Volume 2, Chapter 4 – The Forest of Darkness
I want to eat normal things already.
I want to drink clean water already.
I want to sleep like a log on a white bed already.
And, I want to escape from this kind of place already–.
On the one hand, still being alive was a fortune. On the contrary, it could also be said that it was a valuable experience, in a sense. Because, anyhow, there had been no human body which had stayed in that kind of a place for so long until then. If they were able to safely return, wouldn’t they try to get even one story out of the gang of soldiers? A pack of scholars would perhaps plunge in, having heard the talk. Either way, they would make a profit.
–While forcibly thinking about those kinds of positive things, his mood and situation was invariant.
As he poked the askes of a a smouldering bonfire with a twig, Fream Eiza weakly sighed.
It’s nearly sunset. Here’s gloomy even during daytime, and at night it turns into a bottomless darkness. Even if the magical beasts and Demons’ attacks gradually become less and less, we still need to be vigilant to the maximum degree. This is a day which will pass without me getting any sleep. This gloomy night is beginning.
About six days had passed since Fream and the others had been locked up in the “Elven Forest”. At first they were one hundred members, but now they were less than a third; weakened down, decreasing to less than 30 people.
However, most of the casualties came from the first day, and from the incident that happened within three hours of the birth of the forest, their causes of death mostly resembling something like paying for their own mistakes. From there on, it was an astonishing survival rate, as seen from an outsider’s perspective – ah, I know that we can be said to have good luck.
Particularly, he couldn’t thank his comrades enough. To be precise, among his comrades, it was that women. If that woman wasn’t there, Fream too probably would have died.
Truly – it wouldn’t be too much to call her Fortuna, and worship her.
Six days ago.
After they had been enclosed by the “Elven Forest”, which had sprung forth explosively, what ppeared in front of his eyes was a flock of Demons and magical beasts. What saved him from that was a calm instruction from Milifica. Recomposing the battle formation into a square formation, fighting an offensive from every direction in a group fight, they somehow endured, succeeding in repelling them.
However, after the fight had concluded, the group members’ opinions split into two. The first one was, to stop in that place, compose themselves, grasp the state of affairs, and to attempt to carefully pierce through the forest with everyone. The second one was, to advance straight ahead, because they would sooner or later arrive at a stop, which they were to do as soon as possible. The one who advocated the former was Raimi – in other words, Milifica’s party and Ziadrene’s gang approved of it. The ones which advocated the latter were those excepted, without loyalty to Milifica, who they were passively attached to.
To conclude, the latter bunch did not obey them.
Milifica insisted on that they weren’t to be impatient, an exceedingly natural thing. It was easy to lose one’s direction within a forest. If it was an “Elven Forest”, all the more. Though it was unclear how much the Elven Village had expanded, if one were to recklessly advance, it was not always that one could break through. In other words, “One should, first of all, create a base and then slowly and reliably advance”.
However, the opposing faction feared the dangers under their noses – in other words, the “Elven Forest’s” characteristics, the dense spirit energy.
Though the spirit energy was the power which streamed through all things in nature, it became a poison to life with too much of it; similar to how plants, which had too much fertilizer, decayed. And the spiritual resistance of the race named humans was not high enough to tolerate the spirit energy of the “Elven Forest”. It was said that generally, one’s head would be spinning after half a day, that after one day one’s senses would become disordered, and that one would lose one’s life after two or three days. Under those circumstances, one would not have the time to go slow.
In the end, the lot that were the opposing faction departed, uncompromising.
What, consequentially, happened with them became obvious in about three hours – by the Demons, which attacked, carrying in their hands shields where the crest of the “Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves” was engraved, along with splendid magic swords.
In any case, it was not expected that they would be able to escape.
Within the forest, spirit energy which caused illusions had been crammed. What they had noticed after they had finished defeating the Demons, was just before the sun grew dark. Even though they intended to walk straight by marking the trees, they returned back to the first spot.
In all honesty, Fream was, as expected, temporarily in despair at that time. At any rate, nearly six hours had already passed since they had been entrapped by the forest. Though he hadn’t noticed any abnormalities in his physical condition, it wasn’t amusing that he started to feel heavy in his head before long. To make matters worse, he was totally exhausted from continuing to fight the Demons and magical beasts. Nevertheless, the result of him walking forever was the place of the beginning. He gave up, thinking that it was already helpless.
The one who rescured him was Ellis. And, unexpectedly to the extreme – it was Fiene. At that time, he was truly surprised. It was not only Fream. Even Milifica, Imina, Sashtal, and Ellis, became speechless at that unforeseen event. When an immediate escape proved impossible, Fiene had spoken.
–Dearie me, it can’t be helped, this.
After that, she glanced at Ziadrene as if to receive permission.
Ziadrene nodded, as if to say “It’s fine”. After that, she suggestively gazed at everyone – not her own subordinates, but toward Milifica’s comrades. As if to say “Mind you, young’uns, this is a secret”.
“Well, maybe it is unnecessary to call attention to it.”–.
Fiene leaped off her horse, and walked toward Ellis.
Shrugging her shoulders to Ellis, she spoke.
“Now, we’ll need to take care of everyone, ya see? Drinking water for meals, and then a campground. What, isn’t it simple? For both you and me, it’s a custom that we hold from a nostalgic place.”
And she untied and spread out the pitch-black hair that was gaudily arranged.
The untied hair became an ink-black waterfall, and the tips which were suddenly revealed through the gaps in her temporal region – sharp as bamboo leaves, were long ears.
To everyone, who, aghast, lost their words, Ziadrene jokingly laughed a hearty laugh.
“So, isn’t she a fine woman?”
If one were to think about it now, Ziadrene’s gang did not display much confusion, even when they were trapped in the “Elven Forest”. That close to twenty men all kept calm was because they had the relief that they could turn to Fiene when push came to shove.
Cutting off branches from nearby trees, in an appropriate length. If it was possible, hazel was preferable.
Putting the cut end up and the pointed end down, deeply thrusting it into the ground.
What came after, was that the spirit energy in the branches passed through and spread throughout the ground, searching for signs of water.
After that, one was to apply organic necromancy to the branch which changed its shape and traits; extending and spreading out the pointed tip throughout the earth, absorbing moisture and filtering it. The water which overflowed from the cut end was let into a leather bag.
After that, if one were to boil it up, which removed the spirit energy, it would result in drinking water.
Luckily, that area was a wetland, so even if they searched for water there was no trouble. Because there was a large amount of water which could be extracted, it was comfortable, because there was no need to walk about searching for water. While remembering that sequence of work which she remembered, she fastened the leather bag, which had become full of water, to her horse’s saddle. Extending the next leather bag, her eyes met with Fiene’s, who similarly drew water from a branch next to her.
Therefore she laughed, and said.
“When I practiced this in my birthplace, I didn’t think that it actually would be useful.”
“I guess, yeah.”
Fiene responded, with a still-friendly smile.
“This thing is a technique from a long time ago, when fellow clans fought about territory. As long as a river is nearby, you can get as much water as you like. Just a little before I left my village, people were starting to actively dig water wells.”
“For me, water wells were already commonplace.”
“Even if I say that it is the Elven Tribe’s pride, because the human technique is convenient, it’s simple. There’s no need to cut and insert hazel, but on the contrary there is no need to go to the river.”
“……I see.”
It makes me feel strange when I talk about it somehow.
Having left the Elven Tribe four years ago – not only speaking about the village in that way with one of the same tribe, but that other party was also who she thought to be a human until not long ago.
Six days had passed since she it had become evident that she was an Elf, but, on that subject, it was the first time that they were alone. Because it was troublesome, she thought that she would ask about this and that.
“Did you understand from the very beginning, Fiene? About me.”
“Yeh, that’s true. Yer easy to understand.”
While catching the water which overflowed from the cut end of the branch, Fiene responded as if she was amazed.
“You didn’t dye your hair, and some designs from the Elven Tribe still remain here and there on the clothes that you wear. Humans won’t notice, I guess, but seen from a colleague’s perspective it strikes home.”
“Uh, so that’s it……”
She reconsidered that she might have had weak defences.
Surely, Fiene looked like nothing but a human. Her hair was dyed black – a colour practically non-existent in the Elven Tribe – and her make-up was gaudy. Her clothes were indeed vulgar, and there was nothing that reminded of an Elf.
“Well, don’t worry that much. You’ll be fine as you are now.”
The consolation she gave, was that she needed to be careful just a bit longer. However, that was a story if they could get out of there.
“At any rate, we’re saved. That barrier is amazing.”
It was thanks to Fiene that the group members still were alive in the “Elven Forest” after six days.
At the present time, the barrier which blocked the dense spirit energy, which was courtesy of Fiene’s organic necromancy – entirely covered the campground as a semi-sphere, the diameter about twenty metres in diameter. As long as they were within it, the humans’ lives would practically never be eroded. Because there, of course, were limits to even the blocking; even if it wouldn’t work forever, not one person had complained about being in a poor physical condition yet.
“That’s not a ‘Common Technique’, is it?”
“Mm. My special characteristic is that my sensing ability of spirit energy is of a somewhat higher degree, but it wasn’t enough to get a name. That was simply a technique. Half of that referred to the humans’ inorganic necromancy.”
It kept back the flow of spirit energy, giving it directionality to release it in another direction, she said. Originally, it seemed that it was not a barrier to be used in such a way, but instead one to aid fighting.
That was right; surely, if there was a person who could control the flow of spirit energy, organic necromancy would be more powerful, and they would also be able to prevent the enemy’s evocations to some extent. Fiene, who had lived in both the Elven society and the human society, had probably cultivated her techniques within both of them.
“Well, it’s thanks to your cooperation that such a strong fella has been created, you know?”
“No, not really……”
Ellis had, pretty much, helped too. By using the Unique Vocation “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” – Ellis’ blood – as a catalyst, which had the great power of taking in and storing spirit energy, it was possible to strengthen the power of the barrier.
“The one who created the barrier was not me, but you, Fiene. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”
To speak of the truth, she would have been able to save a very small amount of people.
It was the treatment that she once had performed on Imina. It was a method to etch Ellis’ blood on the other person’s skin, much similar to a tattoo, which then would absorb the superfluous spirit energy. So to speak, a lightning rod of spirit energy.
However, it also gave the other party’s body scars that would not disappear, and the chances were high that the body would reject it afterwards. She wanted to avoid it if possible. The burden that Ellis herself bore was heavy in the first place, so there also was a limit to the amount that could be done. By using that method, the best she could do would be to only save Milifica and the others.
And, for arguments’ sake, she couldn’t help but do it – thinking about being driven into a situation where she could do nothing but save a very small amount of people, she could not choose but to thank Fiene.
In other words, she would have to let people die without helping. Those nice people which they had encountered at great pains, Ziadrene, Fiene, and their subordinates.
“I get what you’re thinking. If I weren’t here, or something like that?”
She wondered if her depressed expression had shown.
Fiene tapped her on the head.
“You’re a gentle child, you are.”
And she faintly smiled.
“But, there’s nothing to worry about. Because it’s the same for me. There’s a limit to the number of people that can be saved, and in that case you need to chose the ones that you must save. This time, it just so happens that we don’t have to decide the people that can be saved before we need to. Though that too is a cruel conversation. ……To be honest, I am happy that those cowards scurried away and quickly died.”
She was startled at those words.
Yes. Six days ago, when the opinions on what to do after that had split – and the only ones who had remained were the six with Ellis and Ziadrene’s party. Probably, it was for that reason that Fiene revealed her identity. Precisely because only the trustworthy people remained, she felt like helping everyone as an Elf.
Conversely, what should I do? Surely Fiene felt the same. I couldn’t say that I was an Elf in front of treacherous company.
“I don’t really think that it was that…… fortunate.”
“Ha, like I would care. Owing to that, we helped people important to us.”
I have no intention to mock that group which strived to be the first out of the forest. However, on the one hand, she thought. If they had believed in them to the degree that they obediently followed Milifica’s words – if they had become comrades in the true meaning of the word, neither I nor Fiene probably would have hesitated to untie our hair in front of them. Even if I think about from now, it’s an unavoidable matter.
Therefore she changed the topic.
“Well, I have finally understood the reason. Always, from when we arrived at the Order of Chivalry…… I thought about why you guys, Fiene, did us good.”
Imina also was curious. Ziadrene was a former thief, and he said that he hated the nobility, Yet he followed the brains, the royal Milifica, and the reason was unknown–. In reality, everyone in Ziadrene’s party were kind even if there weren’t any certain reason to a convincing extent.
She thought that they would have an excessive amount of consideration. They were too helpful, in various ways. They acted together with them as to not be blamed by the other group members, they gave practice to them so that they could survive on the battlefield, and when it was proposed, they became their backers.
Everything was due to the bond between Ellis and Fiene.
Because Fiene was an Elf, and noticed Ellis’ identity. Therefore, as they were in a relationship where they had the same circumstances, they were accommodated.
However, Fiene shook her head at Ellis, who was thinking like that with shining eyes.
“A reason, you say. Sorry, but it’s not like you think.”
“Huh……?”
“To be honest, it wasn’t because you were of the same tribe that I did something special. At first, I did not care at all about your circumstances. When I saw those kids with guts of steel I understood, and that’s why I liked them, but…… that was Princess Milifica together with that young girl Raimi. It was only to you that I didn’t hold any particular emotions.”
“Even if we’re the same, Elves, you say?”
“Ah, that’s unrelated to me.”
With a somehow indignant face, Fiene averted her face.
Suddenly resuming the drawing of water from the branch, which she had only tampered with in diversion, she bluntly declared – as if speaking to someone who wasn’t there.
“When I had abandoned my village, it was when you still hadn’t been born. Long, long before this war had begun, I lived in a human society.”
Well, those who were thieves were but the black sheep of society. While laughing at herself,
“I hate myself, who is an Elf, and I hate the Elves. Therefore I do not have any strong feelings while meeting someone of the same tribe. Though before the war, I have met them once or twice. But I pretended not to recognize them, you see. I wonder if this was good enough for even a conversation.”
“Then, in that case, why were you……”
Fiene spoke of a surprising thing.
“The one who decided that wasn’t me. It was that person. And the one which that person supported wasn’t you. It’s that boy-companion of yours.”
“Ziadrene had, you say?”
The reason for why she did them well was not because Fiene and Ellis were of the same race.
Was it because Ziadrene held some kind of emotional attachment to Imina–?
“When I heard that, I too understood. Our children too. Therefore you guys are precious comrades to us. That’s how it is.”
However, when Fiene said that, Ellis understood even less.
“By ‘that’, what do you mean? What is Ziadrene thinking of, about Imina……”
“I cannot speak from my own mouth of my own accord. I will be scolded by him.”
While Fiene shrugged her shoulders, she gradually lifted her face and looked toward Ellis. The sullen face from a little while ago was gone, and her mood was completely healed. However, seeing the opposite from her, that Ellis’ complexion was poor, she guessed right away.
“Sorry, I spoke unkindly.”
Interrupting her work, she approached Ellis, and patted her head in turn.
“Don’t make that sour face. I do hate Elves a lot, but even so, I don’t particularly hate you. When we spoke about the tribes, I just vented my anger on them, you see.”
“Err, um……”
“You, do you like your village, and your brethren?”
She was taken aback at those words.
“No, I don’t like them. But……”
“Is it different from hate?”
“Yes.”
Indeed.
She could not declare that she loathed them.
Now, when they were drawing water and picking berries and nuts in the “Elven Forest” in the same manner as when she was living in an Elven Village, she felt nostalgia. The idea of homesickness welled up. There were a lot of friends that she had good relations with. She wondered what on Earth they were doing in that moment.
“Then, why are you here? Together with humans, pretending to be human, entering the human army…… What the fuck do you want to do?”
“I……”
She hesitated a little, if she were to speak frankly or not. That was because it was a matter which affected Ellis’ – no, Ellis and the others’ deep interiors. However, a little while later, she had decided. She thought that it wasn’t an inquiry that could be answered with smoke and mirrors.
Ellis spoke.
“It’s because I want to stay with Imina. That is why I cast away the village. I do not regret it. Because granting that person’s wish, is my wish too.”
Fiene inquired, once again.
“What is that boy’s wish?”
“It is to destroy the Elven Village.”
Ellis replied.
“For what reason does that boy wish for that?”
“It’s because the Elves destroyed his hometown. Because they killed his family.”
As if challenging her.
“That is the matters of that boy alone, and is unrelated to you, right?”
“The ones which destroyed his hometown is my family. The one who murdered his family was my brother. And his birthplace and family is my birthplace and family too.”
As if fighting her.
“That’s quite a warped story. More than than the village that you were born in, would you rather choose the fake family in a village that you had settled down in as a guest?”
“Rather than the village, I have chosen him. That is all.”
As if opposing her,
“Why? Are there any merits of you casting away your village for that human?”
“There are! That’s……”
As if resisting her,
“That’s because I love everything about Imina. Because Imina is the most important to me!”
And, as if crying at her.
Ellis’ tone of voice grew sharp before she knew it. In her gaze was sharpness. Firmly grasping her fists, she declared, roughening up her voice.
For a short while, all was silent.
Before long, Fiene spoke to Ellis, who threw her gaze at her, her lips gnashing together,
“……I see.”
Muttering a few words and nodding – and then, she smiled and spoke.
“Well, yer the same as me.”
“Huh……?”
Fiene’s broad smile was slightly different from the way of laughter that Ellis had seen thus far. Rather than sex appeal, she had more heartiness; rather than being slovenly, she was at ease.
“You fell in love, didn’tya? It can’t be helped.”
Yes. That way of laughing was just like Ziadrene–.
Her cheeks suddenly grew hot.
It was not because her feelings toward Imina were pointed out again. She was exposed by the depth of Fiene’s feelings.
How long would they have needed to spend together, for their smiles to resemble each other’s to that extent? They were not related by blood, their gender and even species differed, not to mention that their faces differed so much that they could be said to be exact opposites – how much would they need to love each other, how much would they need to continue thinking about each other, for their faces to become the same like that?
“For me, you being of the same race is not why I support you. But, I will support you. Because I like women who have fallen in love and are devoted to a man, you know.”
She, once again, caressed Ellis’ head. A touch that was careless in its forcibility, yet transmitting affectionate feelings.
–Ah, yes.
From the very beginning, she had understood it. That both she and Ellis held the same type of feelings. That Ellis was about to depart on the same journey that she once had walked.
“Revenge…… And furthermore, to your race, you say. Being a fugitive thief was quite serious too, but you seem to be struggling a lot more than we have.”
And, while that was the same, the hardships were even more grim.
“But, you can’t lose. The happiness which is close to a man that falls in love does not change, whatever path you may take. If the man falls in love with you, all the more.”
In addition, he worried about her. Worrying about Ellis, who was assailed by homesickness and nostalgia, he breathed life into her. If her birthplace pulled her sleeves, she would lose sight of the important things–.
“Yes.”
Her cheeks once again were dyed. The flush this time was because she thought of Imina.
While gazing down on Ellis, who was somehow dazzling, Fiene smiled with her whole face.
“All right. Well, let’s return soon, when that leather bag is full. The time’s about when the men are hungry, so we’ll need to make the meals. Even though the ingredients are disgusting things from our hometown, cheer up your boy’s heart with your beloved Preadone-style flavours.”
“Yes!”
Where sugar, berries, and nuts were characteristic, Imina’s mother’s – the flavours of Lill.
There were a great amount of berries and nuts. While, as one would expect, it was impossible to procure sugar, one could add sweetness by using maple sap.
Fiene nonchalantly grasped Ellis’ hand. So, Ellis squeezed back. Linking their hands as if they were mother and daughter, or sister and sister, they smiled, walking their way back.
While Ellis was growing aware that she too could laugh like a girl, resembling the person that she loved.
Morning came, finally breaking into the seventh day.
Just while it was dawning, having confirming with the guards, he was told that the girl and the others’ return hadn’t been confirmed yet. The guards spoke words of anxiety about the Commander’s well-being as if to consulate the Vice-Commander. Saying things like, “There’s still hope, don’t be discouraged”.
Therefore he responded. “Thank you” – but it was like that his inner feelings were to the contrary.
Like that, Amaïz Julieta left behind the guardroom, his mood enlivened.
If he were to speak honestly, a gloomy mood had continued since a while ago. Because, if they by some stoke of luck were to return alive, Amaïz would never peacefully feel sorry.
Even if it was a trap, the one who had arranged it would be obvious to Milifica and the others, who had been set up. And, coincident with the course of the plan, it would be clearly evident that not only Amaïz – but also General Dali and the Elves were in a cooperative relationship.
They might be able to insist that there was no evidence. However, there was already no meaning in insisting it. Without a pretext becoming public, they couldn’t cope with it, and so on; they were already long past that king of phase. Of course, the one which had stepped over the boundary line was him, so he could not complain. Setting aside General Dali, Amaïz would certainly be killed behind the scenes.
In any case, I think that today is the last day that I will continue to hold those worries.
At any rate, six days. The current day was the seventh.
There was a mountain of reasons for why they would be unable to survive.
To begin with, the spirit energy. Although there were individual tolerances in terms of resistance, if one were exposed to the thick spirit energy of the “Elven Village”, it would be impossible for there to be humans that would survive even after six days. Naturally, Demons and magical beasts also run rampant in the depths of the forest. Some of the spirit flowers and spirit trees, which had grown in a strange way, had even moved and assaulted prey. And, they came swooping down from the depths of the thickets and the darkness, day and night. Viewing a place that seemed to be good from above and fighting enemies there were two completely different matters.
In addition, they would not be able to secure sufficient amounts of food, not to mention water, in the depths of the forest. It was natural, because the forest was created in a place with neither rivers nor springs. Even if they were to hunt magical beasts and pick berries and nuts, only the water would be futile. Under those circumstances, they wouldn’t be able to endure until the third day.
For argument’s sake, even in the unlikely event that they would be able to solve all those questions in some way; enduring the dense spirit energy, repelling the Demons and magical beasts entirely, securing a source of water and satiating their hunger.
Still, as the morning in question elapsed, survival was hopeless.
In the end, the greatest insurance was set in motion from the day in question.
Within the forest, which stretched about one kilometre in every direction, a barrier that confined people had been formed. Ingeniously modifying the trees that lined the forest, it manipulated the scenery so that it became difficult to walk straight. That was organic necromancy. An invocation that human beings weren’t capable of doing, it affected the living.
In other words, there was a Lord within that forest.
It was not something vulgar like a Demon or a magical beast. It was someone who treated the monsters as livestock – of a fearsome race which held the power to easily take on and defeat a unit of one hundred humans, alone. He was supposed to move seven days after he had produced the forest – in other words, the day in question.
Searching the depths of the woods, completely destroying the survivors if there were any. Those were the contents of the contract that General Dali had concluded with the other party.
Amaïz was not told when during the day it was supposed to be. It could be during sunset, or it could already have been carried out. However, even so, it was already over. As soon as it was finished, they would receive a report. If he were to hear that, the load on Amaïz’s shoulders would completely disappear.
If it was possible to dispose of Milifica, General Dali would also become quiet for the time being. At least, there wouldn’t be any sinister orders coming to Amaïz himself for a while.
He thought that he would sleep with a woman that evening, for the first time in a while. How about going over to the brother at the foot of the mountain and getting the most expensive one? He would receive a great reward. Even if he wasted a little, punishment would not be handed down on him.
However, first he had to refresh his head, which was exhausted from the lack of sleep. Last night, he, in his anticipation and anxiety, had spent the night without napping even once. Though it was the hour when the day was to start from then on, he could at least sleep soundly for the afternoon.
As Amaïz returned home to his room in the lodging house, he took the liquor bottle which was placed on the table in his hands. It was not the watery ale which he had constantly drunk in order to distract his anxiety since evening, but a high-percentage, expensive, aged alcohol. If one were to slam two or three cups, one would surely fall asleep in a good mood.
He produced a glass, opened the bottle and poured it, and drank it slowly while sitting down on the bed. While feeling the fragrant scent along with the stimulus of alcohol, he tilted the cup, letting the ecstasy permeate his insides.
When he just had finished off half of it into his stomach, he opened his mouth and exhaled – it was delicious. It had been a long time since he had drunk alcohol that good.
Amaïz closed his eyes in that same posture, and accepted the euphoria that spread throughout his entire body with the alcohol. Aiding the relief, it numbed the centre of his head, and it seemed that he would lose consciousness were he to lose focus. And, there was no reason to not lose focus. Therefore, he lost it.
The glass slipped out of his hand, breaking.
The sound of the scattered pieces of glass and alcohol seemed to be a lullaby, so he thought that he could postpone the cleaning for a while. His body felt good as it lost strength and collapsed. Even if he were to collapse on the floor and not the bed, even if he were to intensely bang his head on the stone floor, even if a fragment of the broken glass were to pierce his cheek, he felt comfortable.
His dissolving consciousness did not even feel the malaise that something was strange.
Amaïz did not move at all, in that unnatural posture. There were no sleeping breaths. There was no heartbeat. The poison, which was poured into his alcohol, rapidly stopped his life.
Amaïz Julieta had died without even noticing that there was a piece of paper in the drawer of his official desk named “Will”, of which he had no memory of writing.
While eating and sleeping in the depths of the forest, he remembered the four years that he had secluded himself in the mountain.
However, from those times, Imina’s hatred and urge to kill was pressing. It was a feeling that, rather from it arising from his back, was whispering from next to him.
It was natural. Where he was, was not the countryside where the animals lived, but the “Elven Forest” where the Demons and magical beasts strode. And, he was not practicing, focusing on his revenge to come, because he was instead in the middle of revenge, in the enemy’s stomach – because they at the current time were trying to bite a hole in the enemy’s stomach.
In the morning which greeted the seventh day since they had been confined, it made an appearance.
It was neither a Demon nor a magical beast – it was a soldier of the Elven Tribe. While the visit was sudden, it was also one that was coincident with their expectations. If they were to speak the truth, it was a matter where they already knew where it would come.
An invocation had been set in the depths of the forest in order to lead those which were in the middle astray. It was not difficult to leave a limited, finite space. Because there was, in any case, a good prospect if they were to spread out a rope and create landmarks.
However, what Imina and the others had fallen into was a state of affairs where they had arrived at their original position before they knew it, even though they should have been walking straight ahead. It could not only be explained by a disrupted sense of orientation peculiar to the depths of the forest. It was natural to think that the walking road and the scenery ahead was manipulated, giving them the illusion that they were advancing straight ahead. That could not be done naturally. There was a need to successively interact with every trend of the other party.
If that was the case, the practitioner would always be in the forest. And, if everyone were to continue to survive, it would positively grow tired of waiting and make an appearance. Imina and the others had predicted that, and had aimed at precisely that.
Ceasing their random loitering, they built a campground at their position, maintaining themselves at a narrow position where they never could lose sight of each other.
It was thanks to Ellis and Fiene’s invocations that they could keep on living like that for about seven days. And, the organic necromancy of the two – that both of them there were Elves, surely must have been a miscalculation for him. The one who patiently endured was, rather, the enemy.
“It finally came out, did it. I’ve been waiting.”
Imina laughed at the Elf which stood ten metres ahead of him in bare enmity.
It was early morning, when the dawn just had broken. Imina had just shifted with Fream to stand guard. His comrades had not yet gotten out from bed, but they would wake up if he were to shout once.
Anyhow, it’s good luck that this guy came when I stood watch.
Imina slowly drew his sword. He set a natural posture, relaxing.
The opponent did not move. While keeping the distance with a vigilant look on his face, it glared at him – truly, with that, who would know which side was the one which attacked first?
“As for me, I would like you to give your name if it’s possible.”
That Elf was a boy. He seemed to still be young. Seventeen, or eighteen? Although, seeing as the outward appearances of the Elves were generally lower than their actual age, he could have been about twenty. His rather short, arranged, silver hair and his well-proportioned facial features truly were beautiful like the Elven Tribe, as if he were a water lily in a dense forest.
He did not remember his face. In other words, he was not one of the bastards at the village of Salaid, and not his direct enemy.
“……Dierich.”
The voice that he gave out was lower than his appearance implied.
“Dierich, you say. What’s that? Your personal name, or your family name?”
It wasn’t like Imina remembered all sixteen of the Elven clans. Besides, it was hard to judge whether it was a given name or surname even if one were to only listen to the sounds of the culture of a different tribe.
However, the Elf did not respond to Imina’s question. On the contrary, he asked instead.
“Where’s Lady Ellis?”
Within his voice – could be surmised nuances of hatred.
“Do you know about Ellis?”
“I asked where the fuck she was!”
He shortly barked. That time was of clear resentment.
Therefore Imina called out to his behind.
“Righty-ho. Come out!”
“……Um.”
The place where Imina kept watch and the campground was separated by a thicket. Making a rustling sound, Ellis slowly appeared. She was taking a nap next to the thicket which was the closest to Imina, who stood watch. Because there was a sign for her to wake up when the Elven boy visited, she had sent a signal that she was on alert with her hand.
“Lady Ellis!”
The boy shouted, as though he had been overcome by emotion,
“Dierich, is it. It’s been a long time.”
Ellis responded with a voice that seemed to subdue her feelings.
“Do you know each other?”
“Yup. It’s Dierich Finiendveil…… A child of the Endveil clan.”
I see, so he’s a guy that’s related to her.
In other words, that guy too was of the Endveil clan.
If that was the case, he was to be killed.
Imina’s intent to kill whispered in his ear, in order to entice him.
Kill him. Shred him up. Decapitating him, making his entire body into pieces, setting fire to him, making him into ashes along with the forest–.
A sweet impulse ran about the behind of his cranium. If he were to surrender his body like that, he would surely feel pleasant. However, Imina endured that intent to kill, as if crushing a fly which flew about.
Adjusting his breathing, he held down his feet, which seemed to throw themselves upon the enemy as they pleased. Even if he were to start the fight at that moment, there would be no benefit for his side. To say nothing of that Imina was already not only just fighting with Ellis any more.
They had their comrades behind them. Therefore, what they had to think about first, would be to get them out of there alive. Besides, even if he was of the Endveil clan, the opponent was not an immediate enemy. It would be too much of a foolish act to plunge in at only his own convenience, according to his impulses.
The Elven boy – Dierich – did not notice Imina’s struggle, only looking at Ellis. He cried out as if grieving with a sad expression on his face.
“Why, Lady Ellis! Why are you doing that in such a place? I…… do you understand my feelings when I saw you, amongst the corralled enemy!? The obvious thoughts that I was happy to see you alive, but they were painted over by bafflement, my thoughts were!”
“Certainly, I am supposed to have died.”
“The Clan Elders believe so, but…… I believed that you definitely were alive somewhere. Nevertheless…… Of all things, you being alive in here of all places!”
“It’s as my brother says. Ellis Endveil is dead.”
The opposite of Dierich’s passion, Ellis’ answer was curt.
“I know that you thought that the Clan’s ties and the Clan House was important. You’ve always been like that, since childhood. But, I already have nothing to do with the Endveil. Not just Endveil…… I have nothing to do with the Elven Tribe. Therefore, I do not feel thankful anymore for those feelings of yours, nor the worries.”
Those cold, forsaking words probably were for Dierich’s sake too.
And, at the same time, it was also to instruct him–.
Ellis stood next to Imina, her fingers entwined around his.
“You shouldn’t think that you are my family. For I have forsaken both the Clan and the Elven Tribe.”
There was silence for a short while.
Five, or ten, seconds – before long, Dierich raised his head, which had been facing down,
“……Deplorable.”
He spat out a mutter.
“That nonsense, kidnapped by humans, is. Is he the one who is deceiving you? What on earth do you like about one of that lowly, savage tribe? Have you been raped, your emotions changing through that?”
“What are you talking about?”
In response to that abuse, Ellis’ presence grew sharper. Was the reason for why she got angry because she was thrown curse words? Or, was it because he insulted Imina?
“At least, when my father was alive, you didn’t say things that looked down on humans, did you. You did not stop me and my brother from going out and playing in Salaid. ……That being the case, Dierich, when on Earth did you start to think like that?”
Or, was he possibly mourning a acquaintance and hometown which had changed–?
Dierich did not answer her, who demanded an explanation.
What he threw at her was, instead of a reply, an interruption that couldn’t be helped.
“You should feel ashamed. What you are doing is equal to bestiality.”
“……Don’t you fucking make fun of me, you little shit!”
And Ellis’ rage satiated Imina’s intent to kill before it came forth.
“It’s because you bastards are like that! It is because you bastards say those kinds of things that the war has started! Because you bastards have that kind of attitude, the village has grown strange! It’s because you bastards think like that! Because my brother did those kinds of things, Imina lost his family!!”
It was a scream rougher than any of the ones Imina had heard.
However, on the one hand, there was no other way than for it to be touching.
Painful.
Pitiful.
Her sadness – Ellis’ grief had become anger and spat out.
“Aren’t you the little bitch that doesn’t know shame!? It’s not the fault of Lilithgrave…… it’s you bastards’ fault! The war started because of you bastards’ fucking conceitedness!”
“……Ellis.”
Ellis, who screamed as if straining her throat. Imina strongly grasped her hands.
“It’s enough. Your feelings aren’t conveyed to this little bugger.”
Even before Ellis’ passion, Dierich did not change his cold gaze.
Because he thought that from the bottom of his heart. That humans were inferior creatures. That Ellis was a woman who had been corrupted. He thought that the feelings and ties which bound together humans and Elves were those of bestiality.
“Imina, I……”
Even at that time, Ellis was still having a crying look on her face. Therefore, he embraced her shoulders. In order to catch her emotions. In order to share her sadness and anger.
“But, it’s fine. They’re transmitted to me. Is that not enough?”
Because she was saddened for Imina’s sake, because she got angry for Imina’s sake–.
“Dierich, you say. I understand enough, that you are that kind of person.”
Lightly kissing that head of hers, Imina walked one step backwards, toward Ellis’ side.
In truth, he wanted to avoid battle as much as he could. It was a directive from Milifica.
The enemy Elves were likely moving under agreement with the humans. It was probably due to a conspiracy with Amaïz and General Dali, that they were trapped in that forest. In that case, it could be possible to unravel what kind of agreement it was through dialogue – she thought.
As a godsend, there were two Elves there. She thought that if he were to face Ellis and Fiene, which were of the same race, it was possible that he would, taking precedence over the agreement with General Dali, tell everything. There was also the speculation that they would, on the contrary, possibly be able to escape from the forest with him acting as a guide, if all went well.
“Milifica’thoughts have been rendered useless.”
However, honestly, that way was the more convenient one for Imina. He was helped by that guy, who had a depraved nature. Imina was glad that he was an Elven supremacist, with a narrow scope for discussion.
That was because he was going to kill him.
There was no need to interact with him to get information out of him. It would be fine to, just knocking him about, cut his limbs into two or three pieces and make him speak. After he had spoken, beheading him would be fine. He could do that. He would gladly do that. He was a garbage-like bastard who it was appropriate to do those kinds of things to – oh, Imina truly was grateful.
He put his strength into the fingers that grasped the handle of his sword. He bent his knees while stepping on the ground firmly with both feet. He relaxed, deeply inhaling while slightly leaning backwards. Not reserving himself from that behaviour which he had endured until then, he left everything to his heart’s content, to the urges to kill which murmured into his ear.
“You said that I was a beast. Then, I’ll fucking show you…… the battle of beasts!”
–He set himself free.
Shortening the distance which he had leapt beforehand, he swung down his crimson sword.
“Wha……!?”
Dierich opened his eyes wide in astonishment.
Failing to respond to Imina’s first move, his counter was delayed. In other words, he wasn’t using organic necromancy. Which meant that he made light of Imina. Meaning that he, disdaining an inferior race, was negligent.
With a flustered face, he returned back half a pace. Lifting his right arm, he used it as a flesh-and-blood shield in order to stop the blade. In other words, he finally used organic necromancy. However, utilizing it to stiffen the skin and not raise the reaction speed was a stupid plan. Because, Imina’s attack would commence through striking with the edge of the blade.
Doink. As the edge of the sword and the flesh collided, a dull sound resounded in the forest.
“Gah……!”
Dierich frowned. Perhaps not through pain, but through discomfort. A face of bruised self-esteem, that he received a blow from a human, a low existence.
That’s good. As expected, killing him is worthwhile.
“……RaAAAAAwr!”
With that same vigour, he unleashed some indiscriminate shots. Without minding that the blade could snap, even changing the recoil onto force, he frantically thrust his sword.
Three, five, six, seven; after eight strikes, the spirit energy that the sword had accumulated had reached its threshold. In other words, it cut.
So, after the ninth time, it scoopingly struck up from below, aiming at his legs.
One instant. Dierich’s gaze growing sharp, the quality of his movements changed.
His organic necromancy had spread out throughout his entire body – diffusing through his insides. Namely, it strengthened all physical abilities, including his physical strength and reaction speed.
His foot, which kicked off the soil, gouged it out greatly. The flash of Imina’s sword flew through the sky. The enemy hopped backwards, suddenly accelerating with an optical illusion as if he were teleporting.
“Don’t get all too carried away.”
Dierich, who had landed outside of the range of the sword’s edge, scowled at Imina,
“I know of the power of that sword of yours, you bastard. The invocation that allows you to split a Demon’s body in two with a single slash…… If that blade shines, there is no need to helplessly be cut by it.”
“If you say that, it means that you have been peeking at us all the time. Or, did you perhaps ask people to tell you before the fact? By that inferior race which you detest.”
It was certain that he was in contact with General Dali. Then it wasn’t surprising that the information on Imina’s sword was missing. However – it was fragmentary – ever since he had come to the Great Fortress, he had only ever used the sword attack which converted impact into destructive force. “Exellis” was only thought of as a magic sword where an uncommon invocation was loaded.
Of course, if the information were known, it would become harder.
“Cheap provocations.”
Dierich provokingly snorted.
“You see? Because you’re growing proud from that simple child’s play, you, you little bitch are of an inferior tribe. Organic necromancy…… Because you can’t manipulate the spirit energy by yourself, you’re putting it in materials as a replacement, right? The imitation of our necromancy is all too childish, far too childish.”
Even while saying that Imina had spoken cheap provocations, what showed on his face was his true irritability. Besides, it was a situation where it seemed that if he didn’t stand up, he wouldn’t be satisfied.
Therefore, Imina provoked him again. He sneered, his face showing that there was more to come.
“Hah, well, I think that I am more superior than a little lost kid.”
“Gah…… Don’t you fucking look down on me, you little squawking monkey!”
The enemy was quite enraged.
“If you want to see it that fucking much, I’ll fucking show you all right! The genuine invocations that us noble Elves use!”
Enraged – he became serious. As if embracing the surrounding air, he stretched out both hands. Moreover, a sound, as if responding to that As if dry things were gathered up and mixed around, as if many large insects squirmed around; in other words, as if the foliage rustled.
The following moment, incessant attacks poured down from above.
Piercingly encircling Imina and expanding, a line of spears made of spirit trees attacked.
“Rah!”
As one would expect, not everything could be dodged. Consequently, he swept them aside with Exellis.
Using the power that the sword had accumulated. Though the trees were so hard that one probably wouldn’t think of them as such, the crimson light of destruction defiantly cut the orbiting branches into pieces.
Nevertheless, as he was unable to drop everything, several branches pierced his shoulders, but forcibly withdrew.
“Haha, what’s wrong? Your face’s pale!”
Dierich smiled, as if he was happy that he could inflict injury on Imina.
“Hey, you’ve still some way to go!”
The subsequent strike was sent from his front, with no time to spare. There was the indication that, together with the noise of wind, stone-like things were approaching. It probably was nuts – obviously, they were strengthened by an invocation. Faster than arrows, harder than stone. If one were to try to normally eat them, one’s teeth would be pierced through.
While holding his sword on the midline, he bent his body and defended.
With a pow-pow-pow-pow-pow-pow, the impact was stronger than expected. His front arms, along with his knees, which couldn’t be covered by the blade, were grazed. Tearing his clothes to pieces and passing through his flesh, jabs of sharp pain shot through all over.
“Oioi, what are you doing? Ain’t it just a defensive fight!”
While enduring the attack, Imina clicked his tongue in his mind.
–Saying that he truly was doing whatever he pleased.
If he thought that he was prevailing, that was it. Imina was exasperated at hearing one of the high-class tribe. He laughed, pettily. He remembered hearing Ellis, who repeatedly had shouted at that guy that it was because he was that way.
That just hit the mark.
Because he was that way – because he disdained humans in that way. Because he overestimated his own ability in that way. Because he, in that way, faced a fight with a shallow mind – his carpet would be pulled from under.
It was expected to become that kind of battle.
Dierich’s specialty was, in other words, to manipulate vegetation.
That the seeds, which had been inserted into the Demons and the magical beasts’ bodies, sprouted all at once, that the growth of the plants was encouraged which transformed them into part of the “Elven Forest”, and that Imina and the others had lost their way inside the “Elven Forest” that they were imprisoned in – everything was the result of him having the power that could utilise the spirit flowers and spirit trees as he pleased.
Then, it would be obvious that he would use that specialty even in times of battle.
Looking from the humans’ perspective, it was an outrageous power. It even seemed to be an omnipotent power which could do everything. However, though it seemed to be so at first sight, spiritualism was a technology, and that Elf wasn’t omnipotent.
There was a theory, there was a structure, there were rules, and, furthermore, there were limits. A boundary line, of the scope of what you could or couldn’t do, would definitely exist somewhere. And, along with Imina, there were comrades which could see them.
A colleague who also was an Elf, who understood organic necromancy.
“Fiene!”
He shouted, while he was struck by the stones of nuts. Ahead – even further, toward the space behind Dierich.
“Up to ya!”
“Okey-dokey!”
Immediately following, one could hear an interlude-esque voice; the energetic and happy reply came from the depths of the forest.
“Wha……!?”
The attack which was tormenting Imina – the stones of nuts – suddenly stopped.
Dierich looked around in amazement.
The one who slowly made an appearance from the depths of the thicket was a beautiful woman in the prime of her age. The slovenly figure, which listlessly stood up, clad in unladylike clothes that exposed too much, looked as if she was a prostitute. And, what extended, peeking through both sides of her long, slouching black hair were long, sharp ears.
“Your manners are bad. Walnuts aren’t to throw at people, they’re things to roast and eat.”
Laughing jokingly, she softly stroked the trees which Dierich had manipulated until then with the palm of her hand.
“You bitch…… You dammed up my spirit energy!”
Fiene shrugged her shoulders at his thundering shout, which was full of anger.
“Rather than men who are like you, I prefer that boy over there.”
Everyone among the Elves could handle fundamental organic necromancy. The manipulation of plants was fundamental.
Of course, everyone had their strong and weak points, so Fiene was not as good as Dierich. However, if one were to grasp from which trees the nuts were blown away from, interfering was easy.
It could be inferred in advance that if the enemy was proud of the power to control vegetation, they would use that same power to attack. Therefore for those seven days, they had discussed measures for that. Of course, assuming that they were peeped on from somewhere, they whispered nonchalantly as much as they could.
It would be difficult to deal with humans only. However, they were fortunate that it was an Elf that could use organic necromancy. And the girls – Ellis and Fiene had asserted.
That that guy’s invocations weren’t that high-class.
That the simultaneous sprouting and explosive growth when the forest had been born probably was through special “Seedlings”. “Seedlings” – though they literally were seedling or seeds of the spirit flowers and spirit trees, the conditions for sprouting and growth speed seemed to be able to be adjusted in various ways through the use of an invocation at the time of germination. Of course, the adjustment of the “Seedlings” required high technique, but it could ultimately be prepared beforehand, and the sprouting itself could be done with a simple operation of spirit energy.
On the other hand, the labyrinth of the forest which caused Imina and the others to go astray was considerably intricate. Finely changing the scenery of their surroundings, gently bending their path while giving them the illusion that they were going straight ahead. Unconcernedly growing landmark-like trees with characteristic shapes and moving those places according to how they walked, erasing the scratches used as landmarks and moving them into other trees. While trapping them them like that repeatedly, it seemed that it was ingeniously manipulating their sense of direction, corralling them.
However, because it was complex, if one were to look at it from the flip side, it was simple work in its modesty. Basically, he could only imprison Imina and the others in that kind of indirect manner. If that person could unrestrictedly control all the vegetation in the forest, there would be no need for them to get lost. It was a story that only could be realised if the density of the plants a few tens of metres in their surroundings were to be stiffened and made into cages, densened above their limits so that they couldn’t be cut with a sword.
The attack on Imina was similar. Why did the spears of the branches that Dierich used to attack Imina only come from the upper parts? And why did he only shoot the stones of the nuts that were in front of him? If he truly wanted to bring everyone down, he could enclose them from all directions and the sky, and pour down attacks from every direction so much that they would be impossible to take refuge from. In spite of that, the materials; tree branches, nuts, and berries, existed clearly as far as the eye could see.
The answer was simple.
The effective range of his invocation was comparatively narrow, and there was a limit to the amount of plants that he could control at the same time.
According to Ellis and Fiene – organic necromancy was not in the least an omnipotent tool. It was simply technology. And technology was manifested through a process which accorded to a fixed theory.
First of all, what amounted to the origin of everything was one’s own spirit energy.
That was definitely finite, and would be consumed to its limit as one were to continue to use any invocation. If one’s spirit energy were to be exhausted, the invocation would not be able to operate. The cause for that was although Ellis’ “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” held the ability to snatch away and store other peoples’ spirit energy, the time of effect was short.
And, letting the invocation manifest – in brief, creating a phenomenon, meant making the practitioner’s spirit energy interfere with another spirit vein.
If it was for strengthening one’s physical ability, one would absorb spirit energy from the spirit vein in the ground, and infuse it into one’s body.
If it was to manipulate the vegetation, one would transfer one’s own spirit energy to interfere with the trees’ own spirit energy, and put them under one’s own control.
If one would want to transform a human into a Demon, one would need to absorb great amounts of spirit energy from the spirit vein in the ground, and after that, to destroy the shape of the vessel by pouring it into there beyond the maximum amount.
It seemed to people that limitless power could be used, because the way to absorb the large amounts of spirit energy which flowed in the spirit veins in the ground was used to create fuel for the deployment.
However, there was a difference in skill from the practitioner and there.
It was exceedingly difficult to do the operation “To transfer one’s own spirit energy into someone else’s spirit energy” twice, simultaneously.
For example, if one wanted to transform a human into a Demon, only pouring the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” in there would not suffice. One would need to use the vast “Spirit Energy of the Earth”. Therefore, not only connecting the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” and the “Human Spirit Energy”, there would be a need for the process to connect the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” and the “Spirit Energy of the Earth”, and furthermore to transfer the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” while absorbing the “Spirit Energy of the Earth” and pouring it into the “Human Spirit Energy”.
When the Elves transformed the humans or beasts, they used a tool named the “Seed” in order to simplify that complicated process. To sum it up, the “Seeds” were granules of highly-concentrated spirit energy embedded into organic matter, and it would act as a substitute to the procedure of “Absorbing spirit energy from the ground and pouring it into the target”, if it was embedded into the body of a living being. The practitioner would only have to let the “Seed” respond to their “Spirit Energy of Oneself”.
Performing the process of connecting the spirit energy two times simultaneously would be comparable to writing different sentences with both hands at the same time – Dierich probably was incapable of that parallel work.
Therefore, when manipulating the vegetation, it would be necessary to do it with his own spirit energy. With only his own spirit energy, there was a limit to the number and scale as to what he could control simultaneously.
And there, there would be a gap to take advantage of.
“Gah…… Don’t you fucking underestimate me, traitor!”
While an impatient expression lay on his face, Dierich moved his gaze. It seems that he wanted to changed his target of manipulation to another plant. Imina did not know as to which one. However, Fiene did. She was proficient in sensing the flow of spirit energy and decoding it.
“You guys, it’s your turn!”
Fiene sharply shouted. The thickets in the surroundings moved in unison, and figures of people stood up.
They were Imina’s comrades; Milifica, Fream, Sashtal, and Raimi. In addition, Ziadrene’s gang. While Dierich had carelessly shouted abuse, they had secretly got out of bed and formed a battle formation.
“You, first on the right!”
Fiene gave instructions to Ziadrene.
“Aye!”
Ziadrene swung his great hatchet, a spirit energy tube loaded within, and drove his blade into the first tree on the right. The invocation that he had loaded was a highly-concentrated poison. The poison was, in brief, a drug that inhibited the biological activities, which meant that the flow of spirit energy would go out of order.
He did not know what command Dierich has assigned to it. However, after the foliage seemed to rustle and squirm, and the trunk had become crooked, the tree on the right flatly stopped moving.
“Drat!”
There was no time for Dierich to think of a reason for why his invocation had failed.
While clicking his tongue, even as he turned his line of sight to the next tree,
“Princess, the maple on the opposite of the slanted tree!”
“Is it this one?”
“That’s it, do it!”
“Understood!”
Milifica unsheathed her knight sword, the “Trace of Heavenly Lightning’s Flash”, and held it, aiming at the eye; while the invoked the invocation that she had prepared, she swung it downward with the sound of cutting through cloth. That was probably a compound invocation of high heat and oscillation. The thick trees, which could have the girth of a human body, were bisected in the middle and fell down on the ground with a smell of burning, while black smoke rose up.
“Don’t you, fucking, look down……!”
Dierich did not give up. He immediately tried to manipulate other plants.
However, that too was in vain.
“Samz and Ashley, the oak behind you, do it together!”
“Aye, young lady!”
Together with a drum-like answer, Ziadrene’s two subordinates wielded their swords. It wasn’t immediate, so the branches of the oak started to rustle, but even so it was but a few seconds. The shot of fire from a sword hindered the attack of the branches, while the poison from an axe which was swung down on the trunk close to the ground rotted the roots.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit, those fucking low-lifes!”
Dierich spat out abuse with a deep-red face.
It was natural. All of the attacks which were supposed to have begun had been entirely crushed just before. Furthermore, by the hands of those inferior creatures which he despised.
He was probably not self-aware. That all of the irritation that he had sensed, that contempt – in other words, his disdain facing the humans, had occurred because he had thought that he was of a better race.
The arrogance, that a group of mere humans could be crushed with just one Elf.
The carelessness, that there was no way that mere humans could defeat his invocations.
The dissatisfaction, that he had been done in by mere humans.
The resentment, to the fact that he had been chased into a predicament by mere humans.
Therefore, Imina looked at Dierich, who behaved like that, and prepared his sword, enshrouded in bloodlust. Stubbornly quiet, his presence was calm, in the gap where that bastard was being preoccupied with mere humans.
He turned around, and glanced at Ellis, who was next to him.
She nodded. Somewhat sadly, resignatedly.
That was surely at the fact that the boy, who held the same blood as her, behaved like that – she felt pity and disdain at exposing his disgraceful display, which was filled with contempt toward humans.
Dierich was of the Endveil clan. There was no doubt that Ellis Endveil had associated with him since she was a child. Imina himself had faint feelings of guilt to kill acquaintances of her family. However, regarding him killing Dierich, there was nothing against it. It was because the gentle Ellis would be troubled through him being cut down – through Imina cutting him down.
However, Imina had the duty to accept and endure Ellis’ heartache. He had the resolution to put all of her discord, including her pain, into wielding his sword. Returning Ellis’ nod, he bent his knees and leapt.
His rapid advance was instantaneous. His approach was swift. His urge to kill was silent. The opponent did not see Imina, devoted to the idea that his invocations had been obstructed.
The sword blade shone a faint red. It has absorbed the spirit energy from the stones of the nuts that Dierich just had thrown. It was by no means a strong light. However, the threshold had been exceeded.
Nuts. Though Imina hadn’t seen them, they seemed to be walnuts.
He wondered if Dierich knew. Lill, Imina’s mother’s, specialty cooking had been a bread in which walnuts had been kneaded. Ellis was holding those flavours, which she had inherited from Lill, very precious.
Therefore – that was the punishment for them trampling her feelings underfoot.
“Ah……!?”
Dierich finally recognized the presence of Imina, who had entered during that slight gap.
Too slow.
Finally, he thought about spitting out yet another word of abuse, but he stopped. He had nothing to say. There were no words that he needed to say to that bastard.
Imina followed through with a downward strike from his crimson falchion – “Exellis”.
The traces of the sword lined up perfectly with the enemy’s nape, and red light vividly bisected his neck.
With no scream during his moment of death, his head danced in midair.
The head, which Imina had cut, dropped into the grass while rotating.
While the body which once was Dierich Finiendveil spouted blood from its opening, he was killed with a smash; turning up his face as he parted with his control and existence.
Ellis watched that entire chain of events without parting her eyes.
To be accurate – she gazed so that she wouldn’t fail to notice Imina’s appearance, who had killed the enemy. Because that was his long-cherished desire, and at the same time, his sin. Her emotions were complex. They, coming and going in her chest, tormented Ellis as if they couldn’t be helped.
It was no wonder. Because a beloved person of hers had slayed an acquaintance which she had known since she was a child. Her heart was wounded, whatever side she stood on. She wanted to scream “Why is it like this?”.
However, Ellis had to choose on which side to stand. And what she had chosen, was the side of the one which she loved. She had concluded that someone of the same tribe as her was an opponent, and backed the intent to kill of her loved one.
In that case, Ellis too had to shoulder the sin that he had murdered someone related to Ellis. Just like when, four years ago – when her brother and his clansmen had killed her loved one and his family.
“……Imina.”
Approaching Imina, who, held his sword as he looked over Dierich, she touched his back.
“Any wounds, are you OK?”
He had been injured all around. His life was not in danger, but his wounds were by no means shallow. Each one seemed to be painful.
“Oh, no problems.”
Imina laughed. Those eyes of his silently inquired. Whether Ellis was fine too. Whether she was able to endure not the wounds on her body – but rather, the pain in her heart.
She was grateful that his feelings were glad. She thought that she was on that side because the one she loved was concerned about Ellis like that. Not the side of the Elves, but on Imina’s.
Therefore she did not see Dierich’s dead body.
While she recalled the memories which ran wild, where she was together with him in the Elven Tribe, she disregarded those strong feelings. Yes – those things were but strong feelings. The reason was because he was a person who held Imina in contempt. Because he was a person which abused Ellis’ feelings with the most horrible words.
Gently stroking Ellis’ head, Imina turned toward his behind.
“Milifica, with this it’s the end…… Let’s escape, from here.”
“Yes. Thank you, Imina. Also, Fiene and Ellis, and naturally you group members. Not only the battle…… For these six days, you’ve endured well.”
Everyone cheered at Milifica’s thanks.
There was a person which shouted that they would drink like fish when they got back, and there was a person which grumbled that they would go the bath first as they hadn’t been able to do anything but wipe down their bodies. There was a person that laughed that he wanted to sleep to his heart’s content on a soft bed, and there was somebody that sighed that they wanted to eat proper food. On the other hand, there was a person which teasingly asked with a “Hey!”, whether they were discontent with the food that the young lady and young girl had cooked, and there was, apart from that, a person who had said that he was going for women, who was poked by his neighbour with a “He wasn’t to say such things in front of the Princess.”
Everyone was gaily laughing with a sense of liberation.
Without finding fault in those vulgar words, Milifica looked at everyone with a relieved expression on her face.
The lord of the forest was killed. There was no longer any person to lead them astray from their path.
Because the remnants of Demons and magical beasts still wandered around they could not be negligent, but as long as they advanced ahead in a tight, straight line, they would definitely be able to exit the forest.
There was about one or two hours until they would be able to escape, departing from that place. If there were any grounds for concern, it was about the number of horses. As they had run away during the confusion of battle, or as they had been eaten by Demons or magical beasts, only about three of them remained. It seemed to be slightly difficult, seeing as they had left for the plain.
Of course, the problems piled up even after carrying out a triumphant return, but the first thing was, in any case, that they wanted to savour the joy of being able to survive to their hearts’ content in a place where they were able to take a deep breath. Although Fiene’s barrier had been reduced, it did not change because of the fact that the spirit energy of the “Elven Forest” wasn’t good for the body.
“We will depart after a short break. Everyone, prepare for your withdrawal.”
All hands understood Milifica’s order, and answered clearly.
Therefore, Imina also returned, in order to put the luggage on the camp site in order.
He was reminded that he had to bring back Dierich’s head, but he thought that it was fine to pick it up afterwards; with thoughts like those, he was just about to advance forwards,
“Wh……!?”
Abruptly, without previous notice, he felt the chills. Goosebumps, which ran along his back, stiffened his body.
No – it was not anything simple like goosebumps.
Dread, shivering, shock, all of those were driven out from the bottom of his soul. It churned slowly, as if a piece of cutlery was thrust into his heart–.
In other words, it was a sense of intimidation that was from an intent to kill, which wasn’t of the common degree.
–Wh, o?
That kind of bloodlust was released. Who exactly was it, that had turned toward them?
He turned back, involving both his body and soul. Even a simple act like turning around called for that much effort. He did not know whether his other comrades were aware of that bloodlust, or whether they were really able to keep calm as they noticed. There was not even the space to consider the circumstances.
However, he could only see Ellis, who was just next to him. She was trembling. Her lips turning pale, her complexion did too, as she had a mixed expression of fear and bewilderment on her face.
“Wh……y?”
She murmured.
“Why, in this place? ……Uncle.”
The one who stood in front of Ellis’ line of sight was a single man.
His age was in the vicinity of fifty years; he could have passed fifty or not. One could say that he was in the prime of his life. However, his body, which was in casual dress defying his apparent age, was tough; a vigour followed suit that truly could be said to be one of a soldier of long military service.
In spite of him folding his arms, there were no gaps in his posture. On the contrary, one felt that they would be cut down if they just would lose focus for a single second. It could be because of his scars from war, or because of the eye patch which was attached to his right eye. However, the glint in his single eye was sharp yet grim, seemingly pinning down the enemies’ hearts with one glance.
“Ah……”
The moment that he saw that man’s face–.
Imina’s body was assailed by another type of stiffening, completely different from the withering from when he had shivered just before. He knew about that person. He remembered.
No, he couldn’t forget.
There was not even one moment during those four years where he had forgotten. Even in his dreams behind his eyelids, his face – included with that person, their faces.
“That’s my line.”
The man spoke to Ellis.
Like a military man, a low but a carrying voice.
“When I heard from Dierich I thought certainly not, but…… what are you doing in such a place, Ellis?”
His voice, which called her name, was over-familiar, yet coercive. That would be natural too. Even among them, he had heard that his relationship to Ellis and Shirjis was very close, by blood. To him, Ellis was his brother’s daughter – his niece.
In other words, he was brother to the former Clan Elder, Eiis.
At the same time, the confidant to the current Clan Elder of the Endveil Clan, Shirjis – one petal of the “Six Petals”.
If he wasn’t mistaken, his name was,
“Ji Dig…… Ji Dig Endveil.”
“And you are…… that boy of that time?”
He gazed at Imina, glaring with his singular eye.
“I see, so that’s the reason. That’s the road that you have chosen, Ellis.”
After he had sighed with an unrefined expression,
“I thought that this was a boring battlefield, but…… it is fate that we have met in this unexpected place.”
Ji Dig faintly smiled in self-deprecation. Within that smile was anger and disappointment, and then, a fragment of mercy.
Volume 2, Chapter 4 – The Forest of Darkness
I want to eat normal things already.
I want to drink clean water already.
I want to sleep like a log on a white bed already.
And, I want to escape from this kind of place already–.
On the one hand, still being alive was a fortune. On the contrary, it could also be said that it was a valuable experience, in a sense. Because, anyhow, there had been no human body which had stayed in that kind of a place for so long until then. If they were able to safely return, wouldn’t they try to get even one story out of the gang of soldiers? A pack of scholars would perhaps plunge in, having heard the talk. Either way, they would make a profit.
–While forcibly thinking about those kinds of positive things, his mood and situation was invariant.
As he poked the askes of a a smouldering bonfire with a twig, Fream Eiza weakly sighed.
It’s nearly sunset. Here’s gloomy even during daytime, and at night it turns into a bottomless darkness. Even if the magical beasts and Demons’ attacks gradually become less and less, we still need to be vigilant to the maximum degree. This is a day which will pass without me getting any sleep. This gloomy night is beginning.
About six days had passed since Fream and the others had been locked up in the “Elven Forest”. At first they were one hundred members, but now they were less than a third; weakened down, decreasing to less than 30 people.
However, most of the casualties came from the first day, and from the incident that happened within three hours of the birth of the forest, their causes of death mostly resembling something like paying for their own mistakes. From there on, it was an astonishing survival rate, as seen from an outsider’s perspective – ah, I know that we can be said to have good luck.
Particularly, he couldn’t thank his comrades enough. To be precise, among his comrades, it was that women. If that woman wasn’t there, Fream too probably would have died.
Truly – it wouldn’t be too much to call her Fortuna, and worship her.
Six days ago.
After they had been enclosed by the “Elven Forest”, which had sprung forth explosively, what ppeared in front of his eyes was a flock of Demons and magical beasts. What saved him from that was a calm instruction from Milifica. Recomposing the battle formation into a square formation, fighting an offensive from every direction in a group fight, they somehow endured, succeeding in repelling them.
However, after the fight had concluded, the group members’ opinions split into two. The first one was, to stop in that place, compose themselves, grasp the state of affairs, and to attempt to carefully pierce through the forest with everyone. The second one was, to advance straight ahead, because they would sooner or later arrive at a stop, which they were to do as soon as possible. The one who advocated the former was Raimi – in other words, Milifica’s party and Ziadrene’s gang approved of it. The ones which advocated the latter were those excepted, without loyalty to Milifica, who they were passively attached to.
To conclude, the latter bunch did not obey them.
Milifica insisted on that they weren’t to be impatient, an exceedingly natural thing. It was easy to lose one’s direction within a forest. If it was an “Elven Forest”, all the more. Though it was unclear how much the Elven Village had expanded, if one were to recklessly advance, it was not always that one could break through. In other words, “One should, first of all, create a base and then slowly and reliably advance”.
However, the opposing faction feared the dangers under their noses – in other words, the “Elven Forest’s” characteristics, the dense spirit energy.
Though the spirit energy was the power which streamed through all things in nature, it became a poison to life with too much of it; similar to how plants, which had too much fertilizer, decayed. And the spiritual resistance of the race named humans was not high enough to tolerate the spirit energy of the “Elven Forest”. It was said that generally, one’s head would be spinning after half a day, that after one day one’s senses would become disordered, and that one would lose one’s life after two or three days. Under those circumstances, one would not have the time to go slow.
In the end, the lot that were the opposing faction departed, uncompromising.
What, consequentially, happened with them became obvious in about three hours – by the Demons, which attacked, carrying in their hands shields where the crest of the “Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves” was engraved, along with splendid magic swords.
In any case, it was not expected that they would be able to escape.
Within the forest, spirit energy which caused illusions had been crammed. What they had noticed after they had finished defeating the Demons, was just before the sun grew dark. Even though they intended to walk straight by marking the trees, they returned back to the first spot.
In all honesty, Fream was, as expected, temporarily in despair at that time. At any rate, nearly six hours had already passed since they had been entrapped by the forest. Though he hadn’t noticed any abnormalities in his physical condition, it wasn’t amusing that he started to feel heavy in his head before long. To make matters worse, he was totally exhausted from continuing to fight the Demons and magical beasts. Nevertheless, the result of him walking forever was the place of the beginning. He gave up, thinking that it was already helpless.
The one who rescured him was Ellis. And, unexpectedly to the extreme – it was Fiene. At that time, he was truly surprised. It was not only Fream. Even Milifica, Imina, Sashtal, and Ellis, became speechless at that unforeseen event. When an immediate escape proved impossible, Fiene had spoken.
–Dearie me, it can’t be helped, this.
After that, she glanced at Ziadrene as if to receive permission.
Ziadrene nodded, as if to say “It’s fine”. After that, she suggestively gazed at everyone – not her own subordinates, but toward Milifica’s comrades. As if to say “Mind you, young’uns, this is a secret”.
“Well, maybe it is unnecessary to call attention to it.”–.
Fiene leaped off her horse, and walked toward Ellis.
Shrugging her shoulders to Ellis, she spoke.
“Now, we’ll need to take care of everyone, ya see? Drinking water for meals, and then a campground. What, isn’t it simple? For both you and me, it’s a custom that we hold from a nostalgic place.”
And she untied and spread out the pitch-black hair that was gaudily arranged.
The untied hair became an ink-black waterfall, and the tips which were suddenly revealed through the gaps in her temporal region – sharp as bamboo leaves, were long ears.
To everyone, who, aghast, lost their words, Ziadrene jokingly laughed a hearty laugh.
“So, isn’t she a fine woman?”
If one were to think about it now, Ziadrene’s gang did not display much confusion, even when they were trapped in the “Elven Forest”. That close to twenty men all kept calm was because they had the relief that they could turn to Fiene when push came to shove.
Cutting off branches from nearby trees, in an appropriate length. If it was possible, hazel was preferable.
Putting the cut end up and the pointed end down, deeply thrusting it into the ground.
What came after, was that the spirit energy in the branches passed through and spread throughout the ground, searching for signs of water.
After that, one was to apply organic necromancy to the branch which changed its shape and traits; extending and spreading out the pointed tip throughout the earth, absorbing moisture and filtering it. The water which overflowed from the cut end was let into a leather bag.
After that, if one were to boil it up, which removed the spirit energy, it would result in drinking water.
Luckily, that area was a wetland, so even if they searched for water there was no trouble. Because there was a large amount of water which could be extracted, it was comfortable, because there was no need to walk about searching for water. While remembering that sequence of work which she remembered, she fastened the leather bag, which had become full of water, to her horse’s saddle. Extending the next leather bag, her eyes met with Fiene’s, who similarly drew water from a branch next to her.
Therefore she laughed, and said.
“When I practiced this in my birthplace, I didn’t think that it actually would be useful.”
“I guess, yeah.”
Fiene responded, with a still-friendly smile.
“This thing is a technique from a long time ago, when fellow clans fought about territory. As long as a river is nearby, you can get as much water as you like. Just a little before I left my village, people were starting to actively dig water wells.”
“For me, water wells were already commonplace.”
“Even if I say that it is the Elven Tribe’s pride, because the human technique is convenient, it’s simple. There’s no need to cut and insert hazel, but on the contrary there is no need to go to the river.”
“……I see.”
It makes me feel strange when I talk about it somehow.
Having left the Elven Tribe four years ago – not only speaking about the village in that way with one of the same tribe, but that other party was also who she thought to be a human until not long ago.
Six days had passed since she it had become evident that she was an Elf, but, on that subject, it was the first time that they were alone. Because it was troublesome, she thought that she would ask about this and that.
“Did you understand from the very beginning, Fiene? About me.”
“Yeh, that’s true. Yer easy to understand.”
While catching the water which overflowed from the cut end of the branch, Fiene responded as if she was amazed.
“You didn’t dye your hair, and some designs from the Elven Tribe still remain here and there on the clothes that you wear. Humans won’t notice, I guess, but seen from a colleague’s perspective it strikes home.”
“Uh, so that’s it……”
She reconsidered that she might have had weak defences.
Surely, Fiene looked like nothing but a human. Her hair was dyed black – a colour practically non-existent in the Elven Tribe – and her make-up was gaudy. Her clothes were indeed vulgar, and there was nothing that reminded of an Elf.
“Well, don’t worry that much. You’ll be fine as you are now.”
The consolation she gave, was that she needed to be careful just a bit longer. However, that was a story if they could get out of there.
“At any rate, we’re saved. That barrier is amazing.”
It was thanks to Fiene that the group members still were alive in the “Elven Forest” after six days.
At the present time, the barrier which blocked the dense spirit energy, which was courtesy of Fiene’s organic necromancy – entirely covered the campground as a semi-sphere, the diameter about twenty metres in diameter. As long as they were within it, the humans’ lives would practically never be eroded. Because there, of course, were limits to even the blocking; even if it wouldn’t work forever, not one person had complained about being in a poor physical condition yet.
“That’s not a ‘Common Technique’, is it?”
“Mm. My special characteristic is that my sensing ability of spirit energy is of a somewhat higher degree, but it wasn’t enough to get a name. That was simply a technique. Half of that referred to the humans’ inorganic necromancy.”
It kept back the flow of spirit energy, giving it directionality to release it in another direction, she said. Originally, it seemed that it was not a barrier to be used in such a way, but instead one to aid fighting.
That was right; surely, if there was a person who could control the flow of spirit energy, organic necromancy would be more powerful, and they would also be able to prevent the enemy’s evocations to some extent. Fiene, who had lived in both the Elven society and the human society, had probably cultivated her techniques within both of them.
“Well, it’s thanks to your cooperation that such a strong fella has been created, you know?”
“No, not really……”
Ellis had, pretty much, helped too. By using the Unique Vocation “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” – Ellis’ blood – as a catalyst, which had the great power of taking in and storing spirit energy, it was possible to strengthen the power of the barrier.
“The one who created the barrier was not me, but you, Fiene. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”
To speak of the truth, she would have been able to save a very small amount of people.
It was the treatment that she once had performed on Imina. It was a method to etch Ellis’ blood on the other person’s skin, much similar to a tattoo, which then would absorb the superfluous spirit energy. So to speak, a lightning rod of spirit energy.
However, it also gave the other party’s body scars that would not disappear, and the chances were high that the body would reject it afterwards. She wanted to avoid it if possible. The burden that Ellis herself bore was heavy in the first place, so there also was a limit to the amount that could be done. By using that method, the best she could do would be to only save Milifica and the others.
And, for arguments’ sake, she couldn’t help but do it – thinking about being driven into a situation where she could do nothing but save a very small amount of people, she could not choose but to thank Fiene.
In other words, she would have to let people die without helping. Those nice people which they had encountered at great pains, Ziadrene, Fiene, and their subordinates.
“I get what you’re thinking. If I weren’t here, or something like that?”
She wondered if her depressed expression had shown.
Fiene tapped her on the head.
“You’re a gentle child, you are.”
And she faintly smiled.
“But, there’s nothing to worry about. Because it’s the same for me. There’s a limit to the number of people that can be saved, and in that case you need to chose the ones that you must save. This time, it just so happens that we don’t have to decide the people that can be saved before we need to. Though that too is a cruel conversation. ……To be honest, I am happy that those cowards scurried away and quickly died.”
She was startled at those words.
Yes. Six days ago, when the opinions on what to do after that had split – and the only ones who had remained were the six with Ellis and Ziadrene’s party. Probably, it was for that reason that Fiene revealed her identity. Precisely because only the trustworthy people remained, she felt like helping everyone as an Elf.
Conversely, what should I do? Surely Fiene felt the same. I couldn’t say that I was an Elf in front of treacherous company.
“I don’t really think that it was that…… fortunate.”
“Ha, like I would care. Owing to that, we helped people important to us.”
I have no intention to mock that group which strived to be the first out of the forest. However, on the one hand, she thought. If they had believed in them to the degree that they obediently followed Milifica’s words – if they had become comrades in the true meaning of the word, neither I nor Fiene probably would have hesitated to untie our hair in front of them. Even if I think about from now, it’s an unavoidable matter.
Therefore she changed the topic.
“Well, I have finally understood the reason. Always, from when we arrived at the Order of Chivalry…… I thought about why you guys, Fiene, did us good.”
Imina also was curious. Ziadrene was a former thief, and he said that he hated the nobility, Yet he followed the brains, the royal Milifica, and the reason was unknown–. In reality, everyone in Ziadrene’s party were kind even if there weren’t any certain reason to a convincing extent.
She thought that they would have an excessive amount of consideration. They were too helpful, in various ways. They acted together with them as to not be blamed by the other group members, they gave practice to them so that they could survive on the battlefield, and when it was proposed, they became their backers.
Everything was due to the bond between Ellis and Fiene.
Because Fiene was an Elf, and noticed Ellis’ identity. Therefore, as they were in a relationship where they had the same circumstances, they were accommodated.
However, Fiene shook her head at Ellis, who was thinking like that with shining eyes.
“A reason, you say. Sorry, but it’s not like you think.”
“Huh……?”
“To be honest, it wasn’t because you were of the same tribe that I did something special. At first, I did not care at all about your circumstances. When I saw those kids with guts of steel I understood, and that’s why I liked them, but…… that was Princess Milifica together with that young girl Raimi. It was only to you that I didn’t hold any particular emotions.”
“Even if we’re the same, Elves, you say?”
“Ah, that’s unrelated to me.”
With a somehow indignant face, Fiene averted her face.
Suddenly resuming the drawing of water from the branch, which she had only tampered with in diversion, she bluntly declared – as if speaking to someone who wasn’t there.
“When I had abandoned my village, it was when you still hadn’t been born. Long, long before this war had begun, I lived in a human society.”
Well, those who were thieves were but the black sheep of society. While laughing at herself,
“I hate myself, who is an Elf, and I hate the Elves. Therefore I do not have any strong feelings while meeting someone of the same tribe. Though before the war, I have met them once or twice. But I pretended not to recognize them, you see. I wonder if this was good enough for even a conversation.”
“Then, in that case, why were you……”
Fiene spoke of a surprising thing.
“The one who decided that wasn’t me. It was that person. And the one which that person supported wasn’t you. It’s that boy-companion of yours.”
“Ziadrene had, you say?”
The reason for why she did them well was not because Fiene and Ellis were of the same race.
Was it because Ziadrene held some kind of emotional attachment to Imina–?
“When I heard that, I too understood. Our children too. Therefore you guys are precious comrades to us. That’s how it is.”
However, when Fiene said that, Ellis understood even less.
“By ‘that’, what do you mean? What is Ziadrene thinking of, about Imina……”
“I cannot speak from my own mouth of my own accord. I will be scolded by him.”
While Fiene shrugged her shoulders, she gradually lifted her face and looked toward Ellis. The sullen face from a little while ago was gone, and her mood was completely healed. However, seeing the opposite from her, that Ellis’ complexion was poor, she guessed right away.
“Sorry, I spoke unkindly.”
Interrupting her work, she approached Ellis, and patted her head in turn.
“Don’t make that sour face. I do hate Elves a lot, but even so, I don’t particularly hate you. When we spoke about the tribes, I just vented my anger on them, you see.”
“Err, um……”
“You, do you like your village, and your brethren?”
She was taken aback at those words.
“No, I don’t like them. But……”
“Is it different from hate?”
“Yes.”
Indeed.
She could not declare that she loathed them.
Now, when they were drawing water and picking berries and nuts in the “Elven Forest” in the same manner as when she was living in an Elven Village, she felt nostalgia. The idea of homesickness welled up. There were a lot of friends that she had good relations with. She wondered what on Earth they were doing in that moment.
“Then, why are you here? Together with humans, pretending to be human, entering the human army…… What the fuck do you want to do?”
“I……”
She hesitated a little, if she were to speak frankly or not. That was because it was a matter which affected Ellis’ – no, Ellis and the others’ deep interiors. However, a little while later, she had decided. She thought that it wasn’t an inquiry that could be answered with smoke and mirrors.
Ellis spoke.
“It’s because I want to stay with Imina. That is why I cast away the village. I do not regret it. Because granting that person’s wish, is my wish too.”
Fiene inquired, once again.
“What is that boy’s wish?”
“It is to destroy the Elven Village.”
Ellis replied.
“For what reason does that boy wish for that?”
“It’s because the Elves destroyed his hometown. Because they killed his family.”
As if challenging her.
“That is the matters of that boy alone, and is unrelated to you, right?”
“The ones which destroyed his hometown is my family. The one who murdered his family was my brother. And his birthplace and family is my birthplace and family too.”
As if fighting her.
“That’s quite a warped story. More than than the village that you were born in, would you rather choose the fake family in a village that you had settled down in as a guest?”
“Rather than the village, I have chosen him. That is all.”
As if opposing her,
“Why? Are there any merits of you casting away your village for that human?”
“There are! That’s……”
As if resisting her,
“That’s because I love everything about Imina. Because Imina is the most important to me!”
And, as if crying at her.
Ellis’ tone of voice grew sharp before she knew it. In her gaze was sharpness. Firmly grasping her fists, she declared, roughening up her voice.
For a short while, all was silent.
Before long, Fiene spoke to Ellis, who threw her gaze at her, her lips gnashing together,
“……I see.”
Muttering a few words and nodding – and then, she smiled and spoke.
“Well, yer the same as me.”
“Huh……?”
Fiene’s broad smile was slightly different from the way of laughter that Ellis had seen thus far. Rather than sex appeal, she had more heartiness; rather than being slovenly, she was at ease.
“You fell in love, didn’tya? It can’t be helped.”
Yes. That way of laughing was just like Ziadrene–.
Her cheeks suddenly grew hot.
It was not because her feelings toward Imina were pointed out again. She was exposed by the depth of Fiene’s feelings.
How long would they have needed to spend together, for their smiles to resemble each other’s to that extent? They were not related by blood, their gender and even species differed, not to mention that their faces differed so much that they could be said to be exact opposites – how much would they need to love each other, how much would they need to continue thinking about each other, for their faces to become the same like that?
“For me, you being of the same race is not why I support you. But, I will support you. Because I like women who have fallen in love and are devoted to a man, you know.”
She, once again, caressed Ellis’ head. A touch that was careless in its forcibility, yet transmitting affectionate feelings.
–Ah, yes.
From the very beginning, she had understood it. That both she and Ellis held the same type of feelings. That Ellis was about to depart on the same journey that she once had walked.
“Revenge…… And furthermore, to your race, you say. Being a fugitive thief was quite serious too, but you seem to be struggling a lot more than we have.”
And, while that was the same, the hardships were even more grim.
“But, you can’t lose. The happiness which is close to a man that falls in love does not change, whatever path you may take. If the man falls in love with you, all the more.”
In addition, he worried about her. Worrying about Ellis, who was assailed by homesickness and nostalgia, he breathed life into her. If her birthplace pulled her sleeves, she would lose sight of the important things–.
“Yes.”
Her cheeks once again were dyed. The flush this time was because she thought of Imina.
While gazing down on Ellis, who was somehow dazzling, Fiene smiled with her whole face.
“All right. Well, let’s return soon, when that leather bag is full. The time’s about when the men are hungry, so we’ll need to make the meals. Even though the ingredients are disgusting things from our hometown, cheer up your boy’s heart with your beloved Preadone-style flavours.”
“Yes!”
Where sugar, berries, and nuts were characteristic, Imina’s mother’s – the flavours of Lill.
There were a great amount of berries and nuts. While, as one would expect, it was impossible to procure sugar, one could add sweetness by using maple sap.
Fiene nonchalantly grasped Ellis’ hand. So, Ellis squeezed back. Linking their hands as if they were mother and daughter, or sister and sister, they smiled, walking their way back.
While Ellis was growing aware that she too could laugh like a girl, resembling the person that she loved.
Morning came, finally breaking into the seventh day.
Just while it was dawning, having confirming with the guards, he was told that the girl and the others’ return hadn’t been confirmed yet. The guards spoke words of anxiety about the Commander’s well-being as if to consulate the Vice-Commander. Saying things like, “There’s still hope, don’t be discouraged”.
Therefore he responded. “Thank you” – but it was like that his inner feelings were to the contrary.
Like that, Amaïz Julieta left behind the guardroom, his mood enlivened.
If he were to speak honestly, a gloomy mood had continued since a while ago. Because, if they by some stoke of luck were to return alive, Amaïz would never peacefully feel sorry.
Even if it was a trap, the one who had arranged it would be obvious to Milifica and the others, who had been set up. And, coincident with the course of the plan, it would be clearly evident that not only Amaïz – but also General Dali and the Elves were in a cooperative relationship.
They might be able to insist that there was no evidence. However, there was already no meaning in insisting it. Without a pretext becoming public, they couldn’t cope with it, and so on; they were already long past that king of phase. Of course, the one which had stepped over the boundary line was him, so he could not complain. Setting aside General Dali, Amaïz would certainly be killed behind the scenes.
In any case, I think that today is the last day that I will continue to hold those worries.
At any rate, six days. The current day was the seventh.
There was a mountain of reasons for why they would be unable to survive.
To begin with, the spirit energy. Although there were individual tolerances in terms of resistance, if one were exposed to the thick spirit energy of the “Elven Village”, it would be impossible for there to be humans that would survive even after six days. Naturally, Demons and magical beasts also run rampant in the depths of the forest. Some of the spirit flowers and spirit trees, which had grown in a strange way, had even moved and assaulted prey. And, they came swooping down from the depths of the thickets and the darkness, day and night. Viewing a place that seemed to be good from above and fighting enemies there were two completely different matters.
In addition, they would not be able to secure sufficient amounts of food, not to mention water, in the depths of the forest. It was natural, because the forest was created in a place with neither rivers nor springs. Even if they were to hunt magical beasts and pick berries and nuts, only the water would be futile. Under those circumstances, they wouldn’t be able to endure until the third day.
For argument’s sake, even in the unlikely event that they would be able to solve all those questions in some way; enduring the dense spirit energy, repelling the Demons and magical beasts entirely, securing a source of water and satiating their hunger.
Still, as the morning in question elapsed, survival was hopeless.
In the end, the greatest insurance was set in motion from the day in question.
Within the forest, which stretched about one kilometre in every direction, a barrier that confined people had been formed. Ingeniously modifying the trees that lined the forest, it manipulated the scenery so that it became difficult to walk straight. That was organic necromancy. An invocation that human beings weren’t capable of doing, it affected the living.
In other words, there was a Lord within that forest.
It was not something vulgar like a Demon or a magical beast. It was someone who treated the monsters as livestock – of a fearsome race which held the power to easily take on and defeat a unit of one hundred humans, alone. He was supposed to move seven days after he had produced the forest – in other words, the day in question.
Searching the depths of the woods, completely destroying the survivors if there were any. Those were the contents of the contract that General Dali had concluded with the other party.
Amaïz was not told when during the day it was supposed to be. It could be during sunset, or it could already have been carried out. However, even so, it was already over. As soon as it was finished, they would receive a report. If he were to hear that, the load on Amaïz’s shoulders would completely disappear.
If it was possible to dispose of Milifica, General Dali would also become quiet for the time being. At least, there wouldn’t be any sinister orders coming to Amaïz himself for a while.
He thought that he would sleep with a woman that evening, for the first time in a while. How about going over to the brother at the foot of the mountain and getting the most expensive one? He would receive a great reward. Even if he wasted a little, punishment would not be handed down on him.
However, first he had to refresh his head, which was exhausted from the lack of sleep. Last night, he, in his anticipation and anxiety, had spent the night without napping even once. Though it was the hour when the day was to start from then on, he could at least sleep soundly for the afternoon.
As Amaïz returned home to his room in the lodging house, he took the liquor bottle which was placed on the table in his hands. It was not the watery ale which he had constantly drunk in order to distract his anxiety since evening, but a high-percentage, expensive, aged alcohol. If one were to slam two or three cups, one would surely fall asleep in a good mood.
He produced a glass, opened the bottle and poured it, and drank it slowly while sitting down on the bed. While feeling the fragrant scent along with the stimulus of alcohol, he tilted the cup, letting the ecstasy permeate his insides.
When he just had finished off half of it into his stomach, he opened his mouth and exhaled – it was delicious. It had been a long time since he had drunk alcohol that good.
Amaïz closed his eyes in that same posture, and accepted the euphoria that spread throughout his entire body with the alcohol. Aiding the relief, it numbed the centre of his head, and it seemed that he would lose consciousness were he to lose focus. And, there was no reason to not lose focus. Therefore, he lost it.
The glass slipped out of his hand, breaking.
The sound of the scattered pieces of glass and alcohol seemed to be a lullaby, so he thought that he could postpone the cleaning for a while. His body felt good as it lost strength and collapsed. Even if he were to collapse on the floor and not the bed, even if he were to intensely bang his head on the stone floor, even if a fragment of the broken glass were to pierce his cheek, he felt comfortable.
His dissolving consciousness did not even feel the malaise that something was strange.
Amaïz did not move at all, in that unnatural posture. There were no sleeping breaths. There was no heartbeat. The poison, which was poured into his alcohol, rapidly stopped his life.
Amaïz Julieta had died without even noticing that there was a piece of paper in the drawer of his official desk named “Will”, of which he had no memory of writing.
While eating and sleeping in the depths of the forest, he remembered the four years that he had secluded himself in the mountain.
However, from those times, Imina’s hatred and urge to kill was pressing. It was a feeling that, rather from it arising from his back, was whispering from next to him.
It was natural. Where he was, was not the countryside where the animals lived, but the “Elven Forest” where the Demons and magical beasts strode. And, he was not practicing, focusing on his revenge to come, because he was instead in the middle of revenge, in the enemy’s stomach – because they at the current time were trying to bite a hole in the enemy’s stomach.
In the morning which greeted the seventh day since they had been confined, it made an appearance.
It was neither a Demon nor a magical beast – it was a soldier of the Elven Tribe. While the visit was sudden, it was also one that was coincident with their expectations. If they were to speak the truth, it was a matter where they already knew where it would come.
An invocation had been set in the depths of the forest in order to lead those which were in the middle astray. It was not difficult to leave a limited, finite space. Because there was, in any case, a good prospect if they were to spread out a rope and create landmarks.
However, what Imina and the others had fallen into was a state of affairs where they had arrived at their original position before they knew it, even though they should have been walking straight ahead. It could not only be explained by a disrupted sense of orientation peculiar to the depths of the forest. It was natural to think that the walking road and the scenery ahead was manipulated, giving them the illusion that they were advancing straight ahead. That could not be done naturally. There was a need to successively interact with every trend of the other party.
If that was the case, the practitioner would always be in the forest. And, if everyone were to continue to survive, it would positively grow tired of waiting and make an appearance. Imina and the others had predicted that, and had aimed at precisely that.
Ceasing their random loitering, they built a campground at their position, maintaining themselves at a narrow position where they never could lose sight of each other.
It was thanks to Ellis and Fiene’s invocations that they could keep on living like that for about seven days. And, the organic necromancy of the two – that both of them there were Elves, surely must have been a miscalculation for him. The one who patiently endured was, rather, the enemy.
“It finally came out, did it. I’ve been waiting.”
Imina laughed at the Elf which stood ten metres ahead of him in bare enmity.
It was early morning, when the dawn just had broken. Imina had just shifted with Fream to stand guard. His comrades had not yet gotten out from bed, but they would wake up if he were to shout once.
Anyhow, it’s good luck that this guy came when I stood watch.
Imina slowly drew his sword. He set a natural posture, relaxing.
The opponent did not move. While keeping the distance with a vigilant look on his face, it glared at him – truly, with that, who would know which side was the one which attacked first?
“As for me, I would like you to give your name if it’s possible.”
That Elf was a boy. He seemed to still be young. Seventeen, or eighteen? Although, seeing as the outward appearances of the Elves were generally lower than their actual age, he could have been about twenty. His rather short, arranged, silver hair and his well-proportioned facial features truly were beautiful like the Elven Tribe, as if he were a water lily in a dense forest.
He did not remember his face. In other words, he was not one of the bastards at the village of Salaid, and not his direct enemy.
“……Dierich.”
The voice that he gave out was lower than his appearance implied.
“Dierich, you say. What’s that? Your personal name, or your family name?”
It wasn’t like Imina remembered all sixteen of the Elven clans. Besides, it was hard to judge whether it was a given name or surname even if one were to only listen to the sounds of the culture of a different tribe.
However, the Elf did not respond to Imina’s question. On the contrary, he asked instead.
“Where’s Lady Ellis?”
Within his voice – could be surmised nuances of hatred.
“Do you know about Ellis?”
“I asked where the fuck she was!”
He shortly barked. That time was of clear resentment.
Therefore Imina called out to his behind.
“Righty-ho. Come out!”
“……Um.”
The place where Imina kept watch and the campground was separated by a thicket. Making a rustling sound, Ellis slowly appeared. She was taking a nap next to the thicket which was the closest to Imina, who stood watch. Because there was a sign for her to wake up when the Elven boy visited, she had sent a signal that she was on alert with her hand.
“Lady Ellis!”
The boy shouted, as though he had been overcome by emotion,
“Dierich, is it. It’s been a long time.”
Ellis responded with a voice that seemed to subdue her feelings.
“Do you know each other?”
“Yup. It’s Dierich Finiendveil…… A child of the Endveil clan.”
I see, so he’s a guy that’s related to her.
In other words, that guy too was of the Endveil clan.
If that was the case, he was to be killed.
Imina’s intent to kill whispered in his ear, in order to entice him.
Kill him. Shred him up. Decapitating him, making his entire body into pieces, setting fire to him, making him into ashes along with the forest–.
A sweet impulse ran about the behind of his cranium. If he were to surrender his body like that, he would surely feel pleasant. However, Imina endured that intent to kill, as if crushing a fly which flew about.
Adjusting his breathing, he held down his feet, which seemed to throw themselves upon the enemy as they pleased. Even if he were to start the fight at that moment, there would be no benefit for his side. To say nothing of that Imina was already not only just fighting with Ellis any more.
They had their comrades behind them. Therefore, what they had to think about first, would be to get them out of there alive. Besides, even if he was of the Endveil clan, the opponent was not an immediate enemy. It would be too much of a foolish act to plunge in at only his own convenience, according to his impulses.
The Elven boy – Dierich – did not notice Imina’s struggle, only looking at Ellis. He cried out as if grieving with a sad expression on his face.
“Why, Lady Ellis! Why are you doing that in such a place? I…… do you understand my feelings when I saw you, amongst the corralled enemy!? The obvious thoughts that I was happy to see you alive, but they were painted over by bafflement, my thoughts were!”
“Certainly, I am supposed to have died.”
“The Clan Elders believe so, but…… I believed that you definitely were alive somewhere. Nevertheless…… Of all things, you being alive in here of all places!”
“It’s as my brother says. Ellis Endveil is dead.”
The opposite of Dierich’s passion, Ellis’ answer was curt.
“I know that you thought that the Clan’s ties and the Clan House was important. You’ve always been like that, since childhood. But, I already have nothing to do with the Endveil. Not just Endveil…… I have nothing to do with the Elven Tribe. Therefore, I do not feel thankful anymore for those feelings of yours, nor the worries.”
Those cold, forsaking words probably were for Dierich’s sake too.
And, at the same time, it was also to instruct him–.
Ellis stood next to Imina, her fingers entwined around his.
“You shouldn’t think that you are my family. For I have forsaken both the Clan and the Elven Tribe.”
There was silence for a short while.
Five, or ten, seconds – before long, Dierich raised his head, which had been facing down,
“……Deplorable.”
He spat out a mutter.
“That nonsense, kidnapped by humans, is. Is he the one who is deceiving you? What on earth do you like about one of that lowly, savage tribe? Have you been raped, your emotions changing through that?”
“What are you talking about?”
In response to that abuse, Ellis’ presence grew sharper. Was the reason for why she got angry because she was thrown curse words? Or, was it because he insulted Imina?
“At least, when my father was alive, you didn’t say things that looked down on humans, did you. You did not stop me and my brother from going out and playing in Salaid. ……That being the case, Dierich, when on Earth did you start to think like that?”
Or, was he possibly mourning a acquaintance and hometown which had changed–?
Dierich did not answer her, who demanded an explanation.
What he threw at her was, instead of a reply, an interruption that couldn’t be helped.
“You should feel ashamed. What you are doing is equal to bestiality.”
“……Don’t you fucking make fun of me, you little shit!”
And Ellis’ rage satiated Imina’s intent to kill before it came forth.
“It’s because you bastards are like that! It is because you bastards say those kinds of things that the war has started! Because you bastards have that kind of attitude, the village has grown strange! It’s because you bastards think like that! Because my brother did those kinds of things, Imina lost his family!!”
It was a scream rougher than any of the ones Imina had heard.
However, on the one hand, there was no other way than for it to be touching.
Painful.
Pitiful.
Her sadness – Ellis’ grief had become anger and spat out.
“Aren’t you the little bitch that doesn’t know shame!? It’s not the fault of Lilithgrave…… it’s you bastards’ fault! The war started because of you bastards’ fucking conceitedness!”
“……Ellis.”
Ellis, who screamed as if straining her throat. Imina strongly grasped her hands.
“It’s enough. Your feelings aren’t conveyed to this little bugger.”
Even before Ellis’ passion, Dierich did not change his cold gaze.
Because he thought that from the bottom of his heart. That humans were inferior creatures. That Ellis was a woman who had been corrupted. He thought that the feelings and ties which bound together humans and Elves were those of bestiality.
“Imina, I……”
Even at that time, Ellis was still having a crying look on her face. Therefore, he embraced her shoulders. In order to catch her emotions. In order to share her sadness and anger.
“But, it’s fine. They’re transmitted to me. Is that not enough?”
Because she was saddened for Imina’s sake, because she got angry for Imina’s sake–.
“Dierich, you say. I understand enough, that you are that kind of person.”
Lightly kissing that head of hers, Imina walked one step backwards, toward Ellis’ side.
In truth, he wanted to avoid battle as much as he could. It was a directive from Milifica.
The enemy Elves were likely moving under agreement with the humans. It was probably due to a conspiracy with Amaïz and General Dali, that they were trapped in that forest. In that case, it could be possible to unravel what kind of agreement it was through dialogue – she thought.
As a godsend, there were two Elves there. She thought that if he were to face Ellis and Fiene, which were of the same race, it was possible that he would, taking precedence over the agreement with General Dali, tell everything. There was also the speculation that they would, on the contrary, possibly be able to escape from the forest with him acting as a guide, if all went well.
“Milifica’thoughts have been rendered useless.”
However, honestly, that way was the more convenient one for Imina. He was helped by that guy, who had a depraved nature. Imina was glad that he was an Elven supremacist, with a narrow scope for discussion.
That was because he was going to kill him.
There was no need to interact with him to get information out of him. It would be fine to, just knocking him about, cut his limbs into two or three pieces and make him speak. After he had spoken, beheading him would be fine. He could do that. He would gladly do that. He was a garbage-like bastard who it was appropriate to do those kinds of things to – oh, Imina truly was grateful.
He put his strength into the fingers that grasped the handle of his sword. He bent his knees while stepping on the ground firmly with both feet. He relaxed, deeply inhaling while slightly leaning backwards. Not reserving himself from that behaviour which he had endured until then, he left everything to his heart’s content, to the urges to kill which murmured into his ear.
“You said that I was a beast. Then, I’ll fucking show you…… the battle of beasts!”
–He set himself free.
Shortening the distance which he had leapt beforehand, he swung down his crimson sword.
“Wha……!?”
Dierich opened his eyes wide in astonishment.
Failing to respond to Imina’s first move, his counter was delayed. In other words, he wasn’t using organic necromancy. Which meant that he made light of Imina. Meaning that he, disdaining an inferior race, was negligent.
With a flustered face, he returned back half a pace. Lifting his right arm, he used it as a flesh-and-blood shield in order to stop the blade. In other words, he finally used organic necromancy. However, utilizing it to stiffen the skin and not raise the reaction speed was a stupid plan. Because, Imina’s attack would commence through striking with the edge of the blade.
Doink. As the edge of the sword and the flesh collided, a dull sound resounded in the forest.
“Gah……!”
Dierich frowned. Perhaps not through pain, but through discomfort. A face of bruised self-esteem, that he received a blow from a human, a low existence.
That’s good. As expected, killing him is worthwhile.
“……RaAAAAAwr!”
With that same vigour, he unleashed some indiscriminate shots. Without minding that the blade could snap, even changing the recoil onto force, he frantically thrust his sword.
Three, five, six, seven; after eight strikes, the spirit energy that the sword had accumulated had reached its threshold. In other words, it cut.
So, after the ninth time, it scoopingly struck up from below, aiming at his legs.
One instant. Dierich’s gaze growing sharp, the quality of his movements changed.
His organic necromancy had spread out throughout his entire body – diffusing through his insides. Namely, it strengthened all physical abilities, including his physical strength and reaction speed.
His foot, which kicked off the soil, gouged it out greatly. The flash of Imina’s sword flew through the sky. The enemy hopped backwards, suddenly accelerating with an optical illusion as if he were teleporting.
“Don’t get all too carried away.”
Dierich, who had landed outside of the range of the sword’s edge, scowled at Imina,
“I know of the power of that sword of yours, you bastard. The invocation that allows you to split a Demon’s body in two with a single slash…… If that blade shines, there is no need to helplessly be cut by it.”
“If you say that, it means that you have been peeking at us all the time. Or, did you perhaps ask people to tell you before the fact? By that inferior race which you detest.”
It was certain that he was in contact with General Dali. Then it wasn’t surprising that the information on Imina’s sword was missing. However – it was fragmentary – ever since he had come to the Great Fortress, he had only ever used the sword attack which converted impact into destructive force. “Exellis” was only thought of as a magic sword where an uncommon invocation was loaded.
Of course, if the information were known, it would become harder.
“Cheap provocations.”
Dierich provokingly snorted.
“You see? Because you’re growing proud from that simple child’s play, you, you little bitch are of an inferior tribe. Organic necromancy…… Because you can’t manipulate the spirit energy by yourself, you’re putting it in materials as a replacement, right? The imitation of our necromancy is all too childish, far too childish.”
Even while saying that Imina had spoken cheap provocations, what showed on his face was his true irritability. Besides, it was a situation where it seemed that if he didn’t stand up, he wouldn’t be satisfied.
Therefore, Imina provoked him again. He sneered, his face showing that there was more to come.
“Hah, well, I think that I am more superior than a little lost kid.”
“Gah…… Don’t you fucking look down on me, you little squawking monkey!”
The enemy was quite enraged.
“If you want to see it that fucking much, I’ll fucking show you all right! The genuine invocations that us noble Elves use!”
Enraged – he became serious. As if embracing the surrounding air, he stretched out both hands. Moreover, a sound, as if responding to that As if dry things were gathered up and mixed around, as if many large insects squirmed around; in other words, as if the foliage rustled.
The following moment, incessant attacks poured down from above.
Piercingly encircling Imina and expanding, a line of spears made of spirit trees attacked.
“Rah!”
As one would expect, not everything could be dodged. Consequently, he swept them aside with Exellis.
Using the power that the sword had accumulated. Though the trees were so hard that one probably wouldn’t think of them as such, the crimson light of destruction defiantly cut the orbiting branches into pieces.
Nevertheless, as he was unable to drop everything, several branches pierced his shoulders, but forcibly withdrew.
“Haha, what’s wrong? Your face’s pale!”
Dierich smiled, as if he was happy that he could inflict injury on Imina.
“Hey, you’ve still some way to go!”
The subsequent strike was sent from his front, with no time to spare. There was the indication that, together with the noise of wind, stone-like things were approaching. It probably was nuts – obviously, they were strengthened by an invocation. Faster than arrows, harder than stone. If one were to try to normally eat them, one’s teeth would be pierced through.
While holding his sword on the midline, he bent his body and defended.
With a pow-pow-pow-pow-pow-pow, the impact was stronger than expected. His front arms, along with his knees, which couldn’t be covered by the blade, were grazed. Tearing his clothes to pieces and passing through his flesh, jabs of sharp pain shot through all over.
“Oioi, what are you doing? Ain’t it just a defensive fight!”
While enduring the attack, Imina clicked his tongue in his mind.
–Saying that he truly was doing whatever he pleased.
If he thought that he was prevailing, that was it. Imina was exasperated at hearing one of the high-class tribe. He laughed, pettily. He remembered hearing Ellis, who repeatedly had shouted at that guy that it was because he was that way.
That just hit the mark.
Because he was that way – because he disdained humans in that way. Because he overestimated his own ability in that way. Because he, in that way, faced a fight with a shallow mind – his carpet would be pulled from under.
It was expected to become that kind of battle.
Dierich’s specialty was, in other words, to manipulate vegetation.
That the seeds, which had been inserted into the Demons and the magical beasts’ bodies, sprouted all at once, that the growth of the plants was encouraged which transformed them into part of the “Elven Forest”, and that Imina and the others had lost their way inside the “Elven Forest” that they were imprisoned in – everything was the result of him having the power that could utilise the spirit flowers and spirit trees as he pleased.
Then, it would be obvious that he would use that specialty even in times of battle.
Looking from the humans’ perspective, it was an outrageous power. It even seemed to be an omnipotent power which could do everything. However, though it seemed to be so at first sight, spiritualism was a technology, and that Elf wasn’t omnipotent.
There was a theory, there was a structure, there were rules, and, furthermore, there were limits. A boundary line, of the scope of what you could or couldn’t do, would definitely exist somewhere. And, along with Imina, there were comrades which could see them.
A colleague who also was an Elf, who understood organic necromancy.
“Fiene!”
He shouted, while he was struck by the stones of nuts. Ahead – even further, toward the space behind Dierich.
“Up to ya!”
“Okey-dokey!”
Immediately following, one could hear an interlude-esque voice; the energetic and happy reply came from the depths of the forest.
“Wha……!?”
The attack which was tormenting Imina – the stones of nuts – suddenly stopped.
Dierich looked around in amazement.
The one who slowly made an appearance from the depths of the thicket was a beautiful woman in the prime of her age. The slovenly figure, which listlessly stood up, clad in unladylike clothes that exposed too much, looked as if she was a prostitute. And, what extended, peeking through both sides of her long, slouching black hair were long, sharp ears.
“Your manners are bad. Walnuts aren’t to throw at people, they’re things to roast and eat.”
Laughing jokingly, she softly stroked the trees which Dierich had manipulated until then with the palm of her hand.
“You bitch…… You dammed up my spirit energy!”
Fiene shrugged her shoulders at his thundering shout, which was full of anger.
“Rather than men who are like you, I prefer that boy over there.”
Everyone among the Elves could handle fundamental organic necromancy. The manipulation of plants was fundamental.
Of course, everyone had their strong and weak points, so Fiene was not as good as Dierich. However, if one were to grasp from which trees the nuts were blown away from, interfering was easy.
It could be inferred in advance that if the enemy was proud of the power to control vegetation, they would use that same power to attack. Therefore for those seven days, they had discussed measures for that. Of course, assuming that they were peeped on from somewhere, they whispered nonchalantly as much as they could.
It would be difficult to deal with humans only. However, they were fortunate that it was an Elf that could use organic necromancy. And the girls – Ellis and Fiene had asserted.
That that guy’s invocations weren’t that high-class.
That the simultaneous sprouting and explosive growth when the forest had been born probably was through special “Seedlings”. “Seedlings” – though they literally were seedling or seeds of the spirit flowers and spirit trees, the conditions for sprouting and growth speed seemed to be able to be adjusted in various ways through the use of an invocation at the time of germination. Of course, the adjustment of the “Seedlings” required high technique, but it could ultimately be prepared beforehand, and the sprouting itself could be done with a simple operation of spirit energy.
On the other hand, the labyrinth of the forest which caused Imina and the others to go astray was considerably intricate. Finely changing the scenery of their surroundings, gently bending their path while giving them the illusion that they were going straight ahead. Unconcernedly growing landmark-like trees with characteristic shapes and moving those places according to how they walked, erasing the scratches used as landmarks and moving them into other trees. While trapping them them like that repeatedly, it seemed that it was ingeniously manipulating their sense of direction, corralling them.
However, because it was complex, if one were to look at it from the flip side, it was simple work in its modesty. Basically, he could only imprison Imina and the others in that kind of indirect manner. If that person could unrestrictedly control all the vegetation in the forest, there would be no need for them to get lost. It was a story that only could be realised if the density of the plants a few tens of metres in their surroundings were to be stiffened and made into cages, densened above their limits so that they couldn’t be cut with a sword.
The attack on Imina was similar. Why did the spears of the branches that Dierich used to attack Imina only come from the upper parts? And why did he only shoot the stones of the nuts that were in front of him? If he truly wanted to bring everyone down, he could enclose them from all directions and the sky, and pour down attacks from every direction so much that they would be impossible to take refuge from. In spite of that, the materials; tree branches, nuts, and berries, existed clearly as far as the eye could see.
The answer was simple.
The effective range of his invocation was comparatively narrow, and there was a limit to the amount of plants that he could control at the same time.
According to Ellis and Fiene – organic necromancy was not in the least an omnipotent tool. It was simply technology. And technology was manifested through a process which accorded to a fixed theory.
First of all, what amounted to the origin of everything was one’s own spirit energy.
That was definitely finite, and would be consumed to its limit as one were to continue to use any invocation. If one’s spirit energy were to be exhausted, the invocation would not be able to operate. The cause for that was although Ellis’ “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” held the ability to snatch away and store other peoples’ spirit energy, the time of effect was short.
And, letting the invocation manifest – in brief, creating a phenomenon, meant making the practitioner’s spirit energy interfere with another spirit vein.
If it was for strengthening one’s physical ability, one would absorb spirit energy from the spirit vein in the ground, and infuse it into one’s body.
If it was to manipulate the vegetation, one would transfer one’s own spirit energy to interfere with the trees’ own spirit energy, and put them under one’s own control.
If one would want to transform a human into a Demon, one would need to absorb great amounts of spirit energy from the spirit vein in the ground, and after that, to destroy the shape of the vessel by pouring it into there beyond the maximum amount.
It seemed to people that limitless power could be used, because the way to absorb the large amounts of spirit energy which flowed in the spirit veins in the ground was used to create fuel for the deployment.
However, there was a difference in skill from the practitioner and there.
It was exceedingly difficult to do the operation “To transfer one’s own spirit energy into someone else’s spirit energy” twice, simultaneously.
For example, if one wanted to transform a human into a Demon, only pouring the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” in there would not suffice. One would need to use the vast “Spirit Energy of the Earth”. Therefore, not only connecting the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” and the “Human Spirit Energy”, there would be a need for the process to connect the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” and the “Spirit Energy of the Earth”, and furthermore to transfer the “Spirit Energy of Oneself” while absorbing the “Spirit Energy of the Earth” and pouring it into the “Human Spirit Energy”.
When the Elves transformed the humans or beasts, they used a tool named the “Seed” in order to simplify that complicated process. To sum it up, the “Seeds” were granules of highly-concentrated spirit energy embedded into organic matter, and it would act as a substitute to the procedure of “Absorbing spirit energy from the ground and pouring it into the target”, if it was embedded into the body of a living being. The practitioner would only have to let the “Seed” respond to their “Spirit Energy of Oneself”.
Performing the process of connecting the spirit energy two times simultaneously would be comparable to writing different sentences with both hands at the same time – Dierich probably was incapable of that parallel work.
Therefore, when manipulating the vegetation, it would be necessary to do it with his own spirit energy. With only his own spirit energy, there was a limit to the number and scale as to what he could control simultaneously.
And there, there would be a gap to take advantage of.
“Gah…… Don’t you fucking underestimate me, traitor!”
While an impatient expression lay on his face, Dierich moved his gaze. It seems that he wanted to changed his target of manipulation to another plant. Imina did not know as to which one. However, Fiene did. She was proficient in sensing the flow of spirit energy and decoding it.
“You guys, it’s your turn!”
Fiene sharply shouted. The thickets in the surroundings moved in unison, and figures of people stood up.
They were Imina’s comrades; Milifica, Fream, Sashtal, and Raimi. In addition, Ziadrene’s gang. While Dierich had carelessly shouted abuse, they had secretly got out of bed and formed a battle formation.
“You, first on the right!”
Fiene gave instructions to Ziadrene.
“Aye!”
Ziadrene swung his great hatchet, a spirit energy tube loaded within, and drove his blade into the first tree on the right. The invocation that he had loaded was a highly-concentrated poison. The poison was, in brief, a drug that inhibited the biological activities, which meant that the flow of spirit energy would go out of order.
He did not know what command Dierich has assigned to it. However, after the foliage seemed to rustle and squirm, and the trunk had become crooked, the tree on the right flatly stopped moving.
“Drat!”
There was no time for Dierich to think of a reason for why his invocation had failed.
While clicking his tongue, even as he turned his line of sight to the next tree,
“Princess, the maple on the opposite of the slanted tree!”
“Is it this one?”
“That’s it, do it!”
“Understood!”
Milifica unsheathed her knight sword, the “Trace of Heavenly Lightning’s Flash”, and held it, aiming at the eye; while the invoked the invocation that she had prepared, she swung it downward with the sound of cutting through cloth. That was probably a compound invocation of high heat and oscillation. The thick trees, which could have the girth of a human body, were bisected in the middle and fell down on the ground with a smell of burning, while black smoke rose up.
“Don’t you, fucking, look down……!”
Dierich did not give up. He immediately tried to manipulate other plants.
However, that too was in vain.
“Samz and Ashley, the oak behind you, do it together!”
“Aye, young lady!”
Together with a drum-like answer, Ziadrene’s two subordinates wielded their swords. It wasn’t immediate, so the branches of the oak started to rustle, but even so it was but a few seconds. The shot of fire from a sword hindered the attack of the branches, while the poison from an axe which was swung down on the trunk close to the ground rotted the roots.
“Shit, shit, shit, shit, those fucking low-lifes!”
Dierich spat out abuse with a deep-red face.
It was natural. All of the attacks which were supposed to have begun had been entirely crushed just before. Furthermore, by the hands of those inferior creatures which he despised.
He was probably not self-aware. That all of the irritation that he had sensed, that contempt – in other words, his disdain facing the humans, had occurred because he had thought that he was of a better race.
The arrogance, that a group of mere humans could be crushed with just one Elf.
The carelessness, that there was no way that mere humans could defeat his invocations.
The dissatisfaction, that he had been done in by mere humans.
The resentment, to the fact that he had been chased into a predicament by mere humans.
Therefore, Imina looked at Dierich, who behaved like that, and prepared his sword, enshrouded in bloodlust. Stubbornly quiet, his presence was calm, in the gap where that bastard was being preoccupied with mere humans.
He turned around, and glanced at Ellis, who was next to him.
She nodded. Somewhat sadly, resignatedly.
That was surely at the fact that the boy, who held the same blood as her, behaved like that – she felt pity and disdain at exposing his disgraceful display, which was filled with contempt toward humans.
Dierich was of the Endveil clan. There was no doubt that Ellis Endveil had associated with him since she was a child. Imina himself had faint feelings of guilt to kill acquaintances of her family. However, regarding him killing Dierich, there was nothing against it. It was because the gentle Ellis would be troubled through him being cut down – through Imina cutting him down.
However, Imina had the duty to accept and endure Ellis’ heartache. He had the resolution to put all of her discord, including her pain, into wielding his sword. Returning Ellis’ nod, he bent his knees and leapt.
His rapid advance was instantaneous. His approach was swift. His urge to kill was silent. The opponent did not see Imina, devoted to the idea that his invocations had been obstructed.
The sword blade shone a faint red. It has absorbed the spirit energy from the stones of the nuts that Dierich just had thrown. It was by no means a strong light. However, the threshold had been exceeded.
Nuts. Though Imina hadn’t seen them, they seemed to be walnuts.
He wondered if Dierich knew. Lill, Imina’s mother’s, specialty cooking had been a bread in which walnuts had been kneaded. Ellis was holding those flavours, which she had inherited from Lill, very precious.
Therefore – that was the punishment for them trampling her feelings underfoot.
“Ah……!?”
Dierich finally recognized the presence of Imina, who had entered during that slight gap.
Too slow.
Finally, he thought about spitting out yet another word of abuse, but he stopped. He had nothing to say. There were no words that he needed to say to that bastard.
Imina followed through with a downward strike from his crimson falchion – “Exellis”.
The traces of the sword lined up perfectly with the enemy’s nape, and red light vividly bisected his neck.
With no scream during his moment of death, his head danced in midair.
The head, which Imina had cut, dropped into the grass while rotating.
While the body which once was Dierich Finiendveil spouted blood from its opening, he was killed with a smash; turning up his face as he parted with his control and existence.
Ellis watched that entire chain of events without parting her eyes.
To be accurate – she gazed so that she wouldn’t fail to notice Imina’s appearance, who had killed the enemy. Because that was his long-cherished desire, and at the same time, his sin. Her emotions were complex. They, coming and going in her chest, tormented Ellis as if they couldn’t be helped.
It was no wonder. Because a beloved person of hers had slayed an acquaintance which she had known since she was a child. Her heart was wounded, whatever side she stood on. She wanted to scream “Why is it like this?”.
However, Ellis had to choose on which side to stand. And what she had chosen, was the side of the one which she loved. She had concluded that someone of the same tribe as her was an opponent, and backed the intent to kill of her loved one.
In that case, Ellis too had to shoulder the sin that he had murdered someone related to Ellis. Just like when, four years ago – when her brother and his clansmen had killed her loved one and his family.
“……Imina.”
Approaching Imina, who, held his sword as he looked over Dierich, she touched his back.
“Any wounds, are you OK?”
He had been injured all around. His life was not in danger, but his wounds were by no means shallow. Each one seemed to be painful.
“Oh, no problems.”
Imina laughed. Those eyes of his silently inquired. Whether Ellis was fine too. Whether she was able to endure not the wounds on her body – but rather, the pain in her heart.
She was grateful that his feelings were glad. She thought that she was on that side because the one she loved was concerned about Ellis like that. Not the side of the Elves, but on Imina’s.
Therefore she did not see Dierich’s dead body.
While she recalled the memories which ran wild, where she was together with him in the Elven Tribe, she disregarded those strong feelings. Yes – those things were but strong feelings. The reason was because he was a person who held Imina in contempt. Because he was a person which abused Ellis’ feelings with the most horrible words.
Gently stroking Ellis’ head, Imina turned toward his behind.
“Milifica, with this it’s the end…… Let’s escape, from here.”
“Yes. Thank you, Imina. Also, Fiene and Ellis, and naturally you group members. Not only the battle…… For these six days, you’ve endured well.”
Everyone cheered at Milifica’s thanks.
There was a person which shouted that they would drink like fish when they got back, and there was a person which grumbled that they would go the bath first as they hadn’t been able to do anything but wipe down their bodies. There was a person that laughed that he wanted to sleep to his heart’s content on a soft bed, and there was somebody that sighed that they wanted to eat proper food. On the other hand, there was a person which teasingly asked with a “Hey!”, whether they were discontent with the food that the young lady and young girl had cooked, and there was, apart from that, a person who had said that he was going for women, who was poked by his neighbour with a “He wasn’t to say such things in front of the Princess.”
Everyone was gaily laughing with a sense of liberation.
Without finding fault in those vulgar words, Milifica looked at everyone with a relieved expression on her face.
The lord of the forest was killed. There was no longer any person to lead them astray from their path.
Because the remnants of Demons and magical beasts still wandered around they could not be negligent, but as long as they advanced ahead in a tight, straight line, they would definitely be able to exit the forest.
There was about one or two hours until they would be able to escape, departing from that place. If there were any grounds for concern, it was about the number of horses. As they had run away during the confusion of battle, or as they had been eaten by Demons or magical beasts, only about three of them remained. It seemed to be slightly difficult, seeing as they had left for the plain.
Of course, the problems piled up even after carrying out a triumphant return, but the first thing was, in any case, that they wanted to savour the joy of being able to survive to their hearts’ content in a place where they were able to take a deep breath. Although Fiene’s barrier had been reduced, it did not change because of the fact that the spirit energy of the “Elven Forest” wasn’t good for the body.
“We will depart after a short break. Everyone, prepare for your withdrawal.”
All hands understood Milifica’s order, and answered clearly.
Therefore, Imina also returned, in order to put the luggage on the camp site in order.
He was reminded that he had to bring back Dierich’s head, but he thought that it was fine to pick it up afterwards; with thoughts like those, he was just about to advance forwards,
“Wh……!?”
Abruptly, without previous notice, he felt the chills. Goosebumps, which ran along his back, stiffened his body.
No – it was not anything simple like goosebumps.
Dread, shivering, shock, all of those were driven out from the bottom of his soul. It churned slowly, as if a piece of cutlery was thrust into his heart–.
In other words, it was a sense of intimidation that was from an intent to kill, which wasn’t of the common degree.
–Wh, o?
That kind of bloodlust was released. Who exactly was it, that had turned toward them?
He turned back, involving both his body and soul. Even a simple act like turning around called for that much effort. He did not know whether his other comrades were aware of that bloodlust, or whether they were really able to keep calm as they noticed. There was not even the space to consider the circumstances.
However, he could only see Ellis, who was just next to him. She was trembling. Her lips turning pale, her complexion did too, as she had a mixed expression of fear and bewilderment on her face.
“Wh……y?”
She murmured.
“Why, in this place? ……Uncle.”
The one who stood in front of Ellis’ line of sight was a single man.
His age was in the vicinity of fifty years; he could have passed fifty or not. One could say that he was in the prime of his life. However, his body, which was in casual dress defying his apparent age, was tough; a vigour followed suit that truly could be said to be one of a soldier of long military service.
In spite of him folding his arms, there were no gaps in his posture. On the contrary, one felt that they would be cut down if they just would lose focus for a single second. It could be because of his scars from war, or because of the eye patch which was attached to his right eye. However, the glint in his single eye was sharp yet grim, seemingly pinning down the enemies’ hearts with one glance.
“Ah……”
The moment that he saw that man’s face–.
Imina’s body was assailed by another type of stiffening, completely different from the withering from when he had shivered just before. He knew about that person. He remembered.
No, he couldn’t forget.
There was not even one moment during those four years where he had forgotten. Even in his dreams behind his eyelids, his face – included with that person, their faces.
“That’s my line.”
The man spoke to Ellis.
Like a military man, a low but a carrying voice.
“When I heard from Dierich I thought certainly not, but…… what are you doing in such a place, Ellis?”
His voice, which called her name, was over-familiar, yet coercive. That would be natural too. Even among them, he had heard that his relationship to Ellis and Shirjis was very close, by blood. To him, Ellis was his brother’s daughter – his niece.
In other words, he was brother to the former Clan Elder, Eiis.
At the same time, the confidant to the current Clan Elder of the Endveil Clan, Shirjis – one petal of the “Six Petals”.
If he wasn’t mistaken, his name was,
“Ji Dig…… Ji Dig Endveil.”
“And you are…… that boy of that time?”
He gazed at Imina, glaring with his singular eye.
“I see, so that’s the reason. That’s the road that you have chosen, Ellis.”
After he had sighed with an unrefined expression,
“I thought that this was a boring battlefield, but…… it is fate that we have met in this unexpected place.”
Ji Dig faintly smiled in self-deprecation. Within that smile was anger and disappointment, and then, a fragment of mercy.
