Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu Vol 7 Chapter 2

Chapter 5: An illusion that I couldn't reach no matter how hard I wished

The village where the Alpha Stigma bearer appeared.

It was a small village by the name of Belt in the eastern region of Estabul.

Claugh Klom was a small distance away from that village, leading an army.

Red hair like fire, sharp eyes. A tight, steel-like body that wore the Roland uniform.

He was called by many names.

The Field Marshal of the Roland Empire.

Or the demon of the battlefield, Crimson Fingered Claugh.

Nowdays, if he were to give the orders, a hundred thousand troops would move.

But the army he led right now was strangely mixed with uniforms of two different colours.

Those who wore Roland's uniform were a few hundred in number.

And to the side, those dressed in Estabul's uniform, brought along by Bayuuz and said to be the elite, were a hundred in number.

Looking at that, Claugh shrugged, and,

"Like this, a fight could break out between Roland and Estabul at any moment,"

He muttered to himself.

With the rivalry between the two armies burning clearly, despite the fact they had to act together as one, their framework was essentially broken.

On top of that...

Thinking that, Claugh looked to the man standing by his side, who'd gathered the remaining Estabul soldiers—Bayuuz White.

Apparently the same age as Claugh at around twenty-five. Woven light brown hair. Light brown eyes. Creased brow. His mouth crooked in sarcasm... and with a repulsed expression,

"Is that what you want? I don't mind at any time. With someone with an empty brain like you leading the Roland army, we'll crush you in an instant,"

He said such a thing.

In response, the subordinate following behind Claugh, Shuss s.h.i.+razz, made a grim expression.

Blond hair gathered at the back, pale green eyes. He wasn't particularly tall. He was still young at age eighteen.

However, in spite of his young age, he'd supported Claugh in nearly all of his battles and alone was his long-time trusted confidant. Always composed, he would gather information and a.n.a.lyze the battle situation. But if he had one flaw, it was that he was a little too serious...

He glared directly at Bayuuz.

"... I've been patient up until now on Field Marshal Claugh's orders, but if that was an insult towards the Field Marshal, who's of higher ranking..."

A smile arose in Bayuuz's face.

"If it was, what are you going to do about it?"

"I won't allow it."

As Shuss said that, Claugh made a troubled face.

"Hey, hey, Shuss. Don't mind him. He's just tired."

He interjected; however, Bayuuz continued.

"Hoh? Will you hit me? If superior officers are superior officers, then subordinates are subordinates as well. To go against orders based on your emotions... A fool has better training than that."

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d...!?"

He began, but Bayuuz smiled further, and,

"So try and hit me. At any rate, all of you from Roland are incompetent compared to us from Estabul. Because you're losing the argument, you'd immediately resort to violence?"

"You're further insulting..."

But again Bayuuz continued.

"Furthermore, a failure of a Field Marshal with no ability, coming here to Estabul, will only be a hindrance..."

Then, Shuss snapped. To Bayuuz—

"You b.a.s.t.a.r.d—! Estabul's social standing..."

In that instant.

Claugh punched Shuss's face.

With a loud, dull sound, Shuss was blown off.

What Shuss was going to say.

"Estabul's social standing..."

That was the worst thing that could be said.

Here in this place, those words were indisputably words that shouldn't be said.

No, in Roland, it was what everyone was thinking.

And conversely, what Estabul thought.

"Roland's social standing..."

Thus, they were words that weren't to leave one's mouth by any means.

Up until now, with Estabul being taken in by Roland, the two had a long history of constant war, and so problems still lingered.

The problem was that it didn't seem like they could ever be on good terms with one another.

Honestly, it wouldn't be strange if they started killing each other at any moment.

Despite that, Shuss's words.

"Estabul's social standing..."

If that were to be declared, a fight would break out immediately.

It would be a critical situation.

Before that could happen, Claugh punched Shuss to stop him.

However, with that, the gazes of both the Roland and Estabul armies were upon him.

"... Geez,"

Claugh groaned quietly.

But against his will, there was some amus.e.m.e.nt in his voice as well.

He looked to the side. Bayuuz had already noticed what was going on. He had a disappointed expression. And then, he looked at Shuss, who'd fallen to the ground.

Shuss had blood streaming from his mouth; however, a smile arose in his face.

In response, a smile was brought forth against Claugh's will again, as he shouted.

"Shuss! If you dare insult Estabul again, you'll be punished!"

Shuss, in a pitiable voice, said,

"H-However..."

"Be quiet!"

Claugh yelled, kicking Shuss.

Even though he hadn't put much power behind it, Shuss was sent flying in a showy manner... before grovelling on the ground.

"... Ah, guh... uu... M-My apologies, Your Excellency, Field Marshal Claugh Klom..."

Regarding that scene, everyone was silent for a moment, before noise broke out.

And all of it went according to Shuss's plan.

They would allow Bayuuz to make a fool out of Roland, but Shuss, for saying even one ill thing of Estabul, was. .h.i.t repeatedly.

That was what everyone saw.

The truth was, Bayuuz had, for the sake of testing to see whether Roland was worthy of his faith, purposely provoked them... However, though he was only using Shuss...

The soldiers saw Claugh seriously show respect to the Estabul soldiers, and treated the Roland soldiers equally.

After a while, the silence returned.

Then, as nothing at all was said, a controlled atmosphere fell over the soldiers.

Regarding that, Bayuuz frowned and muttered,

"... Huh. Your subordinate is the same as you—a detestable fellow."

Claugh laughed.

"I'll take that as a compliment?"

Bayuuz then made an increasingly annoyed face... Already, it seemed that he was running out of things to say, before,

"... I would rather die than do anything that makes you happy,"

He said in an agonized voice.

Somehow, it seemed like that was a compliment.

And so, Claugh also—

"Well, thanks you to going along with Shuss's plan despite having figured it out halfway through, we've united the soldiers."

Bayuuz immediately nodded.

"Of course. It was all thanks to me."

"All of it!?"

Bayuuz interrupted his retort.

"... Mm-hmm. Well, if it weren't for my provocation, I wouldn't have been able to evaluate Shuss's abilities. It seems that Roland is also fairly capable. I acknowledge that."

"Oh, then, will you work together with Roland..."

He began, but as expected, he was easily cut off again.

"However, Claugh Klom. You're the exception—good for absolutely nothing! I said it plainly: you're a hindrance. A complete hindrance!"

"A complete hindrance, am I... even though I was putting on a pretty good act, hitting Shuss right up until the end..."

"Regardless of whether you hit your subordinate or not, you're the cancer that, for Roland and Estabul's relations.h.i.+p, deceived our G.o.ddess, Princess Noa. Hurry up and disappear."

"......"

In response, Claugh clutched his head.

In the end, it seemed that Bayuuz refused to get along with someone on good terms with Noa.

This is gonna be a problem if I'm to unify Estabul, huh... Claugh started to think about such things.

If it were only Claugh whom Bayuuz refused to talk properly with, then with someone like Calne, truth be told, wouldn't talks have gone a lot more smoothly?

"Honestly..."

Claugh's expression tightened. He looked towards the village, and then saw it just a bit up ahead.

And he murmured,

"This isn't the time to be saying that, huh?"

In the village skies, an ominous amount of birds were flying around.

Claugh had seen that sight many times before.

It was a sight that had appeared in many battlefields.

The sky was filled with birds.

And below, without exception... there were numerous corpses.

Then, Bayuuz spoke.

"As our intelligence said, the village has been completely slaughtered."

Claugh looked at Bayuuz.

"Is it really an Alpha Stigma bearer?"

"According to those who survived the encounter, he has black hair, black clothing, and black eyes with a vermillion pattern glowing in the center."

A vermillion pattern within the eyes.

That was the mark of the cursed.

Of the Alpha Stigma bearer, despised by everyone as taboo.

Not only that, but this Alpha Stigma bearer...

Devoured people.

It seemed that he'd killed and devoured everyone in Belt village...

Claugh spoke.

"Then, the monster is still in the village?"

"Who knows? However, he devours people. Like an animal, he might've come to a stop. Or he might've gone to another village for his next prey."

Next prey.

To suppress the Alpha Stigma bearer was the military's order.

If it were an ordinary Alpha Stigma bearer, one unit would be enough to kill him.

However.

Regarding this monster, it seemed he wasn't afraid of the likes of a force come to deal with him.

Staring in the direction of the village, Claugh stroked his right arm.

His right arm with a red tattoo emblazoned on it. Without that tattoo, Claugh's right arm wouldn't be able to move, due to an injury.

An injury attained when it'd been devoured and torn apart by an Alpha Stigma bearer.

At that time, Claugh had only been able to cry out.

Trembling in fear, crying out in grief, and only able to flee.

However, now...

Bayuuz asked,

"Now then. What are we going to do? The other party is awakening... Shall we bear witness to your power, oh Field Marshal of Roland?"

In response, staring in the direction of the village, a smile spread across Claugh's face.

"... Reduce the village to ashes. Shuss. Prepare the military formation. We'll kill this monster."

However, that smile was tightened by the feeling inside of him.

Echoing in his mind were his words.

And a laughing voice.

"Ah... your thin arm... Somehow, it seems rather delicious?"

The sound of his arm being devoured and torn apart.

His clumsy scream.

As if to erase that voice, Claugh muttered.

"... I'll kill him."

That Alpha Stigma monster...

He'd kill that monster.

Like that, he glared sharply at the village.

♦

They set the village on fire.

The birds that had flocked towards the corpses flew away.

The village was in horrible condition. Devoured corpses were scattered everywhere.

Women, children—they'd been killed indiscriminately.

By all rights, Bayuuz had wanted to send out scouts before they set the village on fire to check for survivors...

However, after seeing the village's condition, he'd stopped.

In this situation, it was clear there were no survivors.

It wasn't a large village.

If it was that monster, it was evident that every last person had been killed.

In that case, there was no need to declare their intentions.

Their strategy was simple.

Set the village on fire.

Separate from the main body of the army with Claugh, ten troops of eight men surrounded the village.

Each troop was waiting for the Alpha Stigma bearer, driven out of the fire, to appear, while seven from each invoked large-scale offensive magic.

Furthermore, the remaining person was to send the battle signal to the other troops.

However, they were not to give too far of a chase.

Once the large-scale magic was fired, they were to evacuate immediately.

In that instant, if they could confine him, a hundred soldiers would be able to chase the monster.

Honestly, it wasn't a very sophisticated strategy—it was a simple one.

But even so, it should be their victory.

No matter how strong that monster may be, they could match it with military might.

Over here were a hundred soldiers. Unperturbed about the situation, the hundred of them were elites who'd served in the military for a long time.

Against an opponent of only one person, it was overkill to use so much power.

We'll win.

He thought that.

On top of that, Claugh didn't intend to sacrifice a single person.

This time would be different.

"......"

The village was burning.

The fire was rapidly becoming stronger.

Claugh was prepared to move at any moment. Where Claugh was right now were twenty people.

Under normal circ.u.mstances, he wouldn't come out this way.

Perhaps, with a small number of people, he would try to kill the eight-men squads and escape.

Chasing them from behind... they'd kill him.

No, or maybe, if this monster held a large amount of self-confidence, he would come this way?

In any case, it was almost time. If he was in this village...

There, next to him, Bayuuz spoke.

"... He's not coming out. As I thought, he's already left the village..."

He began, but then his words stopped.

Appearing from within the fire was a black silhouette.

Walking in a composed manner, a single young man was exiting the village.

Black hair, black clothing... He was dressed in a tidy, tight jet black suit that heavily resembled the garb of the clergyman of the religious Runa Empire; however, his skin was an ominous whte.

It truly was exactly the same figure in Claugh's memories.

A figure in around his mid-twenties who hadn't changed at all.

He hadn't aged a bit.

It was the exact same figure as from back then.

It was him.

The man smiled. Apparently cheerful over something, he looked in the direction of Claugh and co. and smiled.

Just as he thought, it was him.

From his smiling mouth, blood dripped.

And in his flexible hand was a half-eaten person's...

Over there, from his subordinates, came screams and yells.

Shuss and Bayuuz also made disgusted noises.

However, a smile arose in Claugh's face.

Finally...

"Don't lose your head! Maintain your battle formation! Prepare to fire large-scale magic—!"

Finally, I'll kill you.

Immediately after he gave the order, from behind Claugh, bright light began to form.

It was magic ordinarily used in war. The casting time suffered, but more or less, its damaging capabilities were abnormal.

If it were to be used, everything would be blown away without a trace, and the surrounding terrain would be altered.

Even while looking at that light, the man approached in a composed manner. As usual, his mouth was in the shape of a calm smile

But,

"I'll wipe that calm smile off your face right now,"

The magic was completed.

Regarding that.

"Kill him—!"

And the magic fired.

It hit the man.

In that instant...

The magic disappeared.

"Wha..."

In that moment, Claugh didn't understand what had happened.

But the man was still smiling. After tossing away the half-eaten person's remains, he began running towards them, smiling like that, and then jumped.

It was unbelievable jumping power.

Lightly pa.s.sing over Claugh's head, he descended into the center of the soldiers behind him...

A strange sound rang out.

Claugh immediately whirled around. There, the man was holding the heads of two of Claugh's subordinates...

Those soldier's necks were bent at an impossible angle...

He tore them off.

And again, he smiled.

"Fufu... Humans are always so fragile, aren't they?"

His voice.

That voice.

Blood spouted into the air.

In the moment that it happened, Claugh and everyone else couldn't move for a while.

From within, the man's laughing voice continued to resound.

"Fu, fufufu... Ahaha..."

The man moved to reach out with his hands again.

Claugh, at that,

"Center formation! Deal with him!"

Again yelled.

But there was no reaction.

Another head went flying. And the man reached out again...

However, it only went that far.

The soldiers finally began to move.

The soldiers here didn't lose their cool after seeing their allies' heads fly.

That sort of people were gathered here. After all, their opponent was only one person.

Regardless of his strange movements, he wasn't that great of an enemy.

Surrounding the man, the soldiers began to chant their spells...

Claugh started to run as well.

From behind,

"Back him up. We'll kill that guy,"

Bayuuz said, as he began to draw letter of light in the air.

His invocation was, more so than the magic circles that Roland's soldiers were drawing, more so than the Estabul soldier's letters of light... It was significantly faster.

At that,

"Huh. How dependable, huh?"

After clicking his tongue, Claugh smiled wryly.

By that point, the man had already noticed him.

"How fast. Fu, fufufufufu. Good. I love meat with some spirit..."

He began, but his words stopped. And he made an oh sort of face.

Looking at Claugh's face...

"It's you."

And his increasingly cheerful laughter spread out.

"... Ahh. You've seem to grown to be rather delicious."

To those words.

Perfect.

Claugh thought that.

This b.a.s.t.a.r.d...

"You remember me, huh!? Then, as you regret not killing me back then, die!"

The right arm that the man had once devoured and torn to shreds. Claugh swung that arm.

Then, the many red magic formations inscribed on his arm began to glow.

This opportunity was Claugh's alone.

I'll kill him.

There's no way he can dodge this.

On top of that.

Apparently sensing a strange power from Claugh's arm, the man made a move to escape backwards, but,

"I won't let you escape!"

Shuss threw a knife.

"Oh—"

The man easily avoided it. But because of that, his movements stopped for an instant.

Claugh had further shortened the distance.

By that point, Claugh was already reaching out towards the man. The air surrounding Claugh's arm became a sharp whirlpool.

Anything that whirlpool touched would be ripped apart.

And because of Claugh's hand that would be dyed in his enemy's blood, he was called this.

Crimson Fingered Claugh Klom.

The man made a slightly surprised face. And again, he jumped backwards to escape. That movement surpa.s.sed that of a human's movements. Twisting his body at an abnormal angle, he evaded Claugh's arm. And like that, he moved to leap backwards...

But,

"I won't let you escape that way.

I OFFER THE CONTRACTED WORDS, RELEASING THE SPIRIT OF LIGHT DANCING IN THE SKY!"

As Bayuuz finished chanting, he lifted his head, as light in the shape of an undefined dog-like being took the form of a beast.

He released it in the direction that the man was moving towards.

There was nowhere he could escape anymore.

In front of him was Claugh's arm.

And behind him was Bayuuz's magic.

The man's movements stopped.

Regarding that,

"This is for my friends. Die,"

Claugh swung his arm.

The man again smiled.

"The one who's finished is you!"

The man, lowering himself into the brink of a strange stance, opened his eyes wide.

Black eyes.

And in those eyes, cut into the shape of a cross as it rose, a vermillion pattern.

A vermillion cross pattern...

That pattern glowed a bright red.

The beasts of light that Bayuuz had released were absorbed by those eyes...

"I consume power..."

In that moment, the man's movements accelerated. His movements were too quick to be followed by Claugh.

"... and unleash it!"

He felt something touch his shoulder.

But it was too fast for him to react to. By that point, the man had already moved away from Claugh.

In his hand was an arm with a red tattoo emblazoned on it. Holding up that arm...

Looking at that,

"... Ah—"

Claugh's voice wouldn't come out.

What the h.e.l.l is...

He was looking at his own arm. However, what was once at his shoulder was completely gone...

Blood was gus.h.i.+ng out.

"C-Claugh-san—!?"

Shuss's screaming voice.

Continuing,

"Che. Not good. This is..."

Bayuuz's concern came forth.

The other soldiers,

"C-Crimson Fingered Claugh has..."

"What the h.e.l.l is that guy..."

Began to cause a commotion.

The situation wasn't good.

They'd lost their commander. They'd lost the only thing keeping them coordinated.

In addition to that, the sight of Crimson Fingered Claugh, whose mighty strength they boasted of, being defeated, dealt a severe blow to the soldiers' morale.

Furthermore, as if to deal the final blow, the man...

"Victory? Aren't you foolish livestock, for thinking that you could kill your predator?"

After saying that, he bit into Claugh's apparently delicious arm...

With that, it was all over.

"M-Monster..."

"I-It's impossible... against that kind of monster... to win is..."

Bayuuz shouted.

"Quiet down. Deal with this calmly!"

He said, but it was already futile.

The soldiers began to scatter and flee.

The man... No, the monster that devoured humans, after devouring Claugh's arm to shreds—

"Ah... Ahhh... How truly... truly glad I am that I left you alone back then! Amazing. I'm filled with power. With this, with this..."

With an intoxicated expression, he spoke.

"... With this, I could kill each and every last person here at once, with no traces left..."

The monster started to move.

However, Claugh didn't move. The damage to his shoulder was too great.

No, if Shuss weren't supporting him, he wouldn't even be able to stand.

Holding onto Claugh, Shuss moved to leave the place.

"Da... d.a.m.n it... Sh-Shuss."

However, Shuss didn't look at Claugh. While seeming determined on leaving the place,

"R-Right now, I'll treat your wounds. I'll save you, no matter what. I won't let you be killed, no matter what, Claugh-san."

But he was going to die.

He knew that already.

And Shuss would die as well.

Like this, if he were to hold onto Claugh, he likely wouldn't be able to get away.

Two people would die here.

However. If Claugh stayed behind and kept the monster here, then maybe...

During the time that the monster took to devour him, the other soldiers might be able to get away.

That was why he couldn't run away.

"Let go... of me, Shuss."

"I'm not listening to your orders right now!"

Shuss said sharply.

Claugh's expression curved at that. This guy was that kind of person. Really far too serious, overly faithful, occasionally making the wrong judgment.

And that was why he liked him.

I have good subordinates, Claugh thought.

No, I have good friends.

Even without him, surely Sion would be all right, wouldn't he? Even without him, Shuss, Miller, Luke, Calne... no, even Bayuuz was a rather good man.

He could become Field Marshal in Claugh's stead.

And the soldiers here... Roland's soldiers, Estabul's soldiers... From hereon, they would be necessary to Roland.

It was necessary for as many people to escape as possible.

The monster was killing each and every person that tried to escape...

However, it was impossible to slaughter them all.

In that case...

Claugh mustered up all of his remaining strength to move his left hand. And, forcibly pus.h.i.+ng Shuss's arm away, he fell to the ground.

At that, Shuss—

"Wha... Claugh-san! What are you..."

But Claugh ignored those words.

Looking towards the monster, he raised his voice.

"H-Hey, monster! My flesh is delicious, isn't it!? Don't be so unfaithful, and devour me!"

He tried to shout that, but surprisingly, his voice came out as a quiet groan. If he wasn't heard just now... He didn't have the strength remaining to shout again.

Over there, the monster looked his way.

A cheerful expression.

He stuck out his tongue...

"... Haa. He heard me? We're saved..."

Claugh let out a sigh of relief.

In response, Shuss, while trying to hold Claugh again—

"d.a.m.n it..."

But Claugh shook his head.

"... Hurry up and escape. I can't get away. You should know that by now, right? I didn't train you up until now to be a man who can't remember to take advantage of the situation. Escape. Those are my orders."

In response, Shuss said,

"L-Like I said, I'm not listening to your orders anymore..."

Interrupting those words, Claugh spoke.

"Those are my orders. If you won't listen, you'll be no more."

In that instant.

Shuss's expression bended. With a face as if he were about to cry...

"d.a.m.n it... d.a.m.n it..."

He glared at the monster.

Claugh smiled at that face.

"... Well, give my regards to Sion... and to Noa..."

But all of a sudden, something forcibly grabbed Claugh's hair and began to drag him along the ground.

"Eh? Eh!?"

Without thinking, Claugh let a stupid-sounding voice slip out.

Furthermore, just then, a disgreeable voice that he definitely didn't want to hear before he died resounded.

"Idiot. Who'd want to tell Lady Noa anything from someone as filthy as you?"

It was Bayuuz.

To that, Claugh—

"Y-You, what are you..."

However, Bayuuz said in an increasingly displeased voice,

"But even if a guy like you were to die, our kind Lady Noa would be sad. So I'll save you."

"Idiot... that would be the other guy..."

But again, Bayuuz interrupted Claugh's words.

"The idiot is you. Look at that. In order to save you, those Roland guys are facing the monster again."

"Wha..."

At that, Claugh was speechless.

"They're a bunch of d.a.m.n fools..."

Bayuuz easily nodded.

"Yeah. Including you, Roland's nothing but a bunch of fools. Honestly, it makes me sick. To lose in popularity to you honestly makes me sick. It makes me sick. It makes me sick. It makes me sick."

"W-What are you..."

However, Bayuuz then stopped moving.

And,

"It makes me sick, so I'll save you,"

Raising both hands, he shouted.

"Stop, Estabul soldiers! Look! Those Roland idiots are going to die right now! That's why we'll do these idiots a favour and save them!"

Then,

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

They shouted all at once.

Somehow, the part about calling Roland idiots was quite effective.

Furthermore, Bayuuz continued.

"Everyone fire magic! See now, you Roland idiots too! One person, one shot! Immediately withdraw after attacking! Run away with everything you've got. If even one person dies, you'll all be executed!"

In that moment.

Letters of light and magic circles filled one's sight.

There were considerably different systems... However, they were all aimed at the same target.

At that,

"B-b.a.s.t.a.r.d, are you an idiot... if we fire magic in a situation like this, we'll hit our own..."

Claugh began, but Bayuuz immediately rejected it.

"That won't happen. Somehow, it seems like that monster absorbs power... that he absorbs magic. In that case, he'll definitely absorb all of it."

Right.

He saw for himself that that monster, with eyes in which that vermillion pattern pattern floated, absorbed the magic Bayuuz had fired...

However,

"What if he doesn't?"

But Bayuuz easily replied,

"If that's the case, then pray, you idiot. I won't stop by this point."

"S-Seriously, you!?"

He began, but was ignored.

Bayuuz looked at Shuss, and,

"Hey, Shuss, was it? Grab this idiot's legs. If he doesn't hurry up and get treatment, this idiot will die."

"Ah, y-yes..."

Saying that, Shuss lifted Claugh's legs.

"H-Hey, Shuss. Why are you listening to that guy's orders!?"

However, Shuss smiled cheerfully, and,

"One way or another, I think that Bayuuz-san is a good person... With him in charge of Estabul, I feel that we'll be able to be on good terms with one another."

He said such a thing.

At that, who the h.e.l.l's a good person, Claugh wanted to shout...

He didn't have the strength. As he'd already lost too much blood, exhaustion started to attack him...

"Ah, d.a.m.n it..."

He was only able to say that.

Above Claugh...

"Hmm. I can't believe that I would lose in popularity to a good-for-nothing Field Marshal who's exhausted all of his common courtesy. It can't be helped. If it comes down to this, taking over the Roland army, the kind words of our Lady Noa... hmm? Oh, just as calculated, that monster absorbed the magic. Like this, everyone will be able to get away."

"Ehh, you did it!"

"Mm-hmm. I did. How about it, Shuss-kun? How about you stop being this man's subordinate and become mine instead?"

For some reason, Bayuuz's tone suddenly changed.

"Eh? Ah, I'd say that more importantly, if we don't hurry, Claugh-san..."

"Well, well, we can just leave him behind. You're not too bad. You're different from that idiot Claugh; you seem considerably competent. I like a guy with talent. More than a useless, stupid blockhead who bleeds everywhere..."

While he'd been able to listen up until then, Claugh's consciousness wavered.

He couldn't hear anything.

But Claugh knew that Bayuuz was continuing to insult him endlessly.

Claugh smiled wryly at that.

If I'm treated in time and can wake up again, I'll be sure to kill Bayuuz...

After thinking that, he forcibly opened his eyes that had closed without him knowing.

He looked ahead.

With large amounts of magic being fired, from within that vortex of light...

However, glowing brightly was a vermillion cross pattern.

And a smile that mocked Claugh, mocked the humans.

Glaring at that figure,

"... d.a.m.nit,"

After spitting that out, Claugh lost consciousness.

Nevertheless.

That monster continued to smile.

♦

Monster.

A monster that held eyes with a cursed vermillion pattern appeared and slaughtered and devoured countless human beings...

That information made its way to the northern continent.

It was information that she'd been constantly, constantly searching for.

Even though here, such information wasn't surprising.

"After coming all this way... Going around in circles across the continent over these last two years... In the end, arriving here in the northern continent, it's common knowledge..."

Kiefer Knolles spoke with a dejected expression.

Straightforward red eyes. Red hair of the same shade.

A thin, flexible body; however, compared to two years ago, she might've gained just a bit of extra weight?

Well, either way, she'd yet to become the woman her older sister was, and speaking of recent troubles, that was also something that worried her.

Even though she'd already surpa.s.sed her sister's age back then...

Like this, when she reunited with Ryner, would he say that she wasn't very womanly and that he didn't like that?

Such things were troubling her.

"Ah, geez, if I could've been born as my sister, who had to deal with being popular with men... maybe I could've come up with a way or two to tell Ryner in my dreams..."

After saying that all by herself... She recalled her sister's pretty figure, and following that, her younger sister's cheerfully smiling face arose.

Even though the two had died many years ago, that she could still vividly remember their figures was a pride of hers.

The figures of two people whom she could never meet again...

"......"

Regarding that, Kiefer smiled sadly, but then came back to her senses.

"Now then... I have to hurry up and do my investigation."

She was in a small library.

This library was likely in the northernmost region of the continent, in a remote area.

No, perhaps you couldn't call this place a remote area anymore...

However, no matter how you looked at it, it was a rural town.

But this town's name was,

"The imperial capital of the Gastark Empire, Grenslade village."

"......"

Something was obviously strange...

Even though it was the capital, it was a village... the first time she'd heard the village's name, she'd accidentally retorted that...

Apparently, this was the village where the Gastark Empire's king had been born, and as his birthplace, was a place of importance.

Well, that kind of thing wasn't important anyway.

Kiefer had come to this village's library.

Her reason for coming to this library was, of course, to save Ryner.

Because of the curse known as the Alpha Stigma...

For the sake of setting Ryner free.

However, up until she came to this library on the northern edge of the continent, she hadn't been able to get a hold of any clues.

Despite that...

Within Gastark territory, such information was everywhere.

Monsters that devoured people.

Monsters that brought forth destruction.

And the descendants of heroes...

They were things of fairy tales told to children.

However, suiting such fairy tales, it was a beautiful place overflowing with nature.

If she were to alter her words, it didn't seem like a very prosperous country...

It was decidedly a place that not many people inhabited.

On the northernmost edge of the Menoris continent. Surrounded by mountains, it seemed that snow was piling up because of the season.

Naturally, the population was rather small.

Even on the map, it was a small, nameless country...

No... If one was to talk about the scale, it was more of a town?

It seemed to have a long history. It was a plot of land that lacked appeal that would induce other countries to attack... or was there another reason that it'd survived this long...?

And here, recently.

Gastark suddenly began to invade other countries.

It'd already taken over all of the surrounding smaller countries at once, but then on the other hand, the strongest country in the northern continent... even the superpower Imperial Stohl, which possessed four times the might of Roland, had fallen prostrate.

"... It's impossible,"

Kiefer muttered.

However, Gastark had made it possible.

"... It's impossible... and that's why there might be info on a way to save Ryner here..."

Her guess was correct.

Things that seemed as if they came out of a fairy tale... This country was br.i.m.m.i.n.g with such information.

But...

"Eyes... eyes... eyes... There's nothing aside from that."

It was the keyword.

Vermillion pattern.

Going berserk.

Monsters that were seen as taboo.

And.

The Alpha Stigma.

Searching for that within the texts, she read from one edge to the next.

In the library, she was seated at a wooden table that could fit four people.

Spread across the table were piles of books and doc.u.ments, to which Kiefer added yet another tome that she'd finished reading, as she let out a sigh.

"... Ah, geez, what's with this!? It's as if all the information I want to know has disappeared."

Right.

Almost all of the information she wanted to know was missing.

Either ripped out or stained...

Either way, it seemed as if it were being concealed.

As of right now, there was information on the foundation of the Alpha Stigma. That... she'd at least gotten her hands on.

Kiefer again looked at the reference books she'd opened up.

In them, this was what was written.

- When they're born, their appearance is no different from that of human children.

- For whatever reason, a five-star pentacle design appears in their eyes as they become Alpha Stigma bearers.

- It seems that these eyes can clearly see the truth of the world. By reading the compositions in the air, they immediately understand all magic.

- For whatever reason, they go berserk. The collapse of the truth. They attempt to erase the composition of all.'

- Once they go berserk, an Alpha Stigma bearer cannot return to how they were before.

"... But Ryner returned,"

Kiefer murmured to herself.

In Roland, where the Alpha Stigma was widely despised as taboo, information and doc.u.ments didn't leave the country... but it was something that every country knew.

And in every reference book, it was written that after going berserk once, the Alpha Stigma bearer couldn't return to normal.

However, Kiefer knew that Ryner had regained his sanity after going berserk.

Just what did this mean?

There are three possibilities, she thought.

One:

Ryner wasn't an ordinary Alpha Stigma bearer.

Two:

Ryner's willpower was able to suppress the power of the Alpha Stigma.

But she felt that the chances of this weren't likely. Kiefer had seen Ryner go berserk with her own eyes.

And that... compared to the doc.u.ments and texts of neighbouring countries that recorded when an Alpha Stigma bearer had gone berserk, some of it...

No, too much varied.

If an ordinary Alpha Stigma bearer went berserk, one unit would be enough to kill them.

But for Ryner...

There, Kiefer opened to the front of the reference book.

An ill.u.s.tration was printed, and this information.

Staring at that, she narrowed her eyes.

The third guess.

The one she thought had the lowest probability...

Ryner, who possessed eyes with a vermillion five-star pentacle...

Wasn't an Alpha Stigma bearer—something like that.

"......"

Then, just what was he?

Kiefer stared at the front.

Other countries' data on the Alpha Stigma didn't include a sketched ill.u.s.tration like this one.

It was a pattern of some kind.

And written at the top of the page, as the t.i.tle...

Regarding the Cursed Eyes.

"Cursed Eyes..."

That was new information.

Despite that, the first few pages... the pages that contained what she wanted to know most of all had been ripped out.

It was the same as the other reference books and texts.

"... Uu... like a half-dead snake[1]..."

Just when she'd thought she'd finally gotten a lead, it felt as if she'd been abused and dropped into h.e.l.l.

She was getting dizzy from the disappointment.

Kiefer clutched her head, and then,

"I'll—I'll rest for a bit..."

She said, before suddenly,

"Oh? You're finally taking a break? Then, do you want some tea?"

A man's voice said from behind her.

On top of that, it was a familiar voice.

It was a voice she'd heard only once before.

But even if she'd only heard it once, it was an unforgettable, forceful voice.

This voice has to be...

But, why...

It can't be...

Kiefer looked behind her.

However, before her eyes was the man she'd expected.

Long, loose wavy, brown... or rather, unique peach-coloured hair.

His body was thin, but trained.

And his eye. His left eye was closed, as if stuck in a wink...

Even with only one eye, itdidn't falter at all, exuding self-confidence and amibition.

It's an attractive eye, she thought.

In the center hid strong determination... However, it also s.h.i.+ned with a child-like innocence.

Riphal Edea.

That was this man's name. But most didn't call him that.

This country... no, the northern continent's people called this man something else.

The northern continent's supreme ruler...

Or the young king of the Gastark Empire.

But she had seen him only once.

The figure of him swinging his sword.

It was an unusual sight.

A long black sword three times his height...

He'd offered up a sacrifice to that sword...

And with only one swing, he'd easily slaughtered tens of thousands of Stohl's soldiers—it was that sight.

As the price for releasing the sword's power, Riphal's left eye had been consumed.

Providing its abilities with sustenance, he'd released the sword's power.

Losing his left eye, killing tens of thousands of enemies...

Nevertheless, this king didn't change, with his unwavering, strong eye.

Even though he'd spoken with a painfully sad expression as if he were about to cry.

"... There's no way I'll let this sacrifice be in vain. There's no way I'll forget this sight. There's no way my sins will disappear. I am a slaughterer. I am the king of slaughter. If you want to curse me, then go ahead. But, even so...

Even so, I will advance forwards..."

Kiefer stared at Riphal.

With only one look, she knew.

This man was a benevolent ruler.

Charisma, popularity, valour... It was of a different type than Sion's, but he held all of the factors of a ruler.

Gastark's strong spirit.

It wasn't because of that sword. It was because this man was strong.

The will of this man who, for the sake of his dream, would cast away his own body...

To that.

Kiefer was afraid.

Why was Gastark's king in this kind of remote area?

No, of course, even if she were to call it a remote area, it was still, on paper, Gastark's capital...

However, according to the information Kiefer had gotten a hold of, he was supposed to be in Stohl right now.

After gaining control over Stohl, he should be busy with overseeing matters there...

However, in reality, Riphal was in front of her.

Riphal gazed at Kiefer with a paradoxically gentle yet sharp eye.

His smiling face that seemed to be thinking of something and yet held no tricks, giving off the impression of being utterly honest.

"So, are there any kinds of tea that you like or dislike?"

Honestly, it was an attractive smiling face.

Already, she wanted to praise it without meaning to.

Just like that, a woman might be enchanted by that smiling face at first glance.

But Kiefer stiffened her body.

Staring at Riphal, she said,

"... Not really. In terms of what I like or dislike, there isn't really anything. If I had to pick something, though, then I'd have to say that I dislike men who stalk girls."

He made a surprised face. Then, with a somewhat troubled face, his eyebrows turned down at the corners, and,

"Oh, you noticed?"

He replied rather honestly.

But at that, Kiefer wanted to groan.

At her own foolishness.

This man wasn't an idiot.

Why hadn't she realized that...

During the war, this man had noticed that she wasn't one of Stohl's people. In that case, wouldn't he investigate which country she came from?

And in that case, sooner or later, if she turned out to be from a country that they were fighting, she would be arrested and made to reveal the secrets of her country's magic.

But Riphal had let Kiefer go.

No, it wasn't that he let her go. For the sake of figuring out why she'd come to Stohl, he'd let her wander about freely.

Of course, Kiefer... wasn't travelling the world just for show.

If they didn't constantly tail her, they wouldn't be able to see her reveal her true character.

But... she hadn't noticed at all this time. Even though she should've realize it if she thought about it. Even though she was confident that she could shake off any such skillful stalkers if she put some effort into it.

No, contrary to that self-confidence, hadn't an opportunity presented itself?

The power of Riphal's sword...

Seeing the overwhelming power of that sword that was entirely like Ryner's Alpha Stigma... She had finally gotten hold of a lead, hadn't she?

At any rate, she cursed her carelessness.

She hadn't noticed the presence of a stalker.

In any case, there was no point in trying to escape anymore, as Gastark's soldiers had likely surrounded the library.

What should I do?

She moaned that in her heart.

What should I do?

Should I choose death?

She thought, briefly contemplating suicide.

If she were to cough up the secrets of their magic, it would cause trouble for Roland...

No, or her birth country that she was no longer a part of—regarding the fact that she was from the Kingdom of Estabul, if she were to reveal Estabul's magic system, escaping further investigation would be...

But within herself, she rejected that.

That was a naive way of thinking.

Torture.

Drugs.

Brainwas.h.i.+ng magic.

There were numerous methods.

"......"

She began to gather her strength. With all of her strength, she would try to escape this place.

There were two options.

Somehow escape from here, or die...

In order to gather up all her strength...

But then, Riphal smiled.

"Ah, that kind of tension won't do. There isn't anything, after all."

To those words that seemed to see straight through her, Kiefer frowned without thinking.

But Riphal continued.

"By the way, there aren't any soldiers surrounding the library. If you're thinking about running away, you're free to at any time. So it's fine even if you don't escape right now, you know?"

At that...

Kiefer glared at Riphal and spoke.

"... Heh. In other words, it doesn't matter to you even if I escape because you've already done an investigation on me?"

But Riphal shook his head.

"Nope. My subordinates wanted to investigate, but I told them to stop."

"Why?"

With a confident, honest face,

"Because trying to implore a woman is only fun when it's straightforward, of course,"

He declared energetically.

"......"

In response, Kiefer asked in a somewhat lethargic voice,

"... Implore for what, exactly?"

Immediately.

"For s.e.x,"

Again, in an energetic voice.

It was then that she realized it

He was a serious one.

He was a serious idiot.

And in the moment she realized that, she felt all of her strength leave her body.

As if her tension recoiled, her voice now became tired, as she spoke.

"... Wait, not straightforward...? Or rather, I thought your aim was to elicit information out of me... No, besides that, that's why you're offering tea? Because you're trying to flirt with me? I mean, isn't that a cliche tactic?"

In that moment, Riphal made a surprised face.

Bulls-eye.

Kiefer pressed her temple on account of this huge idiot.

"... You're really easy to understand."

At that, Riphal laughed cheerfully again.

It was the laughter of a man. Without thinking, she felt happy herself.

Riphal spoke.

"Then, if that's how it is, let's have some tea."

And then he easily moved behind Kiefer. Like that, to an elderly who'd been reading this entire time,

"So, old man, let me borrow the kitchen for a bit."

Without lifting his head from the book, the old man spoke.

"Don't you dare get it dirty, Edea youngster."

"......"

That was the conversation between the king and the head of the library...

Not to mention that Riphal had left his back open.

"... Honestly, just what is this?"

Kiefer said with an astounded face.

"You... Has it not occurred to you at all that I could be an a.s.sa.s.sin from another country?"

Looking slightly over his shoulder, a smile arose in Riphal's face as he spoke.

As expected, it was a voice full of confidence.

"I'd like to think I have a good eye for women."

"... To go with your cliche way of picking up woman, huh?"

Kiefer said sarcastically; however, Riphal's smile widened in a mischievous manner.

"It's fine. Even if you know that it's cliche, you'll still come along for the information on the Cursed Eyes that I can give you... so I'm waiting expectantly."

"Eh... wait, you..."

But before Kiefer could finish, Riphal disappeared into the room behind the counter.

Kiefer stared, dumbfounded, and then frowned again.

"What was that about trying to flirt... In the end, weren't you just investigating me...?"

"......"

There was no reply.

As Riphal wasn't there, the library had suddenly become quiet.

The library head, as usual, continued to read his book.

"... What a weird country..."

Kiefer muttered, and then sat up straight in her chair.

♦

The tea Riphal made was unexpectedly delicious. Lightly bitter, it was mixed with herbs that she couldn't decipher, with a unique aroma.

Was it a tea special to the northern continent? The south... More than that, for Kiefer, who'd come from the southern most edge of the continent, it wasn't a taste she'd ever had.

Then, Riphal asked,

"Is it good?"

Annoyingly, it certainly was good. At Kiefer's nod, RIphal's face lit up.

"See? Isn't it good? It's rare tea, you know? You can't find it anywhere outside of this village... I drank it often while growing up,"

He said that sort of thing.

With that smiling face, he spoke proudly of the tea. He spoke proudly of the village where he was born.

He was happy as he boasted of such things.

That kind of scene.

You're such a kid! Kiefer instinctively wanted to retort that.

"Feel free to have a second up."

He held up the teapot, speaking while smiling happily—Kiefer looked at this man's face... and then felt like smiling back without thinking...

Kiefer turned away from Riphal.

"I still have some left."

"Is that so? Well, the offer's always open."

"R-Right. More importantly, hurry up and talk. You said you'd tell me the information I want to know?"

Riphal then turned his gaze to the pile of texts and reference books that Kiefer had spread across the table, and laughed again.

"The information you want isn't there at all?"

Kiefer tensed again at those words.

The information she wanted. All of it was in the ripped and stained parts...

"... Did you give the instructions to tear out pages?"

But Riphal shook his head, and,

"No, I didn't give any order like that. The one who ripped apart and dirtied the books was me."

Kiefer trembled at that.

This man already knew what Kiefer would come here for and, antic.i.p.ating that, had disposed of the information.

Honestly, what was that about flirting...

As Kiefer's thoughts whirled, Riphal continued.

"No, well, for the books here that have been torn apart and dirtied—it was when I was a kid."

"... Eh, k-kid?"

Then, the old man who was now at the counter—

"Pretty miss there. It's as I said to that rowdy kid. When you treat books with disrespect like that, you're disrespecting the authors who wrote those books..."

"Yes, yes, you've told me that a million times, old man—I get it. I'm already an adult now, so..."

"Adult? You're saying you're an adult? You're still just a fifteen-year-old brat..."

"I'm already twenty-three! Geez, old man, since when did your sense of time stop..."

However, even as Riphal said that, he still seemed happy. Even if he was being treated like a child from the old man, he still seemed utterly happy...

He then spoke to Kiefer in a quiet voice.

"... Honestly. Don't tell anyone else, but that old man's gone a bit senile..."

"I'm not senile—!"

In that instant, a tome flew through the air and struck Riphal in the head.

"Ow—!? Hey, old man, aren't you the one treating the books with disrespect!?"

"Fool. That was divine punishment from the G.o.d of books just now!"

Kiefer, while tense, watched that kind of exchange.

Was this for real?

Watching their exchange, it didn't seem like it was a trap, with the troublemaker of the village and the hand of the scorched elderly... She was looking at something like that...

While rubbing the back of his head where the book had hit him, Riphal spoke.

"The punishment of the G.o.d of books... huh..."

And looking over at her, he asked,

"Do you believe in any G.o.d?"

To that question,

"... Are you trying to interrogate me?"

Kiefer returned with a question of her own.

Did she believe in a G.o.d?

If she came from a country with a religious system... It was fine to exchange that kind of information, wasn't it?

But Riphal shrugged, and,

"Shouldn't I want to know everything about the woman I've fallen for?"

He stared at her. With a smiling face—

"Private Kiefer Knolles."

"......"

Truly, this man was...

He's tricky, isn't he?

She thought that.

She hadn't given him her name.

But this man already knew it.

Just how...

"Just how much did you..."

She began, but Riphal interrupted.

"Only your name."

"Liar."

"You don't believe me?"

"I don't. What meaning is there in only researching my name?"

But Riphal easily answered,

"I wanted to know the name of the beautiful woman I've gone through great lengths to meet again."

"That kind of flattery doesn't tell me anything."

"I wasn't flatteri..."

"Don't mock me!"

She shouted without thinking.

In the end... he was just playing around. He was only playing around. He probably researched Kiefer's origins—everything—and so was just playing around with her like this.

Like I thought, this man is just like anyone else from any other country...

There... Her thoughts began to whirl around, but she stopped herself.

The man before her made a plainly sad expression...

"... Hm? Are you shaking? ... This isn't good. Could it be that you're afraid? This... Ah, c.r.a.p. This is bad. Honestly, I meant everything I said..."

"......"

I won't be deceived, Kiefer thought. After all, this man was just playing around.

"I honestly didn't research anything but your name. I thought you were pretty, so..."

I won't be deceived!

Kiefer glared at Riphal even more sharply.

"Even though you knew I was investigating the Alpha Stigma... how dare you try and claim that you only researched my name..."

But in response, with a troubled face, Riphal pointed to the tabletop...

There, an open book about the Cursed Eyes lay...

"Ah..."

Without thinking, Kiefer let her voice leak.

C-Certainly, if he looked at that, he would able to make a guess as to what she was investigating, wouldn't he?

B-But...

"But, you were trying to figure out the religion of my country..."

At that, Riphal again easily replied,

"I asked that because, in order to explain about the Cursed Eyes, I had to know what your general idea of G.o.ds were... It was a bad way of asking, huh? I mean, you're a beautiful woman travelling alone away from home. You'd have to become wary and strong. It was my bad. I won't make the same mistake again."

Then, the man's eye became sharp.

The atmosphere changed. It was no longer the frivolous, explanatory atmosphere...

It was heavy, low...

"I... have no intention of killing you. The same goes for torture. Kiefer, if I intended to kill you, then I would've done so in that place from the beginning."

It was that of a king's.

This was this man's true appearance.

Instinctively, she was overpowered.

"W-What? You can't just suddenly address me by my name like that."

After saying such a thing, she immediately regretted it. Her stiff voice.

Foolish words.

She'd already been utterly defeated.

But the king laughed at that.

With the smiling face of a child with no worries, he spoke.

"So relax, Kiefer. Are you relieved now?"

"......"

Annoyingly, she did feel somewhat relieved.

Everything was at this man's pace.

Even though she told him not to address her by her name, he immediately did so again anyway...

Kiefer spoke, discouraged.

"You... just do whatever you want, huh...?"

Again, he easily—

"Because I'm king."

"... Haa. So you can do all this because you're king?"

"Do you dislike it?"

"I do,"

She replied immediately.

And she looked at Riphal.

As always, at Kiefer's words just now, he was making an expression that could easily be read...

Kiefer again let out a sigh.

"Geez—yes, yes. It wasn't that bad up until now, okay? It's better than those annoying n.o.bles who never speak the truth, at least."

And.

Those n.o.bles who'd killed her sisters, deceived her, and made use of her...

To the Kiefer who'd betrayed her mother country and friends, those honest and straightforward words glowed.

With that kind of appeal and s.h.i.+ne... If she were to keep talking, it'd be unpleasant for her.

At any rate, she realized that she'd end up betraying this man as well...

But then,

"Look at this,"

Riphal took out three sheets of paper and placed them on the table in front of Kiefer.

"Eh... wait, what..."

However, looking at the ill.u.s.trations and writing on the paper, she stopped.

Immediately, she picked them up to confirm for herself.

Drawn there were numerous patterns.

Five-star pentacles, crosses...

The t.i.tle was Regarding the Cursed Eyes.

Its side edge was torn.

All of its contents were there.

The contents that Kiefer wanted to know...

But that...

However, Riphal began talking at his own convenience.

"Well, most of what's written there is old terminology, so I'll explain without you having to read it. We've confirmed that from the start, of the Cursed Eye monsters, there've only been five types..."

"F-Five types!?"

Again, at this new and sudden information,