Chapter 4: Until We Meet Again…
Chapter 4:
Until We Meet Again…
Until We Meet Again…
I WAITED A LITTLE LONGER, expecting her to walk around the corner at any moment, but it didn’t happen. My pocket watch said it was just past two.
She said she’d be back by one at the latest, didn’t she? Yesterday when she came to my room, she arrived right on time—she’s more punctual than this.
“What do you think we should do?” I said quietly to Piggymaru, tucked away underneath my robes.
“Sq… Squee.” It was a faint, miserable-sounding cry.
“You think she already broke her promise and ran?”
“Squee.”
The single tentacle I could see flushed red. No. There was no squeak to follow it up, though—Piggymaru wasn’t a hundred percent sure either. Now that I’d gotten so close to Piggymaru, I could practically feel its shock.
“Maybe I misjudged her. Or maybe…” I frowned. “Something happened to Seras.”
We should go find out what. Find out if I’m a good judge of character, too—two birds with one stone.
“You think she ran?”
Piggymaru squeaked softly, and the tentacle turned red again.
“Just to be sure—squeak twice for yes, once for no.”
“Squeak.” Piggymaru went silent after one.
“Well, I guess we can’t bet who’s right when we agree, huh?”
I stood up and started walking, thinking everything over while I walked through the city.
Running now wouldn’t make sense for her—what would be the point? If she didn’t want to come with us, she could’ve just turned down the bodyguard job. Is she worried because I know her true identity?
No. If that were it, she would’ve disappeared this morning before breakfast. She would’ve wanted to get away from Mils before I had a chance to tell anyone—if she planned on letting me live, that is. Was she biding her time so she could get her reward? That doesn’t line up either. I gave her a blue dragonstone last night and she said they weren’t available on the public market. That implies she knows of a black market where she could sell it.
If she wanted to leave Mils in a hurry to protect her identity, yesterday night or sometime in the early morning would make more sense. Maybe the money she had on hand couldn’t get her all the way to Yonato, but surely it would get her far enough to find a safe place to sell the dragonstone.
“If she’s been deceiving us from the start, she’s going about it all wrong.”
Either way, I need to figure out what happened.
First I needed to figure out where the Baron’s mansion was. “I need a more detailed map of this area…” I headed toward the main street to buy myself one.
“Hey! Didya hear about the girl who found the Dragon-Eye Cup?!”
The man wasn’t talking to me, but I stopped anyway and looked back to see people gathering in the square. They looked excited, like he had big news.
“I heard it, yeah! She’s the runaway Princess Knight!”
No way… What happened? How do they know?
I moved in to listen to the overlapping voices talking excitedly about the news.
Sharing this kind of gossip is fun for people—I guess human psychology works like that in every world.
“Listen to this! That Seras Ashrain went to the Baron’s mansion to get her reward, and there just happened to be a famous wizard with illusion-breaking magic there on the same day! He took her disguise right off!”
“And once her disguise was gone, wouldya believe it? She looked just like the poster that’s been going around of that former holy knight!”
“What?! Elves can disguise their faces?!”
“Whaddya know! The rumors were true, then!”
I recognized some of the mercenaries from clearing the ruins.
“Word has it she fled south into the Dark Forest!”
“Wh-wh-whaa?! There’s gonna be a heck of a bounty on that one!”
“All right, let’s go! Holy knight hunting time!”
“Enough!” boomed another mercenary from the edge of the crowd. The others turned to look at him.
“Huh?! What the heck do you want? She took our Dragon-Eye Cup! I’m taking that bounty off her dead body!”
“I said enough! Word’s already out, and the Baron’s men are moving in!”
“Huh?! He wants her for himself?! Tch! Who cares! I’m gonna get to her first and take the freakin’ bounty!”
“The White Walkers went after her too, you know—they almost caught her just outside the city. Almost. You got that?! She isn’t an enemy you want to fight! You couldn’t beat her if you wanted to!”
“What, you think I can’t take her?! Who do you think’s gonna beat her, if not us?! Yeah? Spit it out!”
“I—”
Wind beat down against the square, and I felt a sudden dark pressure overhead.
“Grraaaaaaaah!”
A high-pitched, blood-curdling shriek cut through the air like a knife.
All eyes turned to the sky.
Black dragons.
Their cries echoed through the town as the ferocious dragons and their human riders came into view, one by one, black shadows blotting out the sky. They passed over us in a second, heading toward the Dark Forest. The mercenaries who had been pumping themselves up to hunt for Seras immediately fell silent, their faces pale.
“Th…”
Finally, one of them managed to speak their name.
“The Black Dragon Knights…”
Seras Ashrain
THE HIGH ELF RAN through the Dark Forest.
I never expected I’d be back here as a runaway.
She bit her lip.
I didn’t expect anyone from the Wizards’ Guild, either. There are so few on the continent who have the power to break illusions…what terrible luck!
No, it’s karma, I suppose—balancing out all the good that has come to me of late.
Too-ka Mimori’s face came to mind, and Seras felt a twinge in her chest. He wouldn’t understand. Perhaps he’d think that she took the blue dragonstone and ran, or escaped to hide her identity—that she was fickle and treacherous.
She spun around, slipping a little on the wet undergrowth as she raised her sword to confront her enemy.
I can’t outrun them!
She had expected the Baron’s personal soldiers and the mercenary guild, but never in her worst nightmares…
“Graah! Graaaah!”
A thundering dragon cry echoed through the Dark Forest.
The Black Dragon Knights.
She had traded blows with several of them already—they truly were the strongest knights in the world, as the rumors had promised.
If the rank-and-file members are that strong, what will I do against the elites?
The Black Dragon Knights were known for their Elite Five, but two of them were even stronger than the rest. The famous Heroic Blood Slayer, and the only person even stronger than him, the Strongest Man in the World.
He’s the real reason the Black Dragon Knights are considered the strongest warriors on the continent. Not a god come down from another realm, not a descendent of heroic blood nor a hero from another world…simply the strongest that humanity has to offer, a self-made man. I’ve heard he has the fighting strength of an entire country all by himself!
A wyvern and its rider came rushing out of the line of trees in front of her and charged at her headfirst. Seras wrenched herself to the side, falling backward to avoid being hit. The dragon’s fangs closed on thin air with a menacing snap. One more moment and she would’ve been dragon food.
They aren’t trying to capture me—they want to kill me!
Drool dripped from the beast’s fangs onto Seras’s white cheeks as it pulled back, looking down at her with murder in its red eyes.
In an instant, she spun with the spirits of the wind, using the force to spring to her feet as she drove her sword into the creature’s throat. It let out an indescribable scream and crashed to the ground with a thud. Its rider jumped off as his mount went down, swiftly drawing his sword and moving in to attack. Seras was faster, though, closing in with a flash and slicing the rider’s throat through a gap at the neck of his armor with her ice sword. There was always a weak point there, no matter how thick the armor was.
“Kh… Ah…”
The knight fell, spewing bloody foam from his mouth.
“Ghaaaa—!”
Another dragon knight had already appeared, bursting into the clearing in a shower of branches and leaves.
No fire-types so far…at least I don’t have to worry about them burning the whole forest down.
Seras fought endlessly, cutting down each Black Dragon Knight as they came.
What do I do now? How do I escape? That illusion breaker confused the spirit of light… I can’t disguise myself again until it calms down. I just have to buy myself some time.
“Lie down and die, Seras Ashrain!”
A dance of swords ensued, Seras swinging in wide curves to draw her opponent in. After several more strokes, the dragon knight reeled back in shock. Checkmate.
“N—!”
Slash!
It was already too late. The dragon knight screamed his last as Seras’s ice sword opened his throat, sending blood and gore gushing from his neck. Without missing a beat, she jumped at his dragon mount and gave it the same ending as its master.
She wiped the sweat from her face. I can’t let my guard down.
Seras parried the great black spear in midair as it thrust toward her.
“—?!”
Another one. Behind me.
She spun around—and hesitated. Too-ka… He used a similar trick, sending me off into the forest in the wrong direction. The real enemy isn’t behind me—it’s in front of me!
Seras spun back with the speed of the spirit of wind and dashed into the thicket to take cover.
“You saw through my plan!”
A man stood a few meters in front of her with his sword held aloft. Something about him was different from the other dragon knights—his armor more elaborate, his sword gleaming. Even his aura seemed more menacing.
“My name is Gizun!” he announced. “I serve as vice-chief to Sir Orban, one of the Elite Five, and I’m here to kill you, Seras Ashrain! Nothing personal!”
I can’t use the spirit of light right now, Seras thought frantically, meaning I also can’t call on my spirit armor, since it requires all three. I have no choice but to defeat him with the tools available to me, such as they are.
Their swords collided.
Nh?! He’s so much faster than I anticipated!
The sound of their fight filled the clearing, the swords clashing with blow after blow.
“I expected Bakoss to try to take me alive. You’ve been ordered to execute me, it seems!”
“Hmph, never intended to take you alive anyway! Ha, guess I can tell you before I kill you. We’re on a special mission, see?”
They broke apart, and Gizun lowered his gaze to Seras’s chest and licked his lips.
“That beautiful face! That flesh just calling out to my baser instincts! Taking you alive and keeping you like a bird in a cage would be my right as your conqueror. But no, somebody wants you dead!”
Gizun thrust wildly at her.
“Nh…?!”
He’s stronger than the other dragon knights. High elves are weaker than humans to begin with, and I can’t concentrate with those dragons at my back. I need my spirit armor, or…
“No!”
Seras lost her footing and landed on her back in the mud. The black dragon behind her stretched out its wings menacingly.
“Gshaaaaaah !”
Gizun brought the flat of his sword down, catching Seras hard on the wrist.
“—?!”
She winced at the pain, and her sword fell to the ground.
“You seem tired, Seras Ashrain! You ain’t at full strength, I see! Those days on the run taking their toll on you?!”
“Nh… Oh!”
She reached blindly for her sword, but Gizun kicked it away before she reached it. In the next instant, he was on top of her, holding her down.
“I-if you’re going to kill me…do it quick,” she said, looking away.
“You know, I think I’ve changed my mind. Gotten to the point where just killing doesn’t satisfy me anymore.”
If only I had my spirit armor…but I need to calm myself first.
“Rejoice, Princess Knight from a backwater country. If I’m your first, then you’ll get a taste of a real man before I kill you. Can’t have you dying without learning what it means to be a woman, eh?”
He grabbed her wrists, twisting them upward.
“H-have you no shame? You’re a knight, are you not? To fall so far and commit such despicable acts—” Seras said as she struggled.
“Enough with your singing, little bird!”
Gizun slapped her hard across the face.
“Ngh…”
“Now you listen to me. Try anything, and my dragon’s gonna pin you down for me—with his claws. You want to do this the painless way, lie there and don’t struggle.”
“…”
“Ahh, to think the day would come I’d get to taste a beautiful and noble holy knight ! Thank the gods for all they’ve done to guide me here!” He laughed. “Let’s get down to b—”
“Paralyze!”
“Wh-wha…?”
That voice. It’s…
He appeared from the bushes, his hand extended.
“Hey,” he said. “You’re late.”
Mimori Touka
THE ROAR OF DRAGONS FILLED the air. I ran full speed toward them, easily following the sound through the forest.
This speed and stamina… I really must be getting faster with all these stat modifiers.
Seras wriggled out from under the black-armored dragon knight. I hadn’t included her in my Paralyze targeting, so she could still move.
This skill is way too convenient.
“To—”
She stopped herself from saying my name. Smart not to say it in front of an enemy.
“Thank you for saving me.” She bowed respectfully.
“I’m just glad I made it in time. So, he’s one of those Black Dragon Knight guys?” I looked down at him to give Seras some privacy as she fixed her clothes.
“Yes—a knight of the Bakoss Empire.”
“Huh. Is he one of the Elite Five, do you think?”
“No, he told me he was vice-chief to one of them.”
I looked over at Seras, who was now standing beside me. “Are you okay? Looks like he gave you some trouble.”
“Why did you come here?” asked Seras, staring down at the frozen dragon knight. She still looked wary of him, even paralyzed.
“Poison.”
Non-lethal for now, at least for him. Lethal mode for the dragon mount.
Dragon knight dealt with, I turned back to Seras to answer.
“There were rumors flying all over Mils—people had a pretty good idea of where you’d run off to. I came to find you.”
Seras’s expression grew more serious and dark.
“That’s not what I’m trying to ask. I want to know wh—”
“I waited for you,” I interrupted her.
“Sorry?”
“Sleep,” I said, knocking the knight and his dragon unconscious. Don’t want them hearing what we’re about to say.
Seras looked down at the ground sheepishly.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t realize… Why did you come here?”
“I hired you as my bodyguard, didn’t I? From what I heard in Mils, you didn’t run away and betray me or anything. So I came to get you.”
“Squee! ♪”
Piggymaru squeaked happily, popping out of my robes.
“D-don’t you understand? If you stay with me, you…”
“You’re being hunted by the Black Dragon Knights, right?”
“Th-that’s right. You need to get away from me as fast as you can. The man lying here is the only one who knows about you. You can still run and save yourself!”
“Can’t you just give yourself a new face again and come with me?”
“I could, but… My spirit of light was confused by the illusion breaker at the Baron’s mansion. I cannot draw on its power at the moment.”
“When will you be able to calm it down?”
“I…don’t know.” Seras took a small pouch from her bag.
“I’m sorry, but you must allow me to cancel our contract. Please, take this blue dragonstone back.” Seras looked pained as she laid a hand on her chest. “If you stay with me, I’ll only put you in more danger!”
“To be honest, I just don’t want the trouble.”
“E-exactly! Staying with me will bring you nothing but trouble!”
I scratched my head.
“No, I mean I don’t want the trouble of finding another bodyguard. It’ll be tough to find one as skilled as you.”
“…”
Seras was speechless for a moment, but she quickly recovered and doubled down.
“H-head north, and you’ll find the capital of Ulza. There will be plenty of capable mercenaries for you to hire there! If you need more money, I can tell you of a place where you’ll be able to exchange this blue dragonstone for coin, and—”
I figured she knew some way to exchange gemstones.
“Hey, Seras, whose problem do you think this is?”
“P-problem…?”
“The reason you want to cancel the contract. Is it my problem or yours?”
“It is entirely my problem.”
“Then why should I care about it? I accept the terms as they stand.”
“Sir Hati!”
“If we’re going to do this, you should take off your clothes.”
Seras froze, her eyes opened wide in shock.
“What?”
I took off my backpack and showed her a set of women’s clothes I’d bought earlier.
“They might not fit perfectly, but I brought you this change of clothes. Everybody’s going to remember what you were wearing—you should change before we set off again.”
“Ah, s-so that’s what you meant…” Seras blushed.
Huh? Oh, I get it…
“Sorry, I didn’t make myself clear there, did I.”
“I was a little taken aback for a moment, and…” Seras trailed off, then suddenly remembered that we’d been arguing.
“W-wait a minute now! You’re ignoring me and assuming we’re going to move on together! Have you even been listening? My problems are far more serious than you seem to understand!”
Seras looked down at the dragon knight, twitching in his sleep.
“I know how strong the Black Dragon Knights are,” I said. “They’re the best on the continent, right? I get it. We need to run and hide.”
Seras remained silent.
Looks like I need to push harder.
“Can I ask why you’re going to Yonato?”
For a moment she was quiet.
“There is a port there where I could purchase passage to the west. I need money to pay for that journey,” she confessed.
“So, you aren’t actually joining this holy order thing?”
“I’m not. I apologize for lying to you.”
Not surprising. I figured as much.
“So basically, you just need a safe place to hide.”
“That is correct. It’s…” Seras clutched a hand to her chest, “the last order she gave me.”
Sounds like she had somebody who guided her before she had to go on the run.
“I have an idea—why don’t we ask the Forbidden Witch if she can hide you?”
“Th-the Forbbiden Witch…?”
“Nobody knows exactly where she is, do they? She must be great at keeping herself hidden.”
“I suppose so…”
We can always give her some blue dragonstones in exchange. To be honest, that lie-detecting spirit that Seras has with her could come in really handy in future, especially when we meet this witch. Seras is easy to work with, too—I might not get so lucky with someone else.
I looked Seras straight in the eyes.
“We should find the Forbidden Witch to figure out how she conceals herself so well. The Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters is so dangerous that people try not to travel through there, right?”
There are dangerous monsters all over the place, but I can probably take them all down with my skills—and I’ll be even safer with Seras by my side.
“I need to go through the Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters to find somebody who can read the ancient language on these scrolls. And if there aren’t many people there, it’d be a great place to hide.”
“You might be right, but…”
“Will you continue on as my bodyguard, then?”
“Sir Too-ka…why does it have to be me?”
I hesitated a moment. “You remind me of my foster mother.”
“Your foster mother?”
“Yeah. I was abandoned by my real parents, and my foster parents took me in and raised me. To my real parents, I was a burden and they resented me, but my foster parents were so kind and gentle. I’ll never forget what they did for me—they’re amazing people.”
The memories came flooding back, and I couldn’t help but keep talking.
“You don’t look or sound like her, and you have different personalities, but…you feel the same to me, somehow.”
How you’re smart, but you rush into danger without thinking.
Seras will be a good bodyguard, and her spirits’ abilities might be useful. But if I’m honest, the real reason I’m here is…
“If I just walked away from you, it would feel like I was walking away from her. It wouldn’t feel right.”
Seras smiled, her face lit up, almost dazzling.
“Sir Too-ka…you really are kind.”
“I’m just…a little partial to people who remind me of my foster mother.”
The dragon mount finally breathed its last. I didn’t level up.
“Anyway…I hope we can get some useful information out of this guy,” I said, gesturing to the unconscious dragon knight.
I released the paralysis on the dragon knight’s head and dispelled Sleep. There was still plenty of time left on the paralysis gauge.
“Augh! I… It hurts! It’s burning me!”
I looked down at the man, unable to die from my poison.
Given what he was saying and doing before I paralyzed him, this guy’s bad news. Not to mention that he’s already seen my face. No reason not to kill him.
“Answer our questions truthfully and I’ll save you,” I said lightly.
I’m not lying—I’ll turn that non-lethal setting off and save you from your suffering.
I asked about the Black Dragon Knights—their current condition, strength, location, movements, and future plans.
“You got anything you want to ask?” I asked Seras.
“Who asked you to take my life?” she said.
“Wh-where… Where are the others?”
He’d ignored her question. I took a deep breath.
“I killed them all on my way here.”
“I-impossible!” He moaned in pain. “You? You freakin’ brat… How are you doing this? Who are you?!”
“You hit the nail on the head—I’m just some freakin’ brat.”
“Don’t think you’re going to get away with messing with the Black Dragon Knights! Aggh… You too, holy knight scum! Heh… Heh heh… After they catch you, you’re gonna make a great pet for them. The women you tried to protect in Neah were delicious, too!”
Seras got down on one knee and stared coldly at the knight.
“I’m asking you again. On whose orders are you here?”
He looked taken aback.
“F-fine! I want to see her face when the Holy Knight of Neah learns the truth—”
A chill ran down my spine.
“Seras!”
Thunk!
A white spear flew from the heavens and pierced Gizun’s skull, killing him instantly. Seras and I jerked back and looked up to the sky—it was all we could do to react.
“What just happened?!”
Three dragons, larger than the one that lay at our feet, cast looming shadows against the sunset. Somewhere in the mass of wings and flesh was something else.
Out of range of any of my skills.
“Seras Ashrain.”
The voice was cold and booming, ringing in my ears.
A man all in white. White clothes, white hair, and a white dragon as his mount. His eyes were a piercing, vivid red.
I looked over at Seras, who stood rooted to the spot in shock.
“I-it can’t be…” she said.
“My name is Civit,” said the white dragon knight. For some reason, he seemed not to be speaking to Seras, but to me. “But I have heard the rabble call me by another name. They say it fits me better,” he said, sounding indifferent. “They call me the Strongest Man in the World.”
Ortola Straumss
ORTOLA STRAUMSS—once ruler of the Holy Empire of Neah—was tortured by nightmares, his unconscious mind revisiting what he couldn’t bear to think of in the day. Days gone by, when he still had the strength to stand and fight…
***
The Holy Empire of Neah and the Bakoss Empire were separated by a long collection of ruins, forming a rough border between them. The golden-eyed monsters came pouring from the ground and the two nations rose as one to fight. Ortola rallied his troops to confront the enemy, just as the Bakoss had done, but Neah arrived too late to the fight. When Ortola arrived on the battlefield, he couldn’t believe his eyes—it was as if some vengeful god had sent their wrath from above and created a hell on earth.
Amongst the wreckage stood a young man with fiery red eyes, drenched in the blood of the monsters he’d slain. He reveled in the carnage, ripping the fearsome golden-eyed monsters limb from limb like they were children’s toys and mocking the monsters who tried to flee from him.
“Why do you run?! Have you no pride?! Fiendish monsters indeed, bringing shame to your fallen comrades! Why won’t you face me?!”
The young man cut the monsters down one by one, drenching himself in their blood, crying out in despair, grief-stricken and alone. He wanted enemies—Ortola would learn that soon enough.
The young man looked at him. Even now, Ortola could remember those piercing red eyes. Civit saw a ruler, and he expected strength.
He approached Ortola—nobody tried to stop him, because nobody could. The young man stared at the emperor with a burning, raging desire to fight, but it faded to nothing in an instant.
“You’re weak.” His voice faltered and his eyes dropped, as if he were disappointed to his very core. When he raised his head again, he stretched his arm toward Ortola.
“Give them to me.”
His expression was deadly serious.
“Give me the strongest your country has to offer.”
***
“Aaah—!”
Ortola jerked awake in his silent bedroom, his skin prickling with cold sweat.
He was in a lakeside mansion in the southern part of the empire. Since the Bakoss invasion, the former Emperor of Neah lived a quiet life in “retirement.” To the north lay his former domain, his palace taken over by the Black Dragon Knights. The better half of Neah territory had been allotted to them.
The Black Dragon Knights…that young man is their leader now. What a terrifying thought.
Several years after that day on the battlefield, the Goddess Vicius visited Neah, and Ortola and Civit Gartland met once more. During her visit, monsters came pouring from the ruins east of the capital. Some had human shapes and roamed the countryside, spreading fear and destruction wherever they went. Most of the knights of Neah were away from the capital, and too few remained to handle the outbreak.
“I’m afraid there’s no other way—I will deal with the problem personally. It’s lucky for you that I’m here to save the day, Emperor Ortola,” the Goddess said. Her words sent a wave of relief through him.
Those humanoid monsters are incredibly dangerous—my knights would have suffered heavy losses in battle against them.
Ortola had his doubts whether mortal humans could really defeat such foes.
But the Goddess? She’ll be able to protect us from them…
He would dispatch what troops he had to the area, of course—appearances needed to be maintained—but they wouldn’t have to bear the brunt of the fighting.
When they hurried to the ruins to confront the monsters, though, Ortola couldn’t have imagined what he would find.
It was a mountain of death—a mountain of monster corpses, already being set upon by the birds. It was a waking nightmare made of rotting flesh. In the midst of the heap, he saw human faces twisted in terrible agony, now frozen that way in death.
“Did he…do all this…?”
There the young man stood, silent and resentful, plunging his spear into the skulls one by one, as if none of it had been enough for him.
“Give me the strongest your country has to offer,” he said, didn’t he? He’s grown in both age and power, and now…now he is perfect.
“Is he even still human?” Ortola was so shocked that the words slipped out before he could think better of it.
“That is Civit Gartland, Strongest Man in the World. He has no divine blood, no heroic ancestry…it may even be beyond my powers to explain his strength to you,” the Goddess said, smiling absently.
“If the evil ever rises again, I will return to Alion and summon heroes from another world to defeat it, yet I fear that for raw power, none will surpass Civit Gartland. I have no doubt that someday soon, he will rise to lead the Black Dragon Knights.”
She looked at the white-haired young man, who had a dark craving flashing in his red eyes.
“Someday he may truly live up to his potential and cause, well…I’m not sure. Civit Garland is quite incomprehensible, even for the divine such as I.”
“Th-that much… That man, he…”
Even from the Goddess’s perspective, he’s a monster.
Ortola was terrified to have him as a neighbor.
“Ah, but the captain of your Band of Holy Knights is quite the talented individual herself, is she not? I’ve heard such good things about her.”
Ortola shook his head, letting the memories fade. Getting out of bed, he tied his gown lightly around his waist. His terrible premonition had come true, and the Bakoss Empire now completely controlled what had once been his territory. Despite that, he believed the worst had been avoided.
I still think about…
He covered his face with both hands, picturing her face—the captain of his Holy Knights.
Oh, Seras…
When the Black Dragon Knights came, she fled the capital. From what he’d heard, she was still on the run.
I don’t regret letting you escape me. Not regret, but…
The thought of her in trouble made him sick. He had no idea if she was even safe. He let out a stifled groan, pangs of regret stabbing at his chest.
No…I must’ve made the wrong choice. How did it come to this?
“I should’ve taken her. Forced myself onto her if I had to!”
His daughter, the princess , had always kept men away from Seras, even Ortola himself. She was a holy knight of the realm—no man could have her.
The holy knight vow of chastity had been his daughter’s idea to begin with. Ortola had only ever interacted with Seras in public—the ways and times they might meet were limited by his position as Emperor. Ortola was always uncomfortable around his daughter, even afraid of her, and Seras was always by her side. He had no choice but to give up on the knight.
Ahh…
Whenever he thought of her, his body came alive at the memory. Her body, those seductive flowing lines, her soft, pink lips… Those breasts, barely covered despite the best efforts of her tailor… Her silky voice gently caressing his ears… The sweet, unmistakable scent of a woman. She was sophisticated and kind, and above all that, beautiful beyond compare. Seras Ashrain stirred something in the loins of even the withered, dried-up Emperor when she passed him by.
I can’t have it…
Above all, he was terrified of her being somebody else’s.
She should be mine. She offered her sword to me. By rights, she’s my property. In the days when I truly ruled this realm, that was enough to satisfy me, but now…now I can only quench my burning desire for her in my fantasies. I try to be satisfied with this, and yet…
He began to weep.
She could always tell the truth from lies. I tried my best to act the noble emperor in her presence, but in truth, I’m just a coward.
Now Seras was gone, a runaway from his lands, lost by his own daughter. He’d known Princess Cattlea intended to send Seras away, but he let it happen anyway.
I would sooner die than see her in the hands of those Bakoss thugs…or so I thought back then. I wanted a peaceful, long life for her—some beautiful thing living out her days far away from this place…
He clenched his hands in the fabric of his dressing gown.
But I…
“I can’t do it.”
He couldn’t forgive her. He could not let it end like this.
Sooner or later, she’ll be captured and defiled by some other man. I cannot bear to think of it…!
She would never return to him. She would never be his.
Someone else is bound to take her, and I…I will never be free from this torment!
His head dropped.
“Seras…” he mumbled.
The former Holy Emperor brought his hands together in prayer.
“This is my final wish. Please, I beg of you…” His voice was hoarse, strained but resolute. “Die! Disappear from this world and never return!”
Mimori Touka
“CIVIT GARTLAND?!” said Seras, gripping her sword and preparing to fight.
I guess he’s as famous as he thinks he is, huh?
“And…the Elite Five?!”
Just four of them up there, though…one’s missing.
Civit held another white spear aloft, pulled from the leather quiver on his dragon’s harness. He had a sword at his belt, too, still in its scabbard. He’d come prepared for a fight.
“I shut him up, Orban,” said Civit, never taking his eyes off me.
The blond man on his left, Orban, scratched his head. “Yeah, but did you have to kill him?” Orban’s skin was dark, his face well-proportioned and handsome. He wore a sly frown.
“He shouldn’t have let the girl best him. I imagine Ortola’s desire piqued his interest.” Civit’s red eyes were unwavering, his face completely expressionless.
Orban looked down at Gizun’s corpse.
“Selfish, greedy, easy to manipulate…I’m gonna miss him,” Orban said.
“That’s your problem. He was in my way—killing him was the easiest way to get him out of it.”
“Gizun was always focused on what he wanted. Had a feeling he wouldn’t make it through this mission. Maybe I shouldn’t’ve brought him after all, huh?”
“He was clearly past his prime. If he’d been able to dodge that spear, I would’ve rescued him.”
He was paralyzed when you skewered him—he couldn’t have dodged even if he wanted to. Not that he would have stood a chance against a spear that fast.
A single bead of sweat rolled off my jaw.
They haven’t noticed my paralysis skill yet.
I looked over at Seras. She was clearly overwhelmed.
“E-Emperor Ortola?”
Sounds like this Ortola guy was the ruler of Neah. Why’s the emperor she once served trying to kill her? What did Gizun say before he died? He wanted to see her face when she learned the truth. Was he trying to tell her about Ortola?
I couldn’t understand it. From the look of it, Seras couldn’t either.
“The old man’s still got quite the fortune stashed away, y’see. He says he’ll give us all of it if we bring you to him. Those hidden vaults of his are full of things I’d like to get my hands on.”
“Why didn’t you just torture the location out of him?” asked Seras. As he answered, Civit’s gaze remained fixed on me, as it had been ever since he threw his first spear.
“He’s got a strange stubborn streak. Crazy, if you ask me—and torturing a crazy man won’t get you anywhere. No, he won’t tell us where they are until we give him what he wants. You.” Civit laughed mirthlessly. “Delusions and desire are a terrible mix.”
“Pfah! You saw through the man so fast it was terrifying!” the dragon knight on Civit’s right broke in. “Leaving Orban’s personal opinions aside, Commander Civit, would you remind me of our orders regarding Seras Ashrain?”
“Yeah, what’d His Majesty say?” said the other.
“We’re to capture her and deal with her,” responded Civit.
“He knows us too well. He ain’t no fighter, but he’s a good ruler, that one.”
“How should we proceed, Commander Civit? It might be good for morale to pass her around before we execute her. Gizun might’ve had the right idea about that.”
“That’s not gonna work, Schweiz ,” Orban interrupted.
“Why not? What do you mean?”
“Ortola told us to bring the corpse back clean—said if there’d been any men on her, he’d be able to smell it. Gross and creepy as hell, but if he wants a corpse back, who knows what he’s into. I tell ya, the guy’s gone off the deep end!”
Schweiz, the middle-aged dragon knight on Civit’s right, gave a grunt of disgust.
“Ugh. Very well,” he said plainly, accepting Orban’s logic.
Schweiz looked tough—almost bearlike. He was heavyset and had a thick, short beard, dark brown hair, and a black eye patch over his left eye. But there was nothing wild or feral about him—his calm baritone voice and cunning manner gave the impression of a noble at court, the kind who’d do anything to come out on top. His dragon mount was roughly the same size as Orban’s.
“It appears we can’t let her live, then. I apologize—it was a distasteful suggestion to begin with. Forgive me.”
“What are you talking about?!” demanded Seras, her voice ringing with indignation. “The gentle Emperor Ortola would never say such things! Enough of your lies. I will not stand here and allow you to insult my emperor!”
Orban smirked.
“Even I feel bad for you, little Princess Knight! The fighting stance, the righteous indignation…when you know the truth like we do, it’s just so dang funny! I guess the old man likes the faithful and innocent type, yeah? You’re pretty, though, I’ll give him that much.” His smirk became a grin. “The old man says he can’t die in peace as long as you’re alive.”
“I-impossible! What do you really want with me?!”
She’s bluffing. She must know they’re telling the truth—her powers must be showing her. That’s what’s throwing her so off balance.
Seras looked like she was on the verge of tears.
“E-Emperor Ortola… He would never…”
She fell to her knees. Schweitz looked down indifferently.
“What should we do with her, Commander Civit?” he asked.
“Isn’t it obvious? Give her a chance to win her freedom.”
“As always. Understood,” Schweitz said, nodding curtly. “Seras Ashrain will do battle with Commander Civit—if she wins, she is free to go. Sir Orban, is that acceptable to you?”
“So long as this little holy knight dies nice and pretty, I don’t care! ♪ I already know how this ends.”
“We shall see,” said a voice. It was the first time the dragon knight on the far left spoke. His whole body was covered in bandages, with his armor strapped over the top. His voice sounded male, though you couldn’t tell from looking at him. Only his left eye was visible through the thick white cloth.
“Holy Empire of Neah, former captain of the Holy Knights… She’s famous for her spirit armor.”
“I have, of course, heard the tales—why else would I be here? I wish to fight against this spirit armor!” said Civit. He paused and looked at me even more intensely. “Or so I thought. And yet…”
Schweitz frowned, wrinkling his brow.
“Commander Civit?”
“For some reason, I find myself looking past Seras Ashrain right now. That young man interests me.”
“I noticed your interest, naturally, but…what about him do you find interesting? No doubt he’s some inconsequential porter in Seras’s employ.”
“You’re wrong, Schweitz. That one’s interesting.”
Civit smiled at me, red eyes anticipating…something.
“Who are you?” he asked.
***
I froze. In the Mils ruins I was almost too careful, unable to tell which foes should be feared and which I could beat easily. This time was different—I looked up and saw the great dragons towering above me, their wingspans so wide that they blocked out the sun.
Right now, there’s a knife pressed to my throat. One wrong move, one clumsy attack, and Civit will kill me in an instant.
The Strongest Man in the World—Civit Gartland. My animal instincts screamed at me that the name wasn’t just for show. This guy is stronger than the Soul Eater.
Ever since he’d appeared in the sky, I’d been dripping anxious sweat.
If I make the wrong move, this all ends here. Life and death. Survive or perish.
It’s all up to me.
***
But why…? This happened in the Ruins of Disposal, too. I’m staring death in the face, but I…
“Why are you laughing?” asked Civit.
Why am I laughing? I always laugh in tense situations.
“Hey, Civit Gartland,” I said.
All right. He hasn’t attacked me yet. I can feel it—he wants to talk. I don’t think I can raise my arm, but I can keep him talking, and that’s enough for now.
“I’d like to have a chat. How ’bout it?”
Civit’s expression softened. He looked almost amused.
As long as I don’t give it away when I’m about to activate a skill, then…
“Very well. Allow me to first ask your name.”
All right. A battle of wits with the Strongest Man in the World.
“Hati Skoll.”
He shut me down immediately. “I see—a pseudonym.”
“Yeah…it is.”
“I suppose you need to hide your true identity, just like that Princess Knight you travel with.”
“Commander Civit.” It was Schweitz.
“What is it?”
“I simply cannot comprehend what you find interesting about that young man.”
“You don’t think it strange? He’s face to face with the Elite Five, and he isn’t even scared of us.”
“Is that so? He seems…very sweaty.”
“That’s not fear. Look more closely. He hasn’t yet lost his will to fight. He’s waiting for something—an opportunity, perhaps.”
“An opportunity to strike at you? With what? He could never get through a full incantation, and it would be a feat for even magical items to hit us all the way up here.”
“He knows if he makes the wrong move, I’ll kill him in a second. Even then, he laughs—and asks to talk! Not to beg for his life in surrender, but simply to converse with me. I have to say, this is refreshing.”
Schweitz looked taken aback, but Civit’s frown had softened.
“The little weaklings down there are trying to come up with a way to squirm out of this situation. They know I’m the Strongest Man in the World, and yet still they try.”
He’s smart…perceptive, too.
“Don’t you think it’s intriguing, Schweitz?”
“Indeed, now that you mention it.”
“We’ve found ourselves on an unexpected stage, and it’s far too early for the curtain call. I wish to perform a little longer.” He was still watching me intently. “Seras Ashrain no longer interests me as a potential foe. I don’t think she’d be much of a challenge.”
“She looks pretty messed up, too, after learning of Ortola’s orders.”
They’re giving me a lot of information to use against them just from listening to their conversation. I can’t just stand here silently though. Civit Gartland hasn’t dropped his guard once.
Don’t panic—one mistake, and…
“I have a question,” I said, choosing my timing carefully.
“Very well. Ask away.”
“You’re looking for an enemy who can satisfy you in battle, right?”
“Correct.”
“Aren’t there tons of opponents for you to fight? Like the Demon King’s armies, for a start?”
“It would be difficult to do battle with them now.”
“Why?”
“The problem is Magnar.”
That’s the country on the front lines, on the far north of the continent…
“The King of Magnar doesn’t want foreign troops marching through his land. The Nightwall may be gone, but as long as his White Wolf Knights survive, he will accept no help from his neighbors, least of all from the Bakoss Empire after our invasion. I hope to someday face their chief rider in single combat, though, that I grant you.”
“Why not now? You’re the strongest man on the continent. Why not do whatever you want?”
“I am the leader of the Black Dragon Knights. I have obligations to the Emperor of Bakoss and my position in the house of Gartland. There’s no room to act recklessly, especially when it comes to diplomacy—regrettable as that may be.”
“Foreign affairs are such complex matters—and of course, while we are the strongest knights on the continent, we could hardly defeat every country if they were to rise up and unite against us,” Schweitz added.
The strongest man in the world, but risk of reprisal keeps him from being the most powerful. Civit can’t just kill whoever he likes. His love of country and family are chains around his neck, holding him back. That lack of freedom might be precisely what makes him crave a worthy foe.
“Why don’t you fight the Goddess? Vicius, of Alion?”
I need to find out what he thinks of her.
“The Goddess Vicius, eh? I have no quarrels with the gods for now, and there are strong ties between our two countries. It’s true I have no love for the Goddess myself, but…” Civit’s eyes flashed red. “Those other-world heroes she is known to summon—I have great hopes for them in the future.”
He’s talking about us—2-C. I knew he’d be interested.
“The holy priests of Yonato, Mira’s Wildly Beautiful Emperor, Ulza’s Dragonslayer… Surely there are other suitable enemies you could—”
“No. The blessed power of those heroes from another world, explosive growth that could rival even my own…I hope they can someday be worthy foes for me. Those others don’t compare.”
“Do you think the Goddess will allow you to fight them?”
“Once the fight against the Demon King is over, surely she’ll offer me one or two. Of course…” He lowered his voice. “Should the Demon King’s armies rip through the White Wolf Knights, annihilate Alion’s heroes, and tear the Goddess to shreds, we wouldn’t complain.”
I felt his supreme self-confidence oozing from every word.
He figures he’ll just fight whoever’s left—doesn’t matter who, as long as they’re the strongest.
“Come to think of it, there’s a rather deep connection between you and Alion, is there not, Seras Ashrain?” added Civit, almost to himself.
Seras looked up at him, her brow furrowed.
“To what are you referring? I have no such…”
She stopped, seeming to realize something. Civit sighed.
“A gift for one who’s about to die. Let me tell you why Neah fell,” he said, entirely disinterested. “Why did we suddenly invade the Holy Empire of Neah after holding back for so long? The reason was you, Seras Ashrain.”
“What? Y-you invaded…b-because of me…?”
It was obvious that Seras was completely bewildered. Schweitz looked down on her with pity.
“It appears she wasn’t told a thing.”
“N-nonsense! Why, in the name of all that is holy, would I be the cause of your invasion?!”
“Schweitz,” said Civit, sounding bored. Schweitz nodded, taking his cue to explain.
“The Goddess Vicius wanted you, Seras Ashrain.”
What? That foul Goddess wanted her? Why?
I looked over at Seras, who seemed as confused as I was.
“Why would the Goddess of Alion want me?” she asked.
“I believe it was back when she first predicted the Demon King’s arrival. She asked Ortola to give you up.”
“But why me?”
“I don’t know the reason. I do know of the Cult of Vicius, though, and the followers who do her bidding. I suspect you were chosen to become one of their order,” Schweitz explained.
“But I’ve never heard so much as a whisper about that!”
“Ortola forbade anyone to speak of it ever again.”
“The emperor? Then he wishes to kill me for my sin of inciting the invasion?”
No, that can’t be right—it doesn’t make sense. There must be another reason that old man wants Seras dead, some reason why he wasn’t willing to hand her over in the first place. Would losing the captain of his Holy Knights be that heavy a blow?
No—Civit and his men up there have already told me everything I need to know. Calling him crazy, talking about his desires and how he wanted the corpse to be clean… He was too stubborn to hand her over, and now that she’s out of his hands, he wants wants to destroy her. He wants to own her, and if he can’t have that, he wants her dead. Sounds crazy to me. How’s it fair to blame Seras for starting the war, anyway? That foul Goddess and crazy old Emperor are to blame if anybody is.
Schweitz looked off into the distance for a long moment before answering.
“It’s said that all-out war on the continent has only been avoided because of the work the Goddess of Alion does behind the scenes. We haven’t attacked Ulza because of the peace treaty we have with them. The Goddess’s influence stretches far—her fingerprints are all over this world.”
A peace treaty between Ulza and Bakoss—I heard something about that back in Mils.
“So if we were to refuse her requests and ignore her invitations, well…I’m sure you can guess what would happen.”
The peace treaty only works because the Goddess put her influence behind it—if that changes, there’s no telling what could happen. She likely approved the Neah invasion personally, or it wouldn’t have happened either.
“N-no…” Seras murmured, clearly horrified.
“The Goddess must no longer have a use for you—that was your downfall. Now you’re disposable, no use to anyone.”
Orban laughed.
“The Holy Knights are real beauties, that’s for sure. Ain’t you interested in them, Civit, buddy?”
“Sure, they’re beautiful in an aesthetic sense, but only the strong are truly beautiful in my eyes. The sweetest nectar I’ve ever sipped is the strength of a deserving foe.”
“Hmph…I guess no matter what they’re into, the beautiful drive the powerful crazy. That Neah royal family’s got it bad.”
“What about the princess?” asked Seras. The question burst out of her like she couldn’t stop herself.
“Princess Cattlea, you mean?” Schweitz said.
“Is she…safe?” Seras seemed to struggle to get the words out.
“Commander Civit will probably take her as his wife soon enough.”
“What?!”
“The Emperor’s wishes. A political marriage to ensure peace between our countries. Though he wants to delay our union until after the threat of the Demon King has been dealt with.”
“The princess…”
“She’s rather strong-willed but physically weak. I have no desire for her as a woman. I would much rather take the Princess Knight as a wife—at least she can fight.”
Civit Gartland is really fixated on strength, huh?
“But Seras Ashrain will die today. Let us ensure your body makes it back to the princess’s arms in one piece.”
“How could you?”
“That’s enough from you, weakling,” Civit said sharply. “If you must be upset, be upset with your own failings. Your own weakness will cause your death.” He didn’t even bother to look at her.
“You never had a chance, so accept your death silently and you might earn a sliver of respect from me. Nothing bores me more than those who struggle and flail when confronted with death. And instead of fighting for your country, you ran. I’d rather fight a single weak warrior who’ll stand and fight over a thousand cowards.”
Civit laughed, his dragon’s form outlined by the soft sunset light.
“It should go without saying, but…I would love to someday find a warrior willing to stand against me.”
That’s all I needed to hear. I’ve found it—my path to survival.
He shook his head. “Stop buying time. What are you planning over there, young man?”
“Civit Gartland. You want an enemy who’ll stand up to you, right?”
“I do.”
Don’t panic. You can do this. Don’t back down.
“I’ll be that enemy.”
“You’re going to fight me? You and what army?” Civit looked him up and down. “You stand before the Elite Five, yet you seem unafraid. I can feel your fighting spirit. Where does that confidence come from? You don’t appear to be bluffing, so…what are you hiding?”
“As you suspect—I am hiding something.”
“Tell me now, or my spear will get it out of you.”
I let out a long sigh.
The blessed power of the heroes from another world? Explosive growth that could rival even your own, was it?
He raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll tell you my secret.”
Civit was smiling wide, showing his teeth.
“My real name is Too-ka Mimori.”
This is it. No turning back now.
“I’m a hero, summoned here from another world.”
Seras gasped softly.
“I see.” Civit looked shocked. “So that’s what I felt…”
“Sir Too-ka…you’re a hero?”
A chorus of surprised comments followed.
“Whoa! A hero from another world?!”
“I heard that the summoning was already complete, but I never expected to meet one here. What are you doing in this land?” asked Civit, voice booming.
He can see through lies—it must be a power similar to Seras’s. He knew immediately that the name I gave was a pseudonym. I can’t get away with a bald-faced lie…I need to tell the “truth.”
“I’m a little different from the other heroes I was summoned with—unique and acting alone. The Goddess sent me here.”
“Hmph. You don’t appear to be lying.”
Sweat poured down my face.
I’m unique among the summoned heroes. I’m acting alone. I was sent here by the Goddess.
No lies there. How Civit interprets them is his problem, not mine.
“Why are you acting alone? Did the Goddess give you some special mission out here?”
I should avoid answering yes or no questions…
“I’m on a different level from the others, you see,” I answered confidently.
“Oh?”
Civit’s eyes narrowed, expectant.
I’m an E-class hero, so yeah, that’s a different level.
“That’s why I’m here by myself.”
“So, the Goddess recognized you were special.”
“She knows I’m in a different class.”
“Interesting. So, what do you want from me, hero?”
I left a long pause to emphasize what I was about to say.
“Time.”
He laughed. “In other words, you wish me to let you go free?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I do such a thing? What’s in it for me?”
“I’m going to become stronger than you—then I’m going to kill you.”
He looked shaken, but his mouth twitched, then twisted into an irrepressible smile.
“You’re going to kill me?”
“I’m a hero, aren’t I? I might become just as strong as you once I’ve leveled up a bit.”
I’m trying to seem rough and challenging…but logical. I might eventually be just as strong as Civit—that’s what Mimori Too-ka believes right now.
I tried to imagine what Civit saw when he looked at me.
“This young man…he truly believes he might one day be capable of challenging me. Interesting indeed.”
“I’m going to be stronger than anybody else. Powerful enough to annihilate anything and anyone, even that Goddess.”
“Hmph. How do you intend to do that? I believe heroes have to kill golden-eyed monsters to—”
“We’re headed to the Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters,” I interrupted.
Civit was growing more and more excited—he had obviously expected that answer.
“That is where you intend to level up, I take it?”
I laughed evasively.
“Maybe.”
“Surely the Goddess could have provided you with suitable monsters to train with?”
“I was asked to walk a different path than the others—that’s why she gave me my freedom.”
The Goddess did say she’d leave me alone if I ever made it out.
“She isn’t going to interfere with my journey—she just wants the job done.”
“She has no stipulations as to how you defeat the Demon King, so long as you ultimately do so?”
I shrugged. “Something like that.”
“Hmm… She must’ve found you difficult to deal with.”
Civit’s eyes flashed with delight.
“My stats—my power level right now—they aren’t that high. I probably look like a weakling to you. But someday I’m going to come back and beat the hell out of you, Strongest Man in the World. You know what that means, right?”
“It means I should let you go?”
“It does.”
“How do I know you’ll come back to face me?”
“Don’t worry. I’m coming back to see the Goddess once I’m done.”
“Hmph. I don’t suppose the Goddess would let such a capable hero go if she was worried you might disappear.”
“I need to get back to her anyway, in the end. I can’t leave this world without seeing her again.”
For revenge.
“Very well.” Civit’s voice was clear. “I want to see what kind of hero you become—what the Goddess saw in you that was so different. And then, I want to fight you to the death.”
“As do I,” I answered.
I took a step forward.
“Someday we’ll settle this, Civit Gartland, just you and me!”
He looked thrilled.
“You’re so weak, and yet you stir such emotion within me. That fighting spirit! That murderous intent! It’s magnificent!” Civit declared. “I will let you live, Too-ka Mimori.”
“Hah, of course you will.”
“Leave this place at once. After Seras Ashrain has been snuffed out, we will be on our way as well.”
I could practically feel Seras holding her breath.
“I can’t let that happen.”
“What?”
“I need her for my journey.”
“She’s taking you into the Land of the Golden-Eyed Monsters, you mean?”
“At my level, I still need help. You understand, don’t you?”
“Ah. She weakens the monsters and you deal the final blow, I take it.”
“She might not be worthy of facing you, but you have to admit she’s strong.”
“Don’t you need to report her to the Goddess? Seras Ashrain’s presence has been requested by the very one who summoned you into this world. She may have lost interest already, but maybe not. Don’t you risk her wrath by keeping her location secret? I need not remind you what happened to Neah when they provoked the Goddess’s fury.”
“Who cares?!” I said, taking another step forward.
Civit looked confused.
“I don’t need to report a thing to that Goddess!” I laughed loudly. “I’ll use whoever I need to. Who cares what some Goddess thinks of me?! I’m only using Seras Ashrain to grow strong. That’s all I care about!”
“Hah!” Civit threw his head back and laughed. “Hah… Ha ha ha ha ha hah! Marvelous, Too-ka Mimori! That’s it! Perfect! Throw off the yoke of tedious reason and pursue true strength! Oh, it’s been so long since I met someone like you—one brave enough to speak to me like that!”
As I expected—he appreciates it when people stand up to him. He’s practically overjoyed at my defiance.
“Very well—I will grant you clemency. Seras Ashrain may go free as well.”
Orban was stunned.
“Eh?! Wh—?! Civit ?! W-wait, buddy! You’re seriously gonna let the little holy knight go too?”
“Too-ka needs her for his journey. I can kill her after he and I have battled. We’ll finish her sooner or later—all this changes is the time and place.”
“B-but c’mon! We already went through all this trouble finding her, y’know?! What if she gets eaten by monsters and we can’t even get her corpse? Or she disappears somewhere and we—”
“Silence! I’ll kill you, Orban.” Civit roared the words at him, voice sharp as a knife.
“Wh—?!” Orban shrank back, his face pale.
The murderous intent Civit was giving off sent shivers down my spine. Even the other members of the Elite Five looked scared for a moment.
Now is not the time. Get off my stage, Civit’s roar seemed to say.
The only member of the Black Dragon Knights with real authority was Civit Gartland—convince him, and the others will fall in line.
“It seems you’ve been granted a reprieve, Seras Ashrain,” he said. “You are a tool of Too-ka’s now, to be used until you’re worn out and used up. Bring me a finished Too-ka, a strong Too-ka, or, let’s see…I’ll hurt that little princess of yours.”
“Oh!”
“Bring him to me as a worthy opponent, and I’ll kill you so fast you won’t even feel it. You have my word.”
“—Sir Too-ka.”
“Sorry, Seras, that’s just the way it is,” I said.
It’s fine—she knows what’s happening here. I’m fighting him. This is just what I have to do.
None of the other Elite Five questioned Civit’s decision.
“Schweitz.”
“Yes?”
“Inform Grim Ritter before the day is out that these two are not to be touched—he’s probably off wasting his time in some nearby village.”
“Understood.”
“Ever since they started calling him the Heroic Blood Slayer, he hasn’t listened to a word you say, has he?”
“I’m afraid not,” Schweitz replied. “My son is rather eccentric, even by the standards of the Black Dragon Knights. I believe he’ll be much more useful if we allow him more freedom.”
“So it would seem.”
Civit’s white dragon spread its great wings wide.
“Hah! And so the curtain closes on the conclusion of the first act. What a cliffhanger for the second! I cannot wait.”
“Until we meet again, Too-ka Mimori. I look forward to it.”
The Elite Five spurred the dragons to flight, preparing to leave.
I did it.
I was still sweating profusely.
Seras is still alive. I’m still alive.
We convinced the Strongest Man in the World to let us go.
My gamble paid off.
“Para—”
“Too-ka—”
“—lyze!”
“—Curse y—!”
Civit didn’t withdraw from an approaching threat. I’d walked slowly toward him during our conversation, but he never backed down. He also hadn’t stopped me. That’s why…
I’m in range.
“I’d expect nothing less, Strongest Man in the World.”
I struck at the moment he turned his dragon around to leave, the moment when his guard would be the weakest. Even then, Civit reacted to my aggression with terrifying speed. But it was too late. I was faster—just a moment ahead of him.
He and the Soul Eater are complete opposites—that monster was deceived by fear, and it let me hide my true intentions behind it. With Civit, I hid behind bravery, a willingness to engage him head on and go along with his theatrics. There won’t be a second act for you, Civit Gartland.
Show’s over.
“‘Until we meet again…’ Sorry, but I don’t plan on dragging this out that long.”
Everything hinged on that one moment…that instant when they were sure they were closing the curtain on me, when their guards were down for just a second. It’s the only time I could’ve struck. I had to do something—it’d be too risky to let them go.
“Sorry, Civit Gartland. This is no fairy tale.”
Not even close. I don’t have time for fated battles between promised foes. All I want is revenge. You and your Black Dragon Knights are a complication that need to be removed.
No second act for you.
The paralyzed Black Dragon Knights dropped before my outstretched right hand, crashing into the dirt one by one.
“I’ll be bringing our destined battle to a close sooner than you expected. This ends here, Black Dragon Knights.”
