384 381. New calendar 0004.txt (1/2)

After completing my investigation of the Fuzzy Yards, I understood all of Sister Yotaki's activities up to this year.

However, the only thing I was able to confirm was that Sister Yotaki hadn't done anything dangerous other than the 'Magic Stone Human' plan. The only other thing that could be noticed would be the books of otherworldly knowledge that were written in between recuperation sessions.

The fact that there was nothing there was a fear of the opposite.

And it was only in the ”fourth year of the new calendar” that this fear became visible.

The first time I saw it was right after I stole the Divine Iron Forge skill from the southwest Adventure.

On that day, I had obtained the results of my own newfound power at the workshop in the castle town.

Until today, the blacksmithing in Hoosier's was based on old-fashioned iron casting. However, with the new technology of 'divine iron smithing', the process of adding a technical formula to the iron was added. With this, the power of ”magic” was added to the old iron armor, and the strength was incomparable to the previous one.

I wore the first prototype of this sword on my hip.

It is a sword made from the same magic-absorbing ore and is named Rufbringer.

I spent the last few days in my workshop, and the Rufbringer was a masterpiece. Its greatest strength is its ability to absorb even the power of the ”logic thief”. If I ever have to fight Sister Youtaki, I can nullify the 'Ice Power' with this. As planned, I got the weapon (item) for Sister Youtaki and I added one more card to my hand.

I walked around the grounds of Hoozeyers Castle, trying to show off my sword to my master.

At the end of my search, I reached the front of the knight's quarters - where I first encountered The One Who Steals Blood's Reason.

One young man was sobbing, pressing his forehead to the ground.

My master was standing beside him, but I stopped in a state of wariness.

The ruf-bringer at my waist chirped in time to the youth's voice and did not stop. My 'blood power' and 'reading' also continue to advise me that the presence over there is dangerous.

That's how bloody the young man was.

The thick magical power he wore, the habitual black hair that shook, the scars on his pale skin, and everything else was coated with the stench of death, to the point where one could only assume that he had matured in the midst of countless corpses.

The young man's body was distinctive. The body hidden underneath the ragged linen clothes was oddly pale, and was pale enough to pierce through if one tried to touch it. It appears to be some kind of special 'magician'.

I stealthily approach him to see what kind of monster mixture he is.

Then, seeing his true face, and even more so, seeing that he is holding one of the instructional books in his right arm, I spill a word.

'That ...... at the time?'

I thought of a boy.

He was the boy who guided me to the First Demonic Research Institute in Fania in Year Zero of the New Year. He was also the enemy who became a victim of our battles, but who endured the blood experiments and stood in the way as an avenger.

That boy had grown into a young man and appeared in front of us again.

''Aaaaah!　Ahhhh ......, ahhhh ......!

And I was completely heartbroken.

He wept before the standing Master, spilling his tears and saliva as he mourned and muttered a prayer.

'The Great Messiah (Magna Messiah)' ....... Please help us ....... I don't know what to do anymore ....... I have no idea what to believe, what to ask for, how to live!　Please, let there be light in this soul ....... The light of that day, once again to us!　Please!

Finally, he clings to the hem of his master's clothes and shouts out with the force of tearing them now.

'Lord, please give me the light ......!　Please, please, please!　Please, aaaaah!

The face of the opposing master - it's impossible to see through the black mask of the example.

But without a doubt, the kind-hearted master must have seen the young man's heart, and his face must be just as distorted.

The master trembles, but answers clearly.

''Fafner, I am not your master. And the light, you don't need it anymore.''

What ......?

He did not expect to be denied.

The young man opened his mouth with a look of despair. Then his master shook his head and admonished him.

''Because you are already under the light. You survived that hell, you survived. You survived and made it to earth. That's why it's okay to let go. You don't have to cry anymore. ......

...... I'm in the light?

With a question, the young man looked up at the dark cloud-covered sky.

But no light seemed to be shining in his eyes.

''That's right. You're the only one who got out of that place. I know it's impossible for me to forget what happened in that place right away. But you have to forget it. You have to forget it and move on. ......

I'm the only one who got out: ......

With a wince, the young man stared at his hands. The master took his hand forcefully and made him stand up.

Eye to eye, he speaks of what is to come, not what is done, but what is to come.

'I'll say it again. You don't need a 'savior' anymore, you don't need a 'savior'. What you need now is a friend ...... or maybe a friend. With your new friends, you're on a new path.

Even I could tell that he was talking nicely, as I joined him in the middle of the conversation.

The young man facing me raised his eyebrows as I did, and tried to shake his head.

'Lord. I'll never be able to make a new friend ....... I've become such a figure--

Don't worry about it, we're 'friends' now.

Perhaps the master himself knows that it's a beautiful thing to do. On top of that, he tries to push through the impossible.

'So I don't want you to call me Lord. I don't need you to speak in such a grandiose way. You don't have to worship anyone anymore. ......

”Are the Lord and I 'friends' ......?

Yes. Let's live a new life for the dead Helmina. And be happy. For all of us.

'Yes, if the Lord wants to ...... no, Kanami, I will try ....... If you want to, you can go to .......

We'll be fine. Fafner will be back on his feet in no time. Unlike us 'reason-stealers', there's no such thing as a crack in his heart. ......

With that, the master took Fafner to the inside of the knight's quarters.

Then, not long after, he emerged from the building alone, alone.

Thanks to the 'power of the dimension', he must have noticed that I was visiting in the middle of the conversation.　He immediately runs up to my side, where he was waiting nearby.

'Tiara: ......'

'Master, what's going on ......?　Why was that boy then ......

It's a--

On the spot, the master's mouth explains the situation.

It seems that while I was holed up in my workshop, there was a report of an unusual situation in the land of Fania to the northeast.

Because of the urgency of the situation, it seems that he and Tida, the 'Stealer of the Dark Reason' who was able to move quickly, rushed in alone to solve the problem.

The end result was the killing of Hermina Neysha by the hands of Romis Neysha.

'-They were all right then, Tiara was right. Me and Tida were wrong. Our naivety got everyone else in trouble again. ...... If we had killed Lomis, as we should have .......

As I once surmised, the Romis guy couldn't give up his 'miracle power' and appeared in Fania again.

I could read from my master's short explanation that a lot of blood had been spilled due to his dark deeds.

'Because I didn't make it in time: ......

That's what the Master repeated, but that was my line.

I had read that Romis's vengeance perfectly in the skill 'Reading'.

If I had been there, I could have led to a better ending, such as ”Fafner lays his hands on Hermina Nisha and sleeps forever in the depths of the earth.

However, I was unable to accompany him in that battle. It was just because of an urgent report during the process of confirming the power of the ”divine iron smith”...

I will make it next time. I'll never make that mistake again.

It was at this time that I began to see a fading of my master's expression, which had been so bright for all these years.

And not long after that, the second ”One who steals the truth” appeared in front of me.

This, too, was all over without my knowing it.

The young man was wielding a sword behind the knight's quarters, along with his Sith sister.

He had colored hair and a frail-looking face. I thought he was a new knight who could be found anywhere, but his sword - it was too beautiful.

It wasn't invisible to the eye.

My eyes, strengthened by the increase in level, were indeed able to follow the young man's sword. However, because I could see lazily, if I got close enough, I could read, ”In the space of a breath, without even feeling slashed, Tiara Fuzzyaz's head would be cut off from her torso.

The young man had an uncharacteristic appearance, yet he was a mass of premonitions of death.

He was a quiet and terrifying death-bearer, as kind as Fafner seemed to be to me, who had been sprinkling the foreboding of death in plain sight.

I tried to get far enough away to steal what he was saying to his Sith sister.

However, the young man easily senses my movement in his blind spot and turns his attention to me.

'............?　What, eh?　Princess Tiara: ......!

I appear in front of the young man in contemplation, amazed at his good instincts.

Then he shrinks back nervously and greets me with a loud voice.

'Hi, Princess!　I am Rowen, head of House Arrais!　Um, you know, that ...... anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you ......!

'Oh, yeah ....... Don't be so awed. I'm not doing anything princess-like at all ....... Just think of me as one of the many diplomats out there.

I wanted to shrink back.

We were just facing each other, but I couldn't stop sweating cold. All along, the skill 'reading' has been appealing to me with the best warning ever.

Now I feel like a worm in a constant state of life-and-death control.

I step away from the young man and listen while hiding behind my Sis sister.

'Sis sister ....... Could this person be ......?

Yes, he's 'the thief of the earth'.

Why? Why? ......

Why?　I'm a scout!　Even though Fafner was knighted in the 'contract', he was still lacking in strength!

Who's a scout, ......?

It's ...... that, of course, is me!　It's me, of course!

He stammered.

Sis sister often tries to deceive like a child.

I guess it's not a lie. But it's more likely that she's saying that she's taking credit for finding Rowen Alais with the help of someone else, as if she's the only one who can do it.

'Ah, ah--'

I was about to ask him the details of how it happened, when I realized that my throat was sticking up.

My throat was dry with fear.

I could tell that my stomach was tense with tension.

I writhe and manage to squeeze out my voice.

'...... hey, come here for a minute. Sis.

He can't even talk casually in front of Rowen Alais.

When he complained about it with his expression, the Sith sister nodded once and told him to move on.

'I need to talk to her. You stay there.

Rowen Alais is nervous about dealing with the apostles as well as the royals, ”Ha! I answer shortly and continue to swing my sword in place.

I walk until I can no longer see my Sith sister and the young man, fearing that the sword will not cut off my head at any moment.

''...... Sis sister. First, let me hear that man's 'curse'.