Chapter 4
Go to 14
The office was already up in chaos by the time the adventuring party “Chimes of Dawn” had arrived .
“Yo, Cap . Got the feelin’ ya been hankerin’ to see my face, so I’m here to give ya a visit . ”
“Ah, Eladio! You’re finally here!!”
When the Fighter named Eladio called out to him, Imperial Guards Captain Manfred greeted the four adventurers wholeheartedly .
“Chimes of Dawn” was an Adept level adventuring party, using Terra Ruale, the capital of Ciel-Terra, as a base of operations . The members consisted of Fighter Eladio, the leader, a Thief, a Priest and a Wizard . At first glance, it might seem that their party composition was a bit too stereo-typical, it was actually quite a rare combination of classes . While it was always ideal to have a Priest and Wizard combo, finding a human being who could use magic well enough to live off adventuring was an uncommon occurrence in the first place . Because of that, they were treated as a rare resource .
The “Chimes of Dawn” party was not only skilled in their work, but also renowned as a reliable and credible adventuring party .
The Imperial Guards often asked them for help on various criminal investigations, and they’ve even helped catch fiendish criminals whom the Imperial Guards couldn’t even touch .
“Heard something about an Undead, yeah?”
“Yes, that is correct . One of those executed criminals seem to have risen as an Undead . ”
“‘Undead’ too damn big a class, tells us jack . Which Undead is it, exactly? Even heard this stupid rumor that it’s a ‘Dullahan’ . ” Pierre spat, fed up .
Just a little over 20 was the party’s youngest, Pierre the Thief . He had a sharp tongue and an easy-to-blow temper, a hasty temperament that discriminated against none, even elders . Despite his brash attitude, he was quite skilled in his work and listened to Eladio properly, if only him .
“We are not sure yet . The reports I see are still very confusing…”
“All of ‘em useless, damnit . ” Pierre sighed as Manfred looked down to his feet, apologetic . Even though he wanted to sigh as well .
“There were Knights ’round the place, right? Couldn’t take down even one Undead?”
“Yes, Knights were indeed present . They were present but… We are yet to receive information that anyone has escaped safely, I’m afraid . ”
“Sure, they might not be all that good, but they’re Knights, yeah? So an Undead that killed even them, eh…” Arms crossed over his chest, Eladio sunk into thought .
“Ey, pops, whaddaya think?”
“Well, well…”
Combing through his white, scruffy beard with one hand, long cane held in the other, the old man shook the bowler hat on his head .
Wizard . Real name, unknown, even to Eladio . Preferred nickname, Pops . He was a more or less good-natured, albeit quirky old man . Despite that, he had been adventuring with Eladio for some 10 years, and was a very trusted compatriot .
“For an Undead of such a high level to have spontaneously spawned from the body of an executed criminal, is quite difficult to imagine… . But, unbeknownst to the Knights, if the body were cursed beforehand, it may be plausible . The Knights made a mistake . ” Pops reprimanded with a harsh tone, something he rarely used .
“Gotcha . Like, it wouldn’t be strange if it’s something like that, aye?”
“Mmnー, in the unlikely case it is actually a Dullahan, as an Adept adventuring party, we ought to be a perfect fit, nay?”
“Yeah yeah… Let’s just say it really is a Dullahan and head in . Y’all okay with that?”
“Yup . ” nodded Pierre .
“Of course . ” responded Viisa the Priest at the end .
With slits for eyes and a penchant for being the stoic of the group, he was a priest serving the god of the hearth .
Even though he wore a Priest’s robe, the man was built like a Fighter, and often used the Khakkhara[1] he carried as a makeshift mace . This was a particularly effective strategy against Undead and with how physically strong Viisa was, he could take on two dozens of skeletons at a time without needing to use any magic .
“Even in the bosom of death, these truly pitiful creature walk still the land of the living . Let us bring them to a swift end, so they may rest . ” Viisa spoke, his face stiff like chiseled stone .
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The Undead were the subject of relentless hate (even among clergymen), but to those who reasoned as Viisa did, they were subjects worthy of pity .
”Whichever may be the case, the main problem here is that the people are panicking . There are those getting pushed down and trampled, so there is a steady rise of victims without the Monster needing to lift even a finger . ” Manfred said, fatigued .
No matter how many guards try and stop them, a panicked crowd will not listen . The very presence of a Monster is already a huge threat, and for people to die at the hands of one another in the face of that is simply a tragedy .
“Hmph . It’s quite impossible for me to cover the entire city, but if we do come across such groups, I will cast ≪Calm≫ on them . ”
“I’ll leave it to ya, pops . ” Eladio said .
At that very moment, a guard rushed into the office .
“We’ve found where it is! The west-side main street!”
“Fantastic! Gather our Elites! It is time we march forth! Eladio, I’m… very sorry, but may I ask you to put your payment on my tab?”
“Chill, chill . Just lemme have a share of the goods if it turns out to be an actual Dullahan!”
“Yes, most certainly . ” he replied before he scampered off to rally his troops .
“…an execution, aye? What do you really make of it?” Pops began the moment Manfred was out of sight .
He looked at none in particular, meaning it was a question posed to all present .
“Simply savage and uncultured . I doubt whether this method was at all a necessity . ” Viisa responded first .
To him, a person who believed in the goodwill and kindness of man, it was reprehensible .
“Reeally? If the question is if it’s cruel or not, I’d say it’s cruel . But everyone’s going all ‘Federation’s bad’ and ‘Federation’s puppet King’ that and all . Pretty natural that the old king’s wife and daughter would end up here, right?” Pierre spoke with a sarcasm-laced grin .
While Viisa and Eladio were wanderers and Pops’ birthplace was unknown, Pierre was born in this country .
“Those two weren’t anyone remotely noteworthy . ” Pops pointed out .
“It’s all the same to them, all the same . It’s like that, back when the Federation was sucking the country dry . Lotsa people died, right? And these two were livin’ the high life with the country’s money… . ”
“Speaking as if you were there…”
“Stop it, pops . You too Pierre . ” Eladio stepped in between them .
Pops a lot more sentimental today . What gives?
“If ya ask me, it ain’t how things got here, but how I’m gonna be makin’ a living here on out . Like, hell, it’d be pretty hard to do anything ‘round here if old Manfred gets his head lopped off for saying somethin’ like, ‘I have been an Official since the former king’s time’, ya know?”
“I get that, yeah, but that’s like, not actually gonna happen, right?” said Pierre .
Eladio carefully avoided giving out his actual thoughts on the execution . He felt that if the party opinions were divided, things might go south if he took sides as a leader .
Just then, Manfred came back, prompting a sigh and a light smile on Eladio’s face .
“Apologies for the wait… Please, we are relying on you . ”
“Gotcha . ”
Their brief exchange ended with a fist-bump .
The Elite soldiers, accompanied by “Chimes of Dawn” rushed through the urban landscape filled with screams .
“Over there!” The vanguard Elite shouted .
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At the crossroad in front, there lay countless bodies . Some cut apart, others burnt to charcoal .
And in the middle of the sea of corpses stood a little girl .
No, can we even call that thing a girl?
Beautiful, waving silver hair and a beautiful pair of silver-tinted eyes . Her skin was like the petals of the white rose, a special flower found only in Ciel-Terra .
Her tiny body was wrapped by a worn-out rag acting as a cloak, on it was the emblem of a rose, engraved red by blood .
With her right hand, she held blood frozen to give the shape of a sword, with her left she held her own head .
“Oi, what the hell, it’s really a Dullahan… . !” Pierre spat .
“Hoo…!” Pops sounded, impressed .
“≪Consecration≫!” Viisa immediately used Holy Magic .
Once the bright light emanated by the Khakkhara washed over everyone, their armor and weapons alike began to glow faintly .
“Alright now . With this, ya’ll gonna be damn fine! Any sword blessed will strike down the Undead, any armor and shield will stave off their attacks! Don’t be cowerin’, charge straight! Remember, don’t be showin’ ’em yer back, might get nasty! Worst comes to worst, we gotta hold til the Knights arrive!” Eladio shouted .
“““Aye!””” the guards responded to his rousing .
Swords already drawn, they rush to slay the Undead girl .
“Get her!” Manfred took the lead .
Although he worked as the Capital’s Imperial Guard Captain, Manfred was a capable man, and if he were an adventurer, he would most definitely be an Adept . His usual jobs were desk-work and daily criminal investigations, but if it came down to fights, his skills were as good as, or rather, often surpassed most adventurers .
And yet .
“Eh?” Eladio blurted out, unable to believe what happened right before his own eyes .
With the graceful footwork of a dancer, the girl swung her sword through the air .
At that moment, it passed through Manfred, shredding him like a sword would a straw mannequin for practice .
His sword, his shield, his armor, all cut through like flimsy paper .
The two to three soldiers who followed him immediately scattered, the rest put further distance .
“Viisa! That damn ≪Consecration≫ really working!?”
“Yes! It is still working! But then… Why!?” he shouted back, confused .
≪Consecration≫ was a Holy Magic spell that gave it’s targets a protective Holy buff .
It was just as Eladio had said . Armor blessed with Holy Magic effectively blocked attacks from an Undead .
Attacks from the Undead would not work, while it made their attacks deal much more damage . Supposedly .
Of course, anyone with a high enough level could nullify that defense with a single strike with ease, but…
――Hey, just wait a sec here! He’s not some country bumpkin who keeps watch over a village, and even without ≪Consecration≫, he’s got some heavy stuff on him! Cutting through that so easily, what the hell is that weapon!?
“……≪Holy Arrow≫!” Viisa fired off an offensive Holy Magic Spell .
Light gathered at the tip of his Khakkhara, then split into several arrows before they fired off towards the Undead girl .
It was an easy-to-use Holy Magic spell, worked well against Monsters, and worked even better against Undead .
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Still, the girl only glared at it and… took the hits unguarded . The arrows of light split open, ripping through cloth and flesh .
The already worn-out rag of a cloak became even more worn-out . Underneath, spots of her petal-like skin smoldered black .
However, as if time were being turned back, those wounds knit and closed up .
“Impossible!”
“If it’s around this much damage, there’s no problem, huh…” she caressed the now-healed patches of skin .
It was not unusual for an Undead to have regenerative abilities, but to remain completely intact after being hit with Holy Magic meant the damage output did barely anything .
――What the hell… . ! Just what level is this Undead!
She pointed her sword at the astonished Eladio and began chanting something .
“≪Pain Whip≫”
Several dark strings of lighting surged out of her arm .
Ah- he thought, but at that moment, the dark lightning surged to hit Viisa .
They split, shooting towards several targets at once .
Pierre managed to jump out of the way, but lightning edge on his tail simply changed direction and dug into his back .
Only Eladio and Pops were safe, Eladio being too late to reach the two because of his heavy armor, and Pops being at the rear .
“ agyaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“U-uhyaaaaa!?”
After a moment of writhing in agony as the tip of the lightning tore over both their bodies, they fell to the ground .
Mouths stretched into an unending scream, whites of their eyes turned up, they both had expired .
Several screams resounded at the same time .
The string of dark lightning that split apart in mid air had found their marks . Several soldiers went down .
“Hmm, looks like they’ll die from this too . It’s fine to fight with low-tier magic and save energy too, huh . ”
The voice that evaluated her own work so casually shook Eladio to his core .
≪Pain Whip≫ .
Eladio knew that spell . It worked like a curse, giving immense pain to those hit . That pain made even him cry out, and it had ended up very high on his personal list of ‘Magic I don’t wanna get hit with ever again’ ranking .
But the main point of that spell is to give the target so much pain, they can’t move . What unholy hell amount of magic do you gotta have that it just kills instantly!?
――Shit…! Pierre! Viisa…!
A Dullahan that commanded that level of magic .
Eladio had never heard of such a being existing .
“Pops… Got any clue on what kind of Dullahan uses magic? High ranking stuff . ” Eladio asked as his eyes followed the girl who approached step by step .
There was no reply .
“… . pops?”
“Ahh, your features are an exact copy of your mother’s . You’ve become so beautiful, your grandfather cannot even be upset . ”
Pops stepped forward, cane in hand . The girl did not stop .
“…Lady René, please, return forth to peaceful slumber! ≪Cleansing Fire≫!”
His staff blew a spout of flame .
≪Cleansing Fire≫ . A high-level fire-element spell that was highly effective against Undead and it’s unholy ilk, effective even against Spectres .
It probably had all of his spirit and mana put into it, as a giant fireball spewed out, large enough to block everything out of sight, heading straight towards the Undead girl .
And yet .
“≪Blizzard≫”
“Gyaaaaaaah!!”
“Pops!”
The fire was easily blown away, eroded away by a whirlwind storm of hail and snow .
It rushed with brute force, slamming into pops, tearing him apart limb from limb, until all that was left was mincemeat .
“I see . If the opposite element is used, it offsets the incoming spell, acts as a shield and kills the target too… Eh, but, the wind element is a counter to the earth element, right? Most earth element spells are offensive, so using wind magic to offset it would be kinda hardー Looks like there’s sandstorm spells too but what’s up that logic…” she muttered incessantly, analyzing the battle she was fighting .
This type of carelessness on the battlefield would lead one easily to death, but she was simply too strong for this to even register as a proper battle .
“Well, anyway . This guy here’s got some good equipment on him . Can I properly cut through him?” she looked at Eladio, who was alone at last .
Her head in one hand, sword of frozen blood in the other, the girl approached .
“Ahyaa!” Eladio shook just like the time he had encountered a goblin on his first day of adventuring .
“D-don’t be showin’ ’em yer back… . don’t be showin’ ’em yer back… . don’t be showin’ ’em yer back…” He chanted his own words over and over .
A scarlet light flashed .
“B-back… m-my… back… . ”
“Oh, yes! Right on mark!”
Bubbles of blood dripped out of Eladio’s mouth . In a fraction of a second, the girl had stepped up to his chest and pushed her sword in .
It skewered through his orichalcum armor and into his intestines . She gleefully swung the sword upward, ripping through him without any resistance . Thus Eladio was cut into two equal slices .
Translator: Fried Hedgehog
[1]It’s those staffs with them many jingly ring thingies
For more info, click here .
Ah yes, another day, another chapter, another pile of mince meat . Great .
Well, to be fair, even when she’s cutting people up left and right, René’s still adorable in my head . Especially in that last bit . René, maji murderous! R-M-M!
On another note, the title of this chapter pretty much went over my head . What the hell does Go to 14 mean? It’s not a translation, the author wrote ‘Go to 14’ in English like that . Lemme know in the comments if you have any clue .
Same drive as usual, if you find any mistakes, typos, better wording, grammatical fixes, etc, lemme know in the comments below . I encourage nitpicking . Well, that’s it for this note . See ya next chapter .