Chapter 149 (1/2)

Volume 2

Chapter 128

This was the day before we moved.

「Phew, okay, made it in time. Hey, I did it!」

I looked over at the sleepy Shuria after saying that.

「Yawwwn. Oh! So this is the complete thing?」

I returned to the lodging where Shuria and Minnalis were waiting with a high cape that had the power of negating light, making the wielder become one with the shadows.

After being finished with some easy training in the 『Clothes of the Shadow Soul』that I had loved to use in the first world, I used it for this operation as well.

So in the depths of the night, I crept with it and one curved Kukri knife.

It’s blade was a deep red, almost black, and though it was made for hacking, it looked quite suited for its main purpose, slicing.

「Hee hee, that’s some black magic you’ve generated there.」

Shuria’s 「Red Sight」 shone like a small candle shimmering in the dark room.

「The『Cursed-Blood Knife』? It was part of the original 『Large Sword of Violence』 but the bait of the 『Sloth』part is enough.」

The activation conditions of 『Sloth』that I planned to use was the 『Sloth』curse in the weapon itself.

It was rare that a cursed thing had a definite effect. However, it wasn’t impossible to find a piece that would do almost that much.

Among the many utensils, furniture and masks that had multiple shady pasts, there were too many to count.

There were all of the things that Shuria had set out to collect in the town, and from a piece of the 『Large Sword of Violence』that a goblin had carried in a dungeon near the capital of the Aurolia Empire, I had used my 【Sword Binding]ability.

The result was the 『Cursed-Blood Knife』that I held in my hand.

「Good job, master.」

「Yeah, thanks.」

Minnalis made some hot milk for me and put the cup on the table.

「Preparations are over. Now we just wait until tomorrow.」

I put the knife I held down, got up from the chair and patted Minnalis on the head.

「It’ll be fine. We’re going to do this easily.」

Shuria gripped Minnalis’ hand.

「Yes, finally, finally. They shall receive no forgiveness from any of us.」

Minnalis had a cold, light smile that looked like it would quickly melt away as we all silently snuggled together.

☆

「Keril, I’m headed back to the village, okay?」

「Yeah, don’t cry at night when you’re alone, okay?」

「How old do you think I am? Geez.」

Lucia was riding on a covered wagon to the closest village from Kikitto.

Lucia was complaining with a frown, and though they were used to it, she was so cute that it made your heart jump.

Since she was invited to be a student after leaving the village, she met a lot of people including men that would make her anxious when they approached her, but because of that she noticed it.

After that, we had quite a few twists and turns together and when we graduated, it was time to marry.

「I’ll be there the day after tomorrow. Tell everyone in the village hi.」

「Yeah, let’s have the greatest marriage ceremony ever!」

Upon saying that, a smile formed on Lucia’s face.

It was three days by wagon to the village, and after borrowing a horse, two.

It was 10 days until our marriage, and the preparations were continuing at the village, as there were many things needed to decorate a bride, not to mention a groom.

That’s why Lucia was on her way home first, as I had business to do in Carbonheim and then would follow suit.

With that in mind, I watched Lucia in her wagon fade away until I could see her no longer.

「…ah…marriage, marriage.」

Feelings rose up in my chest as I thought about it.

Both Lucia and I came from that small village.

We were found to have talent in the town nearest by the Magician’s Group and we were made students of Carbonheim.

『There are monsters living as humans in the city, so you can’t go there until you’re older.』

That eventless tiny village…it’s not that I hated it. Even so, it seems so obscure now. I had dreamed.

One day, I’ll leave this village, and fly into the world.

And the day that I finally flew away to that place the adults called the city came quickly.

Those heroic tales I got in a book from my parents.

I would read them over and over to the point that a treasured book of mine became tattered.

Using a magic sword, not letting a small injustice get by, fighting against the enemy for honor, and finally defeating a massive evil – the true heroic story of a man.

I loved those heroes, they would get involved with things and bad stuff would happen.

I deepened my bonds with others as I overcame many obstacles.

A practical road formed before me like a dream about all the various villages I visited, like 『East Village』and『West Village』.

Now, we’re the way we are now.

There, walking towards me is a mother and child beast-person.

Their ears are shaped something like foxes.

「Mommy…I’m hungry…」

「Please, just wait until dinner.」

Looking at the little girl begging her mom made me think of another childhood friend.

Just a year before I left, a childhood friend that was chased from the town.

Remembering that day now makes my heart a little heavy.

From when she was born, we were raised together, and then she was betrayed.

As the adults said, she was a monster that lived among people…a beast.

The first time she came to the village, I was very surprised.

Because in the eyes of the people, a beast is no different than a monster and due to that, a beast is always thought to be evil.

But Minnalis kept all that secret from us.

The fact that Minnalis bullied Lucia wasn’t forgivable as well.

But a childhood friend is just that. We were raised together.

It seemed that she and her mother went away to some town far beyond the horizon, so maybe she’s turned around and decided to live right.

If you correct your mistakes, anyone can have a second chance.

「Yeah, the power of being a beast is too much. And she was still a child.」

Now more than five years have passed, and in the same way we’ve grown, Minnalis must have as well.

I know that Minnalis isn’t bad in her heart of hearts.

Since Lucia was bullied by Minnalis directly, there was no way she would find it easy to forgive her.

Even so the bright and kind Lucia thought that after some time she could make friends with her.

Lucia, Minnalis, and I, laughing together in that childhood scene.

It certainly was a happy one.

「Well, time to clear out of this dorm.」

Different than enlisted students, those who are joining the army as an internal student aren’t forced to live in the dorm.

Of course we both decided to leave our dorms and live together.

Before we earnestly began living our life in the army, we had to get finished moving.

We had just accustomed to this path, and now we were returning to self-living from dorm life.

(…? Is someone in my room?)

When I reached for the doorknob, I could feel someone inside the room.

Woojess, my roommate, went back to his home last night and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, I though, so I had locked the door.

It was hard to think that another dorm-mate would just barge in.

(It’s impossible…but maybe a thief? I mean, Woojess is a rich kid with a lot of money, but there’s no way he’d leave expensive stuff lying around, right?)

I had my doubts as I grabbed my sword from my waist and opened the door.

「Who is it?! What are you doing in my room?!」

Inside of my room, there was a person in a robe with their back to the door facing the open window.

「…」

Silence returned after I had demanded who the person was.

「Why are you quiet, you thief? Sorry, but there’s nothing of value here…」

「Long time since I’ve seen this…『Tales of the Hero of the Dawn』. You still have it.」

Then, that voice that reached my ears, made me silent.

A cold and echoing voice of a young girl.

A voice that I had heard before.

I was so surprised that I didn’t even look at the book that I had left on my desk.

「Long time no see, Keril. You haven’t changed a bit.」

Fwup, she slung back her hood, and I saw her rabbit-ears pop up.

She looked back at me, the shape of a childhood friend that had grown into a beauty that would enchant any man into amazement.

「Min…nalis? It’s you?」

「Yes…it’s been five, no, six years? A really long time had passed, hasn’t it.」

She made a pained smile in front of my surprised face as she said it.

「Ohh! Oh! It has been a while! Minnalis!」

「…yes, you’re right. For now, do you want to go somewhere we can talk? Maybe have lunch, I have a lot to speak to you about.」

☆

We went to a place with few people, in other words the back-alleys, and found a place to eat.

It should have been the busiest time, but it seemed like we were the only one in the place.

「Even still, you’ve grown so much I thought you were someone else, Minnalis.」

「Yes, well, I’ve went through a lot, which made me grow up very quickly.」

Minnalis smiled calmly.

(Well, good Minnalis. You really have grown.)

Because of the way we separated, I thought maybe that she had a strange, unfounded resentment towards me.

Well, she really had grown mentally as well as physically.

「What are you doing now, Minnalis? In that get-up, are you live-in help for someone?」

I was happy that Minnalis had changed from the girl that bullied Lucia, so I asked her.

She was wearing a nice maid uniform, so I thought she must have been tending to a powerful businessman’s family.

「Yes, I’m working in an excellent environment. Because of that I came to speak to you, and so have come to visit.」

「Hm? To me?」

「Keril, then Lucia. During this year I was asked by the country to conduct a secret investigation of you.」

「S, secret investigation?! And, for a year?! That’s stupid… 」

「Heh heh, have you seen this face anywhere before?」

「Wha?!」

As she said that her face changed to someone completely different.

It changed to the face of a cleaning lady I had seen often at the school.

「It’s an illusion. Because a beast-woman’s magic soon is dispelled after leaving the body, the secretness of this technique that I use is genuine.」

She released the illusion and her face returned.

「And, the result of the investigation was that there’s a problem with Lucia. It’s something that will involve itself with her from now.」

「?! W…what? What do you mean involve itself?」

「…here are the visual records of the investigation. Please look.」

Minnalis took out a vision crystal.

Even though I was greatly surprised, I still looked at the vision crystal that she showed me.

『…don’t mess with me, I know you’re looking at Keril with those enchanting eyes!』

『Hey, my close friend Katrea can use her upper-class connections, you know.』

『I don’t have to tell you what will happen then, do I?』

There was a weeping acquaintance and Lucia, who was threatening her.

「W…what is this?」

「There are other one’s too. Here, and this, and this too.」

I was stunned by all the images I saw.

「This…Lucia…no way! I don’t believe it…」

Bright, kind, healthy, childish, attractive girl.

But in the images she was a cruel woman I never knew.

…I saw a Lucia that I had never seen before.

「Here’s the food.」

As the food was brought to the table, Minnalis put away the crystal.

「These images have not been made public. Before officially joining the army, if Lucia is repentant and apologizes before an authority, this will be treated as a private matter before the army recognizes it as a mistake.」

「…」

「Your food is getting cold?」

「Oh, yes…uh…」

I reached out and took the soup in front of me.

Even though it was in my mouth, the food had no taste.

「I see, in other words, Minnalis, you want me to get Lucia to reform?」

「…」

「Just leave Lucia to me, I’ll do all I can. I’ll show you! Anyone can do things over, can make things right!」

「One line from 『Tales of the Hero of the Dawn』.」

「Yes, people change, and grow, I believe it.」

Yeah, if Lucia really did something like that, then I can correct it.

Defeat the evil and return those that have lost their path to the right one. It’s something I have to do.

Yes, I…

「People change…grow…right?」

「?!」

It felt like someone had licked my spine with a cold tongue.

The odd feeling of something from my instincts made me jump from my chair.

「Kuhuh, Kuhuheh heh, Ahah, Ahah hah hah hah hah!!」

An echoing dark laugh.

So deep that it made you sink no matter how far you stretched your arms.

「Min…Min…nalis?」

「CHANGE? GROW? Hah, even though you haven’t changed a bit! Heh, hahahhah!」

「What are you…?」

A cold sweat broke out at seeing Minnalis change like this.

Even though my hand was covered in sweat, I didn’t dare to let go of the my sword’s handle.

After Minnalis stood there, laughing alone, she suddenly stopped, and said it again in an echoing voice.

「Really, not one thing, not one has changed since then…even though no one cares about what’s right, and it doesn’t matter if you change, and it doesn’t matter if you grow!」

「Why do you say that all the sudden! I…!!」

I felt a bad premonition come over me.

Anyway, Minnalis didn’t stop saying what she wanted to.

「And so, why is the first thing you said was 『I’ll help reform Lucia』? If you thought『There’s no way Lucia would do that』 or 『I need to see the proof before I believe it』, I mean, you were only shown a display crystal that anyone could make…」

「What? So you fooled me?!」

「I didn’t try to fool you, this really did happen. But, Keril. You couldn’t care less, right?」

Minnalis spun her words lightly, like the breeze.

Almost as if she was taking pleasure in my reaction, her smile turned up as she looked at me.

「S…shut up! Stop doing this!」

「You wanted to be a hero, and if you think about defeating what’s evil, that really has nothing to do with evil, right? You were so quick to accept what Lucia did as evil without any proof.」

Her taunting words seemed to play with me.

「Quiet! I wasn’t thinking that!」

「When did you suddenly, without me knowing, become someone so interested in beating evil anyway? What is evil really? Is punishing evil, without even checking to see the truth in it, is fun for you somehow? …you really are the worst.」

She looked down on me like a bug.

—When I was there, did you throw a rock at something evil? Hero?

She spit the words out with disgust.