Senketsu no Elf Volume 2 Chapter 5

Same as always. Hope to get the interlude and afterword out before the end of the year. Cheers!

Volume 2, Chapter 5 – Sipping the Blood of His Beloved

Saying “You slipped up, fool”–.

Ji Dig Endveil muttered, while overlooking Dierich’s corpse.

His face was grim, his gaze sharp, and his lips gnashed together. While his words were reprimands, they concealed obvious condolences to him, along with remorse to the fact that a young man of the Clan had passed away.

He had that kind of personality since long ago. He was concerned about all the babies that were born with the surname of Endveil, and so he kept on living for the sake of the future of the Clan as his foremost priority, as he was close to them as if they were his own family.

That was the same as his brother Eiis, or, in other words, Ellis’ father.

No – the depth of his emotions could perhaps even surpass Eiis’.

Because Eiis was the Clan Elder and at the same time the king of the Elven Village, he was in the position of considering the future of the tribe as a whole. The king had the duty to treat all sixteen clans equally, and it was not allowed for him to give preferential treatment to his own tribe. Perhaps, he thought that he was to only be concerned about the clan in place of his brother, so that his brother could fulfil his duty as the king of the village.

Therefore, Ji Dig was a strict, yet kind uncle to Ellis.

As a blood relative, as a child of the Clan Elder, ever since she could remember, she had been especially favoured and looked after. Though, rather than Ellis, who was a girl, the boy, Shirjis, liked him. Because he was, even in the village, a swordsman of legendary skill.

Ji Dig was standing in front of her eyes for the first time in four years.

Carrying a sword on his waist, as an enemy of the Imperial Army – as a foe of the one who Ellis loved.

Aside from Imina and the others who stood on guard, Ji Dig squatted down, and patted down the corpse underfoot.

“The funeral comes afterwards, Dierich…… You brave soldier of the Endveil.”

Speaking words of appreciation he stood up, and turned to Ellis once more.

“Well. It has been four years, my niece. So it has become a reunion in an unexpected place.”

“Long time no see, Uncle.”

Her voice, which she squeezed out of her throat, trembled. It was because of the tension, and the fear that followed.

It was from the fierceness of the fighting spirit that was released from his body. If he were to do that just a while ago, the magical beasts would, shuddering, have bowed down before him, and the demons would have fled, crying.

When she spent time with him as a relative, she did not notice it. She felt it from the bottom of her heart, meeting him by chance in the battlefield.

However, she could not falter. She could not be reserved. While Ellis was the niece that would be scolded by her uncle, her companion’s life would unmistakably be lost.

“Did you hear about my circumstances from Dierich?”

“Yes, that is so. ……Regarding this war, that guy was under my command.”

Under the command. In other words,

“So it is you, my Uncle? Why are you exchanging secret agreements with General Dali?”

Scowling, she asked.

The reason for why Ellis and the others had been trapped in the “Small Elven Village”
in the first place had been because they had been caught up in Amaïz’s, and also General Dali’s tricks.

If the Lord of the Forest, Dierich, was under the command of Ji Dig, it would be reasonable to think that the one which had colluded with General Dali and ordered that operation was Ji Dig as well.

However, refusing to narrow his eyes, he asked back.

“Secret agreement? What’s that?”

After that, he knit his brows, as if realizing something,

“……Ah, I see, so that’s the reason. It’s got something to do with the plans of that lady-fox.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s not me. From above, I…… was simply appointed these tactics by imperial decree. Because the one who was in the suitable role to carry that strategy out was Dierich, I left it to him. The result, was a failure. Of course, I definitely couldn’t imagine that you were here, as an enemy soldier.”

In other words, the secret pact which bound them to the human side,

“Anyhow, assuming there was a secret agreement between us and the humans, I wouldn’t think that it would be strange. The current Khan likes that kind of thing all too much. As if giving the snakes in her bosom some bait, and cutting them not only from the front but also from the inside…… Perhaps, we have held those treacherous humans in our arms.”

Radiaata Lilithgrave.

After the death of Ellis’ father, that person, who had taken the throne of the Khan, and begun to invade the humans’ territory–.

Though she had met her once or twice when she was living in the Village, Ellis had a bad impression. She was a woman who had passed thirty, her good lucks giving off a disgusting impression. She was somewhat creepy, and Ellis did not know her true nature.

“And is that truly all right for you, Uncle?”

Spontaneously remembering the unseasonable, she took one step forward. She could not bear it. She could not give in without saying anything.

“Even if she is the Khan, should you just quietly follow her? Aren’t you just being used as mere pawns, executing what she says without understanding the intentions of her plans?”

The Ji Dig that Ellis knew was a proud swordsman. From her surroundings too, she had heard that he was a noble man who had devotedly tempered his skills of the sword only for the sake of the Clan.

The gash over his right eye was said to have been from a time when the sixteen Clans had been in skirmishes with each other, where he had fought alone in front of ten-odd enemies. For the Endveil, it was a heroic tale.

“In this battle…… in this battle, what meaning does that have? How is it justifiable? For what reason must we fight this war?”

Despite that – why? Why was he, at this point of time, fighting that kind of battle in such a place?

“Do you truly wish for such a battle, Uncle? If the Clan Elder…… if my father were alive, this war would definitely never have occurred!”

Why he had, four hears ago, fought such a battle in Salaid–.

Ji Dig quietly responded to her half-screamed accusations.

“That is so, just like that.”

But, that was completely different from what Ellis wished for,

“……That would be if Eiis still was alive, yes. However, he is dead. And so, this war blazed up. That is an unalterable fact. Therefore, I will only wield my sword for the Endveil, under that fact.”

Mercilessly, that there was no other way,

“Your older brother, Shirjis, also chose that path. Focusing on the reality, he had to move his best as the Clan Elder, for the sake of the Clan. Different from you, who doesn’t understand what the meaning of Eiis’ death was, not acknowledging that the world has changed.”

Cool-headedly, that there was no other way.

“Gah…… that’s.”

She bit her lips.

She could understand what Ji Dig was saying. Because Ellis had continued to think about it since four years ago – the reason why Shirjis had killed Imina and Uruha, and razed Salaid to the ground.

Because her brother had loved everyone in the village just as much as Ellis did. She thought that he was thinking that Imina was his best friend, that he loved Uruha, and that he thought of Lill as his own mother. Therefore, that kind of violence couldn’t just spring up without any reason. He would not do that without thinking about it.
Surely, it was for the Endveil Clan.

As his father had died and Radiaata had become the new Khan, the state of affairs of the Elven Village had changed at once. In other words, from coexisting with the humans to hostilities, from nonaggression to invasion.

The Endveil Clan was forced to make a decision.

Would they abide by the intentions of the Khan, Radiaata, or would they succeed the dying wishes of Aiis? If it was the former, they would need to plainly show the fact that they were obedient to her. In the latter case, they would need to fight against the Lilithgrave Clan. The atmospheres, and the ideas from the other sixteen Clans, enveloped the entire Elven Village, and various motives intersected. The result of thinking among them – was that Shirjis was chosen to be the new Clan Elder.

Taking over the Endveil Clan, he severed the ties to the humans.

And, by standing as the very most prominent person suggesting an attack on Salaid, he was guaranteed a political position in the government of Lilithgrave. Everyone in the clan would surely thank him. Therefore, Ji Dig was that imposing. Without caring about Ellis’ reprimands and the likes, even if they were to fight and do as they were told by Radiaata, simply because it was a matter of the Endveil’s pride.

She could understand that it was a bitter decision. She thought that he seemed to be an older brother with a strong sense of responsibility.

“……Still.”

Yes – still.

She raised her face. Instead of biting her lips, she grit her teeth.

“For me……it’s different. I was not really allowed to acknowledge my father’s death.”

If her older brother were to choose the Endveil clan and truncate the bonds between Imina and the others,

“It has no relation to your father. I am here through my own intent only.”

She had done the opposite to her brother, and that was that.
Choosing her relationship with Imina and discarding the Endveil clan, simply that and nothing else–.

“As for me, I’m already Ellis, nothing more. I’m not one of the Endveil, and not one of the Elves. I am beside this person as a single woman. And I am fighting together with this person!”

“I see.”

Ji Dig answered Ellis’ declaration, resolutely to the end.

“I understand the strength of your emotions. Because it has, for that reason, resurrected the dead.”

He spoke as if to blame her.

Naturally, her uncle knew about Ellis’ “Common Technique”. Her brother had also seen it with is own eyes when he had killed Imina. Combining her special characteristic “Crimson-Stained Water Lily”
and the fact that a person that was supposed to be dead was in that place – it was a simple guess what Ellis had specifically done to Imina.

However, that was the story if the person which he saw actually was Imina, alive.

Ji Dig did not hide his expression of astonishment.

“Honestly speaking, I was surprised. I didn’t think that was Shirjis imagined it. Certainly, if you use your organic necromancy, your chance of success will increase.”

Infusing a dead body with a great amount of spirit energy, and resurrecting life.

Among the history of the Elven Tribe, it was not like that there was no precedent that had tried to do that. Rather, it could be said that the past was riddled with precedents. It was a matter of course that one would want to resurrect someone who had died an unforeseen death, as there was such a possibility in the organic necromancy. Even in the fairy-tales of blighted love that were passed down among the Elves, that kind of passage could be called a staple.

However, in both the actual history and the fairy-tales, there was no tale of a revival of a deceased that had succeeded. To be exact – while the resuscitation of the body had succeeded, they had failed to call back the dead. Even if the pulsation of the heart had restarted and the body had come back to life, the heart was broken.

Even if there were memories of their lifetime, they would be vague, their personality would transform, and it was doubtful that their intelligence would be normal. Instead of them having a mind, madness would reside within them, and they would have no reason, but brutality instead.

Therefore, the conclusion to those fairy-tales were always the one of blighted love, and at the same time a caution. Evocations could not resurrect the dead. Even if they were forcefully resurrected, they would live in nothing but sorrow. Therefore, the souls of the dead were to peacefully rest in the spirit vein–.

Of course, Ellis perfectly knew about that matter. Even when she had decided to resurrect Imina, she was ready for the worst result. However, she still risked it. Her own spiritual characteristics – if she were to use her blood, with an uncommonly large amount of spirit energy stored in it, as an intermediary, she wondered if she was able to hold on to his soul as well? She thought that there was value in trying it. Therefore, she did it.

“That boy, is he really normal? It would, indeed, be unimaginable that he is completely unbroken.”

Ji Dig asked, with a quizzical expression.

While it was a question that was justified for the Elves, it was nothing more than a question that insulted Imina.

“Surely, it isn’t as if you are laying aside a broken doll next to you so that you feel comforted? Surely, it isn’t as if you have lost your mind and gone crazy, without being able to accept the sadness that you have lost a person that you love, right?”

“……gah!”

At those many words, she fiercely glared at Ji Dig.

Did he think that she never had considered that possibility?

Perhaps she succeeded only in resuscitating Imina’s body, failing to resurrect his spirit?

That he no longer was who he was before, that his soul couldn’t return to the spirit vein and would suffer. Perhaps, after she had broken the heart of the one who she loved, she had brought upon herself the folly of loving a broken doll – did he really think that she never had thought about it?

Four years ago, when Imina just had been resurrected. She thought about it every day.

Anguished, seeing it in nightmares, trapped by anxiety and fear, her heart had been tormented so much that she had vomited blood.

However, there was a person that had saved Ellis from that.

Saying that everything was fine, and that she wasn’t to worry. Someone held Ellis strongly with the same face, the same voice, and the same kindness that he had possessed even before the evocation was performed.

As if to look after Ellis, Imina had walked out one step ahead.

Yes. He had told her.

“Don’t be silly. I’m me.”

Yes – he told her.

Imina smiled.

He was gentle toward Ellis. Coming after, he was fierce toward Ji Dig.

“If I happen to be broken, that is not because of Ellis’ evocation. It’s because of you bastards. ……The fact that you are alive and breathing is breaking me.”

He did not falter anymore.

Without being timid in front of the pointed sword energy that Ji Dig was releasing, he received it from directly opposite, in order to vent his rage – his fighting spirit and urge to kill.

“For the sake of the Endveil clan? The path that you choose? Like I fucking understand it. The world has changed? That you did your best? ……Don’t you fucking speak of those jokes in front of me.”

The vigour, in the arm that he held his sword in, rose. Power was overflowing in the feet that he trampled down on the grass with.

The glinting eyes that he glared at the enemy with, were full of fire.

“When your world changed, why did you need to involve us? Are you saying that slaying us was the very best outcome for you? Even though I don’t know splendid in their wonderfulness your options were…… don’t you be fucking proud and boast of the results that you have chosen in front of the very opponents that you crushed underfoot due to those options.”

“Young lad, so the reason for why you’re here is what, revenge?”

Ji Dig calmly took a breath.

“So you threw yourself toward the army because of your revenge to us, and then you had a face-to-face encounter with me in the middle of battle like that…… what a fortunate event. However, it may be the decision of destiny. Because the one who resurrected you and brought you to this place is my relative by blood, Ellis.”

As if he was talking to himself.

“In that case, it would be my duty as an uncle to cut off the destiny that is linked to the faults that my niece has perpetrated. I will consign you to oblivion once again, and I will bring my niece back home. And then – shall I leave behind only that kind of good fortune that I have found Ellis, whose whereabouts were unknown?”

As if vowing to himself–.

As he finished speaking, he unsheathed his sword which lay on his waist.

It was a wooden sword, which faintly imitated a straight sword. Of course, it was not just a simple wooden sword. It was named a Mystical Sword. When one scraped down the core of the large oak which mysteriously grew in the middle of the “Elven Village”
and spread spirit energy throughout it, it turned into a sharp blade, chopping everything up more brilliant than any of the swords forged by man.

“Don’t you fucking fuck around. I fucking despise that haughty attitude that you bastards have.”

As if to respond, Imina spat that out, as if gnawing his teeth.

Then, readying his sword and bending his knees,

“I will make your arrogant mouth shut the fuck up!”

He sprinted toward Ji Dig with that angry voice.

Ji Dig brilliantly fended off the powerful strikes from above.

Immediately after warding them off, he raised up his mythical sword in a flash. He aimed after Imina’s neck. Without trying to restore his crumbling body, Imina avoided it just by bending his knees and twisting his body. Furthermore, utilizing the power from his upper body that he twisted back, he made an irregular counterattack, diagonally below, with an orbit that looked like it made a circle.

In that time, Ji Dig had taken a small leap backwards. Imina, whose body rotated, attacked low like a beast; his body crawling on all fours, as if he was lying face down.
One blow aimed at the feet. It was stopped by a wooden sword.

“HAH!”

Not minding the details, he gradually raised his posture while showering random attacks. It looked frantic, but in fact, the orbits were refined. Subjecting only Ji Dig, he did not allow any counterattacks.

While hitting again and again with his sword, Imina shouted.

“Milifica!”

To his comrades, which were watching over the situation, holding their breaths.

“Take everyone with you, out of the forest!”

Milifica showed a bewildered, and later a hesitating, expression.

“Imina…… But, we’re.”

“Don’t mind me! This guy’s an enemy for me and Ellis…… we’ll do it!”

Ellis also thought that was what they were to do.

With Dierich’s death, the evocation where they were losing their way had already been removed. And, now when Imina was distracting Ji Dig, it was good opportunity for withdrawal.

“Hey, boy, don’t say those selfish things.”

Ziadrene said, with a mixture of reprimand and indignation in his voice.

Yet, restraining the volume of his voice so that he wouldn’t disturb Imina’s concentration,

“But it seems like he ain’t sweet enough to accompany you alone.”

“You’re wrong…… That’s not it!”

Instead of him, who was frantically continuing to wield his sword, Ellis answered.
Ji Dig was not “not sweet enough to accompany Imina and Ellis alone”.

“It’s getting even worse…… At this rate, everyone will be done in!”

He was “not sweet enough to accompany everyone in the Order of Chivalry”–.

“A good choice, Ellis.”

While brushing away Imina’s sword again and again, Ji Dig laughed.

“But, have I taught you about my ‘Common Technique’?”

He had neither taught, not shown her.

Since Ji Dig had known Ellis since the time she was born, he was naturally familiar with her common technique. However, that was not so for Ellis. It was a difference if they were parent and child or grandparent and grandchild, but the connection of being uncle and niece was not one to freely teach their own unique evocations. Therefore, the details were unknown to her.

However, she had heard about it, if only by hearsay.

Ji Dig Endveil’s unique evocation – his common technique, was suitable for taking on many people with only one person. He had power that would be enough to face troops with only one person and triumph.

“Everyone, please go!”

More than not knowing what kind of evocation it was, she couldn’t explain. That was frustrating.

However, she had not chance but to have it granted unto her.

Therefore, she raised her voice,

“I beg you, leave this to us!”

Glancing at the screaming Ellis as if pitying her, Ji Dig coldly spoke.

“……Unfortunately, it’s too late.”

Stopping the blow with his sword that he swung ten-odd times from right in front, he shouted. Imina’s body flew in the air, and was hurled a full five metres backward.

That extraordinary strength was because of inorganic necromancy. Yes – at that time, Ji Dig had finally applied a body-strengthening evocation to himself.

Why had he been crossing swords without applying body-strengthening to himself until then?

It was not because he despised Imina. It was not that there hadn’t been any time for him to use it.

It was because he had been focusing on another evocation, that his hands hadn’t been active to that point.

When Ellis had realized it, it was already too late.

“So, this is the first time that I show it to you…… I wish I never would have an opportunity to do so, were it possible. Anyhow, it’s an useless power, only useful in the battlefield.”

He slowly lowered his sword, speaking words of repentance.

He closed his eyes while restraining Imina with his presence alone.

And so, Ji Dig Endveil took a deep breath.

He calmly took the words which served as the “Common Name” to his “Common Technique” in his mouth.

“……’Army Crusher'”

That moment – Ellis’ entire body was assailed by a feeling which seemed to grate her down like thunder.

“……ah!?”

Imina seemed to not feel anything at all. The same for Milifica, Sashtal, and Ziadrene. In other words, it was not that Ji Dig had unleashed his thirst for blood and sword energy.
The one who was able to perceive it was Ellis, and then yet another,

“What, the hell…… Is this?”

Only Fiene, who similarly was an Elf.

The reason for that was because it was spirit energy.

Along with the spirit energy from the surroundings which created a storm-like tempest, there was an impact which ran through her back.

It closely resembled when one had been subjected to an extreme variation in atmospheric pressure, or the buzzing in one’s ears when diving in water. In other words, that kind of things. The spirit energy from the ground suddenly flowed somewhere, in a large quantity.

The destination could be unknown even to Fiene, who was particularly good at perceiving spirit energy. Thinking that, she swiftly looked at her. Her line of sight was toward another place, toward the depths of the forest. However, as soon as she started to swimmingly move her eyes here and there – the colours of astonishment and terror came to be in her eyes.

Fiene muttered, in a daze.

“It’s not, a……lie.”

A few seconds after that, Ellis too understood what had happened within the depths of the forest in front of her eyes.

The demons. A dozen or so Ogres, Orcs, and Goblins slowly drew near.

However, they weren’t just demons. If they were a simple group of demons, they would be opponents that had been defeated however many, dozens of times until then. Fiene did not have that expression.

They were corpses.

Some demons had their arms ripped off, and some demons had their bodies sliced into two. Some demons lacked necks, and some demons dragged along their own entrails. Some demons lacked a foot, and some demons had lost their entire lower body but still dragged themselves forward with their arms.

They were living corpses, which had died yet been forced to move through an evocation.
In other words, that was,

“Have a good look, and tremble. At my evocation, ‘Army Crusher’.”

Ji Dig’s Unique Evocation. Was it the “Common Evocation” that was bestowed with a “Common Name”?

“It’s a joke…… It’s fucking bullshit.”

Fiene grumbled, with a faint smile on her face. While it was like she was joking, her tone of voice was startled.

Ellis too had the same feeling. That it was bullshit.

In order to operate organisms other than oneself using organic necromancy, one would need to borrow spirit energy from the Spirit Veins in the earth in order to supply the necessary spiritual power for manipulation, after connecting the spirit paths of the target with oneself. However, connecting to more than two places and maintaining the spirit paths meant preposterous hardship. It was impossible for Dierich, who had fought earlier on. Therefore, there was a chance to take advantage of that misconception, and he would be able to defeat them.

While the appearance of Ji Dig’s “Army Crusher” was similar to Dierich, it couldn’t be compared with it.

There were dozens of demon corpses, and manipulating them while at the same time connecting their spirit paths and infusing them with spirit energy – let alone doing it separately with both hands, it would be described like writing different sentences with each of one’s ten fingers.

That was the reason why he didn’t strengthen his body while crossing swords with Imina. If he were to do that many simultaneous connections in the background, he would not be able to send the evocation around to his own body.

Ellis and Fiene’s bodies shuddered and stiffened in fear. And all the thoughtful people saw the appearances of the two, came to notice that it wasn’t just a simple matter, and were cautious.

Therefore, the first one who moved was a person who was unable to judge the situation.

“Don’t you fucking call for those creepy fucking things!”

One of Ziadrene’s followers shouted and stabbed the corpse of an Orc.

Or perhaps, he thought that the Order of Chivalry was overawed, and thought that he could work them up if he couldn’t raise their fighting spirits. However, that was shallow thinking.

“I’ll fucking go and fuck it up!”

He struck his club – his magic wand, clad in a wave of heat, on the head of the corpse of a demon.

The evocation that emitted the heat wave was, even among the flame system, an evocation specialized to cause trauma. Unlike the flames which had the main purpose to remove people’s field of vision or to obstruct their breathing, it would inflame skin with only the heat itself. Therefore, if it were a normal demon, it would probably recoil from sharp pain, at the very least.

However, those were corpse-demons.

It was something that would be known only to Ellis and the others, who could sense the flow of spirit energy, but the demons’ biological activities had already ceased. In other words, they were moving in a dead state. Ji Dig did not resuscitate the dead, but manipulated their corpses just as they were.

What was meant with that they weren’t alive?

They did not breathe. They would continue to move as long as their source of power, the spirit energy, was supplied to them. And, no matter how much their bodies were wounded, they would not flinch from pain, or anything.

“Stop it…… Step back, Leivis!”

Fiene’s act of constraint was but one second too slow.

Even if Ziadrene’s henchman – Leivis – had shot a heat wave that burned the Orc’s head.

Even if its nose, resembling a wild boar’s, was blistered, its eyes inflamed, even if its eyeballs were boiling.

For the corpse-demons, they were bagatelles; nothing more than external stimuli.

The Orc responded, roughly mowing him down with its left arm.

Skin, organs, and flesh made a sound as if they were broken, smashed to pieces, and crushed, all at the same time.

It wasn’t only from the side that had received the attack, but also from the attacking side; even as the Orc’s arm twisted, it was a blow that didn’t change.

Leivis danced in mid-air as if he was a piece of paper that had been blown on.

His body was furiously beaten by a nearby tree. A short while later, he feebly slipped down the trunk. Traces of blood, which clung to the trunk, stained it. No matter how one would look at it, it was an instant death.

Only Leivis’ club was left behind in the Orc’s head. Even if it had gotten stuck in its head, the spikes sticking out, it did not have the feelings to care.

And, the opening drama had not ended with only that.

“It’s a li……”

Someone muttered just a few words. As if it were nonsense. As if it were a nightmare.

It wasn’t as if they were trembling from the Ogre’s strangeness.

It was a murmur while they were gazing at their comrade’s – Leivis’ – corpse.

“He……”

That Leivis, who had just only been killed, with a squnch.

As if he had been pulled from above with a silk reeling, as if he had a spring inside him,

“……What joke’s, that?”

He stood up.

Slumping, his neck turned away. His arm, on the side that had been mowed down by the Orc, twisted.

To all appearances, he was a corpse. Nevertheless, Leivis stood up.

Standing up – slowly joining the corpse-demons, he joined the circle that besieged the Order of Chivalry.

“So that’s what it is.”

Ziadrene, disgustedly, scoffed.

Mending his posture with his big hatchet, he took a deep breath with the sound of cutting through cloth.

“Don’t you fucking fuck with me. It’s beyond a fucking joke, this is.”

“Army Crusher” – surely, that was the “Army Crusher”.

It was the most terrible evocation, which could destroy military troops with one single man.

“Ellis!!”

It was Imina who called back Ellis, who dumbfounded overlooked the situation’s, consciousness.

Taken aback, she stared at Imina.

Their gazes meeting, she mutely nodded. With just that, she immediately understood the words that he wanted to say, what he wanted her to do. Yes – surely, she had no chance but to do it.

In other words, the unleashing of “Exellis” through the Crimson-Stained Water Lily.

Originally, that would be their trump card. Besides it shaving away Ellis’ life, it also imposed an enormous burden on Imina’s body. Therefore, what would be desirable would be to do their best at first, and only use it when it was unbearable, no matter what. As they had decided that it was to be a secret power, they wouldn’t want to show it to Ziadrene and the others if it were possible. A while ago, that had happened, and they said to the others that they were to escape ahead of them.

However, the the situation no longer accommodated for that to be taken into consideration.

They were dead soldiers which didn’t feel pain and were unable to kill even one tried to, which probably would continue to move forever if one didn’t render them lumps of meat. In addition, if an ally were to be killed, they would become the enemy’s numbers just like that.

There was but one way to stop them. It was to bring down Ji Dig. And if that downbringing were to be delayed, the victims would multiply just like that. That being the case, that wasn’t the time for hesitation.

Returning the nod, Ellis began to run toward Imina.

Imina held his sword as to pierce Ellis’ body with its crimson blade.

And–.

His eyes suddenly opened wide.

His eyes were tinged in surprise. Following, uneasiness started to peek through.

It was at the same time that Ellis wondered what she was to do.

“Eh……”

Something chilly, the feeling of a horrible sensation fell upon her back.

Even though she should have started running, her feet didn’t move – nor her entire body. Her arms were forcibly moved toward her both sides. They were bound behind her back by someone in the background.

She felt a profound spirit energy. However, it was not the presence of someone alive. It was a power so overwhelming that she would be unable to shake free from it even if a body strengthening evocation were to be applied on her body.

However, rather than dealing with her movements, it was simply strong. She could not hear its breaths. However, what stank was the reek of blood that almost was vomit-inducing.

There was nothing acting as an obstacle behind her head, in other words,

“Dierich’s……!?”

Through “Army Crusher”, Ji Dig was manipulating Dierich’s corpse and binding Ellis.

“Ellis!”

Imina, who just was about to rush over to her, his eyes completely stained with the colour of impatience.

The enemy would not allow that.

“Kuh……!”

He stood in front of Imina – as if to make sure to divide the two.

“Be that as is may that you committed the foolish act of running away, you are my important niece. I can’t afford to give that to you.”

Had he inferred, through his warrior’s intuition, that Ellis and the others were going to make a mess? Or was it, purely what he had said, that he had to punish her as her uncle for doing whatever she pleased?

Either way, it was exceedingly problematic.

Seeing the disadvantages of the situation, Milifica cried together with him.

“All hands, deploy in groups of three people, and take distance from the enemies!”

She was calm to the end. At least, it seemed so from her commanding tone of voice and her resolute attitude. Wouldn’t be the fruits of the labours of her having lead a company to fight many times as the commander?

“Sashtal and Fream, escort Raimi. Without minding the enemy, Raimi, pick out an invocation that seems to be useful from your grimoires. Fiene, if you have any amazing ideas, please propose them now. Ziadrene, I entrust the battle command of your group members to you. Afterwards, while barely scraping through, we will attempt to rescue Ellis. The priorities should, first of all, be to not die, and the second to rescue Ellis. The last priority is the monsters, please devote yourselves to nonaggressive defence. It is forbidden to recklessly try to bring one down!”

The instructions that she began with were accurate, and her reactions were the very best.

Milifica knew about “Exellis”. Confident that the state of affairs could be defeated if Ellis could come into contact with Imina, she moved her comrades for that purpose only.
She ground her teeth in frustration and miserableness.

Imina immediately made a decision and tried to move.

Milifica is conducting herself so bravely. Yet, what the hell am I doing?

By just helplessly getting caught, I have worsened the situation–.

Encased in self-hatred, she put his entire body’s strength in twisting around. While doing that, she desperately thought.

Even if I use an evocation that strengthens my body, I would show no chances of shaking free from it. Then, if I could manipulate the surrounding trees, wouldn’t I be able to do something? No, I’m bad at evocations which manipulate organisms. Simply put, it doesn’t seem likely that I can gain power from the vegetation enough to be able to break the deadlock of this situation.

That’s right, maybe we could use the “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” to consume the spirit energy that flows to Dierich’s corpse. In that case, if I somehow got into contact with blood – my own blood, or.

“I don’t think you can slip out.”

Ji Dig’s appearance from behind, sensing Ellis’ struggling presence, mercilessly announced.

“Shouldn’t you know that even since you were very young? You are third-rate as a user of organic necromancy. Your skills in both body strengthening and the manipulation of organisms are both worse than average. You’re facing this kind of fighting scene in the first place. Your sole forte is “Crimson-Stained Water Lily”, but…… did you think that I wouldn’t take any countermeasures?”

Together with his words, the grass under her feet grew into vines, rustling.

Manipulating the vegetation while using a “Common Technique”.

While the grass wriggled as if it were tentacles and grew thick enough to be rope, it bound Ellis’ both wrists. Furthermore, her arms were pinioned, and she was further secured so that she couldn’t move her elbows.

Next, the vine which crawled up from the body, entwined from her chin to her mouth. As she was forced to open her mouth, it twined around it and became a gag.

Even her five fingers couldn’t feel anything. She wasn’t even allowed to bite her tongue.

No matter how much she twisted around, that wouldn’t be enough to harm herself, and so therefore, shedding blood – to use her Common Technique, was impossible.

“uh……Gu, mu!”

She even tried to shake her head as if to resist, but even that wish didn’t come true.
Tears ran in Ellis’ eyes. She, who was incapable of doing anything, was unbearably frustrated.

While glancing at Ellis, who was bound in such a way that she was unable to endure it, from his edge of sight, Imina grew impatient.

I was one move too late.

That regret tormented his chest.

When he originally had been crossing swords with him, it was obvious that the bastard’s body wasn’t in the state where he was using a body-strengthening evocation. If they only had set “Exellis” free at that time, they could have won without doing anything more. Assuming that he probably only was looking down at them, the result of that was that Imina attacked him normally.

Of course, it was only a what-if story of regret.

Because the enemy wasn’t an idiot, it would be obvious for him to change his responses according to their situation. If Imina were to improve his physical strength by using “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” earlier, he would have halted the Common Technique that he was proceeding with in the background and opposed him using a body-strengthening evocation too.

In the first place, it was powerful, but the time limit was short. That Ellis was wearing out from the intense power was evident to even a bystander. In that case, it would do if they were to see it and withdraw at once, waiting for the effect to wear off while continuing their work.

In other words – however much Imina and the others took measures as best as they could, wouldn’t Ji Dig definitely surpass them? That was the unavoidable result, and for that reason it was an unbearable disgrace.

“Hrm…… Certainly, that looks pretty good, for a human.”

Easily evading Imina’s sideway sweep, Ji Dig barked.

“Especially the speed is worthy of admiration. It’s dangerous even if it is worse than the evocations which originate from us Elves.”

He felt wrath in his heart; “Don’t be an idiot!”

Or course. Since four years ago, that day when he had lost his arms and legs to Shirjis – because even if he were living, what was within that blade was desperation which had been forged again and again; him not wanting to lose.

Of course, there were limits to his physical abilities and reaction speed.

Therefore, he had learned a sword art to make up for that, in order to kill. It was a technique that somewhat deviated from what was called fencing and was different from the norm, an unorthodox school that didn’t have forms. It was something where one accumulated wisdom only in order to win over the enemy, and only pursued skill to kill the enemy. It was a school where one only investigated how to pierce the enemy’s gaps, to read their blind spots, to weave one’s way through breathing, and to expose the enemy’s attacks without getting attacked oneself.

The person who was his teacher was severe and unforgiving. Four years, since he had reached the point that his work had permeated into his very body, making him able to move without thinking. There hadn’t been a day where he wasn’t close to death. His heart had literally even stopped many times over. Was it possible that that very accumulation – the result of his persistence, was lost so easily?

He evaded, predicting the swift mystical sword which was slashed diagonally at him, from only its prior motion. Flinging up soil from under his feet, he restrained the enemy’s field of vision while going round and cutting into his blind spot. The opponent’s field of view should have been narrowed down to one eye.

Aiming at his throat, he thrust his sword straight ahead.

“Cheeky bastard!”

With a short cry, the point of his sword flew through the air. His outlandish physical strength, caused by his inorganic necromancy, had transited from a defensive movement in a resting state to its maximum speed in an instant, surpassing the limit that could be coped with.

Ji Dig leapt backwards, out of range. And, kicking the ground with his feet in that way, he once again drew near and attacked, with one step. Imina, who just had attacked, could not avoid it.

But – there was no need to evade it.

Even for the opposite side, it was a hasty counterattack. As far as Imina could see, Ji Dig wasn’t in a posture as to unleash a fatal stroke from his direction. Therefore the trajectory of his sword would be limited. If it were restricted, it would be possible for him to anticipate it. If he could anticipate it, he could do the safe thing, using his sword in orbit.

With a brraink.

The wooden mystical sword, cut from trees while having the sharpness to even cut through iron, and the gem-like, deeply translucent crimson one-handed sword that was in fact not even made of mineral, crashed together with a strange sound.

The impact was fierce.

Imina’s arms sprung up with his sword.

Of course, that was a gap.

The opponent was sure to take another step in order to pursue him. His reaction was slightly slow. Therefore, he had predicted before he could see it, that he could conversely set the opponent aside by using the force of the jump.

Taking a defensive posture as one elbow crossed over his back, he somersaulted, increasing the distance. Just as expected, the enemy’s sword flew through the air – just as he had predicted.

“I’ll correct myself, boy.”

Ji Dig spoke to Imina, who confronted him, standing up after he had increased the distance.

“Saying that it’s ‘pretty good’ is out of the question. It’s unfortunate that you were left as a human.”

“Is your intention to praise me? But, that’s an insult to me.”

He glared with an intent to kill – in truth, it was a bluff.

It probably was too blatant for his opponent.

“I’m sorry to say that I’m not praising you. It’s the opposite…… It’s regrettable. If you were to be born an Elf, you would surely find a good match.”

His eyes, that looked at Imina, held a deeper colour of pity than respect.

“……Kuh.”

He unconsciously ground his teeth.

What that bastard had said, was completely correct.

“Perhaps, your skill allows for a fifty-fifty chance against me in my base state, yeah. Of course, even that is worthy of admiration. People who can fight me as equals are numbered, even in the Elven Village.”

In other words, it appeared as if Imina’s sword art had reached the same level as those people who had continued to train until their prime of life. It was certain that it was “a thing that was worthy of admiration”.

–If it were to that extent.

“However, in this state where I have performed an evocation, it would be two parts to eight at the most. No…… One part to nine parts. I’m just crossing swords and making up the numbers, but I guess you would understand if you have that degree of skill?”

He understood. While he didn’t want to admit it, he knew it.

He had managed to somehow evade the attack. His appearance was also as if he could counterattack.

However, that was all. And in order to accomplish that much, he had to strain his body and focus with complete devotion so much that there was no time to even blink.

And if he were to continue fighting, his stamina would decrease some time, and his concentration wear away. In other words, if the enemy were to wait for Imina to grow fatigued, it would be nothing but a battle where the win would fall into their lap.

“There is no factor in me winning over you. That is the innate difference which stretches between Elves and humans.”

Ji Dig’s words interminably got on Imina’s nerves.

“If my evocation is limited to strengthening my own body, it’s second-rate in the Elven Tribe. However, just by adding that second-rate technique, the likelihood of your sword reaching my body is impossibly low.”

Even after those four years had passed, was it still not enough?

The countless occasions where he had been close to death had accumulated, yet he couldn’t reach him?

Or was the reason for why he unable to compare with him just because he was born that way–?

“……Shut up.”

However, yet.

“That’s unrelated. Those things mean nothing to me.”

Imina had no choice of giving up, or anything of the sort.

Did that mean to give up on the past – that tragedy where everyone in the village of Salaid, his mother, and his sister, had died?

Did that mean to give up on what was happening now – on the imprisoned Ellis, and the matter of Milifica and the others?

Did that mean to give up on the future – on meeting Shirjis again, and piercing his sword into that bastard’s heart?

Don’t you fucking kid me. I would rather die than give up on that.

No – if I were to give up so much that I died, I wouldn’t be able to live now. 

“Be it two parts or one part, I will go and collect my victory. By taking your head. If I don’t do that…… I don’t have any reason to live!”

Imina charged with a roar.

He crawled in a low posture as to shorten the distance, and slashed with a sideways sweep.

“Indeed, I understand. In that case, I will, at least, accept your resolution as a soldier.”

Ji Dig answered Imina, sighing.

Ziadrene formed a circle with Milifica and Fiene, and dealt with the corpse-demons.

Frankly, the progress of the battle was unfavourable.

Even though the enemy was slow, they were so resilient that they were fearsome. To the degree as if to say that bringing them down would be impossible. In that sense, it could be said that Milifica’s order was correct. Holding the wish that one were to bring down the corpses that would not stop moving unless they were rendered into small pieces of flesh while in front of them would be foolish.

While restraining them with magical swords and taking the distance, they drew them in as they approached, approaching them as they were drawn in. Other people, not only them, also took strategies that were roughly similar.

In Ziadrene’s opinion, the ones which had a possibility of breaking the current deadlock were those two, Fiene and Raimi. However, that pair seemed to have hopelessly small chances.

Fiene was attempting to dispel the control of the corpse from a moment ago. She was trying to do the same thing as in the previous battle, to snatch away away the vegetation manipulator’s leadership. However, it seemed that there was a remarkable difference in the rank of evocation used by Ji Dig and that Elf. The face of the girl who was closing her eyes in concentration next to him was full of anguish, suggesting that that achievement would be endlessly difficult.

Raimi was about ten metres away, frantically turning the pages of her grimoire while defended by Sashtal and Fream. If one were to only judge from her appearance, it seemed that she was working hard. However, she was intrinsically a girl who could immediately track down an evocation most suitable for the state of the battle from her thick grimoires. That took time – in other words, it meant that the optimum evocation wasn’t in the grimoire.

Well, if it was a load too heavy for both Fiene and Raimi, what were they to do?

“Oi, little girl.”

Ziadrene asked from Milifica, who was preparing the Order of Chivalry to restrain the corpse-demons.

While her instructions generally were precise, there was but one thing whose intention was unreadable.

“What is it?”

That was,

“If we help that young girl, Ellis, will it work out?”

It was about the priority of their actions.

He understood the first thing, which was to not die. That was something very typical for that sweet little princess. However, why was the second priority that they were supposed to do “Ellis’ rescue”?

He thought that she had expressed the feeling that she wanted to help her imprisoned comrade, but that seemed to be incorrect.

In the first place, that they were to “Not die”, wasn’t an order for all intents and purposes, but rather something resembling an encouraging salute. In that case, why was “Rescuing Ellis” the top priority of the concrete orders?

If he were to think back on that while doubting that there was a reason for prioritizing that, Milifica’s face was seemingly convinced as if – as long as Ellis was recued, the state of affairs could be defeated.

Milifica answered Ziadrene’s question after a few moments.

“It will.”

“In what way?”

“Concretely, it’s Imina and Ellis. If those two fight together, we will probably win over the enemy.”

–I see.

The relationship between Imina and Ellis closely resembled the one between Ziadrene and Fiene. In other words, it was a team between a human and an Elf. The cooperation between inorganic necromancy and organic necromancy – there surely was a way of fighting that only they could perform. Just like him.

“I do want to rescue Ellis in some way or another, but…… there is currently no weak spot in that Elf. While fighting with Imina, he is also wary of our situation. If we go to rescue her, we would be killed immediately.”

It was just as Milifica had said.

That guy named Ji Dig was unthinkably skilled. Of course, that troublesome evocation, but also through his sword art, one would have no choice but admiring it. Imina, who was crossing swords with him, was already a miracle.

But – just because they weren’t able to pierce through that weak spot and interfere, things wouldn’t get better even if they only awaited a chance like that. More than all, miracles could not continue forever.

In other words, Imina would be killed.

Ziadrene sighed deeply.

“Dearie me”, he thought. “It can’t be helped, we have no choice but to do it.”

Truly, dragging someone into such a fucked up situation, even if it could lead to something unpredictable.

He tapped the shoulder of the woman who frantically controlled the spirit energy, her eyes closed.

“Fiene, it’s all OK. That’s a waste, stop it.”

She had been in a lengthy relationship with him. They had, ever since they days when they were bandits, shared their pleasure and pain, life and death. She was the one and only woman in the world who loved that idiot, who was similar to herself.

“But, sweetheart……”

“More than that, and I’ll punch ya. Come with me.”

What a nice woman – even if a time came where I were to plunge into near-certain death, she would not let me go.

Fiene opened her eyes at those words from Ziadrene.

She understood everything. And after understanding, she, looking blank, laughed and nodded.

“Okay.”

“Ziadrene, Fiene? What are you…”

“It might be bad, but we’re taking independent action. Princess, you go meet up with Sashtal and the lads.”

What they were taking on were corpse-demons, two of them.

“I can’t see which one they’re going to chase, but…… luckily, their movements are dull. Well, I guess it doesn’t matter. They have to remember that even if they do win, that those are weaker than living demons.”

“Please wait, so what……”

“Don’t worry about that, just be quiet and do as you’re told, little girl.”

Ziadrene bluntly denied Milifica, who refused to back down

Not as a member of the “Order of Chivalry of the White Wolves” – as Ziadrene Meindreigh.

“I understand that you are desperately doing stuff as the Commander. Because I too am a boss, though imperfect. However, leave it to the adults once in a while. It shouldn’t be too bad.”

“……, I understand, Ziadrene. Your independent action is approved.”

Milifica showed a hesitant expression on her face, but nodded a little while after.

“Only, please don’t at least forget about the maximum priority order. ……Do not die, absolutely don’t.”

And because she still didn’t drop the pretention of being the Commander, she was a great jewel. Her “Do not die” didn’t seem to be something akin to inspiration or encouragement, but a serious order.

“Aye, roger that.”

She understood. Just because they were approaching near-certain death, it didn’t mean that they intended to die without doing anything.

Readying his big hatchet, he turned his eyes toward somewhere else than the corpse-demons – in other words, toward Ji Dig.

“Fiene. Are you prepared?”

“You too…… you fine? That guy is an ever larger nuisance than last time.”

She was talking about two years ago, when the entire gang had been caught in a trap and arrested.

“Because, at that time, I had the leeway to set you free. Now I don’t.”

At that time, the war with the Elves had already started. Therefore, only Fiene couldn’t be allowed to be caught. Still, the gang had pursued her after eventually hearing the rumour that she was taken to the Great Fortress – however, she had hid her ears, pretended to be a human, and undertaken a long journey alone.

Fiene laughed.

“I’m glad. Because unlike two years ago, I’m necessary now?”

Therefore, Ziadrene laughed too.

“Yes, that’s how it is. I need you, so come.”

“I guess it can’t be helped. I’ll go along with you.”

While he sounded like he was speaking in an involuntary manner like it was forced upon them, it was but a pretence. She was someone who knew Ziadrene well. In truth, Fiene too was dying to go out and help Ellis.

It was no wonder. Because they were of the same race, and moreover because they were in situations that resembled one another. A woman who cast away her country even though she was an Elf, fought a war against the Elves even though she was an Elf herself, and who loved a human even though she was an Elf – there was no way she could leave that young girl, whose circumstances until then were so close to hers, alone.

Although, she couldn’t say that it was the same for her.

Ziadrene, sank his body down,

“OOOOOOOOH!”

He attacked with a war cry.

He could not move so fast so that it would become a surprise attack. Even if he crept up, he would be noticed from his presence. That being the case, the very best would be to yell in order to attract his attention, and go after him from the front.
Imina, who had noticed Ziadrene, shouted with a frustrated expression.

“Don’t you come! Not me……”

As if he meant to for him to help Ellis. Was that perhaps what he wanted to say?

“I can’t hear youu, lad!”

Laughing heartily, he brushed aside Imina’s petition.

“Not there…… I can’t settle down, goddammit!”

He swung down “Serpent Smasher” toward Ji Dig, who had turned his back to him.

The opponent didn’t even look at him.

While twisting his body to evade Imina’s thrusts, he caught the big hatchet with his wooden sword that he carelessly held.

“So a reinforcement that couldn’t bear it came, did he? However…… Do you think it has any meaning?”

The blow, which Ziadrene had released from his imposing frame with all his might, was handled as if it were a child’s blow.

The difference in power was truly unfair.

“Hah…… What indeed!”

However, he had also understood that.

And – just because he knew that, didn’t mean that he would step back.

“RRAAAAWR!”

He struck twice, thrice, one strike after another. He had the confidence that he could break a large tree. He had the confidence that he could drill through, if it even were a rock. However, the opponent only held out his wooden sword in the orbit of the big hatchet.

“Foolish. Die.”

Together with the fourth strike, Ji Dig scythed down his sword, over his back.

It came at a time where he was unable to avoid it. In the first place, he wasn’t even able to react very much to the speed. The blade of spirit energy, flowing in the wooden sword, bisected Ziadrene’s body, and scattered his entrails in the forest – is what should have happened.

“Wha……?”

Ji Dig opened his single eye.

His wooden sword had stopped at the skin.

He had simply thumped Ziadrene’s abdomen hard, the blade not tearing through his flesh.

“Ha, I’m embarrassed that I was made light of.”

Fiene, who was behind Ziadrene, daringly smiled.

“I too am a but a scrap of the Elven Tribe. I guess I can do it if it’s just something like this.”

The logic was simple.

Manipulating the spirit energy that drifted in the wind, she had created a thin, invisible wall on Ziadrene’s body surface.

A mystical sword was a sword which was created through the user’s blade, clad in spirit energy, That being the case, if one just didn’t touch the blade with spirit energy, one would, at least, not die.

Spirit energy could become a shield which stopped spirit energy – even if it drifted in the air.

It was a technique with the same logic as the one which had been up for the past seven days at the base, the barrier which had isolated it from the spirit energy. Rather, speaking of the purpose, that was the technique which originally would have a practical use in battle.

Of course, stopping the spirit energy which the wooden sword used would split off the very most power – but, as a user of organic necromancy, Fiene was far and away the worse one. The likelihood of it failing was high – similar to the interference with the corpse-demons. As such, it would be more certain with the spirit energy which drifted in the air.

Anyhow, that way would be better if they wanted to avoid fatal wounds at the very least.

“Guh……uh, ka, ha!”

The blood, which spilled from Ziadrene’s stomach, moistened his mouth.

Even if he wasn’t killed, he had been knocked around quite a bit.

More than not being able to interfere with the spirit energy that followed Ji Dig’s wooden sword through his organic necromancy, there had been no change in the reality that he had been fiercely struck with a dreadfully hard wooden sword. There was the sound of bones breaking. It was certain that several organs of his had been damaged.
But, if his torso wasn’t cut in half, he could still move.

“Ha, it hurts. It hurts…… but that’s it!”

He once again swung his big hatchet underfoot, while crouching this time. He used an evocation while wielding it. The deadly poison, which the big hatched had been clad in, propagated to the point where the blade had been thrown; in other words, the ground.
What rolled up from there, was lumps of earth which contained toxins.

“Gu, nuh!?”

Ji Dig flinched back without picking them up. Whatever way he strengthened his body, it didn’t mean that he had raised his resistance to poison. It was also possible that it would be more effective as his metabolism increased.

“RAAH!”

Taking advantage of that gap, Ziadrene began hurling himself at Ji Dig.

Opening both his arms wide, as if to hug him – he touched him. Grasping him, he held him down.

“Boy!”

Him too getting done in by the cloud of poison, his field of vision blurred. Ziadrene loudly cried out to Imina, who was sure to be behind him – toward Imina Haimatie.

“What the fuck are you doing? I’m fucking struggling in the face of death!”

While he screamed that – he remembered.

It was something from a long time ago.

Was that from twenty years ago, no, more? It was when it was doubtful whether Ziadrene was an adult or not, when he just had stained his body with the profession of the thief. He had not met Fiene yet, either.

The imperial capital, and its surroundings, had fallen into ruin.

It was the era when the war with the Southern Savage Tribes was intense. Conscription was popular and the taxes were severe, when the disparity of wealth was just growing wider. While there on the one hand were people who lead lives lacking even the bread for tomorrow, the damn nobles where in a state where they were absorbed in having elegant balls every day.

Ziadrene, who couldn’t bear that absurdity, stealing everything he could get his hands on from the rich people, killed, killed, and snatched things away, clearing away the melancholy of the society.

His physical strength suited the occasion. He held a thoughtfulness which didn’t suit his body. He also moved cunningly. However, they still were things that had turned up as misfortune, not matter what.

While they were running from the subjugation party, they had digressed from their comrades, and had been surrounded to make matters worse.

Even if they weren’t many, there were enough enemies for it not to be possible to rival them alone. To make matters even more worse, they were at a place far away from their refuge, along a remote main road, making the chances that anyone else would help, or something, very slim.

Indeed, he was prepared to die. At that time, he was still but a medium-level bandit himself. He was not important enough to be wished for to be captured, but rather to be beheaded on the spot.

The ones which had organized that subjugation force was a certain private Order of Chivalry, lead by the nobles.

In other words, it seemed that the bastards which Ziadrene frequently had targeted had sent them in though their personal grudges. Be it their just deserts, they were bandits for the very reason that they hated the nobles. Rather than being killed by them, he would rather stab his own throat.

It was when he was thinking about those kinds of things – they suddenly passed along the main road.

A young man with the air of a soldier, carrying a woman on the back of his saddle while straddling a horse.

He made a grimace as if to say “darn it!”.

It seemed that he had come across another person. The main road was winding, and the visibility bad, so it should have been an unexpected chance meeting.

As if to conceal the woman which was riding behind him, he pulled the horse’s body. However, that backfired. The horse stumbled a little forwards, and the hood of the overcoat which the woman wore started to shake.

Someone, with a sharp look on their face, cried.

“That woman, isn’t she Lilitia!?”

It appeared that she was a young woman of the higher-ups. Everyone started to murmur.

“Lilitia? You don’t say, Yusala’s?”

“It it’s the illegitimate child of a commoner…… yeah.”

“Ah, I see. Hey, you, don’t move, stop!”

“You a soldier? Or a civilian? Whatever you are, hand that woman over to us.”

“He’s good. We’ve found a trophy greater than some thieves, or something like that!”

Everyone suddenly grew lively. No-one was watching him anymore. It seemed that women were treated similar to fugitives within the soldiers.

It seemed that they no longer looked at him and the likes, who were worthless thieves.

Ziadrene, who had his back turned on, committed that fury to memory. He couldn’t forgive it. Am I, to those bastards, only worth that much? Therefore, he had no choice but to take that opportunity to escape.

To thrust his dagger, which he held in his hand, into the back of the soldier which was nearby.

“Gu, ah?”

“O……oi, there’s bandits, behind you!”

“They’re slow, these dense bastards are!”

The command was completely disarrayed through that one blow. If they weren’t even surrounded by the group but only by those people there, they would systematically strike down each and every soldier, kick them flying, and cut them up.

“Shit, it can’t be helped…… Lill, wait!”

The man, leaving the horse behind, jumped off from his riding position.

Drawing his sword, he held it ready to use. The blade was, as a matter of course, directed at the subjugation force. He hesitated for a moment. After gazing as if preparing himself for the worst, he moved as to cut them down in succession, with brilliant skill.

Before long, after a few minutes.

Every soldier on the subjugation force had been massacred, and the only ones which remained at that place was Ziadrene and the man – and, the woman named Lilitia; the three of them.

He apologetically smiled at Ziadrene, who stood stock still, breathing roughly.

“I’m so sorry, I was swallowed up. However, it seems that we were similar in that regard.”

After that, they briefly spoke about their circumstances as if they were replacements for an apology.

The man said that he was a soldier belonging to the Imperial Army, the Royal Army Corps. The one who was riding together with him on the horse was a woman of a particular social position.

While she had been living as a commoner, she had been dragged into a power struggle that she didn’t expect, and had been on the verge of being murdered. Rescuing that girl, and escorting her to somewhere far away, to a place where the adversaries couldn’t keep an eye on her, was the duty bestowed on him.

It had become such a matter where it was the very moment when they had departed to his home town, a border village, which seemed to be the very best to shelter her.

He said that he had to fight them because there were people within them which knew of her origin.

The man added, as if to console him. You shouldn’t mind, in any case, that force was under the influence of those which attempted to murder her.

Therefore, I would rather like to thank you for helping me–.

If he were to speak frankly, Ziadrene had no interest at all in heaving the story of the origin of neither the man, and certainly not of the woman either.

In the first place, a power struggle between fellow nobles was trivial. It was not anything he knew about. He had a feeling that it was good that they were crushed of their own accord, as much as possible.

Only–.

That soldier, who was born and raised in a border village, had such naïve eyes. He was simply chattering on, saying that he had been dragged into it, to him, a bandit.

As for the woman too, it was as if she was a village girl more than a noble. Even if she was beautiful, it wasn’t that she was refined, and there was not a single part of her wich assumed an air of importance.

Therefore, he didn’t think that he was going to take money or goods from them.

And either way, it was certain that Ziadrene had walked from there with his life.

It was a situation where he likely would have been killed if that man hadn’t passed along.

The man once again mounted his horse, and spoke with a nod.

“I can’t stay at ease. We are leaving before long. ……I would appreciate if you would be able to keep quiet about this if you can. Particularly to that lot of nobles under the command of Shukua.”

I don’t know about those factions, and I am in the first place a fugitive.

As he sniffed his nose in response, as they just was about to get off the main road and enter the mountains, the woman brusquely asked.

“You, aren’t you all worn out. You’ve been running for a long time trying to escape, haven’t ya?”

There anything wrong with that?

As he glared at her, she didn’t flinch even slightly, but instead tossed the basket that she held in her arms to him.

“Thanks. I thought about making that our lunch, but I’ll give it to you. Be thankful.”

Even though she had a bad manner of speaking from her pushy disposition, he somehow didn’t hate her.

Since she had thrown it to him, he couldn’t throw it back, and the neck of the horse slowly returned.

The two were beginning to run.

He thought that he had to say something. But what, what indeed? Was thanking them good, was wishing them a safe travel good, or was it a good idea for him to swear at them just once? They seemed to have left while he was hesitating – as a result of him being under pressure, a foolish question left his lips.

Hey, tell me your name.

Stopping the horse, the man looked back slightly,
“I won’t tell you my name. So, is just my family name fine?”

And, making sure that they had left–.

Ziadrene opened the cloth which covered the basket with an indescribable feeling.

There was bread in it. Hesitating to throw it away, he ate it because he was hungry.
It was strangely sweet, and walnuts had been kneaded into it. He remembered that it was a flavour that generally wasn’t eaten around that area. He later learned that it was a seasoning characteristic to west of the imperial capital, of Preadone.

“What the fuck are you doing? I’m fucking struggling in the face of death!”

While he shouted that – he thought.

That he, ultimately, wouldn’t know what would become of that man and woman.

Did they peacefully reach that border village safely, did that woman survive, what happened after the man had escorted the woman?

It wasn’t that he didn’t mind it, but he didn’t think to investigate it.

But, he could even now not forget the name which he had been told over twenty years ago.

And, even after more than twenty years had passed – now that he was able to indirectly know of their end, he thought that it was fate. If it was said that such a thing was nothing more than a coincidence, he would have no words to counter that.

However, if that “simple coincidence”, the echo of what was called fate which he was given, were to appear, wouldn’t it become something like a reason which encouraged his body which had resigned itself to the future, lost its youth, and been tainted in anguish?

“Go, boy!”

The situation, and his circumstances, were both different from that time twenty years or so ago.

Twenty years or so ago, it he were to know the name of that person from the beginning – he perhaps would have shouted at that leaving man’s back, while worrying about their pursuers.

“Leave it to me afterwards…… Haimatie!”
3

In terms of time, it had taken less than five seconds.

The human, which had forced his way into the battle, was so weak that he wasn’t even an opponent to Ji Dig Endveil. No matter the degree of physical strength he had in his muscular, large build, he didn’t even deserve to be a threat as he couldn’t use organic necromancy.

However, that perception had lead to defeat.

It was not that he was careless. It was not that he looked down on him. It was not that he had lost focus. However, Ji Dig, who had perceived his opponent to be “that kind of person”, had suffered an embarrassing defeat.

It didn’t matter that the Elven woman had backed that person. Even if it was unexpected that his mystical sword’s blades was stopped, he could simply hit hard if he didn’t die already. That was the power that Ji Dig had. In reality, he had felt the sensation of his bones breaking, his flesh crushing, and that of a few of his organs exploding.

The problem was – that the man had challenged him with the resolution to not fall. And, putting his life on the line for the sole act of preventing him from leaving.

He pierced his sword into the back of the man who clung to him, trying to not let him go. Even as the spirit energy was obstructed by the barrier, he put his strength into it, and forcibly thrust. The man finally fell down, raising his voice in a groan. While he didn’t pierce his heart, Ji Dig was neither able to confirm his life or death, nor give him the coup de grace.

He turned his banck to the man, while neutralizing the toxins which he had breathed in with an evocation.

The problem wasn’t that. He had earned less than five seconds. If that boy had released Ellis during those mere five seconds, it would be a problem – he impatiently turned his gaze toward Ellis’ direction.

“……fuh.”

Without thinking, Ji Dig sighed a sigh of relief.

Ellis was still bound up.
D

ierich’s corpse was tightly covered by plant vines, so that he couldn’t even see his skin anymore. Strengthening the restraints to be as sure as could be, he bundled the vines together with the corpse as a core, in order to create a green cross.

Her body, which was crucified and rendered immobile, was not easy to loosen.

The bit that she chewed on was cut off, but that was it. That was probably the best he could do in under five seconds. After all, those mere five seconds were still but a postponement where only that much could be done.

“That was a futile struggle. It seems that there wasn’t enough time to tear that open.”

It was no different from suffering an embarrassing defeat. He had to focus his mind so that no more of that would happen again. In the midst of reflecting, Ji Dig prepared his sword.

However–,

“Futile, you say?”

The boy – Imina,

“Fuck off. Like Ziadrene’s resolution…… That great act, was futile.”

Turning only his head at him, he spat, with a low voice.

After that, he turned around,

“I’ve left you waiting, Ellis.”

Ellis nodded. Nodding,

“Yes, Imina. ……Come back to me.”

Happily laughing–.

Ji Dig doubted his eyes at the actions which followed during the next instant.

Imina thrust the crimson sword, which he clasped in his right hand, into Ellis’ stomach.
Ellis’ stomach accepted the blade without resisting it, plunging the sword blade inside her body.

“Wha,……!?”

The two were exchanging kisses in that state. As it it were a ceremony. As if it were a final farewell. And yet, as if they were a pair of lovers, delighted at their reunion.

“You people, what…… what the fuck are you doing!”

In front of his blood relative, who was assaulted through the blade and her lips at the same time, Ji Dig felt a reflexive fury.

At the same time, he understood what that chain of acts meant.

The sword which the boy used had the peculiarity that it absorbed and stockpiled spirit energy. It was a power which resembled Ellis’ blood, which held an unique evocation with a special trait. And, the colour of that sword blade was like blood.

The boy which was the user of that sword should have died on that occasion four years ago. However, he had been revived through Ellis’ evocation, and was standing there. His body should have received protection from Ellis.

In that case, the act of piercing his sword through Ellis’ stomach, and laying his lips on hers–.

Imina looked back.

“What the fuck are you doing, you say?”

He had already pulled out his sword.

And then, dark-red sparks scattered from all parts of his body. The dense spirit energy which ran about his body saturated, and mixed with his blood, which created a phenomenon of spiritual ionization.

The boy sneered. Ruthlessly, brutally, gladly.

“I haven’t done anything yet. ……What I’m doing, starts from here.”

With a thud – Ellis’ body, which had been crucified, fell to the ground, liberated.

The green cross, behind Ellis who crouched, breathing deeply, crumbled. The bundled vines withered and turned pale, and Dierich’s corpse fell with a thump as if it were a stick.

“Ridiculous!”

That cross was created through infusing it with spirit energy, through “Army Crusher”.

It was intrinsically impossible for it to be disintegrated if it lay contrary to Ji Dig’s will. In the situation where it obeyed his orders, it should have simply continued to exist – as long as the spirit path connected it with him.

Panicking, he fumbled for his own spirit energy. He could not feel the connection. The spirit path had been severed.

“……You don’t say.”

Had the boy snatched away the inherent spirit energy of the spirit path so much that it couldn’t be maintained anymore? During only that single instant that he had pierced the sword into Ellis.

“There’s no time. Therefore I’ll do my best with all my power.”

Imina glanced at the crouching Ellis.

Ellis seemed to suffer. While it seemed that the wound in her stomach already had been healed through an evocation, it seemed that she was extremely spiritually fatigued for that reason. It was because the quantity of her spirit energy wasn’t large my nature. The exhaustion of her “Common Technique” – the special spiritual characteristics that her blood held, which were unique to an outlandish degree, was proportional to the utilized quantity and time.

There was no hesitation at all in Imina’s proclamation, whether he knew or not.

Ellis too, disregarding her physical condition, nodded.

“It’s fine, Imina. ……Do what you like.”

Rather, with a happy face.

“‘Exellis’……”

Raising his sword, the boy muttered. That seemed to be the name of the sword.

The object made from Ellis – Exellis.

“……Gooo!”

With his shout.

A boom.

The crimson blade burst open.

Releasing Ellis’ blood, which had been compressed and solidified into the shape of a sword’s – it returned to its original shape.

The blood displayed a peristaltic movement, as though it had become a soft-bodied creature, with the handle as its scaffold. And, the tip diverged into several things that could be either ropes or tentacles, each of them extending in a different direction.

Like a spider spread its legs.

Like a tree grew its branches.

As cracks broke a wall.

Ahead of where the spider’s legs, the grown branches, the tips of the cracks, were headed to,

“No way……!?”

Were ten-odd corpse-demons, which Ji Dig had prepared to assault the humans.

They were useful tools which moved autonomously, obeying simple orders, but in exchange for that they had no mind and moved slowly, having no concept of avoiding attacks. Not able to understand what was happening, they received the “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” – in their heads, in their bellies, and in their shoulders, successively.

“GU, OOOH, OH……”

He unconsciously bent over from the discomfort of the spirit paths forcibly being torn to pieces. Unlike the cross just before, this time it was more than ten of them. It was as if his spinal fluid was churning up.

Losing their control, the corpse-demons began to collapse one after another. Even though they were supposed to be dolls which didn’t cease their movements unless they were cropped into small pieces, they turned back to mere corpses after only one stab.
Before long, none of the corpse-demons moved; Imina glanced at the people, which dumbfounded stood shock still viewing that scene, and quietly ordered the sword.

“……Return.”

With a boink.

Drawing the reverse of the exact same trajectory as when it burst open – the “Crimson-Stained Water Lily” once again converged into the shape of a sword. The mass that seemed to be about three bathtubs’ worth when it was released, was compressed into the volume of a Falchion which could be used with one hand.

What was different from just before that, was that light followed the sword blade in a dazzling glow.

That was spirit energy.

It had absorbed and consumed everything from the time when Ji Dig had used “Army Crusher” and drawn that spirit energy up through the spirit vein in order to manipulate the corpse-demons and the cross.

The light wasn’t just dazzling. It twined around the sword in a form which resembled a ripple-esque whirlpool. The greatly concentrated spirit energy surpassed the light’s wavelength, and changed into semi-matter.

“You bastard, what……”

Ji Dig unintentionally cried out, dumbfounded at the strange sight.

“So you bastards…… created such a thing! Do you understand just how fearsome it is, and how much you have gone too far!?”

The ability to usurp spirit energy, disregarding other people’s control.

And, the ability to store the usurped spirit energy in large quantities.

If there were only a drop or so of Ellis’ blood, it wouldn’t be much of a problem. Even if it were to use every single drop of blood in her body, it would still not be such a threat.

However, just how much blood was used for that sword?

Supposing that three bathtubs’ worth of it were used, how many times of the blood in Ellis’ body would it amount to?

150 times, 200 times, or possibly even higher?

He wondered how much spirit energy it was able to usurp, and store away.

For just how many years had she continued to draw out blood until being on the verge of dying from blood loss, in order to gather such an amount?

It was the repulsiveness of that persistence, of that idea, and of that deed.

“……Has it become a matter for the Elders to worry about?”

He spoke.

The spiritual trait which dwelled within Ellis tainted the water lilies with blood. Therefore, “Crimson-Stained Water Lily”. Never to be used without permission, it was the power of the Demon, which could destroy the Tribe.

Still, Ji Dig believed in his niece. He laughed at the anxiety of the Elders. Saying that she was a gentle girl, which definitely never would do those things, never even thinking about the ruin of her tribe.

It seemed that it was a miscalculation of his.

“That kindness of yours will certainly not become an enemy, right?”

She had sinned precisely because she was kind.

Due to her kindness, she loved people, going against her tribe, and had created such a thing–.

“An enemy? That is my line.”

The boy which carried a sword glared at Ji Dig.

“If you are an enemy, you are an enemy. You snatched away my…… Ellis’ important things. Therefore we are here now. Therefore, we possess this sword.”

—I see.

Ji Dig tightened his lips.
They were not the only ones which had sinned. Had his side too not gone astray four years ago?

Ji Dig was thankful for Shirjis’ choice. He had even praised it to surely be linked to the Endveil clan’s prosperity.

However, for the clan – no, for the entire elven tribe, the current existence of that boy and girl was not a road to prosperity, but to downfall. In any case, those two would positively bring despair to the elven tribe. What would Shirjis think when he knew about it?

His true feelings were – yes, my nephew – his older brother’s posthumous child – even if he loved humans and his younger sister just as much as the clan.

Ji Dig readied a posture, aiming at the eye, with his mystical sword.

“……Even still, I will stick to my own moral law. I won’t allow you to keep on living here.”

Even the boy, who was held captive by revenge, sipping the blood of his beloved partner.

Even the girl, which was held captive by the boy, her blood gathered up by him.

While he found it sad, recognizing the existences of those people was tantamount of recognizing the ruin of the Elven Tribe.

He didn’t know whether he could win or not. The light from that sword would surely erase half of him with just a touch. Besides, the opponent probably was in a status similar to having applied inorganic necromancy to himself, using Ellis’ blood as an intermediary. Both his speed and equality were equal – depending on the circumstances, possibly far beyond him.

“My name…… I didn’t formally give you my name, boy. My name’s Ji Dig. Ji Dig Endveil, little brother to Former Village Elder Eiis, and uncle of Shirjis, current Village Elder.”

At least I will tell him as a swordsman,

“……And?”

Far from returning his name, the boy gazed even sharper, his intent to kill overflowing.

“Why is that? Do you mean that you want to settle a duel with pleasant feelings by exchanging names? Do you want to be proud about your manner of death, as a swordsman?”

Like that, he slowly bent his knees, putting all his energy into his body.

Were the sparks of spirit energy which leapt from his body the very embodiment of fury? Was the optical vortex of spirit energy that the sword was clad in the very embodiment of resentment?

“I, see……”

Although it was too late, Ji Dig understood.

“You don’t know in what manner my mother was killed, right. You haven’t seen in what manner everyone in the village died, right? My older sister was stabbed in her back until death by the one she liked. And I was scattered into pieces as if I were a pile of broken rags.”

What he was to destroy was not that sword. It wasn’t Ellis’ evocation either.

“…….We could only receive that manner of death!”

It was that boy. That boy, would surely, to him–.

Kicking the ground, Imina charged.

His speedy run was incredibly swift. His rate of elevation of his physical abilities would be close to the top, even seen from the perspective of an Elf’s evocations. In other words, he, who had applied nothing but a second-rate body-strengthening evocation didn’t appear to be an enemy at all.

“A fifty-fifty chance against me in my base state, and if I use evocations you have no chance of winning” – his chest pained at those words which he had spoken just a few minutes ago.

As a matter of fact, that was foolish.

He didn’t even have the time to raise his sword which was in the position of aiming at the eye. Neither his evasion nor defence was good enough.

Had he become weak through being unsightly up until now?

Would he lose because he simply only had added easy skills such as evocations, even though he, for over fifty years after he had been born, had trained himself in the way of the sword again and again?

That was truly unreasonable – yes, indeed. Did that boy go against him while holding that unreasonableness? Had he been fighting from there, without using organic necromancy?

“OOOOOOH!”

Along with the approaching light, he heard the young boy’s war cry.

As if it was breathing out blood, striking him with anger, his throat trembled as if it had collected all the resentment and curses in the world; it was such a voice.

His sword drew near. As the light sparkled, it converted the overwhelming spirit energy into the power of destruction.

—

Ji Dig finally thought of his nephew.

He recalled when he, prior to four years ago, when the previous clan elder, Eiis, still was in good health – happily spoke about his close friend who lived in a human village, where he often went to play.

He had also said that they were practising their swords together. That they were repeating an evenly-skilled, fair-and-square match where they didn’t use things such as evocations, and that it was fun.

The two would probably once more see each other again. Not as comrades and friends, but as mutual enemies. Not fair-and-square without evocations, but using all means and measures in order to kill each other.

—Sorry, dear Shirjis.

The sword swung in a diagonal fashion, and the power of destruction became a torrent, firing straight ahead.

That rendered everything under the top of Ji Dig’s shoulders into ash in an instant, and later also blasted away tens of metres in a fan shape, of the forest which lay behind him.

When his remaining left arm and head had dropped to the earth, Ji Dig had already expired.