Volume 2
Chapter 6 Part
2
Secret
Meeting, Benedetta's True Intentions 2
Translator : PolterGlast
―Bang.
What used to be the
floor and chairs exploded into tiny pieces of wood, raising a cloud of dust.
In the center of the
fading dust was the figure of the red-headed burly man (Salvatore Torliani),
holding a large double-edged sword in a swinging stance.
"......
Salvatore, what have you done?
Thanks to you, the
meeting is now ruined."
"Honestly, I'd like
to be praised for putting up with them this long.
They spit on your
mercy, and sneer at the prestige of St. Ariadne.
Since they have
trampled on our concessions to this point, it would be a disgrace if I as an
inquisitor did not inflict the hammer of divine punishment on these people
before giving them a chance to convert."
Benedetta held her
head in her hands as she saw her friend trembling with rage.
Because Salvatore's
rampage had shattered even the chance of a future negotiation.
―However, Salvatore's anger is understandable.
The meeting to bring
about concessions and compromise is not a matter of a one-time discussion.
It is a process that
begins with the act of bridging the gap between the two sides' perceptions, and
is followed by dozens of discussions.
The home country's
technical advisor had assured that there was at least a three-fold disparity in
national power between Takamagahara, where steam engines were still in the
early stages of development, and Vansuir, where science and technology had
reached the full maturity of the Industrial Revolution.
It is common knowledge
among Benedetta's colleagues on the Western Continent that if they are aware of
the gap in national and technological power, they are more likely to seek
solutions, especially in the aspect of diplomacy.
No matter what they
say at first, they always end up parting peacefully, aiming for a diplomatic
solution. Benedetta was even convinced of this.
Meetings to recommend
surrender had been held in the previous holy conquests as well, but
unexpectedly, there would always be those who wanted to reject Benedetta's
offers and concessions.
"...... A blow to
our back as we are about to leave? Vansuir's manners sure haven't improved
much, huh?"
"Saki-sama."
"I'm not hurt.
―Thanks."
*Clatter*. Akira and
Saki stood up, knocking off the wood fragments that had landed on top of them.
They look unscathed.
Akira, who had Saki in
his arms, had moved to forcefully evade the attack just before it struck, so at
least it should not be a direct hit.
"There is no need
for manners in disciplining the ungrateful monkeys of the Far East.
You are allowed only
one response, and that is to accept the decision of the one and only God, St.
Ariadne."
"......If that's
the only reasoning you can muster after all you've done, then I'm all the more
impressed."
Akira finally stepped
forward, restraining Saki who was trying to move forward.
"But since things
have gone this far, there's indeed no point in covering it up.
Not only Kamotsu, but
also Shumon Province can't just sit back and pretend it didn't happen.
How do you plan to
resolve this situation?"
"We won't."
"Haa~!?"
Benedetta's words,
standing behind Salvatore, made Akira's rage burst.
"Consular Rights.
―This church also serves as the consulate of Vansuir.
For convenience's
sake, this church has been defined as Vansuir."
Her expression showed no
impatience as she stepped out of the inner sanctuary where the main altar was
located.
Anyone could tell from
her expression that she was confident in what she was saying.
"In other words,
no matter what happens here, Vansuir's will will prevail in this church alone.
―Sir Trovato, this can't be helped.
We should at least
remove Akira-sama's divine protection before the patrolling police storm
in."
"Understood!"
In response to
Benedetta's determination, a great deal of spiritual power was released from Salvatore's
body.
Physical
Reinforcement. Sensing a premonition that his opponent was activating a
strengthening technique similar to that of Aragamioroshi, Akira used his
Rakuyou Zakuro while still wrapped in his sword sack as a shield.
"Akira-kun!!"
"Saki, run!"
Saki's cry of concern
intersected with Akira's determination to shield her.
But Akira, who had no
time to spare, kept his gaze fixed on the other side of the clouds of dust, and
activated his [Aragamioroshi] with all his might.
―Swoosh!!
I'll stop him here. As
if to challenge Akira's resolute will, Salvatore's huge frame pounced in a
straight line, kicking up a cloud of dust along with the pieces of wood.
"Haa~a~a~a~!!"
"Gu~u~uo……,
o~ooo~o~!!"
*Clang!* Aimed to
crush rather than to slash, the blade of about 150 centimeters of solid metal
cleaved the void and clashed against the Rakuyou Zakuro.
The enormous inertia
generated by the initial velocity, in addition to the enhancement from the
spiritual power, attempted to send the body of Akira, a relatively small
fighter, flying further backward.
However,
[Aragamioroshi] supported Akira's body and countered Salvatore's attack who was
glaring down at him through the sparking blade.
"Hm, ......mm. Seeing
how you defeated so many demons with poor tactics, it seems that Benedetta's
evaluation is indeed accurate.
Since you're so
concerned about the future, you should just let everything go and be sunk
here."
"Don't you dare
think......, that you can easily take me down!!"
Anger was expelled from
the gap between Akira's words, fueling his will to fight against the
onslaughts.
The sword pouch that
wrapped the Rakuyou Zakuro was burned to ashes by the whirlpool of divine
energy released from Akira.
―*Step*,
With this
determination in his heart, Akira took a step forward.
"Nn......"
―*Step*,
Vermilion-gold
brilliance erupted, dyeing the sheath of the Rakuyou Zakuro and pushing the
opponent back another step.
"Gu,~u~......!!"
"―Dar~yaa~a~aa~!!"
At the same time,
Salvatore's momentum was lost as he was steadily pushed back by Akira's every
step.
The friction between
the two sides broke down abruptly, and without missing a moment of response,
Akira pulled out the Rakuyou Zakuro from its scabbard.
But Salvatore was no
less determined.
Although he gave up
the sword exchange to Akira, he did not stick to the small defeat and made a
small rotation and then slashed down the blade vertically.
"Your shoulder is
exposed, boy!"
"I did it on
purpose, you idiot!"
In the midst of the
foul-mouthed exchange, the deep scarlet, darker than the dark crimson, and the
dull color of Salvatore's blade sparked and clashed.
―Strong. But what is it ......? Light.
While making a few
contacts, Akira tilted his head inwardly.
The fact that
Salvatore was able to keep up with Akira's small moves with a double-edged
sword that was apparently not very maneuverable left no doubt about Salvatore's
skill.
However, as far as
Akira knew, compared to Genji and Saki, the magnification of the physical
reinforcement was not commensurate with his sword's skill.
It was not heavy.
Judging from the dense
glow of the spiritual light, there should be no doubt that Salvatore's
spiritual power is comparable to that of the top nobility in the Takamagahara.
However, to begin
with, the fact that someone like Akira could engage in a battle with someone of
the same caliber as a guardian is extraordinary in itself.
Is he cutting corners?
No, his intention to crush Akira and Saki is genuine.
If so, is there
something amiss here?
At the edge of his
vision, the sight of Saki's kimono fluttering comes into view.
Saki has not yet
escaped. Seeing this fact, he slashed and flicked Salvatore's blade and
forcibly took distance from him.
"Saki!"
"Sorry,
Akira-kun.
...... I just need a
little more time."
Saki's voice sounded
like she was gnashing her teeth in frustration. Standing in front of the
church's entrance is Alessandro Trovato, one of the church's knights, like
Salvatore.
The plain battle staff
in his hand glints dully in the sunlight shining into the church.
"I'll hold this
one down on my own!
You gotta do something
for the other one......."
"Why are you
looking the other way when you're fighting against me!?"
The distance between
them is only temporary after all.
In an instant, the
distance between the two shortened and Salvatore thrust his sword toward him.
――――――――――
"What's the
matter?
If you stop there, you
won't be able to escape, you know?"
"Don't worry.
―I have no intention of doing so in the first
place."
[Aragamioroshi] was
already in full force. Nevertheless, Saki was still on guard, holding up the
Shoujinbina and spitting out poisonous words.
Alessandro's war staff
is not very long, maybe 50cm, but it is as impregnable as a rocky mountain.
But his towering rocky
mountain-like figure made it clear that even Saki could not easily defeat him.
He probably did not
expect a response. Alessandro was stunned by the response to his monologue-like
question, and then broke into a broad smile.
"You responded
well.
As a reward, I'll make
the first move!"
"Ku~u~"
As soon as he said so,
Alessandro's huge frame closed the gap with an agility that belies his stature.
His spiritual power
trailed like a thin line, and his war staff struck downward from the top with a
great impact.
Saki, perhaps
observing the situation, avoided the large blow, whose initial movement was
quick but whose trajectory was easy to read, and stepped into Alessandro's
exposed chest.
A small, circling blow
was released as she pulled her body back precisely.
The blow was not
powerful, but difficult to avoid, and Saki was convinced that she had hit the
target.
―But,
*Thud*. Saki's arms
shook with a dull thud, a response that was neither like cutting flesh nor
severing bone.
Through the torn gap
in his clothing, Saki caught a glimpse of the fibrous material that covered his
flanks without gaps.
In Takamagahara,
research has just begun on this garment, which is designed to protect against
blades.
Saki's eyes twitched
with bitterness as she was confronted with the gap in science and technology.
Alessandro, with a
movement that showed no sign of being damaged, swung a return blow, leaving
Saki, whose movement was slowing down, in the dust.
"Tch!"
Grunting deep in her
throat, she managed to parry the blow with the hilt of her naginata.
Although she was able
to prevent a direct hit, she was unable to absorb the full impact of the staff,
and her petite frame flew into the air.
―I'm sure of it. These guys are too used to dealing
with us!
Saki was convinced by
the tactic of not using spiritual techniques and closing the gap between them.
Perhaps, these three
were specialized in fighting against humans rather than defiled beasts.
There is no way one
can afford to use spiritual techniques other than [Aragamioroshi] when fighting
humans, as one might imagine.
The opportunity to use
spiritual techniques in battle against humans decreases significantly as time
goes on.
However, a blow using
steel reinforced with spiritual power alone can be enough to crush a hostile
opponent.
The only saving grace
is that the magnification of the [Aragamioroshi] used by the opponent is as low
as that of Akira's.
Against human beings,
excessive firepower is not necessary. Perhaps it is the result of seeking
efficiency, or perhaps he is just not that proficient in [Aragamioroshi].
If that is the case,
there might be an opening to take advantage of.
Saki, taking advantage
of the distance she was able to keep, kneaded up her spiritual power.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Chuden――
"―Hayabusa-gake!"
As soon as her feet
hit the floor, Saki's body accelerated toward Alessandro.
The speed of Saki's
body was further boosted, and the gap between the two disappeared
instantaneously.
"Mu~u!"
Perhaps the increase
in her physical strength was unexpected, as although Alessandro managed to
match the tip of his war staff with the tip of the naginata that was thrust at
him, he was slightly outmatched, and his upper back was slightly bent.
I got him. With a
flash of fighting spirit, Saki stomped her feet.
Kihoin-style Spirit
Technique, Consecutive Technique―
"―Midare-sagichō!
"Gu~uo~!"
That protective
garment would block slashes, but what about a blow that penetrated through the
defense?
Although it won't
result in a killing blow, no one would be able to maintain their composure
after being hit by this kind of spiritual technique at such close range.
A triple blow, almost
overlapping, knocked out Alessandro's unprotected consciousness without question.
From the very
beginning, hostility toward Vansuir was not something Saki would have wanted.
As long as the
objective was not to kill, it would be enough if it could stop him in his
tracks.
With Alessandro on his
knees, she turned on his heel and leaped backward with only her intuition.
―On the floor where Saki had been standing just moments
before, a stake made up of spiritual power was impaled on the floor.
The resulting impact
caused the wooden floor to crack and split, leaving a large hole in it.
Without paying
attention to it, Saki kept her eyes fixed behind the inner sanctum, where the
stake had come from.
There, in the same
spot as before, was the figure of Benedetta, pointing her right hand, filled
with spiritual power, at Saki.
"...... I thought
you wouldn't make a move until the end?"
"Quite the
opposite, as I did not expect you to bring Sir Trovato to his knees.
...... But now that it
has come to this, we have no choice. It'll be somewhat difficult to secure a
position, but at the very least I'll accomplish my objective."
Despite the
incapacitation of one of her companions, her mouth was not showing any signs of
impatience.
Saki gritted her teeth
at the increased trouble.
The key point in
Benedetta's argument is that this dispute is being caused by Salvatore's
rampage.
In other words, the
claim that neither Vansuir nor Salvatore's superiors had anything to do with it
is what protects Vansuir's consular rights.
Saki believed that
there was no point in risking giving up consular rights to fight this battle as
long as it did not contribute that much to the interests of both sides.
―Or is there another objective to this battle that must
be accomplished beyond that?
*Boom!* Just as Saki's
thoughts reached that point, a thunderous roar sounded from behind her.
Saki turned her gaze
in the direction of the sound, and there she saw Akira being beaten to the
ground by Salvatore.
"Akira-kun!!"
Saki's urgent cry made
Akira manage to stand up while suppressing his shaking vision.
"...... Damn
it―"
Unknowingly, a cursing
word leaked out of his mouth.
Even if the attack was
lighter than expected, Salvatore is still a veteran warrior.
Although he tried his
best to be a shield for Saki, there was a clear difference in strength between
him and his opponent.
"Hmmm. Although
you persisted for a long time, it's checkmate now.
But the way you fight
is quite violent, it's almost like practicing with a dog. If only you had been
obedient, I would have spared your life."
"Don't mess with
me!"
He turned his
antagonism toward Salvatore into a cry and let his spiritual power rage.
With Rakuyo Zakuro
poised at his side, he kicked the floor again.
Daring to conceal his
swordsmanship with his body, he went straight ahead from the front.
He slashed upward from
below with the brilliance of vermillion gold in the smallest possible movement.
"Mu―!"
A fine slash that
prioritized speed over power, suppressing his body's tendency to turn.
Salvatore's expression
lost its composure as the attack was relentlessly aimed at his hand.
―But,
"You've learned
to use your wits a little, huh?
...... but too
naive."
"Kuh!"
Because he prioritized
speed, he lacked power this time.
As if to intertwine
with Rakuyo Zakuro's blade, the tip of the sword slid over the edge of Rakuyo
Zakuro and ripped open Akira's defense.
Salvatore's kick
slammed into Akira's exposed torso, and Akira's body was blown away against the
wall as if it were a rehash of the previous round.
The couch, which had
retained some semblance of its original shape, was crushed by Akira's body and
danced around on the floor.
Akira screamed in pain
as he was buried under the falling pieces of wood.
"―Benedetta, this
little bastard will surely stand in our way, right?
I think we should kill
him here while we still can."
"Don't, we can't
ignore Her Holiness' oracle.
We can only put up
with it by knocking him out."
"Tch, ...... got
it.
―Lucky for you, kiddo."
"Akira-kun, get
up!"
Salvatore, who
approached with ease, and Saki, whose actions were restricted by Benedetta's
restraints, intersected with impatience.
Akira grunted and
brushed away the pieces of wood, and in his field of vision, he saw Salvatore
brandishing his sword.
"―Checkmate."
A clear defeat in a
battle against an opponent who is unlike Shōjō, not to mention defiled beasts.
The dull shine of the
blade that was swung down with such a declaration made Akira involuntarily
close both of his eyes.
"―Yonagayurashi."
Just before it landed,
the front door was torn open with a loud bang, and it fell toward the inside.
As the dust from the
door was blown away, Kuga Ryota and Tatewaki Nonoka emerged from behind the
door.
"Hey there, you
Vansuir folks. Looks like you're having a lot of fun.
Won't you let me
partake as well?"
"Are you all
right, Saki-sama?"
Saki's expression
broke into a smile when she saw the reinforcements she had been hoping for.
"You're late,
Kuga-kun!"
"Negotiations are
supposed to last longer, you know?
How could anyone
predict that things would end up like this so soon?"
He lightly brushed off
Saki's words, and looked at Akira, who was covered in wood pieces at
Salvatore's feet.
"What the heck,
outcast.
You're looking pretty
tattered due to protecting Saki, huh?"
"...... My
apologies, Kuga-sama."
Perhaps he was
surprised by Akira's sincere apology without any rebuttal, so he just clicked
his tongue and turned his attention back to Benedetta.
It was too convenient
and timely for the patrolling forces to rush to the scene.
Benedetta guessed the
general situation from the exchange between the boy called Kuga and Saki.
"...... I thought
you understood that this was confidential."
"Ara~, it's just
a coincidence. Kuga-dono happened to be assisting the patrol and happened to be
patrolling in the neighborhood.
But even if it wasn't
a coincidence, what's the problem?
―The basic principle of negotiation is to give the
other party a false impression of your intentions, am I right?"
Even Saki was unaware
of the tricks played by the people of the Western Continent in Chintao.
Therefore, since she
could not foresee the other party's intentions, it was a natural choice to ask
the Kuga family to cooperate with her.
Benedetta smiled lightly
and shrugged her shoulders.
"―No other choice
then, we shall withdraw from this place."
Salvatore and
Alessandro, who had regained their consciousness, took these words as a signal
to stand in front of Benedetta, as though to protect her.
Ryota was about to
move forward in accordance with the movement of Benedetta and the others, but
faster than his step, Benedetta shot out a shockwave similar to a spirit
technique toward the ceiling.
"""!
...... Wha~!?"""
Unable to read their
intentions, Saki and the others' initial reaction was delayed for a second.
The shockwave shook
the ceiling and shattered the stained glass on the roof.
Everyone ran out of
the church, unable to resist the high-pitched shockwaves that poured down upon
them.
―It was not until after they had all escaped and caught
their breath that they realized that Benedetta and the others had succeeded in
escaping.
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