Volume 4
Chapter 12
I am having a crimson dream. The same bloody dream I've seen before.
Arcazam, a city
reduced to rubble and ruins, consumed by raging flames. The scent of burning
flesh mingled with an overwhelming stench of death.
"Haa, haa, haa,
haa..."
I frantically ran,
desperate to escape it. Like my former self before I met Master, I averted my
gaze from all the citizens strewn about the ravaged city.
But no matter how long
I ran, how much I ran, the crimson dream wouldn't end. Ruins stretched before
me, and the raging flames relentlessly seared my skin.
My legs felt like
sticks, and my muscles screamed, "I can't go on!" but I didn't stop.
"Ugh!!!"
But even that reached
its limit.
My foot caught on
rubble, and I tumbled down. The seared bricks radiated an intense heat, further
burning my skin as I lay prone.
"Guuuuugh!"
Enduring the burning
pain in my hands, I forced myself up. If I collapsed here, I would truly die.
Where do you
intend to go?
Suddenly, a voice
echoed in my head. The same voice I had heard when I slaughtered the Triclops.
As if fleeing that
voice, I forcibly moved my aching body, pushing my legs forward. My legs were
already at their limit, trembling with every step.
But it still didn't last
long.
My legs couldn't even
support my body as it began to move forward, and I collapsed to the ground
again.
Looking closely, my
legs were already charred black, utterly motionless.
…What do you intend to run from?…
Ignoring the voice in
my head, I tried to crawl forward.
"…V-vvvaah…………"
I desperately reached
out my hands, but the heat of the ground relentlessly burned my entire body. No
proper sound came from my mouth, only inarticulate groans.
Pointless
efforts… you can't possibly escape…
With that voice, the
charred black skin on my hands tore open. With a grinding sound, jet-black
scales appeared.
"…………Ah……"
The next moment, the
skin all over my body ripped open, and blood overflowed. Something from inside
me was tearing its way out.
"Gah!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!"
A scream that seemed
to reach the sky escaped my mouth. It tore through my body from the inside, and
finally, it was unleashed.
The last thing I saw
was a jet-black giant body and six wings that seemed to reach the sky.
My vision turned pure
white, and finally, my consciousness faded.
***
"Ugh!!!"
I jolted upright.
The first thing I saw
was the morning sun shining through the window.
A vast, clear blue sky
stretched above. The spring sunlight announced the arrival of morning with a
warmth that seemed to embrace everything.
"Guh!!!!"
However, that scene
didn't register with me. An intense wave of nausea assaulted me.
I rushed to the
washbasin and vomited the contents of my stomach.
Only stomach acid came
out from my stomach, which hadn't eaten properly yesterday. I repeatedly drank
water and immediately threw it up.
After repeating this
three times, I finally calmed down enough to think about what had happened
afterward.
I returned to my own
room from the room of the girl who had treated me.
Perhaps because I was
back in my own room, my guard dropped, and the mental and physical fatigue
accumulated in my body plunged me into a dream.
But even after waking
up, my physical condition was terrible. My own heart remained clouded.
"Guh!!"
The headache was
severe. It was proof that my body hadn't rested.
The raw truth that Ken
had confronted me with. And then, my indulgence in the exercise of power to
avert my eyes from it.
More than anything,
despite my promise to Master and finally feeling that I had to move forward, I
questioned Ken, only to be shown an unbearable truth. I hated my weakness for
simply escaping because of that.
I clenched my teeth
and tightly closed my eyes.
The tragedy I had
caused in the forest was vividly recalled before my eyes.
The bisected Wild Dogs
and giants.
And myself, wielding
power, continuously raining down blood.
"…………Damn
it…"
I cursed myself out of
anger, but even my voice lacked strength.
I instinctively curled
my body up, clutching my chest tightly.
Even so, when the time
came, I got ready and headed to the academy. Perhaps it would have been better
to rest, but being in my room made me fear seeing that dream again, and I was
afraid to be alone.
I was heading to the
academy, but my consciousness remained hazy.
The remaining fatigue
pressed a heavy weight and shackles on my body and mind, my thoughts barely
moved, and everything in front of me appeared dimly blurred.
"…………Hey,
……mu…………"
But what should I do?
What should I do?
Such thoughts, in my
dulled mind, were of no use, only swirling around meaninglessly in my head.
"…i, No…mu.
Ki…………ro…………"
About Lisa, about Ken, about how I had continued to run away, and what to do
about all of it from now on.
Only the fact that I
had run away kept repeating endlessly in my head.
And before my eyes,
the scene I had caused yesterday, a result of my running away, was vividly
recalled.
Myself, covered in
blood and mud, and the carpet of flesh and blood created by those I had
slaughtered.
The "thing"
that had taken up residence inside me. I rejoiced in using its power, was
ecstatic at killing my opponents, even felt pleasure in hurting myself, and
then hated myself for it.
To be honest, I wanted
to run away. I wanted to avert my eyes.
But I couldn't do
that.
My promise to Master.
I swore not to avert my eyes from the very fact that I had run away.
But now, that promise
tightened my chest even more.
I want to run but
can't. I want to avert my eyes but can't.
The clock of my heart
was filled with rust, eroding the gears which were trying to turn, making a
jarring sound.
Even so, the gears of
my heart tried to turn. My promise with Master and the impatience within me
fueled it.
The heart trying to
rust and stop, and the heart trying to move the hands of the clock forward.
The two hearts
clashed, making the jarring sound even louder.
But the gears, on the
verge of breaking, stopped moving at a sudden loud voice.
"Hey, Nozomu!!!
You hear me, don't you!!!"
A sudden loud voice.
Looking towards the voice, I saw my friend with a somewhat grumpy face.
"…Mars?"
"Yeah, that's
right. Why did you ignore me!? I've been calling you for a while now!"
Behind Mars, the usual
members, Iris and the others, were also visible. It seemed they had been trying
to talk to me for a while.
"Ah… sorry… I was
spacing out."
"…Haaah, well,
whatever. Let's go then."
Mars looked a little
suspicious but urged me forward and started walking.
I followed him.
*
"By the way,
Nozomu. I heard you were in the forest yesterday... umm... are your injuries
alright?"
We walked together and
chatted for a while, when Iris asked me with concern. Her gaze was directed at
the bandage wrapped around my arm.
"Eh, …ah, yeah!
I'm fine. I just messed up a bit during training."
I quickly raised my
bandaged arm, acting as if nothing had happened.
"Is that so…
that's good then…………"
Her tone was
uncharacteristic of her usual self, tinged with some hesitance. Her usual self
would ask directly if she had something to ask, but for some reason, her gaze
was wandering.
"…………………"
"…………………"
But I couldn't say
anything either.
The rust accumulated
in my heart. I felt that if I opened my mouth now, I wouldn't know what I would
say.
A strange atmosphere
flowed between her and me. Just as Somia-chan, who was next to me, opened her
mouth to say something, "Yo, Irisdina."
A voice I had never
heard before echoed through the area. Looking towards the voice, I saw a
Beastman with magnificent silver hair and ears walking towards us.
***
Shortly before Nozomu
and the others arrived at school.
The high-rising sun
illuminated the majestic main gate of the academy, casting a gentle spring
warmth.
However, despite this
pleasant morning, a strange atmosphere enveloped the area.
As students arrived
one after another, there was a conspicuously empty space.
That space exuded a
strange pressure, and as students approached it, they all quickly avoided it.
At the center of that
space were several students, but the pressure that was intimidating the academy
students was emanating from one student in particular.
"Tch!! Damn
it!..."
At the center, exuding
that pressure, was Kevin, of the Silver Wolf tribe. The students in the center
were the members who had gone into the forest with Kevin the other day.
Kevin looked grumpy to
anyone who saw him, his handsome face twisted.
"K-Kevin. Calm
down."
"Shut up!!! Damn
it!!"
One of Kevin's party
members timidly called out to him, but he completely ignored him. Kevin was
irritated by what Jihad had told him yesterday when they returned to the city
with Arcazam's guard unit.
"You all, go back
to your rooms today. The rest will be handled by us, the Silver Rainbow
Knights, and the Arcazam guard unit."
"What!!! What do
you mean?"
Kevin probably
intended to follow Jihad and investigate the truth of this matter.
He prided himself on
having sufficient ability for that.
Therefore, Kevin had
snapped at Jihad, who had so clearly tried to exclude them.
However, no matter how
much he pressed Jihad, he would not reverse his decision. He strongly
instructed Kevin and the others not to speak of this matter, then turned his
back and began talking to Captain Mauz of the guard unit.
His back eloquently
said, "There's nothing more to discuss," and Kevin could only leave,
biting his lip.
"What the hell...
Damn it!!"
He was deeply
dissatisfied. Jihad was consulting with the guards, who were less capable than
him, about future measures.
His rank was A. He was
one of the few capable individuals in Arcazam, let alone the academy.
That's why he thought
it was only natural for him to be there, and he believed Jihad would allow it.
However, it didn't
turn out that way; Jihad told Kevin and the others not to get involved further.
For Jihad, it might
have been an act of concern for the students.
But for Kevin, it
seemed as though Jihad was telling him, "You are useless, so go
home."
That was humiliating
for Kevin of the Silver Wolf tribe, who prided himself on protecting his pack
with strength.
"Hm?"
At that moment, his
nose suddenly caught a scent that intrigued him.
The presence of
someone he acknowledged. Sensing it keenly, he immediately began to walk in the
direction of that presence.
Ahead, five people,
men and women, were walking together.
"Yo,
Irisdina."
There, he saw Nozomu
and the others, who had just arrived at school.
***
"…So, the fact
that the Triclops was subjugated will be kept secret for a while, then?"
"Hmm, that seems
to be the decision from above. Entering the forest now is too dangerous. If
people think Triclops are present, few will carelessly enter the forest."
Jihad Raundel's office
at Solminati Academy.
Here, Jihad and
Captain Mauz of the Arcazam Guard Unit were facing each other, discussing.
The topic was the
brutally massacred giant corpses found in the forest yesterday and the
existence of the one who did it.
Yesterday, upon
returning from the forest, they immediately went to the Supreme Council, which
governed this city. They met with the chairman and reported the matter.
Normally, various
procedures would be necessary, and Captain Mauz, as the head of the guard unit,
should have reported this matter to his direct superior. However, this audience
was granted by Jihad, who belonged to the Silver Rainbow Knights, a framework
that transcended national borders, and who held command authority over the
Silver Rainbow Knights in Arcazam.
And the chairman's
decision was to keep this information secret for the time being.
"However, what if
there's actual damage to the city later…………"
"…As for that
possibility, I believe it is lower than Captain Mauz assumes."
"…………Why is
that?"
"The one who
defeated the Triclops used swordsmanship. That means the opponent is either
human or a being comparable to one. This means that the possibility of them
indiscriminately attacking people like a magical beast is still considered
low."
The abnormal giant
corpses they had seen in the forest. They were terribly damaged, and there were
also corpses killed in different ways, but most of them had been cut down by
sharp blades like swords.
However, the way they
were slashed to death was unusual, though...
"…………Sir Jihad.
Should we still not disclose this matter…?"
Mauz suggested to
Jihad that the information should be disclosed, but his opinion was different.
"I also
considered that. Certainly, it would make the danger of approaching the forest
more widely known to the people of the city. However, the other party is
someone who can easily defeat Triclops. And considering the position of this
city, I believe that disclosing this information at this time carries too great
a risk, and those above seem to have judged it the same way."
The position of
Arcazam. It sounded good to say that various countries had funded and
cooperated to create it, but in reality, power struggles between nations were
constantly taking place behind the scenes.
In other words,
Arcazam was a microcosm of international competition among nations, and what
happened in this city could easily escalate into a problem between nations.
And the current
problem was enough to cause that.
Ten years have passed
since the Great Invasion.
Time had faded
people's memories, and friction had begun to emerge between the nations that
had suffered the invasion of magical beasts and those that had remained
unharmed.
In the midst of such a
situation appeared a powerful individual capable of slaughtering an entire
group of Triclops.
Moreover, the
intentions of that individual were unknown. This would further incite anxiety
among those who cared about their own interests and among the already tense
countries.
If such a spark were
introduced, it could easily lead to mutual distrust, casting a further shadow
over already strained international relations.
"Of course, as
long as we don't know what kind of person the other party is, we cannot ease
our vigilance out of concern for the safety of the citizens. However, as long
as there are those who make a living in that forest, we cannot prohibit entry
into the forest."
Not a few people made
a living from the resources of the forest. The meat and furs of the animals in
the forest, medicinal herbs, and other useful plants. And wood for fuel, such
as firewood.
The supply of these
could not be stopped. At least, this city could not procure all the necessary
resources solely from goods from outside the city.
"Therefore, what
is needed now is someone who can correctly judge information and who can
properly share information."
This was part of the
reason why Jihad hadn't wanted Kevin to be involved.
What was needed now
was information about the being that had defeated the Triclops, and capable
individuals who could accurately assess it.
Of course, when he
instructed Kevin and the others to return at that time, it was because he was
worried about them. But in terms of necessary personnel, the stubborn Kevin was
also unsuitable for this matter.
If it had been
Irisdina, Jihad might have made a different decision. Even so, he would have
imposed confidentiality obligations, such as not disclosing the contents...
"I have asked for
the cooperation of Captain Mauz's unit as well. However, only we, the Silver
Rainbow Knights, and Captain Mauz's unit are currently able to handle this
matter. In any case, let us gather information and proceed cautiously."
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