SRKJ Chapter 10 by Binhjamin Edited By Firo's Ahoge

[Chapter 10]
-The Evening Before the Battle of Death-

The gaze of the Chief Deo, is indifferent compared to the looks that the Wolf-man and Arachne woman are giving us. After a brief pause, Gio opens his mouth and speaks with a heavy voice.

“I have returned. Marl was found safely. More importantly, the result of the battle at the Northern wall has also been sorted out. Diadora skillfully fought the battle. Her opponent was a Demonic Flower Spirit from the miserable world.”

Diadora, who was silent up until now, finally decides to speak up. From the standpoint of an ally, it would not do any good if Diadora remained silent forever.

“Um, yes. I was finally able to face the Devil with the ability to drain life force and match her. I failed this time, but next time that Devil will be stopped no matter what.”

“Save your strength and do not be rash. You should keep the usual calm and composed state of your mind rather than letting blood rush to your head.”

“I will do so for now. However, I will not forget what it is I must do.”

“Yare-yare… Now then Gio, would you mind introducing those people? Vuraiku and Aljen’nu seem to both share the same concern as I do.”

“Please don’t worry, I was going to get to it.”

“I am worried. I do not want to cause an unnecessary quarrel in the middle of dealing with the Devil army.”

That reminds me, before meeting with Marl, I did slay several wolves, but that should not possibly be the reason why Vuraiku is giving me that look… Vuraiku’s strong physique and canine face are all wrapped in fur, especially his thick chest. It is not hard to imagine him having gone through hellish training to attain such a powerful body. Aljen’nu is wearing a white embroidered tunic and is crossing her arms loosely as she is intensely observing even our smallest movements with her eight eyes. Two of her eyes look similar to human ones except that her irises are red.  Her other six spider eyes are located on her forehead and temple, three on each side. All of her eyes harbor a cold light ─ not the welcoming-guests kind.

“These are those who helped Marl when she was being chased by the Demonic soldiers. Although I think you already know of this Chief, they are people settled in the village called Bern. Due to serious incidents occurring, they had decided to investigate deep inside the forest. In the battle of the northern area, their contribution was vital. If it were not for them, many lives would have perished.”

“Bern… what a nostalgic name… Yes, surely that is the name of the village. For someone from there to be capable of driving the Devils away is certainly possible. As someone who is in charge, I thank you for your help in the fight against the Devils.”

“Fumu. I was only able to help because of the circumstances. Therefore, you do not need be so humble, all is well. Though it is a little late for our introductions, I am Dran of Bern.”

“I’m Selia. I’m currently under Bern’s care.”

“Christina. I’m not someone who lives in Bern but I am simply following and assisting Dran in his investigation.”

“A terrible disaster has fallen upon us. However, before we discuss any further, please have a seat.”

Being compelled by Chief Deo’s urging, we take our seats at the round table, and soon, an elf waiter comes out from the back room and arrives at the table carrying a wooden tray and three wooden cups. In each cup, a greenish liquid, which is apparently squeezed juice from fruits, is served. A refreshing fragrance rises from the cup into the depths of my nose as I take a mouthful of the drink. The taste is truly a refreshing one.

“We have come a long way to the far west of this forest and are personally involved in this crisis. There is no point in withholding information. Gio, from where do you want to start the story?”

“The Gate appeared in the north, and from there, the Devils came out and started massacring everyone living in the forest including the area near your village. Soon afterward, all the races started to combine their fighting power to fight against the devils up until now.”

“Fumu. From what I hear, there is nothing else that needs clarification. However, there is something that is bothering me. Compared to how long ago the Hell Gate and its destructive forces arrived, the Wood Elves’ arrival to deal with the situation is rather late.”

“Are you referring to the reason we did not use the Spirit Pathway?”

Indeed, Deo nods seriously. The Spirit Pathway is a special path which one can take through the spirit world. By traveling through it, one can cover a far greater distance in the material world compared to the distance one has to travel in the other world. It is possible for a few high ranking Elves, High Elves, whose affinity with the forest is exceptionally high, to be able to open a pathway, but the probable reason why the pathway was not an option may be due to the Devils’ obstructions and the Elves not having enough manpower to stop them.

“The one who identified himself as Georg has set the deadline to three days, but we will not comply with his demands.”

The countdown until the battle against Georg has already begun, and the three leaders’ decision has already been made it seems. Vuraiku and Aljen’nu do not seem to have any dissatisfaction toward Deo’s words. It is in situations like these that bonds of trust are formed.

“Reinforcements won’t be arriving within three days. Therefore, we must concentrate all of our remaining fighting power into bringing forth the destruction of the Hell Gate so that the forest can be cleansed of the invaders for good.”

The battles on the western side of the forest not only affect the Wood Elves but also determined the fate of the neighboring villages of other races as well. Deo’s facial expression becomes graver while Aljen’nu's facial expression remains the same.

“The Devils can maintain their existences in this world due to power being constantly supplied through the Hell Gate. If the Gate is destroyed, the miasma leakage will cease. Afterward, the forest will regenerate on its own and in due time, it will regain its former beauty.”

There is no mistake in Aljen’nu’s words. If the destruction of the Hell Gate connecting to the material world can be achieved, then the Devils cannot stay for long and their demise will be set in stone. However, approaching the Gate is problematic. The closer one gets to the Gate, the stronger the demonic soldiers will become. Even the environment itself will grow extremely harsh until it is unbearable for living creatures. If we choose to destroy the Hell Gate, then as we get closer and closer to the Hell Gate, the weaker our allied forces will become and the stronger the enemy forces will become. Nevertheless, the leaders seem to understand the consequences of their decision. It requires them to accept a bitter sacrifice.

“We have three days time and it is best to use that time wisely in order to prepare for every possible event that might occur. Two possibilities are the arrival of even more powerful enemies or the arrival of an entirely new army. If this urgent matter cannot be settled, then only a dark future awaits everything living in this forest.”

“I understand the situation you are all facing. I have also spoken with Gio and have decided to fight in the upcoming battle. Of course, what I mean by this is that I will fight against the Devils since there is always a chance that the devils can break through and commence slaughter on my village, and possibly the Kingdom itself. That is a possibility I cannot overlook.”

This is something that Christina-san, Selia, and I had already agreed upon. After once again hearing my affirmation, Christina-san and Selia do not seem to be raising any objection. As someone who lives in the forest, Deo seems to hold doubt towards receiving help in the fight against the Devils when the help is coming from outsiders who are not native to the lush forest. Gio also has a hard time accepting our help and once again hesitates to speak out and only lets out a small groan. Just when I thought that the silence would remain, the Wolf-man, Vuraiku, speaks up and gives me his approval.

“Our powers alone are not sufficient. It is not at the level we hope it to be and, as unbelievable as the report on your battle defending the northern wall sounds, such abilities are what we desperately need.
Yo Deo, we require their strength. We are in a difficult situation. Many of our warriors have lost their lives. With our forces so few in numbers, it is unwise to refuse their assistance.”

Generally, the Wolf-man tribe as a whole is strong and possesses a strong sense of pride. Consequently, there is hardly anything that would compel them to rely on other tribes or races. As neighbors living in the same forest, there is a certain comradery between the different races that would allow them to happily join forces with them. However, for the proud warriors to ask us outsiders for help, the matter at hand must have driven them to a desperate corner. Although Diadora might be able to fight against Georg on equal grounds, even for those who possess exceptional power, it is quite reckless. While Vuraiku’s words are forcing Deo to decide on an answer, Aljen’nu opens her mouth and presses Deo to make a decision. All eight of her eyes, filled with cleverness, are reflecting Deo’s face in them.

“I agree with Vuraiku on this matter. Dran, Christina, Selia… your proposal is an unexpected fortune for us. Let us try and ask for help in a fair and normal manner that will not trouble anyone. Deo, Vuraiku, don’t you all agree? Although the fighting has temporarily ceased, we must finalize our decision by dawn. Anyway, they did uphold the terms once forged with the village Bern, no? Up until now, they have enjoyed many benefits such as lumber by cutting down trees within a tolerable amount. We can offer to start a trading agreement with the game the Wolf-men catch, the threads we Arachnes produce, and even the medical plants, flowers, and herbs that the Wood Elves gather. Even if it is on a small scale, humans now also have many valuable goods among them that they can trade to us as well. They will be putting their lives on the line by fighting for us, therefore I believe we need to give them an incentive that matches their bravery.”

Aljen'nu's proposal gives me something to look forward to. Even without receiving any collateral, I will not hesitate to offer support in the fight against the Devils. However, now that there is the possibility of Bern receiving compensation in the future, I feel all fired up and ready to fight. I am more excited than a horse looking at carrots hanging in front of its eyes. Similar to Lamias, Arachnes also require males from other races to breed with. As Chief, Aljen’nu is most likely planning to familiarize the Arachnes with humans in order to create new opportunities, specifically targeting males outside the forest.

Currently, Bern’s most profitable source of income is from lumber. It far outweighs the mining of Akira Spirit stones and the Elixirs that the Old Witch and I produce. If the magical plants in the forest of Ente can be traded to us, then our supply of the herbs will be stable and we will be able to produce even better Elixirs, dramatically increasing our income. Aljen’nu’s proposal stirs up my will to fight while pushing Deo to decide. The sign of hesitation is no longer visible on his face.

“That’s right. We ask for your help and compensation will be given in return. Then it's decided. We shall accept your help. We look forward to working together with you.”

“Although we are lacking in ability, we will try our best to meet your expectations. Has any arrangements been prepared to inform the human kingdom of the situation? Getting help from human mercenaries may seem like a bad idea, but in the worst case scenario, reaching out toward the kingdom for help is definitely something to consider…”

While we do not plan to let the situation turn into the worst case scenario, there is a chance that this western stronghold might fall. If the Wood Elves are defeated, then the Devils' army will invade the neighboring regions surrounding Ente; that much is certain. It is safe to assume that the Devils are currently organizing their forces, but if they come out victorious in the end, then there will be piles of corpses stacked on their path and the rivers will be dyed blood red. A response to my question comes from a woman who shows up at the back of the room.

“An envoy is being arranged by me and is set to go to the kingdom soon. Please focus your thoughts on fighting the Devils without worry.”

A new Wood Elf showed up and naturally, I turn my gaze toward the direction the voice came from. The first thing I notice is the beautiful golden dazzling hair flowing down behind her back like golden threads on a dark green robe. Long and narrow eyes with irises the color of radiant emeralds and skin as white as snow give off the sense of transparency. I am almost unable to move because of the awe inspiring appearance that has entered the room; the beautiful female Wood Elf gives off the impression of a beautiful statue sculpted to be gazed upon. She seems to be in her late twenties, but for the long-living Elves, one cannot guess their age by the outward appearance. Still, if I have to guess, I would say that her age is below that of my soul, which trumps the age of every living being in existence.

I keep my eyes on the female Wood Elf as she makes her way over to Deo and stands behind him on his right. Vuraiku along with Aljen’nu, Gio, and Fio all nod at their acquaintance’s claims. As I am about to ask Gio or Deo who this newly arrived woman is, Christina who had been sitting on my side raises her voice in surprise. It is rare to see someone with her personality behave in such a way.

“Academy Director!”

Widening her deep blood red ruby eyes, Christina-san stares at the Wood Elf woman’s face and calls her Academy Director. The Wood Elf is apparently the Director at Christina-san’s academy. Her pretty emerald eyes glare at Christina’s beautiful face reproachfully.

“Christina, you must not speak in such a manner. That is not how a lady must express herself. Furthermore, while we are here, I am not a Director but one of the many Wood Elves. Please call me Olivier casually.”

“Christina-san, who is this?”

I ask Cristina as Selia's split tongue is makes small "Chiro Chiro” noises.

“She is Olivier, the Director at Galois Magic Academy where I am attending. I knew she was a Wood Elf, but could it be possible that the Director’s birthplace is in this very forest?”

“I am the Director of the Academy. As for the answer to your question, this village is my birthplace. I ventured out to the world outside and left the village and forest a long time ago, but when I came to know of the situation I immediately rushed back. Since I had sorted out what needed to be done back at the Magic Academy before my departure, there is no need to worry about the circumstances there.”

“I-I see. Is that so… “

It seems Christina-san does not know how she should act in front of Olivier as she can only smile with a troubled face. Fumu. This is the first time Christina-san behaved like this. I have seen something unusual but interesting. As I think to myself, Selia brings her face close, and whispers to my ear.

“Dran-san, what is this Galois Magic Academy Christina-san speaks of?”

“Fumu? Galois is a city located south of Bern, and there is a prestigious Academy that specializes in teaching magic there. They named the Magic Academy, Galois, after the city’s name. Geographically, Galois is located in the northern area of the kingdom and is a major economic highway where news and special products gather from various northern regions. To sum it all up, it is a city where a great amount of money is gathered and distributed. Naturally, lots of humans gather there as well and as for the Academy, they only invite those who can use magic and educate magicians to work for the Kingdom.”

Almost all students at the Magic Academy are people who have large financial and political support. The students often have relatives who are nobles or wealthy merchants, but only a few of them can make it to becoming a court magician. The cost of attending the Magic Academy is impossible for commoners to afford. Consequently, the academy gives out scholarships which cover tuition and living expenses, but that only apply to those with immense talent and those who are invited at an early age.

“He~. Well then Dran-san might get an invitation to the Magic Academy too. There are lots of people talented in magic in the village of Lamias where I grew up, but Dran-san much more amazing than those people.”

“Fumu, thank you. Well, the path which leads to one becoming a court magician is open to those who have attended the academy and demonstrated outstanding results. It is one path that those who wish to improve their social standing will pursue.”

“Nn~ b-but if Dran-san leaves Bern, then I’ll b-be lonely.”

“Yes. I too will be lonely if I was to part ways with Selia and leave the village. Well, it is a talk far away for a farmer such as me.”

I felt comforted when Selia said she would be lonely if I am not around. In fact, personnel from the Galois Magic Academy do visit Bern and have set up entrance exams several times to find and invite the talented to the academy. For now, I do not intend to enroll into the academy, but I need to consider it as it could benefit the village in some ways. Nevertheless, what is happening right now takes precedence. Crushing the devil army is currently the top priority.

“For now, we’ll leave the job of contacting the Kingdom to Olivier-san, is that alright?”

“Yes, please leave it to me. I’ve already asked the few Elves who have experience leaving the forest to go. Otherwise, including me, everyone is going to fight to protect our home. The burden is not at all forced on Dran-san alone.”

“Is that so, that is quite reassuring.”

Then I will destroy the Gate so that we can have an advantage over Georg. Tomorrow at noon, when the sun is at its peak, we will depart along with our allied forces. After the meeting, Deo let us stay in the vacant room inside the patriarch's house. We are soon guided to the large room. If we follow our common sense, an adult man and women that are neither family members nor lovers should not be staying the night in the same room, but we will have to make do with what was given to us.

Selia is feeling a little shy but Christina-san has already taken off her gear and is sitting on top of a bed, seemingly not bothered in the least. Although her womanly appearance is full of a supreme graceful beauty that gives off an elegant and noble atmosphere, her personality is not like a noble's at all. I feel like she is closer to a commoner. Either my vision of nobles from stories is wrong or Christina-san is vastly different compared to ordinary nobles. I will go with my intuition and guess the latter.

“Selia, Christina-san, I am going outside for a bit. I will be back shortly.”

Taking my armor off, I walk out while keeping my sword with me.

“Haiii~~” says Selia, her voice full of vigor.

I walk out of the room that was given to us inside the Sai-West village. The reason why I head out is to find a certain someone who left the meeting before we did. It was an unexpected but fortunate turn of events that the Devils ceased their raid and retreated. There is a lot less tension within the village and the security has loosened. Still, as I walked I would sometimes receive suspicious glances, but since the patriarchs have declared that I am an ally, I can move on without interruptions.

I wander around until I reach the base of a large tree and soon find the ground beneath my feet covered in countless flowers. Taking care of flowers is what the Wood Elf love to do in their everyday life, but instead of admiring the flowers, I have business with the figure standing there. Red, white, purple, blue, yellow, and green flowers bloom as they surround a single black rose in the middle, a beauty beyond comparison... the Black Rose ― Diadora. I approach her carefully without stepping on a single flower.

“I wonder what business you have here so late in the night, Dran?”

Diadora’s voice rings like a golden bell and I stop roughly ten steps away from her. Although I can see Diadora’s long black hair, the kind of expression she has on her face I do not know.

“So you remember my name. I was simply looking for you.”

“For me? What do you want? I am not in a very good mood. If it is just trivia talk, I will decline. Please head back and rest for tomorrow. Unlike me, sleep is essential for a human like you.”

“I am grateful for your concern. Are you perhaps in not so good a mood due to the loss of your friends’ lives to the enemy?”

Zawa, all the flower petals shake slightly even though there is no wind. For a moment, inconceivable murderous intent emits from Diadora’s entire body that be seen by looking at the shadows on the ground. The flowers swing momentarily and return to their natural position.

Fumu, Rafflesia is a very sensitive topic it seems. Those sturdy and thorny whips would be quite painful if my tongue were to slip.

Diadora speaks in a voice filled with murderous intent, as if the dead themselves came back from the realm of the dead.

“Yes, that is so. Thinking about that Demonic Flower Spirit causes my amusement to cease and my anger to well up to no end. That is how I am right now.
Therefore, please do not carelessly approach me. I do not know what I might do. I do not want to hurt an ally with great power right after we managed to forge an alliance.”

“Fumu, I see.”

I murmur but it is already too late since I am already beside Diadora. I drew close to Diadora without her noticing at all. It feels like I abruptly appeared next to her, so she turns her head at me, surprised.

“Since when? No, did you not hear me when I said you should not approach me carelessly?”

I answer Diadora while staring into her eyes. To Diadora it might sound like foolish talk.

“That is why I had prepared myself before I approached. Is that not enough?”

“...Huh? You… are a strange one.”

To Diadora who lets out a sigh, I can only smile wryly. With just that one sentence and her sigh, I feel like I now have the opportunity to have an engaging conversation. I guess I am a strange one. Iya, I still retain my dragon’s senses and intuition. Among humans, I definitely fit into the strange category.

“I may be strange, but if you are fine with it, all is well.”

“I see. I suppose I can share my trouble with a strange human like you.”

You do not have to share such things if you do not wish to do so, fumu. Diadora stops talking and silence fills the air, causing me to feel as if time itself has stopped. The moon above shines its brilliant white light onto the ground where wet blood was once spilt. The wind picks up and carries the sweet smell of roses and the smell of blood slowly fades away. There is not a single word that can describe the wind bathing in the moonlight carrying such a sweet smell. To fight the Devils seems like a bad dream to me.

However, fighting the Devils is the obvious reality. Many who fight against the Devils get hurt, bleed, become wounded, and lose their lives. Hatred and sorrow is making its way into the hearts of those who live in this forest. Unexpectedly, Diadora open her mouth to speak again. During this moment of silence, what was it that caused the Black Rose Spirit to move her mouth?

“All of Rafflesia’s victims were good children.

Some were a little stubborn and others loved to play pranks, but they were all good natured and carefree children. Such good children did not deserve to die. They should not have died!
Therefore, I will not forgive her. I survived; therefore I have a duty to avenge those children.

Even if I have to give up my body, I will surely kill that woman.”

Zawari, zawari, again, the roses scream. The wind scatters away as if it is afraid of Diadora’s wrath. Even the clouds covering the moon seem to be hiding away from Diadora. The Black Rose’s face is very beautiful and proud, beyond human imagination, but her mind is drunk with negative emotions that affect her very surroundings. My body too is covered in Diadora’s dreadful aura, causing my heart is beat slowly and unnaturally. My temperature decreases making me feel as cold as ice water.

The dreadful aura that is causing strange abnormalities within my body reflects Diadora’s deep hatred. The children who Diadora treasured like family were murdered by Rafflesia's, the Demonic Flower Spirit's, hands. If I were to witness my father, mother, and siblings murdered by that Demon, then I too would be drowning in rage and hatred just like Diadora.

“... I see. Unfortunately, I do not know how to help you.”

Even if I was to extract revenge for Diadora, those who died will not be happy for there is no hope in revenge. However, those are not the kind of words that will change her resolve. Furthermore, there is no reason to persuade Diadora to not take revenge on her enemy. The most one could hope for is that she take her revenge without losing her life. That would be for the best.

“Why would you help us? I do not understand the reason for someone of your strength to lend us help in the first place. Did Aljen’nu promise you something in return? Or is it because it would be troublesome if our village were to fall to evil?”

“Fumu, I’ll be honest with you. Like Diadora has guessed, the fact Aljen'nu has promised us compensation is great, but the reality is that this village cannot be allowed to fall to the Devils. Not only that, I would be an embarrassment to my parents, from who I learned to extend my helping hand to those who are in need, if I did not help you all during this crisis. The inhabitants living in Ente have a very good relationship with my village; therefore I simply want to use my strength to help. Even if there was no compensation and this encounter of ours was simply by chance, I would still choose to lend my strength to you. Believe me Diadora.”

“Is that so… You… if you insist… I’ll believe you.”

Fumu.

“Dran, you are a strange and mysterious man. When I look into your eyes, I calm down greatly. It feels as if I am looking deep into your soul, but it is not an unpleasant feeling. You, are you really a human?”

“Hahaha, this body of mine is human, and it was given to me by my parents.”

She is very perceptive. Just for the record, that was not a lie. My body is definitely human, there is no mistaking it. Based on the records stored in my dragon soul, I can strengthen and reproduce my body as much as I want to. Still, when talking about my race, I am human. Regardless, I do appear to be suspicious from other people’s point of view.

“Fun~, my mind has grown a little more cheery.”

“You need to take care of your mind. I almost forgot why I came looking for Diadora. Rather than just talking, I have something else for you. Diadora, Rafflesia wounded you, did she not?”

“...I wonder what you are talking about?”

“Diadora.”

I speak in a slightly stronger tone, then I look at her gently. Diadora then admits defeat and turns her delicate neck sideways. Diadora moves her supple right hand's fingers from the base of her neck down toward her navel, shururi shururi, the dress fabrics retreat, wriggling to the left and right like a myriad of little snakes. This dress is probably part of Diadora’s body enabling her to change its appearance at will. Just like that, the moonlight shines down on Diadora's body. It is as if the moonlight concentrates only on her rich ample white breasts and the modest cave on her abdomen. In stark contrast to her beautiful skin, right between her breasts and slightly above her belly button is an area where her skin is dry and darkened black. Skin that was once beautiful has lost its luster, revealing a truly tragic and ugly sight.

“It is really not as bad as it seems. Do not worry. This will not be a hindrance in battle.”

“Is that so? Do you mind if I touch it?”

“Huh? Sure, if you are fine with such a body.”

Diadora shrugs her small shoulders. Her gesture does not seem to have any mischievous intentions. Where Black Rose was raised, exposing her body to the opposite sex does not seem to be a cause for her to feel any shame or shyness. I slowly reach out and touch her skin gently, treating it like delicate glasswork and feel the discolored area of her skin. Sliding my fingers from the middle of her exposed breasts and down to her well-shaped navel, Diadora’s skin feels very dry and rough. It was not just her vitality that was absorbed; her very soul was damaged as well. To be able to damage the soul, that Demonic Flower Spirit Rafflesia must be a considerably high ranking Flower Spirit like Diadora.

“Is it not an enjoyable touching experience?”

“That is not the case. Diadora is too attractive and beautiful. I am doing my best to endure my urges, but I feel like I am about to push you down at any moment. I am a healthy man after all.”

“Is it like that? I understand little about romance and marriage so I tend to treat them like a breeze of the wind. So, may I interpret that as you complimenting my attractiveness?”

“You may interpret it so, but please be more vigilant toward the opposite sex.”

“Why do I need to do such a thing? All of the Dryads seem to have an enjoyable friendship with beautiful boys and strong men.”

Dryads are Tree Spirits. Their appearance is of beautiful women fused with trees. Dryads would have sexual intercourse with males of other races in order to take their energy, semen, as food. In addition, they would sometimes drag their most beloved partner inside their real body where they would enjoy and preserve their love in a different time flow, ignoring whatever happens in the outside world. Because of that, Dryads are known as dangerous yet mysteriously glamorous spirits who would sometimes deceive men.

“Dryads are different kind of spirits, and it is best to not imitate their behaviors.”

Apparently this Black Rose Spirit is quite honest and pure in a certain area. You will very likely be deceived by bad magicians if you were to head into a town. In that sense, you are similar to Selia.

While holding such a thought, I pour vitality converted from my dragon power into Diadora’s body. Diadora’s body sucks in my life force like dry ground absorbing water. There upon Diadora’s discolored skin floats a faint rainbow colored light as the darkened skin changes back to its original white color.

“This is...!! I am becoming more and more suspicious of whether or not you are really a human.”

“I’ll be glad if you can just think of me as a mysterious man.”

I reluctantly remove my fingers from feeling Diadora’s skin, and let out a wry smile. Diadora does not seem to like insisting in fruitless questioning, and so questions concerning me are no longer asked.

“A mysterious man… I’ll leave it at that then. Thank you for healing my injury, I offer my gratitude. As a thank you gift, after the battles end and if all goes well, shall we imitate what the Dryads do? Men like you love those sorts of things, yes?”

“It is not okay to propose such a thing even in a teasing manner. Seriously, my sense reason will collapse. Well then… I shall go back to my room.”

“Yes, it was very enjoyable speaking to you. I, myself, find it surprising. May good dreams come your way.”

“Thank you. Even if you do not require sleep, it is still good to rest your body and mind.”

That concludes mine and Diadora’s meeting tonight. It would be a relief if I do not have to witness so many deaths like I did this evening. Tomorrow, I will fight the Devils under the watchful sun and they will regret what they have done tonight.

♦ ♦ ♦

While Dran is sleeping soundly in the village called Sai-West, inside the Hell Gate located in the northern region of Sai-West, four Devil commanders led by Georg are gathered. There are countless faces on the Hell Gate’s frame and one could hear the agony in the dead’s voices. On the Hell Gate, all light is absorbed and none is reflected back. It has a rectangular shape and is made up of obsidian. Standing in front of that Hell Gate and acting as gatekeepers are Georg and Geren. Surrounding the Gate are countless Demonic soldiers which looks like worms wriggling from afar. There is not a single tree in sight and the ground’s color has changed to a deep purple with bubbles swelling all over the terrain. Every time a bubble pops, it releases an odor so foul that would make any living creature want to vomit. Around the Hell Gate, the miasma corrosion continues to worsen. However, even though this part of the forest has lost all of its overflowing life, the beauty caused by the cold moonlight remains unchanged. Although one would want to watch this scenery in silence, loud roaring sounds constantly bellow from the bottom of the Devils’ lungs. Because of the wounds that Dran and Christina inflicted on Georudo, he is now taking his anger out on eight demonic soldiers.

Bou~tsu.

A tremendous sound is heard every time the spear is swung, and with each swing follows five bodies of Demonic soldiers scattering into dust. Furthermore, along with Georudo, Rafflesia also shares the same thought of taking revenge on Dran and Diadora. Rafflesia sits on top of a rock pile and sends her Demonic vanguard soldiers to charge at Georudo. After the Georudo scatters the soldiers to dust, eight more soldiers surround Rafflesia as they are accustomed to. No matter what anyone might say, the sight of Rafflesia sitting on her rocky throne looking down on others makes her seem like a queen. Although her face is emotionless, it is obvious that she is saving her emotions until she faces Diadora again.

“Really now, Georudo and Rafflesia, eight demonic soldiers should be the limit. The soldiers won’t arise without permission you know.”

Geren says bitterly. He then sticks his war ax into the ground, and then leans against it comfortably. Because his face is mostly covered by a helmet, his expression cannot be seen but his lower jaw seems to resemble a human’s. Next to Geren is Georg, who is crossing his arms and staying silent. Georg shows no sign of agitation upon seeing his comrades’ actions. Geren thinks to himself “Is this guy sleeping?” but he quickly dismisses the thought.

“Oi, Georg, what did our Lord say?”

Fortunately Georg replies. He is not dozing off after all.

“The next battle against those two haughty people is going to be exciting. Do as you like. Geren, you yourself look quite eager to fight them.”

“You could say that. After all, that Christina child is of the super-race. She is full of courage and great ability. Although the daughter of the Lamia race, Selia, has yet to harden her snake scales, the upcoming fight is quite promising.”

“Fu fun, you don’t sound very cheery. I am pleased with that man called Dran. It has been a long time since I last enjoyed fighting that much.”

Usually Georg doesn’t act like this, Geren thinks to himself. He wasn’t lying when he said he admired his opponent. Georg has lived for nearly a thousand years, and his opponent is someone that appears every hundred years or so.

“Best of all, it is an unexpected joy that can usually only be achieved in the battles between Gods and Evil Gods. To think I will be able to experience such joy in the mortal world…”

Thirty or more demonic soldiers were blasted sky high making loud noises, interrupting Georg’s words. Eie, Geren discards his good mood mask, takes up his axe that was sticking out of the ground and heads for Georudo. Soon after, the sounds of the quarrel between Geren and Georudo can be heard. Geren hits Georudo in the head and abdomen using his axe, and finally the loud noises made by the demonic soldiers is suppressed. While looking at the sight before his eyes, Georg is visualizing a different matter. The man who identified himself as Dran… his combat abilities, his magic, and his touki reminded him of something… a fragment of an undeniable piece of memory….

“There was a time when the inhabitants and the Evil Gods in Hell were trampled upon, massacred, and shook in fear before the might of an ancient dragon. Any Evil God or Demon Lord would tremble in fear at just the mention of its name. No matter what kind of evil deity it happened to be, all they could do was go into despair and grieve at the thought of facing that dragon. Could it be possible for that terrible dragon to have changed its form into that of a human being?

In any case, this is going to be a fight that can get my blood boiling. Come now, the sooner the better. I am looking forward to this long, long awaited battle.”
[To be continued… ]
=====================================================================
Author’s Note
Sorry if its boring.
=====================================================================
Translator: Binhjamin.
Editors: Firo's Ahoge
Check out the raw here and rate the author. -T.L.