Chapter 8 Part 37
Translator : PolterGlast
"She's gone you
say... At what time?"
"This morning,
apparently. When Mimuru woke up this morning, she seemed to have disappeared
from her room."
"*Sniffle,
sniffle*..."
Tom told everyone
present about Shina's situation, which he had learned from his girlfriend,
while handing his own handkerchief to Mimuru, who was in tears.
About the blood
covenant ritual and the subsequent changes that had affected Shina's body.
About Shina's great-grandfather and his attendant who had come to bring her
back.
After hearing what had
happened from Mimuru, Mars and the others all had difficult expressions on
their faces. Tima's eyes widened and she put her hands over her mouth,
speechless.
“To think that Shina-san was in such a state…”
"Well, if she was
presented with a love scene between the Red-Haired Princess and Nozomu in such
a state, it's no wonder she became desperate~~!"
"Lo-, love
scene!?" "Waaa~~"
While most of the
people present had stiff expressions on their faces, Feo was the only one who
seemed to be in a cheerful mood.
He was still speaking
in the same relaxed manner, but Tima and Mimuru overreacted to his words.
"Tima and that
cat over there need to calm down a bit. Well, I understand the situation.
Certainly, Nozomu would be distressed if he knew that Shina was in such a
state."
Mars quietened the
excited Tima and Mimuru while turning his gaze to Tom.
Unlike Tima, who was
emotionally involved with Shina, and Mimuru who were in tears, the men were
quite calm.
As far as what they
heard from Mimuru, there was a high possibility that Shina herself had
accumulated too many emotions and exploded.
However, it seemed
unlikely that she would leave Arcazam since she had rejected her relatives'
offer to take her back.
"Well, she denied
the elven elder's offer to bring her back, so if it was just a temporary
emotional outburst, she'll probably come back sooner or later after she calms
down, right?"
"No, we can't be
sure about that~~!"
"That's right! We
should all be looking for her!"
Mimuru and Tima
vehemently objected to Feo's statement that there was no problem in leaving the
matter unattended.
Camilla, who was
listening to the conversation, was also fidgeting and shaking her body
restlessly, but she did not quite understand what was going on. As for Lisa,
who was standing next to her, she was shrugging her shoulders as if to say,
" It can't be helped."
"Well, what
should we do? I don't mind skipping class..."
For the time being, it
would be better to tell Nozomu what had happened to Shina. Mars and the others
thought so, but at that moment, a woman's voice echoed from behind them,
speaking to them.
"There you
are."
It was Inda, a female
teacher who was in charge of the second class of the third year and an assistant
to Jihad.
She came from the
direction of the school and exhaled loudly as if she had finally found them.
She took one look at
Mars and the others and squinted slightly.
"I was looking
for all of you because I have something to talk about. It was urgent... but
where are Nozomu-kun and Shina-san?"
"He didn't show
up today either. I heard that Shina also left the dormitory early in the
morning. So, what's the matter?"
Hearing that Nozomu
and Shina were not there, Inda's eyes narrowed even more.
Perhaps stimulated by
Inda's sharpened gaze, Mars and the others also became tense.
"I have to talk
to you about Shina-san. There is something I need to tell all of you, so please
follow me.
After saying so, Inda
turned on her heel as if she didn't want to waste time talking with Mars and
the others and didn't even listen to their replies. She looked impatiently
different from her usual calm and composed self, and Mars and the others
followed after Inda, feeling their own uneasiness growing even more.
===============================
Indah led the way to
Jihad's office.
Following Inda's
urging, Mars and the others opened the magnificent oak door and entered the
room.
"Jihad-sensei, we
found them."
"Thank you,
Inda-sensei."
The moment they
entered the office, Mars and the others all turned their heads in unison. A
good-looking elf was standing next to the desk where Jihad was sitting.
"Who?"
"Y-, you!"
While Mars and the
others tilted their heads at the elf who was in the office for some reason, Mimuru,
who had an idea who he was, bared her canine teeth and scowled.
Next to Jihad was
Shina's prospective fiancé, Rauls Forium.
He greeted Mars and
the others as they entered the office with a smile on his handsome face like a
stage actor.
"We meet again,
Shina's friend. Have you been well?"
"What do you mean
by "well"!? You sly elf!"
"Sly, you say...
You sure hated me a lot. I was just doing what I thought was best for
her..."
"You...!"
"Mimuru, calm
down. I see so you're Shina's prospective fiancée ... So, Jihad-sensei, what
did you want to talk to us about?"
Mimuru, who was now
boiling with anger, was about to confront Rauls, but Tom, who was standing
beside her, restrained her and then turned to Jihad, the man who had summoned
them.
In this brief exchange,
it was easy to guess that the elves were partly responsible for Shina's
disappearance, but it was also easy to see that the problem did not seem to lie
there.
"It seems that
the elf over here had something to talk about Nozomu-kun and Shina-kun... So,
what is it?"
"A lot has
happened, so they can't be here right now. For the time being, Let's listen to
what he wants to say first, and then we'll look for them... Is it a troublesome
story?"
As if taking over
Jihad's conversation, Rauls answered Mars and the others' questions.
"A little, yes.
Frankly, this could lead to problematic issues between the elves and Arcazam.
One of our elvish elders, Triforium-sama, is desperate to get Shina out of
Arcazam."
"I already know
that. We heard it from Mimuru."
"Right. Then, do
you also know that Triforium-dono decided to take Shina out by force?"
"... I see, so
he's that serious? I mean, if your goal is to bring back Shina, why are you
here?"
Even against someone
who was clearly superior to him in terms of position, Mars was not afraid of
him. Rather, he expressed his wariness and glared at Rauls from the front.
On the other hand,
Rauls, too, accepted the hostile glare directed at him with a gentle smile.
Even as he was, he seemed to be accustomed to this kind of hostility being
directed at him.
As if in response to
Mars' question, Rauls quietly began to speak out his mind.
"It is not my
intention to bring her back by force, or rather, I should not do it. She is now
a student at Solminati Academy. Even if the elven elder voices the
justification that it is a family matter, if we try to take her home by force,
ignoring her will, it would be considered kidnapping."
And at the same time,
if he did so, it would lead to a grudge between the elves and Arcazam, and by
extension, the other races. That was something that Rauls, who was entrusted
with negotiating with the other races, absolutely had to avoid.
"Not only that,
but the elves had a history of ignoring the advice of other races during the
Great Invasion. We can't afford to add more shame to that."
Saying so, Rauls
smiled a self-mocking smile.
The young man has been
negotiating with other races for some time now, and the behavior of Triforium
must have been becoming unbearable for him.
"How do you think
he's going to bring her out? Even though she's losing her power, I'm sure Shina
will put up quite a fight, won't she?"
"The current her
has completely lost her connection with the spirits. In a state where she can't even cast magic
properly, she would be no obstacle to Triforium-sama, who can use spirit magic.
Even if she resisted, Triforium-sama would probably use spirit magic to seal
Shina's will."
"What a horrible
thing to do."
"That's how
serious he is. That person has always been concerned about the fact that he let
Shina go from his hand, and moreover, there are two volcanoes in this city that
are on the verge of erupting. A gigantic volcano called the Dragon Slayer and a
gigantic volcano called the Death Demon Princess who has taken an interest in
it..."
When Rauls clearly
stated that Nozomu is a Dragon Slayer, the gazes of Mars and the others turned
even more fierce. Only a few people in this school know about this fact. It is
unlikely that anyone outside of the school would know about it.
"Did you tell them?"
Mars turned his gaze in silent protest to Jihad, but Jihad silently shook his
head and denied it.
"… Spirit magic,
huh?”
Given that Jihad was
not the one telling them, the remaining possibility was the unique magic that
the elves possess. But Rauls shook his head and denied Mars' words.
"That's just the
trigger. It was the king of the spirits behind him who brought us the
information about him being the Dragon Slayer."
“That old man Zonne, huh… What's the reason?"
"He says he can't
let those who want to spark a fire near him."
Hearing Rauls's words,
Mars and the others looked bitter. That means that Zonne has decided to cut off
his hands regarding Shina.
He would not cooperate
with the search, and in some cases, he might even interfere with their efforts
to contact Nozomu.
Even though Zonne is
currently teaching Nozomu about spirit magic, he was originally a guardian sent
to him by the Dragon race.
"That's the way
it is. At least we know that the elven elders are trying to kidnap a student
from our academy. The academy is currently busy preparing for negotiations with
both Kingdom of Forsina and Dizzard Empire, but we can't just leave it
unattended."
"All right. We
will cooperate with you. I have an idea where Nozomu might be going."
Now that they know
what's going on, Mars and the others have no choice but to cooperate.
Mars decided to break
the ice and think that although Zonne might interfere, they would have to do
something about it.
Besides, if they could
stop Triforium, it would eliminate one of Zonne's concerns, and that would
solve the problem after all.
"The problem is
Shina, whose whereabouts are unknown..."
"I'll go. I
should be able to help."
"Alright"
It was Rauls who came
forward. He is an elf and can use spirit magic just like Shina and Triforium.
If he could also
communicate with spirits, he would certainly be useful in finding Shina and
Nozomu.
Some of them,
including Mimuru, looked reluctant, but Mars immediately decided to accept his
help.
"However,
Triforium-sama's spirit magic is more powerful than mine. If he resists me with
all his might, it will be tough on me..."
"I'll see what I
can do about that. Jihad, how many guards can you move?
"Twenty or
so."
"Seems like not
much..."
There are at least a
thousand guards to maintain the huge Arcazam.
And considering that
they would have to search all over Arcazam if they were not careful, this
number is far too small.
At Mars' remark, Jihad
frowned and a bitter expression appeared on his face.
"It's because the
negotiations between the Francilt and Waziart families have been moved forward.
Apparently, there has been a big move over there as well. They were supposed to
take place the day after tomorrow, but they're going to start today."
"… What the
heck."
According to what Mars
heard from Feo, the negotiations should start the day after tomorrow.
Jihad let out a big
sigh and then opened his mouth with a tense look on his face.
"Irisdina and
Somiriana Francilt have been banished from the Francilt family. It seems that
Victor-dono has taken drastic measures to ensure the safety of his
daughters."
"No way... Where
are Ai and Somia-chan now!?"
The first to react to
these words was Irisdina's best friend, Tima.
She was surprised and
frustrated, and as she stepped forward, Jihad continued to explain in a low
voice in an undisturbed manner.
"The two are now
in the custody of the Parline family. [Starlight] has confirmed that they are
both asleep."
After being informed
of their safety, Tima's shoulders somewhat eased up, but even so, the
impatience that clung to her face remained strong.
On the other hand, as
things began to unfold in rapid succession, Mars and Feo felt that the
uneasiness that had been tingling deep in their chests was finally beginning to
bare its fangs.
"The fact that
the negotiations have been pushed forward has caused some confusion on the side
of Arcazam. Currently, the majority of the guards are being positioned in a
blockade around the Francilt mansion for their own safety."
"Even if it turns
out that vampires are not just a race that seeks blood, as has generally been
the case, long-held perceptions are not easily changed. And moreover, Vitora
that showed up at the opening festival instilled an instinctive fear in
everyone who attended."
Inda added to Jihad's
explanation.
The presence of
Vitora, who is so powerful that even if she herself did not even bother to look
at her surroundings, her mere presence there was enough to make others feel
fearful.
To use an analogy, it
was as if a giant shark was passing by your side while you were relaxing in the
ocean floating in the water. Even if the shark was not interested in its small
prey, a normal human being would have panicked.
"On top of that,
Arcazam's council is in disarray right now. Some are even bending the very
principles on which Arcazam exists, shouting for the Francilts and Waziart
families to be driven out."
The latent fear
brought about by Vitola has had a profound effect on those who normally govern
the city as wise men.
Arcazam's principle
for its existence. This city was built for the purpose of fostering human
resources and developing research, but its main philosophy is to mobilize the
power and will of the people of the continent in order to counter the threat of
demonic beasts.
It is an ideal that
has been raised at the end of many sacrifices. However, the fundamental fear
that people have is beginning to overthrow even that ideal.
The successive
explanations of the jihad further heightened Mars and the others' sense of
uneasiness.
"It sounds kind
of bad..."
"Yeah, anyway,
let's go find Nozomu and Shina."
Everyone present
nodded in unison in response to Mars' words.
"Arcazam is
currently occupied with trying to contain the chaos caused by the Francilt and
Waziart families that have been brought forward. I'm sorry, but we need to
leave it in your hands."
"We
understand."
"Jihad-sensei,
I'll go with them."
With a small nod, Mars
and the others leave Jihad's office.
Inda and Rauls
followed behind them. The cooperation of Inda, who has a good position in the
school, and Rauls, who is one of the rare elves, is indispensable in order to
smooth out their actions.
After watching them
leave the office, Jihad slowly stood up and slowly looked out the window.
His gaze fell on the
building of the Gloaurum institution, which was attached to the Solmianti
Academy.
================================
The outer edge of
Arcazam.
Shina had arrived at a
large, open, grassy plain and was sitting down on the grassy ground. The chilly
winter air and the coolness of the cold earth somewhat eased the heat in
Shina's heart.
"Phew... I took a
day off of school... Fufu..."
Shina's face broke
into a smile as excitement welled up from deep within her chest.
She went back to her
dorm after telling her great-grandfather that she would never return, but early
the next morning, before her roommate woke up, she went to town.
Perhaps it was because
she had spoken her mind out loud to her great-grandfather, or perhaps it was
because she gave herself a night off.
Contrary to her own
expectations, the tingle that had been nestled deep in her chest had somehow
subsided. Rather, it was as if the bottled-up feelings had been washed away,
and her heart was at peace.
"I like him,
after all. I want to be with him forever. Even if I can no longer be of any use
to him, even if I have to abandon my dreams..."
That was her answer as
she faced her feelings once again after Lisa's bluntness.
Her own people would
undoubtedly criticize her. She was throwing away the pride and longing of the
elves.
But even so, Shina
decided to stay with Nozomu. She had to give up her own dream. However, once
she had made up her mind, her mind naturally became more at ease.
"A nice breeze.
Kinda worried about Mimuru though. Maybe I still am..."
Shina lay down on the
ground and looked up at the morning sky, feeling the cool but gentle breeze.
She gently ran her
fingers along her own lips, remembering the feel of her lips on Nozomu's.
(I haven't been able
to see him lately. I wish I could see him...)
Remembering Nozomu's
face smiling calmly in her mind, love and craving seep out of Shina's heart. At
the same time, Shina remembered that she had not told him a big secret.
(The meaning of the
blood covenant ritual and its consequences. I have to talk about it properly.
And also about my feelings ...)
"Truly, you are
strong..."
The image of a
red-haired girl came back to Shina's mind.
It was only after she
lost her connection to the spirit that she realized the fear and joy of falling
in love with another person. And the strength it brought.
Although she was an
elf, she had to face the same loneliness as human beings, so she was able to
know the weakness that humans have and to see their strengths.
She has already made
up her mind. All that remains is to take action.
"...
Alright."
Shina raised herself
up with a strong determined smile on her face.
Beyond her gaze, she
could see Triforium, who had arrived at that place before she knew it.
Shina was unfazed by
the sudden appearance of her great-grandfather, but rather greeted her only
remaining family member with a smile on her face.
"This is the last
time. You must return to the village."
"I refuse. This
is where I belong."
The exchange had
already been repeated many times. However, there was a calmness in Shina's
voice that had never been there before.
Triforium's eyes
narrowed as he listened to her voice, which held a strength that he had never
heard before.
"Shina, as I said
yesterday…”
"Yes. Indeed, I
am helpless now. I can do nothing. Even so, I will remain here."
"........."
While Triforium was
silent, Shina continued to speak out her mind in a calm, yet powerful tone.
Shina's clear and
concise lines, which had been causing anxiety in Triforium's heart, soon became
a certainty.
And that certainty was
something he did not want. In other words, Shina had truly made up her mind.
"By his side is
where I belong. Even if he should pass away first, even if my body should
perish by his blade that has lost its self, I will still be by his side."
Even if I die, I will
stay by the side of my loved ones. I will stay.
There was no
hesitation or guilt in her eyes, just pure, loving affection for her loved one.
"........."
In the face of Shina's
eyes, which were completely determined, a scene from ten years ago came back to
Triforium's mind. Her older sister was also a kind woman with such
compassionate eyes.
At the same time, as
was typical of elves, she was stubborn and prepared to accept any outcome once
she made up her mind to do so.
Because of this
character, she died.
The country of the
elves, centered around a single great tree, was destroyed by the great invasion
of the demonic beasts. When the great tree, which had brought absolute
sturdiness, fell, she shared her fate with the burning country. It was to let
more of their brethren escape.
"Great-grandfather,
I am sorry. And thank you for your concern."
Shina no longer
harbored negative feelings toward Triforium, which had raised its voice so
loudly. Even if it was unacceptable, she was simply grateful for her family's
concern for her well-being.
In the eyes of
Triforium, the look of enlightenment on Shina's face reminded him of the last
time he saw her sister.
The thin smile on her
face, the way she stared straight into his eyes, everything about her was a
mirror image of her sister's. The old elf's heart was stirred with sadness,
relief, and frustration.
"By all
means?"
"Yes."
"I see, I see
now. Words can no longer stop you."
As he contemplated and
looked up to the sky, Triforium thought about the only remaining blood relative
left in the world, the girl.
Triforium was
acquainted with Shina when she was in the village. She had lost her spirit
magic and was treated like a pest in the hidden village.
She was neither
ostracized nor insulted.
However, the pitying
looks she received were more than enough to drive her away from the village,
where she had lost everything.
Shina, who did not
feel she belonged in the elven hiding place, decided to go to Arcazam with the
goal of regaining her former homeland.
Naturally, Triforium
was against it. The deep-rooted distrust of other races greatly contributed to
this decision, but above all, Triforium feared that Shina, who was in a state
of emotional instability, would suffer irreparable damage as a result of her
departure from her village.
As it turned out,
Triforium was unable to persuade Shina. In the seven years since the Great
Invasion, Shina had acquired more than enough power to defend herself, even if
she could not use spirit magic.
Shina was not easily
persuaded by Triforium, and after a day-and-night argument, she eventually left
for Arcazam, running away from her village halfway across the continent.
At that time, he told
himself that she would be all right, believing in the strength she had acquired
over the past seven years.
But this time, the
threats that loomed around her had already completely blown away any reason the
old elf had given her.
So, realizing that it
was impossible to persuade Shina, Triforium resorted to his last resort.
"If that's the
case, then I have no other choice. I will bring you back by force. That's my
promise."
"Promise?"
"That's right,
with your sister who fought and died alongside the Great Tree..."
Triforium raised his
own magic power and began to summon the spirits around him.
Led by the magical
light emanating from his wrinkled old body, sparkling particles of light began
to gather.
The harbingers of
spirit magic began to appear. However, even in the face of magic that was
obviously directed at her, Shina showed no particular sign of resistance.
"You won't
resist?"
"I, who have lost
all my powers, cannot resist. There is no way to stop great-grandfather's
magic. Nevertheless, I will not bend my heart."
In the face of his
beloved great-granddaughter's declaration, Triforium activated the spirit magic
he had prepared.
The spirits that had
been dancing around the area rushed toward Shina at once and flew around her as
if they were enveloping her.
Gradually, the light
of willpower disappeared from Shina's eyes.
"I'm sealing your
consciousness, and then I'm taking you home. I'm sorry. You can resent me for
this.
[Whistle of
Manipulative Heart]
The magic used by
Triforium is a magic that seals the psyche of the target and makes it behave as
the user commands. It is a spirit magic named after the capricious fairies who
playfully frighten people with their whistles.
However, its
effectiveness is beyond compare. Within the range of its effect, it can seal
the will of one or two hundred people and turn them into puppets, and because
it borrows the power of powerful spirits, it cannot be countered by ordinary
countermeasures.
The effect of this
magic is far more powerful than the hypnosis magic that Rugato had used in the
past.
Having sealed Shina's
will, Triforium tried to head for the south gate with Shina, in order to get
out of Arcazam.
"We are leaving
this town, Shina. Follow me."
However, contrary to
Triforium's order, Shina did not move an inch from the spot.
Thinking that the
magic was too weak, Triforium commanded the contracted spirits to once again
try to block Shina's will. However, no matter how many times he commanded the
spirits to do so, the answer he got back from them was, "The magic is
working properly".
"What does this
mean? Is it because of the connection with that Dragon Slayer? Or
perhaps..."
He spoke to the
spirits flying around him, but the only answer he received from them was that
it would have no further effect. Most likely, Shina's sealed wills were defying
Triforium's commands.
Triforium looked both
dismayed and given up at the stubbornness of his great-granddaughter, and began
to walk toward the south gate of Arcazam, taking her by pulling her hand.
