[Vol 1] Chapter 2 – Beast of the Night (2/2)

The rock had a normal temperature, it was smooth like a person’s skin, but also very hard at the same time.

But, most importantly —— “What kind of magic tool was it”, n.o.body knew. It might still be unfinished, or it’s a rock with a special purpose.

Using her fingertips to tap the rock, Fino begun to wait for Selo’s return.

—— She was kind of worried about the incident this afternoon.

She was discovered here by her adoptive father, then —— Selo was most likely warned again.

Fino could imagine what her adoptive father said, she also knew Selo must be in a sullen mood. Because Fino understood his careful personality.

But, compared to Selo who was both a servant and a child, Ordoba’s anger was more towards Fino who was his adoptive daughter and a n.o.ble.

Ordoba was very dissatisfied with her actions as a n.o.ble, his younger sister, Fino’s mother also had a similar personality and had discarded the family name of Doriarudo.

As a result, before her mother died, Fino didn’t know her own family background, and did not know that n.o.ble blood flows within her veins.

(It was originally not such an amazing household——)

Although she was quite apologetic towards Ordoba who was very concerned with the appearance of n.o.bility, Fino really thought so.

In simpler terms, Fino knew that their views were different, and having her own views restricted would cause her to suffer.

Selo’s existence to Fino could be said as a type of salvation. As long as she was in front of him, Fino could be herself and not the “ojou-sama of n.o.bility”.

Leaning forward with her elbows on the table, Fino used her fingertips to tap the black rock.

“Selo, why aren’t you back yet…”

Her chest was rather restless tonight.

And so, Fino continued to wait.

She stopped applying mana into the lamp, and so the “Light of the Night” lost its radiance, the room was soon shrouded with darkness.

Fino caressed the black rock, and about an hour later, she was already half asleep —— At that moment, the door creaked.

“Selo!”

Fino reflectively stood up and ran towards the door.

However, the person standing there wasn’t Selo, but Kardena the maid.

Seeing Fino in the room, she knitted her eyebrows and sagged her shoulders.

“… Ojou-sama, I saw that you haven’t returned to your room, and thought you might have come here —— Now, follow me back. Before Ordoba-sama finds out, let’s go.”

Kardena grabbed Fino’s elbow and pulled Fino with a lot of strength.

Fino was confused, but still left Selo’s home reluctantly.

“You actually discovered me here, Kardena.”

When she was sleeping in Selo’s home at noon, Kardena seemed to have seen her. Fino heard later that heard that when she was sleeping, Kardena only called her name and didn’t enter the house.

Kardena sighed.

“It’s not about knowing or not, in the middle of the night, ojou-sama couldn’t have gone anywhere else… Seriously, this will cause trouble for Selo. That child is already fourteen, if he’s always with ojou-sama, he wouldn’t have any time to himself.”

Hearing Kardena’s complaint, Fino also sighed.

She needed Selo, Selo also needed her —— Fino had deep faith in this.

So she wasn’t happy with Kardena’s comment.

Furthermore, Fino had no intention of being a hindrance to Selo or hold him back. She was just worried about Selo tonight, and did not stop him from harvesting herbs.

As long as there was still time for the two of them aside from that ——She only hoped to treasure the time they have together.

She thought that Selo also shared that feeling, no matter how small.

Kardena pulled Fino’s hand and led her back to the mansion.

The commotion caused by the suspicious person seemed to have ended, and silence returned to the mansion. There was still no sight of the knights.

Gazing out of the window, the giant moon had reached its peak.

Other stars merely seemed like small specks of light. In comparison, only the moon gave people a clear impression of being “nearby”.

The moon was larger than the faraway mountain, if the image in front could be painted, then about a quarter of the painting would be covered by the moon.

Seeing the height of the moon —— Fino felt a sudden sense of unease.

“Kardena, do you know what time it is?”

Because she slept a while at Selo’s home, her concept of time was very fuzzy.

Kardena lightly tilted her head, and whispered.

“It’s just past midnight… Is there a problem?”

Fino didn’t know how to answer that.

Selo should be back by now.

No matter how slow, if he wasn’t back within an hour, then it would be weird.

“Ne, Selo went up into the mountains. Will he be alright…?”

Kardena nodded to the worrying Fino.

“Selo will be fine. Even if he encountered the intruder that ojou-sama discovered he will be fine —— That child’s luck is pretty good and he’s quite brave.”

These words made Fino even more worried, she held down on her own chest.

“Selo, he isn’t “brave”, just “slow”. Can I go to meet him?”

“Of course not, it’s already so late.”

Kardena immediately stopped her.

This was the natural reaction as Kardena was both her maid and her security guard.

Fino thought for a moment, and continued to say using a dejected tone.

“Then can I go on a ride using the Celestial Wooden Horse? Taking a walk at night is very pleasant.”

“—— Ojou-sama, why can’t you give up. No matter what, I won’ allow you to go out. Selo will be back soon, don’t worry about him.”

Kardena replied using a tone unlike that of a servant and pushed Fino into her bedroom.

Originally thinking that she would stand guard in the corridor, Fino didn’t expect her to follow inside.

This troubled Fino. Compared to before, she was far stricter tonight. It seems to be the result of her nap at Selo’s home.

“Hey! Are you going to stand guard until I fall asleep…?”

“Yes. Tonight, I will not let ojou-sama escape from the window.

Kardena calmly repled.

“… Nnngh.”

Fino didn’t know what Kardena was thinking about ——

While she reached her hand into a small pouch on the table.

“——Nevermind, it can’t be helped. Then good night. Kardena.

“Yes, please take a good rest, ojou-sama.”

Facing the relaxed Kardena, Fino revealed a saint-like smile.

“No, the one who will sleep is you.”

“Ah?”

Fino pointed the defensive magic tool in her pouch —— “Fainting Perfume” towards Kardena’s nose tip, and lightly sprayed out a bit of mist.

This wasn’t a normal drug, but a magic tool that needed a small amount of mana input to use.

Kardena’s eyes soon became cloudy and weakly fell onto the floor.

“… Sorry, Kardena. I’m really worried about tonight’s circ.u.mstances.”

Just now, Fino had an unexplained sense of unease.

She wasn’t completely confident in her own intuition, but was just too mindful to fall asleep.

Letting Kardena sleep on her own bed, Fino changed into more comfortable clothing to travel in.

She knows the location of the Night Weeping Gra.s.s. Although it was kind of far, she would arrive without much trouble with the Celestial Wooden Horse.

And so, Fino silently left the mansion under the moon.

2-4

In the field of Night Weeping Gra.s.s, Selo was harvesting the leaves.

The small particles of light rising from the flowers caused his vision to blur.

The weeping sound had not stopped, and he started to feel paralyzed, the sound began to seem like endless ringing in his eardrums.

If it was only a patch of Night Weeping Gra.s.s, then the “shushu” sound would seem like the weeping of sadness, yet the chorus only sounded like unwanted noise.

In the echoing weeps —— Selo suddenly heard another sound.

“Danger! Take cover!”

As the young man’s voice rang out, the ground beside Selo suddenly stood up.

The ground became a rectangular wall, and the sound of cracking could be heard from the other side.

Selo didn’t know what happened and stood dumbfounded.

“Selo! It’s too dangerous there, come here!”

The sound seemed to meld with the weeping of the Night Weeping Gra.s.s.

Turning his head, he saw a military uniform clad youth ——

In his hand was a staff shaped magic tool as he ran towards Selo.

“Ah? Helmbekt-san?”

Confirming it was the captain of the Royal Magic Knight squadron he had met today, Selo was even more confused.

Just as he was unable to understand what was going on, a loud crack could be heard from the stone wall next to him.

“Come over here quickly! The wall won’t hold on for much longer!”

Helmbekt shouted, and stabbed his staff into the ground.

As he pulled out the staff once again, another stone wall erupted beside Selo.

The Night Weeping Gra.s.s let out a “Ss! Ss!” sound as they were uprooted. On the other side of the wall, the third crack could be heard.

Selo hurried over to Helmbekt’s side.

He immediately grabbed Selo’s back and waved his staff-shaped magic tool. The arrows of light from within the forest were vanquished by his staff.

Although he wasn’t sure what kind of magic tool that staff was, Selo recognized those incoming arrows.

“Bow of Spring’s Thunder” —— It was a beginner magic tool often used by hunters. When hit by the arrows, the victim will suffer a shock of electricity.

Its precision was dependent on the archer’s ability like a real bow. The arrows are just electricity, and would not pierce through the victim’s body.

The victim will usually lose consciousness due to the paralysis —— If they were unlucky, then the heart may be paralysed. In simpler terms, this is a weapon used to seal the enemy’s movements and not for killing.

The archer was hidden within the forest, and couldn’t be seen. Perhaps sensing that the rock wall has not fully cracked, the flurry of arrows stopped.

Helmbekt, who suddenly appeared and saved Selo, showed a relieved smile.

His handsome face was covered in sweat.

The young military commander lightly patted Selo’s back.

“It’s great that you’re alright. It was really dangerous just now,”

Not knowing what happened, Selo was very confused. However, it was true that Helmbekt had just saved him.

“Yes, oh right —— Thank you very much. But, why are you here…”

“Of course it was to protect you. Although I do feel apologetic, but I had been following you.”

Hearing his reply, Selo was speechless. This means that he had already predicted the possibility of Selo “getting attacked”.

“Protect me, why? Also, who was the archer just now…”

“I’ll explain later —— Incoming!”

Helmbekt grabbed Selo’s elbow tightly.

Immediately, “Lightning” fall upon Selo’s location.

“What!?”

Although weaker than real lightning, getting hit by it wasn’t a laughing matter either.

“It seems like that person is proficient at thunder-type magic tools. Not bad!”

Helmbekt exclaimed, using his staff to tap the ground several times.

“Rise, Rock Dolls!”

All around the flower field, dolls created from the soil responded to his call and stood up.

Their movements were slow, but they numbered many.

However, compared to the number of dolls, Selo’s consciousness was elsewhere.

“Ahhhhhhh! The flower field of Night Weeping Gra.s.s…!”

Since the roots were uncovered along with the ground, the rare Night Weeping Gra.s.s habitat was reduced to a sorrowful ruin in a few moments.

Although there were sufficient harvest tonight, the growth of the Night Weeping Gra.s.s was endangered.

“Stop it! If you continue, these precious herbs will…”

“Now’s not the time to worry about that!”

Helmbekt’s reb.u.t.tal became one with the wind ripping sound.

A sudden wind blew over Selo, who was protecting his head with both hands.

Immediately afterwards, the freshly made rock dolls were split into two and crumbled onto the ground.

Selo raised his head and saw the shadow of the a.s.sa.s.sin at the corner of the flower field.

“…. Ah? A girl…?”

Selo stared at the shadow surprisingly.

Standing there was a girl in all black with a cold mask across her face.

Knee length boots and short skirt, gloves that covered her arm and mask that covered her face, these were all black.

Aside from her white shoulders and waist that was revealed, the most eye catching thing was the giant “scythe” in her hands.

The length of the handle was about her body height.

The curved blade had a black engraving that seemed like traces of blood, making it terrifying at first glance.

Under the moonlight, Selo couldn’t help but link the scythe in front of him to that of the Grim Reaper’s. Her eyes were covered by a mask with a thin line, strengthening his imagination.

On the girl’s back was a bow.

That was most likely the “Bow of Spring’s Thunder” that had been used to shoot Selo.

The shattered rock dolls that Helmbekt had just summoned was still moving. Even though they were split in half, they could still use their two limbs to creep forward.

The masked girl swiftly waved her scythe.

Her clear voice rang out between the chorus of the Night Weeping Gra.s.s.

“O brave Thunder G.o.d Nemuare, please aid your humble servant——“

Hearing her whisper, Helmbekt’s expression darkened.

“Selo, you still have some strength left right? Let’s run.”

“Ah, yes——“

“Then let’s retreat here!”

The moment Selo’s elbow was pulled, countless traces of light flew across the flower field.

Beast-shaped lightning flew out of the girl’s scythe, and pierced towards Selo’s fleeing back.

All around him, the rock dolls were engulfed by the lightning, breaking into smithereens. The basket in Selo’s hand also fell onto the ground, but he had no time to pick it up.

(If I get hit by the lightning——!)

While running, Helmbekt squinted at Selo.

“I apologise for only coming to save you now. She seems to be an enemy that’s hard to handle.”

The young Magic Knight waved the crude staff.

The pieces of rock from the golems followed his movements and became an obstacle to stop the lightning.

The beast-shaped lightning seemed to have seen its prey and destroyed those rocks.

Using this moment, the two of them escaped the flower field.

As they were running in the dark forest, Selo asked Helmbekt.

“What was that just now! How can magic tools be so strong…!”

“That was “Scythe of the Thunder Beasts”. It’s a treasure stolen from the royalty a while back. However, to wield it to this level, it seems like that person is a follower of the Thunder G.o.d.”

Helmbekt replied calmly.

When combining magic tools and the user’s “faith”, its power will increase. If you wished to increase the power of the magic tools, increasing your faith with the G.o.d related to the magic tool was a shortcut.

“But, we can’t wait around aimlessly. Escape with me. My subordinates has set a trap in front.”

Selo, who couldn’t use magic tools could only comply.

Helmbekt seems to be relatively familiar with the forest, his steps did not show any hesitation.

The two of them ventured deeper into the forest without sensing any pursuers.

“… The girl just now doesn’t seem to have followed?”

“She must be being cautious. But, the girl has set her sight on “you”. We cannot afford to be careless.”

Hearing this, Selo became very confused. He has never been targeted by anyone with such a powerful magic tool.

“I wanted to ask just now, why me? I’m just a normal apprentice pharmacist…”

“It is so, but the problem lies with your grandfather.”

Helmbekt slowed his steps, and remained vigilant. Selo took in deep breaths, and could barely catch his breath.

They had arrived at the deepest parts of the forest. The “Belfry of Beast Avoidance” could not affect the surroundings, the nocturnal wild beasts were terrifying, so was the girl with the scythe.

The young knight whispered.

“Your grandfather Zerdonato-san, was a great magic tool craftsman. You naturally know this right?”

Hearing his question, Selo lightly tilted his head.

“He wasn’t exactly great… Only a normal artisan. I think grandfather was a hard working magic tool craftsman, but his skills wasn’t much better than the others.”

“—— Is that so. Then after escaping here, it seems like he really hid

Helmbekt lightly said, and raised his hand.

It seems like his subordinate knights were waiting in the dense forest.

Helmbekt gave a cue to them, and led Selo deeper into the forest.

“… Are we not meeting up with them?”

“They are creating a boundary. After all, our mission is ensuring your safety.”

Helmbekt smiled once more and tugged Selo’s arm.

“Zerdonato-san brought you up right? Didn’t you notice anything ‘weird’?”

From what Selo knew —— His grandfather Zerdonato’s lifestyle was indeed somewhat mysterious. Although he didn’t know what happened in the past, he could guess there was a particular reason for that.

“I don’t know anything about grandfather’s past. So even if you tell me that he was a excellent craftsman, I wouldn’t know anything.”

Selo replied truthfully.

Hembekt scratched his chin as he walked.

“Is that so —— As a matter of fact, your grandfather Zerdonato-san was a friend of the Majin Fandal, they seemed to have crafted magic tools together in the past.”

Selo was shocked. Although he wasn’t a sorcerer, Selo still knew the name of “Majin”.

The Six Sages protecting the Divine Tools gifted by the G.o.ds —— Generation after generation, those people who took upon this responsibility had more power than the king of a country. Even the authority of the royalty was useless in front of them.

The silent Zerdonato had such an impressive past, this made Selo not sure how to react.

“What.. My grandfather. He…”

“This is a fact. We only recently grasped this information. Also, about the a.s.sa.s.sin just now…”

Helmbekt squinted his eyes and stared at Selo.

“That girl is most likely one of the “Magic Race” —— In order to obtain the magic tools left behind by Zerdonato, she wanted to get some information from you.”

“Maigc Race…? Ah, the Magic Race as in the one that appears in myths?”

Helmbekt showed a faint smile.

“They only named themselves according to the legends, they aren’t the real Magic Race. They were only called so by someone for convenience, but it has now become a common term. All of them are excellent sorcerers and collect powerful magic tools from everywhere. Although I don’t know how they are organized and why they collect magic tools, the treasury of the royalty was robbed a few days prior —— Like I said before, the weapon in her hand was stolen from there.”

He said without a hint of care.

Although name like this was very exaggerated, but to sorcerers, taking inspiration from myths and legends was very common.

“So—— You are trying to catch the ones who have robbed the treasury…?”

“No, that is the job of other squadrons. Our duty is to protect the “remnants of magic tool craftsman Zerdonato” —— At the same time, protect his grandson. Because we predicted that those rascals would have targeted you.”

As they walked, the forest in front of them suddenly disappeared.

This was a cliff that would make people’s limbs tremble in fear. Selo had never been close to anywhere so dangerous.

“Helmbekt-san, the cliff is in front, is there no method of pa.s.sing…”

“I know, don’t worry. My subordinates will protect us, so those people won’t reach here.”

Helmbekt stopped his steps and gazed towards the night sky.

Selo also looked in the same direction.

On the other side of the cliff was plains and forests, with some mountains mixed in between. Above their heads was a huge full moon.

Although Selo was used to seeing moonlight like this, to view it from this kind of clearing was still overwhelming.

Bathed underneath the light with traces of blue, Selo’s shoulders suddenly shook.

—— At that moment, he felt an unknown source of evil.

Helmbekt looked towards Selo.

“… Let us continue. You are targeted by them. The reason is the magic tools left behind by Zerdonato-san. As it is, you can understand as his grandson right?”

“Are you… Talking about the black rock I took out in the morning?”

Apart from that, he couldn’t think of anything else. From the magic tools he inherited from his grandfather, the magic tool whose purpose was unknown was only the black rock. Other magic tools have been given to his master Ordoba.

Helmbekt squinted his eyes.

“The rock is very rare, but the thing they have set their eyes on is not that. You really don’t know——”

Helmbekt paused for a moment and clasped his hands on Selo’s shoulders.

“… Selo, as a member of the Royal Magic Knights, I wish to protect you, as well as secure Ordoba-sama and Fino-sama’s safety. The reason we have been sent here is to retrieve that magic tool before the Magic Race does. They only set their eyes on magic tools —— So, as long as you hand it to us, they will no longer attack you.”

Selo was confused, even if Helmbekt says this, he still couldn’t think of what “that magic tool” might be.

“Grandfather only left those three magic tools to me. The rest were all given to Ordoba-sama —— So might that magic tool be in Ordoba-sama’s collection?”

Helmbekt knitted his eyebrows.

“You might have heard about it from Zerdonato-san —— That Magic Tool is called the ‘Ring of Backflow’. It is a very dangerous magic tool, and must be controlled. The Magic Race have set their eyes on that. So if it’s not found, the Doriarudo family might be in danger.”

“What!”

Hearing the name of a magic tool that he has never heard of, it frustrated Selo.

If the matter with his grandfather caused Ordoba any inconveniences, he wouldn’t be able to keep his composure.

“Is there no other way!? The Doriarudo family had nothing to do with this right?”

“But the one making the judgement is not me, but the Magic Race. Anything is fine, has Zerdonato-san never told you anything, such as a hint to a hidden location, when he was alive?

Hearing his question, Selo frantically searched through his memories. Yet, he was still unable to think of anything related.

“… I never heard of anything. They might be mistaken. I have always thought my grandfather was a normal magic tool craftsman——“

“… Normal magic tool craftsman are unable to create a ‘Piece of Darkness’.”

Helmbekt’s voice suddenly sounded a lot deeper.

Noticing the change in his atmosphere, Selo was shocked.

Helmbekt knitted his eyebrows.

The honorable face he worn had completely disappeared, now his face was completely cold.

This change made Selo doubt his own eyes.

“Ahhh —— I’ve won over your trust. Yet it’s useless. I didn’t think you really don’t know anything. It’s really surprising, it seems like your grandfather didn’t trust you at all.”

Selo placed his hands on the sword by his waist.

——Wild beasts lurk in the darkness of the night——

This phrase that his grandfather taught him suddenly floated into his head.

People often could not tell whether the wild beast in the darkness was friend or foe, or totally unrelated. Grandfather once taught Selo, to always make sure of this.

Selo placed some distance between himself and Helmbekt, then he clumsily raised his sword.

Captain of the Magic Knight Squadron, the knight called Helmbekt —— It seemed like he was a “foe”.

“Not just the Magic Race —— You also set your eyes on grandfather’s magic tool right?

Hearing his question, Helmbekt laughed coldly.

“You seem to be smart, but is unexpectedly slow. Never mind, you are just a fourteen years old child, that’s that —— Elsie, that’s enough.”

From the depths of the forest —— The black clothed girl wielding a huge scythe walked out from the darkness.

She had discarded her mask and revealed her beautiful face.

Long black hair and ruby red eyes that coldly stared at Selo.

Helmbekt saw the reaction on Selo’s face and let out a chuckle.

The girl who seemed like the Grim Reaper bowed emotionlessly.

“Although it’s a bit late, but let’s make an introduction. She is my lieutenant Elsie. I had her wear a mask just in case, but it’s still your first meeting right?”

Selo knitted his eyebrows and exerted more strength onto the hand that was holding the sword.

It seemed like this was all an act to gain Selo’s trust and obtain information.

Selo had no confidence in his sword skills, and could not use magic tools. He knew that he was only a half-baked pharmacist and had no power to oppose them.

“… The stuff about ‘Magic Race’ was also a lie right”

“Who knows. It isn’t related to you anymore.”

Helmbekt thrusted his staff into the ground.

Before he could react, hand-shaped rocks appeared beside Selo’s leg.

“Uuu, uwah!”

The sword that wanted to cut the rock was stopped in midair.

It was unknown when the girl had closed in and blocked tip of Selo’s sword with the scythe.

A smile appeared on the young knight’s face.

“Goodbye, Selo. Don’t worry about anything from now on. It’ll be alright, everything will go smoothly —— Just like when ‘obtaining the authority of royalty.”

Selo’s eyes opened wide at Helmbekt’s speech, and in the next moment ——

The ground beside his feet tilted and Selo’s body was tossed into the air.

This was on top of a cliff ——

His frail body fell towards the rocky pit from an unbelievable height.

(… Fino, I’m sorry…!)

—— Before he died, the image that floated to Selo’s mind, was the older girl’s face.

2-5

“… Was there really a need to kill him?”

After the apprentice pharmacist fell down into the bottom of the cliff, lieutenant Elsie posed such a question.

Helmbekt sighed with a smile and replied.

“Torturing weaklings really pains me. But, letting him live was quite dangerous. Although he is still a kid, he’s still Zerdonato’s grandson, and also Luffis’s son. There will come a day that he becomes a problematic enemy. We should eliminate the threat while we can right?”

Elsie lightly nodded and didn’t retort.

Although she was cold and expressionless, she would never allow Helmbekt to do anything rash. This made her a talented lieutenant.

Helmbekt walked to the side of the cliff.

He couldn’t see the bottom of the cliff due to the darkness of the night. Judging from the height, he will surely not survive the fall.

“The apprentice pharmacist youth who came to harvest herbs in the middle of the night, he slipped and fell from the cliff —— What an unfortunate accident.”

Helmbekt pretended and squinted his eyes.

If the corpse had too many wounds, then they would be suspected when it gets discovered. Although there were other ways, but it was too troublesome, so making it seem like an unfortunate accident was far more convenient.

“He was a cute kid. Elsie, did you really want to keep him as a pet? You hesitated while pointing the Bow of Spring’s Thunder against him.”

“That’s because I was waiting for Helmbekt-sama to reach the predetermined location. Please don’t push your own misunderstandings onto me.”

She easily denied his a.s.sumptions.

“If we were to talk about it, then Helmbekt-sama, you are interested in that ojou-sama right?”

“Yes, she is really pretty. Especially when she’s crying. She seemed to have treated the youth as a younger brother, so after finding out about his death, she will definitely feel very depressed.”

Helmbekt’s voice contained an uncontrolled happiness.

He enjoyed seeing sadness of people’s faces.

Inserting himself into those gaps in their soul gives him some sort of pleasure.

Being kind towards a weak girl, and gaining her heart and soul, then giving them despair —— For Helmbekt, there was no greater joy than this.

Although Elsie still casted him a cold gaze, he wasn’t going to give up.

The despair of humans was the sweetest thing Helmbekt had ever tasted.

“Okay, isn’t it about time we head

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