Chapter 61 (1/2)

Now that I’m giving the idea some consideration, a few things do come to mind.

First of all, after The Overlooker ‘prepared’ my body for this world and transferred me over, why did a Shadow Demon nest spring up so close by?

Why was there something in the Shadow Demon nest similar to the Door of Wizardry, which used to be merely an imaginary construct made up by my long ago friend and me?

Facts that I’d merely written off as coincidence and thrown to the back of my mind now seem to make sense.

A sudden wave of dizziness strikes me, causing me to strengthen my grip on my Wizardry Staff in a fl.u.s.ter to support myself. The red-hot anger that had filled my stomach up till now is all gone, replaced by ice-cold despair.

That is how shocking War General Kanbelis’ words are to me.

The Door of Wizardry, though it exists only inside my heart, is a door that connects chaos to this world. If the other side of the Door is actually connected to the Shadow Demons’ world……

Is this world really a black SF, like I had thought at the very start?

If, if I really am this focal point, an existence that will be the trigger for the next Bleed……

…… Then I need to be eliminated by these guys.

It is a bit surprising how easily I came to accept my own death.

In contrast to j.a.pan, where I had no wife, no kids, and no more living family members, here I have Mora, Claura, Irudo, Sedam, Leiha, and all my other nakama at Jiiteias Castle.

I see, so that’s how it is…… I’ve come to love this world.

Rather than letting them be trampled by Shadow Demons, I would rather……

“It’s about time I hear your answer.”

“......!”

Right as I was about to step into a delusion of tragedy, a rough male voice jerks me back to reality.

Coming to a start, I raise my face to see War General Kanbelis staring at me. I had expected him to be angry, but instead he has his eyes open wide in startlement.

“...... Oh, pardon me.”

I hurriedly wipe the corner of my eyes with the sleeves of my robe. It seems that I had embarra.s.singly shed a few tears.

Now that is quite shameful indeed.

However, due to a different emotion entering my heart, which had been completely painted over with despair, my head begins to move again.

If it ever comes down to it, I might truly a.s.sent to being killed. But I can’t just let go without first doing everything that I can.

“Ah—, in the first place, that Miko of yours. How trustworthy are her prophecies? Are you people not just saying it?”

“A past Miko prophesied the 2nd Bleed before it began 150 years ago. The current generation has also accurately prophesied the locations of powerful Demonists and small-scale Shadow Demon nests several times already. I myself had also followed her prophecies and successfully hunted down a Demonist within Shulendal.”

“......Muu……”

That, too, could just be him saying it. However, it is true that the War Tribe has produced actual results throughout the decades……

“Well then, how about that ‘trial’? Shadow Demons aside, can it seriously tell apart even Demonists?”

“The trial will be conducted with a tool called a ‘Sight Demon.’ It is a special crystal ball that has Shadow Demon blood sealed inside, and it will definitely react towards Shadow Demons or individuals affected by Shadow Demons.”

In other words, it should respond to those who had been brainwashed or possessed by Shadow Demons, like Leiha and Baron Koval had been.

Isn’t this totally foolproof? If these people actually become my allies……

“Just now, you mentioned prophecies about small-scale Shadow Demon nests. Was there a prophecy about the nest that had appeared in this land about 2 months ago? Furthermore, it seems that there had been Demonists in Lelis for more than 10 years already, so what about that?”

“...... Not all Demonists and nests are prophesied about. If it was possible to determine them all through prophecies, then we would have completely wiped them out ages ago.”

“............”

…… No good, I can’t find any contradictions or inconsistences in what he is saying.

Guess I have no more recourse but to entrust myself to the results of this trial of theirs.

If I am really judged to be a Shadow Demon…… dammit, I don’t want to die.

“...... I understand. I a.s.sent to partic.i.p.ating in that trial.”

“Is that so. Excellent.”

“I only have one request. If I truly turn out to be a Shadow Demon or under the influence of a Shadow Demon, I am planning on obediently allowing you guys to kill me. However, before that, may I have just a little bit of time to say farewell to my nakama?”

“Very well, you may. But before we start, I have a question of my own.”

To be honest, I still haven’t made up my mind whether I should obediently let myself get killed, or whether I should struggle to survive, even if it means deceiving the War Tribe.

Kanbelis continues after staring at my face for a short while longer.

“We heard from sources in Lelis that you are currently gathering allies at this castle for the sake of fighting against Shadow Demons, and that you eventually plan on forming an alliance with various countries. Is that true?”

I don’t know what brought him to ask that question, but thanks to it, my mind is now completely calm.

“That’s not quite right. I’m not gathering allies for the sake of fighting against Shadow Demons.”

“Then what are you gathering allies for?”

“I, and my allies, will fight Shadow Demons for the sake of protecting people from all over.”

That’s right, I have a goal.

…… There’s no way I can accept dying here.

♥♦♣♠

“As of now, we shall begin the War Tribe’s ‘trial.’ The judge shall be Diviner Kyuil. The enforcer shall be Head Warrior Leid. And I, War General Kanbelis, shall be the witness.”

At the open area in front of the main gate.

From among the War Tribe group that is standing by, the man wearing a robe and the conspicuously huge warrior step forward and surround me.

I feel the presence of several people inside the castle spooked by the strange atmosphere and about to dash out, but I wave an arm to stop them.