The sea is red.
The sky is red, the clouds are red, and the sun is red.
A perfectly red surface, without a single wave, stretches to the horizon, and there is nothing but red.
There is not a sound, it is quiet.
There is no wind, no scent.
Everything has stopped, as if it were the end of the world, with nothing left.
I thought it was a frightening, strange, and lonely sight.
I was standing on such a red surface.
I didn’t know why I was standing, nor how I was able to stand.
A primal emotion welled up within me at the sight of the unknown, single color of red.
A fear like the tip of a hair tickled the back of my eyes.
I wanted to run away immediately.
I wanted to close my eyes, forget this sight, and wake up.
It felt so unreal, so fake, so illusory—
“—Calm down. This is a dream, Rainer Helvirshine.”
The water surface beneath my feet suddenly bubbled.
For the first time, there was sound and waves, and my name was called.
From the voice, I could identify the cause of this strange situation.
It was the acting representative of the “Thief of the Law of Blood” who had recently joined our ranks.
Fafnir Helvishein, a demon with a hint of ghost.
I resisted the urge to close my eyes tightly, guided by my ancestor’s words.
Remembering that I was asleep, I consciously continued to look upon this red dream.
“That’s right. Just surrender yourself to it. …Don’t worry, forcing you to drink blood and teaching you ‘Spell Formation’ was a common method a thousand years ago. In my hometown, Fanian, it was repeated many times. And more importantly, I am an expert.”
In the dream, I was told that this situation was a magical inheritance.
The voice, as gentle as a doctor trying to calm a patient, continued.
“Yes, I was a researcher of blood. Therefore, unlike other ‘Thieves of Principles,’ I will safely compare and verify everything carved into your blood.”
Yes, right now—Rainer Helvirshine is being examined.
It was to see if I would align with my ancestor.
If I could ‘Affinity’ successfully.
If I could become stronger.
That’s what depended on this perfectly red dream.
Whether it was borrowed or not, I wanted to gain even a little strength, so I calmed down as Fafnir-san told me.
I accepted the situation without a ripple, like this sea of blood.
I instinctively understood what was necessary for the inheritance.
So, I sharpened all my senses and concentrated, but—
“And, I will also unravel the ‘Prophecy’ that the ‘Saint’ who stood beside Kanami left behind in your bloodline, all of it.”
Fafnir-san himself wasn’t concentrating too hard on the inheritance.
From his excited and slightly trembling voice, it was clear that his true intention was not the inheritance of blood magic, but to confirm the relic of the ‘Saint’ Tiara within me.
He seemed interested in what Tiara-san, entrusted to me on the day Christ and Rustiara had their ‘Confession.’ I repeatedly said, “All I have within me is just a little memory. It’s full of holes and completely useless.” However, he insisted, “No, if it’s that girl, she must have left something behind! Because it’s that girl!?” and wouldn’t believe me at all.
Before I knew it, Fafnir-san had switched his object of worship, and his admiration for Tiara and Rustiara had increased.
Honestly, my image of Tiara-san is that of “an incredibly careless, ill-tempered, hands-off woman I could never trust.” I believe the reason she left the role of the ‘Twin Sword Knight’ to Fafnir-san a thousand years later was either for “convenience” or “malice.”
It seems my dissatisfaction reached Fafnir-san, and he added a few excuses.
“I-I’ll just check a little. Don’t make that face, Rainer. I’ll analyze Noir’s ‘Star Magic’ and Sia’s ‘Vessel of the Apostle Legacy,’ and also analyze your distinguished ‘Swordsmanship’ with your twin swords…”
He’s such a troublesome ancestor.
Still, I’m grateful that we can communicate so normally. Apparently, he stopped pretending to be mad after his defeat by Kanami… but his fervent fanaticism still seems to be deeply ingrained in his being. His unwavering devotion to uncovering Tiara-san’s will whenever there’s something inexplicable about her actions is too devout for a Revannist follower.
And that foolishly serious and straightforward demeanor reminded me of my older brother and sister.
When I acknowledged that ‘Connection,’ a change began to occur in the sea of blood.
Bubbling.
The blood surface bubbled again, and gradually began to dry up.
It was a dreamlike sight as the land emerged all the way to the horizon.
But, knowing it was indeed a dream, I calmly continued to watch the change.
A few minutes later, new land was formed.
I was standing not on the water’s surface, but on a desolate wasteland that looked familiar.
Countless dead trees and rubble were scattered around, and collapsed houses could be seen here and there.
There were no flowers or grass; the ground was a dark brown. Apart from that, there were perhaps a little red and gray from fire and smoke. Unlike the place I had been just moments ago, a cold wind blew, and the distinct smell of blood filled the air.
Being enveloped by that color, temperature, and smell, I felt a strong sense of nostalgia.
“—This is your birthplace, carved into your blood.”
It was only natural that I felt nostalgic. What was collapsing before my eyes was the house where I was born. I looked around the small village that had been engulfed in flames and destroyed so easily in the past.
“And that house is the noble blood mansion that has continued for a thousand years—”
No.
Look closely at the ruins of my former home; it is not a mansion.
It is not a hideout for a disowned lineage.
It was not that grand, just an ordinary house in an ordinary village. It might have seemed humble compared to the houses in cities like the Allied Nations, but it was a typical home for the era. That was the house where I was born.
“You’re not even of noble birth? Then, perhaps there was some special book or legend…”
No.
I had no special learning.
Books, such luxurious hobbies, were not in my possession, not even one. This was natural, as neither I nor the village was wealthy. There was no great tradition, no special strength, it was just a village like any other… and so, it was naturally burned down in the flames and disappeared from the world map.
It’s common.
This is common in regions not under the protection of a major power. And it’s also very common to have nowhere to go or return to after being caught in the flames. Many children, seeking merchants or bandits who would buy them, would scour the battlefields.
However, among them, I was lucky.
When I lost my home and family and wandered in the wasteland, I was found by the regular army from the South.
“…! So that’s how it is. Then, you met a Knight of Helvishein by fate.”
No, I was saved by an unknown soldier.
After that, I was not taken in and raised by that person, but was transferred to an orphanage. Whether that transfer was the blessing of the ‘Saint’ Tiara you imagine, I cannot say. If you say it was, I cannot deny it. However, I believe: There was no one’s intention behind it. If there was anything special about me, it was—
“That the nameless soldier who found me was one of the noble ‘People’ who survived in this world.”
I believe that fortune piled upon fortune.
The greatest of these fortunes was, perhaps, being admitted into the ranks of the Four Great Noble Families, renowned throughout this continent.
From this point on, my memories are vivid.
Or rather, the memories up to this point were so painful that it’s more likely my child-self instinctively tried to shut them out.
In any case, I was left at an orphanage, where I began to walk a new path in life.
As a young child, I had lost everything and grieved at the orphanage.
However, I never stopped moving forward and continued to help others.
Even as a child, I seemed to have understood my own good fortune and tried to repay the kindness around me by contributing to the orphanage in any small way I could.
I’m proud of myself, even if I say so myself.
My deceased parents must have been wonderful people. They left me the lesson that helping others ultimately benefits oneself. Of course, even as a child, I think my desire to help stemmed partly from wanting to be righteous and cool.
That’s why, at the time, I was the most positive and cheerful person at the orphanage.
Yet, looking back now, I realize that cheerfulness had another reason besides that.
To put it plainly: aptitude.
Because I had high aptitude, I had the leeway to remain cheerful even after losing my home and my parents.
The Walker family, one of the Four Great Noble Families, was well aware of this unvarnished reality. It was thanks to them scouring orphanages even during wartime that I was discovered.
This wasn’t particularly unusual.
Children with high aptitude were bought by the wealthy.
Unlike a thousand years ago, when Fafnir was alive, with the existence of ‘Status,’ this practice was inevitable.
Thus, I was taken in by the Walker family and joined the ranks of the aristocracy.
However, shortly after, I was adopted into the Helvirshine family.
I heard it was a matter of personality.
After several weeks of discussion, the Walker family concluded that I was not suited to be a hero. They acknowledged my spirit of philanthropy, but deemed my excessive selflessness unsuitable for leadership. While I possessed aptitude, without the ability to lead, I wouldn’t bring benefit to the family. My inherently protective nature, they reasoned, was better suited for a knight or a retainer. It was in the midst of this reasoning that the head of the Helvirshine family at the time agreed to take me in.
From there, my memories as Rainer Helvirshine are quite recent.
I was taken to the Helvirshine family mansion, located in a prime spot within the Allied Nations of Fuziaze, where I was raised to be a shield protecting the direct-blooded siblings.
At the mansion, I met various people.
First, there was my admired eldest brother, Hein Helvishein.
And the seventh daughter, Franryure Helvirshine, who was closest in age to me.
It’s safe to say that my true life began only after I joined this brother and sister.
Of course, it wasn’t just the two of them.
The Helvirshine family mansion was situated in a prime location within the Allied Nations and often served as a social venue for the Four Great Noble Families.
However, as a foundling aristocrat, I never formally participated, let alone at the lower rungs. I almost always remained in the background as a retainer to my brother and sister.
Essentially, the main areas of the mansion’s social gatherings were the domain of the adults.
Therefore, my memories often involve scenes from the mansion’s garden.
The faces gathered there were mostly those of guests invited to the mansions of the Four Great Noble Families, but were young themselves—or, alternatively, eccentrics with some sort of trouble.
I remember seeing a young Palinkron Legacy amongst them, wearing an ill-fitting noble attire. He often accompanied his niece, Shira Legacy.
Nearby, the foundling aristocrats of the Walker family were gathered.
I recall that the young Glen Walker and Snow Walker were also there.
Though years apart, their heights were similar, and they were always together, often seen happily conversing with a certain man.
“—Snow-chan, Glen-kun. Don’t wander too far.”
The oldest man in this vast garden.
His name was, I believe, Will Linker. The Linker family was a branch of the Walker family, and he had a younger sister named Teiri, who was rich in magical talent. He would later earn the title of ‘Strongest’ and serve as the first Guild Master of the ‘Epic Seeker’ Guild, before falling in battle against Teeda, the ‘Thief of Principles’, in a labyrinth and dying.
He is someone with little connection to my life.
However, Fafnir’s blood magic seized him, and he picked up his voice.
“Hey, you two… What is a ‘True Hero’? Since we’re here, let’s think about it together, shall we?”
Hero…?
A somewhat nostalgic word.
The young dragon person, Snow Walker, immediately replied, “Someone strong enough to kill anyone! Someone free to roam with no bonds!” Her foster brother Glen then rebuked her, “Snow-san, I’m pretty sure that’s not it.”
The Guild Master Will gave a wry smile at her answer and then, as if entrusting them, began to teach the spirited rookie.
“Of course, strength is important. But what’s crucial for a hero isn’t the power to defeat others, but the heart to protect them. If you can’t protect them completely, no one will call you a hero anymore. Snow-chan, you might be a little lacking in that protective power?”
“Eh, really? I think defeating others is definitely more important than protecting them!”
The Guild Master of the time was struggling with the spirited Snow.
Furthermore, the Sub-master of the ‘Epic Seeker’ Guild, who was listening nearby, was likely in a similar predicament. Palinkron picked up the thread of the conversation, saying, “The more ‘true’ is attached, the more suspect something becomes. I’m with Snow on this.” His niece, Shira, chimed in, “Uncle, just because you’re the furthest from being a hero yourself! Ah, I wasn’t like this in the past!” she exclaimed, adding to the liveliness.
I watched that scene from afar.
Not only the dreaming me, but also my child-self, stared intently from a distance.
At my feet was a pool of blood I didn’t remember.
Fafnir, who seemed to be sharing the memories with me, was gurgling and speaking.
“The ones over there are a young Glen and the ‘Dragon Person’ girl… Do I resemble that person and…? No, Palinkron Legacy over there feels like a descendant of Fanian. However, their features are more like that childhood friend’s than the Neisha family’s—”
He muttered, “No,” “Not like that,” and “But why?” towards the Walker group, lost in thought.
Then, a gentle voice was heard from nearby.
“Rainer? Are you interested in the people from the country of Laura Via?”
Hein Nii-sama, standing beside me, asked.
He wasn’t speaking to the dreaming me, but to my child-self.
Seeing my young self honestly nod and say, “Yes. I’m interested,” he continued with a smile.
“People from the Guild are always so lively, I’m a little envious… That’s right. Shall we not be outdone and think about ‘True Knights’ too? You like that sort of thing, don’t you, Rainer?”
I did.
At this time, I admired and revered knights more than anyone.
However, it was my sister’s energetic voice, who was present, that answered the question.
“That sounds lovely! I love that sort of thing too! Stories of ‘Ideal’ knights! I want to meet one someday!!”
At the Helvirshine mansion back then, the three of us often gathered like this.
I am grateful to those two for taking good care of me, an adopted noble.
“Haa, Fran… What’s important is that we succeed as knights, not that we demand things from others. Also, I always think, Fran’s ‘Ideal’ is too full of maiden fantasies and isn’t realistic.”
“Hmph! I won’t have Mr. Hein tell me that, especially when it comes to the height of my ‘Ideal’! I know you have far, far more dreams in yours than I do!”
I, a young boy, watched my older brother and older sister talk amicably with a smile.
The sight, which I could no longer recreate, made my eyes water slightly.
Then, at that time, I waited for the conversation between the two I admired to cease and began to speak.
About the way of the ‘True Knight’ I believed in.
“Mr. Hein, Elder Sister Fran. I believe a ‘True Knight’ protects the weak, defeats the strong, helps those who suffer, and is more honest than anyone else. In other words, they are very devoted, never go against their lord, and serve continuously with a selfless heart. Never forgetting the spirit of Fuziaze chivalry and adhering to Revann’s precepts. When you say ‘True Knight,’ that would be you, Mr. Hein.”
I wasn’t trying to curry favor; I genuinely felt that way.
However, my older brother had the same expression as Will Linker, the Guild Master of the ‘Epic Seeker,’ who was a little further away. It was the troubled look of an elder dealing with an overconfident, rookie protégé. My older brother, with a wry smile, taught me as if entrusting me with something.
“I’m happy to hear you say that. But, it’s not like that, Rainer. It’s true I aim to be a ‘True Knight,’ but I’m still far from it. I haven’t even found my true lord yet.”
“You’re far from it, brother? That’s… absolutely not true!! You are a more magnificent knight than anyone! You are truly the Helvirshine of legend! The ‘Knight Among Knights’ is you!!”
I, the young boy, immediately denied it.
My older brother’s humble demeanor was cool. However, I felt it was too humble, which irritated me, and I couldn’t accept it.
“Protecting the weak and helping those who suffer… That’s the basic tenet of the Helvirshine. It’s very important. But I don’t think a ‘True Knight’ is someone who never goes against their lord. —Rather, it’s the opposite. They are knights, yet they go beyond the scope of a knight, and even go against their lord’s orders to protect something. That strength of heart is, I believe, the condition for becoming a ‘True Knight’.”
“My! What a wonderful and romantic condition! I’m the closest to it here! I’m often told that I exceed my knightly duties!”
Elder Sister Fran replied, but I, the young boy, did not.
I couldn’t accept either my older brother’s or my older sister’s answers.
“Haa, really Fran… It’s fine like that. It’s best for you to forge ahead on your own path.”
“I did it! I received Elder Brother’s approval!”
Mr. Hein recognized it with a hint of resignation, and Elder Sister Fran raised both hands in delight.
That scene was so nostalgic and comfortable…
As I looked back at the past, I almost cried, my vision blurring.
…
I truly believe we were a close-knit family.
It was thanks to the personality tests from the Walker family who took me in. I fit in with the Helvirshine family.
However, looking back now, my impression has changed slightly.
I feel I understand a little more now the words of the late Will Linker and the late Hein Helvirshine from that time.
Mr. Hein was not so much humble as self-deprecating.
Elder Sister Fran was not so much confident as arrogant.
Of course, the two whom I admired would overcome both self-deprecation and arrogance and become great knights… Regardless, I, the young boy, chased their backs with a slight misunderstanding.
I wanted to be a perfect knight like Mr. Hein, always humble.
I wanted to be a strong knight like Elder Sister Fran, full of confidence.
What I learned from their backs and continued to pursue was surely—
“—Because you liked them, right?”
The blood at my feet frothed and said so.
The memory etched into my blood reread, and advice from a blood specialist entered.
“The boy named Rainer was engulfed in war before he could properly understand things, and was placed in a special environment. Therefore, he lived without knowing proper affection. It feels to me like he harbored an unusual family love for his brother and sister. For the deceased brother, of course. Towards Franryure, who acted as a sister, he held fervent and passionate feelings like a boy—”
It’s an important choice. If I nod to this, I will ‘Affinity’ somewhat with Fafnir Helvirshine. Conversely, if I don’t nod to this voice of blood, the inheritance of Blood Magic will not succeed.
I knew it, but I couldn’t lie to my own heart.
“Fafnir Helvirshine. Many say things, but it’s different. It’s true that I deeply admire Elder Sister Fran. I admit that, but that doesn’t mean I see her as a romantic interest. I can’t see her that way, that kind of person.”
Certainly, Elder Sister Fran might have been attractive as a woman.
But what I admired more than her physical beauty was the beauty of her heart. What I sought to learn and emulate was a spirit worthy of the Helvirshine name.
“The reason I chased my brother and sister’s backs is simple. It’s because I became ‘Rainer Helvirshine.’ I took on the family name and was made into the knight I admired. Grateful for that immense debt, I respected the bloodline, studied their ideology, and wished to follow in their footsteps. That’s all. —’Fafnir Helvirshine,’ are you different?”
“Me…? Me too… from those admired backs, I learned various things and somehow tried to follow… tried…?”
Instead, I pressed him, and the voice of blood trembled.
He seemed to be thinking of words to persuade me to accept the blood, but the ancestor surrendered quickly.
“No. —It’s all me. It was because I liked them. I desperately wanted the affection from the woman who acted as my sister. As a man, I wanted to be loved back. That’s why I desperately chased their back and tried to learn.”
He confessed clearly.
He honestly admitted his childhood heart, now that he could. At that moment, he lost his scholarly demeanor and spoke very casually.
“Oh yeah, I used to think it would be nice to be able to use the name Neisha someday. But there was no special meaning in it at all… it was just a normal first love story. When you’re little, small triggers like that can make you work incredibly hard even on troublesome studies. Kuhahaha.”
As I grew older, things I didn’t understand as a child became clear.
Perhaps that’s why elders always wanted to entrust things to those who walked behind them, teaching them various things. It’s a little late to understand this now, but I’m a little happy to understand it now.
Fafnir Helvirshine seemed to feel the same way I did.
“…Ah, that’s right. Now that I am who I am, I understand. I didn’t admire the woman named Hermina Neisha like a sister, I liked her as a woman. That’s why I desperately tried to stand by her side. It’s certainly different from you.”
“Yes, it’s different. Unfortunately.”
Even if we could empathize, we were clearly different.
What we were born with was different, and our roots were different.
Rainer Helvirshine and Fafnir Helvirshine acknowledged this.
As it was confirmed that we could not ‘Affinity,’ I was suddenly overcome with nausea.
My physical condition is deteriorating in reality, not as a child.
Therefore, these memories of the past suddenly warp and recede rapidly.
“Ghh, ugh–!!”
The nausea was unbearable.
I had no choice but to close my eyes tightly.
The time has come to acknowledge this lack of reality as a dream and extinguish the gentle illusion.
I am awakening from illusion and dream.
I am leaving the past behind and returning to myself, the one who lives in the present.
The next time I open my eyes, tightly shut, I will already be—
◆◆◆◆◆
“Gaaah!! Gaa, ha—, gkh, gkh—!!”
I coughed it up.
Splattering.
The black liquid-like substance that stained the floor of the house was my own blood.
Normally, this would be a horrifying sight.
But this was not an injury, sickness, or even my own blood.
I had merely expelled the blood I was forced to swallow because my body couldn’t accept it.
So, the nausea subsided immediately, and my condition returned to normal.
It seemed I had lost consciousness for a prolonged period while standing.
Before my eyes, I registered two girls similarly spitting blood.
“Ugh, gaaahhh—!!”
Inside the house made of black mud, Noir, a black “Magic Stone Human,” was vomiting with all his might, shedding all pretense of shame.
Next to him, Shira Legacy, the party leader, held a hand to her mouth. Then, seeing the blood on her hand, she screamed.
“H-Hyaaaah—! It’s red! It’s red! Scaryyyy—!!”
Including myself, three of us had vomited blood.
The man who had forced us to swallow the blood nodded, his hand stroking his chin like a researcher in front of us.
“Hmm. Not a single one is compatible, I see. I thought we could increase our fighting strength if the magic could be inherited properly.”
Generally, in this era, people acquire new magic by swallowing magic stones engraved with “Spells.”
However, inheritance is also possible by directly administering blood engraved with “Spells.”
Fafnir-san had performed a thousand-year-old inheritance ritual on the three of us, but it seemed to have been a complete failure.
Realizing that the power of the man known as ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’ could not be connected to anyone, I felt dejected. However, Fafnir-san, who had other objectives besides inheritance, reported his findings with apparent amusement.
“However, this is surprising. The bloodlines of the two girls were clearly artificial, and the magic inheritance was almost successful. But for Rainer Helvirshine, there was nothing—truly, nothing. Not even the ‘Threads of Blood,’ the blessing of Tiara-sama, could be found at all.”
At those words, Shira, who had strong faith in Tiara-san, rejoiced slightly with a “Yes!” before offering her opinion.
“Um, I don’t know about Tiara-sama’s ‘Threads’… but according to the original saint’s plans, wasn’t Uncle Hein… no, Elder Sister Hairi supposed to be here now? When I talk to you, it feels a little like talking to Elder Sister Hairi… it brings back a slightly nostalgic feeling.”
Noir, his face pale, also whispered “Elder Sister Hairi…” and contorted his face, bringing up the name of a reliable former party member.
Seeing their reactions, Fafnir-san replied,
“Hairi Weisprorope, a ‘Magic Stone Human’ created from Knight Hein and Kanami-san. Indeed, the Hairi I’ve heard of seems to have a significant connection with me. But, she is no longer—”
If she were here now, she would indeed be a great source of strength.
However, my Older Brother died last year during the “Christmas festival.”
Hairi-san died last year during the “Shaka Hōkan Jin.”
Both times, they faced the Palinkron Legacy and perished.
Fafnir-san, while pondering the names that might have inherited his power, cast his gaze downward. But he quickly looked up and resolutely changed his approach.
“It’s no use wishing for those who aren’t here. I’ll give up on inheriting my magic and proceed with the final confirmation using only the power we have now.”
The enhancement of our fighting strength could be abandoned.
At this point in the conversation, Glen Walker, the former “Strongest” Explorer, who had been lying on a nearby bed, sat up.
“…As I’ve said many times, leave ‘Thief of Nothingness’ Seldra Queenfilion to me.”
Compared to when we first arrived, his condition was much better.
The excessive “Demonization” had been suppressed, his vocal cords had healed, and his wounds had closed.
However, his complexion was so poor that the phrase “last flicker of life” seemed fitting.
Undoubtedly, when Glen-san next dispelled his “Demonization,” he would die.
Fafnir-san slowly nodded to the man who had made such a resolute decision.
“I don’t mind. There’s the oral tradition from your homeland, but more than that, Seldra-san herself seems to wish for it.”
Perhaps wanting Glen-san to rest a little longer, Fafnir-san continued to offer reassuring words, urging him to rest as much as possible.
“Seldra-san will be left to Glen. In return, I will definitely stop Kanami. As I was the first to see him as the ‘Savior,’ I bear that responsibility. I’m sure I have the strength to stop him…”
Promising to stop Christ, Shira and Noir agreed.
“It’s a matter of assigning tasks to the right people! By the way, I’ll quietly get my uncle’s memento back and make a quick getaway!”
“Fundamentally, I will cooperate with Shira. But if Fafnir is going to defeat Kanami, I expect some harassment support.”
Noir, with a sullen expression, didn’t seem to like Fafnir-san’s plan but seemed willing to cooperate if they were fighting the same opponent.
Though it was just before departure, I felt a new party forming, even if only in name.
I had been watching this unfold from a step back, reconfirming the situation alone.
The fact that we had this leisurely time to adjust the new party was probably thanks to Christ’s entourage choosing a leisurely return journey. That incredibly slow ship voyage could easily be outpaced if one intended to. Indeed, a year ago, I had outpaced Kanami’s party, who were traveling on the ‘Living Legend,’ by traveling overland.
Therefore, I had no concerns about time right now.
What I was worried about was one “evil premonition.”
—The battle with the ‘Thief of Principles’ would not proceed as planned.
It was a kind of resignation.
My opponent was a man who contained all of those ‘Thieves of Principles.’
A natural-born troublemaker and my master.
Things would absolutely not go according to plan, and any prior strategies or schemes would undoubtedly fall apart.
However, that didn’t mean that discussing things like this was futile.
As I continued to watch Fafnir-san, Shira, and the others discuss, something came to mind.
It was the dying words of the master I couldn’t protect.
—”Someday, the time will come when we fight the Final Enemy.” —
Was it around the day before Christ, Nosfy, and Ragune all died that he told me that strange thing?
I felt we had gathered like this, facing each other and talking in a small room that day as well.
When I heard in the underground mansion of the ‘Great Holy Capital’ that “Kanami might become an enemy,” I didn’t understand at all. But it perfectly described our current situation. Rustiara must have foreseen this for some reason and entrusted it to us.
However, what was entrusted was little.
Rustiara didn’t give us any strategy or plan, not even an operational policy.
All she entrusted was the vague wish, “Bonds with companions are important!”
He kept repeating, ” ‘Everyone together,’ huh?”
It felt like he said that every time something came up.
Then, Sia, who had heard Rustiara’s dying words, brightened up and approached me.
“Oh, that’s right! ‘Everyone together!’ That’s why we go all at once! You’ve been looking so detached from everything, I thought you were planning to go ahead without us! But Rainer, you understand too, thank goodness!”
“I understand, Leader. We’ll time it perfectly.”
I put on a virtuous attitude for Sia, who still suspected me.
We’ll time it.
But it probably won’t mean much.
Rustiara’s “everyone together” probably wasn’t meant in that way.
She wasn’t the type to think of something so ordinary.
Both of my foolish masters were insane.
So, “everyone together” couldn’t possibly mean something as mundane as “let’s attack the final boss all at once” or “let’s move in step with each other for the plan.”
That woman was a flower-head who genuinely believed that “if your feelings connect, you’ll be together forever, even in death.”
Like my older brother, perhaps it wasn’t necessary for things to be in sync. In fact, it might be better if they weren’t. The idea that it’s more precious to be in sync while not being in sync… I could picture her having such a twisted way of thinking.
Rustiara had a bad habit of viewing people not as *people*, but as *stories*.
Now, as I am, and as my older brother’s younger brother, I understand.
I don’t want to feel it, but I feel it whether I like it or not.
The “Final Festival” that is about to begin is also the end of everyone’s stories.
That means—
For Fafnir, it’s the story of finding the “Great Savior.”
For Glen, it’s the story of finding the “True Hero.”
For Sia, it’s the story of regaining their broken “Connection.”
For Noir, it’s the story of reaching the “Saint” he had been seeking.
—It means all stories will be simultaneously brought to a close.
Even though “Threads” shouldn’t reach this underground space, I felt a pulling sensation.
It was the result of Tiara’s ridiculous training, but I could feel that flow from everyone here.
“Rainer Helvirshine…? Do you have something you want to say? It’s truly the very end.”
Fafnir, seeing me not offering any opinions at this crucial final meeting, approached and asked.
This is troublesome.
If I had something to say, it would be “If anyone could win, it was only Rustiara Fuziaze.”
Since Rustiara is dead, no matter what we think, it’s useless. I swallowed that opinion and tried to say something plausible.
“Yes. Let’s go all out. The past and future, bloodlines and ‘Threads,’ are all too intricately intertwined for anyone to predict. That’s precisely why all that’s left is to live with all our might. Even if there’s unfair ‘future prediction’ or ‘fate manipulation,’ we’ll blast right through it.”
“Ah, that is important. That is indeed the case, but…”
He understood its importance, but he seemed to want more concrete tactics.
As I’d thought before, the “Thieves of Principles” are too timid and anxious.
So, I had no choice but to clearly state my thoughts.
“On top of that, what’s important is probably not forgetting that we are ‘everyone together.’ I just remembered what Rustiara said before.”
“‘Everyone together’… ? The girl from back then said something like that? Then it must be very important. After all, it’s the words of that girl.”
“Also, Maria, Dia, and Snow are Rustiara’s best friends. I think that’s important. Those three are really scary people.”
“Indeed, those three will alter the course of the battle. They all easily overwhelmed me when I was the acting “Thief of the Law of Blood.” So, is “everyone together” about sheer numbers…? Hmm, the important thing is the number of people…?”
It seemed I had managed to deceive him.
After hearing my opinion, Fafnir began muttering, “No, but…” and “That girl alone obtained rainbow-like power” and “Judging from the mechanism she obtained it by, here—” when he recalled the continuation of his memory from before.
That day.
The day Christ, Rustiara, and Ragune died.
In the dining hall of the underground mansion, the master, Rustiara Fuziaze, was stroking Nosfy on her lap and said,
“Kanami, you’re trying to make it as if everything never happened just because Nosfy-chan was your former bride, aren’t you?”
Rustiara delivered a terrible truth with a joking tone, deliberately provoking her companions.
I understood the meaning of that now as well.
Rustiara had foreseen her own death, worried about the future, and was in a hurry to do various things.
That’s why she deliberately overlooked Nosfy’s escape, clashed with Dia, Maria, and Snow from the heart, and reconfirmed their bonds with her companions. As if rushing somewhere.
“Kanami has those kinds of tendencies. That’s why I’m asking all of you, Dia, Maria-chan, Snow, Reaper, and Rainer, please.”
I had thought her request meant, “Everyone, please scold Kanami for ignoring Nosfy.” But the true meaning was—
—Please, defeat the final enemy, “Aikawa Uzunami,” together—
The other four must have realized that wish as well.
And they must be acting independently, each with their own interpretation.
For example, Reaper is calling himself the “Judge” and has been keeping watch over Kanami.
The remaining three, Dia, Maria, and Snow, are lurking within the Allied Nations. Furthermore, with Palinkron, Mr. Hein, and Ragune gone, there is also the Knight who spent the most time with Rustiara.
“We don’t need to worry about them. Senior Sera is with them.”
Sera Radiant, whom I respect, is surely with the Allied Nations.
Of course, it’s not just her.
There are many others in the Allied Nations who will support us.
Therefore, I’m not too worried about simple combat power.
“—Alright! Okay, then, final confirmation for the new party, finished! Shall we get this started? So, I’m going to break down this black house now. Is there anything you’ve forgotten for the ‘Final Festival’? Everyone?”
At Sia’s silly call, the final strategy meeting was declared over, and they began to exit the black mud house.
I hadn’t been listening intently, but Fafnir, Glen, and Noir, with grim expressions, followed behind their leading member.
I followed behind them and, in a small voice that no one could hear, muttered.
“Let’s go. Older brother, Hairi-san… and everyone else. Together, to the ‘Deepest Part’—”
We are heading to the “Final Festival” that will be held in the Allied Nations.
I began to walk at the very end of this new party, a smile playing on my lips.
Looking forward to the conclusions that await the end of everyone’s stories, except mine.
***
I apologize for keeping you waiting for so long.
Following the latter half of Chapter 9, Chapter 10 is entirely serious. I would have liked to include some gag comedy and romance as a breather, but this is not the time for that, as all stories must end.
This prologue could have been included in Chapter 9, but it was moved here as it is fitting for Chapter 10.
The “Final Festival” begins next.
