12 The Knight Patiently Waits for Humanity’s Glory

Betwixt Heaven and Earth lies a crimson flaming horizon.

I seek.

This place.

As God wishes me to.

-Knight Agias III-

At this point, elven arrogance is not something that angers me.

“Captain, do not make me repeat myself. This is not enough. We require more beans, potatoes, flour, cattle, and horses.”

“And as I keep telling you, Second Commander, we have no obligation to provide you with any more.” Who knows how long I have been standing here at attention, away from the troops and surrounded by elves eating and drinking. How are things going with Father Felipo?

“You are as stubborn as a mule. My patience is truly being tested.” Agreed. But I will not show it.

“I sense no respect. It is unfortunate.”

“Not only must we construct your camps, but we must also feed you. We have given more than enough help.”

“I ask the tolerance of the people of Ewlogond. However human that makes me sound.”

“We are merely fulfilling our end of the Baltrial Treaty.”

“An old interpretation of an ancient law. No, let us call it a makeshift pretext. How shameless.”

Sneers erupted from all sides. The elves’ laughter is like the rustling of trees, or the tuning of an orchestra. Appropriate, considering they as a race excelled at music.

“Is that thing at your waist a sword?”

“Yes.”

“And you call that a weapon?” He was insistent on getting a rise out of me, no matter what it took.

“Indeed.”

“It would be useless before our army’s bows, and snap like a twig in battle against a vampire’s hammer. Is that all you have to rely on?”

“Correct.” He’s stubborn. Even starting to get a bit frustrated, I’d say. What is it that makes him this way? Pride? Scorn? Panic? Resentment? Either way, this is a battle. I stand alone against a sea of heavy offensive attacks. For now my stance shows no openings, but as reinforcements are uncertain it’s unlikely this will be settled in a draw. I doubt I can even hope for a narrow defeat.

“Would you like to see?” In that case, I must act. A counterattack.

“...Yes.” Go, my sword. My vanguard.

“Hm, I dropped it. It’s heavy. What a barbaric racket it makes.”

“A sword of this make must not be wielded or spoken of lightly.”

“Hmph. You pick it up, but why do you not wipe the dirt off?”

“A warrior uses the dirt of the battlefield as his pillow. That goes double for their weapons and armor.”

“A savage’s ideals, indeed. And... Mgh... I can’t draw it.”

“Perhaps that is for the best. A naked blade calls for blood.”

“You would strike an elf?”

“I simply know the meaning of a blade.”

“You were planning to strike me, weren’t you, lowly human?” I pick up the sword he tossed to the ground again. As my fingers wrap around the hilt, I can feel a stubbornness. You’re as boneheaded as I am, aren’t you?

“Let’s test whether that stick is worthy of being called a weapon.”

“Perhaps this is not the best place. Plus, our weapons are too sharp for a duel.”

“Do not quibble over trifles. Cry all you like, but it has been decided.” He shoots me a quick, almost intense, look. This officer is tough.

“I shall loose an arrow. Block it if you can.” I hear the sound of a bowstring before he even finishes speaking. It comes not from the front, but from the side and behind. A double Rending Arrow. Wind brushes my shoulder and leg, signaling their targets. Elven archery goes hand in hand with magic.

The fact that they are not fatal targets is proof that this is a trick. He wants to taunt us into action. So I draw my sword, a quick flash through the air, and with great speed cut down the arrows.

Hmm... It’s quiet. We may be different species but martial arts are martial arts, and a soldier is a soldier. An opponent’s ability is best judged in silence. Heh, is he trying to hide the sound of his swallowing? I do not know your name, archer, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. The truth is I am also quite impressed with my skill, and that’s not just conceit.

This is a blessing. God has deigned to bless us humans when we swing our swords.

“What are you doing?” a voice roars from on high. An elven flyer, eh?

“Second Commander Arcsem! Explain yourself!”

“There is no reason to get riled up. The human drew his sword. In front of me.”

“Don’t lie to me! You surrounded him with your men and shot arrows at him!”

“If you were watching then don’t trouble me for an explanation, Dragon Warrior.”

“You would ignore Her Grace’s will, you cur?”

“I was merely attempting to secure provisions. That is within my job responsibilities.” Even elves have infighting? Interesting. So he attempted to stir up trouble—to light a starting signal—despite this waiting for him? All to bring war to this land...

Well, I won’t let him. Not as long as I bear witness.

“On plains of chaos no one knows, where hills billow like a stormy sea...” Solemnly I begin to chant an old war song. Drawn blade in hand, I dance.

“Evil winds blow purple clouds from the south, far above in the peaks of Heaven...” Chanting clearly, I continue to dance. In place of the traditional clapping I swipe my sword, and in place of drums I stomp the earth. Just listen. Just watch. This is another form of battle.

“Listen to the voices of a thousand men, a thousand horses become the shadows of the Spear Forest Wilds, become a torrent of battlefields...” A few days ago, this land was akin to a graveyard. It might still be a battlefield, but there is life now. Nay, dare I say, it is even becoming a holy land.

And so I chant. And so I dance. My body is filled with the joy of offering up my martial arts to God.

“Silent moonlight shines on the graves of the strong. A lone war banner lays upon an empty land.” As the song ends I sink my blade into its sheath, the clink of the guard ringing like a bell. My sword put away, I straighten up. Then I bow.

“Pardon me. Just a little performance to show my respect for the bravery of your army.” Ah, it’s quiet. It’s so quiet, I can even hear the sound of shuffling leaves. The whispers of soldiers are representative of an army’s true nature. Quiet surprise, curiosity, admiration... those are the things I hear. As expected, whether they be human of elf, the purity of a warrior changes not. Soldiers are essentially simplistic and crude. They stand brave against enemies, fear enemies, challenge enemies. Assuming we all share these qualities, then tactics can be related. Because we kill each other, we can also sometimes fight together.

“If I recall, you were the acting representative of this land, correct?” The Dragon Warrior approaches. That must mean things have settled down here, at least.

“I am Agias Willow, acting Frontier Captain.”

“Indeed. An excellent performance. I wish I had my flute so I could accompany you.”

“It would be an honor.”

“I see. I am happy to hear that. However, that aside, there is something we must discuss immediately.”

“The disturbance in the residential quarter?”

“Yes. Second Commander Arcsem, I insist you accompany us.” Beckoned into their camp, I take the seat I am offered. The plants decorating the inside remind me that I am in the heart of enemy lands.

“Let’s get to it. Your report, Dragon Warrior.”

“Indeed. Unfortunately, losses were suffered on both sides.” So we’re not waiting for Father Felipo to arrive, eh? The Dragon Warrior doesn’t seem rushed, but this Second Commander elf does. I assume he doesn’t like dealing with that silver-tongued man. I can understand that.

“Her Grace wishes to express her greatest sorrow over this incident. Even now, she is stricken with grief. It all began with...” The Dragon Warrior’s face is grave as she explains what happened. Whether it is the victims that pain her, however, I cannot tell.

“I see. So three soldiers were lost.” An elven army occupying a human living quarter... it was never going to work. And considering the chaos from the monster attack, it’s fortunate this is all that happened. Even though people died.

“I must insist that this was not Her Grace’s will. In fact, she tried to stop it. Even in her distress, she ordered me to. However it was, er, difficult for me to understand...” I can guess why, but I refrain from speaking. After all, to elves humans are not seen as equals.

“Wait. We lost three soldiers and six beasts?”

“The violence in the living quarter was our fault, Second Commander Arcsem.”

“We’ll come back to that. Are you telling me humans killed elves?”

“...Yes. I witnessed it myself.”

“As if I could believe that.” If anyone could do the impossible, it would be that raven-haired girl.

Kuroi.

Earlier she had been watching over me and Father Felipo from a distance when she noticed distress in the town and ran off. And then she saved some children and took revenge on elves, eh?

“We...” If I consider Kuroi’s actions—consider her actions as those of God’s...

“Our army...” As the one in charge of the soldiers here, it is my duty to deliver this verdict.

“Our army exists to protect humans. In our right hand we wield a blade, in our left we wield flames. Each of us is always ready to defend. We do not fight recklessly. However, we do not shy from battle either. Our army is a fire that, once sparked, rages fiercely until its enemies are turned to ash.” Elves and vampires. The two strong threats against humanity. Both require solid shows of force to get the message, or else a limited future awaits us. And I will devote my life to a better future for humanity. So, for now, I will press forward, hiding my true feelings. I shall endure, and I shall make progress. They will know the line they cannot cross, and the pride of humans will not falter to petty pranks.

“I pray that you fine elves do not forget this.”

I shall wait for fortune to turn my way.

13 The Girl Swears on God’s Wavering Shadow / About Trouble in DDR

God gives us tactics, strategy, schemes, and plans.

The awesomeness of a veteran... The blade of God, cutting through innumerable obstacles.

-Sira III-

Elves aren’t like us humans. Their skin is pure white, their hair light-colored, and they’re thin, as if they’d melt in the wind or water. They wear loose clothes, and their shoes are woven. They can fly in the sky, and they walk like they’re sliding. They’re like fairies you’d find in a picture book... and really scary. Their eyes are cold, like ice. They watch us from afar, smiling. But we mustn’t let our guard down. They like to flick their bowstrings at us and scare us with their leopards and hawks. They laugh when we panic.

One time, we found a pretty stone decoration on the ground. One of the kids tried to pick it up, but I stopped them. I’d noticed an elf with an arrow nocked. I think they really meant to shoot us.

Lady Kuroi watches the elves. She’s always watching them. Her eyes are the same as when she faced the monsters. She never sleeps at all. Just watches. Watches.

Tonight, again, she stands atop a tower of rubble, black hair darker than the night flowing in the breeze.

“Lady Kuroi, do you... hate elves?” I ask. I feel I have to.

“No.”

“Even though they kill humans?”

“Mm.”

“...Even though you killed one?”

“Mm.” I wonder if love and hate even factor into why Lady Kuroi fights. She had a focused look on her face when fighting the monsters, but it didn’t seem like she hated them.

“Then... why?” Does she fight because she’s strong? I hope that’s not it.

“Because I’m angry.”

“Huh?”

“That’s why I fight.” It doesn’t look that way to me. Not at all. Lady Kuroi’s always so quiet.

“Who are you mad at?”

“The world.”

“The world... This world?”

“Yes. I can’t leave things as they are.” The world. The place we live in. The place we die... the place we might be killed in.

“Why?”

“Because it doesn’t matter if humans live.” Oh!

“Because this world doesn’t need humans.” Right, right.

“And it makes me... furious.” I understand. I understand, Lady Kuroi. Dad said the same thing. The world is very cruel. It was why he couldn’t stop fighting, even if it was dangerous. He said if he didn’t fight, it would be beyond pathetic.

Humans don’t have a God. So no matter what they do, they’re weak. They can never measure up. None of their wishes can be granted. Which is why the other races with language don’t bother with us. They don’t love us. They don’t hate us. It’s not even like they ignore us. It’s a more pitiful, uneven treatment... Sometimes they’re rough, sometimes they’re kind. It’s like the elves and vampires don’t care about us at all.

I see... So if no one will engage with us, then we can’t hate anyone specifically. This feeling of wanting to scream out... Yeah... It’s anger. “We’re right here!” I want to scream at the top of my lungs, tears streaming down my face.

“Let me teach you something.”

“Okay.”

“God isn’t always by your side.”

“Huh? Wh-What do you mean?”

“It’s because gods have their own fights, I think.” A fight between gods... The elven god and the vampire god have been fighting for ages, according to the priest. He described it as a very troublesome battle.

“Are you talking about the elves’ monster lizard and the vampires’ bat boss?”

“The human god is... a devil.”

“A devil?”

“A devil of battle. I fight and I fight and I fight, yet still it urges me to continue. It is a god of war and flames.” As Lady Kuroi speaks, it’s almost as if a large presence wavers in and out of existence behind her. It’s sitting... enshrined? But unlike the paintings and statues that decorate the church, it doesn’t have multiple arms, and isn’t wielding a sword and shield. It’s surrounded by lots of strange gadgets and... its eyes are closed. I can’t see its face, but I can tell that its eyes are closed.

God exists.

This thing I’m looking at is probably nothing more than a shadow of God. But He’s right there. Right next to Lady Kuroi. I can feel Him. God. When those eyes open, the fighting will start again. I’m sure of that.

“Sira.” Lady Kuroi’s voice. It’s a beautiful voice, filled with God’s power.

“If I’m ever defeated, it’ll be your turn to stand.” I stifle a scream and listen. I have to listen.

“You must prepare. You must stake everything on this.” I nod. I nod, putting my life on the line. For this is a contract. A contract with God. So listen, Dad. I’m going to fight, too. So that we can be human. Be proud.

-DDR Stream Part 8-

Oh, shoot! I fell asleep. But no battles broke out, so we’re all good. At times like this, I need my blessed coffee! I’m the type of person to dump the instant coffee in a cup and splash some hot water over it. No sugar, no milk, no spoon. As long as I have that pitch-black caffeine, I’m good. Ah, so good... The drink of the gods.

Now, time to appraise the situation at the Frontier. Hmm, it’s passable. Seventy points. Things are going well for now. The occupation of the elven army presents a real danger, so we can’t let our guard down. Please, no events that will cause the people’s satisfaction levels to plummet.

Seriously, these elves are really good at taunting others. Either that, or they’re just discriminatory. The way they do things is very inconsiderate. The war crimes keep happening. It’s a reality of DDR. Most of the problems occurring from the elven occupation are centered around residence.

Maybe it’s because they live in the forest, but elves seem to think of homes as toys and are quick to seize them. Then, without any rhyme or reason, they trash the place, toss about keepsakes, use them for target practice, and give away pieces of art. All of this after they’ve already forced the humans to sleep outdoors. And don’t get me started on the kids. They target kids for their “games” at an almost sadistic rate.

But, uh, if you play as an elf then you can kind of understand. To them, human kids are like rare animals. Elves don’t participate in child-rearing at all. As youths, they live completely communal lives in the Mushroom Forest. Their familiars also love to eat human children. For crying out loud, they’re not rum and mutton!

So, yeah, I figured something like that battle earlier would happen. I was focused on watching something else, however, so a few soldiers were sacrificed. Once we actually clashed, it was an easy victory. Two of the elves were wind mages and one was a water mage, along with six silver leopards. If you want to stop my Kuroi now, you’ll have to bring ten times the army! Ha ha ha!

I mean, not only do I have Accept Blade, but I also have Fire Sword, specialized for close combat. To elves, that’s as dangerous as a vampire with Thunder Strike. Oh, those are both skills for smashing through an enemy’s magic. They’re best for people who like to get up close and personal. But that doesn’t mean I can afford to get cocky. There’s still that insta-death girl, Fleilyu the Falcon. She uses a magic called Accept Falcontail that summons feathers for her. Using wind magic on top of that allows her to fly freely in the sky. The thing to watch out for is her Homing Darts. They’re silent, require no movement on her part, have unlimited ammo, and can lock on to multiple targets. She can also secretly apply poison to them. That’s just evil, right? What, is she a variable fighter or some specialized esper weapon? Come on! I don’t want to be assassinated! Her liege, Sakiel, seems good-natured, but the other one to watch is the commander NPC. That middle-aged elf seems like a close-range water mage.

But, the elves are our allies. For now. For the moment. No matter how unhappy they are about it. The point is, the next battle will be against vampires. They will, without a doubt, attack us first. They’re not the type to just watch while elves reside on the human frontier. The males and females of their race are, at their core, battle junkies. And they really do treat humans as food. I can’t say we’ll survive. No, be stronger. We will win! I’m not so sure if there’s enough total faith for Kuroi’s Call magic, though.

The bigger problem, however, is this system error that doesn’t seem to want to go away. This is really bad. I can’t save and quit. This is even more fatal than not being able to fast-forward. Actually, I haven’t quit once this playthrough so, uh, I have a lot of needs that must be attended to! Like a bath and a change of clothes! And work!

But I’ve come this far, so I’d hate to have my data erased... Ahhh... Sorry, had to yawn. If worst comes to worst, maybe I’ll take some paid leave. Mmm... I still gotta give Golden and Deep Sea a good punch... Zzz... Zzz... I can’t eat anymore...