Chapter 69
But Deliver Us (4)
The hole created by the Holy Brush greedily swallowed our party. It didn’t feel like we were simply falling, but rather being swept away and carried down by a massive wave.
“!”
When I opened the eyes I had tightly shut, I saw the flow of a vast space.
It seed to drop downward, then shift sideways, then surge upward again—moving in all sorts of directions.
“!”
With my vision shaking, I examined my surroundings as best as I could. From Winter, who had fallen first, to Worden, who had fallen last, we were all within the sa space.
I realized that where we were was a kind of elevator. A dreadful elevator that moved in every direction without a single safety device.
‘What is this now.’
Was it like outer space? I tried swimming through it, but it was aningless. I was helplessly swept along, unable to do anything, when Canis’s finger began to glow.
‘That’s.’
The sand-colored ring given by the desert tribe we had t on the train. The ring I had given to Canis emitted light and pointed in a certain direction.
Strangely, as the sand-colored ring reacted, the movent of the space began to change.
“Uaaaah.”
Left and right, up and down. The violent shaking that had tossed us around rcilessly began to move in only one direction.
The party mbers who had been flung about finally collapsed onto the floor and were able to catch their breath. Winter, who had been thrown down in an unsightly heap, groaned.
“Is everyone~ safe~?”
Canis, the first to regain his senses, asked playfully. At those words, as if bewitched, the party gathered where Winter lay.
“Our Winter~ is such a troublemaker~”
“……”
Normally, Winter would have grumbled in response, but this ti she couldn’t say a word.
“You. Canis. What is that ring?”
“Yes, Imperial Princess. It is a token of friendship exchanged with the desert tribe we t before coming to the desert.”
“Friendship with a desert tribe? As far as I know, items used by desert tribes are said to carry the desert’s curse.”
Hearing the Imperial Princess’s words, Canis handed the ring to . I received it absentmindedly, wearing a vacant expression.
The light of the sand-colored ring had not yet gone out.
“A compass? Is it?”
“Most likely.”
The mont the light erged, the rampaging space stabilized.
“Sothing is coming.”
With a hardened expression, the Imperial Princess fixed her gaze forward. As she said, sothing was coming. To be precise, we were approaching that sothing.
The scenery began to stretch. The walls elongated endlessly. In response, we prepared for battle.
“That bastard!”
When the space stretched to its limit and ca to a halt, we were falling. From the very center of the massive cavity, I spotted sothing and shouted loudly.
“That bastard is the heart!”
I didn’t know what exactly was there, but I recognized that form from my mory and imdiately gave the order to attack.
I pulled out the Lightning Spike of Anaye, its cooldown finally over. A massive bolt of lightning surged upward.
The chest, packed with solid muscle, was imposing even in appearance alone. An enraged face and two arms aid straight at us.
‘Good thing it doesn’t have legs.’
Without mobility, we could control the timing of our attacks as we pleased. As I drew out the Lightning Spike of Anaye, Canis raised her mana with all her might.
Worden caught the falling Winter and set her down, then took out a reagent he had been saving. Combining it with fire, he created a field of lava.
Though she didn’t know the details, at my urgent shout the Imperial Princess lent her strength as well. She drew out her favored weapon, a high-clef-shaped axe, and hurled it with full force.
“It doesn’t~ have legs~”
After Canis’s innocent remark, a terrifying wave of crystals surged forward. Crystals as large as a man’s torso shot ahead at fierce speed.
Following that, the Lightning Spike of Anaye swung down. The intense heat of the electricity clashed against flesh, producing a bizarre, grating sound.
―Kugugugugu.
The giant, struck by the sudden bombardnt, seed to endure for a mont before finally beginning to collapse.
Its two arms lted away in the lava field, and a massive hole began to form in the sturdy body that had been holding out against the enormous crystals.
The axe aid at its neck emitted a strange wave as it flew, severing the head. Then the sword of lightning that followed split its chest in half.
“……”
The party held their breath and waited for a reaction. No one spoke carelessly. We had used every attack we could unleash at once.
Yet no one believed it had been killed in a single blow. They quietly prepared their next assault.
“What are you all standing around for?”
“Huh?”
I sneered at the party for standing there dumbly. Confused expressions turned toward . I snapped my fingers.
The glass marbles I had scattered in advance exploded all at once. Among the techniques I possessed, none matched the raw power of the Lightning Spike of Anaye.
But the overlapping explosions of the glass marbles were different. Twenty at once was a painful number, but there was no more reliable follow-up than this.
“Aaagh! My eyes!”
Winter, who had stared at the explosion of the glass marbles while completely defenseless, let out a pathetic scream. Clutching her eyes, she rolled around.
“Hmm. Not bad.”
Feeling the intense flash and the heat wave that followed, the Imperial Princess smiled faintly. When Canis fired a single crystal, the heat that had been burning the giant dispersed.
“An eagle?”
Amid the giant’s corpse, lted beyond recognition, there was only one thing that had maintained its shape.
Staring at the golden eagle statue, Canis tilted her head.
“That~ is it?”
“That?”
“The one~ we saw during the attack?”
“Yeah, it’s the sa thing. This one’s the original.”
I answered that she was right at Canis’s question, impressed by her sharp mory. I glanced at Winter, but she wore an expression that clearly showed she had no idea what we were talking about.
▶Main Quest: [Statue of the Petrified Eagle]. Complete.
Seeing the quest completion window, I smiled in satisfaction. Suddenly, the Imperial Princess waved her hand, stealing my attention.
“You, Davide.”
“Yes, Imperial Princess.”
“I may take that, correct?”
I was left speechless. As if hitching a free ride wasn’t enough, now she intended to take the reward as well. Seeing my expression, the Imperial Princess burst into hearty laughter.
“I shall cure the illness of the Second Young Master of the Kargula Family. That is your goal, is it not?”
“……It is.”
“In any case, such an item cannot be sold. You might be able to use it, but well.”
That was for to decide. I dared to look at the Imperial Princess steadily.
“Of course, I shall give you a reward worthy of it. We will have to et again regardless, will we not? Davide, who so impudently refused the summons of the Imperial Princess.”
“……Yes, Imperial Princess.”
“At that ti, I shall give you sothing befitting. Try to wriggle out of it again, if you can.”
With a scoff, the Imperial Princess turned her head away. The gazes of Canis and Winter felt piercing.
“Does Davi~ have three lives? Ignoring the summons of the Imperial Princess~”
“S-Senior. I-I just heard sothing strange.”
I ignored them.
***
“……You survived, sohow.”
“You could say that.”
We returned directly to the Kargula estate. At Rama’s request, who was curious about what had happened, I recounted the story.
Rama looked at Davide with an intrigued expression.
“I have heard many rumors. It seems you truly have changed.”
“You could say that.”
“Is it because of religion?”
“Yes.”
At Rama’s question, Davide answered readily. While surprised by Davide’s transformation, Rama also regarded it in a positive light.
“What do you intend to do about Duhein?”
“The flow cannot be reversed.”
“……The flow.”
Rama’s face grew serious. He himself was already raising a blade against his half-brother, yet Davide’s path left him uneasy.
“Is the downfall of Duhein necessary?”
“It is not the downfall of Duhein. It is the downfall of the Head of the Family.”
“Nerva Duhein.”
Nerva Duhein, called the strongest Head of the Family since the founding patriarch of the Duhein Family. Bereninche, who followed him, was a talent worthy of comparison—but Davide was not.
“Will Bereninche remain still?”
“I must persuade her.”
“……That is what truly sounds absurd.”
Rama wore a bitter expression. The promise they had exchanged when he was stabbed by Davide’s blade.
Davide would assist Rama in swallowing the Kargula Family, and Rama would assist Davide in bringing down Duhein.
There was no intention of withdrawing the promise they had already made. Yet the worry remained all the sa.
“So, when do you plan to strike that bastard?”
“I would prefer assassination if possible, but as you know, there is soone formidable by my brother’s side.”
“Hmm.”
“At the Academy, where there is no escort. I plan to settle everything there.”
Museion Island, where by principle not even attendants, let alone guards, could be brought. Still, they wouldn’t be able to kill him.
“An arm? Or a leg?”
“One of each.”
“Impressive. You as well.”
At Davide’s sneer, Rama scoffed. Of all people, the one infamous for being human trash saying such things.
“The Battle Festival that begins in the second sester. I intend to end everything there.”
“Do as you wish.”
With that, Davide rose from his seat. Discussions about rewards and expenses had already been concluded.
There was nothing more to discuss, so Rama did not stop him.
“Head of the Family Nerva was a good man.”
“No.”
Rama’s final remark halted Davide. Davide shot him a sharp glare.
“I know that you were childhood friends with Davide.”
“Hmph.”
“But you know nothing.”
Davide snapped at Rama. Rama, and indeed no one else, would know. Not even Bereninche, whom Nerva cherished.
“He is evil itself.”
Leaving those words behind, Davide disappeared. Rama wore a complicated expression as he reflected on it.
“Is that truly acceptable?”
“Of course.”
Rama, lost in thought, spoke toward the corner of the room.
From that empty corner, the Imperial Princess with dark crimson hair revealed herself. She removed the cloak she had been wearing.
“I fear that Davide’s foul temperant may cause trouble for Your Highness.”
“It matters not. It is that fool’s fault for failing to detect even a trace of my presence.”
The Imperial Princess replied shalessly. Rama let out a hollow laugh. The cloak she had worn was an artifact.
It was an outrageous item that erased not only sound and appearance but even presence itself, and was layered with a barrier that scattered perception.
And yet she claid it was the other party’s fault for not noticing.
“More importantly, you are devising quite the adorable plan.”
“Yes, Imperial Princess. Might you be interested?”
“Of course. The downfall of Duhein is what the Imperial House has long desired. How entertaining this is becoming.”
The Imperial Princess plopped down into a guest chair and propped her legs up on the table.
“You. Rama.”
“Yes, Imperial Princess.”
“I shall give you Kargula.”
At her words, Rama’s face hardened. If the Imperial House interfered in family affairs, matters would grow complicated. It would be trendous help in the struggle, but the aftermath would be the issue.
He would be dragged into all sorts of controversies, expending great effort rely to block them.
“Publicly, it may be difficult. But assistance can take many forms.”
“That is true, Imperial Princess. Then what would you have from in return?”
“Through this expedition, I confird sothing quite interesting.”
The Imperial Princess wore an excited expression, reminiscent of a child who had found a new toy.
“Everything about Davide. Tell all that you know.”
“Are you asking to betray a friend?”
“How amusing.”
At Rama’s words, the Imperial Princess rose from her seat. The heavy sound of the armor that always protected her body filled the room.
She approached slowly, her face drawing closer and closer.
“That man knows even state secrets. I am giving you an opportunity. An opportunity to explain why he should be allowed to live.”
“State secrets.”
“Yes. Tell of the Davide you have experienced. I will be the one to judge.”
Rama swallowed dryly. He could not discern the true intent behind the Imperial Princess’s words.
User Comments
0 comments from readers