And how he shared this sentiment within. Orba pushed down his own feelings in spite of himself whilst seized by this gaze.

This alone would have been enough to put a stop to the slaves’ rebellion, but it was not enough to corner the enemy. The plan needed to be drawn out to its second phase at all costs, and thus, he wanted a situation where a rebellion would occur.

However, if the rebellion were to actually take place, the damage would be great. An uprising without a single death easily came to him—one where the vital point required for Gil Mephius to be captured by them.

“You’ve gone and said it, Zaat,” Orba boomed as the arena began to quieten. “How you tried to use them, and how you yourself participated in the uprising. Now it’s clear as day that you’re the mastermind behind it.”

Zaat’s face flushed a deep red.

“Is that true, Zaat?”

Simon Rodloom stood up and shot in a pained voice.

“Is it really true that you planned this rebellion?”

Zaat turned his head away. He did not want to see the anger, despair, and pity in Simon’s eyes.

Emperor Guhl, Empress Melissa, the Mephian statesmen—everyone wordlessly watched Zaat and the imperial guard who held his sword against him. An uncanny silence befell them. Orba, without any indication of pride at his accomplishment, looked up indifferently. He did not notice the shadow slowly approaching his back.

“Prince!”

The first to perceive this was Vileena.

Orba quickly turned around, and caught sight of a single slave behind him delivering a slash. He quickly twisted his body and narrowly dodged it, but immediately fell on his knees. It was natural that his body did not catch up to his thoughts, considering the damage his body accumulated in the previous battles.

With a twisted expression, the slave attacked again. From his side, an arm fell down on him like a gale and grabbed him. It was Pashir. Without giving the man any time to struggle, he threw the man down onto the ground with tremendous force and pinned him down.

“You bastard. Are you going to let Mira die?”

Pashir said, his body trembling with anger. And then he made a scowl.

“Of course. You were the one who told me about the plan. Then that also makes you the one who hid the fact you were conspiring with that noble from us. You planned to have us walk to our deaths and make use of that, didn’t you?!”

The man looked up at Orba, his eyes on fire, when suddenly he spurt out blood from his mouth. His body convulsed, twice, thrice, and shortly after, he died. He had swallowed poison. The snipers the imperial guards had captured also met the same fate at this time.

In this instant, as if a cornered beast, Zaat made his final act of resistance. As Shique was distracted by the ongoings in the arena, Zaat suddenly pushed him off, pulled the hand of the nearby Ineli, and used her as a shield.

Ineli didn’t even have time to scream. With suddenly swift movements as if he had broken out of a trance, he boarded an airship under the directions of his soldiers.

“H-Help!”

Ineli stretched out her hands. But the nearby Baton did nothing but back away with his tail behind his legs. Zaat forced the struggling Ineli into the airship, and continued to soar up into the skies before their eyes.

“Help me!”

Her cries grew distant. “Help me, mother!”

Zaat’s soldiers rose up into the sky one after the other. There was an air carrier ahead of them.

===Part 2===
Orba quickly stood up and immediately assembled his imperial guards. He hurled orders at them. He left a few to survey the slaves, and had the rest chase them by airship. He had prepared an airship unit in case Zaat resisted even with Shique pointing his sword at him.

At this time, Pashir closely observed Orba—or to him, Prince Gil. In such an upset, he handed down orders rapidly in succession without any hesitation. The one who skillfully threw the sword at him in the previous gladiator game; the one who made Orba sneak in amongst them to gather information…

''This brat...''

He hated him enough that he wouldn’t be satisfied even if he killed him ten times, but on the other hand, he could feel himself hold Gil Mephius in a bit of awe.

The Imperial Guard’s airships took off one by one, but the bow of the airships piloted by Zaat’s subordinates turned around to intercept those on their tail. Orba’s airship unit comprised of those experienced in flying, but their number of allotted ships were few, nor could they be said to have gone through official training. They were blocked by a handful of ships and were unable to chase the ship steered under Zaat’s poor handling.

“Aren’t there any other ships?!”

Orba turned left and right, asking a soldier he grabbed, but there were no airships here at the arena, as they weren’t handy to have around. Of course, a new garrison of dragonstone ships were being readied at this moment, but if Zaat reached the flagship before they rescued Ineli, they would not be able to lay a hand on Zaat

''Damn you Zaat, for uselessly resisting.''

Orba wanted to capture Zaat alive by all means possible. Then he could make Zaat spill out the names of all the people involved in the plan.

“Damnit!”

Then, an airship landed to a stop beside Orba just as he cried out. Someone had managed to get one. “Good,” Orba said, a smile spreading across his face, and when he looked over, he went wide-eyed for an instant.

“Aren’t you going?”

It was Vileena.

She heard the prince’s cry, and personally strapped herself onto an airship—used to move the envoys to safety—that had just come back to board the nobles, turning a deaf ear to any attempts to stop her, and turning on the ether engine, made haste to Orba.

She hovered the airship just above the ground, and quickly bundled her hair.

Orba was about to be begin to say something, but was quickly urged on by her gaze, and nodded back.

“Of course.”

This was no time to argue.

Orba strapped himself in the back, and Vileena took off without a second’s delay. The hum of the ether engine beat like the chattering of teeth and the ship, taking on the appearance of a wyvern, rose, gradually gaining speed.

“Did you make…”

“Huh?”

“Did you make Orba participate in the tournament for this?”

For an instant, Orba was unable to hide his unease at having his own name brought up.

“Y-Yeah.”

“Why did you not tell me this earlier? You must have been laughing at me throw my childish tantrum in a fit.”

“O-Of course I wasn’t.”

“Then why?...Do you not believe you can confide in me as your future wife yet? Do you still suspect me to be a Garberan assassin?”

''Women.''

Why was it that even at times like these that they could take priority over their own circumstances? Even as the roar of the wind whooshed past them and the airships they passed continued to open fire. Then, an enemy ship noticed them and began to descend.

“More importantly, they’re coming!”

“I know that. I’d prefer if you didn’t look down on me.”

Vileena huffed, and swerved the ship left with all her strength. Orba, who felt as if he was going to fall off, hurriedly grabbed the edge of the cockpit. The sound of gunfire directly below the ship whizzed past them.

“I may have forgotten to mention it,” Vileena said calmly as her eyes were fixed to the front, “but as a word of caution, this will ''not'' be a smooth ride.”

''This bitch.''

Orba was instinctively about to shower her in insults from his childhood days. but held himself back. Instead, he seized the gun mounted on the rear of the ship, and fired off a warning shot at the ship that just flew past them and was beginning to turn around. The orange trail of the bullet bent like a whip below him.

“Wait. Could you not shoot please? It gets in the way of flying.”

“But…”

“The air is my domain.”

Even as she said this, Vileena continued to splendidly dodged the return fire. While Orba was assaulted countlessly by a chilling sensation, Vileena slipped past the enemy ships trying to spread out into a defensive formation and caught up right behind the air ship Zaat piloted.

''Impressive.''

Orba was amazed at the princess’ maneuvering skills. She would make a promising airship instructor for the Imperial Guards.

The garrison flagship came closer, blocking the sunlight and darkening the view in front of him. And with little pause, it lined up with Zaat’s ship and opened up.its hatch, where Zaat jumped in.

Vileena pedalled the airship to a slow. Orba, not stopping, jumped down and tried to run over to Zaat.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Zaat had also jumped down and landed with a roll while holding Ineli by the shoulders, but did not forget to point his gun at her forehead.

There were no signs of anyone in the hangar. The majority of the soldiers had been deployed outside and the rest were likely steering the flagship.

“B-Brother…”

Using the fiercely trembling young girl as a shield, Zaat stood up once more.

“Who would’ve thought it would be the prince. I would never have expected to be caught red-handed by ''you''.” Those eyes tore up in hatred.

“The life granted unto by His Majesty, is it? Or could it possibly be from Lord Simon? That man speaks his true mind too much. Be that as it may, I would never have imagined you would see even up to the slave’s rebellion—”

“Enough of this, Zaat. There’s no place left for you to run. If you’re also a noble, accept defeat like a man and hand over Ineli.”

“Ha!” Zaat snorted. “Well aren’t you the hero, prince. I bet you’d love to have this written down in history. But unfortunately for you, that won’t happen. As if I would let even a bit of your imperial history to remain. For the dawn celebrating me as Mephius’ ‘founding’ king, first, I will have to burn that tainted history to pieces.”

“That’s great.”

“Silence!”

[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v02 297.jpg|thumb]]
Zaat further pressed the gun against Ineli, who was almost like an infant about to burst into tears.

A strong wind blew in from the opened hatch. In the midst of the clothes and hair flapping noisily,

“It will not end like this. The stagnation you self-proclaiming imperials created will ruin you from within. And at that time…...I ''will'' return. To here, to these lands of Mephius!”

Saying this, Zaat fired a shot to Orba’s side. It was to restrain Vileena, who began to stealthily circle the afloat airship to behind Zaat’s back. Even the princess dropped down and shrieked. Within that moment, Orba made a dash for Zaat.

Drawing out the sword from his back, he tried to lunge at Zaat’s arm. Zaat never expected the prince to come charging at him with a weapon in one hand, and hurriedly switched targets. But it was already too late. In that quick moment he was already within thrusting range.

A gunshot sounded. This time, luck was on Zaat’s side. Orba’s injuries from his battles with Gash and Pashir affected him more than he expected, and when he was a mere distance away, he toppled over from the wind.

“Guh!”

Orba fell over backwards with a groan. The bullet shot through his chest.

“Brother…!”

“Prince!”

The cries of these two girls overlapped. Zaat gave a low, maniacal laugh while his brows glistened with sweat.

“With this…with this, there’s no turning back.”

Orba lay collapsed and unmoving. “Prince!” the princess called out from the airship once more. Zaat turned his gun to the princess who began to climb off her airship. Her platinum hair swayed as she glared at the rebel.

“You…!”

“This is what he gets for acting heroic. He should have just stayed the usual prince and quietly trembled in the corner of the stands.”

“And you were the one driven to a corner by that prince’s hand, were you not? Surrender yourself, Zaat. Then you’ll only have been a man who strayed off his path.”

“It is because I want to return Mephius back to man’s hand that I have performed this deed. Do you not understand that, little girl?”

“Pitiful man,” Vileena murmured, “blinded by your own words. A country cannot be led by a single person. You are a pitiful man who does not pay heed to the times, and continue to chase after a delusion without knowing when to give up, just like that pitiable Ryucown.”

Vileena threw words of ridicule at him, thinking it might make him falter even a little. However, fortune still smiled on Zaat. Seeing the Imperial Guards were more or less held in check, a ship from one of Zaat’s subordinates surfaced her way. Even then, she did not give up.

“First and foremost, where will you escape to? There are no powers willing to hide you, who turned against your master.”

“Oh, then what do you think of Garbera?” Zaat sneered, suddenly enjoying this conversation in its entirety. “As righteous knights, won’t they gladly welcome me, who bore my fangs against the nefarious Mephius?”

“What foolishness. As long as I am here, Garbera and Mephius will be tied together. Do you think you can sever that bond so easily?”

“Lass, you speak as if you know everything. But you understand nothing. It was none other than Garbera that involved you, down to your very life, in this plan.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I wonder...I’ve already spoken too much. There will be plenty of time from now on. Why don’t I slowly explain it to you during our journey in the sky?”

The hatch opened and an airship came in. Two soldiers jumped down and approached her way. Vileena ground her teeth. The prince was in the corner of her view. The prince, collapsed face-up, was still unmoving. ''It can’t be,'' she thought. The prince criticised and sneered at by many. Truthfully, Vileena was also annoyed at his weak attitude. She had also gotten angry at him. But he was a prince who sometimes took bold incentives with ingenuity that riled his foes. Everyday, he showed a different face, where even if she tried to understand him, she would suddenly notice the day gone by and wonder if maybe today, she would be able to come to an understanding of him.

''That that prince would meet his end here...''

And even as they glared at one another, Zaat called out to the soldiers holding their bayonets.

''We will take the women with us. Move away the prince’s corpse. Be sure to properly dispose of it. It’s better to make it look like we have more hostages.''

The soldiers stepped over Gil’s body and grabbed Ineli away from Zaat. At that time, Ineli put up a weak struggle.

“M-Me? What will happen to me? What will you do with me?”

“You? Hmm...we’ll have you as a shield against Mephius’ pursuers,” Zaat gave a smirk. “And then after that...when I’ve completed my conquest, I suppose I’ll have you put on the gullotine to represent the imperials. The people will rejoice and will surely jeer and throw stones at you as you are handed your punishment.”

“I...I don’t believe this. I’ve done nothing wrong!”

Zaat elatedly suppressed a laugh.

“Even you should be aware of the everyday troubles the people are put through. You should know of the anguish his retainers are put through, knowing the very foundation of the country might change tomorrow on the emperor’s single whim,” he said in a sing-song tune. There was no doubt Zaat Quark thought himself an envoy of justice at this time, who would be told throughout in many historic records. Why was it that those eyes that should have been unable to capture the citizen’s suffering, was now able to? He, at this point in time, held the impression that he had stood up for the people.

“Hiii”

The soldier who gripped Ineli’s shoulder suddenly gave a jolted scream.

Someone had grabbed him from behind. As the soldier violently swung around his arm in a panic, that someone stole the bayonet from him, and following a whack on the head with the handle, kicked the soldier aside.

“It can’t be!”

Zaat stumbled backwards. Before his eyes opposite the collapsed soldier, he beheld a pale-faced apparition.

“Impossible! T-The bullet...I’m sure the bullet definitely hit you…”

Orba, while huffing for air, narrowly dodged a thrust from an incoming soldier and slashed him in the stomach. The soldier silently fell and this time, Orba was the one to step over his body.

With each step he took, pain seared throughout his upper body. The bullet had definitely hit him. That impact, even now, struck through his entire body like a heavy brick. Not paying any mind to Ineli, who was now practically crawling her way to escape, Zaat gave a loud mouthed scream.

“D-Don’t come any closer!” he shouted, as if he were possessed by a ghost.

He took aim with his gun again. Orba slapped it away with his right hand.

“What was that? What did you just say, when you used the slaves, of how they staked their lives, and then trampled all over them? As if you could even understand.”

Orba spouted hoarsely, and chopped Zaat on the temple with his left hand.

His knees lost all power. Orba laid his unconscious body onto the floor. At that time,

“Zaat-sama!”

He saw another man at the stairs leading up from the hangar. The man’s name and face was unfamiliar to Orba, but he was an officer of the Blue Archery Division, Gary Lynwood.

It was unfortunate for them both that at this time, that Gary saw Zaat collapsed as a sign of him being dead. He gave in to his anger and shot his gun. A bullet bounced off near Orba’s feet.

Orba fired back. At that time, he was assault by a furious vertigo. His reactions were all the more slown by his injuries.

''Bang, bang, bang!'' Three shots were fired and his body convulsed. It wasn’t Orba’s though, but the body of Zaat, which he quickly used as a shield.

“Tch.”

Orba spat out some blood and fired a shot over Zaat’s shoulders. It struck Gary in the chest and threw him against the wall where he fell down sideways, leaving a trail of blood.

Like this, the struggle where a single breath sent his whole body running in a fever came to a close.

“Shit!”

Zaat’s body slid of his arm. Orba himself fell on his knees and furiously arched his back. Sweat raced down his face and continued to drip onto the hangar floor.

Without a doubt, Zaat had breathed his last. Orba bit into his lips.

''Now the trail leading to Oubary’s involvement is gone.''

He could also try to capture Zaat’s subordinates, but the chances they knew the full contents of the plan were slim.

The ferocious emotions that held him had, after the battle concluded, been overtaken by a rush of forlorn anguish.

''What was I fighting for then? To protect the prince’s status? To protect those stinkin’ Mephian nobles?''

As he was about to forget himself and kick at Zaat’s corpse,

“Prince Gil.”

A girl was running to him as if she were trying to fly.

Vileena knit her brows and had opened her faintly moist lips. Under the heavy winds generated across the hatch, her hair had come undone and swayed behind her. When Orba saw her, a mysterious feeling welled within him.

''I see...''

It came so suddenly and filled the bottomless emptiness within him, if even a little.

''If there had to be one; if there had to be one reason, then my objective was...''

“Are you injured? Let me see where you were shot. No, actually, don’t force yourself to do the impossible and lay down there...”

“I’m fine.”

“But…”

And it was at this time that Orba was overcome with exhaustion. He reached over the single point burning under his chest and took out a shining, golden medal. The bullet was driven into the upper part of that medal. It was crumbled, but still seemed to give off heat. Vileena gasped.

“Prince?” Vileena asked dubiously.

“Why is the prince carrying this?”

Orba was momentarily at a loss for words. Only the sound of Ineli wailing resounded within the hangar.

Afterwards, Orba strapped himself onto an airship piloted by a soldier. Ineli got on Vileena’s ship. Both ships flew off from the flagship.

Below them, the fight continued to unfold. There, Orba announced from above of Zaat’s death and Ineli’s rescue. The movements of Zaat’s soldiers quickly grew less coordinated. Victory was already more or less decided in the arena. They knew their final acts of resistance to be vain and were nothing more than a pointless struggle.

The flagship captured by Zaat’s soldiers had also been seized by the garrisons reformed fleet.

Like this, the final day of the founding festival had passed and the series of revolts were brought to an end.

And Orba was—

—well, he was remembering the excruciating pain he suffered throughout his whole body, particularly on his right shoulder.

Although the medal had stopped the bullet, the impact had likely fractured his collarbone. Nonetheless, he could not afford to rest his body just yet. There was still the portion of cleaning up.

Orba saw to Vileena and the others being dropped off at a safe place and had his ship head towards the arena once more.

===Part 3===
Even though it was before noon, the corridors of the Main Palace were somber.

Clouds had overcast it.

Orba, accompanied by Shique and Gowen, strut down the hall.

Not even seven days passed since the festival’s final day. Orba wore a cast around his arm, but walked with his chest held high.

The maids and chamberlains he passed by stopped their feet and sent a bow his way. Those eyes held a respect never seen until now towards the prince who stemmed the tide of Zaat Quark’s rebellion.

Fame of how continuing on after his first campaign, he had exposed his hidden wits, spread within the country. But claims labelling him as an eccentric also surfaced.

This had come from Gil’s choice of action immediately after he rescued Ineli from Zaat’s ship.

He came back to the arena and announced to the slaves there that he would ‘have them work under him’.

They may have been roused by and used by Zaat, but it was hard to imagine anything except capital punishment against the slaves who plotted a rebellion. That would be to become slaves in the battlefield, or so Gil said:

“One to two hundred of our own troops revolted against Mephius. With a firm leash, they will surely become heroes that bring about victory for Mephius.”

“What do you think, Colyne?”

The emperor asked his retainer, unable to hide his surprise at how his son managed to put a stop to the chain of disturbances.

The same was for Colyne Isphan. However, he was a natural at reading his lord’s intentions, and this time as well, he replied in courtesy.

“......The prince has ability. I believe it is best to leave things to him.”

With that single conversation, emperor Guhl Mephius resolved his mind. As Gil’s reward, he would acknowledge the claim.

However, it was only this time that the Guhl made a show of generosity as emperor. Since what happened with Zaat, the emperor began to act more and more self-righteous. As if he had forgotten Kaiser’s opposition towards the relocation of the Dragon Shrine, he now raised the issue of the establishment of the shrine, and in little to no time at all, began its construction. As the emperor’s advisors, it was decided the group of elders would dwell within the shrine, and the emperor, instead making use of Zaat’s rebellion, had strengthened his political powers.

''That makes me the one who helped him accomplish that.'' Orba thought.

Besides the stopping of Zaat’s rebellion, Orba fought a battle where he got little of what he wanted. Even then, the small satisfying portion he had been granted was the plummeting of Oubary Bilan’s assessment. Knowing of the plan, Oubary likely disappeared off the face of the rebellion and planned to assist the winning side, whether the emperor or Zaat, playing the role of a patriotic hero. However, based on the results, he was criticized to have ‘left behind the emperor and be the only one to flee ahead of them’.

A faint smile creviced across Orba’s mouth, when opposite his way came along Noue Salzantes. Noue greeted him with a smile. He remained in Solon even after the festival had ended in order to continue discussion of the transfer of Apta territory, but that too would see its end today.

“Lord Noue.”

Orba nonchalantly called this man, who was about to pass by without incident, to a stop.

“Yes?” he turned around.

“It’s great above all that the princess is safe.”

“Pardon?”

Noue momentarily drew a blank. Then affirming with a nod, “Yes, it is.”

“There certainly was a fear of danger befalling the princess in that disturbance. Your highness the crown prince’s heroic efforts have also rescued us Garberan retainers—”

“Next time,” Orba pointed at his own head, “they might aim for ''me''.”

And he continued to walk along accompanied by Shique and Gowen without turning back.

Noue stared at his back incredulously. Those words seemed to hint that the princess had not been ‘caught up in the disturbance’, but that the enemy surely aimed for her life. And to purposely convey that to Noue…

His aim was clear.

Noue’s smiling facade, which usually never came off, crumbled.

''Gil Mephius.''

Without realizing it, he wiped the sweat off his brows. Of course, he held both anger and surprise at how Gil trampled over his plans. However, it was at this moment that he experienced a shiver in its truest sense.

''What an unfathomable man. Like this, it would’ve been better if I had only observed him.''

As of this moment, Noue Salzantes was unable to see through Gil. While it was a fact that Gil had brought about Ryucown’s death, when Noue caught a glimpse of him, he had concluded that he wasn’t much of a threat and neglected to collect his ‘fragments’.

''My eyes have become clouded. The only one to fear in Mephius is that man alone.''

With a flick of his hair, Noue turned around once more.

''Interesting. Who would have thought there existed a man like him in that barbaric country that is Mephius. How fearsome, and yet interesting.''

Wasn’t the last time he held these feelings when came across Ryucown’s bedazzling future? As he thought this, a chuckle continued to escape his pallid face.

“Quickly now, princess. Please make haste. Lord Noue is departing.”

“Wait. Just a little longer.”

Vileena was, at this time, shut away in her room sitting in front of a most unusual desk. She was writing up letters to be delivered to the people of her hometown. She would entrust them to Noue, who was returning to his own country.

She had been at this every night recently. But she was a woman of poor penmanship and to make matters worse…

“Now, now, you’re acting as if you’ve been separated from Garbera for tens of years. You keep writing more and more!”

It was as Theresia remarked. What she was trying to write was no insignificant quantity. She could not be satisfied with what she had.

Because she was the Vileena with the bad habit of crumbling away any writing slips whenever she wrote letters, the room would easily become a mess of scrapped paper in a moment of undue vigilance. Naturally, it fell on Theresia to gather them.

“How about you dedicate some of that passion to writing a love letter to the prince?”

''Obviously'' Vileena chose to disregard this and continued to obssess over how she wanted to tell her beloved grandfather of this, and how she wanted to write to him about that.

''Speaking of the prince...''

Her pen suddenly stopped.

It was about the medal. Afterwards, when she questioned Prince Gil about it,

“I...borrowed it from Orba.”

He answered, somewhat stumbling.

“It...looked like a nice charm. So I borrowed it while I brought Zaat’s rebellion to a stop. It’s become like this...but don’t worry, I’ll fix it somehow. It should be fine. Probably.”

Vileena was now surely writing down her impression of Prince Gil.

:''He’s somewhat like a child.''

She jotted down. Continuing on,

:''But he’s not someone I can let my guard down around.''

:''Between me and the prince, who will control Mephius? He will make a fine competitor.''

Vileena smiled as she finished writing.

“So you’ve come.”

“I have, father.”

Orba joined his feet in salute, and behind him, Gowen and Shique made a bow and took their leave.

The emperor had personally summoned him.

He was in one of the four towers surrounding the Main Palace. From the top floor, the emperor surveyed over the gardens and dragon huts within the palace. Two medim-sized Gor dragons engaged against one another as part of the training drills and in a separate location, a dragon rider mounted on the small-sized Tengo dragon ran around in laps.

Orba had some ideas why the emperor summoned him. And Fedom also wasn’t without his complaints.

“Really…...the nerve of you!”

Fedom Aulin was at his wit’s end. The prince’s rise to fame made good progress for Fedom, but he could not forgive him for not allowing him to partake in it.

“It would’ve done you no harm to put in a single good word for me. Everything could’ve gone better. The worst was how you made those slaves work under you on your own accord. His majesty, Guhl, may have welcomed it with open arms, but he will surely scold you after. You’d better not talk out of your place! Wait, and ''only'' wait until his majesty’s anger subsides.”

But even Orba didn’t dare plan to defy the emperor here. He stared at the emperor’s back, waiting for scoldings to be hurled his way. Some time passed.

In this way, he saw no change in what could only be seen as an old man’s back. He was of course, swordless and carried no gun, but Orba still held qualms of how his life might be taken now.



“Do you know of Ax Bazgan?”

Having been asked so suddenly, Orba could only reply with a “Yes.”

To the west of Mephius was a nation consisting of several spread out fortresses. It once served under the imperial court but was split off following insurrection after insurrection, and presently competed with Mephius for power. Belonging to that nation, was Mephius’ longtime enemy, Ax Bazgan.

The Bazgan House hailed from a line of family serving Mephius, but roughly two hundred years ago they had arbitrarily cut down the Zerdians spread across the western lands by their own sword in their bid for dominion. Orba had yet to hear of what happened after, but that aside, they had since then held an antagonistic relation with the Imperial Dynasty of Mephius.

Ax Bazgan had invaded Mephius territory three times and each time, Mephius had driven him back, but Ax was a keen and opportunistic man and three times, Mephius failed to take his head.

Twelve years ago, Guhl Mephius dispatched an army to the west after his head. However, Ax readily abandoned his own fortress and with the help of a relative, safely escaped to a different city-state. The army occupied the fortress, but the small city-state which should have been in civil war on end was strangely cooperative with the enemy outsiders and launched an attack simultaneously alongside three forces.

Amongst them was, of course, Ax, and reestablished the terrain as his own after the Mephius army retreated without breaking a sweat. After that, Mephius began its ten year war with Garbera and the western fortress fortresses spark hostility between them once more.

That Ax Bazgan’s movements had lately been suspicious.

Apta fortress was in the southwestern portion of Mephius. The fortress where his only brother, Roan, had been drafted and Oubary had taken command of would soon be returned back to Mephius. They had received news that Ax was preparing to mount an attack aiming for that chance.

“Rumors of Zaat’s rebellion have spread to the surrounding countries. At any rate, the number of countries that have sent envoys number many. It is impossible to stem the flow of information. Ax aside, it would not be strange for someone to attack Mephius on seeing its political unrest.”

“No, it wouldn’t, father.”

“There may be those spurred on by Zaat and willing to defy me again. I cannot allot a sizable army for Apta. That, Gil, is where you shall go.”

“............”

Orba had no words to express himself. His forces comprised of the sixty-three members of the Imperial Guard and the two hundred and six slaves from the rebellion that now worked under him. There, Oubary’s Black Armoured Division and Odyne’s Golden Axe Division would each loan out fifty soldiers to assist in safeguarding Apta.

“One month shall suffice,” Guhl said, his back still turned the other way. “Stall Ax’s troops at Apta for that time. Once the month is up, I will send reinforcements if there are no movements from Ende or the anti-imperial factions. The dawn of that day shall celebrate your marriage and official appointment as charge of Apta.”

Orba was silent as he bowed down his head.

''Is he testing his own son?''

Although no sound escaped him, tens of thousands of words floated across his mind.

Of the troops given to the prince, three fifths had only recently rose against the country in revolt and it was questionable whether or not he could control them. If Ax really attacked, it was questionable that he could even last three days, let alone a month.

It was a poor play on behalf of the emperor. If things went badly, he would lose the territory finalled returned to him and possibly even his successor.

However, Orba also made no oversight in his amassing of information. The possibility that war might break out between Ende and Garbera had become the talk of the statesmen. The emperor could only be thinking of using the excuse of Ax’s attack from the west as an excuse not to send reinforcements to maintain their relation with Ende.

''So he plans to hold out as long as possible to see which side is stronger?''

Guhl was cautious. If he simply sided with Garbera, there was a possibility Ende’s ally from the east, Arion, would come out. Until now, Arion had expended the majority of its forces towards its eastern expedition, and having mostly accomplished this feat, it would likely set its eye on the centre of the continent. Furthermore, knowing of Mephius’ political turmoil at this time, the powerful Arion might well aim the brunt of its force at the Solon capital.

''But if Mephius allied with Ende, what will happen to Vileena? How will this affect Gil Mephius’ standing?''

And while this wasn’t yet confirmed, one other subject had become the topic of gossip within the palace.

A team of Imperial Court doctors had been seen frequenting the women’s chambers. Rumours that this might signify Melissa’s stemming from this spread.

And without taking notice of the emotions running through Orba’s mind, the emperor spoke further.

“I’m afraid the princess will have to wait longer. You should also take Princess Vileena with you. Apta will eventually be your own castle. The princess should also get used to living there.”

“We shall celebrate your marriage after a month,” Guhl mumbled on.

While he held his head in a bow, he felt a rage simmer through his chest. Flowing within the flood running through his body, the most primitive of instincts—his desire to do battle—had been lit.

''I get it now. The threat isn’t only limited Ax and the sword-slaves.''

A battle with a slim chance of victory.

More specifically, even ''more'' battles.

What Orba could expect was, in the end, a continuing battle.

In that case—

“I understand, father.”

Orba joined his feet in salute.

''I’ll do it.''

Compared to when he swore his revenge, Orba now had standing; even if that standing meant his life would constantly be aimed for.

Compared to when he swore his revenge, Orba now had his own troops; even if the flames of turmoil still stirred within those troops.

Compared to when he swore his revenge—.

''I’ll do it. I’ll set foot back here, to Solon, in triumph.''

The Apta that was near his hometown would make it easy to get information on his brother and mother. However, whether Orba was aware of it or not at the time, the times he clashed swords with Ryucown and Zaat had changed his views towards battle.

The harder the battles and the bigger his enemies were, the more Orba’s feelings lit up like a flame to match them.

Orba’s pair of eyes and entire body now radiated the ferocity of a tiger.

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| Back to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
| Return to [[Rakuin no Monshou|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
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</noinclude>

Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Chapter7

2014-03-15T06:25:00Z

173.51.129.107: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 7: Empty Verdict==
===Part 1===
Over thirty swords and guns took aim at the Mephian statesmen. The nobles turned pale, and even the commanders were left momentarily speechless in the face of their silent, murderous intent. The guards that should have been protecting the stadium tried to rush them, but

“Don’t move,” a voice from amongst the soldiers pierced them. “Not a single one of you move. Take even one step, and we’ll start shooting one by one.”

Being threatened so, they were unable to provide rescue. After all, all these men here were Mephius’ central figures.

“Y-Your majesty...”

Brushing aside Empress Melissa who tried to take hold of his arm, the emperor stood up.

“State yourselves!” Guhl Mephius’ white beard was trembling. “On whose deed is this? Do you fools understand who you’re pointing your guns at?!”

However, these men who wore helmets over their eyes did not even flinch from his thunderous roar. He was aware their equipment came from Mephius, but they bore no crests nor carried any sort of war flag that may have disclosed their origins. It was impossible to tell whose subordinates they were, or if they possibly belonged to a completely separate power that had stolen the equipment from Mephius.

“Tch.”

Commander Rogue Saian had his hand placed on the sword on his waist, but it was hard to do anything in this situation. The young Romus clung to his leg. He hugged the boy’s shoulders, and muttered “I’ve blundered,” countlessly to himself.

“I will not have you come any closer to the princess, you ruffians!”

“Theresia, stand back.”

Her mistress, Vileena, was of course also present in the midst of this insurgence. A cold sweat ran down Vileena’s whole body, but she kept a constant watch in all directions.

Compared to her, the nobles’ trembling stood out like a sore thumb. Having no means to oppose them, some left their seats, some cowered away at the sight of the guns, and some absentmindedly called on the names of their retainers, their bodies frozen in fear, hoping this was nothing more than a bad dream.

''So this is what the current Mephius amounts to.''

Only a single person, Zaat Quark, found himself submerged in a torrent of satisfaction, and alternately, one of despondency.

''Not realizing they had been cornered by Noue and Oubary’s artifice,. I, who have brought them to up where there are now, with a single swing of my blade, can have them surrender this easily. This is the current Mephius.''

Zaat swallowed his laugh with difficulty. The Garrison flagship was a hurriedly prepared substitute. He had stolen his own troops aboard the ship, and immediately after they received notice of the rebellion, seized control over the ship.

Next, would be for him to stand up and take a step out of the encirclement. At that time, the emperor and his foolish retainers would finally realize who dared to point his swords at them, and who it was that held their lives in his hands.

And he would declare himself as the one to lead Mephius. Amongst them, the majority would no doubt choose to be his ally. He was dissatisfied with the emperor from the beginning and pretended to be a loyal retainer that would one day do this.

''They never had the talent to flatter the emperor. They’re the same as wild beasts that obey the strong.''

Dissenters were to be imprisoned. Of course, the emperor and his family were no exception.

What face would Guhl Mephius make? The mere thought sent Zaat trembling in excitement. This time, he would be the one to stand over that old man who disregarded the thoughts of others.

Zaat, at the peak of his pride, raised his back at long last. He tread that first step in creating a new country.

But, right before he could finish that step, his hands were forcefully detained.

“What are you—“

He was interrupted as he began to speak these words. The tip of a dagger pressed against his neck.

At the time, a great many people saw this as an insurgent capturing Zaat in his attempt to escape. Ineli and some others near him gave a cry as they fumbled out of their seats. Vileena alone made a face that went ‘Ah.’ The one who stopped Zaat’s movements was the beautiful slave girl she saw before.

''Is she also participating in this?'' Vileena thought. And bearing that same thought was Zaat.

“What are you doing?!” He confusedly whispered in a small voice. “Aren’t you a slave who also knows about the plan?! The soldiers here, the whole lot of them, are my—“

“That’s ''exactly'' the thing.”

The slave spoke disrespectfully and caused Zaat to go wide-eyed. That voice did not belong to a woman. The force detaining his hands also did not belong to that of a frail woman. And as the slave pointed his dagger at Zaat of all things, he spoke with a clear, resounding voice.

“Gathered ladies and gentlemen, I regret to admit that there is something I must inform you in the midst of this crisis, and for that I beg your forgiveness. However, I am convinced this is something that would tickle the interest of all you ladies and gentlemen. Above all, who the mastermind who staged this rebellion is, and who would hold such misgivings—I shall try to provide those answers to you.”

“What?!”

Zaat shouted, as dumbfounded as everyone else. Amongst them, Vileena had finally noticed. Clean cut, a charming gaze, a thin nose bridge, and a man with such good looks that made it common to mistake him for a woman—

“It can’t be...Shique? Of the prince’s imperial guards...?”

The slave dressed as a girl gave a wink to Vileena, who pointed this out.

“The imperial guards, you say?!” Rogue Saian spat out.

“B-But your actions can be seen as nothing more than supporting the rebellion. Who’s the mastermind? Go ahead and say it!”

“Do you not understand? Just now, I was in the middle of presenting that to you fair ladies and fine gentlemen.”

Though he had been found out as a man, Shique flashed a bewitching smile. “Ah,” Rogue and Simon both responded, dumbstruck. Pressing the dagger against Zaat’s neck, he used the noble as a shield and turned to face the soldiers.

“It is as you see. Now, what will you do, Mr. Soldiers-who-just-landed-from-the-sky? Haven’t you lot not taken a single step for some time now? Do you worry for Zaat-dono’s life? Why is it that amongst His Imperial Majesty and the mass majority of the statesmen you’ve restrained within your sights, he alone is not part of them?”

It was as Shique mentioned. Because the soldiers all covered their faces, they could not read their expressions, it was clear from their behaviour that they were trembling.

And at this time, below in the arena across on the other side, a riot was occurring.

Roughly the same time the soldiers landed from the air carrier, several men tried to run up the watchtower there. They had, until then, posed as security guards and hidden their real identities, but as they tried to move according to plan, an obstacle suddenly barred their path.

''It seems a certain someone made the right choice.''

Shique muttered, and sent a fleeting glance towards Vileena.

''They were likely planning to make use of the confusion, knock down the guards, and snipe down the princess.''

But because a certain someone had anticipated it, the ‘plan’ had been obstructed. This was in fact, done by the imperial guards who disguised themselves as slaves and were deployed into the surrounding area. The snipers, taken by surprise, offered no forms of resistance and were all apprehended.

Taking notice of the signal, Shique broke into a deep smile.

“This makes it a stalemate now, doesn’t it?”

“I-I don’t know what you mean. Unhand me, slave. How long will the likes of you continue to touch me?! The likes of you are much more suspect to be the mastermind.”

“You’re contradicting yourself, Zaat-dono. There’s no way the likes of a slave could be the mastermind. Why do you think they haven’t moved for the longest time now? Come, feel free to shoot the both of us together.”

As Shique made a step forward, they nervously took a step back. Everyone within the arena now watched him. The citizens who were previously in a panic came to a halt, and the grand nobles who once lost their wits also shifted their attention towards him, unable to tear their eyes away.

Zaat’s mind was now beginning to wander, and just before he lost all hold of himself, he suddenly remembered there was one final hope left and formed a grin.

“Damned fool. You said you were an Imperial Guard, I believe? All the more reason that there’s no way you can sit back and let him be killed, can you? That blundering idiot of a crown prince that was caught by the slaves, that is!”

Prince Gil was still captured by the slaves in the arena. It was natural this would prevent Shique from moving recklessly.

Everyone’s attention turned to the arena, as Zaat chortled.

“If you understand, then unhand me, you filthy mongrel!”

Shique, however, did not waver.

“So he says, my prince,” he called out.

At that point, Zaat’s eyes came across an unimaginable sight. The rope that should have bound the prince’s hands had easily come off and dropped to his feet. The prince walked forward to him. None of the slaves tried to stop him.

“You bastard.”

He only saw Pashir tightly clench his teeth. No, the slaves sent glares filled with animosity and hatred towards the prince, even if they had not moved a single step.

Gil—Orba, while aware of this, felt bitter.

Him having been taken hostage by the sword slaves was a ploy from the start. Naturally, the one to order this was Orba himself. Orba had taken hostage of the young slave girl in the detention camp, Mira, loved by all the slaves, in order to confront them.

His blood ran cold when he had been discovered together with Kain, but even the Strong-armed Pashir was unable to fight back with Mira being used a shield. He had Kain thrust his gun at the young girl, made mention that he had ‘heard the entire plan from Orba’, and contained the slaves’ movements. With their plan exposed by the imperials, their resolution to fight to the death turned to vain. The slaves collapsed on their knees in despair.

Only Pashir continued to stare at the prince with a gaze so intense, that if a gaze could kill someone, it wouldn’t have been enough for Orba no matter how many lives he had. And how he shared this sentiment within. Orba pushed down his own feelings in spite of himself whilst seized by this gaze.

This alone would have been enough to put a stop to the slaves’ rebellion, but it was not enough to corner the enemy. The plan needed to be drawn out to its second phase at all costs, and thus, he wanted a situation where a rebellion would occur.

However, if the rebellion were to actually take place, the damage would be great. An uprising without a single death easily came to him—one where the vital point required for Gil Mephius to be captured by them.

“You’ve gone and said it, Zaat,” Orba boomed as the arena began to quieten. “How you tried to use them, and how you yourself participated in the uprising. Now it’s clear as day that you’re the mastermind behind it.”

Zaat’s face flushed a deep red.

“Is that true, Zaat?”

Simon Rodloom stood up and shot in a pained voice.

“Is it really true that you planned this rebellion?”

Zaat turned his head away. He did not want to see the anger, despair, and pity in Simon’s eyes.

Emperor Guhl, Empress Melissa, the Mephian statesmen—everyone wordlessly watched Zaat and the imperial guard who held his sword against him. An uncanny silence befell them. Orba, without any indication of pride at his accomplishment, looked up indifferently. He did not notice the shadow slowly approaching his back.

“Prince!”

The first to perceive this was Vileena.

Orba quickly turned around, and caught sight of a single slave behind him delivering a slash. He quickly twisted his body and narrowly dodged it, but immediately fell on his knees. It was natural that his body did not catch up to his thoughts, considering the damage his body accumulated in the previous battles.

With a twisted expression, the slave attacked again. From his side, an arm fell down on him like a gale and grabbed him. It was Pashir. Without giving the man any time to struggle, he threw the man down onto the ground with tremendous force and pinned him down.

“You bastard. Are you going to let Mira die?”

Pashir said, his body trembling with anger. And then he made a scowl.

“Of course. You were the one who told me about the plan. Then that also makes you the one who hid the fact you were conspiring with that noble from us. You planned to have us walk to our deaths and make use of that, didn’t you?!”

The man looked up at Orba, his eyes on fire, when suddenly he spurt out blood from his mouth. His body convulsed, twice, thrice, and shortly after, he died. He had swallowed poison. The snipers the imperial guards had captured also met the same fate at this time.

In this instant, as if a cornered beast, Zaat made his final act of resistance. As Shique was distracted by the ongoings in the arena, Zaat suddenly pushed him off, pulled the hand of the nearby Ineli, and used her as a shield.

Ineli didn’t even have time to scream. With suddenly swift movements as if he had broken out of a trance, he boarded an airship under the directions of his soldiers.

“H-Help!”

Ineli stretched out her hands. But the nearby Baton did nothing but back away with his tail behind his legs. Zaat forced the struggling Ineli into the airship, and continued to soar up into the skies before their eyes.

“Help me!”

Her cries grew distant. “Help me, mother!”

Zaat’s soldiers rose up into the sky one after the other. There was an air carrier ahead of them.

===Part 2===
Orba quickly stood up and immediately assembled his imperial guards. He hurled orders at them. He left a few to survey the slaves, and had the rest chase them by airship. He had prepared an airship unit in case Zaat resisted even with Shique pointing his sword at him.

At this time, Pashir closely observed Orba—or to him, Prince Gil. In such an upset, he handed down orders rapidly in succession without any hesitation. The one who skillfully threw the sword at him in the previous gladiator game; the one who made Orba sneak in amongst them to gather information…

''This brat...''

He hated him enough that he wouldn’t be satisfied even if he killed him ten times, but on the other hand, he could feel himself hold Gil Mephius in a bit of awe.

The Imperial Guard’s airships took off one by one, but the bow of the airships piloted by Zaat’s subordinates turned around to intercept those on their tail. Orba’s airship unit comprised of those experienced in flying, but their number of allotted ships were few, nor could they be said to have gone through official training. They were blocked by a handful of ships and were unable to chase the ship steered under Zaat’s poor handling.

“Aren’t there any other ships?!”

Orba turned left and right, asking a soldier he grabbed, but there were no airships here at the arena, as they weren’t handy to have around. Of course, a new garrison of dragonstone ships were being readied at this moment, but if Zaat reached the flagship before they rescued Ineli, they would not be able to lay a hand on Zaat

''Damn you Zaat, for uselessly resisting.''

Orba wanted to capture Zaat alive by all means possible. Then he could make Zaat spill out the names of all the people involved in the plan.

“Damnit!”

Then, an airship landed to a stop beside Orba just as he cried out. Someone had managed to get one. “Good,” Orba said, a smile spreading across his face, and when he looked over, he went wide-eyed for an instant.

“Aren’t you going?”

It was Vileena.

She heard the prince’s cry, and personally strapped herself onto an airship—used to move the envoys to safety—that had just come back to board the nobles, turning a deaf ear to any attempts to stop her, and turning on the ether engine, made haste to Orba.

She hovered the airship just above the ground, and quickly bundled her hair.

Orba was about to be begin to say something, but was quickly urged on by her gaze, and nodded back.

“Of course.”

This was no time to argue.

Orba strapped himself in the back, and Vileena took off without a second’s delay. The hum of the ether engine beat like the chattering of teeth and the ship, taking on the appearance of a wyvern, rose, gradually gaining speed.

“Did you make…”

“Huh?”

“Did you make Orba participate in the tournament for this?”

For an instant, Orba was unable to hide his unease at having his own name brought up.

“Y-Yeah.”

“Why did you not tell me this earlier? You must have been laughing at me throw my childish tantrum in a fit.”

“O-Of course I wasn’t.”

“Then why?...Do you not believe you can confide in me as your future wife yet? Do you still suspect me to be a Garberan assassin?”

''Women.''

Why was it that even at times like these that they could take priority over their own circumstances? Even as the roar of the wind whooshed past them and the airships they passed continued to open fire. Then, an enemy ship noticed them and began to descend.

“More importantly, they’re coming!”

“I know that. I’d prefer if you didn’t look down on me.”

Vileena huffed, and swerved the ship left with all her strength. Orba, who felt as if he was going to fall off, hurriedly grabbed the edge of the cockpit. The sound of gunfire directly below the ship whizzed past them.

“I may have forgotten to mention it,” Vileena said calmly as her eyes were fixed to the front, “but as a word of caution, this will ''not'' be a smooth ride.”

''This bitch.''

Orba was instinctively about to shower her in insults from his childhood days. but held himself back. Instead, he seized the gun mounted on the rear of the ship, and fired off a warning shot at the ship that just flew past them and was beginning to turn around. The orange trail of the bullet bent like a whip below him.

“Wait. Could you not shoot please? It gets in the way of flying.”

“But…”

“The air is my domain.”

Even as she said this, Vileena continued to splendidly dodged the return fire. While Orba was assaulted countlessly by a chilling sensation, Vileena slipped past the enemy ships trying to spread out into a defensive formation and caught up right behind the air ship Zaat piloted.

''Impressive.''

Orba was amazed at the princess’ maneuvering skills. She would make a promising airship instructor for the Imperial Guards.

The garrison flagship came closer, blocking the sunlight and darkening the view in front of him. And with little pause, it lined up with Zaat’s ship and opened up.its hatch, where Zaat jumped in.

Vileena pedalled the airship to a slow. Orba, not stopping, jumped down and tried to run over to Zaat.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Zaat had also jumped down and landed with a roll while holding Ineli by the shoulders, but did not forget to point his gun at her forehead.

There were no signs of anyone in the hangar. The majority of the soldiers had been deployed outside and the rest were likely steering the flagship.

“B-Brother…”

Using the fiercely trembling young girl as a shield, Zaat stood up once more.

“Who would’ve thought it would be the prince. I would never have expected to be caught red-handed by ''you''.” Those eyes tore up in hatred.

“The life granted unto by His Majesty, is it? Or could it possibly be from Lord Simon? That man speaks his true mind too much. Be that as it may, I would never have imagined you would see even up to the slave’s rebellion—”

“Enough of this, Zaat. There’s no place left for you to run. If you’re also a noble, accept defeat like a man and hand over Ineli.”

“Ha!” Zaat snorted. “Well aren’t you the hero, prince. I bet you’d love to have this written down in history. But unfortunately for you, that won’t happen. As if I would let even a bit of your imperial history to remain. For the dawn celebrating me as Mephius’ ‘founding’ king, first, I will have to burn that tainted history to pieces.”

“That’s great.”

“Silence!”

[[Image:Rakuin no Monshou v02 297.jpg|thumb]]
Zaat further pressed the gun against Ineli, who was almost like an infant about to burst into tears.

A strong wind blew in from the opened hatch. In the midst of the clothes and hair flapping noisily,

“It will not end like this. The stagnation you self-proclaiming imperials created will ruin you from within. And at that time…...I ''will'' return. To here, to these lands of Mephius!”

Saying this, Zaat fired a shot to Orba’s side. It was to restrain Vileena, who began to stealthily circle the afloat airship to behind Zaat’s back. Even the princess dropped down and shrieked. Within that moment, Orba made a dash for Zaat.

Drawing out the sword from his back, he tried to lunge at Zaat’s arm. Zaat never expected the prince to come charging at him with a weapon in one hand, and hurriedly switched targets. But it was already too late. In that quick moment he was already within thrusting range.

A gunshot sounded. This time, luck was on Zaat’s side. Orba’s injuries from his battles with Gash and Pashir affected him more than he expected, and when he was a mere distance away, he toppled over from the wind.

“Guh!”

Orba fell over backwards with a groan. The bullet shot through his chest.

“Brother…!”

“Prince!”

The cries of these two girls overlapped. Zaat gave a low, maniacal laugh while his brows glistened with sweat.

“With this…with this, there’s no turning back.”

Orba lay collapsed and unmoving. “Prince!” the princess called out from the airship once more. Zaat turned his gun to the princess who began to climb off her airship. Her platinum hair swayed as she glared at the rebel.

“You…!”

“This is what he gets for acting heroic. He should have just stayed the usual prince and quietly trembled in the corner of the stands.”

“And you were the one driven to a corner by that prince’s hand, were you not? Surrender yourself, Zaat. Then you’ll only have been a man who strayed off his path.”

“It is because I want to return Mephius back to man’s hand that I have performed this deed. Do you not understand that, little girl?”

“Pitiful man,” Vileena murmured, “blinded by your own words. A country cannot be led by a single person. You are a pitiful man who does not pay heed to the times, and continue to chase after a delusion without knowing when to give up, just like that pitiable Ryucown.”

Vileena threw words of ridicule at him, thinking it might make him falter even a little. However, fortune still smiled on Zaat. Seeing the Imperial Guards were more or less held in check, a ship from one of Zaat’s subordinates surfaced her way. Even then, she did not give up.

“First and foremost, where will you escape to? There are no powers willing to hide you, who turned against your master.”

“Oh, then what do you think of Garbera?” Zaat sneered, suddenly enjoying this conversation in its entirety. “As righteous knights, won’t they gladly welcome me, who bore my fangs against the nefarious Mephius?”

“What foolishness. As long as I am here, Garbera and Mephius will be tied together. Do you think you can sever that bond so easily?”

“Lass, you speak as if you know everything. But you understand nothing. It was none other than Garbera that involved you, down to your very life, in this plan.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I wonder...I’ve already spoken too much. There will be plenty of time from now on. Why don’t I slowly explain it to you during our journey in the sky?”

The hatch opened and an airship came in. Two soldiers jumped down and approached her way. Vileena ground her teeth. The prince was in the corner of her view. The prince, collapsed face-up, was still unmoving. ''It can’t be,'' she thought. The prince criticised and sneered at by many. Truthfully, Vileena was also annoyed at his weak attitude. She had also gotten angry at him. But he was a prince who sometimes took bold incentives with ingenuity that riled his foes. Everyday, he showed a different face, where even if she tried to understand him, she would suddenly notice the day gone by and wonder if maybe today, she would be able to come to an understanding of him.

''That that prince would meet his end here...''

And even as they glared at one another, Zaat called out to the soldiers holding their bayonets.

''We will take the women with us. Move away the prince’s corpse. Be sure to properly dispose of it. It’s better to make it look like we have more hostages.''

The soldiers stepped over Gil’s body and grabbed Ineli away from Zaat. At that time, Ineli put up a weak struggle.

“M-Me? What will happen to me? What will you do with me?”

“You? Hmm...we’ll have you as a shield against Mephius’ pursuers,” Zaat gave a smirk. “And then after that...when I’ve completed my conquest, I suppose I’ll have you put on the gullotine to represent the imperials. The people will rejoice and will surely jeer and throw stones at you as you are handed your punishment.”

“I...I don’t believe this. I’ve done nothing wrong!”

Zaat elatedly suppressed a laugh.

“Even you should be aware of the everyday troubles the people are put through. You should know of the anguish his retainers are put through, knowing the very foundation of the country might change tomorrow on the emperor’s single whim,” he said in a sing-song tune. There was no doubt Zaat Quark thought himself an envoy of justice at this time, who would be told throughout in many historic records. Why was it that those eyes that should have been unable to capture the citizen’s suffering, was now able to? He, at this point in time, held the impression that he had stood up for the people.

“Hiii”

The soldier who gripped Ineli’s shoulder suddenly gave a jolted scream.

Someone had grabbed him from behind. As the soldier violently swung around his arm in a panic, that someone stole the bayonet from him, and following a whack on the head with the handle, kicked the soldier aside.

“It can’t be!”

Zaat stumbled backwards. Before his eyes opposite the collapsed soldier, he beheld a pale-faced apparition.

“Impossible! T-The bullet...I’m sure the bullet definitely hit you…”

Orba, while huffing for air, narrowly dodged a thrust from an incoming soldier and slashed him in the stomach. The soldier silently fell and this time, Orba was the one to step over his body.

With each step he took, pain seared throughout his upper body. The bullet had definitely hit him. That impact, even now, struck through his entire body like a heavy brick. Not paying any mind to Ineli, who was now practically crawling her way to escape, Zaat gave a loud mouthed scream.

“D-Don’t come any closer!” he shouted, as if he were possessed by a ghost.

He took aim with his gun again. Orba slapped it away with his right hand.

“What was that? What did you just say, when you used the slaves, of how they staked their lives, and then trampled all over them? As if you could even understand.”

Orba spouted hoarsely, and chopped Zaat on the temple with his left hand.

His knees lost all power. Orba laid his unconscious body onto the floor. At that time,

“Zaat-sama!”

He saw another man at the stairs leading up from the hangar. The man’s name and face was unfamiliar to Orba, but he was an officer of the Blue Archery Division, Gary Lynwood.

It was unfortunate for them both that at this time, that Gary saw Zaat collapsed as a sign of him being dead. He gave in to his anger and shot his gun. A bullet bounced off near Orba’s feet.

Orba fired back. At that time, he was assault by a furious vertigo. His reactions were all the more slown by his injuries.

''Bang, bang, bang!'' Three shots were fired and his body convulsed. It wasn’t Orba’s though, but the body of Zaat, which he quickly used as a shield.

“Tch.”

Orba spat out some blood and fired a shot over Zaat’s shoulders. It struck Gary in the chest and threw him against the wall where he fell down sideways, leaving a trail of blood.

Like this, the struggle where a single breath sent his whole body running in a fever came to a close.

“Shit!”

Zaat’s body slid of his arm. Orba himself fell on his knees and furiously arched his back. Sweat raced down his face and continued to drip onto the hangar floor.

Without a doubt, Zaat had breathed his last. Orba bit into his lips.

''Now the trail leading to Oubary’s involvement is gone.''

He could also try to capture Zaat’s subordinates, but the chances they knew the full contents of the plan were slim.

The ferocious emotions that held him had, after the battle concluded, been overtaken by a rush of forlorn anguish.

''What was I fighting for then? To protect the prince’s status? To protect those stinkin’ Mephian nobles?''

As he was about to forget himself and kick at Zaat’s corpse,

“Prince Gil.”

A girl was running to him as if she were trying to fly.

Vileena knit her brows and had opened her faintly moist lips. Under the heavy winds generated across the hatch, her hair had come undone and swayed behind her. When Orba saw her, a mysterious feeling welled within him.

''I see...''

It came so suddenly and filled the bottomless emptiness within him, if even a little.

''If there had to be one; if there had to be one reason, then my objective was...''

“Are you injured? Let me see where you were shot. No, actually, don’t force yourself to do the impossible and lay down there...”

“I’m fine.”

“But…”

And it was at this time that Orba was overcome with exhaustion. He reached over the single point burning under his chest and took out a shining, golden medal. The bullet was driven into the upper part of that medal. It was crumbled, but still seemed to give off heat. Vileena gasped.

“Prince?” Vileena asked dubiously.

“Why is the prince carrying this?”

Orba was momentarily at a loss for words. Only the sound of Ineli wailing resounded within the hangar.

Afterwards, Orba strapped himself onto an airship piloted by a soldier. Ineli got on Vileena’s ship. Both ships flew off from the flagship.

Below them, the fight continued to unfold. There, Orba announced from above of Zaat’s death and Ineli’s rescue. The movements of Zaat’s soldiers quickly grew less coordinated. Victory was already more or less decided in the arena. They knew their final acts of resistance to be vain and were nothing more than a pointless struggle.

The flagship captured by Zaat’s soldiers had also been seized by the garrisons reformed fleet.

Like this, the final day of the founding festival had passed and the series of revolts were brought to an end.

And Orba was—

—well, he was remembering the excruciating pain he suffered throughout his whole body, particularly on his right shoulder.

Although the medal had stopped the bullet, the impact had likely fractured his collarbone. Nonetheless, he could not afford to rest his body just yet. There was still the portion of cleaning up.

Orba saw to Vileena and the others being dropped off at a safe place and had his ship head towards the arena once more.

===Part 3===
Even though it was before noon, the corridors of the Main Palace were somber.

Clouds had overcast it.

Orba, accompanied by Shique and Gowen, strut down the hall.

Not even seven days passed since the festival’s final day. Orba wore a cast around his arm, but walked with his chest held high.

The maids and chamberlains he passed by stopped their feet and sent a bow his way. Those eyes held a respect never seen until now towards the prince who stemmed the tide of Zaat Quark’s rebellion.

Fame of how continuing on after his first campaign, he had exposed his hidden wits, spread within the country. But claims labelling him as an eccentric also surfaced.

This had come from Gil’s choice of action immediately after he rescued Ineli from Zaat’s ship.

He came back to the arena and announced to the slaves there that he would ‘have them work under him’.

They may have been roused by and used by Zaat, but it was hard to imagine anything except capital punishment against the slaves who plotted a rebellion. That would be to become slaves in the battlefield, or so Gil said:

“One to two hundred of our own troops revolted against Mephius. With a firm leash, they will surely become heroes that bring about victory for Mephius.”

“What do you think, Colyne?”

The emperor asked his retainer, unable to hide his surprise at how his son managed to put a stop to the chain of disturbances.

The same was for Colyne Isphan. However, he was a natural at reading his lord’s intentions, and this time as well, he replied in courtesy.

“......The prince has ability. I believe it is best to leave things to him.”

With that single conversation, emperor Guhl Mephius resolved his mind. As Gil’s reward, he would acknowledge the claim.

However, it was only this time that the Guhl made a show of generosity as emperor. Since what happened with Zaat, the emperor began to act more and more self-righteous. As if he had forgotten Kaiser’s opposition towards the relocation of the Dragon Shrine, he now raised the issue of the establishment of the shrine, and in little to no time at all, began its construction. As the emperor’s advisors, it was decided the group of elders would dwell within the shrine, and the emperor, instead making use of Zaat’s rebellion, had strengthened his political powers.

''That makes me the one who helped him accomplish that.'' Orba thought.

Besides the stopping of Zaat’s rebellion, Orba fought a battle where he got little of what he wanted. Even then, the small satisfying portion he had been granted was the plummeting of Oubary Bilan’s assessment. Knowing of the plan, Oubary likely disappeared off the face of the rebellion and planned to assist the winning side, whether the emperor or Zaat, playing the role of a patriotic hero. However, based on the results, he was criticized to have ‘left behind the emperor and be the only one to flee ahead of them’.

A faint smile creviced across Orba’s mouth, when opposite his way came along Noue Salzantes. Noue greeted him with a smile. He remained in Solon even after the festival had ended in order to continue discussion of the transfer of Apta territory, but that too would see its end today.

“Lord Noue.”

Orba nonchalantly called this man, who was about to pass by without incident, to a stop.

“Yes?” he turned around.

“It’s great above all that the princess is safe.”

“Pardon?”

Noue momentarily drew a blank. Then affirming with a nod, “Yes, it is.”

“There certainly was a fear of danger befalling the princess in that disturbance. Your highness the crown prince’s heroic efforts have also rescued us Garberan retainers—”

“Next time,” Orba pointed at his own head, “they might aim for ''me''.”

And he continued to walk along accompanied by Shique and Gowen without turning back.

Noue stared at his back incredulously. Those words seemed to hint that the princess had not been ‘caught up in the disturbance’, but that the enemy surely aimed for her life. And to purposely convey that to Noue…

His aim was clear.

Noue’s smiling facade, which usually never came off, crumbled.

''Gil Mephius.''

Without realizing it, he wiped the sweat off his brows. Of course, he held both anger and surprise at how Gil trampled over his plans. However, it was at this moment that he experienced a shiver in its truest sense.

''What an unfathomable man. Like this, it would’ve been better if I had only observed him.''

As of this moment, Noue Salzantes was unable to see through Gil. While it was a fact that Gil had brought about Ryucown’s death, when Noue caught a glimpse of him, he had concluded that he wasn’t much of a threat and neglected to collect his ‘fragments’.

''My eyes have become clouded. The only one to fear in Mephius is that man alone.''

With a flick of his hair, Noue turned around once more.

''Interesting. Who would have thought there existed a man like me in that barbaric country that is Mephius. How fearsome, and yet interesting.''

Wasn’t the last time he held these feelings when came across Ryucown’s bedazzling future? As he thought this, a chuckle continued to escape his pallid face.

“Quickly now, princess. Please make haste. Lord Noue is departing.”

“Wait. Just a little longer.”

Vileena was, at this time, shut away in her room sitting in front of a most unusual desk. She was writing up letters to be delivered to the people of her hometown. She would entrust them to Noue, who was returning to his own country.

She had been at this every night recently. But she was a woman of poor penmanship and to make matters worse…

“Now, now, you’re acting as if you’ve been separated from Garbera for tens of years. You keep writing more and more!”

It was as Theresia remarked. What she was trying to write was no insignificant quantity. She could not be satisfied with what she had.

Because she was the Vileena with the bad habit of crumbling away any writing slips whenever she wrote letters, the room would easily become a mess of scrapped paper in a moment of undue vigilance. Naturally, it fell on Theresia to gather them.

“How about you dedicate some of that passion to writing a love letter to the prince?”

''Obviously'' Vileena chose to disregard this and continued to obssess over how she wanted to tell her beloved grandfather of this, and how she wanted to write to him about that.

''Speaking of the prince...''

Her pen suddenly stopped.

It was about the medal. Afterwards, when she questioned Prince Gil about it,

“I...borrowed it from Orba.”

He answered, somewhat stumbling.

“It...looked like a nice charm. So I borrowed it while I brought Zaat’s rebellion to a stop. It’s become like this...but don’t worry, I’ll fix it somehow. It should be fine. Probably.”

Vileena was now surely writing down her impression of Prince Gil.

:''He’s somewhat like a child.''

She jotted down. Continuing on,

:''But he’s not someone I can let my guard down around.''

:''Between me and the prince, who will control Mephius? He will make a fine competitor.''

Vileena smiled as she finished writing.

“So you’ve come.”

“I have, father.”

Orba joined his feet in salute, and behind him, Gowen and Shique made a bow and took their leave.

The emperor had personally summoned him.

He was in one of the four towers surrounding the Main Palace. From the top floor, the emperor surveyed over the gardens and dragon huts within the palace. Two medim-sized Gor dragons engaged against one another as part of the training drills and in a separate location, a dragon rider mounted on the small-sized Tengo dragon ran around in laps.

Orba had some ideas why the emperor summoned him. And Fedom also wasn’t without his complaints.

“Really…...the nerve of you!”

Fedom Aulin was at his wit’s end. The prince’s rise to fame made good progress for Fedom, but he could not forgive him for not allowing him to partake in it.

“It would’ve done you no harm to put in a single good word for me. Everything could’ve gone better. The worst was how you made those slaves work under you on your own accord. His majesty, Guhl, may have welcomed it with open arms, but he will surely scold you after. You’d better not talk out of your place! Wait, and ''only'' wait until his majesty’s anger subsides.”

But even Orba didn’t dare plan to defy the emperor here. He stared at the emperor’s back, waiting for scoldings to be hurled his way. Some time passed.

In this way, he saw no change in what could only be seen as an old man’s back. He was of course, swordless and carried no gun, but Orba still held qualms of how his life might be taken now.



“Do you know of Ax Bazgan?”

Having been asked so suddenly, Orba could only reply with a “Yes.”

To the west of Mephius was a nation consisting of several spread out fortresses. It once served under the imperial court but was split off following insurrection after insurrection, and presently competed with Mephius for power. Belonging to that nation, was Mephius’ longtime enemy, Ax Bazgan.

The Bazgan House hailed from a line of family serving Mephius, but roughly two hundred years ago they had arbitrarily cut down the Zerdians spread across the western lands by their own sword in their bid for dominion. Orba had yet to hear of what happened after, but that aside, they had since then held an antagonistic relation with the Imperial Dynasty of Mephius.

Ax Bazgan had invaded Mephius territory three times and each time, Mephius had driven him back, but Ax was a keen and opportunistic man and three times, Mephius failed to take his head.

Twelve years ago, Guhl Mephius dispatched an army to the west after his head. However, Ax readily abandoned his own fortress and with the help of a relative, safely escaped to a different city-state. The army occupied the fortress, but the small city-state which should have been in civil war on end was strangely cooperative with the enemy outsiders and launched an attack simultaneously alongside three forces.

Amongst them was, of course, Ax, and reestablished the terrain as his own after the Mephius army retreated without breaking a sweat. After that, Mephius began its ten year war with Garbera and the western fortress fortresses spark hostility between them once more.

That Ax Bazgan’s movements had lately been suspicious.

Apta fortress was in the southwestern portion of Mephius. The fortress where his only brother, Roan, had been drafted and Oubary had taken command of would soon be returned back to Mephius. They had received news that Ax was preparing to mount an attack aiming for that chance.

“Rumors of Zaat’s rebellion have spread to the surrounding countries. At any rate, the number of countries that have sent envoys number many. It is impossible to stem the flow of information. Ax aside, it would not be strange for someone to attack Mephius on seeing its political unrest.”

“No, it wouldn’t, father.”

“There may be those spurred on by Zaat and willing to defy me again. I cannot allot a sizable army for Apta. That, Gil, is where you shall go.”

“............”

Orba had no words to express himself. His forces comprised of the sixty-three members of the Imperial Guard and the two hundred and six slaves from the rebellion that now worked under him. There, Oubary’s Black Armoured Division and Odyne’s Golden Axe Division would each loan out fifty soldiers to assist in safeguarding Apta.

“One month shall suffice,” Guhl said, his back still turned the other way. “Stall Ax’s troops at Apta for that time. Once the month is up, I will send reinforcements if there are no movements from Ende or the anti-imperial factions. The dawn of that day shall celebrate your marriage and official appointment as charge of Apta.”

Orba was silent as he bowed down his head.

''Is he testing his own son?''

Although no sound escaped him, tens of thousands of words floated across his mind.

Of the troops given to the prince, three fifths had only recently rose against the country in revolt and it was questionable whether or not he could control them. If Ax really attacked, it was questionable that he could even last three days, let alone a month.

It was a poor play on behalf of the emperor. If things went badly, he would lose the territory finalled returned to him and possibly even his successor.

However, Orba also made no oversight in his amassing of information. The possibility that war might break out between Ende and Garbera had become the talk of the statesmen. The emperor could only be thinking of using the excuse of Ax’s attack from the west as an excuse not to send reinforcements to maintain their relation with Ende.

''So he plans to hold out as long as possible to see which side is stronger?''

Guhl was cautious. If he simply sided with Garbera, there was a possibility Ende’s ally from the east, Arion, would come out. Until now, Arion had expended the majority of its forces towards its eastern expedition, and having mostly accomplished this feat, it would likely set its eye on the centre of the continent. Furthermore, knowing of Mephius’ political turmoil at this time, the powerful Arion might well aim the brunt of its force at the Solon capital.

''But if Mephius allied with Ende, what will happen to Vileena? How will this affect Gil Mephius’ standing?''

And while this wasn’t yet confirmed, one other subject had become the topic of gossip within the palace.

A team of Imperial Court doctors had been seen frequenting the women’s chambers. Rumours that this might signify Melissa’s stemming from this spread.

And without taking notice of the emotions running through Orba’s mind, the emperor spoke further.

“I’m afraid the princess will have to wait longer. You should also take Princess Vileena with you. Apta will eventually be your own castle. The princess should also get used to living there.”

“We shall celebrate your marriage after a month,” Guhl mumbled on.

While he held his head in a bow, he felt a rage simmer through his chest. Flowing within the flood running through his body, the most primitive of instincts—his desire to do battle—had been lit.

''I get it now. The threat isn’t only limited Ax and the sword-slaves.''

A battle with a slim chance of victory.

More specifically, even ''more'' battles.

What Orba could expect was, in the end, a continuing battle.

In that case—

“I understand, father.”

Orba joined his feet in salute.

''I’ll do it.''

Compared to when he swore his revenge, Orba now had standing; even if that standing meant his life would constantly be aimed for.

Compared to when he swore his revenge, Orba now had his own troops; even if the flames of turmoil still stirred within those troops.

Compared to when he swore his revenge—.

''I’ll do it. I’ll set foot back here, to Solon, in triumph.''

The Apta that was near his hometown would make it easy to get information on his brother and mother. However, whether Orba was aware of it or not at the time, the times he clashed swords with Ryucown and Zaat had changed his views towards battle.

The harder the battles and the bigger his enemies were, the more Orba’s feelings lit up like a flame to match them.

Orba’s pair of eyes and entire body now radiated the ferocity of a tiger.

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| Forward to [[Rakuin no Monshou:Volume2 Afterword|Afterword]]
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Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 1 Chapter 4

2014-01-12T09:52:13Z

173.51.129.107: /* Part 2 */

==Until your Sadness becomes Nil==

===Part 1===

Around the time when Basara engaged the enemy--- Naruse Mio had already left the infirmary.

Right now, she was at the place closest to sky on the school grounds.

The rooftop.

Under the pale moonlight, Mio confronted a single girl.

It was her classmate and the Hero in charge of observing her--- Nonaka Yuki.

"---So, what's up?"

When Mio woke up in the nighttime infirmary, Basara was gone, as he had left his seat. The one that entered through the door of the infirmary a little bit later was not Basara, but Yuki. And,

"…I need to talk to you."

Following Yuki, who had told her so with a cold expression, Mio had come to the rooftop.

To Mio's uttered question, Yuki answered quietly--- yet clearly.

"Basara should have told you… about why I'm here."

"Yeah, he certainly told me."

said Mio.

"About who you are--- and your relation to him."

Mio, the inheritor of the previous Devil Lord's power, and Yuki, a Hero. Originally, their relationship should be that of archenemies. Still, so far they had avoided to get on that topic.

Mio wanted revenge on the current Demon Lord, so it wasn't wise to clash with Yuki and make the Hero Tribe her enemy. As for Yuki, she surely just acted out her duty as an observer of Mio. But there was something she understood one week ago--- when Basara transferred in at the beginning of the new term.

"So? I know about you, but so what?"

When she glumly told her "Get to the point", Yuki straightforwardly gazed at her.

"---Leave Basara. He'll suffer when he stays with you… Therefore, leave him."

"….. I figured it would be about that."

Mio knew, Yuki didn't consider Basara a simple childhood friend, she harbored a greater feeling for him. From Yuki's standpoint, the warning was more than warrantable.

Mio could relate to it. But… despite that,

"---Nope."

Mio denied outright, whereas Yuki narrowed her eyes. But, Mio didn't back off.

"Even without you telling me, I was quite worried about that fact. I pondered a lot about what to do. I even tried to chase him out of the house once, to prevent him from getting any more involved with my matters and dangers."

Yes. At first, Mio didn't want to get him involved either.

"…But you know, after knowing my circumstances, he still said he would protect me. That it's no troubles and that we're family. Therefore I thought about what I should do for him, since he said all that."

And she came up with an answer.

"When he's trying to protect me and fighting together with me, even though I don't want to involve him--- Then at least, I won't waste even the slightest bit of his sentiments."

Because,

"What I can do right now is to live up to his feelings."

If she were to obey Yuki's words here and leave him, that surely would be a betrayal towards him.

Mio spoke out her unwavering feelings. In regards,

"………I see."

Yuki muttered only that. At that time.

Along with a shrill SCREECH sound, a shock wave struck Mio. However--- before hitting Mio, it crashed into an invisible wall and dispersed. Mio had set it up beforehand. A magic barrier.

Mio gazed in front--- at Yuki, who emitted a green aura on her hand with the materialized sword.

"---Using force when words don't work?"

Right after saying so, she raised the corners of her mouth.

"Then--- I won't show any reservation either."

She didn't want to make the Hero Tribe an enemy on her initiative, but she would respond when someone picked a fight with her.

Kill her a hundred times. When Mio released her wind magic, the strong sweeping wind pressed Yuki.

"----"

However, a few lines of white sword flashes sparkled and the wind magic was cut off.

Seeing that, Mio clicked her tongue in her mind on her battle affinity with Yuki.

''…She isn't a Hero just for show…''

The parameter for battle strength could roughly be divided into four classes: "Power", "Speed", "Skill" and "Mana". In short, like the stats in RPG or simulation games, so she was taught by Maria. An omnipotent type would be the ideal, but basically one would strengthen the class he's compatible with. This meant power for Maria and magic for Mio, so they each chose a battle style most suited to their abilities. For Maria that would be a Hard Striker that utilized her abnormal strength, for Mio a High Wizard that released powerful magic at the enemy from a safe distance.

And--- most likely Yuki's type was Skill. Inferior to the Power type at close range and the Mana type at long range, but a class that utilized it's strength to the fullest at all kind of ranges.

Above all. Yuki most likely had real battle experiences that Mio could only dream of. But,

''…That's not a reason for me to pull back here!''

When Mio glared at her straightforward, Yuki said with her cold expression.

"You want to exploit Basara's kindness so bad that you would go this far?"

"If I'm exploiting his kindness, then what're you doing? Your ignoring his will and forcing your own selfish kindness onto him!"

"! I…"

Yuki inadvertently stiffened her expression, whereas Mio shouted.

"I won't make excuses--- Nor will I regret it! Apologizing to him about involving him at this point would be rude to him! That's why I'll fight together with him unreserved!"

Mio exclaimed with a decisive tone. What she spoke out was her own answer towards Basara's sentiments. This genuine feeling towards him--- She trusted it without a shred of doubt. But,

"….once more."

A chilling voice came out of Yuki's mouth. Inadvertently overwhelmed, Mio gulped.

"If you say that once more, I won't forgive you… You don't even know Basara in the slightest."

"That's…"

It hadn't even been a month since they met. There were things they were hiding from each other or couldn't speak about. But,

"Sure, I don't know him as long as you… Nor do I know anything about his past. But you see, I believe I know his current self!"

She knew more about the current Basara than Yuki, who only reunited with him a week ago after a long separation. How kind he was, how much he was thinking of Mio and Maria. But,

"…That's not true. If you properly knew him, you wouldn't drag him into battles to begin with."

Because, said Yuki.

"He can't fight like in the past anymore… actually, it should be painful for him to even wield a sword."

"What the… What do you mean…?"

Mio inadvertently asked back, whereas Yuki said. The truth about Toujou Basara--- to make Mio give up.

"Five years ago, to save us, he---…"

One breath,

"-----------"

These words from Yuki

"…..Eh?"

made Mio asked back dumbfounded. For a moment, she didn't comprehend what Yuki had said.

---It was the reason why Basara was chased out of the Hero village.

Toujou Basara's sin, and the wound in his heart that plagued him even now. And like Yuki had said, Mio knew nothing of it. Thus, her thoughts couldn't keep up with it right away. But,

"That's why Basara and Jin left the village… they lost their Hero qualifications."

added Yuki.

"You must have found it strange too. As to why two Heroes were living as normal humans."

"Ye… ah…"

Naruse Mio realized. Why Yuki was so angry at her. And above all--- How cruel she had been to Basara. Then Mio remembered Basara's words.

'In the past… when I lived in the country-side, some stuff happened. Guess you can call it a trauma… Even now, I sometimes dream of that time.'

''…No way…''

Mio was in a daze from her ignorance--- Suddenly the door to the rooftop opened.

Rushing in came Basara with a haunted look.

"Here after all…"

He must had run at full speed. All out of breath, his forehead was covered in sweat.

And seeing the traces of their battle and the sword in Yuki's hand, he frowned.

"What's going on, Yuki… She's still supposed to be an observation target. So why are you, the observer, drawing your spirit sword?"

When Yuki averted her eyes by looking down without a word, Basara faced Mio next.

"Mio, same for you… I told you not to fight with the Hero Tribe. Yet---"

At that point, his expression suddenly changed into a doubtful one. He must have noticed the look on her face.

"I, I'm…"

Mio tried to say something right away, but she couldn't speak well.

Because she was scatterbrained. Therefore,

"What's up? Why do you…"

Saying so, Basara tried to come over to her. As to stop him,

"---Well, she just heard about your past."

A smiling voice came at them from a different direction.

Toujou Basara looked. Apart from the rooftop they were on--- there was someone standing still.

A white mask and a black tuxedo. It looked human, but his other senses felt a ominous and overwhelming negative aura from it. He could tell by just confronting it. It was a devil with a considerably power.

''…Not good.''

Basara changed his expression into a stern one. It likely was the wire-puller here, but it was unexpectedly strong. He didn't know it's type yet, but it most likely had an A Rank power.

Mio was set as a S- Rank, but only in consideration for the possibility that she kept the previous Devil Lord Wilbert's power in her. By the normal standards of the village, she would probably be a B Rank. Yuki was a B+ Rank. It would be one thing if the opponent were an A- Rank, but at A or above, it might become a severe fight even with Basara's assistance, let alone Yuki by herself.

Currently it looked like it was standing there easy-going, but there was not a single opening for an attack.

Mio and Yuki must have comprehended the opponent's strength too, as they remained still like Basara, whereupon

"---Well, well, that was an really intriguing story. I knew there was an odd interference before, but to think the exiled Hero had shown up again. What's more, it's the son of the War Hero Toujou Jin. Quite the surprise."

Hearing the white mask say it so happily, Basara narrowed his eyes.

"The attack in the park before was your doing as well, huh…"

"Yeah. I had my eyes on you for a while. I thought for sure you were a normal human, but it turned out you were an ability user--- and even siding with the orphan of the previous Devil Lord. Moreover, you are quite skilled. It appears you also took out the other guys earlier."

"------!?"

On the white mask's words, Mio gulped next to Basara.

She must have been surprised that only Basara was attacked while they were separated. Furthermore,

''…My past, huh…''

Without a doubt, Yuki had talked about the incident five years ago to separate Mio from him.

Then Mio already knew about it, though he didn't know how much.

About the sin that Toujou Basara committed--- and that his sword was hesitant because of that. There,

"---Oh my? Why the long face?"

The white mask told Mio, whose expression was pale.

"Could you be regretting involving him now? If so, it's too late. It wasn't just at the park or today. The past few days, he swung his sword and fought numerous times without you knowing about it--- After you went to sleep, he kept fighting until dawn."

"Eh---?" "---Shut up!"

When Mio widened her eyes in surprise, Basara dashed toward the white mask at the same time.

Materializing Brynhildr, he swung it down on the white mask. But,

"Whoops."

The moment the white mask said so, the sword that came down with a SCREECH! was repelled by an invisible power.

Thrown backwards, Basara twisted his body at once and somehow landed on his feet.

''…I knew it, he's strong…!''

It was just a spontaneous attack to seal his loose mouth, but he firmly put his strength into it. It should have sliced the likes of these "Shadows" that appeared in the park and school store in two easily. That very attack was completely blocked and repelled.

Above all, it measured up to the speed of Basara, who was a "Speed Type".

"….Basara."

Basara nodded a "Yeah" to Yuki, who came running over to him. Yuki most likely had made the same judgment.

''…It's an A-… No, A Rank.''

The strength of the white mask surpassed his expectations. But, he realized something else as well.

He didn't comprehend the full theory behind it, but the defence just now was either a skill or magic type.

If he knew the opponent's type, he could come up with a tactic. But,

''…Damn, if only Maria were here…''

Unlike Basara's speed or Yuki's skills, Maria's power could break the white mask's barrier with a direct attack. However, it would still take a bit of time until she came here. Basara and Yuki could buy some time while Mio attacked with powerful magic, but should the enemy be a magic type, his barrier wouldn't break from Mio's magic. Then, they would in a stalemate.

''…What do I do?''

When Basara tried to somehow work out a tactic,

"H- Hey… Is it true what that guy just said?"

From a bit apart, a doubtful voice called out to Basara.

Basara remained silent and made a bitter expression. Looking at him,

"…Really? Basara… you were fighting the enemy without my knowledge….?"

"Why"--- mumbled Mio.

"Isn't it obvious. For your sake…"

said the white mask while smiling.

"The power of the previous Devil Lord sleeping inside you--- even if it isn't fully awakened, it's leaking strong power surges and attracts low class Stray Devils by it. If any of these low class devils were to harm a human, your existence would be the reason for it. Naturally, the Hero Tribe would deem you harmful then and changed you from an observation target to a termination one."

On these words, Yuki remained silent. It was a silence of affirmation.

"If he were to protect you, a termination target, he would become a traitor to this world. The Hero Tribe wouldn't be able to overlook it… Thus, the girl over there told you to leave him."

"Well," said the white mask.

"To prevent that from happening, that boy and your retainer Succubus have been desperately patrolling the city and hunting low class Stay Devils in the past few days… They worked quite hard, really."

"Th- Then the reason Maria didn't come to pick us up at school was also the patrol…?"

On Mio's question, Basara replied with a nod. Unfortunately, he couldn't hide it anymore.

If he were to keep lying now, he would completely lose Mio's trust.

"Sorry… If I had told you, you surely would have blamed yourself."

At night of the day with the bath incident--- Basara had told Maria, who had snuck into his bed, the circumstances and acted behind the scenes to prevent the Stay Devils that were attracted to Mio's power from doing any harm.

So far he avoided telling that to Mio because of the mental burden she already had from the curse, but had decided to do so after at least a month--- when they cancelled the Master and Servant Contract and harmonized her mental state.

"No way…"

Mumbling dumbfounded, Mio just stood there. Then,

"If it shocks you this much, how about you hand over that 'Power' which is the reason for all this."

The white mask declared. At the same time, a "Shadow" appeared behind Mio.

It was already swinging down it's large scythe. But, Mio didn't notice it. Instead,

"Kuh-----!?"

Basara reacted at once. With one leap, he tried to slash at the "Shadow",

"Hee--- Now you're going to erase even her?"

There, the white mask called out to him with a teasing voice. The result was grave.

"----"

The wound in his heart was exploited. Brynhildr vanished from the hand of the agitated Basara. But,

"---UUOOOOOOOH!"

Even so, Toujou Basara clenched his teeth--- and kicked the floor for a forward leap.

At first--- Naruse Mio didn't know what was going on.

"Eh…?"

Before she noticed it, she was looking up to the sky. She had collapsed onto the ground of the rooftop.

''….Just what happened?''

Thinking so, Mio tried to stand up--- but she couldn't. And she finally noticed.

That a weight was pressing onto her. That someone was lying on top of her.

She looked.

"…Basara…?"

Basara didn't respond to Mio's dumbfounded mumbling.

He didn't move. Therefore she tried calling out to him--- Her hand that touched his shoulder was wet.

It was blood.

"-------!?"

Mio's consciousness fully awakened and she remembered the moment like a flashback.

A "Shadow" had appeared behind her--- And Basara had protected her from it's weapon.

By doing so, he ended up being cut on the back.

"You might be from the Hero Tribe, but you're only a shadow of your former self… Surprisingly fragile."

She could hear the disappointed voice of the white mask.

"No… Get a grip, hey!"

When Mio raised an aggrieved scream, something moved in the corner of her vision--- right next to her.

It most likely Yuki, who defeated the "Shadow" that cut Basara.

"…Unforgivable… How dare you!"

Yuki draw her spirit sword and swung it down at empty space.

"Hoh… That's quite some power."

While saying so kind of impressed, the white mask easily jumped aside and dodged it.

But--- Yuki was already waiting for him there.

As she predicted his evasion, she rushed ahead in anticipation of his movements at the same time as she released her attack.

From a half-sitting stance, she unleashed a sideways sweep with her sword.

It cut through.

But only through air. The white mask dodged to the top--- into midair.

"You sure you should be attacking me? His wound is deep. You need to treat it quickly--- or it'll be too late, you know?"

"……"

The white mask shifted his gaze away from Yuki, who bit down onto her lips frustrated, to Mio. To Mio, who stood up while holding the wounded Basara. And then he declared with a smiling voice.

"Get it? This is the result of your own decision."

"My, own…"

In front of Mio, who became dumbfounded from the result that her decision brought about, the white mask erased his appearance like melting with the air. The night wind carried only his voice over.

"I'll pull back for now. Give it some thought. What that girl said is the truth… You involve others, involved him and got him hurt. Are you still going to continue to fight a lost battle? You should reconsider about who you want to sacrifice for your revenge, others or yourself, and make your decision."

And lastly, Mio heard him add this.

"But--- Depending on your choice, you can end all of this at once."

===Part 2===

---In the past, when he was at the Hero Village.

Toujou Basara already had a promising future at a young age.

He was the only son of Jin, the Hero of the Great War, and as he inherited his father's talent, his strength surpassed that of the other boys and girls his age. Moreover, the reason lot of people set their hopes on him was that Basara could use a special skill that no one else could imitate.

<Banishing Shift>. That skill, which could only be unleashed as a counter of an opponent's attack, could repel or disperse any kind of attack, physical or magical.

Moreover--- When he could feel out the <Heavenly Energy>, the "Source of Existence", and cut it, he could banish the existence - the matter of the opponent's attack itself into zero-dimensional space.

Thus Basara was raised with Yuki and the other kids his age, as the hope for the next generation.

---But, these happy days suddenly came to an end one day.

A certain boy from the village, who complained that the already retreated Devils should be tracked down and killed, was fed up with the elders, who wouldn't give their approval, and all by himself… resorted to forcible means. He drew the powerful magical sword Brynhildr that was sealing a S Rank Evil Spirit in the recesses of the mountains near the village.

Devils were supposed to be tracked down and killed. Needless to say, the boy was confident in his own power. Everyone else acknowledge it too. Jin excluded, he was undoubtedly the number one. So he intended to defeat the released Evil Spirit with the magic sword Brynhildr.

However--- it didn't turn out like that. The Evil Spirit took over the boy's mind and body.

And it attacked the detested existence that sealed it---- the Hero Tribe Village.

---To make matters worse, the incident happened when Jin was away from the Village.

Still, it was the Hero Tribe. There were a lot that could fight. They desperately fought and tried to put an end to the tragedy. But, the S Rank Evil Spirit's power resided in the body of someone that was nearly unrivaled in the village. The tragedy couldn't be stopped and claimed more and more victims.

And then--- The Evil Spirit was defeated by Basara. But it happened by Basara losing his mind on the sight of his friends getting killed before him and Yuki getting attacked, thus letting the <Banishing Shift> go out of control. When he woke up, Basara was lying in a hospital bed. And he was told. That the crisis was over. By the hands of none other than himself.

Proof for that was that the magical sword Brynhildr, who didn't even allow Jin to use it, chose Basara as it's master. Thanks to Basara, a lot of people were saved. Yuki was one of them.

---But, it couldn't save the hearts of the survivors.

Basara's <Banishing Shift> merciless annihilated the surrounding area to oblivion.

The possessed boy, the Evil Spirit and even some limbs from the victims--- All of it was erased.

Accordingly, it was discussed in no time that <Banishing Shift> was too dangerous and that Basara should be locked away along with Brynhildr to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.

Regardless of the fact that Basara no longer could use <Banishing Shift> due to the shock from the incident.

But--- Basara didn't really care. Basara himself couldn't bear the burden of having erased his precious friend and became like an empty shell. However--- Jin, returning to the village, stood up for Basara. Others too, like one of the elders or Yuki's Nonaka Family, eagerly took Basara under their wings. And then a conclusion was made. Basara was stripped off his Hero qualifications and chased out of the Village along with his utilized magic sword Brynhildr. And Jin should go with him to oversee that his ability wouldn't go out of control again.

Basara obediently obeyed that decision. But Jin gave a straightforward objection.

"If being a Hero prevents me from protecting Basara--- Then I'll quit being a Hero as well."
Saying so, he left the village together with Basara.

And then--- Five years passed since then.

The memory of that tragedy was still vivid and kept plaguing Basara in his dreams even now.

He couldn't discover an atonement for his sin, nor how to face it.

Like proof for it, he still couldn't use <Banishing Shift>.

Not counting the one time he erased Maria's wind magic as a fluke.

''…But.''

While his consciousness was clouded in darkness, Touju Basara thought.

That even his half-hearted self found something he wanted to protect. That he made a new family.

At first, he wanted to protect her as her older brother. But their relationship was a fabrication. The girl he considered a little sister actually inherited the Devil Lord's power. But, she didn't ask for that. Yet--- her life was in danger.

Despite that, she desperately tried to live on positively. Trying to fight against it.

--- In the past, Jin gave up being a Hero to protect Basara. Basara already lost his qualification as a Hero.

But right now, there was a girl that obviously wasn't protected by the Hero Tribe, but neither by her own Devil kin.

So the one to protect her--- to protect Naruse Mio must be himself.

Basara no longer had his previous strength.

Still, Brynhildr reacted to him. His arms and legs moved. And he had a will.

"Therefore---…"

Saying so mumbling, Basara then opened his eyes.

Light pierced through the darkness. Upon that, there was a familiar ceiling before his eyes.

"Good… Do you know me?"

On a look, a young girl was peeking at up relieved.
"Mar, ia…?"

"Yes. Please rest assured. We are at home. In your room, Basara-san."

"My---"

Basara frowned on his mental blank--- and then remembered.

Suddenly a dull pain run through his torso and he scowled.

"I see… At the rooftop, the enemy…"

"I am sorry… If I had only arrived a bit earlier."

Maria said apologetic.

"I took the bandages from the infirmary and gave you first aid on the spot, but it would attract attention at school, so I carried you here."

"I see… Thanks, really."

That he was home with Maria by his side meant that Yuki pulled back for now? A look at the clock revealed that it was already half past three in the night. Apparently he was sleeping for around seven hours.

"Uhm---"

said Maria.

"''I did as you said, but''--- do you really not need to go to the hospital?"

"Yeah… This is fine."

If anything happens to me, don't take me to the hospital--- That was what he asked of Maria after the fight in the park. Sure, he would get treated at a hospital. But the medicines for treatment and recovery influenced one's senses and ability to think. It easily created an opening for the enemy.

"Kuh---…"

Basara slowly raised his body. And then, he tightly clenched his fist.

''…Good.''

It still hurt, but he could move. His thoughts were clear too.

"Amazing… To think you already regained consciousness from such a deep wound. It would not be strange for a normal person to be unconscious for a few days."

"Our tribe gives special training to our bodies from a young age on… So we recover faster and have better self-healing powers than normal people."

Yuki left his nursing to Mio and Maria specially because she knew of this.

It was an ability that was acquired for fights, to win fights.

Yes--- They had to be victorious. On the rooftop he was overpowered. By that Devil.

"Right, how's Mio---… Maria?"

Basara spoke the name, whereupon Maria reacted by shivering her small body.

Her so far sad expression turned even more bitter.

"…Seeing you wounded made her remember the time when her foster parents were killed. By the time I arrived on the rooftop, Mio-sama was gravely agitated. She was partly in a panic, yet she tried to treat your wounds by herself… I made her rest a bit to let her calm down a bit. And about an hour ago, I told her that you are over the worst, but then"

"Hey, don't tell me----"

"Yes… The next time I checked upon Mio-sama, she was no longer in her room…"

"That idiot…!"

She must have felt a strange responsibility and went to settle it by herself!

"---Basara-san!"

Maria put her hands on knees on the floor and lowered her head as much as possible.

"I am aware that you are greatly injured… But right now, you are the only one who can pinpoint Mio-sama's whereabouts with the Master and Servant Contract! I will not ask you to fight. But at least please tell me where Mio-sama is…please…"

A desperate plead with her body shivering. Therefore,

"---This isn't funny."

Saying so, Tojou Basara pushed aside the blanket and got off the bed.

He didn't mind the scorching pain that ran through his whole body.

"Obviously I'm going too--- I don't want to be a pathetic older brother that sleeps while his little sister is in danger."

===Part 3===

Leaving the room and house, Mio headed for that park on the hill.

It was a famous spot in the city and normally even at night people came by now and then, but on the vast grounds expanded a thick mixed forest with all kinds of trees and people didn't come to it's deepest part.

"…Good."
Inside the mixed forest, Mio used a magic to keep humans away just in case and cast down her eyes after a deep breath. Preparations to wait for the enemy were done.

''…Sorry, you two…''

In her heart, Mio apologized to Basara and Maria. By now they must have noticed that she left. She knew that she was being reckless. But Mio couldn't of any other plan.

---Naruse Mio did not know anything.

Dragging them into her fight, they fought for her unknown to her.

And Basara was gravely injured by protecting Mio.

At that time--- The image of the bleeding Basara overlapped with that of her killed parents.

Her heart was unsettled. So much that she fell into a pathetic trembling, even though the enemy was still around.

Therefore--- Maria had told her that she had to calm down first if she wanted to treat Basara. While she trembled alone in her own room, she kept thinking.

The words of the white mask spun around inside Mio's head. You involve others, involved him and got him hurt. Are you still going to continue to fight a lost battle?

Who do you want to sacrifice for your revenge, others or yourself?

---And the answer Mio finally came up with was this.

Still, while stood here like this, she could only think about one thing.

''…Please be safe, Basara…''

Mio tightly closed her eyes like for a prayer. Maria had said he was over the worst, but it was still a precarious situation. She could watch over him while praying for his recovery.

But to put it another way, she could only watch over him while praying for his recovery.

''…If so.''

Mio thought while opening her eyes. She should do the thing only she is capable of. Upon that,

"---Seems like you made your decision."

Suddenly a voice called out from behind. Mio turned around with "Yes".

There in the forest--- in her vision stood the white mask.

Mio fixed her glare wordless onto the white mask. When he left the rooftop, he had said "Depending your choice, you can end all of this at once". Naruse Mio perfectly understood the meaning behind these words. There, just as if he was reading her mind,

"Hee… You're more honest than I thought. But, I believe this is the correct choice."

The white mask said.

"If you were to keep fighting, it would claim more victims. But if you were the only victim, everything would come to an end."

"….Yeah."

Mio nodded. She agreed from the bottom of her heart.

''"I alone will be enough for a victim--- for a fight."''

The next moment. The white mask was enveloped by a huge flame pillar. She had released Hellfire--- the strongest fire magic Mio was capable of at the moment. With it on stand-by, she had waited.

All for the sake of a perfectly timed surprise attack. Furthermore,

"That's not all!"

Mio released attack magic one after another. Without ceasing her attacks, she released two consecutive lighting attacks, wind blades from eight directions and countless ice spears. These hit into the white mask in succession.

All of them were at full power. An absolutely annihilating preemptive strike that used up all of her magic and mental power.

Lastly she used a blazing explosion magic and while she watched the brightly flames,

"Hah… Hah… N- Now…"

Mio was breathing heavily.

A voice sounded.

"---Now you're satisfied?"

Along with a WHOOSH wind sound, the flames were erased. And the white mask stood easy-going on the same spot, as he didn't receive any damage.

"No way…"

"What are you surprised about? There's no way I would face a waiting opponent unprepared. Don't tell me, you really thought this could finish me off?"

"Kuh…!"

Retreating backwards like pushed back, Mio tried to chant a new magic, whereas the white mask laughed.

"Oh right, it's a wonderful house, where you're living with that former Hero boy---''Looks like it would burn easily.''"

"----!?"

"Maybe I should order my subordinators? To see which brings out a prettier flame, your magic or that house."

"Coward…"

The wounded Basara was in there. With Maria around, they might not get burned by the flames, but most likely it would take their everything just to escape. They couldn't stop the flames. There,

"Coward or not, it was you who involved him… If you want to blame someone, blame yourself."

"……."

Mio bit down on her lips. Yielding to such a threat and giving up wasn't funny.

But what Mio tried to chant at the moment was only a filler magic to keep the fight going.

Something like that wouldn't defeat him, since the consecutive attacks earlier didn't work.

Still--- For starters she could resume the fight with it. She had planned it out in her head.

However, Mio slowly relaxed her stance and halted the chanting for the magic.

"…You're after me, right. Please, don't lay hands on Basara anymore."

But,

"If you were to hurt him any further--- I'll never forgive you. No matter what I have to do, I'll kill you a hundred times."

"I don't mind. If it doesn't cause me any more unnecessary trouble, that is."

The white mask showed a serene smile at the end of his words.

She was disgusted. Her own fight had only just started. It would get serious from now on.

She would rather die than yield to the enemy here.

''…But…''

Still, she would rather die twice than endangering Basara's life. Then there was only one way.

In front of Mio, who stood there silent, the white mask came over like gliding on air.

"Your hand---"

When she held out both her hands on his request, a purple rope wrapped around Mio's wrists.

"This is…"

"A binding magical tool that seals your magical power. From your earlier attacks I don't think there'll be any problems, but I'll seal it just in case. Now then--- Let us go."

"….Where to?"

Mio had given up on fighting, but not on her hostility. The white mask answered.

"You need to ask?… To the demon realm. My Master is waiting for---"

The moment he said all that, the white mask suddenly jumped back widely to take a distance from Mio.

At the same time. The space where the white mask had been so far was cut through by a wind blade.

"Don't tell me…!"

Like looking up, Mio tried to look behind her--- the direction from where the attack came, whereupon a human silhouette swiftly rushed past her at the same time.

It was a girl that wore the same Hijirigasaka Academy uniform as Mio and carried a spirit sword in her right hand.

It was Nonaka Yuki.

"---Why!?"

While hearing this question from Mio behind her back, Nonaka Yuki didn't slow down on her dash.

Regardless of the unsteady foothold in the mixed forest, she attacked the white mask at once.

However, Yuki's slash was easily warded off by the barrier that the white mask had erected.

"What a surprise, that you would take her side… Is that the judgement of the Hero Tribe?"

"…I'm, not really taking her side."

Yuki indifferently told the white mask, who spoke with a carefree voice.

---Yes. At first, Yuki didn't had any intentions to help Mio.

The dispute about the Devil Lord's power that Mio inherited was something to be settled amongst devils.

Thus, the Hero Tribe didn't plan to intervene actively.

Yuki, an observer, had no objections to that either. She only felt resentment towards Mio, who disturbed Basara peaceful lifestyle, and wouldn't have really minded if she sacrifices herself.

''…But.''

Basara still tried to protect Mio. When she watched Basara at school, he was looking Mio without her finding out about it. At any time, he was concerned about her. And unknown to her, he fought for her. Yuki couldn't understand if Mio was worth it. That was why she told her on the rooftop of the school. To leave Basara. To not involve him. And after Basara collapsed from the enemy's attack and the white mask was gone.

Nonaka Yuki tried to vent her fury at Mio.

---It's all your fault. Because you dragged Basara into this.

But she couldn't say it. Because Mio was even more shaken in front of the collapsed Basara than Yuki.

Gravely flustered and agitated, she was still worried over Basara. I'm sorry, I'm sorry… She repeated numerous times while crying. Yuki ended up hearting that grief-stricken scream. That was the reason she left Basara's treatment for now to them when Maria showed up. And then she saw how Mio tried to fight alone and gave up on it again for Basara's sake.

Yuki got the feeling that she understood a bit now why Basara tried to protect Mio.

Besides, there was another reason to why Yuki came here. Yes--- an important reason.

"I believe I clearly told you--- That I won't forgive you for hurting Basara."

So, at the same time she declared these words filled with killing intent, Yuki's whole body was enveloped by light.

Together with the materialization of her spirit sword "Sakuya", her clothes changed into a battle wear.

Nonaka Yuki's resolve. An embodiment of her will to slay the devil in front of her as a Hero.

Then the battle started. In light of Yuki's consecutive repeated attacks,

"Your sword or skill can't defeat me… You should have realized that on the previous battle on the rooftop."

Behind his barrier, the white mask sighed in disappointment. But, Yuki showed no impatience.

"…Yeah? Then--- take this!"

She launched a counterattack. It--- broke through his supposedly impregnable barrier.

"Wha…?"

Yuki lunged a slash in no time at the surprised white mask.

Instantly jumping backwards and barely dodging her sword, the white mask was puzzled.

"My barrier, how…"

"It won't break with one strike. ''Therefore I continued until it did…'' that's all."

said Yuki.

"Wait… You accurately kept attacking the same spot…?"

"If it brings you down, I'll do so."

Yuki declared without hesitation. It was a feat that even only a few skill type fighters could pull off.

In the five years apart from Basara, Yuki excessively trained with the sword.

"---Don't underestimate a Hero."

Then Yuki approached forward again. For a moment she dared to sheathe her spirit sword, then she drew it with Godspeed. The cutting edge of quick-draw technique that came from making use of the slip of the sword out of the sheath, was several times greater than normal. In one attack she cut through the oppenent's barrier, and it didn't end with that. Combined with the quick-draw attack, Yuki kept spreading out her attacks.

The white mask couldn't help but to jump backwards widely to distance himself from her.

"Okay… I'll play with you for a bit."

Saying so, he held out his palm towards her--- In the next moment, a black darkness came flying over.

"-------?"

Yuki jumped to the side at once. It was a reflexive movement that didn't consider her landing at all.

[[Image:Shinmai Vol1 0143.jpg|thumb]]

Right afterwards. Along with a roaring sound, the ground trembled. Yuki, tumbled on the ground, looked. The place where she was at a moment ago--- The ground of the forest was completely hollow out by an explosion.

"Hee, you dodged that…"

The white mask said in admiration. And then,

"Then--- how about this?"

At the same time he said that, numerous dark spheres appeared around him.

''…Not good…!''

It was impossible to dodge all these. Defending against them too. What to do--- That short hesitation completely deprived Yuki of her chance to evade. When she noticed it, she was already swallowed up by a fierce impact and blown backwards--- Right afterwards, the roaring sound of explosions sounded. The force of it threw Yuki against a huge tree trunk and the impact made her lose her breath.

"---Nonaka!"

Mio's scream sounded distant. But, Yuki couldn't respond. Her body wobblingly inclined forward.

"---…!"

Even so, she thrust her spirit sword into the ground and refused at least to collapse.

Yes, not yet. She could still fight. Because her life was saved by him--- by Basara.

Five years since that tragedy. What did she become strong for?

''…That's, obvious…''

Basara sacrificed his own future and saved her. Therefore. This time, she would protect him and those he wanted to protect. She would protect the world Basara lived in--- his every day life.

For that she underwent harsh training and became strong, didn't she.

"Run… quickly, Nonaka!"

Yuki ignored Mio's shouting. Giving up here? Nothing of the sort!

"…Uh…"

Yuki frantically clenched her teeth and slowly raised her head.

And she realized. Why Mio told her to run.

Nonaka Yuki looked. At the huge sphere of darkness that the white mask created over his head.

At this rate, Yuki would die--- Thinking so, Mio acted quickly.

"….Enough---!"

With her hands tied, she still tried to ram the white mask with her shoulders. But,

"---You're in the way."

In response, the white mask casually launched a shock wave at her.

"Kyaaaaaa---!"

Mio, who had her magical power sealed by the binding magic tool, had no way to defend against it. Taking a direct hit, Mio was sent flying to the ground.

"…Kuh… Uh…"

Even so, Mio desperately tried to stand up.

''…Like I, would let him…''

There was no way she would let get anyone else get dragged into her fate.

She wouldn't sacrifice anyone. Not even Yuki, a Hero.

But--- Emotions alone couldn't stop a tragedy.

"This is the end."

The white mask declared so. At the same time, the huge sphere of darkness was released towards Yuki.

"No… STOOOOOOOP---!"

Mio shouted at once. But the white mask ignored her. And the sphere of darkness heading for Yuki, as well as the cruel reality ignored her too. No matter how much Mio shouted, she couldn't help Yuki.

Therefore, Yuki's death was inevitable--- ''Or it was supposed to be''.

---However. There was still one person responding to Mio.

"…Eh?"

She heard the blowing wind. And then,

"---Leave it to me."

Together with that short mumbling.

Faster than the wind--- A boy got in between the sphere and Yuki.

Toujou Basara arrived at the battle in the moment when the white mask released the huge sphere of darkness.

Basara, standing protective in front of Yuki, was immediately pressed for a decision.

It was impossible to evade while carrying a wounded Yuki. That left only one choice. He chose that sole possibility without hesitation. It wasn't like he couldn't use it at all. But,

"Here I go… <Banishing Shift>!"

Toujou Basara struck his magic sword Brynhildr into the pale sphere.

''…Even if I can't erase it completely…''

Even if he was still trapped by his past. He should be able to repel or disperse it. Therefore,

"OOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

Steadying himself on the ground, Basara put all his strength into his arms and pulled Brynhildr through the sphere.

At the same time he felt it's resistance--- the pale sphere broke up and passed by Basara and Yuki's right and left.

An explosion arose. But, only the ground of the forest was destroyed. Basara and Yuki were safe.

"Wha… Just what was that?"

"…Basara…"

In front of the dumbfounded white mask, Yuki called from behind his back. Basara only turned around his head.

"Everything's alright now, Yuki… I'll take care of the rest."

When he said just that with a smile, he faced forward again.

And then, he scowled a bit. He felt a burning pain on his back.

''…My wound reopened from that.''

He could endure the pain, but if he kept losing blood, he wouldn't be able to move anymore. He had to settle it quickly.

"-----"

Therefore, Basara kicked the ground and leaped forward. That resulted in the Godspeed of a Speed Type.

Moreover, the speed was close to one in his genius childhood, where he was noted for his talent that surpassed even his father, the hero of the great war.

In an instant the distance between them was closed. The Godspeed attack went straight for the white mask's torso. SCREEEECH! But with a shrill metallic noise, Basara's hand that held Brynhildr got numb. The attack was repelled.

"I'm impressed. That's some excellent swordsmanship. With a normal barrier, even I might have gotten split into two."

The white mask raised a praising voice and continued with "But".

"Unfortunately for you, I strengthened my barrier after that girl broke it…Too bad."

"…Yeah, too bad."

Basara nodded.

''"For you, that is---"''

And then he shouted.

"---MARIA!" "Roger!"

A young girl jumped up from behind Basara. Her small body was swinging it's right fist.

She, a succubus, was their "Power Type" ally that was lacking on the rooftop.

Her one attack--- smashed the white mask's barrier, weakened by Basara's attack, into small pieces.

"Wha---!"

The shocked white mask tried to re-erect his barrier at once.

"---Too slow!"

Basara was faster than that.

Basara's fighting style that utilized the characteristic of the speed type to the maximum was Infinite Slayer.

Furthermore, his Godspeed sword flashes that looked like thin lines continued a series of attacks.

Kill! That kind of sound started.

Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, Kill, KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill
KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill
KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill
KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill

The speed transcended power, as well as magic, skill and all kind of strengths.

"OOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAHHHH!"

And then--- The last hit struck.

It was an attack with all his might that perfectly cut up the white mask's torso and banished him into the empty darkness.

Mio witnessed that moment.

Basara, having defeated the white mask, stopped moving for a moment, but before long,

"…..Fuh."

When he made a breath of exhaustion, he first confirmed Yuki's well-being behind him.

After exchanging a few words with her, he came slowly over to Mio.

--- But, somehow Mio still couldn't believe it.

However--- Basara's face, looking at her, was showing a gentle smile.

"Ah…"

She finally realized. That she was saved. That Basara came to her aid. Therefore,

''…I- I…''

What to do, Mio panicked at heart. She didn't know what to say. She knew she had to thank him. But she still hadn't apologized for getting him hurt. When she was puzzled about what to say,

"Mio-samaaaaaaaa---!"

Passing by Basara, Maria clung to her with a dive.

Maria didn't criticize Mio for trying to settle it all by herself.

"I was worried… So worried… Waaaaaah."

Looked like she was really worried. Maria sobbed, like all the worry she had desperately suppressed suddenly exploded. Mio's surprise changed into gratitude before long. She finally realized what she should say first. Therefore she shifted her gaze down to Maria at her waist.

"Sorry… I'm sorry…"

For her selfish act. Mio apologized for making Maria worry. Upon that,

"…Looks like you're okay."

Mio heard Basara's relieved voice. So she raised her head with "Yes".

Her expression froze up.

"What's up…?"

Basara was puzzled--- and right behind him stood a "Shadow".

She had no time to call out.

A short sword pierced Basara's body from behind. The tip of the sword came out of Basara's stomach.

"---?"

At the same time as Basara looked down at his own torso, the short sword was pulled out.

Basara's body collapsed like a loose string.

"No… NOOOOOOOOOOOO."

Yuki, standing apart, raised a mad scream.

The red of blood spread over Basara's clothes on the back. Therefore,

"A, Aw…"

The moment she let out a dumbfounded voice--- Mio's reasoning snapped.

"AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW------!!"

She raised a screaming shriek and at the same time, a red surge was set free in Mio's heart.

===Part 4===

The wind howled in the distant. A wind that brought with it a low and heavy ring like a coming storm.

The wind at his cheeks was still balmy. But before long a downpour would surely come.

Then he had to go home quickly.

---With whom?

He immediately got an answer for the sudden question. It was obvious. Together with Mio and Maria.

And they should bring Yuki too. Yes--- They all had to return together. Therefore,

"…Uh…?"

Basara opened his eyes. But even though he tried to straightened up his body, he couldn't muster his strength well.

Even so, he somehow raised his head. And then Toujou Basara saw it.

"This…"

The surrounding space was colored red and rumbled like a from a tremor. Like a tornado, the wind beat furiously. A bit apart, he saw the collapsed Maria. On a different spot, Yuki had collapsed too. Looked like they received some kind of impact and lost consciousness.

And then. In the center of the torrent of red surges that shook everything--- there was Mio.

The color of her long hair had changed into a deep crimson which gave the impression of a blaze--- and on her back grew small wings.

Basara understood right away that Mio's own power was out of control.

And that precisely this was the inherited power of the previous Devil Lord.

Most likely the trigger for it was,

''…me, huh.''

Just when she was saved and relaxed, Basara collapsed in front of her eyes from an ambush.

She must have felt responsible for it and couldn't forgive herself.

"…I- Idiot… I'm just fine… Hey, Mio!"

"B- Basara…?"

On his outcall, Mio, bewildered, met his eyes.

Apparently she had her senses.

''…Good…''

There was a ray of hope in the worst situation. With that, the situation might still somehow be saved. With no sign of the enemy, it must have retreated for good now.

Or it was destroyed. Either way, it should be safe to assume that there was no more danger from them.

"Calm down… I'm fine… Everything is over… Okay?"

"I, I'm trying… but it's no good…!"

Mio shouted and shook her head.

"I can barely restrain my power. I, I can't subdue it all. It's not working… Wh- Why?"

The flustered Mio was partly in a panic and Basara changed his expression into a bitter one.

''…Damn, she can't calm it down after all…!''

But--- that said, he couldn't leave it at that.

''…Wilbert had the power to control gravity.''

Then, what would happened if it went out of control? --- Before long, that took place.

"Eh…?"

Mio raised a surprised voice. The space around her started to flicker like a heat haze.

"…Here it comes, huh."

Basara clicked his tongue. An excessive mass that couldn‘t be controlled ended up--- at the singular point of gravity.

At this rate, a black hole would form around Mio and suck in the surroundings.

---Naturally, as Mio was the source of it, the singularity would disappear if Mio were to be erased.

It certainly wouldn't cause the destruction of the world, but even so the vicinity space would get completely wiped out. Most likely it couldn't be prevented that part of the town within the radius of several kilometre would get erased.

However--- that was only Basara's guess. The mass of energy from the rampage was an unknown quantity. It might cause even less causalities, or even more. Thereupon,

"P- Please, Basara… I can't, restrain it any longer… So"

Knowing what Mio was trying to say with her trembling voice, Basara raised his voice.

"Wait! I'll think of a solution now! I'll come up with some kind of---"

"---Listen! There's no more time. Before I destroy the world like this, before I drag you and others into it,"

With a grim voice, Naruse Mio stated her last request.

"Please--- hurry up and kill me…"

It certainly would solve the problem. The fastest solution.

If Mio was sacrificed, the town, Basara and the others, everyone would be saved. But,

"……I refuse."

Saying so, Basara slowly stood up, whereas Mio shouted flustered.

"I, Idiot… Between the world and me, it's obvious which is more important!!"

"Like I care… Tell that the oh so great Heroes. I'm afraid I'm no longer one of them. I neither plan, nor have the power to do something about something as large-scaled as world peace."

But--- He had the power to save Mio. Toujou Basara knew of the one and only way for that.

In the past he could use it, but not anymore. The unique power in the world that was just his.

''…Yeah, right.''

It was easy. The situation called for it. For the sake of the future, right now--- he had to overcome his past.

Therefore, Toujou Basara slowly advanced forward.

"…I'm no longer a Hero. But you know, I'm your family. Your older brother. Even if it's only temporarily for you, I seriously believe so. And, as your brother--- I'll protect my little sister, even if it turns the whole world against me!"

Basara threw out the words yelling. To convince not Mio, but himself.

"…I'll bring you back home."

"Eh---…?"

On his mumbled words, Mio asked back.

"I'll definitely bring you home… You'll go back, with me, to our house! As a little sister, shut up and let yourself protected by your brother at a time like this--- Got it!"

Basara threw his own feelings at her. It wasn't about logic or reasoning, just pure emotion.

But, precisely because of that, it was conveyed.

It reached her.

"…Okay."

While looking close to tears, Mio nodded. Over and over again. And then,

"Please--- save me, Brother."

Mio said. She certainly said it. Therefore, Basara nodded with "Yeah".

"Just you wait. I'll erase it now. Your pain, your sadness, all of it--- I'll make it Nil."

There he halted. It was as close as he could get to Mio, who rampaged her power.

While the gravity urges shook the atmosphere, Toujou Basara took a deep breath and relaxed his whole body.

He started the preparation for a perfect <Banishing Shift>.

He had to feel out Mio's rampaging power--- It's source of existence, the "Heavenly Energy".

But all kind of matters - substances were faintly swaying it's existence.

Naturally, the position of the Heavenly Energy constantly changed. Furthermore, Basara tried to erase the torrent of a raging power. The Heavenly Energy was moving irregularly around at apex speed. If he missed, it was all over. Moreover, even if he cut the Heavenly Energy, he couldn't afford to harm Mio. Not to mention, erase her with it. Not the slightest mistake was allowed. Only 100% success was valid.

From the great blood loss, his vision was hazy--- That alone made it harsh already,

"----"

yet Basara felt his own heartbeat jump up. And his hand started to shake.

''…Damn…!''

It happened because he factored in a failure. The words of the white mask resurfaced at the back of his brain.

‘---Now you're going to erase even her?'

He remembered the tragedy from five years ago. The never healing wound in his heart and his guilty conscious over his past mercilessly trying to swallow his heart. Therefore,

''…I can't do it after all…''

Toujou Basara thought. That he absolutely couldn't do it--- Yeah, right.

''He definitely couldn't do something like let Mio learn the same pain as him.''

When he suddenly looked, Mio was watching him with gentle eyes.

When he met her eyes, she closed them.

Her mouth formed a--- "I believe in you".

In that moment, Toujou Basara made his resolve. Like Mio, he closed his eyes.

"------"

Basara entrusted his body to the fiercely blowing wind, the torrent of the raging power.

On top of that, he sharpened all his senses, his mind and soul--- to feel it.

The one and only possibility for Toujou Basara to save Naruse Mio.

And then--- In the next moment, all noise vanished from the world. The rampage of Mio's power had gone up in one go.

The spreading destruction and surges of nothingness.

Toujou Basara just--- quietly swung down Brynhildr.

[[Image:Shinmai Vol1 0153.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

===Part 5===

---Right afterwards, Basara's world turn snow-white.

He didn't know if it was from activating <Banishing Shift> or from being swallowed up by the black hole. He didn't even know if his eyes were closed or open.

Just that he used all of his power.

"----"

Basara slowly collapsed forward. Suddenly--- a soft warmth enveloped him.

That pleasantness made him smile inadvertently.

Because he was convinced.

Then he slowly moved his mouth. Even now, he had barely any strength left.

Even so, just one sentence. Basara spoke just one sentence. It was something he absolutely wanted to say.

So he quietly prayed that his voice would somehow come out.

Toujou Basara mumbled quietly.

"---Let's go home."

<noinclude>

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|-
| Back to [[Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 1 Chapter 3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Shinmai Maou no Keiyakusha:Volume 1 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 3

2014-01-10T03:15:19Z

173.51.129.107: /* Part 4 */

==Chapter 3 - Veronica and Silvia==
===Part 1===
As the magicship Silvanus arrived at Ansarivan-

The Necromacia’s summoner- Milgauss’s right-hand man, Anya, was stranded in Danebury, a commercial city west of Ansarivan. At this time she was alone in one of the many buildings thinking deeply

Despite the words "Rosetta’s Business Firm” hanging on the door this is actually the name of a fictional industry. In other words, this is a secret base operated by Milgauss and the Zepharos Empire’s Intelligence.

Basically, the interior had the taste of a business firm, the tables, chairs and bookcase being very neat and organised.

But presently there was only Anya in the room.

“'Silver Knight' ...?"

Browsing the data in her hand, Anya murmured and muttered.

Recently she has been diligently investigating the hero called 'Silver Knight'.

For Milgauss and Anya, the hero who defeated the Necromancia may be turned into a threat to them.

The problem is that, surprisingly, there is only a few sightings and reports. Which causes the investigations to run into a bottleneck.

So far, the information related with the true identity of the 'Silver Knight' is still not yet known. After all, as the people who happen to be there are in chaos such a result is not surprising.

The ones who have the most precise grasp of the situation, perhaps, are none-other than Milgauss and Anya who were looking at the scene of the incident.

As a result, what is widely said now may just be rumours, thus they could not find any valuable clues.

No, there are valuable information in Anya’s memories .

"That guy...... since he participated in the dragon riding festival, this means that he is a student right?"

It happens that because of some difficulties, Anya was afraid to inform this to Milgauss.

If she did report to him, it is like admitting her own mistake.

If the guy whom she didn't kill turned out to be the 'Silver Knight'....... this incident no matter what, Anya will never tell anyone.

Anya steped towards the window, staring blankly at the sky.

"Milgauss-sama..."

A few days before, Milgauss received a confidential letter issued by the Ministry of The Empire’s Intelligence.

Recorded in the letter was an order for him him to return to the Empire. The Intelligence Department should be very interested in the Necromancia.

"Oh yeah, I have to finish the report before Migauss-sama comes back......"
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v2 p113.jpg|thumb]]

"It's not good! Something is very wrong, Shamara!"

One of the men suddenly broke into the room.

He has a wheat-colored skin and dark hair.

He is a typical Tantalos guy.

"How many times do you want me to remind you? Now I’m called Anya! Do not use that name to call me!"

“S-Sorry...... Anya.”

"It is Anya-sama."

"Yes... Anya-sama."

The teenager knelt for quite a while. On matter of what happened in the past, Anya is the leader of a Tantalos tribe. No matter how familiar he is to her, there is still hierarchy, otherwise it is impossible to rule the others.

"So then what happened that is wrong?"

"Th-That is the 'Ironblood Valkyrie' just came to visit Ansarivan, which has caused quite a stir."

"What?!"

Anya’s eyes widened.

'Ironblood Valkyrie'- The Lautreamont Knight Country’s first Princess, Princess Veronica. Her reputation has shaken the whole continent.

Veronica intervenes in much ethnic strife around the continent, thus increasing the loss of those guerrilla forces.

This also includes many Tantalos fighters.

It is not exaggerating to say she is an enemy to all Tantalos.

"How long is Veronica expected to stay?"

"According to official sources, five days......"

If she rushes there non-stop, she will arrive in three days at Ansarivan. For Anya who trained in the mountainous areas, it is but a slight distance. It has long been known that Ansarivan's defence is very weak and vulnerable. If you took a gamble, you will even have the opportunity to assassinate Veronica- But Anya quickly dispelled such idea.

Because she remember Milgauss' command before he returned to the Empire.

''- During the period when I am gone, you are to investigate clearly the ins and outs of the Ark-Dragner who defeated the Necromancia.''

Not just for Anya, for the Tantalos tribe too it's also the same, Milgauss' command is supreme and not to be defied.

Milgauss had only ordered them to spy. Even if it is a godsend, Anya must not recklessly attack Veronica.

“Uh... that... "

"What happened?"

Looking at the hesitant look of the teenager, Anya sensed something bad.

"The thing is...... uh...... after hearing the name 'Ironblood Valkyrie', the rest have left for Ansarivan.”

"What did you say?!"

Anya swung her long hair, and the chair is knocked over.

"The rest" that the guy said are the Tantalos who followed Anya down from the mountains to assist Milgauss, they are also Anya’s subordinates.

"I, I have tried to stop them! But Valery, Micha, Sergi...... they didn’t listen to my advice."

"They are just too reckless!"

Since Milgauss returned to the Empire, Anya let Valery rest. This is because she knows that those who are always careless are not fit for spying activities.

The rest, since they have heard the name of Veronica they got carried away by their emotions, Anya understand this.

The problem is blindly provoking the Knight country is not a wise move.

The Zepharos Empire over the past 50 years, even with their leading Mechanical engineering and non-stop expansion of their armies, does not have the strength that is on an equal footing with the Dragons.

They still have to bear with it.

At least before the Necromancia had officially come in handy -

"I will immediately leave for Ansarivan!"

"Ehhh?! Anya...- sama also wants to join the assassination?"

"It is just the opposite I have to stop those guys!"

Anya raised her head resolutely and she rushed out of the room.

===Part 2===
"It is not suitable for me...... with I should say that, fortunately it does not suit me."

Ash, who was forcibly taken to the airship Silvanus, for the first time in his life put on the attire of a butler.

His black tuxedo gives out an extra formal feeling, and there is a white bow tied at his neckline.

With the exception of his left hand, it is wrapped up in bandages like usual. It is better to say that he uses it as a small protest against Veronica, rather than to cover his 'Seikoku'.

“Ash-kun, have you finished changing?"

A cheerful voice emerged from behind the door.

When Ash who froze in front of the mirror turned around, the owner of the voice opened the door and walked into the dressing room.

She is dressed in maid attire. Right after Veronica returned to the magicship, she was given the responsibilty to take care of Ash.

Once he saw the maid’s cheerful smile, Ash suddenly got an unbelievable feeling of Deja Vu.

"Ah yeah! Ash-kun! This attire suits you very well!"

"Even with such praise, I don’t know what’s so happy about it."

"Hu ~? Why? You are really handsome!"

The maid somehow let her foot slip and she fell.

"Careful!"

Ash rushed to stretch out of his hand, but the helpless maid fell forward with a greater force than expected, even Ash also lost his balance.

"Ouch!"

While being stimulated by the maid’s soft body parts until he blushed, the two of them fell to the ground together.

"It hurts...... It hurts....."

Ash who is trying to get up from the ground, found out that his left hand is grabbing the maid's breast. Not only was he shocked, because her breast is not only soft, but it is also too big for him to hold it with one hand.

At the same time, a fragrant fruity smell entered his nose, Ash's cheeks suddenly became hot.

"S-Sorry!"

"No, no... It is my entire fault..."

Ash quickly recovers from the ground, reach out his hand to give the maid a lift. The maid somehow blushed and held his hand.

Only then, again Ash faces the maid.

"Uhh, may I ask your name...?"

"I am Primrose Shelley. The servant of Silvanus. Please call me Prim, it sounds cuter."

The surname Shelley sounds familiar to Ash.

"I would like to ask...... are you a relative of Cosette Shirley-san?"

"Ah!"

Prim suddenly exposed a cheerful smile. The two huge lumps of meat with a "plop, plop" shook twice.

"Do you know Cosette-chan? She is my younger sister!"

"I see... you really look alike."

No wonder he previously had the feeling of Deja Vu.

The only thing is, Prim gives off a more matured feeling than Cosette. Especially her body, when he remembers the feeling in his palm just now, Ash’s mood became impetuous.

"Yeah, everybody says that, but...... I am not like Cosette-chan with a good working ability, I’m always clumsy."

After Prim blew her nose, with the hem of her apron, she wiped her tears.

"However, Ash-kun, you are my first kohai!<ref>Literally junior.</ref> I will make every effort to teach you!"

Seeing Prim’s fists full of fighting spirit, Ash awkwardly explains:

"You have misunderstood. I did not come here to work!"

"Err, is that so?"

Prim is surprised for a moment.

"I am a student of the Dragon Riding Academy! It is just that the rude and unreasonable Princess with force brought me here......."

"So to say, are you by any chance...... a breeder?"

"Uuh ... basically I am."

As an irregular, Ash did not dare to admit loudly.

"My God! I’ve been calling you 'Ash-kun'…… this is unforgivable! Please allow me to address you as 'Ash-sama' in the future! If you refuse my apology I will immediately commit suicide! "

"Ehhhhh!? Just call me whatever you want! Just don’t die!"

Ash is desperately trying to appease her mood.

"... I had made a laughing stock of myself in front of you. Anyway, why did Ash-sama become a butler in this airship?"

Prim’s simple question made Ash cannot help but sighed.

"I would also like to ask why..."

“- If you want to know, then I'll generously tell you? "

The owner of the solemn voice from the doorway is none other than Veronica the culprit.

As usual she is with her suit of armour, majestically standing in the doorway.

"Princess!"

Prim is shocked, but she still respectfully bows.

In contrast, Ash cannot help but burst into roaring:

"Not bad, I really wish that you will immediately tell me!"

"I'll tell you why- Because of the fun."

Ash doubts his ears.

"I remember that I heard the word 'fun'...?"

“Otherwise I can also replace it with 'to pass time' if you don’t like it.”

Ash collapsed.

"B-Because of this reason...... the situation has turned out this way?"

"Exactly."

After replying coldly, Veronica looked at Prim.

“Prim, for the time being, make this kid your subordinate and educate him well, understood?”

"Yes Princess!"

Turing her back against Prim, purposely create some clashing sounds with her armour, Veronica left without even looking back.

“Wh-What is going to happen?”

While ignoring Ash's feelings, Prim held his hand-

"Alright, Ash-sama, let’s get to work!"

Triumphantly putting on a pose and running ahead of him –

"Hold on! That side has a wall!!"

"Huh?"

Turning a deaf ear to Ash’s warning, Prim ran into the wall.

===Part 3===
Sweeping, cleaning, cooking...... Ash who followed Prim the whole time, reluctantly helped with the various chores within the ship.

Only that Prim is a lot clumsier than Ash thought. For example, she would fall in a space without any obstacles, break a pile of plates, tip a bucket of water in one of the corridors...... and many other embarrassing things.

Unconsciously, whenever Prim wanted to do anything -

"I’ll do it!"

Ash would complete it on her behalf.

They confused many people regarding who is the real senpai<ref>Literally senior.</ref>.

The work that needs to be done is like a huge mountain. Until the sky had turned dark, Ash only then realized that it was already nightfall.

According to Prim, the ship is now in its rest state, so strictly speaking there has been less work. The workload during flight increases drastically.

This gigantic machine can actually carry dozens of crew and cargo during the flight - until now it is still difficult for Ash to believe it.

===Part 4===
Only after Veronica finished her dinner was Ash allowed to rest.

After receiving his meal in the kitchen, he entered the servant’s lounge. The empty room surprised Ash a little bit.

"Well, it's also alright this way."

Ash found a place to sit down, then started his meal.

The dishes tonight are walnut bread, vegetable stewed duck, cabbage and corn salad. There is not much difference from eating this compared to the students’ restaurant.

The taste is not bad, but it is not so good that someone will shed tears in appreciation.

Ash suddenly remembered an image of Veronica dining.

The dishes that Veronica ate are similar to his. It seems that, rather than the taste, she pays more attention to nutritional balance.

-The thought of eating made Ash miss Eco.

"Did Eco obediently eat...?"

Dragons basically eat five meals per day.

Even though Eco is born in the form of a delicate and charming girl she is no exception. For now Ash didn’t have any spare energy to take care of Eco, so he can only look forward to Cosette’s and Rebecca’s help.

After eating Ash looked around the lounge.

The bookshelf placed beside the wall has novels and manuals. Anyway, there is still time to rest, so Ash walks towards the bookshelf to look for books that he is interested in. In the end he found a title that arouses his curiosity.

"This is... 'The Sky Dragon Knight Chronicles'?"

The bookshelf has volumes one to nine of the series, the books seem to be very popular. The size of these books can be put into a bag and easily carried around, the cover illustration is the preferred choice girls who are in their teens.

So, the handsome Dragon Knight on the illustration of the cover is that famous '''Silver Knight'''.

"Damn, it is all because of this novel."

Even though he is angry and has complained, since he couldn’t find any other books Ash decided to read this book, since it is better than none.

The protagonist Kane, is an ordinary, humble student in school, but after nightfall he becomes the Silver Knight to fight off evil. Alisha the heroine, on the other hand, is Kane's childhood friend. She usually thinks that the useless Kane is a good-for-nothing.

In the beginning of the story, the unfortunate Alisha is caught in a kidnapping case, later the heroic 'Silver Knight' appears and successfully saved her out of the woods, and captivated her mind.

Of course, she did not know that Kane is actually the same person as the 'Silver Knight'-

"Hmm ... I didn’t expect it to be quite interesting."

In the story, the efforts that Kane made in order to avoid his true identity from being revealed will make people cry. This made Ash think about himself.

On the second half of the story, Kane is in a bitter struggle with a mysterious dragon. The results are shocking, it seems that the dragon has been modified to a mechanical dragon from its physical body with the Empire’s technology.

Facing such abnormally strong enemy, how is Kane going to fight against it – Ash is attracted to the exciting plot and quickly flips the page. Later, Kane use ice magic to freeze the dragon control device to reduce the temperature to a low temperature until the power ceases, forcing the device to stop.

Therefore, the story ends happily.

"Well... it is also good to read some books occasionally."

When Ash intends to continue reading with the second volume- "Ash-sama! It turns out that you are here!"

The badly bruised Prim rushed into the lounge.

"Prim-san? Anything? Why are you panicking like that?"

"T-T-The..... Her Royal Highness Princess has asked for you!"

Ash with a surprised face stood up.

"I just thought that I’m finally free! So ... Where shall I go to?"

"That....."

"That.....?"

“The location is the bathroom! I'll lead you there! "

"Hold on!...... What’s happening!?"

Why did he need to go to the bathroom? Ash sensed something bad.

"Come on, Ash-sama. The princess's command is not to be defied! Let’s depart!"

Prim pulled Ash’s arm and ran.

"Wait a minute, there is a wall!!"

"Uwa ......"

A sound of "Bang" is heard, there is now an additional wound on Prim’s body.

===Part 5===
"Come in, Ash."

Veronica’s grim voice came from the other side of the frosted glass.

"Her Royal Highness Princess already said so, just walk in boldly."

Even though Prim gives him a nudge while smiling, Ash, no matter what, stood still.

Veronica is in the bathroom. With her armour off her body, the outline of her body is shown is on the frosted glass that is separating the bathroom and dressing room.

Needless to say, that the outline is obviously naked.

"But... I'm a guy..."

"What are you procrastinating for? Do you want to be beheaded?"

Veronica’s voice is sounded behind the frosted glass. It is no joke if he was arrested and beheaded in a place like this.

"Come this way, please."

There is already four maids waiting in the changing room.

"Hurry, hurry, Ash-sama! Quickly take off your clothes!"

Prim said to Ash from behind.

"Just wait for a moment! I'm not mentally prepared..."

“Ash-sama you are too naive! Once I resorted to the art of stripping, anyone will instantly become naked! Now-!"

"Uwaa! Prim-san why do you take off your clothes!"

With a busty breast in front, Ash’s body cannot help but stiffen.

"Ah, I made a mistake... tee hee."

"How do you mistake your own clothes with the others?"

Even when Ash moves his sight away, he still could not help but comment.

"Hey! Prim, could you please not intervene!"

The four maids push Prim aside and surround Ash.

“Sorry, Ash-sama, we are merely acting upon Her Royal Highness Princess’s orders!"

"Err... Can I take it off myself...?"

"Please obediently submit!"

Hands from all directions stretched out to seize Ash’s clothes. Because they are all women, even if Ash tried to resist, he cannot do it too roughly... Before Ash could make up his mind, his tuxedo and shirt are stripped off, and even his pants are cast aside.

"Urgh..."

After the bandage on his left hand is also removed mercilessly by the maids, Ash, completely naked, is taken into the bathroom.

===Part 6===
"Haa…"

Nestling in the corner of the wide bathtub, Ash deeply sighed with a long breath.

Fortunately, the royal’s special bathing agent turns the warm water from clear into cloudy white. Although the bathroom is surrounded by the fragrance of flowers so comfortable that you could sleep without realizing it, soaking in the warm water with Veronica made the situation tense.

The only good news is because of the big bathtub he is able to keep a safe distance from Veronica. If they are too close it will be difficult not to pay attention to Veronica’s nude body.

"Something wrong? You seem unhappy."

Veronica who cannot understand Ash’s thoughts starts the conversation.

"Who do you think the culprit is..."

"This is the bathroom, can’t you relax?"

"How can I!? Anyway, why are you so carefree? I heard that the 'Ironblood Valkyrie' made many enemies."

After hearing Ash’s teasing, Veronica didn’t even budge one bit.

"Foolish question. Do you still not yet realize that you are in Ansarivan’s most secure place?"

"Ah... I see."

The magicship Silvanus.

Equipped with cannons, thick armour and can take off as a refuge if it encounters danger. Not only that, the ship is around also surrounded by seven escorts.

The captain Glenn is even an Ark-Dragner. The reason that Veronica didn’t stay in a downtown high class hotel is because she believes that there is no place safer than the ship.

At this time, a maid through the frosted glass reports to Veronica:

“The Fourth Princess has just arrived.”

"The messenger has been gone for a long time...... forget about it. Tell her to immediately come in to report in the bathroom. "

"Yes, Princess."

After receiving the Veronica instructions, the maid quickly disappeared.

“The fourth…”

Ash confusedly twisted his neck to one side.

Although he seems to have heard this wording before, but for a moment he could not remember who that was. Just when he had a bad feeling about this, the glass door slid open and the identity of the third person is shown.

“E-Excuse me...... Anee-ue."

After hearing that voice Ash is dumbfounded.

"Princess?"

Silvia is standing in the doorway of the bathroom naked.

The phrase "The Fourth Princess” and Silvia's face is finally connected.

Even though the vision is blurred because of the vapor, the dazzling beauty of Silvia cannot be covered by mere vapor.
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v2 p133.jpg|thumb]]

"Wha...! That voice...... Is it Ash!?"

It appears that Silvia had not been notified that Ash is also present. Of course, this is also because she firmly believes that there is only women present in the bathroom.

Silvia’s body is not even covered with a towel.

"W-Why would you be in a place like this!?"

Silvia quickly squatted down and huddled herself after knowing the presence of Ash.

"Well, well, Ash-sama. What a coincidence."

Cosette appeared immediately after Silvia. Obviously the situation is not right, but she looked calm and helped cover Silvia with a towel.

After she saw Cosette’s face, Prim became happy.

"Ahh, Cosette!"

"Ah, Prim?"

Ash ignored the two sisters who are hugging each other without realizing the situation, and asked Veronica:

"How come…? Why is Princess here?"

"Is there anything to be surprised about? Is sisters bathing together so illogical?"

“Uh...... there is nothing strange for sisters to bath together So, I shouldn’t bother the reunion of you sisters, now please excuse-”

"Don’t answer so quickly, I'm allowing you to join."

Although it is said as allowed verbally, the truth it has the same meaning as an order for "forbidden to leave". Ash felt an invisible force has bound him hand and foot.

"Silvia, what are you shy about? I don’t mind if you still have not washed<ref>Japanese usually bath and clean their body before they dip in the hot spring or something similar like this.</ref>. Quickly come and soak in this warm bath."

"I-I...... understand."

Silvia wrapped a bath towel around her body and gingerly sat in the bathtub.

Probably she is very aware of Veronica, Silvia maintained a fairly wide distance. On the other hand she is sitting nearer towards Ash.

"What are you afraid about, sit a little more closer."

"Y-Yes ..."

Silvia moved slightly closer. Even so, she is still three meters away from Veronica. According to her position, she is almost in the middle of Veronica and Ash.

Veronica looks unhappy, but did not continue to pester Silvia, she changed the subject and got straight to the point:

"Silvia, I called you here to introduce you to a marriage."

"... What?"

Silvia seems to not understand what she just heard. All of a sudden, Ash also did not grasp the meaning of the word "marriage".

"You are already 16-years-old. In our country to be married at this age is normal."

"T-The question is... according to this logic, Anee-ue you......”

"What did you say?"

"Eek……!"

Being stared by a pair of eagle’s eyes, Silvia’s body trembled endlessly.

"I'm busy dealing with military affairs. But more than anyone else, I worry about the Knight’s Royal family. Do you realize? Since our brother- Julius’s sentence, The royal family’s future has been hazy. Although I’m first in the line for the throne, I am only interested in leading troops for war, I’m not fit to be king of a country."

"Anee-ue is not unsuitable..."

"I say this my own self, there couldn’t be anything that is wrong."

"However, besides you, there is Mirabel and Cassandra Anee-ue!"

"Silvia, now we are talking about you. This has nothing to do with either Mirabel or Cassandra or the both of them."

"How come..."

"Listen carefully Silvia, you need to give birth to a healthy child as soon as possible. You must not let the Royal family to go on without an heir."

"......!"

This type of talk made Silvia suddenly burst out red in the face.

Although he is only listening, Ash also cannot help but feel embarrassed.

"What are you talking about, Anee-ue!"

"If you do have any dissatisfaction, you should go to Julius’s grave and complain...... Wait, that guy does not even have his grave. To think that he had actually lost his life for things that don’t make sense. If he was still alive......"

By mention of the name of Prince Julius, Silvia couldn’t sustain herself to argue on his behalf.

"Please do not say anything bad about onii-sama! He must have his own reasons!"

Veronica looks pitifully towards Silvia.

"Hmm...... so to speak, I remember you used to be very close to Julius. Oh yeah, I want to help introduce you to a marriage, the person was Julius’s best friend."

Silvia’s eyes widen.

"Could it be...?"

"Yes, he is Glenn McGuire of our knights."

After hearing that name, even Ash was shocked.

"What are you kidding about?"

Ash who can no longer tolerate with a splash, suddenly stood up.

"How can it be because he is an Ark-Dragner, you choose some guy whose identity is unknown for the marriage of Her Royal Highness Princess... Stop kidding around!"

Even when Ash is furious, but Veronica not only she is not shaken, she even glowered at him.

"Brat, what qualifications do you have to comment on what I’m doing?"

"That, I..."

“Or...... do you have an unspeakable relationship with Silvia?”

Veronica's eyes are even more focus.

"Th-There is no such thing!"

Ash quickly denied, but Veronica sneered coldly.

"If that being the case, you are not qualified to interrupt."

"Err ..."

“Moreover, can you cover up your front? You are troubling Silvia in regards of where to look at."

Veronica is right, Silvia’s eyes are wandering. Moreover, even Veronica has been soaking in the water for a longer time, but Silvia's face is redder.

“-Uwaa!”

Only then Ash remembers that he is naked, and he immediately soaks his body in the water.

===Part 7===
The next day, the Imperial game organised by all students started.

The so-called Imperial game, to put it bluntly, is done by the advanced course students by performing their skills in front of Princess Veronica.

When visited by the royals or nobles, performing this type of athletic activities is a well-established tradition of the dragon riding Academy.

During the time Ash was taken away to serve Veronica, the preparation for the Imperial game was still running normally in the arena.

Even Veronica who has always been rigorous and comprehensive did not reject this tradition, and promised to attend the match.

The game event is – Dragon riding Cricket.

Maestro, Strada, Asia, Hydra ……four different types of dragons, each field a different position in the same game, a very special dragon riding game.

Veronica is looking from the arena’s VIP seats. Today, she wass also dressed in heavy armour.

Captain Glenn McGuire equipped with an Ark was like a shadow and remained by her side. The remaining six escorts had Veronica surrounded in a circle like shape.

The auditorium has long been packed with the students and the citizens of Ansarivan.

If anyone attempt to assassinate Veronica, it will be easy to mix in with this group of audience. The reason Glenn and the others were with a murderous look was probably caused by this.

"Eh ..."

This morning, Ash also stayed beside Veronica as a butler. After one night, Veronica was still reluctant to exempt him from his duties.

Besides that, last night Ash spent his night in the ship's lounge. It has been a long time since he has not spent the night with Eco.

"Something wrong? Worrying about your Pal?"

Having seen through Ash's mood, Veronica chatted to him.

Even when the audience cheers reach up into the sky, her voice is still loud and clear.

"Well...in a way."

"What’s to be worrying about? Won’t the staff of the Dragon Scotia help to take care of dragons?"

"No, Eco must be taken care of by me-"

While Ash is halfway through explaining…..

"Found you!"

Eco yelled while rushing to him.

Although the escorts led by Glenn immediately put on an alert posture, but it is clear to them the incoming person is someone who can be excluded without needing the use of force.

Veronica also lifts her hand and waves at them for them to stop.

"What are you messing around, right here?!"

Eco when the distance is near she immediately leap and did a summersault. She drew a beautiful arc in mid-air to perform a jumping kick attack.

''"Ka Poof!"''<ref>sound of Ash being hit. ~~ *Ouch*</ref>

His stomach is severely kicked, Ash painfully moans out loud, he kneeled down on the spot.

Eco angrily glared at Ash who is suffering without any reason.

“You better be ready, hurry up! How am I able to play this game if you are not present! "

Ash is surprised for a moment, and looked upwards towards Eco.

“Play...... you intend to participate in this competition?”

"Of course! Anyway, it feels very interesting!"

"The question is... how are you going to participate?"

"Hu?"

This time, it is Eco’s turn to be dumbstruck.

"You must ride a dragon to receive the qualification...... and how am I to ride you?"

Veronica who is listening to the two’s conversation smiled.

"Oh, to think that there is a time that the 'Boy who can ride any dragon'was unable show his own ability."

"That's because there exist some problem that cannot be solved by the use of physics!"

"Are you looking down on me? Who says that you are riding me? It is also ok for me to ride you! Quick, lay on the ground!"

Ash frightened shouted:

"No matter who is riding there is no way for us to play! How can I a mere Human compete with the other's dragons? In a blink of an eye, I will be stepped on and get smashed up!"

"Err...... or else I will let you try by putting on the Ark-"

"I have not heard which Ark-Dragner had been crawling while lying on the ground. Moreover, the rules prohibit the use of magic!"

The two of them are having a argument, at last Eco gave in. She seems disappointed and dejected.

"''Haa''...... why was I born in this form?"

"Eco."

"Do not be discouraged, the one who is called Eco whatever."

Surprisingly, Veronica tried to cheer up Eco.

"Why... I do not need any people to comfort me."

"You listen to me first. Dragons are a very wise race, their cumulative history is longer than humans."

"... What are you trying to express?"

"In other words, you who are born with a human form must have a reason. Even if the reason remains unclear for now, but there will come a day that the truth will be revealed."

"You..."

When Eco is accidentally staring at Veronica, the whistle that signifies the start of the game is blown.

Dressed in a dragonsuit, the riders on each respective Pal quickly spread out.

"Oh, even Silvia took part! Oh... and the opponent is actually Rebecca’s team? This is worth seeing."

Veronica showing an unusual rare happy expression muttered-

"Kyaa!"

Silvia and Lancelot is knocked out from the ring by Cú Chulainn who is ridden by Rebecca.

===Part 8===
"Princess!"

As Ash saw that Silvia was thrown off Lancelot and had fallen heavily on the ground, he immediately rushed out.

He jumped over the auditorium straight towards the arena. Swiftly passing through the crowds of dragons towards the place where Silvia fell.

The game is suspended because Silvia temporarily lost consciousness.

Veronica looked at Ash, muttered:

"That kid... he did not even hesitate to run towards a group of dragons. He surely has some guts."

"Hmm, what’s so strange about that?"

Eco snapped at Veronica.

“But it seems that he is not used to women."

Veronica laughs cheekily, Eco without giving up questions her:

"What do you mean by that? It is best for you to explain clearly!"

"What?"

“That guy lives with me all day long. How can he be not used to women!"

"Hmph...... while staying with a little girl like you, how can he be immune from women? When he saw me naked, he was embarrassed until that extend."

Eco who was red in her face clenched her teeth.

"Wh-What did you say?! Why were you naked?"

"Due to some adult circumstances, a kid like you has no reason to know."

"You really know how make people angry by just have them looking at you!”

When Eco is angrily stomping around, Glenn quietly whispers to Veronica.

"The boy seems intent to send Princess Silvia-sama to the school building...... are we going to sit here idly? Silvanus also is in no shortage of excellent doctors."

"Let him be."

Veronica briskly stood up, looking around at the crowd.

"Everyone listen carefully!"

The strong-willed voice echoed, at the same time, the arena is silenced for a moment. Everyone in sight is focused on Veronica, just like in a play.

"Cú Chulainn’s collision is allowed according to the rules, everything has to be blamed on my sister's immaturity, the game is not over, please proceed!"

The audience suddenly gave a thunderous applause, the game is resumed.

===Part 9===
"Err ..."

The instant she opens her eyes, she is greeted by the familiar chandeliers.

This is the girl’s dormitory – the top floor of Epona, the royal family’s room – also Silvia's personal room.

A cool breeze is blowing in slowly from the opened windows.

The sun at the sky is slowly setting.

"How do I ...?"

Silvia was quite startled.

Not long after the game started, Cú Chulainn collided with me, the impact was so great it caused me to fall from Lancelot-

Until here, Silvia still remembers the incident that happened, but after that, she completely fails to recall anything.

“- Ow!”

She looks on her body, and found out that she is not wearing a dragonsuit, but pyjamas.

When did someone help me put it on?

"Are you alright, Princess Highness?"

When she suddenly heard a man's voice, Silvia could not help but move her body backwards.

"... Why are you here?"

Silvia simply did not even expect the smiling person at the bedside, to actually be Ash.

Although he is now wearing the uniform of a butler, but the sleeve on his left hand reveal a small portion of bandage. He really insisted on covering up his 'Seikoku'...... but right now, those things are not important.

Why would a guy be in the girl's dormitory where men are forbidden from entering?

Let alone Silvia Lautreamont’s boudoir!

“Oh, you have woken up, Princess?"

At this time, Cosette stuck her face out from the kitchen and Silvia immediately asked her to explain.

"Cosette, what is this about?! Why is Ash in my room?!"

“It would be rude if you use those words you know. Ash-sama took the trouble to carry you back to your room."

"What did you say? Ash... carry me?"

Being stared at by Silvia caused Ash to start to shrink.

"Don’t be so angry with me. Initially, I brought you to the nurse's office, but when the imperial game is in progress, there are also many who are injured..."

"Today's nurse office is simply no different from a field hospital."

Cosette with a wry smile added.

"Once the doctor found out that Princess had only a slight bruise, they kicked you out of the nurse's office. They also said that even if you are the princess, right now, there is no time to give you special treatment."

Finally they managed to clarify the situation, but Silvia was not satisfied.

"Even if what you say is true, what is your obligation to carry me?"

"Of course it is because that I’m concerned about Princess Highness!"

Listening to Ash who speaks confidently- Silvia's heart could not help but feel moved and beats heavily.

"Haha ......"

Without realizing Silvia's mood, Ash suddenly burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I’m just thinking, no matter how good Lancelot is, to clash directly with Cú Chulainn is just too much."

What Ash said is indeed the truth.

Maestro Cú Chulainn is undoubtedly the strongest Dragon of the entire Academy.

Silvia's orders to face Cú Chulainn head-on, was not only a bad judgment, but also caused Lancelot to become injured.

"He he. It is because Princess wanted to show her best in front of Veronica-sama."

Hearing Cosette bring up the thing that she is most concerned about, Silvia immediately blushed.

"S-Shut up! Things are not like what you said!"

Although Silvia is denying it, Ash and Cosette still just smile. Her thoughts were all seen through.

"Haa...I am simply unworthy of becoming Lancelot's master."

Silvia's ashamed and cannot help but says some discouraging words.

"You don't have to belittle yourself!..."

Ash even though puzzled, tries to comfort her, but she becomes emotional.

"You shut the hell up, I really can’t become Lancelot’s master! Lancelot should have been entrusted to him, and not me!"
[[Image:Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi v2 p149.jpg|thumb]]

"Hey ... What do you mean by that?" Ash with a surprised look peeped at Silvia's face.

Silvia suddenly realizes that her tongue slipped.

She carelessly leaked out a long time secret.

"N-Nothing! There’s no big deal! Forget what I just said!"

At this time, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Princess Silvia. You have a guest."

The voice across the door is from an old lady, the Epona dormitory’s warden.

It is rare that the warden would personally bring a guest.

“Guest? ...... Who is it? "

Shouldn’t be Anee-ue ... Silvia is terribly frightened, but the name from the warden mouth is not what she expected.

"Glenn McGuire-sama."

"What-!"

"Glenn....that poker face?"

Ash also spring up from the chair shouting.

"Sorry to interrupt, Princess Silvia."

Once he entered the room, Glenn knelt down and respectfully saluted.

"...... Glenn-dono, why are you here?"<ref>This sentence here use a very polite form of speaking or what we called court language since my English is limited please help me correct this.</ref>

Putting on a calm front, Silvia from her bed look downward towards Glenn.

- When Silvia was still small, Glenn and his brother- Prince Julius often accompanied her and played together.

Julius and Glenn were not only close friends, they were also rivals. <ref>The rivals here is in the sense of competing with each other.</ref>

It is said that during the time the two were studying in Ansarivan, they were always competing for the top position. At that time Glenn was a good hearted and loveable guy- but now he felt like a different person.

His beauty still remains, but people cannot feel the change in expression. The feeling of looking at his face is not any better from staring at some ice carvings.

Perhaps his expression is frozen since the day Julius committed the ''dragon slaying'' crime.

Whenever she saw Glenn’s face, Silvia feels depressed.

"Glenn-dono... if Anee-ue sent you here, please make the long story short."

"Veronica-sama asked me to visit you and check out your condition.”

"If it is so, as you can see, I do not have any serious problems. So you satisfied?"

She obviously does not want to say this, but Silvia still blurted out words which are full of a spicy tone.

"....Understood. I will report clearly to Veronica-sama. Next, I also brought a message from Veronica-sama."

"You may say it."

Feeling a heavy pressure on her stomach, at the same time, Silvia urged him to speak.

A message from Veronica is definitely never a good thing.

"Tomorrow at noon, Veronica-sama is scheduled to pay a visit of condolences on the streets."

"Is it......"

Originally the official reason Veronica visit Ansrivan is to give condolences to the people involved in the rebuilding of St. Durham Square, it is just that the trouble she had faced caused her to forget completely about it.

"So I need to accompany Anee-ue to give condolences to the affected people- is that right?"

"No, you don’t need to accompany."

"What did you say?"

The unexpected answer stunned Silvia.

"Veronica-sama’s orders are, tomorrow you must go to the St Valleria church to seek for repentance."

"Repentance? Why?"

"Please forgive me for saying it bluntly...Veronica-sama was angered by your disgrace."

The so-called disgrace should be referring to the fall from the dragon’s back during the Imperial game. At the end of the day, Veronica thinks that Silvia's performance as ''simply foolhardy''.

Just like rubbing salt on the wound, Glenn continues to say:

"In addition, during the prayers, you’re not allowed to be accompanied by a maid."

"... Is it so? So when the street are full of rejoicing because of anee-ue’s condolences, I must act like a nun praying alone, this is what anee-ue means right?"

Glenn without looking at the self-mocking Silvia, officially response:

"I’m nothing but a carrier pigeon. Then, I will be taking my leave."

Silvia impulsively stopped Glenn who is planning to leave.

"Wait a moment, Glenn-dono!"

".. May I ask what's the problem?"

Just like ice his eyes stare straight towards Silvia.

"Glenn-dono... that... Have you heard from anee-ue about the marriage? "

"I have heard slightly about it."

Glenn without blinking an eye replied coldly.

"Is it?"

Even though marriage is a lifetime event, Glenn attitude is cold and almost no feeling.

"...... There is nothing more. You may leave."

Glenn respectfully bows and gets ready to leave the room, but -

"This is the first time I've seen such a detestable carrier pigeon."

Unexpectedly, Ash from the side calls out loud to retain Glenn.

"Anyway, your attitude isn't it too much? You are going to be married to a princess, don’t you have your own will?"

Ash simply throws out Silvia’s question that has been sealed in her heart.

Silvia was surprised and even forgotten to stop him.

Glenn paused to stare back at Ash.

"I’m Princess Veronica’s knight, I must obey the command of Her Highness."

Even Silvia realized Ash with a surprised look gasped.

"What did you say? So you are saying that you are loyal to her? If she ordered you to die, you would have no objection against dying?"

"Absolutely!"

Glenn readily replied, which made the others feel no hint of hesitation.

"You are just like a puppet ...... Don’t you have your own will?"

Originally, Glenn who takes dying as no big deal, but now his switch is flip over by Ash’s criticism. This time he turned his whole body around and strode towards Ash.

“……You are called Ash Blake, am I right? Perhaps you have the credit for saving this city, but don’t you get carried away because in the end you will only play a small role."

Ash frowned because of Glenn’s criticise.

"What do you mean? Are you trying to negate the efforts of Eco and me?"

"I will not deny it. Luck is part of the strength, but -"

At the moment, Glenn’s eyes emit a breath-taking aura.

"Remember your own place."

Leaving behind words that are as heavy as iron, Glenn turned around and left the room.

"That bastard..."

Ash exposed an angry expression staring at the closed door. Even when being stared by those eyes, Ash is not even showing any fear, on the other hand he looked more like a raging pillar of fire.

But Silvia is the contrary of Ash. Her whole body is trembling. Even when she was not being stared at, her fingers and knees are shaking.

The gentle and kind Glenn in the past could emit such mournful eyes. This not only caused her feel more pressure, but she also could not believe it.

===Part 10===
"Damn... Who the hell does he think he is."

Ash is walking around in the room, while complaining angrily.

Presumably, he is annoyed at Glenn for not being able to talk it over with him.

It seems that Ash did not think that "his own strength is never weaker than his".

Seeing Ash’s angry expression, Silvia's mood turned a little bit relaxed.

"You might as well take a seat. Look at you, moving around like a monkey, it even makes me feel impatient."

"Sorry..."

Even when Ash obediently sat down on the chair beside the bed, it is still difficult to eliminate the feeling of hate.

"Princess, aren’t you angry? In any case, his attitude is a little too cold!"

"Right, it is cold...... but he was not such a person years ago."

"How?"

"In the past, he was like my other brother. That time, Glenn-dono was as warm as spring... he was also cheerful and a gentleman, he treated me with love like his own sister."

"When did this happen?"

"Anii-ue was sentenced a decade ago. This happened before that…... when I was about four or five years old. Even though my childhood memory is somewhat of a blur, but so far, I still remember clearly that Anii-ue and Glenn-dono loved me very much."

"I see..."

Ash showed an embarrassed expression.

As a result, the felony Anii-ue committed not only hurt the Lautreamont Royal Family, but also caused a great impact on his best friend.

"If not because of Anee-ue who stopped him, I’m afraid that Glenn-dono would have already left the Knight’s country...... I heard that, when Anii-ue was sentenced, Glenn-dono became dissolute."

"Really?"

"Judging from this, we could say that Anee-ue is the one who saved Glenn-dono. At the same time, it also proves that Anee-ue has large enough strength<ref>The strength here does not signify muscle strength, it mean mental strength and open mindedness</ref> to save a strong knight such as Glenn-dono."

Silvia's eyes drift out of the window, watching the evening and deep sky, she muttered:

“Her strength is so enormous that I do not have any hope to beat her...... "

"Princess Highness."

Just then, there is sudden knock on the door, Silvia scared, shrunk in to a ball. At first they thought Glenn came back, but the truth is......

"I’m entering."

The one who swung open the door, was actually Rebecca.

"President!"

Rebecca moved towards the bedside and looked at Silvia's face.

"Just now I didn’t hold back. Looking at you with a murderous aura rushing over, I cannot help but want to show my real ability. I have reflected on my immaturity."

Silvia is terrified, she anxiously pulled up the quilt to cover her head.

"If they wanted to find out whose responsibility it is, I was in the wrong. I am to blame because I was too concerned about Veronica’s attention, and ordered Lancelot to rush out head-on......"

"You do not need to apologize to me, that is but an accident in the game, and I did not have any serious injuries."

"Is it? Then I'm relieved."

Seeing Rebecca’s cheeky soft smile, Silvia breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anyway... Why did you purposely come here?"

"Ahh!! Yes, in fact, I was looking for Ash."

"Me?"

Ash was shocked while looking at Rebecca.

"Well, at 7:00 tomorrow morning, there is expected to be an emergency meeting, issues naturally about Princess Veronica’s condolences."

"Understood, but I cannot guarantee that Princess Veronica promised to allow me to..."

Ash answered without confidence, but Rebecca reveals a playful smile.

"I had already forgotten that you are the attendant of Princess Veronica, and now you really look a lot more like one”

Ash showed a suffering expression while looking down at his own clothing.

"I can’t wait to take it off and throw it away... and I’m really worried about Eco."

To reduce Ash’s worry, Rebecca stated with a smile:

"Don’t worry so much about it, about Eco’s daily life, the student’s council will give her our full support. Initially, I hoped to let Cosette to deal with her, but......"

"I'm sorry, but now, Princess’s problem alone had already caused me a lot of problem."

Standing against the wall, Cosette from the bottom of her heart bowed and apologized.

Ash looked puzzled.

"Huh? Who is the one responsible for taking care of Eco?"

"For now we made an exception for letting Angela-sensei to help take care of her."

Hearing Rebecca's answer, Ash suddenly turned pale and stood up.

"Why is she given to the number one most dangerous person?! What if Eco was to be dissected by her!"

"Don’t worry, I think Angela-sensei seems to have changed her ways."

"Are you sure ...?"

“No problem, if Eco encounters any crisis, your 'Seikoku' will also notify you."

"Y-Your words are true..."

"M-May I ask."

The restless Silvia interrupts from beside. In fact, she was concerned about a problem for a long time.

"Why did the president not ask me to attend tomorrow’s meeting?"

After a long silence, Rebecca said flatly:

"Princess Veronica already told me. Tomorrow you were ordered to go to the church for repentance is not? How can I appoint any work of the Student Council to you?"

"How come…..."

"If there is any dissatisfaction, show your strength that is beyond Princess Veronica."

Rebecca, like she is gloating, states the impossible conditions. Then she took Ash and left.

"Princess VS Princess ~ A.B.S.1365.5 ~" is closed

<noinclude>

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />

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|-
| Back to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi: Volume 2 Chapter 4|Chapter 4]]
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</noinclude>

Kaze no Stigma:Volume6 Chapter 6

2014-01-01T21:44:33Z

173.51.129.107: /* Final Chapter */

== Final Chapter ==

"Come to think of it, did you meet old man? ", said Kazuma suddenly remembering.

"Old man, huh........Genma-Ojisama? He came?"

"Aah, together with Ren, they abandoned my injured self and went to find Xiaolei."

"Anyway you probably said something stupid again, so I don't pity you. Leaving that aside, that Gaia....you really did him, huh?"

Shifting her eyes forward, Ayano said so, as if swallowing something bitter.

Because the opponent was a Chijutsushi, so that he wouldn't be able to resuscitate, he had been shredded so fine it was impossible to distinguish his human form.

All around there was a pool of blood, a spectacle she couldn't look at straight.

Trying to advert her eyes, Ayano looked at Mizuchi lying in a pool of blood. That boorish ax was keeping its original form but---

"It has a lot of crack, no?"

"Aaa? "

Following Ayano's gaze, Kazuma also noticed the damage Nozuchi received.

Suspicious his eyes narrowed, suddenly turning to Enraiha, held in Ayano's hand.

The renowned Sacred Treasure of Fire, received Kazuma's full powered attacks how many times now, but as far as he remembered, there never was a scratch on it.

"Mizuchi too", whispered Ayano in a voice for some reason full of anxiety.

"When Enraiha slashed at it, it cracked on top of which it seemed to run whild. "

"Fuuh, I don't really get it. Maybe there is a status difference even between Sacred Treasures? By the way, I didn't check but did you kill the Suijutsushi? "

"Aah--- "

At the sudden investigation, Ayano looked away quite uncomfortable. But Kazuma cannot be deceived with only that,

"Did you kill him? "

"Aah---, you see, I thought meeting was more important so I blew him off with one shot but I didn't confirm it. "

"Ho--- "

Kazuma stared at Ayano, trying to explain and excuse herself, with half-open eyes. Completely disregarding the rest of the explanation, he searched the surroundings.

The answer came back instantly.

"Aaah, found him? Why? ", murmured Kazuma very curious.

Ayano had the same opinion on this.

If he survived, he should have escaped from here. He didn't win even with so many advantages.

It was plenty obvious he couldn't now. Then why, is he still loitering around here?

"If he's still eager it means he's an inborn idiot----well, anyway. Ayano, this way"

Casually, Kazuma pointed in the direction he felt Chris' presence.

"No, ten centimeters more to the right, yeah, that's good. Hit him horizontally with all your power. "

"Eeh......? If you say so, OK"

Ayano fired a plasma ball just like she was told. That bolide of scorching heat mowed down all trees in its path, evaporating them, plunging forward in a straight line. And then-----

"Ghyaaaaaaa! "

The shriek that reverberated together with the sound of explosion, belonged to one man emerging from the forest.

Covering his face with his left hand, the man approached staggering.

"----Eeh? "

For one moment Ayano thought she had attacked an unrelated homeless.

His clothes were in tatters. His hair was burned here and there. For some reason he was covering his face with his left hand and he had no right arm.

"Ho----"

With a sidelong glance at the shaken Ayano, Kazuma murmured full of admiration.

"You're so merciless, you know? "

"---Eeh, then, is that the Suijutsushi? "

"Of course, who else is there? "

"No, because he's too shabby, I thought I attacked a homeless instead."

"You're the one who made him shabby. Or rather, you're kicking a dead man. "

"----Aah"

She covered her mind confused but she couldn't take back her words. Uncomfortably she looked at Chris, the glitter in the eye peeking between his fingers, slowly getting closer, one step at the time.

"How dare you"

From between his dry lips, curse words flew out.

"How dare you---- How dare you---- "

His left hand dropped, tightly grasping Mizuchi. Hence, his exposed face---

"Waah"

"I see. With this you gave a guy like him a fate much worse that death. As expected of Ayano"

"It wasn't on purpose. Or rather, what do you mean by ''as expected''? "

Ayano objected with all her power.

She was still a woman, no matter how incomplete, so she understood that kind of pain.

She didn't wish that fate even to her enemies.

"How dare you, to my faaaaaaaace!? "

Squeezing out a scream, Chris glared at Ayano, the right half of his face hideously burned.

And then he brandished Mizuchi. That water whip that went on and on, coiled like a living thing.

"How stupid"

But contrastive to Ayano, who was feeling guilty, Kazuma reaction was thoroughly cold.

"I thought you had some plan but you snapped just because your precious face got burned. In comparison with the difficulties en route, you're like the punchline, huh? "

He said so coldly over his shoulder, about to severe his future anxieties. But, one beat later.

Or rather, one moment earlier, that thing appeared.

"Wha........!"

".........Eeh?"

The moment he saw it, Kazuma's wind blade about to fire dispersed.

Ayano forgot how to breath, stiffening.

Even Chris' frenzy was appeased.

Nothing was said, nothing was done, just by being there, all their attention was pointed at him.

That tremendous presence, resembled what is commonly known as charisma. At least, there were no humans in this world who could ignore it.

The same as everlasting beauty or the very ugly fascinated and attracted the eye. It was the same reason.

Considering only the outward appearance, it looked human.

Darkish skin, darkish hair, jet-black pupils --- if you discuss only the separate parts, there isn't much to be uncomfortable about.

But that's wrong.

Somewhere much more fundamental, that was overwhelmingly, desperately wrong.

Humans, no matter how bad they get, they will never reach that.

From the moment that appeared, the wind died down. The flame burning the trees helplessly smoldered, the ground dried and cracked.

The world was dieing.

"He, hey.......what is this? "

Staring at that which could kill the entire world, Ayano let out a grazed moan.

But really, she understood without asking. For her, a Spirit Practitioner she could clearly see the main cause that could kill the world--- all Spirits attracted to that thing and greedily devoured.

"-----I see"

With a ferocious smile, Kazuma looked at it.

"That's why the small fry had Youma that could devour the spirits. This thing was pulling the strings all along. "

That's right, they knew of it. As their greatest enemy.

The legends spoke of it--- that which eats the world. The poison that produces only ruin.

"I thought you've been destroyed a long time ago--- <<Seireikui>> (trad: Spirit/Soul Eater)"

Feeling her heartbeat throbbing, Ayano unconsciously held her chest down.

Just by hearing that name, her body became so frightened. As if the blood flowing in her veins, her genes, remembered the fear of staying in front of her natural enemy at that moment.

But the <<Seireikui>> in question naturally ignored the existence of both Kazuma, whose gaze was full of hostility and Ayano's bare terror like that of a small animal, and looked at the greatly disfigured Chris.

"What a disgrace, Christian"

"Kuu---- "

"I came to see thinking it was over but Gaia was destroyed and you are in such a sorry state. I gave you Wakemi (part of my spirit) so how could you lose to a Spirit Practitioner? ---- Incomprehensible"

"I am sorry, Goth-sama"

While grinding his teeth in regret, Chris walked in front of <<Seireikui>> -- Goth, and knelt.

But he indifferently ignored that and this time shifted his focus on Kazuma and Ayano.

"Spirit Practitioneers, today I'll overlook you for your achievement --- defending Wakemi. Until we meet next time, I'll entrust Enraiha and Kokusen to you. You can be thankful. "

"Thank you veeery much"

Just like he said, thanking Goth for his tolerance and charity, Kazuma sharpened wind blades. Using everything he could muster now.

"Ayano, match me"

"Eeh, but..."

Ayano was perplexed, under the impression Spirit Jutsu doesn't work on <<Seireikui>> but Kazuma roared at her, no questions asked.

"Listen up and do it! "

"Y-yes!"

At Kazuma's command Ayano instantly forgot her fear. Rapidly increasing the brightness of the flame surrounding Enraiha until it couldn't be looked at directly.

"We don't have any obligation to overlook you too--- you made a mistake in the distance, fool! "

Including scorn, Kazuma fired the wind blade. Matching that, Ayano too shot plasma with all her might.

When they fought with Kazebami and Homuranagi, they were too close. Because the space created for the battle was withing range of their preying ability, a bold move was necessary to fulfill their objective --- gathering a definite number of spirits.

On the other hand, a light attack without aim would be absorbed before reaching without inflicting damage. As a result Spirit Jutsu had absolutely no effect. That's how it was.

But right now the distance between them and Goth was approximately twenty meters. The spirits surrounding Kazuma won't be influenced by <<Seireikui>>.

He can gather as many as he likes and he can attack at full power.

Then, there are enough prospects for victory.

Certainly, the ability to prey on spirits was a threat for Spirit Practitioners but that power is not infinite.

Because if it were so, <<Seireikui>> would have already exhausted the entire world all by himself.

A simultaneous attack from the Contractor and Enraiha's successor cannot be devoured by a finite preying ability, that's what he thought. But---

"Fuuh----"

Smashing everything, the wind and fire that were supposed to destroy him was breathed in Goth's held out palms and disappeared.

"Humph, a delicacy"

As if nothing happened, with words said after finishing a meal, Goth shared his impression. And then, without being elated by success, he looked at Kazuma and Ayano indifferent.

"Do you understand? That it's useless challenging me using Spirit Techniques. "

Useless--- not that you cannot win but that challenging him itself was futile, that's what Goth haughty declared.

"Christian, recover Nozuchi"

"-----ha"

Obediently Chris swung Mizuchi and took Nozuchi using the water whip.

Confirming that, Goth looked once more at Kazuma and Ayano.

"Until we meet again, learn your standing. "

After that conclusion spoken with extreme arrogance, Goth and Chris disappeared together.

He may have been able to find where to if it wasn't very far but right now, Kazuma didn't have enough willpower for it.

And what's more, even if he chased after he had no way of winning.

"By the way Ayano---- "

Turning a critical gaze to Ayano who lost her focus after the battle ended, Kazuma said.

"You, you went easy on him"

"Uuu.....no, it wasn't on purpose"

Because Magic was the materialization of one's will, even thinking <<Maybe it won't work>> may decrease the power.

In reality, Ayano's last blow was far from Ayano's real power.

"B-but, Kazuma too wasn't serious, no? "

"Because I was hit before. It's hard firing continuously in this condition"

Meaning that the attack on Goth wasn't the best they could do.

That was a light of hope but, but even so----

".......Hey, if we're both serious, can we defeat him? "

"Who knows. I don't think he could have devoured all that so easily"

It was the worst having such an enemy but nothing essentially changed.

"This became quite terrible"

"Really"

Looking at each other with gloom faces, they let out a sigh.

That's when the noticed the sound of small steps approaching this way.

Recognizing his blunder hearing those steps, Kazuma smacked his lips a little.

"I forgot, Ren came with Oyaji too. If we would have attacked at the same time, maybe we could have killed it. "

"......now that you mention it, that's right"

Ayano who didn't notice it before either agreed but it was too late.

Even if they would have been called or signaled using wind they could have synchronized.

Doing so the power would have doubled in one go. The possibility of getting hurt, would have lowered too.

"Shit, it means I lost my cool"

"That may be so but there's nothing to do about it now. Let's think about what we're going to next. ----Ren, how was the trip? "

"Nee-sama, are you safe--- "

Ayano smiled at her ''younger brother'' rushing over. Matching her, Ren faintly opened his mouth but immediately clamped it shut hard.

This is not the time to laugh ---- it was he thought that in the present progressive form.

"Ren------? "

"Please come"

Ren shortly answer at that questioning gaze.

"Fuan's----Xiaolei-san is..."

"Aah"

Ayano revealed a heartless cough. It seems she forgot about her just until now.

And if Ayano was heartless Kazuma should be called cruel or atrocious. Without being surprised, he said unconcerned.

"What, is she still alive? "

"...........Yes. Still"

".............."

The meaning of those words was clear.

Ayano was unable to utter a word.

"...........where is she? "

"This way. -----Nii-sama, can you move? "

At his brother's question, Kazuma put strength in various places on his body as if trying to confirm his phisical condition and nodded.

"Ayano, lend me your shoulder"

"------Eeh? "

Maybe because she didn't like Kazuma's firm request or maybe she had another reason, in any case she frowned.

But she couldn't deny he got turn because of her.

When finally arriving, Xiaolei was already on death's door. The hemorrhage was lethal no matter how you looked at it, her face deathly pale, and although she was still faintly breathing, she was already dead.

"How cruel.........."

In the middle of that silence, discerning nothing can be done, only Ren wasn't able to accept it, looking up at his father.

"To- Tou-sama, can't we save her? "

"It's impossible"

Ruthlessly, Genma replied immediately.

"This can't be fixed by a human hand. All we can do is to instantly ease her suffering. "

"No way.......Nii-sama, don't you have more Elixir? "

Once, during the fight with Fuuga-Shu, using that, Kazuma saved Ayano from the verge of death.

It true that if he had something like that, he could save Xiaolei but---

"Idiot. I won't get my hands on that as long as I live"

Like parent like child, the heartlessness in Kazuma's reply wouldn't lose to his father's.

"No way......."

Ren was lost in grief.

In the meantime, Kazuma separated from Ayano, stood by himself, and walked until he was in front of Xiaolei, next to his brother.

And then, looking down on the almost-dead girl, he said what mattered most to her.

"For now, the Chijutsushi is dead. The other one ran but I will definitely kill him. Their boss to. So go on with peace of mind. "

That moment Xiaolei's expression changed. Those pupils that blankly looked at the sky regained their focus perceiving Kazuma.

".............."

Her lips moved often, letting out feeble breaths. It seems she wanted to say something but that soundless murmur didn't reach anyone's ears.

Understanding that, Xiaolei closed her lips and this time she slowly raised her left arm.

--- that's right, the arm still holding Kokusen.

Mustering the last of her strength, she pushed out the spear that must, in her condition be heavy enough to break her arm.

And then, she held it out to Kazuma.

There were no words. Not because she already lost her strength but because her tied up lips had no more to say.

But even so, Xiaolei's intention was clear. That's how she said ''"Use this"''.

Unintentionally Ayano looked at Kazuma.

Since before, this man, in spite of having the chance of acquiring the spear, he threw it away only saying ''"I don't need it"''.

That wasn't for show or because he considered the girl's feelings but because he thought so from the bottom of his heart --- but even so, he's not going to step on the girl's last request is he-----

"-----Humph"

Snorting like he was displeased, Kazuma took Kokusen.

Ayano was secretly relived but next, he grasped it tightly and raised it overhead even higher----and in one breath he sharply swung it downward.

"EEh? "

In front of Ayano, looking at this dumbfounded, Kokusen's spearhead pierced through Xiaolei's open wound making it even bigger.

The girl's body convoluted.

"How many times do I have to say this? I don't need something like that"

"Wha----Kazuma!? "

Confused by the unexpected violence, Ayano was about to draw near him. But, slightly quicker, Genma restrained her.

"Ojii-sama!? "

"Wait"

Without reproach, with a calm expression, plainly, Genma told her so.

"Wait? We don't have time to--- "

"At any rate that won't change the outcome. Besides, if he wanted to finish her off, we wouldn't have aimed for such a wound. "

"Aah"

She noticed after he said it. Kazuma's blow went through the one Chris made. And it wasn't a vital point.

But then, from the time it was pierced this became a fatal wound regardless of vital points.

That's why Xiaolei was on the verge on dying --- massive blood loss, the vital organs still intact.

If Kazuma wanted to ''ease her suffering'' as Genma put it, it would have meant instant death, aiming for her heart.

Since he didn't do so, he must have had another purpose.

''"But, what on earth id he......."''

In front of Ayano starring at him hard, Kazuma clasped Kokusen's handle with both his hands. And then, he slowly looked at the sky.

"-----Eeh? "

Those eyelids that close for a second opened immediately.

Noticing his pupils changed to a deep blue, Ayano revealed a voice of bewilderment.

"Hey, what are you--- Agh! "

The radiation of explosive power obstructed her question. Faced with that pressure she endured in the middle of combat, she reflexively backed off.

The surrounding atmosphere --- the wind was died blue in one breath. That blue wind coiling gently in swirls wrapped the entire park even permeating through the soil and atmosphere, purifying miasma without leaving a trace.

"Th- this---"

"Hou, is this Kazuma's wind? "

Genma, the only one keeping calm amount the bystanders, let out a murmur of admiration.

''"Aah, now that you mention it, Ojii-sama and Otou-sama didn't see Kazuma's wind of purification--- that's not the problem, now! "''

Among the mayhem, before making sense of it, she was embraced by a feeling of calm. But it scattered in a moment, unable to form and at that moment----

..........She heard that song again

A light soprano and a grave bass. Although bipolar, those singing voices wove miraculously with exquisite harmony, unmistakably the Spirits of Wind and Wind's sacred treasure, Kokusen.

The revival of yesterday's wonderful sound--- no, it was much more magnificent than that.

"B-but......why? "

What meaning does it have?

Last time, when Kokusen didn't respond to Xiaolei, Kazuma used his Contractor power to return it into the girl's hand.

But right now, doing so it's meaningless and the girl can't be cured.

''"What on earth...............eeh!?"''

Ayano reflexively blinked. But even so the scene doesn't change. It doesn't stop.

Kokusen stuck in Xiaolei's stomach gradually sunk in. But, there's only earth underneath her and Kazuma doesn't seem to have the strength to do so.

Then, where does it disappear to?

"Ayano, that girl, she's not Kokusen's formal inheritor? ", asked Genma suddenly.

"Eeh? Yes, that's right"

"Then, Kazuma is doing it right now. And perhaps he is using the power of the stored Sacred Treasure to compensate for her life force. "

"Eeeeh!? Can he do something like that!? "

Seirei Jutsu have no healing jutsu. Human can borrow the Spirits' strength but that's only the manifestation of the four elements, they are unable to interfere with organic matter, like human bodies.

The only exception is the Chijutsushi's resilience but that's related more with the constitution of the body than with Jutsu and cannot heal others.

"This is not healing. In the end it's a temporary substitution. Something like a pump to her heart to make the blood flowing until the operation. Think if it like that. The temporary replenishment of her lost vitality with the Sacred Treasure's power, stalling before medical treatment is applied. I think it must be something like that? "

"Hmmm"

"Of course, that's just conjecture. Even if it's Kazuma, I don't have positive proof. But, even if he fails there's nothing to loose."

Surely, at this rate Xiaolei will die. That part doesn't change. But---

"But in the worst case, there also the the probability of losing Kokusen together with Xiaolei, no?"

"Hmmm, a huge probability"

"Waah", murmured Ayano amazed by Genma's very impersonal tone.

She thought this kind of disposition, totally apathetic towards everything that doesn't have value for him was just like Kazuma. Or rather, the spitting image of Kazuma.

''"Ren said this too but this parent and child are quite alike in spite of their great differences"''

While thinking inconsequential things, the Inheritance Ceremony's abridged version finished.

Kokusen was completely stored inside Xiaolei and at the same time, seeming to have used all his strength, Kazuma fell on his knees.

"Kazuma!? "

Ayano rushed over flustered and propped that body about to collapse. She shuddered when she touched him.

His body temperature was terribly low. His complexion was pale, looking like he could die any minute.

On the other hand, Xiaolei's condition stabilized. She was unconscious but breathing heavily. That rhythm was constant, without disturbance.

She seemed to have recovered a bit of color.

"............Oyaji"

"What?"

Genma replied to his son hoarse in an extremely calm tone.

"Do you have a car? "

"Yes, it's waiting at the entrance. "

"Then, use it already. It won't hold very long"

"I understand"

Nodding, Genma carefully held Xiaolei in his arms and started walking towards the car. Without sparing a second glance for those remained.

"Wha- wait, Ojii-sama, what about Kazuma? "

"Kazuma can't possibly consent to me carrying him. On the other hand, there's not enough time for him to make to the car supported by you. If we do so we won't be able to save this girl"

"But, Kazuma's in such a state---"

"Except his injury that's just battle fatigue. If he rests, there should be no problem. Besides, the said person doesn't seem to be complaining. "

Now that you mention it, looking at Kazuma, his head placed on her shoulder, although in pain he looked happy for some reason.

He didn't have the energy to speak but it was clear he wasn't objecting to Genma's words.

"That's how it is. -----Ren, you're coming too. I need an attendant."

"Aah, yes"

He hesitated for a second looking at Kazuma and Ayano but just like Genma said, it was a race against time.

Ren made a short bow and started running after his father.

Dozens of seconds after being left behind, Ayano finally started to deal with it.

"Wha.....what to do? "

[[Image:Kaze no Stigma vol 06 305.jpg|thumb|]]

Inside her arm there was Kazuma's body, appearing totally exhausted.

From an outsider's point of view, they looked like a pair of lovers exchanging a passionate embrace.

How to say this---it was very awkward in this situation.

She must calm herself no matter what, she shouldn't move, they are excessively close.

She can't compose herself.

"Kazuma--- are you still alive? "

Unable to bear the silence, feeling uneasy towards the unmoving Kazuma she asked so but instead of words his survival was conveyed through action.

"..........."

Ayano wrinkled her brow, tearing off the hand gently brushing her buttocks.

"Geez, why are you so skillful at irritating other people's sensitivity? "

''"When you don't see me like that........"''

She understood that behavior was without relations to lewdness.

At the very least, so far, Ayano never perceived the appearance of passion in Kazuma's eyes when looking at her.

All his sexual harassment presence was designed to feign frivolity or to piss her off.

This time it was probably the later, thinking of angering her enough to go back.

And then hide himself like a wounded beast, devoting himself intently to the recovery of his stamina----

Alone.

"Good grief"

While murmuring so, amazed, Ayano held Kazuma's head with both her hands and slowly and carefully, she placed it on top of her tights.

What is commonly known as sleeping with one's head in another's lap.

Unable to look straight at Kazuma's face, looking up at her surprised, Ayano blushed and turned the other way.

And then, without moving from that posture,

"..............I should tell you just in case, I will get angry if you touch me somewhere weird again. Enough to give you the finishing blow"

Despite hiding her embarrassment underneath a threat, she was whipping the blood from his forehead in a gentle manner.

If this would have happened just after they met, she may have done just what Kazuma intended her to.

Throwing his body while screaming ''"Diee! "'', she would have returned home by herself. Maybe she would have called an ambulance.

But right now...

"You can leave, you know? "

This time faces with Kazuma speaking frankly, Ayano shook her head without hesitation.

"Until Ojii-sama comes back or sends someone to pick you up, I'll stay. How can I just leave you here? I'm your---- partner, aren't I? "

That's why don't be lonely. '''I won't let you'''.

"...........Indeed"

"That's right. Do you have any complains? "

At that question or reprimand more like it, Kazuma didn't reply.

Ayano too didn't say anything letting that silence, by no means unpleasant, fill the surrounding and soak through their bodies.

And then-------

"Ayano"

At the end of that long or perhaps short silence, Kazuma's faint voice but full of strength.

"We must win next time"

Therefore let's fight together--- at those words informing his <<partner>> Ayano replied in a tone of absolute confidence.

"Of course"

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</noinclude>

HEAVY OBJECT:Volume7 Chapter 1

2014-01-01T07:24:05Z

173.51.129.107: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 1: A Deadly Firefight between Two Idiots >> Mock Battle in Oceania==

===Part 1===

“Here we are again, Oceania-side soldiers. How many times is this again?”

Private Heivia Winchell muttered those words while smearing black and sand colors on his cheeks. Needless to say, this was a type of desert camouflage.

“It sure doesn’t feel like February. In a certain island nation, they give the sexy guys chocolate on Valentine’s, right!? That kind of lovely event would’ve been perfect for me! What happened!? Then again, getting a ton of chocolate in this horrid heat might qualify as harassment.”

In an age of sensors and other electronics on even the smallest guns, types of camouflage had been developed specifically for that age. What Heivia was smearing on his face had chemical compounds that prevented sensors from detecting his exposed skin.

He leaned up against the fence surrounding the maintenance base zone and continued applying his “makeup”. Ten or so soldiers were gathered around him and also preparing.

A short female soldier named Myonri held her face paint case in both hands and hesitantly spoke up.

“U-um, what am I supposed to do with this again?”

“You’re doing it all wrong, virgin girl. You can’t make the color so dark around your eyes! The whites of your eyes show up the most, so you have to leave the color light around them to blend them in. You gradually grow darker as you move out. You can’t have any sudden changes in color.”

“If we put camouflage on here, won’t we trap the sand in with it?”

“We’re about to start a battle, so I’d be more worried about being covered in mud and bloody vomit,” said Heivia in annoyance.

Meanwhile, he grabbed a bandanna with a large crescent moon pattern.

As each of them finished applying their “makeup”, they tied on the bandannas so it covered the lower half of their face like bank robbers in a Western. The crescent moon was positioned just right to look like a large slit of a mouth.

“That’s in terrible taste.”

“What matters is that it shows up well.”

As he listened to Myonri, Heivia grabbed his assault rifle and pulled out the magazine. He looked down at the rifle bullets held in place with a clasp.

“Ammunition check.”

“Ammunition check.”

“Ammunition…check.”

While feeling annoyance at his one friend’s hesitation, Heivia stuck the magazine back in the rifle and pulled back the cocking lever to load the first bullet. He then brought his radio to his mouth.

“Team A is ready. What about the others?”

“You’re the last ones, slowpokes. Teams B-D are all ready. We can begin on your signal.”

“Understood, understood.”

Heivia glanced over at Myonri.

Instead of a heavy weapon like a light machinegun or assault rifle, she held a small and lightweight PDW like a pilot would carry in case of an emergency landing. It was commonly known as a “full auto in a business bag”.

But she was not carrying the lightweight weapon because she was a girl.

It was because her other equipment was quite heavy.

“How’s the scissor opener?”

“I tested it three times. It really scares me to carry it around.”

“Not being slowed down by a door can make all the difference. You’re our lifeline, so bear with it.”

“This tool stabs a giant pair of scissors into the gap of the door using explosives and then uses a motor to forcibly crush the lock. Did you ever think about what happens if it goes off by accident while I’m carrying it on my back?”

“It’d be your own damn fault. If you weren’t earning all those weird qualifications, you wouldn’t be stuck with all the odd equipment.”

As he spoke, Heivia turned toward the direction of their objective.

He was not looking outside the maintenance base zone.

He was looking in.

He pointed his assault rifle toward the people who he would normally have called his allies.

In the end, humans had a way of searching for enemies within if there were no enemies outside.

“Okay, let’s make this flashy. Our objective is the princess. Let’s kill her before she can get aboard the Object!!”

===Part 2===

“Good, good. Everything’s going as planned. We can hear everything they’re saying.”

Inside the maintenance base zone, a base made up of over one hundred large vehicles, Battlefield Student Quenser Barbotage grinned. He held a military radio over which he could hear the “enemy” clear as day.

“You damn traitors. We’ll kill every single one of you.”

“Hey, can you really do that?”

A woman next to him let out an exasperated sigh. She specialized in barrier duty which meant she was one of the Black Uniforms who dealt with criminals within the military. She had introduced herself, but he had forgotten what her name was.

He lightly shook the military radio.

“It’s their fault for forgetting they’re traitors and therefore are using the same equipment. Even if the fools changed the encryption, it’s still the same format, so there’s still a risk of us intercepting it.”

They were near the center of the maintenance base zone made up of a large convoy. Quenser was hiding behind and leaning up against a wheel larger than the door to a bank vault. He was using a black military knife to draw a simple map in the sand.

“Heivia and his group are near the southern gate. They’ve already snuck into the base’s grounds while pretending to be innocent. Meanwhile, the princess is a bit south of the center. She’s receiving body maintenance in the special lodgings for the pilot Elite. They’re definitely going to attack there.”

“Once Miss Milinda Brantini enters the Baby Magnum she is almost invincible. After all, that Object is made to withstand a direct nuclear strike. So…”

“They’ll block the path from the special lodgings to the Object hangar.”

Quenser scraped X-marks into the sand along a few routes.

The blonde-haired, large-breasted Black Uniform frowned.

“But the traitors can’t just move about as they please. The watchtowers will spot them outside. If they simply pursue the Elite, they will be shot down by light machineguns.”

“Then they’ll take out the watchtowers!”

Sounds resembling champagne corks being removed rang out across the Oceanian wasteland. Quenser looked up and saw a few thirty centimeter parachutes opening in the sky. They looked like children’s fireworks, but they were not. Instead of a weight, they had a small camera attached.

“Here they come!!” shouted the Black Uniform woman.

“Ah, damn! Shoot them down before they designate the coordinates!!”

Just as Quenser tried to shout into his military radio, the Black Uniform grabbed him by the back of the neck and dove down to the sandy ground. The beautiful woman was lying on top of him, so two soft objects were pressed against his back. Nothing could have made him happier.

But such ephemeral joys had a way of being quickly destroyed.

Quenser heard a roar and saw the real attack hit the top of a nearby watchtower. The midair cameras had specified the coordinates and then the shells had been fired. It was a stereotypical and by-the-book use of mortars.

However, what happened next was not in the textbook.

For some reason, the top of the watchtower was covered in a sticky, white liquid.

Quenser and the Black Uniform woman began to tremble.

They finally realized what the rebels had done.

“Th-that bastard!! Did he take the red paint out of the paint rounds and replaced it with white!? And he turned it into a disturbingly sticky liquid!”

“Eee!! It smells funny and won’t come out of my hair!”

Quenser did not even need the radio to hear the screams of the female soldier with guard duty who had held a light machinegun in the watchtower.

The rebels seemed to be following the standard theory of making the most of the initial confusion of the attack. The sounds of assault rifle gunfire could be heard from multiple directions.

“M-my guess is all of their paint rounds will be like that, but what do you think?”

“I agree 100%,” said Quenser.

“In that case, I think you should clear an escape path to protect my dignity as a woman!! The battlefield cameramen of this peaceful world are aiming bazooka-like cameras our way, remember? I don’t want to be on the cover of a newsletter with my face covered in that sticky stuff!!”

“Guys don’t want to be splattered with sticky, white stuff either! In a way, it’s even worse for us than for the girls!!”

But shouting at each other was not going to bring an end to the battle.

Quenser sheathed his fake military knife that had a black, rubber blade and began to move with the Black Uniform woman.

===Part 3===

Froleytia Capistrano was a silver-haired, giant-breasted, and highly-ranked soldier. As she smoked her kiseru in the operation control room, she responded to a question from one of her subordinates.

“Well, if you didn’t seriously want to avoid being hit, no one would fight seriously.”

===Part 4===

Simulation Number 101 (b).

Eliminate the rebels from within the unit ASAP while guiding and protecting the pilot Elite.

“Hee hee hee hee hee! If we take out the princess, we’re freed from those tasteless rations for a week! We can eat as much roast beef and garlic shrimp as we want!!”

Heivia and the others were traveling beneath the vehicles. That was an alternate way through the maintenance base zone which was made up of over one hundred vehicles. The vehicles left a space of over two meters above the ground, so they could remain standing as they ran and they could hide behind the giant wheels.

Myonri pointed her PDW here and there while moving cautiously and occasionally coughing.

[[Image:HO_v07_022.png|thumb]]

“Ugh. Cough! This exhaust is terrible. We aren’t going to get carbon monoxide poisoning, are we? I don’t want to die on a training mission!”

“The human body is plenty sturdy! Don’t worry!” barked back Heivia.

He then sent a sign to the other two soldiers with them: a short girl with freckles and a muscular man.

“Girly, Basic! Drive them out from the left. Once they come out from the behind the wheel, I’ll shoot them!!”

As per Heivia’s instruction, a grenade was thrown behind the wheel.

Once a high school-aged girl frantically ran to escape the (white and sticky) explosion, he mercilessly fired a paint round.

“Stop! Not the face!!”

“Fwa ha ha ha ha! Then should I fire between those huge tits of yours!?”

Travelling beneath the giant vehicles allowed them to almost entirely ignore any bombardments that would fly in a parabola arc and fall from the sky.

But there was an even bigger reason they had chosen that route.

“Myonri! Get out that tool on your back!!”

He pointed straight up.

“We’re directly below the special Elite lodgings. Let’s cut in from below as planned!!”

“Oof… Those lodgings are made by connecting a few different vehicles, right?”

“And if we stick the door-busting tool into the joint between vehicles and force it open, we can crawl in. If they’re still keeping her in here as part of Phase 1, this’ll be checkmate!!”

Heivia lifted Myonri up on his shoulders and she pressed the special tool against the vehicle bottom that looked like a thick metal ceiling. Like a pile bunker, the “beak” portion used explosives to stab in and then a motor spread the “beak” and forced open the thick metal panels that had been perfectly aligned.

“Ahh, ahh. This is ripping the metal apart! Should we really be doing this for a mock battle!?”

“I don’t remember being told not to destroy the equipment. In fact, it was that huge-breasted commander that told us to make this as realistic as possible.”

They opened a gap just barely large enough for one person to squeeze through. Myonri’s short form was pushed up first and then she reached down and helped Heivia in.

Girly had Basic lift her up, but Basic was too large to fit in the gap.

After sending Basic off to meet up with another team, Heivia and the two girls began searching the Elite lodgings.

“This is a brilliant method. …Although it would be a one-way ticket for anyone trying to pull it off for real.”

The inside was filled with high-class furnishings that looked out of place in a military facility.

The design resembled a villa made entirely of classical mahogany. When Heivia had visited with Quenser two weeks prior, it had been a sterile place filled with white and the layout had even been completely different. It may have been to match the princess’s mental condition or to prevent an attack, but it was made to be completely rearranged in an extremely short period of time.

“If it can be rearranged, does that mean we can pry it apart with the door-busting tool?”

“This isn’t going to make proper training. Paint rounds can’t pierce walls.”

Heivia and the others swiftly finished their search of the first floor.

They counted the number of exits, set up quick traps at each one, and headed for the stairs. Before charging in, Heivia grabbed a stuffed animal and tossed it forward. As expected, this produced several gunshots.

Still hiding behind cover, he fired several short bursts toward the stairs.

“Myonri! Throw a grenade on my signal!!”

Heivia stopped firing to avoid friendly fire, Myonri leaned out in his place, and she tossed a grenade toward the upper floor.

A moist explosion and a few screams soon followed.

“Oh.”

“You idiot!!”

As Girly stared up the stairs, Heivia and Myonri frantically pulled her forward.

A short burst of gunfire came from the top of the stairs.

“Don’t let your guard down until you’re sure they’re dead, you idiot!!”

“Did you have to call me an idiot twice!?”

“It’s important!! And if you were a guy, I wouldn’t have saved you, so you should thank me! Idiot, idiot!!”

“If you say it that much, you just sound like a tsundere!!”

“Say that again and I’ll fire a paint round into your back!!” shouted Heivia as he pointed upwards. “Myonri, use that tool on the roof.”

“Eh? But there’s no seam there, so I can’t pry it apart.”

“The people up above don’t know that. You scare them and I’ll finish them off while they’re preparing to run!”

Myonri did as she was told and forcefully stabbed the “beak” into the ceiling.

A dull sound rang out and the bodyguard soldiers started to move to a safer location, but Heivia accurately took them out from the bottom of the stairs.

“Clear, clear! Let’s move on.”

“Why on earth are you a radar analyst? Wouldn’t you be more at home in a VIP assassination squad?”

“Can you sit around all day in an air-conditioned room in a squad like that? If not, I’ll pass.”

They climbed the stairs and found around three bodyguard soldiers covered in sticky white paint. They held up their hands with disappointed looks.

“Where is she, dammit? The princess has to be hiding around here somewhere. Find her!!”

The mission was about protecting the Elite, but it was unclear if she would be carrying a gun or not. There was a real possibility of being shot from a closet or refrigerator.

After coming so far, it would be a shame to lose the bonus for shooting her, so Heivia and the others carefully checked each room.

“Clear!”

“Clear!!”

“Clear over here, too. Shit! Why is everywhere clear!? Where is the princess hiding!?”

After unintentionally ensuring their safety, Heivia began looking around and shouting angrily.

And then he felt a slight draft.

He turned toward the source and found an open refrigerator door. He finally shoved the entire thing to the side.

“Dammit…”

The mahogany inner wall had been torn open.

To reduce weight, the outer wall was covered in a thick blade-resistant sheet, but it could still be torn with the proper tools. A vertical tear had created a hole large enough for a human to escape through.

(As soon as the firefight began below the vehicles, they had already realized the risk of us breaking in. Dammit!)

He brought his hand to the 150 cm vertical slit and brushed it aside. Struggles were beginning along the routes leading from the Elite lodgings to the Object hanger. While both sides fired on each other, Heivia saw a short girl wearing a special suit and a boy tugging on her hand while running along the sand.

“Quenser!! I knew it had to be you!!” he shouted.

The boy’s only response was to look over his shoulder and raise his middle finger.

And then…

“Oh, shit!!”

Heivia frantically moved back inside and dove to the floor. Now that the special lodgings were no longer needed, tanks began firing on the second floor with what felt like enough force to destroy the building.

===Part 5===

Before the attack even began, Quenser’s group had snuck to the special lodgings, met up with the princess, and helped her escape. But now that they were hiding behind a tank, they had little confidence in their ability to win a normal firefight.

“Why are you even here, Quenser?”

“Ha ha ha. That question hurts, princess. If you weren’t a girl, I’d shove you out to the traitors.”

The one doing all the work was the Black Uniform woman who was travelling with the boy. As one of those who claimed to purge the military of criminals, she was used to firefights between humans even in an age where Object battles symbolized war.

That woman was currently looking toward the Elite lodgings in annoyance.

The rectangular building sat atop several large vehicles and its top half was covered in a poisonous red. It looked a bit like a horrible cranberry tart.

“Tanks in a mock battle? Couldn’t that have killed them?”

“The paint rounds can’t pierce walls, so it doesn’t count. If you assume they’re dead, it’ll come back to bite you later.”

Once mock battles began creating unique rules, there was a danger of losing any experience usable in a real battle. But at the same time, some differences were unavoidable if one was not going to train with a real battle.

“Two hundred meters to the hangar.”

“Once we get in there, I just have to board the Baby Magnum. I can use the sensors to slaughter them all.”

The Black Uniform smiled bitterly at that dangerous statement and asked a question.

“Now, how will the enemy handle this?”

“They’ll have set up a wire along a route the princess has to pass through. That could be the entrances to the hangar or the Object’s hatch.”

This mock battle was based on the possibility of traitors within the military. The bandannas around their mouths were to make them easy to distinguish, but the maintenance soldiers were kept in a gray area. It was possible an enemy could approach while pretending to be an ally.

“I will not fall for such a simple trap.”

“Research shows the people who think that are the easiest to catch in a trap.”

“Mh. Quenser, do you think I am clumsy?”

“Sorry, but I’ve never seen you act particularly sharply! I can think of a few times when you almost killed me with the Baby Magnum. That time in Gibraltar for instance!!”

“Quit complaining, Quenser.”

“Why do you think I’m complaining? It’s because our lives are on the line!!!!!”

“Calm down,” cut in the Black Uniform. “Let’s get back to the issue at hand. The wire traps are passive. We might hit them and we might not. I doubt the enemy will rely on them alone.”

“The traps are meant to slow us down. While we spend time deactivating them, they’ll attack from a distance with snipers or something.”

“Meaning?”

“I’ll find the traps and deactivate them. You gather what people you can and be on the lookout.”

===Part 6===

During a mock battle that uses paint rounds, even a tank could not pierce a thick blade-resistant sheet.

But the close-range blast had still left Myonri dizzy. While writhing in pain due a sharp earache, Heivia turned toward Girly. She seemed conscious, but she had completely lost her nerve. She had fallen to the floor and was waving her hands around with tears in her eyes. Her expression made it clear taking a single step would make her wet herself. It resembled the shock of receiving the full effects of a stun grenade.

“Goddammit… That…bastard…”

Heivia took a few seconds to recover and then walked down the stairs of the Elite lodgings and exited on the first floor. There he found an enemy soldier, took them out with a handgun paint round, and then lay down behind cover.

His assault rifle had excellent rapid-fire and piercing ability, but it could perform accurate mid-range sniping with full use of its sensors.

(As long as I have line-of-sight, I can hit. And I have a direct line on the Object hangar from here!)

He licked his lips as he peered into the scope lens that was more of a small monitor with several types of information displayed.

He was targeting the main entrance to the hangar where a trap had been set up.

The trap prevented anyone from running through and he would shoot anyone who stopped for even an instant.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon! I don’t like splattering guys with this stuff, but I won’t be satisfied until I get back at you!!”

While paint rounds were being used, a hit anywhere on the body counted as a kill, so he could not target the leg and then target any enemy soldiers who came to help.

He could not use any tricks. He could only target them directly.

He lay on the ground and waited.

His index finger stroked the surface of the trigger as he tried to alleviate his tension even slightly.

But…

(What’s going on? Don’t tell me they chickened out.)

He waited a few minutes, but nothing happened.

When assassinating a VIP, it was not unusual to wait for an entire day or two, but this was a frenzied battle. If he did not remain on the move while keeping a general idea where the target was located, enemy soldiers could sneak up behind him.

(They won’t be taking this slow by staying put until they eliminate all the enemy snipers. After all, the princess would be exposed the entire time. What is that guy thinking?)

And then he froze up.

Something unpleasant had entered the scope.

The giant mass of steel was known as an MBT or a main battle tank. Even the name was outdated and rarely seen on the modern battlefield.

“What the hell!? Did he throw the princess in there to protect her from snipers!?”

If the tank climbed the diagonal slope and charged through the gate, the snipers and traps would be meaningless. The anti-personnel traps would be crushed and the princess would be safely carried to the Object hangar.

Heivia tossed aside his assault rifle and grabbed the shoulder-fired missile launcher on his back.

Whether it was a tank or an attack helicopter, he could neutralize them with a direct hit from a shoulder-fired missile (loaded with paint). Those were the rules for this mock battle. One could complain it made no sense as the same weapon could not even pierce the thin walls of a building, but armored weapons would become invincible if some compromise was not made.

At any rate…

(Damn him. I don’t like having only one shot at this.)

Given their size, he could not carry around multiple missiles.

It was essentially a single-use weapon.

“But that bonus is mine if I make this one shot! And this makes my target way bigger, so it isn’t all bad!!”

He placed the launcher on his shoulder and peered into the sight on the side.

Both infrared and ultraviolet were used to lock onto the MBT heading for the hangar.

Immediately afterwards, the tank’s turret began to turn.

It stopped in exactly the right spot to stare at Heivia.

“…Crap.”

(They weren’t trying to get the princess through! The tank was a bluff used to locate everyone targeting the hangar door from afar!! Dammit. Did it detect the infrared signal I used for the lock!?)

He frantically jumped down from the large vehicle supporting the special Elite lodgings and tried to hide behind one of the giant wheels.

But he was too slow.

A beautiful Black Uniform woman popped up from a hatch on the top of the turret and fired her anti-personnel heavy machinegun.

Heivia had been close enough for mid-range sniping, so they could target him in the same way.

And the enemy’s weapon had three times the range of his assault rifle. Being hit by that thing from close range could have resulted in a “training accident”.

“Bhah!? Cough cough!! Fuck that hurts! Are you trying to make me hate tanks!?”

===Part 7===

Froleytia let out a sweet-smelling breath mixed with smoke.

The giant monitor in the operation control room displayed a detailed map of the maintenance base zone and the locations of both sides.

After seeing that the pilot Elite princess had entered Baby Magnum’s cockpit, she clapped her hands together lightly.

“That settles it! As per our crisis management manual, the Elite was safely brought to the Object where she can settle the rest. That ends the mock battle!!”

That was the special privilege of a first generation Object.

Unlike second generation Objects which were designed solely for Object vs. Object battles, the Baby Magnum was equipped with anti-fighter weapons, anti-tank weapons, and enough anti-personnel weapons and sensors to exterminate anyone. If one ignored the damage it would cause to the maintenance base zone, the enemy soldiers would be blown to pieces instantly no matter where they hid.

In other words, the battle was essentially over as soon as the princess boarded the Baby Magnum.

(But no one gets the all-you-can-eat prize yet again. It’s what I expected, but it’s still boring.)

As Froleytia thought, a female operator gave a hesitant report.

“U-um, major. You have a call.”

“Hm? Then hurry up and-…”

“No, um. It is a direct call to your cell phone. I thought it might be private. U-um, but I still have to pass it through my switchboard!!”

Froleytia waved a hand to give permission.

While serving in the military, there was no avoiding having her communications monitored. She could only think positively and view it as proving to a third party that she was not doing anything suspicious.

(No one with any sense would call my private number now, so maybe it has to do with my family.)

With that depressing thought, she reached for the cell phone in her uniform pocket.

She did not need to give a sign like in an old police drama. She simply pressed the call button and answered.

It was a male voice.

And oddly enough, he seemed to be using a voice changer.

“We have your daughter,” was the very first thing he(?) said.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

An unpleasant silence fell over the dim operation control room.

But it was not complete silence. Whispered voices could be heard here and there.

“Eh? Major Capistrano has-… Eh!?”

“She has a kid!? It can’t be! It just can’t be!”

“But she is 18… It’s a bit early, but it’s possible, right?”

Froleytia remained silent for a moment.

She was trembling a bit.

As the man(?) told her not to call the police, how much the ransom was, and how to deliver it, she slowly spoke as if crushing the words in her mouth.

“I am a virgin.”

“Eh!? Major Capistrano is-…!?”

“It can’t be! It just can’t be!?”

“But she is 18… It’s possible, right?”

The intensity of the whispered voices grew threefold. This time, female voices were mixed in accusing the guys of being disgusting.

Finally, the man(?) on the phone seemed to catch on.

“Huh? A virgin, but…huh? W-wait a minute! Don’t you have a nine-year-old daughter? Or…but…you can’t mean…!!”

“You. Have. The. Wrong. Number. You idiot!! You have guts making a threatening phone call on a military line. Don’t you know that the Legitimacy Kingdom accepts any fight someone picks with it!?”

“Ah wah wah wah wah wah!!” cried the voice frantically.

With a click, the line went dead.

The operator turned her seat toward Froleytia with a hand to one side of her headset.

“U-um, I traced his location. …What should we do?”

“…”

The duty of Froleytia and the other Legitimacy Kingdom troops stationed in Oceania was to prevent any other countries from invading the country during this chaotic time after it lost its military.

In other words, it was not their job to deal with criminals and terrorists. This was not a war, so it was a job for the local police. If the military acted here, they could be accused of intervention.

But…

“During this unstable period, I hear there are a lot of delinquent police officers who are paid off by the growing criminal organizations. A kidnapping for ransom is likely an organized crime, so they likely have pawns hidden within the police. In other words, the local police will be of no use.”

“Is this really okay?”

“The threat was sent to our military, not Oceania. If they pick a fight with us, it doesn’t count as intervention.” Froleytia adjusted the kiseru in her mouth and shrugged. “Our new mission begins now! Gather the necessary personnel and equipment and form a rescue team!! I authorize the use of weaponry suitable for attacking a concentration camp!!”

Despite her orders, the whispering seemed to never end.

“She’s a virgin.”

“Major Capistrano is a virgin!”

“She’s a noble’s daughter and a military officer. That’s one hell of a target!”

“You guys are disgusting!!”

Froleytia puffed smoke from her mouth like a demon king.

That trembling Legitimacy Kingdom officer hated damage to her pride more than anything else.

“I’ll show you just who you picked a fight with, you thieves.”

===Part 8===

And so Quenser, Heivia, and the other soldiers exhausted from the mock battle were loaded into the back of military trucks and carried over cracked asphalt. Each and every vibration of the trucks made them feel like they had been cursed by god.

“This isn’t funny… This isn’t goddamn funny!! I lose the all-you-can-eat kill bonus and now our commander is sending us off to rescue some kid for nothing but righteous indignation!? There’s not a single good thing about this. Please tell me a girl in a micro bikini is gonna show up soon!!”

“I hear the girl who was kidnapped is nine. We need to put the work in now to enjoy a lovely micro bikini ten years from now.”

Feeling fed up with it all, Heivia looked up toward the sun.

It was so bright it looked right off an orange juice package.

“And another thing,” he spat out.

An official Legitimacy Kingdom battlefield cameraman was with them on the truck. That in and of itself was no problem, but they recognized this particular cameraman and not in a good way.

“Why is ''he'' with us?”

“I went through all the proper channels,” smoothly answered the man who had a history with Oceania.

His name was Sewax.

He had previously slipped into Oceania with a press non-combatant permit, but he had broken tons of international laws by disturbing the battlefield with a sniper rifle.

“This time, I only have my camera. I’m not armed and I have no intention of getting in your way.”

“I should damn well hope so!! I doubt you’ve made up for the lives you took!!”

Heivia almost grabbed at the man, but the surrounding soldiers held him back.

This was not because they disapproved of how he was handling this civilian. Their expressions made it clear they simply did not want a disturbance within the limited space of the vehicle.

Quenser shrugged.

“Try to keep your cool. Punching him isn’t going to summon girls in micro bikinis.”

Hearing that, Heivia clicked his tongue and muttered something in a low tone.

“Y’know, Quenser, it isn’t like all you need is skimpy clothing. What you need for a beautiful woman is-…”

“I know, Heivia, I know. It’s what’s inside that counts, right? It doesn’t matter if some side character is suddenly wearing a micro bikini. What we’re after is more than simple sexiness.”

They continued chatting as the truck shook.

They showed no concern for the deadly firefight that lay ahead.

“So about this kidnapping. Is this area really that dangerous?”

“Mafias and gangs from around the world used the confusion of this postwar period to work their way in. Plus, the remnants of the old military government are still trying to earn funds to continue the war. And since the black market has become necessary for your average citizen, the criminal organizations are being welcomed.”

“What? Oceania wasn’t that bad last time we were here. Wasn’t it pretty peaceful and wasn’t everyone smiling?”

“Haven’t you heard about the wild fluctuation of the Oceanian dollar? The assistance from distant countries and relief funds from charities have come in large amounts, but they’re sporadic. Huge amounts of money briefly come flowing in like some kind of fad or sudden idea. Intermittent support is the most difficult to deal with. You can’t rely on it as a lifeline, so the local people end up finding a dirty but stable way to earn an income and supply products.”

He could have left well enough alone, but Sewax decided to butt into the conversation.

He held up his camera.

“You have to ignore where it came from, but the quality isn’t bad. One of my lens case sets was stolen at customs, but I found an identical one on the black market. I should actually get some work done now.”

Heivia seemed to decide yelling at the man would accomplish nothing, so he restrained himself while the veins on his temple bulged out.

Quenser glanced toward Sewax.

“If they just want to profit from the black market, they wouldn’t kidnap someone.”

“I’m just saying they’re no Robin Hood. No matter what they claim, they’re villains who gather money for their own convenience. They aren’t really thinking about the starving people or the fate of the country.”

The clattering line of trucks was headed toward an old industrial city along the eastern coast of the ocean. During the time of the military nation, only the discriminatory privileged class had lived there, so it had been destroyed by an Object.

All of the nearby buildings had toppled over and large piles of rubble could be found even on the road.

Only the so-called “white targets” such as schools, churches, and hospitals remained. They were completely untouched, so it showed just how frighteningly accurate the Object’s carpet bombing had been.

Heivia let out a whistle.

“Welcome to the Mouth of Truth.”

“What?”

“It’s a sightseeing spot in Rome. If you’re a student, try studying some history.”

“I don’t know anything about the Faith Organization.”

Heivia pointed toward the scenery with his thumb. Quenser could see remains of crumbled buildings that had piled on top of each other so they looked like mille-feuille.

“They go digging through all that and grab anything they can sell on the black market like music players and cans of dried milk, but if they get too greedy, the jaws of rubble bite into them.”

“…Is this country really in that bad a state?”

“Weren’t you listening? There’s nothing they can do until the local currency stabilizes. There are even rumors that straight up bartering works better. This chaos isn’t going to calm down until our euro and the other dollars stop being preferred.”

Sewax aimed his lens out the truck and toward the surrounding piles of rubble.

“When you get down to it, the liberation of Oceania is still in a period of chaos. A lot of people are being crushed underfoot. The normal people need to use the black market for food to eat and those in too much debt to use the black market are being forced to risk their lives in places like that. And they’re either working for free or for so little it barely makes a difference.”

“Seriously? We’re about to have a firefight there. And do you know what my specialty is? Explosives.”

“The area’s too dangerous, so the local police don’t go on patrol here. And the lack of police causes dangerous people to gather. But that makes the area even more dangerous. It’s a vicious cycle. All the lower level criminal organizations are crowded in together.”

The convoy of military trucks came to a stop about two kilometers away from the abandoned building that the call to Froleytia’s phone had come from. About one hundred infantry got out onto the cracked asphalt.

“Isn’t this a bit much? You’d think we were fighting a war.”

“Fighting in wars is our job. Now let’s go, student.”

A few battlefield cameramen had come along, but Sewax seemed to be travelling with Quenser and Heivia’s group. This annoyed the two boys even further.

“If you screw up, I’m not saving you. If you get injured, I’m leaving you behind. If you bring danger to the unit, I’ll use you as a shield and escape. I don’t give a crap about international law. That’s just what I’m gonna do. Got it?”

“Is your unit really weak enough to lose to a local criminal organization?”

Depending on what the enemy did, Quenser, Heivia, and the others would be forced into one of two types of battles.

First, they would besiege the enemy headquarters while the enemy was unaware they had been traced.

Second, they would pursue the swiftly fleeing enemy vehicles and carry out a car chase on the single long line of asphalt through the desert.

Either way, they controlled the satellite above, so they would not lose track of their enemy. As they were attempting to rescue a hostage, the attack on the base would be easier than a car chase.

“Would they really think they hadn’t been traced after their call passed through a military switchboard? Surely they didn’t believe the old police dramas where quickly hanging up keeps you from being traced.”

“We need to be on our guard. They might be well equipped and plan to escape after causing some damage to our first wave.”

“I pray they’re at least that smart. They need to be a worthy enough opponent for someone as great as me to head all the way out here.”

While remaining on the lookout for traps, cameras, snipers, or other dangers, Heivia and the others travelled from pile of rubble to pile of rubble. Quenser simply followed Heivia who had more or less taken the lead.

“By the way, why was a student like me sent with you?”

“God himself insisted you don’t get to lie around in bed all day while the rest of us work our asses off.”

“But I can’t take part in the firefight,” complained Quenser.

It was unclear what exactly he was taking photos of, but Sewax was pointing his camera here and there among the piles of rubble. Quenser had no idea what pictures would be worth what.

Unlike a normal stroll, they had to climb up piles of rubble that could collapse at any moment and be on the lookout for enemy soldiers that might not even be there. Even a distance of only two kilometers, a single station’s worth in a city, was rather exhausting.

“Hey, Heivia. Do you think I’ll be popular with the girls if the lower half of my body gets big and strong? Depending on your answer, I might give up right here.”

“Eh? Do you mean that in a dirty way?”

As he received an answer which earned a perfect 0 points, Quenser really did curl up on the ground. Heivia was forced to grab the stubborn child’s arm and drag him along.

“Look! That bastard Sewax is pointing his camera at you!!”

“It is my job to bring people the truth of the battlefield.”

“If you don’t want to be a source of international shame, stand up, Quenser!! Start walking!!”

As per their instructions over the radio, they arrived at a spot where they could look down on the abandoned building. Heivia clicked his tongue.

“Dammit. It’s a hospital. It survives the bombing and now it gets used for this. Let’s download a diagram and the distribution of people inside, so we can slaughter them all.”

“Just out of curiosity, what ever happened to rescuing the hostage?”

Of course, if they just had to kill everyone inside, there was no need to charge into the building. They could bombard the building from a distance and destroy it entirely.

Based on the distribution of enemy soldiers they received from the satellite, Quenser and the others used their sensors in a variety of ways to check on the details of the people inside.

“This is a pain in the ass. There are over fifty people in there.”

“Here we go. On the first floor…what is that place? Looks like an internal medicine examining room. Anyway, I found a child bound with duct tape. Oh, dear. And she has a blindfold, earplugs, and tape over the mouth. Um, I don’t see any other abducted children.”

“This is the world’s least rewarding place to peep. Let’s get this over with and peep on our huge-breasted commander’s bath.”

“Did you know that joke violates the rules regarding classified information?”

The one hundred infantry split into five groups and Quenser’s group took their position.

Sewax was still with them.

“So we get a student and a cameraman. How much variation does one unit need?”

“If you don’t need me, I’ll go set up a parasol and fall asleep. I’m not here because I want to be.”

“You all get to show the people back home that their tax money is being well spent. You should be thanking me.”

Heivia put up with a headache and spoke into his radio.

“The kid is on the first floor. Everywhere else doesn’t matter. You can make the corpses as gory as you want, so use your wall-penetrating rifles to shoot them on my signal.”

“Understood. Will you be using your pistols out of concern for the child? Seeing any corpses at all will probably traumatize her, but go to the extra effort if you want.”

“There are some lines you don’t cross. Then again, deciding where that line is for yourself is getting a bit self-righteous.”

Quenser and his group were not bothering with the strictly-guarded entrance.

They instead made their way to the outer wall of the examination room the abducted child was confined in. Quenser placed several Hand Axe plastic explosives on the wall in a systematic fashion. He finished the setup by stabbing electric fuses in.

“I’m ready.”

“Just to be sure, the explosion isn’t going to blow out the kid’s eardrums, is it?”

“We saw she had a blindfold and earplugs, remember? If we handle this well, she won’t even see the corpses. So what’ll you do, PTA?”

“Tch. Let’s do this. On a count of three.”

He casually counted down three seconds.

Immediately afterwards, an explosive noise burst out. It had actually been 53 anti-materiel rifles being fired simultaneously, but the timing was so perfect that it sounded like a single explosion.

At the same time, Quenser hit the switch on his radio while pressing against the wall.

The outer wall was blown to pieces and the filthy men inside the room were knocked to the ground. Before the criminals realized what was happening, Heivia and the professional soldiers stepped in and did not hesitate to pull the trigger.

Phase 1 took only five seconds.

Phase 2 was taking out anyone they missed in Phase 1. The existence of some leftovers who had luckily escaped the anti-materiel rifles was proven by short bursts of assault rifle fire.

“Clear?”

“Clear, clear. Help me out here, Quenser. Let’s hide the corpses before removing the kid’s blindfold. C’mon, Sewax, you help too!!”

“This was a hospital, so is there a mop and bucket anywhere?”

They could not remove the blindfold with corpses lying all over the place, but the duct tape covering the girl’s mouth could keep her from breathing. Quenser approached her and gently removed the tape over her mouth.

He expected her to cry.

But she did not.

“Run!! Hurry!!”

He had a very bad feeling.

He belatedly realized her clothes bulged out oddly and he gently lifted them up.

He saw a cell phone and colorful leads.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!!” shouted Heivia.

At the same time, someone in a distant place pressed a speed dial button.

===Part 9===

In that instant, Quenser and Heivia took the complete opposite actions.

In order to escape the blast, Heivia immediately moved backwards. On the other hand, Quenser grabbed the girls shoulders which were duct taped to the chair. He slid her along and threw the girl’s small body underneath the examining room’s bed.

All the while, Sewax was peering down his viewfinder.

“Wh-what?” asked Heivia as he coughed a bit and leaped behind a steel desk.

The silence was almost painful.

“What the hell!? It isn’t detonating!?”

“It’s a cell phone!” shouted back Quenser. “A cheap obsolete model is being used for the detonator. There are no indoor antennae in a ghost town like this. The signal sent from here has to reach an antenna in the next town over and then come back the same way. The thick walls of the building and the metal pipes and springs of this bed are enough. As long as it can’t pick up the signal, the detonation command can’t reach it!!”

As he spoke, he climbed under the bed himself. He pulled a small knife from his survival kit. The girl did not seem to know what was happening to her after suddenly being thrown into that small space. Anyone would be in a similar state with a blindfold and earplugs.

Quenser removed one of the earplugs and spoke gently.

“It’s okay. It’s okay now. The bomb won’t go off.”

“R-really?”

She simply sat their blankly, but that was fine for the time being as it made it easier to work.

“Can you get it off?” asked Heivia.

“Did you see this thing? I can neutralize a shitty detonator like this in 45 seconds.”

The explosive was homemade TNT and it was attached to her back with duct tape. The detonator, battery, and the like were mostly located under her arms. They all appeared to have been stolen from construction sites meant to rebuild the country.

“Honestly, is this supposed to be a school bag?”

There were three circuit boards, but two of them were fakes. He cut only the necessary leads with a knife and completely killed the detonator.

“Hey, it’s been a minute!”

“Don’t be stupid. It only took me thirty seconds to handle the device itself. It’s gently removing the duct tape that’s taking me so long!!”

The detonator was no longer functioning, so there was no need to remain below the bed. Quenser tossed the duct tape covered bomb out from under the bed and dragged the nine-year-old hostage out.

Heivia let out a breath and spoke into his radio.

“The situation has ended. The hostage is safe. I repeat, the situation has ended! I know it isn’t going to happen, but I request some ice-cold non-alcoholic beer and cured ham for when we return. Yeah, I know it isn’t happening!!”

“I thought the mission wasn’t over until we got back?”

“And call an ambulance. I’m on the verge of punching this annoying-as-hell cameraman!!”

The hostage girl looked around in confusion.

The corpses of the criminal organization had been moved to another room and the room had been quickly mopped, but the dangerous atmosphere filling the room was not so easily eliminated.

Sewax removed the camera’s viewfinder from his eye and spoke to Quenser.

“What do we do now? Do you put up posters like the ones you see for lost cats?”

“Don’t underestimate the military’s intelligence gathering ability. Her parents are probably being invited to the maintenance base just about now. The emotional reunion will take place inside the fence.”

The girl then looked up at Quenser.

She may have seen him as the easiest to talk to because he had dealt with the bomb.

“Hey, where are they?”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. You’ll be with your mother before-…”

“Not that,” she said, cutting him off.

The unease in her voice made it seem the incident was not yet over.

“Where are the others?”

===Part 10===

She had nothing to do.

That was how the princess felt.

No matter how many sensors her first generation Object had, there was no place for such a colossal weapon on a delicate mission to rescue a hostage. If they arrived with too much power, the criminal group could feel cornered enough to kill the hostage.

So now that the mock battle was over, the princess floated face up in a pool.

The maintenance base zone was made up of over one hundred large vehicles, but it did not contain a facility with a large indoor pool. This outdoor facility had been created by taking advantage of the sand underfoot.

Simply put, the soldiers who misbehaved had been given shovels and forced to dig a giant hole, cover its surface with plastic, and pour water in it. That had created a makeshift pool. A nearby sign said “Female soldiers only. Cameras strictly prohibited.” The princess was surrounded by off-duty women in swimsuits and they were all splashing each other with water, hitting each other with beach balls, or getting into serious fights.

There were two reasons for the pool.

First, it was a project meant to reduce the stress of the female soldiers. It was less about the pool itself and more about providing a small event that allowed them to escape the gaze of the normal military regulations. Similar projects had resulted in events based on different cultural celebrations such as the flower viewing or carnival. There had also been the sudden appearance of a swimsuit-wearing Santa Claus.

Second, it was a means of punishment. It was not fun toiling away under the broiling sun to dig a hole that would be enjoyed by the well-behaved soldiers. It would be no exaggeration to say that over half of the work had been done by a bomb-using student and a radar analyst who excelled at using firearms.

“Sigh…”

And as a result, the princess was wearing a swimsuit and floating in a twenty meter square pool while surrounded by other female soldiers.

[[Image:HO_v07_057.png|thumb]]

And…

“Oh ho ho!! Oh ho ho ho ho!! Honestly, now the unrefined Legitimacy Kingdom Elite is so exhausted she is sighing? You sound like an old woman.”

“…Why are you connected to this line?”

The princess had heard an Information Alliance Elite’s voice coming from the handheld device attached to her wrist by a rubber bracelet. The princess almost always remained expressionless, but her eyebrows twisted in clear displeasure.

The nice-bodied Elite on the screen was laughing loudly while pressing the back of her hand against her cheek.

“Oh ho ho. Have you never heard of diplomatic routes, little girl? You can disconnect from the line if you like, but a rude Elite would bring disgrace to her unit. Oh ho ho. Then again, you do not look like the kind of girl who would care about that!!”

“I get it, so let’s fight. I will blow you to pieces with the Baby Magnum.”

“Oh ho ho. Do you really think I am in Oceania? War is not waged solely with unrefined battles. I am currently preparing for a concert. I am too busy to deal with a little girl like you.”

“Then why did you contact me.”

“I am also steadily preparing to make that gentleman mine.”

A cracking sound could be heard.

As the princess grabbed at the handheld device, its waterproof outer case very nearly broke.

“Explain further.”

“I don’t think so. But do not worry. You will find out in due time☆”

Having said that, the other Elite ended the transmission.

The princess floated on her back a while longer and looked up at a beach ball flying by above her.

“A concert… Singing…”

She stared blankly up at the blue sky and muttered to herself.

“I should take a photo with Quenser at a karaoke box and show it off to that horrible girl.”

A member of the maintenance battalion’s intelligence division secretly listened to her.

The reason was quite simple: her mental state was directly linked to the survival of the entire unit!

===Part 11===

The sky was dyed in the orange of evening.

There was no sign of the murderous sunlight which had been raining down so forcefully before. Once evening came, Oceania filled with darkness quite quickly. After only a few dozen minutes, full darkness would arrive.

“It’s a simple setup,” said Heivia as he kicked at the abandoned hospital’s floor with the heel of his military boot. He sounded truly irritated. “It’s human trafficking with no concern for age or sex. This hospital was their relay point or their gathering spot. They abduct innocent people from the nearby cities and carry them out here where the law won’t bother them. The police are too afraid to patrol this area much, so they can fully hide their tracks by swapping out their vehicles here.”

The kidnapping incident which had started with that wrong number was being treated as resolved. The abducted girl had been loaded aboard a military truck which was taking her to the maintenance base zone.

The only people left in the hospital were Quenser, Heivia, Myonri, and Sewax the battlefield cameraman.

According to the girl, thirty to forty men and women of all ages had been there only about half an hour ago.

Quenser raised his hand.

“Then why call up and demand a ransom? If they’re a human trafficking group, they wouldn’t need to do that. They would get money by selling her.”

“It’s probably a secondary source of income. Before selling her to some distant place, they get as much money from the parents as they can. They never intended to give the girl back.”

“But who in the world would buy them?” asked Myonri uneasily.

Sewax answered while performing maintenance on his camera.

“Humans are in demand everywhere.”

“What I don’t get is the variety in age. Whether for organs, soldiers, labor, or a pervert’s toy, the younger the better, right? I doubt a criminal organization like that would go out of their way to abduct and sell old men and women.”

“They might,” replied Sewax without hesitation. “Whether it’s people who starved to death or died in a battle, the world wants obvious victims of war. For example, the leaders of a chaotic country without a proper Object system in place needs a way to obtain humanitarian aid from the peaceful countries.”

“…Seriously?”

“Humanitarian aid such as food and fuel can be sold for money through the proper routes. And that money can buy guns and mercenaries to tighten one’s control over the unsatisfied country that has insufficient supplies. That’s one simple way governments oppress their countries with a dictatorship.”

“So this is a business that exports ‘extras’ to play the role of corpses,” spat out Quenser.

Heivia frowned.

“But wouldn’t it look weird if Oceanians ended up as corpses in other countries?”

“To a certain extent, abducting tourists can help supply people from different regions. There are people like that cameraman who go out of their way to visit dangerous places. If they kidnap a certain number from different regions, they can divide them up to match the requests they receive.”

Quenser sounded disgusted by the idea as he spoke, but Sewax’s expression remained calm.

The student wiped sweat from his face with the back of his hand.

“Well, that explains the wide variety of people. If all the corpses were women and children, it might draw more sympathy from the people leisurely watching TV, but they probably want to mix in a macho old man or two to make it all look less contrived.”

“That means some of these people are being kidnapped and killed for the same reason as the variation in fighting game rosters.”

“Even if it’s a dummy operation, some soldiers might be hesitant to sacrifice their own people. And that goes for dictatorships, too. But some of that guilt can be eliminated by having them kill people from other nations to protect their own people. After all, that’s basically the entire reason the military exists and what soldiers are taught to do.”

That was likely what the abductors were after.

Sewax then changed the subject.

“Any guesses where the guns used here came from?”

“They were old-style assault rifles. Not only that, but inferior ones made by melting down scrap metal and reusing it. That’s the equipment Oceania used in the days of the military nation,” explained Heivia.

“Are remnants of the old military government involved in this?” asked Myonri with a look of disbelief.

Quenser chose his words carefully as he answered.

“Well, I have been hearing about those remnants trying to take back Oceania despite the Objects stationed here giving the coalition forces an overwhelming advantage.”

Sewax smiled thinly.

“I’ve heard they’re desperate to set up pipelines to other chaotic regions that are opposed to having Objects rule over them. But to trade, they need products. The old military government’s resources have dried up, so they want some kind of diplomatic commodity.”

“And that commodity is corpse extras of all ages?” muttered Heivia quietly. “The old government’s goal is to retake Oceania. In that case, it does make sense.”

“How?”

“They want a way to control people and we’ve already glimpsed the initial preparations for that.”

After thinking for a second, Quenser grimaced.

“The black market.”

“It’s more of an ally to the people than the convenience stores. Without it, they wouldn’t have any food to eat. But not all of the black market’s products are gathered by crawling through the rubble. Someone has to obtain funds and buy products to sell.”

“Food earned by selling humans,” said Myonri with the same look as someone who had found a giant clump of hair in the food they had been eating. “If the people knew the truth, wouldn’t they begin to hate the old government’s black market?”

“Probably,” commented Sewax. “But by that time, the black market will have become an indispensable part of their lives. No matter how much they hate it, they can’t escape it. They need to get food and water somehow, so they’ll have to approve of what the old government is doing. People have a way of justifying the things they do.”

“They’re using a cruel incident to wash away the standards of good and evil and of common sense in this country. This is a form of terrorism.”

“Screw this,” spat out Quenser.

Sewax smiled.

“Fortunately, this is likely the first wave of human trafficking.”

“What?”

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the black market and the stock of products has been pretty unstable. So far, they have probably only had the products they dug up in the rubble. But as the supply began to dwindle, they started to panic. To prevent the people from turning their anger toward a black market without enough to sell, they put together a rushed plan. If they had already been selling people and earning a steady income, the black market would not have been so unstable.”

“So what?” Quenser glared at Sewax. “Either way, we need to rescue the Oceanian people who vanished here before they’re packed up and shipped away. Thirty people? Forty? They’re going to end up as corpse extras. They’ll be exported somewhere that doesn’t care about the concept of ‘clean wars’ and they’ll end up on some gory picture distributed around the world.”

“That’s the problem, Quenser.” Heivia scratched at his head. “Do you remember what our huge-breasted commander’s justification was? A child was kidnapped and a threatening call was made to a military officer. As a form of self-defense, that officer is sending out her unit to eliminate the criminal organization. Do you get what I’m saying?”

“Yes, I do. This operation began with that wrong number, so it only applies to the girl from the phone call. Now that we’ve rescued her, we have no pretext for military action!!”

“Then what do we do? Are we just going to leave those people to their fate!?”

“I don’t want to be plagued by nightmares of lines of body bags every time I go to bed, but this is a different issue entirely!”

“Either way, Froleytia will receive the same report once the girl arrives at the maintenance base. No matter what we do, the unit will take action in the end. So is there any reason to let the number of body bags grow by waiting until that delayed action begins!?”

“At least get permission!! Acting like a hero is great and all, but I don’t want to be thrown behind bars in exchange for getting a statue made of me in a safe country!!”

Sewax let out an obvious sigh and interrupted the following silence.

“Let’s go over the situation. You just finished your mission and were about to return to the maintenance base zone. You are not allowed to make a preemptive strike on a local force, but you are permitted to fight back in self-defense in the case of an unexpected battle. Is all that correct?”

“Are you telling us to say we lost our bearings in the desert and happened across the abduction organization while driving around randomly?”

“That’s a terrible excuse! That huge-breasted commander of ours would kill us!!”

“Only if we shot at them and killed them,” said Quenser as he gathered his thoughts. “But we should be able to get by if we restrict ourselves to investigation and long-distance reconnaissance. The odds are good Froleytia will act once she hears what that girl has to say. Even if we only investigate what buildings we need to attack and where the people are inside, it might change how many people we can save.”

“You sure are optimistic. What if she doesn’t act? Even if they’re a criminal organization, they still count as civilians. If she can’t justify slaughtering them with the military, there’s nothing she can do.”

“If that happens…” Quenser paused there, threw off his hesitation, and finally continued. “Then we’ll have to resign ourselves to being thrown in the detention barracks.”

===Part 12===

There was a proper way to go about reconnaissance.

And Quenser, Heivia, and the others did not have the proper equipment.

So…

“Who would have thought we would get our equipment at their black market?”

“I kind of think it’s our own fault.”

They bought military reconnaissance equipment centered on parabolic microphones and laser bugging devices. They also made sure to negotiate them all down to half the asking price. Unlike normal souvenir shops, the night was the busiest time for the black market. The hot night produced an odd passion in people which intertwined with the heat and filled the air with an oppressive atmosphere that permeated one’s body.

“I’m burning up… I thought the desert was supposed to be cold at night.”

“This area is filled with concrete, so it gathers heat like an urban heat island.”

“All these lights are outdated incandescent bulbs and everyone’s using diesel generators. I wonder if that’s adding to it.”

Quenser was in charge of haggling.

He was knowledgeable about machines and had a better sense of what things were worth due to his life as a commoner.

“I’m afraid of running into one of those Black Uniform women who were sent to the maintenance base. If they found out about this, they’d shoot us on the spot without bothering with a court martial.”

“How about we buy some uniforms, too? They have Information Alliance and Capitalist Corporations ones here.”

“Be my guest. But if anyone finds out, it’ll cause an international incident. Personally, I’m not gonna start a war.”

As a drunk was beaten by some of the shop owners for using shoddy counterfeit money, they bought some bottles of cider and other drinks stuck in a cooler of ice and received a radio transmission from Sewax.

They had asked Myonri and Sewax to gather some general information ahead of time.

“In an unstable country like this, the currencies of safe countries are popular. It’s a bit frustrating that the Capitalist Corporations’ dollars are better received than the Legitimacy Kingdom’s euros, but I got some interesting information.”

“Damn, it’s gone flat.”

“What?”

“Just talking to myself,” said Heivia evasively. “So did you come across some bottom-level member of the criminal organization?”

“I didn’t go that far. I talked with some of the people working in the rubble called the Mouth of Truth. To help the country recover, a few of the docks at the international harbor are opened to the general public, but it seems one of them is being monopolized by a shell corporation. If they were transporting something they wanted to hide, they wouldn’t need to do that.”

“Do you have any proof the corpse extras are being shipped out there?”

“Not if ordering a few dozen more fast food hamburgers than usual doesn’t qualify as proof. It seems they also carried in a bunch of water and salt.”

Heivia and Quenser exchanged a glance.

“So once they’ve eaten, they get stuffed in a container for the long cruise?”

“If they just stuff in them in like that, will they really make it to the destination?”

“That depends on where they’re being sent,” replied Sewax. “My guess is half would die during the first two weeks and a tenth of the survivors would die off each day afterwards.”

That guess was anything but funny.

The criminal organization was not selling cheap laborers or toys for perverts. They were selling extras to play the role of corpses. Selling them alive would be best, but they could be sold at a reduced price if they were frozen after they died. When a corpse was gruesomely roasted, you didn’t have to worry about livor mortis or anything like that. It was possible an autopsy wouldn’t even be performed.

“I also got my hands on a map of the harbor. I have a few guesses where the ‘products’ will be loaded, but I don’t know for sure. We need to go see for ourselves.”

“Well, we can’t use the military satellite without restriction,” said Heivia.

“We know the shortest course, so having to take such a roundabout route is just plain exhausting,” added Quenser.

Each time the two boys bought another piece of junk, they crossed off another item on their list.

“It looks like we’ll be able to get everything we need. Is there anything you want us to get outside of the standard reconnaissance equipment?” they asked Sewax.

“A beautiful blonde, a barrel of sherry, brandy that’s at least eight years old, cigars without any unnecessary filters, and a villa with a pool,” said Sewax perfectly casually. “Oh, and a bow and arrow set.”

“?”

===Part 13===

The international harbor in question was located at one end of the city of rubble known as the Mouth of Truth.

Quenser, Heivia, Myonri, and Sewax stopped their military vehicle on the road three kilometers from the harbor and stepped out onto the cracked asphalt.

The abandoned buildings with no lights looked a lot different than they had during the day.

No flashlight lights could be seen in the direction of the abandoned buildings. Either searching for trash in the dark was too inefficient or they would simply be attacked if they dug anything out.

“This area is so bad they have to gather junk, so should we really leave our vehicle here? I don’t want to return exhausted from the job and find our means of transportation gone.”

“After the attack today, the people of the slum aren’t going to pick a fight with the military for at least half a day.”

Quenser and Sewax carried the reconnaissance equipment while Heivia and Myonri carried the firearms as they walked toward the international harbor that was opened to the public to help the country recover.

“If you look at it the right way, war recovery is like a tree that grows money,” complained Heivia as he wiped sweat from his brow. “And with all this equipment being moved around, people are gonna show up to take it for themselves. No else is here, there are tons of things to hide behind, and there are any number of great spots for an attack. I can see why this area is so dangerous.”

“Are the containers shipped by land attacked because it’s a dangerous area or did it become a dangerous area because it’s a land route on which containers are shipped? It’s a bit of a chicken and the egg question,” said Sewax smoothly.

Quenser and the others did not directly enter the harbor. It was surrounded by a chain-link fence and armed workers were patrolling it. Opening the harbor up unconditionally would allow people to smuggle in weapons and drugs, so this was no surprise.

“This place is being used by human traffickers, so they’re not doing a very good job,” muttered Heivia as he hid behind some rubble.

“Just to be clear, don’t shoot them,” said Quenser in annoyance. “They’re just normal local people.”

“I know that, you idiot. But the villains might’ve bought some of them out. If this comes down to a fight, I’m classifying them as yellow. I won’t kill them, but I’ll incapacitate them.”

As an international harbor, it was quite a large place. It continued for two or three kilometers along the concrete-hardened coast. Also, about half of it had been destroyed in a fierce battle. A giant crane had broken and sunk into the ocean, and some giant metal boxes piled up in the container yard had collapsed and spread out like an avalanche.

“Myonri, where’s the dock we’re interested in?”

“N-number nine. From what we heard at least.”

Collapsed and broken buildings were lined up along the outside of the harbor. Quenser and the other three entered one of the abandoned buildings that was half-buried in the sand and climbed the stairs. They found a window overlooking the entire dock and hid by pressing up against the wall.

“Honestly, this building isn’t going to suddenly collapse, is it?”

“I’m afraid of asbestos, too. Was this thing actually made safely?”

The two idiots continued to complain back and forth.

“They’ve got someone famous here,” muttered Sewax flatly as he looked down at the dock with binoculars. “See that big man with a scar on his cheek and a false finger on his right hand? He looks like someone the major newspapers are giving an award for information on. He’s probably the man known as Blue Bottle.”

“Who’s that?” asked Quenser honestly.

“I think I heard the intelligence division whispering about that,” said Heivia in annoyance. “They were saying something about an unofficial mission to assassinate a courier that’s been making tons of money and controlling the market in Oceania by slipping past the satellites and inspections. They mentioned giving out tons of guest IDs to the maintenance base in preparation to invite in a specialized assassination team.”

“Wait a second. I thought we were in charge of wars. Aren’t we supposed to leave things like this to the local police?”

“There are always exceptions and some people force us to make an exception. The Legitimacy Kingdom, the Information Alliance, the Capitalist Corporations, and the Faith Organization are all fighting over their own interests here in Oceania, but no one is going to welcome a criminal who causes damage to everyone equally.”

“Hm.” Quenser did not seem to understand very well. “So why is he called Blue Bottle? Does he roll up his money and carry it around in blue bottles?”

Sewax shrugged.

“It’s the name of a jellyfish. A poisonous one. Apparently, more people in Oceania die from jellyfish than from sharks. He got the name because of how he does business while slipping through the nets like a ghost.”

That meant the criminal organization led by Blue Bottle was heavily related to the human trafficking and the black market.

“Oh, oh. You can tell at a glance.” Heivia let out a whistle as he peered out with binoculars. “Those clearly aren’t harbor workers. Look at those giant assault rifles. I’m guessing there’s between 50 and 90 of them.”

“Eh? I can only see about 20 out there.”

“But they’ll have two or three shifts, so that makes 50 to 90. A soccer team isn’t made up of exactly eleven people, you know?”

“Hey, Heivia. Is it possible these are harbor workers who were given money and equipment?”

“Not a chance. Their complexion is different. The tone of your skin can change a lot in a short period of time, but the brightness of the whites of your eyes won’t change in just a week or a month. Based on what they’ve been eating, they’re clearly higher up on the hierarchy. These aren’t people hired for the day. We aren’t gonna kill them and find out they were normal civilians.”

In other words, they did not need to hold back.

Quenser looked back and forth between the map Sewax had spread out on the dusty floor and the actual dock outside the window.

“The first question is where Blue Bottle’s group is keeping their ‘merchandise’,” he said. “It looks like there’s a mid-sized cargo ship docked here.”

He pointed toward the ship loaded with the standard metal containers.

But Sewax immediately rejected the idea.

“They’re not on the ship. The lifespans of the humans is directly linked to temperature and humidity. They’ll wait until the last second to load them in the containers. It’s just like shipping fruit. They’ll last longer this way.”

In that case, they could also rule out the hundreds of containers in the container yard.

If all of those were options, they might very well have had to give up.

“Then where are they?”

“Look at where the soldiers are, student.” Heivia tapped Quenser on the shoulder and pointed out the window with his chin. “They’re at the exits, the points needed to look out for snipers, and on top of the cranes instead of lookout towers. All of those are standard spots you’ll find in any textbook, but some of the soldiers are in clearly inefficient places. Those are to prevent any escapees. The ‘merchandise’ is within that office.”

“Probably,” agreed Sewax. “It has a roof to block out the sun and an air conditioner to prevent heat stroke. More importantly, it has four walls to prevent escape. And they don’t have to worry about anyone spotting the shocking fact that they’re holding people captive.”

Quenser started to agree, but then he frowned.

He looked out the window once more.

“The outer fence isn’t far from it. If they shouted, their voice could get out. Doesn’t that give them a chance to escape?”

“And what would they do then?” Heivia grinned cruelly. “This is a deserted city. Everyone digging for junk is working for the black market. They won’t actively take part in the human trafficking, but they’ll keep quiet if Blue Bottle yells at them.”

“What about the harmless harbor workers?”

“They have to pass through the empty city to get back home alive. Do you really think they’ll cause any unnecessary trouble?”

With that said, Heivia made a sign toward Myonri.

He then tapped on Quenser’s shoulder.

“What was that?”

“You’re working with the military, so how about you try to learn our language?”

Quenser and Heivia left the abandoned building, leaving Myonri and Sewax inside. They crouched down and made their way along while hiding behind concrete rubble in the road.

Quenser looked confused when he saw what Heivia was holding.

“What are you going to do with that?”

“The office with the ‘merchandise’ inside isn’t far from the fence. You’re the one that pointed that out, Quenser.”

They approached almost all the way to the fence and stopped about 100 meters form the office. They could not approach any further. If they poked their heads out from behind the rubble, a firefight would begin with Blue Bottle’s criminal organization.

Needless to say, a battle with a metal fence in between would put Quenser and Heivia at a disadvantage when they were trying to rescue the abducted people.

The office was a two-story building made of reinforced concrete. The staircase was attached to the outside of the building.

All of the first floor windows had the blinds lowered, so they could not see inside.

But on the second floor…

“There we go,” muttered Quenser with binoculars in one hand. “I see an old woman. She’s probably about 80. Now that’s another kind of person who will make you want to protect them. She’s perfect for one of their extras, dammit.”

“Not again! Can we please run across a large-breasted waitress or beautiful secretary in a business suit!? I need some kind of motivation here!!”

“More importantly,” said Quenser in annoyance. “She’s the only one I can see from here. There’s supposed to be around thirty of them, right? Where are the others? I hope they aren’t locked up separately.”

Suddenly, Sewax spoke up over the radio.

“That’s probably where they’re being fed their last supper.”

“What?”

“The abducted people will be packed in containers and shipped across the ocean. How long they survive is influenced by temperature, humidity, and food supply.”

Quenser turned his binoculars back toward the second floor of the office.

The small old woman was sitting in a chair by the window. The round table contained a hamburger and fries from a fast food restaurant as well as a cup filled with soda.

“After being packed in the container, they have to subsist off of water and salt,” continued Sewax. “If they gave them proper food, it would quickly rot in the high temperature and high humidity. That’s why they have them eat as much as they can ahead of time to maintain the freshness of their ‘merchandise’.”

“And so they would be in trouble if the people went on a hunger strike?”

“Even if they forced them to eat at gunpoint, the extreme stress could make them vomit, ruining the whole idea. That’s why they give them some hope. They’re in a comfortable air-conditioned room, the outer fence isn’t far away, and they have a nice view from the second floor window. The people are made to think they might be able to escape and so they need to eat to keep their strength up. Once they eat of their own free will, they can be shipped out.”

The small old woman had food in front of her, but she showed no sign of eating it. She simply hung her head down while sitting in the chair. The hamburger had grown cold and the grease from the fries had stained their container. Quenser could not guess how long she had been sitting there.

“She knows it’s over once she eats.”

“Damn them. It’s been a while since I saw food less appetizing than our rations.”

With that offhand comment, Heivia began assembling the military bow behind the rubble. It was a reinforced version of an athletic bow and it was covered in desert camouflage.

“Hey, are we really going to do this with so few people? If we know where all the abducted people are, Froleytia might take action.”

“I’m not going to use this to kill anyone, Mr. Happy. The second-story window is 100 meters away. If I aim high, the arrow will fall through the window. It doesn’t make much noise, so the guards wandering around outside won’t notice.”

Quenser realized what Heivia meant, so he scratched at his sand-filled blond hair.

“Are you going to shoot a radio to that old woman?”

“The arrows come with transmitters already. They’re meant to tell an Object where to fire, but with some quick modifications, we can communicate over it.”

“Who’s going to modify it?”

“If you want to prove your worth, you’d better get busy, Quenser. Taking apart some headphones and removing the oscillator is easier than disarming a bomb.”

“And who’s going to pay me?”

“Come to think of it, I don’t have an answer for that either! Why the hell am I taking this so seriously!?”

Without a soldering iron or wire cutters, Quenser had to pull a small knife meant for cooking from his survival kit. He used the knife to take apart the electronic device and combine the necessary parts. His movements were broad but accurate, so he looked a bit like a cook on a fishing ship.

After putting together the arrow, Quenser handed it to Heivia.

“How’s the window?”

“It’s open. They probably have the air conditioner on inside, but the open window increases the people’s hope.”

“You only have one shot at this. Are you sure you can get it in the room first try?”

“Easily, once I pass it through a ballistic calculation program. How about I fire it right into the hamburger on the table?”

“You got something that dangerous? Should that really be out on the black market?”

“Don’t be silly. This is for golf lovers. It just so happens you can also use it to provide targeting corrections for mortars is all.”

“So it’s like using the club to break open an ATM and take out the money?”

“This is another difference between the rich and the poor. There are people who have to dig through the black market and haggle for food, but there are others who build a green golf course in the desert for fun. Otherwise, something like this wouldn’t be there.”

The ballistic calculation program worked by attaching a handheld device to the bow’s grip and looking into a small screen. The footage from the camera would add lines along courses for baseball pitches.

It was almost all sports-related.

He held the bow up and fired a large arrow. It silently passed over the head of a guard, travelled in an arc, fell diagonally down toward the office’s second story window, and shot accurately into the room.

Just like the flag on a kid’s meal, the arrow stabbed into the center of the hamburger on the table.

“Heh. Did you see that, Quenser? That’s what the super smart, beautiful, and wealthy noble Heivia can do. You don’t get a hole-in-one by relying on beginner’s luck. You need the skill and composure of a gentleman.”

“You idiot, you scared the old woman so much she fell over backwards in her chair! And weren’t you saying anyone could do this using that ballistic whatever?”

“If you’re gonna be like that, then why don’t you try it! You always leave the physical labor to me!!”

The two idiots very nearly started a light fistfight, but they remembered this was hardly the time. They would be fine if the panicked old woman fell silent from the shock, but they would lose their chance if she caused a commotion.

Quenser set the frequency on his radio and brought it to his mouth.

The modified arrow had the oscillator and electrode from some headphones added on, so they could communicate via their voices. Specifically, the amplitude of the vibrations in the air could be converted to electrical signals of 0 and 1. Simply put, it worked the same as a telephone.

“Hey there. This is Battlefield Student Quenser Barbotage from the Legitimacy Kingdom’s 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion. If that’s too much of a mouthful, you can call me hero or knight. I’d like to take the position of the red-clad hero, but unfortunately, my uniform only has the plain colors of desert camouflage.”

“No fair!! You’re acting like this was all your doing!”

“Sorry, Heivia, but I’ll do anything for the slightest chance of seeing a wonderful micro bikini once this old woman introduces me to her daughter or granddaughter. …In fact, I’d probably just roll over and go to sleep if I didn’t have that hope.”

“Why do you think I said it wasn’t fair!?”

The two idiots almost began grappling, but something happened over the radio. The old woman timidly approached the arrow stabbed into the table (through the hamburger).

“A-are you a soldier?”

“That’s right. Do you watch the news on TV? We’re from the coalition army. We’re the cavalry that’ll do anything from road construction to eliminating bad guys.”

“Do you have a gun? Are you different from the people wandering around outside?”

“Piano, violin, foreign languages, and dance. There are a lot of things for ladies to learn, but there is one thing they have to remember no matter how old they are. Do you know what that is?”

“…?”

“How to spot a decent guy. Being able to do that can change your entire life. How about I give you an example, ‘young lady’? After this, you’ll think the world isn’t completely lost as long as there’s one attractive guy left.”

For a while after that, they heard the old woman say nothing more.

It was not that the transmission had cut out.

They heard intermittent breaths as if from sobbing mixed in with a bit of static.

As he monitored the dock from the abandoned building, Sewax explained what was going on over Heivia’s radio.

“It looks like she’s crying.”

“You don’t have to report every little thing like that,” said Heivia sharply.

He and Quenser continued to wait while hiding behind the rubble.

“I feel like smoking a cigarette right about now.”

“You’re a minor. What are you talking about?”

They waited for thirty seconds or maybe a full minute.

When the old woman spoke once more, they took it as a sign they could continue.

“What should I do?” she asked. “How can I sneak out of here?”

“First, how about we get your name, ‘young lady’. I’m Quenser, but what should I call you?”

“Dorothy.”

“Also…I know. What about your home? We need to send you back there once we rescue you.”

“South Britain territory.”

Quenser and Heivia exchanged a glance.

They had been expecting an Oceanian city, but Dorothy had mentioned a Legitimacy Kingdom safe country.

“Were you…a tourist?”

“Yes. My daughter and her husband were visiting a shopping mall. All the bright lights made me dizzy, so I stayed in the car. But it got as hot as a greenhouse under the sun and I couldn’t bear it any longer, so…”

“(What do you think?)”

“(I’d say it’s about 50/50 whether that’s a justification. Civilian lives always take priority over military personnel and equipment, but we haven’t actually checked to see if Dorothy is a Legitimacy Kingdom citizen.)”

Heivia let out a short sigh and poked just the barrel of his assault rifle from behind the rubble. Technically, he was sticking out the sensors attached to the rifle.

“(There are three guards circling the office. If we sniped the high points to the west and southwest, it would be possible break in, but…)”

Sewax continue for Heivia.

“But it would be risky. And we would have to give up on rescuing the others because we don’t know where they are.”

“We have two options,” said Quenser while choosing his words carefully. He was speaking to Dorothy who was closest to the information they needed. “We can rescue you for sure or we can leave you there a little longer to figure out where the other thirty or forty abducted people are.”

“…”

“We can’t choose either option without your cooperation. You stand in the most important place, so you can make the decision. …Which do you want to do?”

“I will do it,” said Dorothy after thinking for a moment. “Please let me do it. Until you gave me this chance, I could not even taste the food, but now I am human again. And now that I know how wonderful this chance is, I cannot bear to take that chance from the others in my position.”

“Just to be clear, that option will increase the risk. You might be wasting this chance you’ve been given. Will you still do it for people you don’t even know?”

“I do know them. We were thrown in a truck together and trembled together as they aimed guns at us. That may be all, but I do know them.”

For a moment, Quenser was unsure what to say into the radio.

He could not decide which option was correct.

But he still said it.

There was no reason to let her know about his own doubts.

“An excellent answer.”

“What do I need to do?” she asked.

Quenser turned toward Heivia. His friend handed him the same type of arrow he had just fired into the office window.

Quenser held the radio between his cheek and shoulder while he used both hands to disassemble the metal arrow.

“The arrow stabbed into the table there is made so the back can be removed. Twist it like a screw and a ballpoint pen sized part should come off.

“Yes, yes. Do I need to tell you were everyone is with this?”

“No, you don’t need to say anything. We can tell where that ballpoint pen is. Dorothy, you just have to hide it in your clothes and follow the criminal’s instructions. Before all of you are sent aboard the ship, you should be gathered in a single spot. As long as we know where that is, we can use the power of the military to take control of the harbor.”

“I see…”

“You can’t let them know you have that hidden under your clothes. As for the rest of the arrow…I know. There’s an air conditioner near the ceiling, right? Use something as a stepstool and place it on top of the air conditioner. Eat the hamburger and… Oh, there’s a hole in the table, isn’t there? There’s a chair in that office, right? Pretend the stress got the better of you and beat the chair against the table to destroy it. Make sure they won’t notice that small hole!”

After giving all of his instructions, Quenser ended the transmission and tapped Heivia’s shoulder.

“Let’s go.”

“Sure, sure. You’re taking all the good parts, aren’t you!? Are you the type that’ll talk to anyone you lay your eyes on, whether they’re a trap or a zombie girl?”

“We would lose too much time if we waited until Dorothy gave us our answer to request assistance from Froleytia. We need to get the unit moving now.”

“How? Unless we give a justification for the military to act and prove that we can win, that huge-breasted commander will only yell at us. We’ll be stuck waiting for word from lovely little Dorothy. You haven’t escaped the delay.”

“Dorothy will give us the right answer.” Quenser raised his index finger. “But Froleytia and the others don’t know when. We can report that we’ve found the abducted people ahead of time and everything will fall into place as long as Dorothy gives us the answer before the unit arrives.”

“Are you aware providing false reports is a crime?”

“I’ll pretend I don’t. After all, I’m just a student.”

“Hah hah. That’s no different from when council members say they ‘have no recollection’ of people’s accusations. It won’t work.”

Quenser and Heivia were beginning to relax because of the difference in military might. The harbor dock was controlled by bad guys who were armed with old assault rifles and grenades, but that would be easily dealt with as soon as Froleytia sent in the power of the military.

For them, they were on the verge of having a legit military operation.

Dorothy was a Legitimacy Kingdom citizen and she would provide them the location of the others before long.

That was enough.

Froleytia would complain, but she would send in some soldiers. She might beat up the two idiots afterwards and they could even be thrown in the detention barracks, but that would be after everything had been settled.

With one word of approval, Dorothy and the others would be saved.

Quenser and Heivia had no more reason to stay there. A battle would begin if Blue Bottle’s criminal organization spotted them before they had Dorothy’s answer and the unit arrived, but that was the worst case scenario. They could prevent that from happening by leaving the rubble nearby the harbor and returning to the building Myonri and Sewax were in.

With that in mind, the two of them began to stand up.

And then a voice spoke from the radio.

It was Sewax.

“Wait a minute.”

“What? What is it? Did god finally decide to show some pity on me by dropping a supermodel from the sky?”

Sewax ignored Heivia’s casual comment as he continued.

“Something isn’t right.”

===Part 14===

Quenser and Heivia could not believe what Sewax said over the radio.

To check for themselves, they rushed back to the abandoned building. They pressed up against the wall next to the window overlooking the harbor and swiped Sewax’s binoculars.

Without looking particularly displeased, the cameraman pointed toward one side of the harbor.

A mid-sized cargo ship was moored at the dock. A short pole was located near the bow of the ship.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me! Please tell me this is a joke!!”

Heivia clenched his teeth and checked through the binoculars again and again, but what he saw did not change. It was no mistake.

“Come to think of it, some of this didn’t quite add up,” groaned Sewax. “Blue Bottle’s criminal organization may control one portion of the harbor with a shell company, but the coalition still has several naval Objects patrolling the ocean. The cargo ships would naturally undergo surprise checks. Anyone shipping out weapons, drugs, counterfeit money, humans, or anything else suspicious would need to control more than just the harbor to be safe.”

Then what did they need to be safe?

The answer was displayed on the bow of the cargo ship.

“To hell with them.” Quenser brought a hand to his forehead. “I can see it! Yeah, I can see it! That’s the Information Alliance flag fluttering in the wind on that pole!!”

“Does that mean the Information Alliance is involved in this human trafficking?” asked Myonri.

Sewax shook his head.

“Most likely, they aren’t checking what’s onboard at all. The soldiers just give the ships a free pass in exchange for money.”

“That’s just the excuse they’ll use to prevent a war if there’s a problem and this comes to light. It’s no different than the politicians who insist their secretary was behind it all,” said Heivia in annoyance. “I doubt the Information Alliance is interested in the human trafficking itself. Even if it’s profitable, it would hurt their reputation too much. I bet they’re interested in the criminal organization that has worked its way so deeply into Oceania. Their black market is directly linked to the livelihood of the people. If they can make a connection with Blue Bottle and form a pipeline to the criminal organization, they can freely manipulate public opinion within Oceania. This lets them create pressure both officially and unofficially. If they can gain the support of the local people, they can gain an advantage in the coalition’s infighting over how much of this southern continent each world power gets.”

“Probably, but if we accuse them on nothing but speculation, we’ll be the ones left hurting.” Quenser clicked his tongue. “More importantly, what about Dorothy!? As long as the criminal organization is receiving this indulgence from the Information Alliance, they officially count as cooperating with the Information Alliance military. Froleytia won’t want to attack them blindly!!”

“So they’re technically civilians yet are partially treated like soldiers.” Sewax seemed to be thinking. “Yes, it would cause a lot of trouble if a large unit was sent in to annihilate them. The Information Alliance could easily cause a much larger battle in the name of stopping the Legitimacy Kingdom from unrightfully attacking civilians. “

“Our huge-breasted commander can’t do anything,” spat out Heivia. “She isn’t stupid enough to start a war over thirty or forty people! But then what do we do!? If we could use the proper channels and send in a large unit, they’d be crushed in five seconds, but does that mean the four of us can defeat them? It’s impossible! Especially if we have to swiftly and accurately wipe them out so they can’t take away the abducted people!!”

“Wait, where’s Dorothy? We can contact her and save at least her.”

“We can’t!” Quenser kicked the floor. “The communications device we gave her has moved to another building. That’s probably where all the others are being held. Breaking in and rescuing just her isn’t an option anymore.”

Attempting an unwinnable battle would help nothing.

Making a heroic and moving charge on the harbor might reduce the number of bad guys, but they would eventually be overwhelmed and defeated. There was even a danger of the criminals shooting the captives.

Now that they knew Blue Bottle’s criminal organization was under the Information Alliance’s protection, they could only say a political problem had arisen. The criminals could claim this was an unofficial operation meant to let these people escape the poor conditions of Oceania and reach wealthier nations. The dead could say nothing, so they only had to kill all of the captives within the containers and claim it would never have happened if the Legitimacy Kingdom had not taken hasty military action.

At best, it would start as an argument between the higher ups of the two world powers and develop into a war.

At worst, Quenser and the other three would be treated as war criminals who slaughtered the civilians.

“Unfortunately, there’s nothing we can do.” Heivia covered his face with his hands and let a heavy voice escape the gaps between his fingers. “They set this up too well! Of course they did!! They’ve spent a long time building this up so it would be safe. Why would some people who just now showed up be able to ad-lib their way through it!?”

“Then what do we do about Dorothy?”

“Weren’t you listening? We can’t start a war over thirty or forty people!”

“But I was the one that asked her to help! I can’t accept this. We’re not watching a news broadcast about something happening on the other side of the world!!”

“Then you go fight on your own! As a student, you might be able to slip through the cracks of the war treaties. But you’ll be slaughtered by the criminals. And more importantly!! That criminal organization is being treated like a group cooperating with the Information Alliance military. You’re not just up against some thugs in the city. You’ll be taking on an international military force here. Are you still going to pick a fight with them!?”

Heivia heard a light noise.

It was Quenser snapping his fingers.

“That’s it.”

“What? …No, wait just a damn second. What the hell are you thinking? Why are you grinning like that? I was in the middle of shouting at you until you gave up!”

“Military cooperators. Heivia, soldiers have a duty to rescue civilians in that position, right?”

“So what if they do? I don’t see how you can twist that into keeping the Information Alliance away. If we attack Blue Bottle and his human trafficking ring, they’re gonna show up. There’s no stopping it!!”

The female soldier named Myonri then cut in timidly.

“Huh? Wait a minute. Then that means…”

“Dorothy has no reason to fight.” Quenser pointed toward his own chest with his thumb. “It was me, someone working for the Legitimacy Kingdom military! If I hadn’t pressed her to cooperate, she wouldn’t still be there in the middle of enemy territory. That means she’s cooperating with the Legitimacy Kingdom military. It’s obvious her life is in danger if we don’t do something, so what should the military that was backing her do? Answer me, Heivia!!”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” groaned Heivia.

“I see.” Sewax’s lips twisted up in an interested smile. “If Blue Bottle’s organization is protected by the Information Alliance as a military cooperator, then they can’t ignore the Legitimacy Kingdom if it claims the right to protect Dorothy for the same reason. If conflict breaks out between civilians, it’s only natural for the militaries backing them to intermediate.”

“Don’t make me laugh.” Heivia shook his head. “There’s no way it’ll work that well! There isn’t going to be a tear-jerking happy ending! Our huge-breasted commander doesn’t know we hired Dorothy and she won’t approve of it! We don’t have any documents to prove it, either!! When war is about to break out, try bringing up someone named Dorothy that no one’s ever heard of. They’ll just stare at you funny. Justification or not, our unit isn’t moving!!”

“Perhaps not,” admitted Quenser. “But we do have justification for the four of us to take action.”

“Do you have anything to prove she’s a military cooperator!?”

“She’s proof enough. But she needs to be alive to prove it, so we have to save her.”

“What we want to do and what we have to do match up,” muttered Sewax.

They could act as heroic as they wanted, but they were the ones who would be exposed to gunfire. Heivia was growing irritated because the fear was beginning to sink in, so Quenser spoke to him.

“Also, we can’t run away anymore.”

“What!? Why the hell not!? There’s no special bonus waiting for us. It’s not like we have to shoot our way out to get back to the maintenance base. In fact, we shouldn’t even be here. For once, I’m having trouble finding anything we’ll get blamed for if we just run away!!”

“And then what? Are we going to report that we recruited a civilian without permission, didn’t see it through to the end, and returned to safety while leaving her to die? Even if it doesn’t break any rules, do you really think there will be a place for us back in the unit?”

“Goddammit!! So you convince Dorothy to do this and now it’s going to bring dishonor on ''me''? This’ll affect my chances of inheriting my family!!”

But arguing was not going to solve anything.

If he truly had an issue with what Quenser had done, he should have interrupted while Quenser was speaking with Dorothy.

“But what now? What exactly do we do!? There’re only four of us and two of those are a student and cameraman. Meanwhile, we’re up against 50-90 soldiers and there might be reinforcements from the Information Alliance. That’s too much of a difference to just charge in randomly like we’re the cavalry!”

“Our objective is to rescue Dorothy and the other captives. All of them. We aren’t just going to shoot up the place until nothing’s left moving like in a Western.”

“What?”

“We need to narrow down our targets. This is like a puzzle game. We don’t have to take care of everything ourselves. If we destroy one, the rest will vanish in a chain reaction.”

===Part 15===

The most important factor was that Quenser and the others knew where Dorothy was. They could detect her location from the communication device removed from the military arrow and hidden in her clothes.

After detecting that she had been moved to the mid-sized cargo ship, Quenser, Heivia, Myonri, and Sewax began to move.

“Honestly. This is no joke,” groaned Heivia. “We have no boat. We have no flippers or snorkels! We have nothing!! And now we have to jump into the ocean at night? We’re carrying rifles and missiles!! It’s all so damn heavy I just want to throw it away!!”

“The ship is leaving the harbor while you waste time shouting. Let’s jump in while we can catch up.”

They had left the dock controlled by Blue Bottle’s criminal organization and entered a block patrolled by the normal harbor workers. Instead of the main gate, they had cut a hole in the chain-link fence and snuck in. After slipping past the guards and cutting across the harbor, they threw themselves into the dark ocean at the tip of the harbor.

“Bwah! Dammit! They have a diesel engine. Can we really catch up to them like this?”

“The sea chart here is complex,” replied Sewax while skillfully treading water. He seemed to have no problem with being in the water, so his camera must have been waterproof. “A lot of rubble from Object bombardments has been swept into the ocean. This is worse than reefs. To safely reach open sea, they have to travel back and forth in an S-shape. If we swim along that route, the cargo ship will approach us.”

“The Information Alliance is in charge of security here and I hear they’ve blocked the sea routes with smart mines that distinguish between friend and foe. I don’t know if they’ll react to a human-sized mass, but try to be careful.”

After swimming through the dark sea for a while, the cargo ship came into view. As it travelled along the narrow safe regions, it did indeed approach them.

“Wait, wait, wait. It’s pointing searchlights everywhere.”

“They’re probably actually relying on radar, but human nature makes them want to see everything with their own eyes. But it’s dark below the lights. The bright light will cause their pupils to contract incorrectly. As long as the light doesn’t directly illuminate you, they won’t see you,” explained Sewax.

“Heivia, do you have the rope ready?” asked Quenser.

“Just as you asked, Mr. Knight! Once again, I prepare the food and you get to eat it!!”

As it approached, the cargo ship’s hull rose up like a cliff. It also tilted out toward them, so it would be impossible climb by hand.

Heivia and Myonri spun around ropes with claws attached to the end and used the centrifugal force to throw them straight up. After making sure they had solidly dug into the deck’s railing, the two soldiers climbed up the cliff and onto the ship.

The cargo ship itself was a giant mass with a large volume.

As Quenser and Sewax waited in the sea for their signal, they were tossed around by the artificial current and forced to cling to the ropes.

And then something heavy fell down from above.

Quenser looked down at what had fallen next to him and found the corpse of one of the criminal organization’s guards. The man’s throat had been slit.

With a look of disgust, he brought his radio to his mouth.

“You show no mercy, do you?”

“If you have time to complain, climb up. Sharks are sensitive to the scent of blood.”

But Quenser was only a student, so he could not climb what was essentially a building wall using only a rope.

Quenser glanced over at Sewax who quickly surmounted the wall on his own, but he needed Heivia and Myonri to pull his rope up.

“C’mon. I’m a noble and you’re a commoner, so I shouldn’t be pulling you up like this.”

“More importantly, how much time do we have?”

“They’ll figure out they’ve lost someone once the periodic report comes, so we have at most ten minutes. We have no time to spare after losing some time thanks to a certain idiot!”

Myonri looked down at her handheld device while covering the small screen with her hand to keep the light from escaping.

“Dorothy is at the front of the ship.”

“Let’s do what we can. There’s no way we can seajack this thing in ten minutes.”

After Quenser and Heivia formed a pair and Myonri and Sewax formed a pair, the two pairs travelled through the piles of containers on deck while covering for each other.

As an unpleasant sweat dripped down his face, Heivia muttered to himself.

“Don’t use your gun. Rely on your knife. Don’t use your gun. After a single gunshot, you’ll have to jump into the ocean.”

Fortunately, the large number of containers (which were likely there as decoys to hide the human trafficking) provided a lot of cover. The four of them carefully travelled toward the bow of the ship while making sure they did not run into any guards.

And suddenly, they heard the roaring of the wind.

Except this was no normal wind.

“(Get down, you idiot! Don’t move!!)”

Heivia whispered quietly, grabbed the back of Quenser’s collar, and got down on the deck. Ahead of them, Myonri and Sewax pressed their backs against metal containers and held their breath. Their faces were obviously covered with an unusual amount of sweat.

Quenser belatedly realized what was going on.

What he had thought was the wind was actually a disturbance in the air caused by the movement of a great mass. It was similar to when a train rushed by a subway platform.

A sealed tunnel was one thing, but not much could do the same on the open sea.

This was the symbol of war.

It was the trademark of the era that could destroy every other weapon on the battlefield.

In other words…

[[Image:HO_v07_106.png|thumb]]

“An Object!!” he groaned while lying on the deck.

Even the mid-sized cargo ship towered above the ocean surface like a cliff, but the Object was on an entirely different level. Its spherical main body was around fifty meters tall and equipped with over one hundred different cannons. Despite the cargo ships’ immense size, it looked like a plastic miniature next to the Object.

Its presence was overwhelming.

Its sense of intimidation was overwhelming.

The sense of danger it radiated was overwhelming.

Everything about it was overwhelming.

“They’re from the Information Alliance,” said Heivia as he almost lay on top of Quenser and looked like he was about to cry. “These are second generation Objects from the Information Alliance. I think that’s the Simple Is Best and the Catapult Cargo. This is no joke. There’s no way we can take on an enemy like this.”

Heivia listed two names.

The meaning of that fact arrived along with despair as Quenser forced his neck around to observe the situation.

The cargo ship was passing between two Objects that were patrolling the dark sea. As he looked up at the towering armor and countless cannons, it somehow reminded him of a thick green tunnel made of trees.

If any one of those cannons was fired, Quenser and the others would be blasted into pieces too small to even make fish food.

But at the same time…

“We were right,” he muttered. “Even if second generation Objects are specialized toward fighting other Objects, they would have detected us if they were making full use of their sensors. But they aren’t attacking and they haven’t contacted Blue Bottle to send out his men.”

“That means this ship is not being checked. If they scanned it, they might detect all the people stuffed in the containers. The data would remain in the Object’s recorder and it would be a pain to alter it.”

But that did not mean they could move around freely.

Objects were the rulers of the battlefield. They were a non-standard monster with no natural enemies that could freely devour all other life forms before them. It was as if they had been born due to some kind of bug or mistake.

No one was stupid enough to stick their own arm in the beast’s mouth to see whether it had been tamed or not.

No one wanted to be the pitiable guinea pig.

Quenser and the others held their breath and watched the two Objects slowly move away from the cargo ship. Even then, they did not move. An uncomfortable sweat grew below their uniforms.

It came down to their intuition rather than logic.

Once the Objects were several hundred meters away, Quenser finally let out a long breath.

That was still plenty close for the second generation Objects to attack, but he still felt the relief of being in the clear.

Heivia used his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his face as he got up off of Quenser.

“Try to remember what it is we’re fighting, lady killer.”

“Now that we’re here, we have to go through with this regardless.”

The four of them began moving at the same time.

Myonri jogged ahead from one pile of containers to another. She then pointed at the first level of containers with her thumb.

“Dorothy is in here. What should we do?”

“We might as well use this chance to rescue as many of them as we can. Quenser, set up your trick as planned!”

The four of them all moved in different directions.

Heivia and Myonri grabbed the metal lever.

But then Myonri frowned.

“Wait a second. I just noticed something.”

“What is it? I don’t see any tripwires.”

“It isn’t that.”

Myonri let go of the lever to open the door and traced her finger across the string of letters printed on the metal door.

“This is a refrigerated container. This thing is basically a gigantic freezer.”

“Why the hell would they throw an 80-year-old woman in there!?”

They forcibly pulled the lever and opened the door.

As soon as the metal door opened, chilly air seemed to cut at their cheeks. Just as Myonri had said, the inside of the wall was covered in white frost.

And…

A small figure was lying on its side in the fetal position.

And it was just the one person.

“What the hell…? What the hell!? I thought Blue Bottle’s group was working in human trafficking? Why are they freezing them from the get-go!?”

“Wait! Don’t carelessly pick her up! Her exposed skin might be frozen to the container floor!”

Fortunately, Myonri’s fears were unfounded. The old woman’s hair seemed frozen, but her skin did not stick to the floor.

Heivia picked up Dorothy and carried her out of the container.

“They might have been trying to simulate hibernation,” said Sewax as he read the writing on the container.

“What?”

“There are cases of people surviving without food or water for over a month in cars buried in snow. Only one in nine survive, but their ‘merchandise’ can survive the long trip if the conditions are artificially recreated. It has better odds than leaving it up to luck after throwing them in a hot and stuffy container with water and salt.”

“I see. So that’s why they put them in separate containers.” Myonri let out a groan as she thought about this demonic plan. “It’s the same as anesthesia. The temperature is carefully calculated out based on the person’s weight, so they all need their own container.”

“So what? This isn’t going to work 100% of the time. For one thing, humans aren’t meant to hibernate like a bear! If they force it, it has to fail and cause frostbite or hypothermia in a lot of them!!”

“True, but there’s a countermeasure that’s popular among people stranded in snowy mountains. If you warm the outside of the body with lukewarm water and eat food, it will cause an increase in body temperature.”

“I guess a normal water bottle would be warm enough on a warm night like this. I only have disgusting rations for food, though.”

“If they’re conscious enough to complain about that, there’s nothing to worry about.”

Heivia and Sewax’s discussion must have brought her back to her senses because Dorothy slowly opened her eyes while her skin was oddly cold.

She looked like someone who had just woken up in the morning, but the situation was completely different.

For one thing, she had not been sleeping. Her mind was muddled enough for her memories to be a bit vague.

“That…soldier…?”

“Yes! That’s right! We’re here to save you. There’s nothing more to worry about.”

“Are you…the one named…Quenser?”

“Sorry, but there are even better guys than him in the world.”

They could not force her to do anything more.

Heivia frantically pulled out a ration that resembled a tasteless and odorless eraser and a bottle warmed by the warm night and his own body temperature.

And then he heard a noise.

Someone was peering out from behind a pile of containers. Heivia did not know who it was, but he made up his mind when he saw the shoddily-made assault rifle in his hand. He was a criminal organization guard on patrol.

He was only seven meters away.

The assault rifle hung from his shoulder on a sling belt, but he was not holding the rifle. He held a different weapon.

But it was not a handgun or a knife.

It was a glittering black sphere about one size bigger than a golf ball.

All of Heivia’s hair stood on end when he realized what it was.

“A grenade!?”

In that instant, Sewax held up his heavy camera as if pulling a handgun from its holster and he stared through the viewfinder.

(Oh, I’m dead.)

Time seemed to flow strangely slow, but he did not try to hide or cover his face with his arms. He stood stock still and continued to keep the armed man in the center of the small world cut off by his camera.

He held a Gr-021, the grenades used by the old Oceanian military government. They were rumored to be cheap copies of the Information Alliance’s grenades. They had a kill radius of five meters and an injury radius of twelve meters. The soldier may not have known how to use it properly because he was liable to be caught in the blast that killed using shrapnel rather than the explosion itself.

If the guard holding the sphere relaxed his grip, pulled out the pin, and released the safety lever, over two hundred metal grains would fly in every direction with deadly speed exactly five seconds later. Man, woman, adult, and child alike would be turned to mincemeat.

Even so, Sewax operated his camera as if it were his mission.

He wanted to take a photo that would change the world.

War would never end no matter how many hundreds of bullets were fired. The people whose bank accounts grew every time the money-devouring Objects were sent out would continue applauding in dark rooms as more blood was shed. To truly end it all, the people’s hearts had to be moved outside of what the people in charge had to gain. That was something bullets could not achieve. No matter how great a tragedy was, it would resound in no one’s heart unless a battlefield cameraman recorded it.

He had wanted an opportunity to do just that.

It did not matter if it would take the lives of a few people here. It did not matter if that danger applied to him as well. He would not regret the loss of an arm or a leg. He was willing to lose half his body if that was what it took. If he could bring home the picture that would change history and bring peace, he would proudly say he had won.

As the person who had once relied on bullets in this very country, he felt this was something he had to do no matter what.

But…

Even so…

(Is that really okay?)

Through the viewfinder, he saw Heivia crouched down while frozen in place. At his feet was a small old woman who lay groggily on the ground after being rescued from an extreme low-temperature environment.

If they died, it would likely shake some people’s hearts.

If he stored that shocking bloodshed in the small memory of his camera, he could use it to convey the truth of the battlefield.

(But is that really okay!?)

There was no point in saving just a few lives. It would mix in with all the other boring news and reach no one, so it might as well not exist. Information that reached no one was no different from information that vanished from the face of the earth. At that very moment, the people within safe countries thought the world was a peaceful place. They truly believed it. And yet the war in Oceania had yet to truly end. To ultimately end war, those people’s help was needed.

And so…

To stop the tragedies, Sewax hoped for a tragedy to occur. That contradictory mindset led him to hesitate over whether to accept or reject this situation.

And…

He finally made his decision.

A metallic sound of impact brought Heivia back to his senses.

The battlefield cameraman named Sewax had removed the neck strap attachment to the camera he valued more than his life and he threw it at the guard holding the grenade.

“I’m not going back to the way I was. I swore I would stop doing that!! I swore during that war in Oceania!!”

As Sewax shouted out in desperation, Heivia began to move. The camera was heavy, but it was not enough to knock out that large man by striking his upper body. However, the man decided to prioritize his own safety by protecting his body with his arms. And he still held the grenade in his hand. He had not released the pin or safety lever.

They had a chance.

Heivia immediately let go of the ration and water bottle and drew his large military knife with a flowing motion of his right hand. He even had enough composure to cover Dorothy’s eyes with his left hand.

He threw the knife without hesitation.

After rotating exactly ninety degrees, the tip of the blade stabbed accurately into the guard’s throat.

(Damn.)

But Heivia’s expression twisted silently.

The man did not collapse. It was a fatal blow but not enough to kill him instantly.

There was going to be a lag of a few seconds to a dozen seconds.

(I missed the center. The blade didn’t hit his spine!!)

As Heivia watched, the man’s fingers writhed like caterpillars and reached for the grenade’s metal pin. One finger passed through the ring of the pin.

All he had to do was release it now.

Pulled by gravity, the explosive fell straight down. The pin attached to his index finger was pulled out. The shock of the round grenade striking the deck was enough to release the safety lever.

It was ready to detonate.

“!!”

Heivia saw Myonri immediately pull out her handgun, so he took action. While still crouched down, he ran forward like a beast. The man with the blade in his throat could not speak, but he glared at Heivia. The ring-shaped pin on his index finger glittered in the light like a cruel piece of jewelry.

The kill radius was five meters.

The injury radius was twelve meters.

It would explode in only five seconds.

(Just killing him isn’t enough. We’ll all be caught in the blast!!)

As the guard started to fall backwards, Heivia grabbed his collar. This was not a gentlemanly attempt to support the man. He grabbed the man’s right arm, spun him around, and used the man’s waist as a fulcrum to throw him to the ground.

He threw the man on top of the grenade he had dropped.

A muffled explosion arrived an instant later.

The cheap bulletproof plate and the living flesh and bone were enough to suppress the explosion of a grenade meant to kill with shrapnel rather than the blast. In textbooks, this method was given as a means of bravely protecting one’s fellow soldiers.

Heivia was splattered with blood and guts and he desperately shouted out with a ghastly look on his face.

“Ugh, shit!! Is anyone hurt!? If not, jump into the ocean. That explosion will draw the rest of them here!!”

“Wh-what about Quenser!?”

“He’ll have heard the explosion too!!”

Myonri grabbed Dorothy who could not move properly on her own and the girl frantically jumped over the railing. Sewax picked up his camera and followed suit. Heivia grabbed a few polyurethane foam floats from the railing and threw them in the sea before jumping into the dark water himself.

The shock of falling or having her entire body covered in lukewarm seawater seemed to have helped Dorothy recover a little from her hypothermic symptoms.

She repeatedly blinked while Myonri supported her so she would not sink.

“Where is everyone…?”

As her mind cleared, her memories seemed to recover.

Her question was filled with panic.

“Where are all the others!? They were brought onboard that ship!! There are a lot more than just me!!”

It was a legitimate question, but Heivia and the others did not answer her.

The cargo ship would be on its guard now, so it would be difficult to make their way back onboard. It would be tough to fight a few dozen armed men with only four people. On top of that, there was no guarantee they would make it back safely as things were.

And then a new figure fell from the cargo ship and into the dark water.

It was Quenser who had gone elsewhere on the boat.

“Uuh… I’m gonna sink. Give me a float, too.”

“Since you escaped with that stupid look on your face, I take it you at least completed your preparations.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to here? More importantly, what was with that explosion!? You sure screwed up badly!”

With a look of extreme confusion, Dorothy looked back and forth between Quenser and Heivia.

Quenser spoke to the old woman.

“Defeating Blue Bottle’s entire organization with just the four of us would be difficult. The same goes for rescuing all of the people trapped in separate containers. And that cargo ship is under the protection of the Information Alliance, so we’re unlikely to get any help even if we ask for it.”

“Then you are going to give up? I don’t want to be the only one rescued!!” shouted Dorothy.

Quenser smiled and waved his index finger.

“But there is a wonderful magic item that can completely turn around that hopeless situation.”

“?”

That comment caught Dorothy off guard, so she stared blankly at Quenser as he spread out the “prize” he had won on the boat.

“This is it. Do you know what this is?”

===Part 16===

(This is a strange ship.)

The man referred to as Blue Bottle, the name of a poisonous jellyfish, thought blankly to himself as he sat in a chair in the cargo ship’s control room.

Ships used fuel to move. Fuel efficiency was greatly affected by the weight loaded on the ship. Normally, cargo ships were almost entirely automated and had only around a dozen people in their crew. The people themselves weighed something and they needed food and water to last them anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, so the number of people onboard was kept to a minimum.

Nevertheless, this ship had a large number of people onboard.

Officially, they were exporting scrap metal from Oceania’s ruins so it could be recycled in other countries, but a quick calculation would show some things did not add up.

“That was an explosion,” said Blue Bottle.

“We will look into it right away,” immediately replied a man staring at the instruments.

Blue Bottle doubted the refrigerated containers with the human trafficking “merchandise” inside could be opened from within and he doubted the merchandise inside could resist or escape after being kept at such a low temperature.

But his men were not proper soldiers or even trained mercenaries.

They were nothing but thugs. It was possible one of them had forgotten to lock a container or turn on its refrigeration mode.

Nevertheless, he seriously doubted they were stupid enough to let an unarmed civilian steal a gun or grenade and fight back.

Blue Bottle’s expression showed no panic or concern.

“Tell them to be careful if they kill an escapee. Just like preserved fish, their value goes down if they die. And the amount it drops changes depending on how they are killed. Blowing them to pieces with a grenade is out of the question.”

“I will tell them, but I can’t guarantee they will listen.”

Blue Bottle did not bother listening to what the other man said.

The cargo ship was not headed directly toward the country the “merchandise” was being shipped to. It would instead travel to a certain island just outside Oceanian territory and load the containers onto a different ship. Blue Bottle would remain with this cargo ship in its short journey back and forth. To make the best use the free pass given by the Information Alliance, he had wanted a setup that travelled through that area of sea as frequently as possible.

Suddenly, the same man as before continued speaking despite the conversation having ended.

“This is from the Information Alliance Object. They want to speak with you.”

“Hand it over.”

The man sitting in front of the console removed his headset and tossed it over. Blue Bottle caught it in one hand and brought the microphone to his mouth without putting it on his head.

“What is it? We paid the fee. If you cause any unnecessary problems here, the Objects from other world powers will notice. The Information Alliance doesn’t want to damage its public image, does it? You can’t have our arrangement come to light.”

“That’s why I contacted you,” replied a staticky and slightly irritated voice. “Why are you not following our arrangement? Our free pass means nothing otherwise. We are forced to handle this normally.”

“Wait. I don’t understand. Explain what you mean.”

“The flag.” The polite Elite spoke slowly as if kindly speaking to a young child who was only just learning to speak. “Our Information Alliance flag should be on the bow of your cargo ship. Without that, we cannot prove you are under our protection. If you do not obey our arrangement, we must perform a surprise check like we normally would.”

As Quenser entrusted his life to a hard float in the dark ocean, he threw away a piece of cloth printed with the Information Alliance logo and spoke.

“Their ship was treated differently because they were announcing that they were under the Information Alliance’s protection by displaying their flag. They have a free pass with the Information Alliance and it would cause conflict if the Legitimacy Kingdom or Capitalist Corporations performed a surprise check on a ship approved by them. They had intentionally set up that situation so they could carry out things they wanted kept secret.”

“Th-then…” Dorothy looked toward the flag floating away on the waves. “If you take that flag…”

“At the very least, they won’t be treated differently anymore. The Information Alliance will have to perform the same check as with a normal ship. If they let them go, the Legitimacy Kingdom or Faith Organization would try to perform a check instead.”

“B-but!” frantically exclaimed Dorothy because there were human lives on the line. “Will that really save everyone? I thought the Information Alliance was friends with that ship. Won’t they perform an intentionally insufficient check and give their approval without looking inside the containers?”

“Perhaps. In fact, that would be the best option from their point of view. They need to perform a check before the other world powers can. They can give their approval and announce that no one else needs to check the ship. Then no one will find out there are people in those containers.”

“Th-then…!!”

“But,” said Quenser, cutting off Dorothy. He held a radio in his hand. “That’s why I set up another trick.”

The Information Alliance’s naval patrol boat rushed over.

The others in the cargo ship’s control room muttered nervously, but Blue Bottle was not worried.

It was not that he had given up.

It was quite the opposite.

An Information Alliance group he held sway with had taken action before security teams from the other world powers could intervene. Once the Information Alliance group boarded the ship, they would perform an intentionally shoddy inspection and give them approval. Rechecking the ship would be seen as doubt in the Information Alliance, so doing so was implicitly stated to create cracks in the friendly relationship between coalition members.

Why had their flag vanished?

That mystery remained. One of his men may have forgotten his instructions, it may have been poorly attached and blew away in the wind, or someone may have maliciously removed it.

But no matter the reason, they could recover.

An oddity of that level would not defeat Blue Bottle.

“The Information Alliance security team is requesting permission to board. What should we do?”

“Hide nothing. Give them permission according to normal procedures. Do not leave any unnatural actions in their records. There is no reason to panic here. This group is in on it.”

Having said that, Blue Bottle took several men and left the control room. He was on his way to greet the Information Alliance security team. And that was not a criminal euphemism for shooting them. He was truly going to greet them.

He stepped out onto the deck and found several thick metal devices attached to the railing. Synthetic fiber ropes were attached and men dressed all in black were climbing up from below.

One of the men gave a polite salute to Blue Bottle while carefully articulating each word and syllable of his script.

“This is a surprise inspection in order to stop international crime within Oceania. We will be inspecting your crew and cargo.”

“Fine. Do as you wish.”

Upon receiving permission, the men in black formed teams of two and scattered across the ship.

All of this was pre-arranged.

It was possible the other world powers forming the coalition were watching with a satellite or an Object’s ultra long distance sensors, so they had to perform a bit of role playing for safety’s sake. Nothing would go wrong and anything illegal would not be recorded. That was the agreement.

Blue Bottle spoke to one man in black standing nearby.

“How long should this take?”

“There are a lot of containers, so we would like an hour to check through them all.”

“…That’s a long time.”

“We are not doing this because we want to.”

That last comment sounded like an implicit accusation regarding the missing flag.

Even if it was meant to keep them safe, it was hard to put up with this when it would accomplish nothing. Every minute and every second seemed to stretch on forever. He had to maintain his expression and attitude in case they were being viewed from afar, but he felt as if he would yawn if he let his guard down.

But then he heard what sounded like a light explosion.

It came from the ship and it was clearly the sound of gunpowder exploding.

“I won’t let it all go so smoothly,” said Quenser while pressing the switch on his radio. “The leaders of this Information Alliance group and criminal organization have an agreement to get along, but not all the criminal thugs will be privy to all that information. After all, secret arrangements are made behind closed doors. The more the big boss handles those things on his own, the less the men working below him know.”

“Heh. So even if this is actually all a farce, you’re saying not everyone in the criminal organization will be aware of it? All they know is the Information Alliance security team has boarded them after some kind of mistake and the cargo ship is full of their half-dead human trafficking ‘merchandise’. They can’t let that get out, so they’ll be staring at the Information Alliance’s guns with their heart pounding.”

The same naturally went for the Information Alliance security team.

The leader would know about the understanding with the criminal organization and the soldiers underneath him may have received an explanation. But could they really trust those criminals? They might have been lying. Who knows when those uncontrolled criminals would fire. They would be filled with those fears.

“So.” Quenser slowly shook the radio. “With a small impetus, the guns they have pointed at each other will start to go off. For example, a radio signal could lead an electric fuse to cause an explosive noise and they could mistake it for the ‘first shot’.”

Fuses were tools used to induce the detonation of an explosive by providing a strong stimulus.

They were made to create a more intense explosion than a firecracker.

And the ocean night was filled with countless bursting noises.

A few of them were the electric fuses Quenser had prepared ahead of time, but some of the noises were clearly different. If one paid careful attention, they were obviously different noises, but these people were not calm enough for that.

“Stop them!!”

Blue Bottle covered his ears with his hands and approached a pile of metal containers while yelling at the nearby Information Alliance man. If he had not yelled, his voice would have been drowned out by the explosive noises.

“Which side shot!? It doesn’t matter! Stop them!! This is a meaningless battle. Didn’t your higher ups explain this to-…!?”

Blue Bottle trailed off.

With a damp noise, the man in black he had been speaking to collapsed to the side. His head slammed into the container and red blood splattered across the wall as if a fruit had been crushed there. Simply slamming his head against the wall would not cause that much blood. A bullet had obviously disturbed the contents of his head. The cargo ship was enveloped in such chaos that it was impossible to tell which side of the conflict the bullet had come from.

“Shit!!”

Blue Bottle felt a chill run down his spine and pulled his handgun from its holster.

And then his gaze met that of an Information Alliance soldier.

A short pause followed.

As soon as his thoughts recovered, Blue Bottle realized he had committed a fatal mistake.

“N-no!! I wasn’t trying to fight!!”

He words did not reach the soldier.

As soon as the soldier’s gun barrel moved to target him, Blue Bottle reflexively fired three bullets into the foolish soldier’s upper body.

Naturally, everyone aboard the chaotic ship witnessed it.

There was no going back now.

A hopeless battle with one of the world powers had begun.

===Part 17===

Froleytia Capistrano held her head in her hands.

A female operator’s reserved voice filled the operation control room.

“The battle has ended aboard cargo ship Mistral near St. Frank International Harbor. Level of damage to the Information Alliance team is unknown. It appears they have successfully retreated. The bodies of the crew are still being counted. They have likely all been killed.”

A sudden firefight had been detected aboard a cargo ship near Oceania. A Legitimacy Kingdom naval security team had intervened in the name of aiding the Information Alliance team being attacked.

The problem was the fact that Quenser and Heivia of the 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion were floating in the ocean near the cargo ship. They looked pleased with themselves and carried an old woman with them.

“Thirty nine civilians have been discovered within the refrigerated containers. This matches the information from Quenser Barbotage and Heivia Winchell.”

“I see.”

“Also, a man closely resembling an important criminal known as Blue Bottle has been discovered among the corpses. His identity is currently being checked, but if it really is him, they are likely correct about the Mistral being owned by a criminal organization active across Oceania.”

“One filthy man isn’t enough to make up for this,” muttered Froleytia under her breath.

She changed her train of thought and focused on her transmission with a distant superior Legitimacy Kingdom officer. Even if Froleytia controlled an entire battalion, she still had to refer to this person as a superior officer.

“The human trafficking organization has been eliminated, but the Information Alliance has evidence that men from my unit intervened. They will begin applying diplomatic pressure before long. This might also start another military conflict.”

“Oh, I’d say it’s 100% guaranteed to do that,” replied the young man in a lighthearted tone. “But this would have ended the same even if your men had not acted.”

“?”

“What if they had learned of the human trafficking organization, but returned without doing anything? Or what if you had done nothing in response to the wrong number from the kidnapper? Once harm had come to Oceanian civilians, the Information Alliance would have anonymously blamed the Legitimacy Kingdom. They would have called us despicable cowards who sacrificed civilians to protect ourselves from the mafias and gangs. They would have said someone like that has no place on the coalition that is provisionally ruling the peace of Oceania. From the moment this began, we had no choice but to accept the fight they were picking with us.”

“Then that wrong number…”

“It seems odd, doesn’t it? Most likely, the Information Alliance intentionally gave the criminal organization the wrong number for the girl’s home. I also read in your report that the girl was strapped with a bomb when she was rescued from the abandoned hospital. A bomb that would be activated with a phone.”

“I get it now. If they simply planned to get as much money from her family as they could and never intended to release her, they would not have needed such a dangerous setup.”

“They wanted to create an obvious civilian victim right away. If you had failed there, they would have their justification to say we were exposing the people of Oceania to danger and needed to be eliminated for Oceania’s sake.”

It made sense.

It was obvious what they gained from it.

The housewives in safe country living rooms watching variety shows with popcorn in one hand would accept that reason for war.

But…

“In that case, the Information Alliance dug their own grave,” said Froleytia. “They created a pipeline with human traffickers of all things.”

“I doubt they were careless enough to leave any conclusive evidence behind. They are the world power that puts the most emphasis on information, after all. No matter what anyone claims, they can insist it was nothing but a desperate bluff on the criminal organization’s part.”

The superior officer’s tone remained lighthearted.

Yet his words cut accurately into the history of mankind.

“But if we are going to go to war regardless, it is easier for us on the political side if the reason has less of a bad aftertaste. You did well. And we will accept the fight they were so insistent that we begin.”

“Understood.”

The transmission came to an end.

Froleytia let out a long sigh before finally speaking quietly.

“Then let’s begin talking about war.”

===Part 18===

Quenser, Heivia, Myonri, Sewax, and the old woman named Dorothy were brought back to land by the Legitimacy Kingdom naval security team’s patrol boat. A military vehicle from the 37th Mobile Maintenance Battalion picked them up there and took them to the maintenance base zone. On the way, they were repeatedly asked what had happened from people with curious looks. Each time they repeated their tale of heroism, they were struck lightly by a fist. However, the soldiers that complained and struck Quenser and Heivia all had smiles in their eyes.

“Where are we going?” asked Dorothy as she stared at the cityscape outside the window.

“You will be brought home…or to your hotel since you’re a tourist. Anyway, it seems your daughter and her husband have been invited to the base, so you can have your emotional reunion there,” replied Quenser casually.

The military four-wheel drive vehicle returned to the familiar maintenance base zone. When the soldiers on guard duty at the gate heard what had happened, they stared at Quenser and the others like they were some kind of rare animal.

“Hey, Quenser. Doesn’t it look like the rumor has already spread throughout the base?”

“I wish I could view that in as positive a light as you. We might be on our way to the detention barracks.”

The maintenance base was made up of over one hundred large vehicles. They thought they were being led to the section used for lodgings, but the military vehicle stopped partway there.

They had likely been spotted through the window because a man and woman who looked like tourists run out of the lodgings.

Dorothy’s eyes opened wide and she moved her trembling lips.

She looked like she was seeing people she had never expected to see again.

“That is my daughter and her husband… My grandchild is there too.”

Quenser opened the vehicle’s door.

Dorothy used all her strength to run through the maintenance base which was lit up by so many lights it did not seem like nighttime.

“…”

In that moment, the battlefield cameraman named Sewax naturally peered through his camera’s viewfinder.

A photo of a family tearfully embracing may not have been sensational or shocking enough to be titled “the truth of the battlefield”.

It was not going to win any world-famous awards and it was not enough to make one’s name as a photographer.

But that photograph surely had something powerful enough to move the world.

<noinclude>{{HEAVYOBJECT Nav|prev=HEAVY OBJECT:Volume7 Prologue|next=HEAVY OBJECT:Volume7 Chapter 2}}</noinclude>

Tsurugi no Joou to Rakuin no Ko:Volume 2 Chapter 3

2013-12-22T20:54:36Z

173.51.129.107: /* Chapter 3 – The Archbishop */

==Chapter 3 – The Archbishop ==

Zaccaria was located in the southwest of the Seven Kingdoms of the Realm. If taking the sea into consideration, it was the closest to the mountain springs of Zijno in all of the land. The people of the Kingdom did pray to God, but their faith did not run deep. Some thought this was so because the common people were well off; others thought that it was because of the bustling trade that brought together different cultures. Everything set aside, compared to the Grand Cathedral's in the land, Zaccaria churches were rather simple.

"And that's why I didn't want to come to Zaccaria!"

The archbishop sat on the church podium, while complaining with a disgruntled look. His obese body could not be fully hidden behind the platform, even looking directly toward him you could still his buttocks overflowing from behind the podium.

"This church is so small, it can probably hold no more than two thousand people. This pipe organ is also too small. The daily meals is also a problem! "

Being expelled from Prinzi Novoro<ref group="2-3">'''Prinzi Novoro''': previously Princinopolis</ref> took precedence and in the Archbishop reasoning would have preferred going to St. Carillon, instead of the neighboring Zaccaria because of this reason.

"How can this thing even be called a pipe organ!" It's sound should be loud enough to shake the church and to reach out into the streets so common people can hear the sermon praising God's Divinity! Without this apparatus, I simply cannot address the people, if you know what we used in Prinzi Novoro, you would know how shabby this Church is! "

The Archbishop said in a tone that carried his anger, while seating in his Holy Seat which he was once so proud of.

"Please be patient about it, have a seat." Francesca said while standing on the right hand side of the Archbishop, with a gracious smile to appease him. "As for the choir part, we have prepared a lot of cute girls. 」

"Ah." Archbishop immediately reveal a joyful expression after hearing this, tossing his tipple chin up and down like mad. " Part of the carol I can personally guide from beginning to end , O-ho-ho. 」

"It would be wonderful. The chorus girls should be very happy. However, please take care of your body, paying attention to keep everyone satisfied."

Francesca wanted to quickly throw the bait out and draw back, but beside the Knights there was someone else puckering his brow, showing a very cold look. Chris could see the entire scene very clearly from the church entrance.

While Chris was in the army under the care of the Holy Kingdom he had already heard of the Archbishop of Prinzi Novoro special "hobby". Now his eyes were carefully looking at Francesca -- Francesca didn't know what to think, she was wearing a very sensational dress which displayed her chest. Even their conversation clearly linked with his knowledge from when he was in the army.

The one standing guard on the other side of the church entrance was Gilbert. Chris was spying on his reaction. He was all dressed in black with a rock hard face, starring inside the church. He seemed rather tense, ready to storm the church if his master Francesca was in any danger.

"Now that we have solved these issues can we return to the military issue?"

At this time a formidable knight slanted to pull a small table, the general then coughed twice to speak. Chris had once heard the name of the general on the battlefield, but he could not remember it.

"We gathered here in the name of stopping the military forces of the Seven Kingdoms, now it is the time to discuss military issues. The Holy Kingdom has stationed twenty thousand military personnel in St. Carillon, now we cannot afford to relax our vigilance."

"Yes, as soon as you confess to God, let us go to the St . Carillon and finish it quickly, and next."

News has arrived that our army has suffered a crushing defeat, and they are trying desperately to escape Meddecia's generals from St. Carillon.

"I'm a tool for God's voice!" The displeased the Archbishop made this remark. "You rarely have the chance to use my name to gather and send troops for your selfish interests. Your duty is to get back my holy church. Gathered together all the men you can find. And in my name to send troops, all troops, and retake what is mine immediately! "

"Calm down! However --" One of the most senior heads of Gianni Campagna Knights could not help but raise his voice to speak and said: "Even if you really want to send troops to recapture Prinzi Novoro, we also need to deal with the military stronghold of Meddecia, St. Carillon is east by land, with a Holy Kingdom garrison there, we simply can not move. Even bypassing the Gulf southward, the rest of the soldiers will take too long to catch up with the main force!"

"You can't move by sea? From here out by ship, it won't take longer then three days to arrive in Prinzi Novoro." said the Archbishop.

"There is no ship that can transport tens of thousands of troops!"

"No ship has been made yet! With the King of Zaccaria financial resources, several ships can be made and nobody -- well the flagship can be named after me."

Although not everyone sighed, but one can feel the atmosphere of the scene turning into turmoil. Not considering the results of doing this. The Archbishop simply never considered how much money and manpower is needed to build warship's that can transport so many people ...

Laying siege to the city of St . Carillon would result in casualties on both sides in the end, bringing together all of the military forces of the Kingdom the meetings were soon started, but Archbishop's stubborn attachment to go straight back to the Prinzi Novoro case, the Principality Coalition has been unable to reach a consensus.

Formerly a mercenary of the Holy Kingdom army, the many laid back attitudes of the leaders behind the Principality made very clear the effective strength of the coalition. Hearing a humming sound, he turned to look back at the podium to see sitting in a chair a part of the problem, the Archbishop.

- Francesca also intended to send such troops ... Chris thought, but it is also impossible.

In fact all of the kingdoms of the East, had a longer history then the Holy Kingdom. Therefore, these nobles dignity is much higher then the strength of their own country, kept refusing to face up to reality. Francesca is young, and she is a woman; Even though she was draped with the exploit of saving the Archbishop, but bringing the leaders together in a common goal is not easy at all. Her fame is not enough to unify the views of these countries generals.

"Forget It Forget it! Your faith is not strong enough for these guys!" Archbishop all had herein rose with his Holy Robe fluttering. "You just look at the missing Cathedral, your country and people will not have God's favor. The only ones to worship Dushanda are the people of the Holy Kingdom, but now they have defield the sermons in the Holy Place of God -- Prinzi Novoro, has yet to be returned! You cannot feel God's anger, and you still go on like this, I'll excommunicate you from the Palkai Faith, you are all heretics!

Heresy -- hearing this term all of the Knights present turned pale.

Faith on the battlefield is nothing but a joke, but these knights and their reaction, although they can kill Chris while looking him in the eyes, for all of those that have been brought up in the Palkai religion, being treated as heretics is worse then the death penalty. Because they are denied even of their place of rest after their death.

In a tense atmosphere, the Archbishop left the altar lurching his fat body.

"... I did not expect the atmosphere to become like this ..."

"We had no intention of blasphemy. However ... "

"What do you wish to do? If you send a small number of troops, by land ..."

"No sense to do so."

"If we send troops to Prinzi Novoro by land, how long would it take to reach it?"

"By land, in about five days. "

"But if our actions are found by the Holy Kingdom army in St. Carillon, should it takes more then seven days, we will be attacked from behind. "

"We can only spend two days ... capture Prinzi Novoro in two days ..."

"Right now the Holy Kingdom army stationed in Prinzi Novoro numbers around ten thousand. And if the southern garrison sends support, fighting them is easier said then done. "

While the knights had nothing else to add, a girl's voice suddenly broke in:

"If it was only a thousand troops by sea, then there would be no problems."

Everyone turned to look in silence while listening to Francesca. Their faces were all filled with surprise.

"Princess Francesca, what are you talking about?"

"Thousands of troops by sea... how many times would we have to move back and forth to get a large force? We might as well go by land, bull riding is still faster."

General Wysla Zinnia threw such a joke, in the surrounding, contemptuous laughter could also be heard.

"No such thing, just the Order of the Silver Egg will be the vanguard and go by sea first. You will take the land route and protect the Archbishop on the road to Prinzi Novoro."

Francesca's statement made the people around dumbstruck.

"You are going to use one thousand troops to take Prinzi Novoro?"

"Of course, that's what I mean. "

"That's not going to work, your Highness, you cannot bring such an odd strategy to fruition!"

"The battle of St. Carillon was just to rescue the archbishop, but to regain the cathedral and fight ten thousand enemy troops, our reinforcements sent by land will simply be too late to support you."

"This is the will of the Archbishop under God, you have other ways of doing it?"

Francesca with a smile on her face interrupted the Knight that tried to speak:

"Gentlemen generals with great fanfare you will march on St. Carillon for appearances, but also careful of spies, on hearing the news, the Kingdom Army troops will not be able to depart from St. Carillon."

Several generals turned their heads around to listen.

"First when you reach the entrance of the southern tip of the peninsula, wait to hear a message from the Order of the Silver Egg of our arrival in Prinzi Novoro, if our army banners did not arrive at Prinzi Novoro, urge the troops to retreat. So you do not have your escape route blocked behind you by the Holy Kingdom army."

"Ah." "Oh, I see..." "that is so that at least we do not suffer a crushing defeat in battle."

Several generals have nodded in agreement. Gilbert saw all of this from the door, but had no reaction, it was probably already the norm -- it seemed like Chris was the only person that was flustered.

"However Your Highness, if you are unable to take Prinzi Novoro and the cathedral, aren't you going to be isolated and helpless? "

"Of this point, I am of course aware."

Again there was a general outcry.

"We don't mind, and we might be able to persuade the Archbishop of this. However the Archbishop may feel he needs to take command of the troops to call them to action in his name."

Francesca said this is for her to deal with, and with the consent of everyone they agreed to dissolve the meeting.

After all the generals departed, only the three members of the Order of the Silver Egg were left, Chris couldn't resist asking Francesca:

"What is with this combat methods, ah? You really plan on doing this?!"
In the church, only the loud voice from Chris echoed in the empty space.

"I would like to come out of the war as the victor. " Francesca shrugged her shoulders. Such reactions made Chris suddenly unable to react.

If you calm down, and think from the Generals point of view, Francesca is indeed correct. Because if the vanguard does not take Prizni Novoro, then the Principality Coalition will take loses from the Holy Kingdom forces, behind them the troops at the St. Carillon garrison, in front the Prinzi Novoro garrison, they will be caught in a crossfire.

After we take Prinzi Novoro, just the Order of the Silver Egg alone has to defend the Holy City, even if I am good that is nearly impossible. That is why I need them to confidenlty come by land with additional troops." Fran said.

"What if you cannot capture it--"

Francesca reached her slender forefinger and pasted it onto Chris's lips, blocking Chris's mouth. Chris blushed and hurriedly backed away.

"Listen, about what to do if we lose, it is always the Commander's duty to think of something, you should not think about it."

Chris couldn't help but swallow a sigh of relief after listening – indeed. This is not something a soldier can decide. They can only believe in the commander, or don't believe in commander.

"Say Chris, the same type of battle, the same stringent conditions, had you not been done this many times?"

After this sentence, Chris had nothing left to say.

While he was in the Holy Kingdom army, he participated in the campaign at Prinzi Novoro agains Raiders -- that was at the time the largest battle he participated in -- Chris was part of an suicide assault, and through the bodies of his colleagues, he opened the gate from inside. However a whole year has passed since then, he cannot really believe in his capacity as a member of the Order of the Silver Egg, that they will worry about losing this battle.

-- I had no such thoughts when I was ordered to participate in the assault ... what... did i begin to fear death? When did I become so soft...

Francesca smiled and shook her head.

"It's not that you have changed, but you are no longer a man standing alone on the battlefield."

She said as she moved her gaze to Gilbert. While the Black Knight shrugged and otherwise said nothing.

- I ... I am no longer by himself? So, I become weak...

At this time, he could hear the sound of footsteps coming from behind him.

"Fran, I brought you a change of clothes."

Chris turned to look and the owner of the voice - is Minerva. She stopped in the middle of the church with benches on either side, then quickly looked away.

She deliberately went around the long way, bypassing Chris she walked near the church wall to Francesca, and while pouting , said: "Just because Paola has other things to do, do not treat me like a servant!"

"Ah? Who else do you think can go into my room get me new clothes -- Thank you by the way, now please help me change into them. We can use the confessional for me to change."

"I told you not to treat me like a servant, and you still do! Besides, why in a place like this--"

"If Meena does not want to, then Chris, come along and help me change clothes."

"You're kidding me!"

Minerva right hand pick the clothes, the left hooked Francesca's arm, pulled her into the confessional.

- Minerva ... From that day she did not even look at me ...

--Because she dreamed of being as I kill predicted ... ...

--If genuine then sending troops to Prinzi Novoro, in that case the prophecy ...

At this point in time Chris became aware--Originally, I was not alone... Is such a thing...

--So I am afraid to go to the battlefield. Because Minerva might be killed by the blade of an enemy at any time, and my blade within reach ...

Chris looked up at Minerva and Francesca to see them going inside the wooden confessional. He knew that he was thinking something very foolish. He is a man who lived as a mercenary his entire life, and he may not be able to live without the sword.

As he was lost in thought, Minerva's voice suddenly drifted out:

" ... Hey, Fran ... T-This dress is what is the matter, why do you want to replace the clothes!"

"Meena do you not want to try them on?" I think they will look great on you!"

"Who is going to wear this kind of clothes!"

From inside the confessional such a conversation could be hear. Chris inexplicably felt embarrassed, and turned around to leave the church.

"Princess Fran did not say you could go. 」

Gilbert deep voice, pierced Chris's ears, so he stopped.

"...Doesn't matter, I mean, Well the meeting has ended. Moreover, they are changing their clothes..."

"The military meeting to be chaired by Princess Fran hasn't started yet! Right now only our work as guards has finished. You can also learn the habits of Princess Fran."

Gilbert seemed troubled. Chris cocked his head, failing to understand -- this is ... What does it mean?

This time the confessional door opened, Francesca and Minerva walked outside it. Chris looked at both of them -- Frances was wearing very colorful clothes already nothing like the clothes of a knight commander, but now the dress she wore was more like the clothes of a noble woman, it could even be called gaudy, making him feel like rushing out of the church right now.

"This ... What is this about ..." Chris said.

"Looks good, right?"

"This ... Looks good--not! "

"I am going to go into a separate military conference with the Archbishop next. I heard he likes to make women wear clothes like these - Gill, do not bother coming all right. "

Minerva was shocked to hear this. Francesca waved her hand and softly walked in the direction the Archbishop went beside the altar.

"Fran, stop!"

By the time Minerva recovered and tried to catch up, the door had been - fiercely closed shut in front of Minerva.

"I'll teach you to stop, Fran--Gilbert, you let go of me ... Fran, your brains have burned out!" Minerva cried out.

"<Woman> This identity is a weapon for Princess Fran, you should have already recognized this, do not bother her. "

"Even if this is the case - you, why are you so calm, ah!"

Gilbert did not answer, he turned toward opposite to the door Francesca entered, climbed the stairs and begun moving on that floor.

"Hey! Gilbert!"

"Meena, don't scream inside the church, I can now go see where Princess Fran is staying."

Gilbert went to the pipe organ and opened a trap-door. A brass cover could be seen on the floor.

"The Archbishop's room is below. The voices can pass through the brass cover. If anything happens, we can jump from the main pipe."

Gilbert gave the explanation leaving Chris and Minerva speechless --nevertheless they approached to better understand the situation.

"You ... have investigated this place before?"

"Of course I listened to Princess Fran saying that she wants to use this method to persuaded the Archbishop."

With that said, Gilbert affixed his ears to the brass cover. It was a very strange appearance, but Chris also being worried about Francesca's safety had followed suit.

"Chris, you are not allowed to stick so close, so go over there. " said Minerva.

"This ...Where do you want me to go? This is very narrow. "

"You be quiet, so I can listen to the situation below."

Gilbert elbowed Chris, Chris also focused his attention on the sounds coming from bellow. The whistling flow of air came from the ventilation pipe into the room.

『... I didn't expect, Oh, a beautiful woman like you becoming a Knight commander, what a pity. I don't know the people will think of King Zaccaria. Obviously there are many ways to make it so you didn't have join the army. 』

『I, your servant<ref group="2-3">'''I, Your servant''': deprecatory self-reference for women </ref> personally would have to dedicate their body and their all to the army. 』

『Ah, what are you saying, you are going to regain the Holy Land and as well as it's people, on the battlefield? "

『Of course, as well as the Archbishop Seat. 』

『All right, all right. The day when we retake the Cathedral, you can become my Knight Patron of the Church, okay? However, at that time you will stay at my side and attend to all of my important needs. 』

『I, your servant would be honored!』

Chris could feel his body cramping up; Although Minerva did not take this dialogue seriously, but she also thought this conversation was really disgusting. Hearing the voice of the Archbishop, was as if it was oil and moist flab infecting one's own ears.

『As long as you like, when I stay in Zaccariesco, you can stay with me to serve me. I can help you make a special blessing ceremony. Military meeting ended, so now I can bare along with a special ceremony to reward you, oh. 』

Buzzing ~ ~ a shrill sound of metal distorting was heard and Chris looked up quickly... It was Minerva stroking her forehead with her hands -- She managed to clutch the brass tube with such astonishing strength that it deformed, making a loud noise.

"Minerva, calm down, or they will hear it!" said Chris.

"Don't tell me to calm down, If that pig even dares to touch Fran!"

『--Ah, later, this is what you ... 』

『Ha-Ha, You don't need to be afraid, it's just a blessing ceremony with the help of a secret kiss, you can depend on it.』

The brass pipe in Minerva's hands was beginning to cut her.

『Later, prior to this, let's discuss the issues of sending the army.』

『What, you still have more to say on the army matter? Why do you wish to lead the vanguard? Me leading the entire army would be better.』

『I, Your servant personally want to go inside Prinzi Novoro and claim the next seat, so a proper vanguard to take Prinzi Novoro. Moreover, after the battle, the cathedral altar and prayer rooms are likely to be dirty, someone will have to go first to clean up. I, your servant personally believe that is Holy Kingdom tarnished Holy Church. 』

『Ho, ho-ho, you are a sweetheart, almost like a newly married bride -- OK, OK, I got it, get it done right. 』

『What about you going in my bedroom and waiting for me, this is not a problem, right?』

『Yes, I, your servant personally will be sure to go. 』

"Say now, these clothes are good, but my preference is like this ..."

『Have to sit down, can not continue ~ ~』

Minerva flushed and turned to go out of the outlet, Chris also quickly stood up. Now this is not a matter of the degree where they can sit back and watch. But Gilbert's hand pulled Minerva by the shoulder to stop her. Not have much room here, Chris could not move.

"What you're doing, Fran is about to get the pig to-"

"Princess Fran can get out of this. You were just about to waste her entire effort!"

"How can you say such a thing!"

Minerva was right. That fierce-looking dangling vulgar man, just reached out and touched Francesca making everyone panic. She even passed her anger onto Gilbert -- why does Francesca have to suffer such treatment! Is this battle that important to you... But just when she was about to go in, she became aware. Gilbert had the long sword in the scabbard hanging on his waist, his hand shaking on the handle of the sword -- he is in fact suppressing his anger.

At this time, they were no longer listening on the brass pipe, footsteps sounded inside the Church -- and then came a girl's voice:

"Princess Fran! Princess Fran, are you here? Sorry, I'm late! You told me to go to your room and get your clothes, but I couldn't find them! I has no choice but to come to you--"

It was Paola's voice. Chris and Minerva turned to look at each other, then the altar door open again, coupled with the roar of the Archbishop--

"Whoa ah ah ah ah ah -?"

The sound of rolling followed by a fat body slamming and shaking the ground could be heard.

"ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah! I am sorry! I am sorry! I am sorry! I am sorry! -- "

Paola high-pitched cries echoed; a little while after the chaos, through the pipe organ parts, there came a strange mechanical sound, and now they can no longer stay in this room -- Minerva changed from a look of shock, to reveal a pleasant face, then brushed aside Gilbert's hand.

Gilbert shrugged and sighed, then followed Minerva out of the room. Chris looked at them like this and feeling that the danger passed, felt at easy and revealed a smile.

<center><span style="font-size: 200%;">◊ ◊ ◊</span></center>

"Chris, Meena, you both love worrying too much. "

Francesca at the garrison siting at the same table for dinner spoke so, and then laughed out loud.

"The Duke's daughter body will only be given to the man I love."

"Who is the man Princess Fran loves?" Paola asks while putting soup into her bowl.

"I haven't found any man worth of having my virginity, so at present I'm still single, alone on the battlefield trying to climb back and forth. " Francesca blurted out the words while deliberately facing the direction of the door, soldiers could be heard outside.

[[Image:TnJtRnK v02 061.jpg|thumb|x200px]]
They did not dine in the Castle, but in a room inside the camp. Gathered at the door were the soldiers of the Order of the Silver Egg already here as an impenetrable wall keeping other outside. They listened to the dialogue inside and at the same time were relieved. This was loud enough that even Chris heard it all.

It was of course because news of the Archbishop laying his hands on Francesca were spread around.

"Chastity, virginity! Why do we arrive at this topic now all of a sudden!"

Paola flushed red, almost dropping the soup bowl in her hands. The imminent peril at the time to preserve the princess chastity other then the people involved nobody else seemed to have an absolute understanding of what has happened from beginning to end. Francesca smiled, looked at her and didn't tell her anything.

"I do not know exactly what you had planned, but you really don't have too much vigilance of it!" Minerva from start to finish, said in a straight face, angrily biting the bread in her hands.

"I did not lower my vigilance, I did it to lure him in. I opened the gates."

"Even worse!"

"I had this planned out with Gilbert."

While hearing the topic of the conversation switching over to him, the silent guard captain only gave a brief glance.

"Only Gilbert believed that I can simultaneously preserve the operational plan I have proposed, and my virginity."

The most difficult part to accept is that, Francesca actually put the plan toghether with the intent to seduce the Archbishop and informed Gilbert in advance, Gilbert with a surprisingly calm expresion discussed the whole plan together with his master.

"If there is sufficient trust between each other, something can be said about it. 」

Francesca said and she pointedly glanced at Chris, and then looked to Minerva's lower body. Chris froze for a moment, then Francesca's attention was immediately moved to the top part of the same target.

- If you have enough trust between each other ...

--But ... She refused to tell me anything ... Something about her dream ...

At this time Minerva and Chris line of sight came into contact. She was holding a piece of cheese that slipped out through her fingers. Then she quickly stood up, her cheeks flushed red.

"Meena? Did you finish eating?"

Ignoring Paola's question, Minerva turned around and headed toward the door.

"Huh?" "Ah!" "Wah-wah ......"

Minerva abruptly opened the door,the Order of the Silver Egg officers and soldiers wall colapsed instantly pilling up on the ground, throwing dust into the air. Minerva cut through the swarm of men in the corridor, hearing her footsteps in the distance Chris could not help but stand up. "Minerva!" He ran out the door but by this time all of the soldiers had gotten back up. "Hey, Hey, Chris, that... did anything alarming happen with the princess?"

"That ... I heard the Archbishop wanted ... is that true?"

"The lips do not chirp ~ ~ right?"

"Ah, hey! Chris!"

Chris did not answer half a sentence, he pushed a group of people that were still on the ground, and he hurried after Minerva.

He ran down the stairs and to the entrance of the garrison caught up with the back of that red hair.

"Minerva! Wait!"

As the same time as hearing his voice, the red hair suddenly flared from the wind fully covering his entire sight, then falling down - Minerva suddenly squatted on the floor.

It was already dark now, outside the barracks wall usually street prostitutes were waiting for clients, but there were no other people.

"...Minerva..."

When Chris called again, hearing the sound of her name, her shoulders shook up all of a sudden ...

"Frank said, you will take it seriously ... "

"Hey..."

"T-There are some things that you simply - simply do not know ... "

Minerva was holding her shoulders, her murmur sounding somewhat helpless.

"So can you please stop always asking ... "

"But..."

Chris came out chasing after Minerva on pure impulse, he himself had no idea what he wanted to say to her.

If Minerva did not have a foresight in her dreams, that told him, the reason was that he was not sufficiently trusted, this thought really makes him feel sad. But now he looked at Minerva unable to comfort her pain and sorrow away, no way of helping. This made himself feel truly deplorable.

"If your dreams make you so sad, even if not all of it, but if you can say a part little by little to me..."

"You fool, you showing a little compassion is kind of boring!" Minerva still didn't turn around. "I'm not like Fran, I can't talk about that sort of thing!"

--That sort of thing?

Chris thought ......The hard to tell thing that Minerva is hiding is not really something that makes her feel uncomfortable about, but is -- that she was embarrassed of it?

--Yes, Women that travel the battlefield on a daily basis, may bump into some embarrassing circumstances...

"T-That... Minerva, what about that dream..." Chris shouldn't have blurted out his speculations, but couldn't stop his mouth from moving: "This, this would not be... With virginity or... Something like that?"

Minerva turned and stood up at the same time, with a fierce expression and red hair shaking hard on Chris's face, "You, you--you idiot--"

The she hit Chris with a heavy blow that he mercilessly hit the barracks wall.

For the next two full days, every-time Minerva saw Chris she refused to talk.

==Translator's notes & references==

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