Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.3

Record.3: The Condition of the Previous Demon-Lord

1

Student’s town, Mstier.

What awaited them once they took a step outside the town was green plain that spread before their vision. The footpath made from pebbles continued straight ahead where it would eventually connect to a large town far away.

At the peaceful path as such,

“……It felt like an instant.”

Ren turned around to look at the path he walked from as the morning sunlight lit over him.

—Looks like I’m going to be away from Holy Fiora Journey Academy for a while.

—I should have at least written a letter to my family back at home. I haven’t even seen my little sister lately.

When he saw the student town as he turned around, it was already so small that it looked like a small dot. He was attached to it since he had been living there for three years. So there was a side of him where he was feeling lonely.

Except, more than that, he was so nervous that his heart started beating faster as he walked.

He felt as if he didn’t have time to feel sad about it due his nervousness.

After all—

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

The silver hair girl looked up towards him as she licked the candy.

The Dragon-Princess Kyelse. She was the strongest monster in history that the Heaven and the Underworld couldn’t even touch, but not until the Sword Emperor Elline appeared three-hundred years ago. She also happened to be a Princess of the “Heavenly Silver Dragon” which was the oldest Dragon-specie.

Someone like her was holding onto his right hand, and also—

“I’m sure you have some regrets at leaving the Academy. Though that’s how a journey is supposed to be. There is also a new meeting after a parting.”

The one who was walking on the left-hand side of Ren was a tall, beautiful girl with bright blonde hair.

Archangel Phia.

She was also the highest rank Angel, a being that was the ruler of the Heaven.

Elline Sword Emperor Brigade from three-hundred years ago. Two of the girls that were known as the Three Great Princesses were walking beside Ren while leaning against him.

“Even so, there is nothing to worry about. Right, Ren?”

Phia who was holding tightly onto Ren’s left arm.

“I will teach you all the necessary knowledge. To the extent that I will teach you the lesson at night gently.”

“Well, Phia-senpai......the thing is.”

“Eh? What is it?”

The Archangel replied with a naughty smile.

As she held Ren’s arm, she naturally pressed it between her bosoms which was incredibly developed. It was on purpose. It definitely was.

“……Senpai, I guess this is how you behave in Earth, right?”

“It’s because I’m an Angel. Having a passionate body contact like this is the proof of our affection towards human—”

“You don’t have to listen to what this foolish erotic Angel has to say, Ren. It’s her bad habit where she lures human by seducing them in order to have fun by watching them panicking about it. Even the Goddess is fed up with her.”

The Dragon-Princess gets fed up with the Archangel and glared at her.

“More importantly Phia, let go of him. Ren is getting troubled by it.”

“The one who put her arm around Ren first was me.”

“……And I’m asking both of you to let go of me. I already have a hard time since this luggage is heavy.”

Ren became tired since he had both of his arms being pulled by them.

The enormous luggage Ren was carrying on his back. If you didn’t include the basic travelling gears that were taken from Ren’s room, what occupied most of the luggage was Phia’s clothing and Kyelse’s snacks.

“Putting her clothes aside, do we really need those snacks?”

“Of course. It becomes handy, just like this.”

The silver hair girl who chucked a fraction of chocolate in her mouth. She said it in her usual laid back manner, except, she had a satisfied smile on her face.

“It’s delicious.”

“……What are you, a kid?”

“Isn’t sixteen still considered as a child even for a human?”

“Even if you were sixteen, it’s about time you grew out of snacks……huh, you’re sixteen? That’s of course in Dragon’s age, right?”

If you were to use the average life span as the standard, then the three great species consisted of the Dragons, the Angels, and the Demons were said to have long lifespans in exchange of their low population. Ren thought the same would apply for Kyelse, and hence presumed she had lived long, but—

“I’m sixteen years old in human age. Also, I love snacks. It’s definitely the masterpiece among what the humans have created.”

“But the battle from three-hundred years ago was……”

“She was in a state where she was sealed for three-hundred years right after the battle.”

Phia answered as her blonder hair blew due to the gentle breeze.

“Ever since the last battle, Kyelse had been separated from this world due to the special seal she was in. The isolated space where there wasn’t time, light, and even sound. Though her time had been stopped, she still had her consciousness so she had been finding the chance to break the seal this whole time.”

“That happened about a month ago.”

Kyelse who had finished her chocolate nodded.

“Eh? Then what about your rumours when you fought Elline? How old were you then?”

“I was fourteen. But still, I was already more powerful than all kinds of Dragons ever since I was born. Though I never imagined that I would lose against a human.”

“……So you really are younger than me?”

“Yeah. So it wouldn’t be weird if I take a bite or two of snacks.”

The legendary Dragon-Princess fast walked and took out her second candy.

“Delicious.”

“You seem to be having fun……oh well.”

The silver hair girl put on a satisfied smile.

She simply looked like a lovely girl who was like a fairy when you saw her, but it was also true that Ren witnessed how she defeated a wyvern without even touching it.

“On the other hand, I’m nervous as heck. Hey, look ahead.”

Ren used his chin to point forward to alert Kyelse who was holding onto his left arm.

—The armed parties that were walking through the main road.

There were many groups of parties walking in front of them and also behind them.

If there were small parties consisted of five members, there were also big parties that consisted of more than ten members. The organisation of the parties were very different from each other. There were common types such as the MASTERKnights and the ARIASpellcasters, but even SPIRITSpiriters that were equipped with special spirit armaments and also FULLTYPEFighters that weren’t equipped with even a single armaments.

“See? Everyone looks strong. They really are different from the students at the Academy.”

The atmosphere they carried were different.

Their trained body which was solid like steel, and their eyes that were sharp as a blade. Their appearance and their presence were fitting enough to be called brave warriors. If they weren’t, then they wouldn’t be able to investigate the ruins scattered through the world nor could they fight against the monsters. But—

“……Hmm, is that how it is?”

From the Dragon-Princess’s eyes, even the strong warriors from those parties didn’t catch her interest.

“Phia, are those also considered a party like ours? I think there’s too much members in each of those parties. I’m sure there were fewer members in the parties three-hundred years ago.”

“This is the choice this era chose.”

The Archangel who gave her beautiful smile to the parties that walked past them.

“Within these three-hundred years, the member types that constructs the parties itself went through some changes. MASTERKnight and ARIASpellcaster were the only types back then, but now it’s separated into eight types.”

“Eight types, huh. I know Ren is MASTERKnight, so what are the other seven?”

Kyelse stared at Ren.

Ren pointed towards the parties walking ahead of them to answer the girl’s question.

“MASTERKnight, ARIASpellcaster, SPIRITSpiriter, FULLTYPEFighter, ENCHANTERBarrierer, HEALERCurer, HUNTERPredator, and THIEFSearcher. I guess these are the current eight types. Even back at the academy, the lessons were separated into the type you were majoring in.”

MASTERKnight —They used weapon such as sword and axe. They had high risks since they would need to do perform close-combat at all times as well as making cool judgements and having excellent performance. They were considered as a “master”, the main force during battles.

ARIASpellcaster —They would perform complex rituals so even the humans could use the magic and offensive-spells of the Devils.

SPIRITSpiriter —They used spells which relied on spirit-armaments which possessed the power of spirits.

FULLTYPEFighter —The combatant which specialised in close-combat and would combine the defensive-spells and their active body’s to eliminate the enemies simply with their body and fighting techniques. In exchange of having the strength to not rely on weapons and armours, they would need great amount of talent and training hence why they were called the “full type”.

ENCHANTERBarrierer — They use spell specialised by the Angels such as concealing, sealing, interception, and divine protection.

HEALERCurer — Other than spells that would alter the body activity and regeneration, they were type that was sought to have knowledge about pharmaceutics and medicine.

HUNTERPredator — The combatant that would use their knowledge about harmful animals to hunt. They specialise in shooting from long-range in order to support the party from the rear during battles.

THIEFSearcher — The brain of the party and in terms of field, they were more of an archaeologist.

“And there are also ranks where it’s structured in a way where your ranks would increase.”

“Ranks?”

“The eight types and their titles respectively. If you were a MASTERKnight like myself for example, then you would start from the III-Grade MASTERKnight, then the II-Grade MASTERKnight, then the I-Grade MASTERKnight, then the Official MASTERKnight, then the Honourable MASTERKnight, then the Sword King, and then the highest rank……the Sword Saint, I think.”

By the way, Elline’s title of the “Sword Emperor” was the name he had before people started calling him the Brave Hero.

Sword Saint would be the highest rank of the MASTERKnight and it was a title which was rarely given. It was required for you to pass the tests in several cities around the world.

“Basically each and one of the classes were said to be necessary in a party. Since there are eight types, the majority of the parties are made up of eight members.”

“Hmm? Then what about those group of five walking over there?”

“I guess they are looking for members they lack in. There are also gifted people who can take the roles of two types alone.”

Phia would be the easiest example of such people around Ren. Even though she was majoring in HEALERCurer, she overwhelmed the male MASTERKnight students with her swordsmanship and also made the students jaws dropped with her spells.

“Though it feels like Phia-senpai can take the roles of three types by herself.”

“Yes. I sure can take most of those roles—”

She finally let go of Ren’s arm. She became silent for a moment while she looked up to the sky.

“If you ask me what I expertise in, then it would be FULLTYPEFighter. HEALERCurer would come next.”

“FULLTYPEFighter!? Phia-senpai is!?”

“I’m good in martial arts despite my appearance. I could have majored in FULLTYPEFighter degree back at the Academy, but a tragedy may have occurred if I couldn’t hold back my power properly against the students for the mock-battle. Well, I have the confidence to heal and regenerate them if they receive damages to a certain degree, but I guess I need to restrain myself.”

The Archangel spoke a scary thing with a smile.

“Phia-senpai, you are a FULLTYPEFighter? ……But I can’t imagine you hitting anyone.”

“Ren, don’t let her appearance fool you. This violent woman is the biggest battle maniac in the Heaven who can even make the Goddess Lesfrese become silent with a single punch if she became serious.”

Kyelse said it in a manner as if she told the truth.

“Isn’t that right?”

“Oh my, that isn’t true at all. There’s no way I can do that to the Goddess.”

The blonde Angel on the other hand shook her head while putting on a smile.

“By the way Ren, your rank right now is a III-Grade MASTERKnight, correct?”

“……Me? Do I have to say it? In a place like this?”

“Yeah, I sure am curious about it. We certainly need to know the current strength of this party.”

Kyelse looked up towards Ren with her emerald-green eyes filled with her keenness to hear his answer.

“Since you are a III-Grade MASTERKnight, does that make you roughly a Honourable MASTERKnight? Or is it a rank above the Sword King?”

“No way. I mentioned it before but it’s the lowest rank. The only thing above the Sword King is a Sword Saint, and there are only few people in this world with that rank.”

“I see. Well, I will be the one training you, Ren. How about your first aim is to become a Sword Saint?”

“……It’s too early to have that goal. Besides, I reckon we need more members for our party if we are going to find the Encore. Though it would be weird for me to say that. Take a look at them.”

The parties that walked passed them.

For example, if the parties walking ahead of them walked past each other, you would observe how they would stop and place their hand on their chest to salute each other.

“That’s the traditional custom done between the parties. It’s a form of greetings which has the meaning for the good battle and safety for each other.”

“Exactly. Though we hadn’t received such greetings even once yet.”

They only saw them as civilian.

After all, their party was made up of one boy and two girls. Ren had a sword, but both Kyelse and Phia weren’t equipped with even a single armament. Obviously the Dragon-Princess Kyelse and Archangel Phia didn’t need any armaments. But from the perspective of a third party who didn’t know their identity, there was no way that they would realise that they were a party since they weren’t armed. There was no mistake that they were seen as a three strange fellows that were travelling.

“It’s decided that a party requires at least four members, so first of all we need to find the fourth member before anything else—”

“Then please be rest assured. I do have a person in mind who would become our fourth comrade. The triumphal town Enge. It’s planned for us to meet her there. She’s an expert who can use all types of spells.”

Phia answered with a smile as if she was waiting for to be asked about it.

“The spell expert? Don’t tell me it’s a famous person again?”

“If you ask me whether she is famous or not, then she sure is. Ren, you would reach the answer if you think a bit. Isn’t there another person we are currently lacking in for this party?”

Ren looked up the sky for a while after hearing the answer the Archangel gave with a teasing voice.

“It can’t be!?”

He certainly had someone in mind. Other than Kyelse and Phia who was the part of the legendary Elline Sword Emperor Brigade, there was one more “Princess” remaining.

“It sure can be.”

Kyelse who had finished her candy nodded with a satisfied tone.

“The previous Demon-Lord Elise. The woman who was the master of the Underworld in the past.”

2

Gust of the night wind.

The whirlwind that stroke Ren’s neck was so cold that Ren couldn’t resist the urge to shiver his body. If he breathed out, the air breathed out turned white.

“It’s freezing! It sure is cold if you leave the window open. This place is open to the weather after all.”

The wooden cottage.

It was one of the many base camps built on the roads between city to city, and town to town. Obviously the travellers and the parties, but even the tourists who would head to the cities for sightseeing used this accommodation.

……I wonder how many years it has been since I stayed in a cottage.

……I guess the last time I did was three years ago when I went to Holy Fiora Journey Academy to take the test.

They would be heading to triumphal town Enge tomorrow.

It was the city which was the closest to the student town. And the Demon-Lord Elise would be waiting for them there.

“More importantly, I wonder how the previous Demon-Lord would look like. This is the Demon-Lord we are talking about, so maybe she has horns growing out from her head as well as having fangs and claws while her massive body would reach the height of ten metres—”

“It will cause a stir if a monster like that was roaming in the city of the humans.”

The sound of the lock of the door being destroyed echoed throughout the surrounding.

The one who showed her face from the open door with a poker face was Kyelse.

“…..I beg you to knock on the door normally. We would end up paying up for the broken lock if we get caught.”

“Hmm? It was locked?”

Apparently the Dragon-Princess didn’t even notice that she broke the lock.

“Putting that aside, it’s time for your training. We are going outside once you leave your luggage here.”

“……Eh?”

“I told you before, haven’t I? About teaching you Elline’s sword techniques. We need to build your fundamental basics first. Move your butt by grabbing your sword this instant and follow me.”

After Kyelse said that, she headed out to the passage without waiting for Ren’s reply.

The breezing cold wind.

It was so cold that it felt like you had chilling water splashed above your head which took away your warmth from simply coming outside.

“It’s a good wind. It makes　you become motivated.”

“It’s too cold, isn’t it!? It’s so cold that I’m about to lose consciousness rather than falling sick!”

“I have my scarf.”

“And I don’t!”

“—Let’s end the joke here and start the training. Ren, hand me your sword.”

As soon as Kyelse took the sword along with its sheath from him, she drew the sword out from its sheath as if she was used to it.

How it was drawn out beautifully.

Ren honestly became entranced at how skilfully Kyelse was handling the sword that was drawn from its sheath with ease by using just one hand.

“……You’re amazing. So you can use a human’s sword even though you are a Dragon?”

“It isn’t anything hard if you can control your body. —Like this, for example.”

The sword flashed.

That instant, her right hand moved while leaving her afterimage.

By the time Ren noticed it, the tip of the sword she was holding onto pierced through the centre point of the three leaves that were floating in the air due to the wind.

“W-What was that……!?”

“I pierced it when the three leaves overlapped each other in the air. I also would like to add that I pierced it while aiming to hit the veins of the leaves.”

“The veins!? You aimed for such tiny parts!?”

Kyelse handed the sword back to Ren, so he took of the leaves that were on the tip of the sword.

The leaf veins could be considered as the blood vessels of the humans. The plant types could be separated into parallel-veined and reticulated-vein. But the main concern was that they were thin as a human’s hair.

—She completely caught the trail of the leaves floating under this stormy weather.

—She pierced all three leaves at once at the moment they overlapped each other.

—And she wasn’t aiming for the leaves itself but their veins.

The Dragon-Princess pulled this stunt off while she was talking to Ren.

She wasn’t exactly concentrated in doing it neither did she wield her sword with everything she had. Yet she demonstrated such absolute technique. It was questionable whether an experienced swordsman who had been training for dozen of years could pull this off.

“Alright, do you know what to do now?”

“I wouldn’t have a hard time if I knew how to do that with what you just showed me! Can you at least tell me a trick or something I should pay attention to!?”

“There’s nothing like a trick. Weren’t you doing the same thing as me?”

“What do you mean?”

“That night when it was raining. It was during that time when you were wielding the sword by yourself. You weren’t just randomly wielding your sword. You were aiming for the falling raindrops.”

“……You even saw that?”

“It’s because you reminded me of Elline. Putting your strength aside, that is.”

The silver hair girl made a fearless smile.

“There’s nothing wrong with your training and your hard work. You weren’t blessed with an ideal physical structure and you are not the kind of person who would take down the enemies with a huge sword. You are more of a technician who would find your opponent's weaknesses and hit them with a single strike using their weakness.”

“Seize the drop of water and a fraction of fire, and strike it down with a single slash instantly.”

“It feels like you are asking me to pull off an ultimate technique from the start……”

“This is the basic among basics. Elline’s swordsmanship lies even further past that league.”

“—Fine.”

Ren nodded his head with a bitter smile to Kyelse’s words as if she said something obvious to him.

“I’ll start doing it then. I’ll work hard till I can do the same thing as you just did.”

“Two will be fine.”

Kyelse crossed her arm and lifted up two of her fingers.

“Come back to me while bringing that sword where it had pierced two leaves. I won’t tell you to aim for the leaf veins either.”

“......Two leaves? That’s it?”

He couldn’t resist to ask her. He thought he would be told to pierce three leaves just like Kyelse did. He was also prepared to be told to continue till he could pierce four leaves.

“For today, that is. I’ll return to my room, so come back once you accomplish it.”

“Okay.”

He nodded to the girl who turned around. Ren then moved his gaze to the leaves floating in the air.

==========

Inside the cottage.

“Seriously, Kyelse, you are sneaky.”

When Kyelse returned to her room, a blonde girl who was wearing negligee and was half-naked was in there. She was sitting on the bed as if it was her room.

“Sneaky?”

“The training with Ren. You taught him so attentively. I also wanted to blend it.”

The Archangel bent her body seductively.

Her negligee which had her chest part open even showed her cleavage which was faintly red. Along with Phia’s natural bewitching smile, her charming figure would knock out cold boys of certain ages immediately.

“I don’t recall teaching attentively.”

“I mean that it looked like you were enjoying yourself.”

Phia smiled as she placed her hand on her lips.

“You were so focused in teaching him that you didn’t realise I was standing at the entrance of the cottage.”

“……You were watching?”

“I feel a bit relieved. It seems like you are cheerful again. It was the same three-hundred years ago, but having a journey in a large group sure is fun. Ren is an honest boy so it’s worth training him and its fun having him around, right?”

“I was cheerful from the start.”

She removed the scarf around her neck and hanged it on the coat hanger located beside the door.

—A small quantity of her sweat on her hand.

—Without realising it, there was some heat on Kyelse’s hand.

Her body that had become hot. But Kyelse felt embarrassed to admit Phia’s words so she looked away.

“Geez, you really aren’t honest with yourself……even though the temperature of your body increased.”

“S-Shut up! Don’t touch me! Don’t press that uselessly huge breasts against me!”

She brushed away the Archangel who hugged her from behind.

This was Phia’s preference rather than an Angel’s. She couldn’t help but use her body to interact with those she had a liking to which was her habit. What was a nuisance was that she had a power to read what was going through the minds of those she was touching.

“Hmm, I understand. So that’s how you feel right now.”

“……What did you understand, foolish erotic Angel.”

“Hey, Kyelse, do you think Ren would also become stronger for our sake as well?”

“What do you mean?”

“Both you and I don’t have a power which is even near of that from three-hundred years ago, correct? My old wounds hadn’t healed and the Dragon Factor which is the source of your power hadn’t awakened ever since you woke up from your seal. Certainly we can deal with majority of the opponents, but the situation right now is that we only have half the power we had back then.”

They were in a level where there wasn’t pretty much any enemy in this world that would be a threat to them even in their current condition. But it didn’t mean there was zero enemy who would be a threat. What could be listed among them were the highest-level monsters and also—

“Did you hear about the “Five Great Disasters”?”

“Just the rumours I heard at the Dragon’s valley. I heard till the part where they rebelled against the current Demon-Lord.”

“Yes. For the worst scenario, we should anticipate a decisive battle against them. I thought that the reason why you were working hard in training Ren had to do with it.”

“You think too far ahead.”

Kyelse shook her head reluctantly.

“I simply taught Ren what I remember about Elline’s training. That’s simply it.”

“I see. Then Ren might be facing a bit of difficulties then.”

Phia looked out the window. You couldn’t see Ren from this part of the room, but for an Archangel like herself, she was able to “see” him.

The appearance of a boy who was breathing heavily while he was shedding sweats due to the weariness.

“The task you assigned him to. That’s actually harder than it seems—”

==========

5

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