Published at 22nd of January 2020 4:10 pm

Volume 2, Chapter 5: He Who Lurks in Darkness

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Toale’s manor had fallen asleep.

Like a kid who’d stayed out all night hiding from his parents, Ryner looked around then climbed up stealthily through the window.

“Ah, I sure am tired,” Ryner grumbled once he was inside. “Geez, what time is it? The sun’s probably gonna come up soon, right? And those brats are just gonna wake me up early again… And I’m kinda hungry, too.”

Ferris entered through the window after him without a sound. “Mm. I have some dango if you want any. Want to watch the moon and eat some?”

“Oh, that sounds nice. Seems like it’d make my stomach feel nasty tomorrow though.”

“Dango doesn’t make your stomach feel nasty. Did you not know that?”

“Liar.”

“It’s true. I have never once felt even a little gross after eating dango.”

“…That’s just because you’re a monster.”

“I don’t want to hear that from you, you ultimate degenerate.”

“Yeah, sure, gotcha.”

They were having that conversation while getting ready to eat dango watching the moon from the window, their chairs already pulled up to it. Once Ferris brought the dango, they took their seats.

Nothing but the sound of their chewing broke the silence for some time.

It was just Ryner and Ferris.

Ryner watched the moon with sleepy eyes. “I know this is weird to say, but the moon looks the same from both Roland and Nelpha, huh?”

The hand pushing dango into Ferris’ mouth stopped, and she looked up at the moon with narrowed eyes. “Mm. Right. It’s round.”

“…Hey. what kind of impression is that? It’s not elegant at all. You’ve gotta have something in you, right?”

“…Give me an example.”

“Huh? Oh, I know. For example, ‘the moon sure is yellow’... ugh, no, that’s no good. I can’t think of anything witty. I’ll never make a move on a girl like this,” Ryner said then laughed a little at himself. “Well, I’ve never made any moves before though…”

For a brief moment, Ryner lifted his hands to cover his eyes.

He was a monster. Everyone feared and detested his existence.

He knew just how dangerous he was better than anyone…

He called Ferris a monster a minute ago, but really, Ryner believed himself to be the monster. Because when he fell for someone, when they were kind to him, he wanted to hurt them… no, he wanted to kill them.

Ryner’s eyes flicked to Ferris, who was eating dango after dango next to him. He sighed.

“……”

Sion had said that he wanted him. Wanted Ryner, an Alpha Stigma bearer.

And Kiefer had told him to stop calling himself a monster, too…

And now Ferris, who had probably heard all about him from Sion, was sitting next to him completely unconcerned.

“Mm. It’d certainly be better if you learned how to talk to girls a little better. If you keep attacking them as soon as you see them, you won’t even have a chance of going to heaven.”

What a thing to say out of the blue.

The people around him now were all like this.

They knew about his true nature, but it was almost like they weren’t afraid at all. They even tried to get close to him.

It was… a strange feeling.

Wouldn’t he just come to hurt them? To kill them? His chest tightened with that fear, but he couldn’t force his heart ot close to them.

Ryner’s heart fluttered in sadness. Something like that had happened once in the past.

But then, that girl… they were separated before he could hurt her.

But now? Now…

He stopped his train of thought there and gazed at Ferris.

“Geez, you really do have eccentric tastes.”

“What are you talking about?” Ferris asked and stared back. Her pretty eyes only held meager emotion. They looked into Ryner’s eyes, mellow as always.

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

The room fell silent. The moon was still moving through the sky.

All he could hear was the faint sound of Ferris’ breathing.

It was a strange atmosphere.

Something… something was…

Ryner stood. “Ferris,” he said seriously.

“Mm. I noticed it,” she said and nodded. She pulled her sword to her side. “Something’s… coming.”

“Yeah. But what is it? It’s got, like… an amazing murderous intent. And there are quite a few of them… I wonder if the assassins from earlier came back for revenge?”

“…Do you really think that?”

Ryner smiled calmly. “Nah. This is… above their level. Is it even human?”

The murderous intent that was steadily approaching them was truly unbelievable. A human didn’t have the reason to have such strong murderous intent. It was an indiscriminate murderous intent. Bestial. Several beings with that murderous intent were approaching.

Ryner winced at their force. “What should we do about it…?”

Ferris turned her sharp eyes to Ryner. “They probably assumed we’d notice them from the outset and planned accordingly. It’s too late to escape.”

“…Geez… it’s not like we can fight here at the manor. The kids are sleeping. Think we can lead them away…?”

“Mm.”

With that, they leapt from the window.

There, just inside of the main gate to Toale’s place. By the fresh and green gardens that were cared for during the day. Night had fallen here too. It was a quiet night with a beautiful moon.

A lone man stood there. He was wearing a suit, dark as if dyed by the night itself.

The murderous intent of several beings sprouted out from that one man. His beautiful, supple long black hair fluttered in the breeze, and the penetrating cold of his frigid eyes was fixed on Toale’s manor.

“Hey. Your target’s not in that manor. They’re right here,” Ryner said. He and Ferris appeared in the garden.

The man’s eyes slid to them. “Hoh… I did not expect to receive a reception… I suppose you noticed my approach and decided to lay in waiting for an ambush?

Ryner shrugged. “Honestly, anyone would notice you walking in with such blatant bloodlust.”

The man smiled meanly. “How very modest… There are few who notice it. If everyone did, I would be rendered unable to move. And I notice that you’re unconcerned. As expected…” He looked to Ryner. “Lord Toale Nelphi.”

Ryner’s eyes widened. “Huh?”

At that, the man looked a bit pensive. “However, this is strange… According to my information on Lord Toale, ‘wise’ and ‘popular’ are key words used to describe him, but I never received any information citing his combat ability as high…”

“Huh… ‘Toale’…?”

What was this guy saying?

For a moment Ryner was perplexed. Then he turned to Ferris. “That means… that’s what he’s trying to do, right?”

In any case, it seemed like his stupidly apparent bloodlust wasn’t for Ryner and Ferris but for Toale. On top of that, he’d mistaken Ryner for Toale…

He was pretty far off the mark…

“This is turning into a real pain—”

“I see,” Ferris said, cutting him off. “So? Who are you?”

The man bowed politely. “How rude of me. I am called Miran Froaude. Please, forgive me for visiting so late at night.”

“No. If you know it’s wrong, then leave,” Ferris said curtly.

The man who’d introduced himself as Froaude lifted his head and smiled weakly. “No, I have something I wanted to do here first… it is business of absolute importance.”

“Hoh. And that is?”

“It is to do with the renowned Lord Toale, as I said before. His ability to capture people’s hearts is nothing short of splendid. I have come to think that he should become the next king of this country. Is it not clear that Lord Toale, who possesses both wisdom and popularity, should become king? This country could then say it is blessed with a wonderful king and flourish,” Froaude said.

He spoke as if he was spinning a tale.

A wonderful king.

Toale could certainly become a good king. That’s what Ryner thought, anyway.

“…Enough small talk. State your business,” Ferris said.

Froaude studied them with dark, devil-like eyes, then smiled meaningfully. “I would ‘state it,’ but that is where I’m troubled. This country is already blessed with a wonderful king… and so—” He lifted a hand lightly into the air, as if to shake something off of it. “O darkness…”

A pressure far stronger than what he’d had before sprouted from his body.

It was an absolutely overwhelming pressure… it wasn’t just murderous intent. It absolutely felt like they were going to be murdered.

“Th-this guy’s bad news,” Ryner said.

“……”

Ryner and Ferris stepped back. It felt like they’d burst open if they got too close.

And then—

“…Appear,” Froaude whispered in the dark of night.

The dark of his shadow swelled up from under him…

“What the hell is that?”

A black shadow rose up into the sky… and headed straight for Ryner and Ferris. It was unbelievably fast. So fast that Ryner and Ferris could hardly react.

It closed the distance between them, aiming straight for Ryner’s throat. Ryner twisted his body, and it really felt like he wasn’t going to make it. “Kuh!?”

He’d die. He really thought so. It was hopeless.

He saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

Clank! The sharp sound of metal resounded through the night.

At some point Ferris had moved in front of Ryner and swung her sword into the shadow. She shook it off with that one swing. “You’re zoning out. Do you want to die?”

“…Hey, it’s way weirder that you could react to that!” Ryner screamed. He took a fighting stance to match Ferris’ and looked to the shadow she’d warded off. His eyes widened.

The shadows had taken on an animalistic form. The form of a beast. Not a wolf, not a bear… some other sort of strange beast. It was darker than night, limbs elegantly moving through the air. Both its fangs and nails were sharp. Something saliva-like, just as dark as the rest of it, dripped from its mouth onto the ground where it melted and disappeared…

“Hey, Ryner,” Ferris said. “What is that…?”

“…You think I know? Magic… maybe? But he didn’t look like he casted anything. Not that I saw, anyway,” Ryner said. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. When he did, a red pentagram had covered them. It was to analyze the situation. “It’s not magic after all,” he mumbled. “I can’t tell anything about its organization even with the Alpha Stigma.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m telling you, I don’t know!”

“…You’re useless,” Ferris said under her breath.

“What’re you mumbling?”

“I said you’re useless.”

“…Hey… it doesn’t feel good knowing that you’re fine saying that to my face…”

They were joking around, but they were both still tensed for battle. There was an unidentified enemy before them. An unbelievably strong one, at that. He went straight for Ryner’s neck only a moment before.

He wasn’t like Estabul’s Magical Knights. He didn’t find joy in torturing his opponents. He went straight for the neck out of the blue, without any deep emotion to drive him to…

“He’s wicked,” Ryner mumbled. On top of that, he held an overwhelming power…

It wasn’t normal magic. It was something else that his Alpha Stigma couldn’t perceive…

“This is pretty bad,” Ryner said quietly. “If we don’t understand what he is, we can’t get close to him. If we can’t get close, we can’t do anything…”

Froaude was a bit taken aback. “Amazing… you were able to react to that. What are you, exactly?”

Ferris didn’t respond to his question. “I could say the same of you. What is that monster?”

“…This? It is the grim reaper who has come to take you. And…”

Froaude whispered something to himself a second time.

“S-seriously…?” Ryner mumbled. The strange darkness they called night gathered in Froaude’s shadow, making it unnaturally large, and another beast leapt up.

Not just one, either. Five appeared in total, each facing Ryner with their horrible bloodlust readily apparent. It appeared that the presence they’d felt originally was that of these beasts.

Ryner grimaced. “Hey, Ferris… this is pretty bad, but… there’s no way we can just run either.”

“Mm. That would be difficult, since you can’t react to their movements fast enough. Protecting you from all five of them while fighting them is even impossible for me.”

“…I bet. Alright, I’ll… figure something out. Geez… don’t you feel like we’re doing way too much work? I really wanted a life where I could have some peace and quiet and just laze around all the time…”

As Ryner spoke, his hands danced around in the air with a speed and purpose contrary to his words. They wrote an incantation before him.

Froaude’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched. “Mm? That is… the Kingdom of Estabul’s magic, is it not? Lord Toale, who is in Nelpha, using Estabul’s magic… What could this mean?” As he spoke his sharp eyes studied Ryner intensely. “I see. You are not Lord Toale. But you have been quiet on the subject. Could you be his guards, or perhaps refugees from the Kingdom of Estabul…?”

He asked his questions politely even in the midst of battle. But Ryner didn’t answer them. “I dedicate the words of our contract - give birth to the beast of malice sleeping within the earth!”

Ryner’s spell activated, his whole body shimmering. He accelerated so quickly it was like he was a different person entirely, and he ran to close the distance between himself and Froaude.

The shadow beasts all reacted and moved to attack him, but…

“I won’t let you get me like last time,” Ryner said. He sped up again, moving vigorously. Their fangs and jaws bit at the air and he started to draw a magic circle with tremendous speed. It was complete in an instant.

And for the first time, Froaude’s expression changed. “Hey… what’re you doing with Roland’s magic? What the hell are…”

Before he could finish his words, Ryner recited the incantation. “I wish for a burnt prairie - Crimson!”

The magic circle he’d constructed seemed to explode as bullets of fire shot out from it to attack the shadow beasts and Froaude. The beasts took a direct hit. They caught fire and were destroyed.

Froaude quickly lifted both his arms. “Appear.”

Black shadows sprung up from under him and moved as to protect him. They took the hit from the fire bullets and disappeared.

“Tch. He avoided them,” Ryner muttered and clicked his tongue.

“How surprising,” Froaude said. “You can use Roland’s magic in addition to Estabul’s. I don’t know what you are, however… you too appear to be a dangerous being. The swordswoman can move abnormally as well… I assume you must be the guards of the future king of Nelpha?” Froaude asked. His tone was detached, and yet still sounded quite calm as he watched Ryner and Ferris.

Ryner clicked his tongue again. That meant this man still wasn’t serious…

Any number of shadow beasts shouldn’t be a problem for Ryner and Ferris now.

Ryner’s speed was on about the same level as the shadow beasts’, but his own movements were a little more skillful. And if Ferris got serious, she was faster than Ryner even when he was boosted by magic…

There was no problem.

Even so, Froaude smiled faintly. “If there are already people like you assembled at Lord Toale’s side, then that makes ending his life all the more necessary.”

“Like we’d let you,” Ryner said. “You plan to slaughter all of his kid siblings too, don’t you? I can’t let you do that until I get payback on them for waking me up with their roughhousing morning after morning.”

“…That is unfortunate. Then the two of you must die as well. I have business with Lord Toale’s siblings as well. Please settle your grudge in the next life.”

“Unfortunately, he’s going to hell because of his daily misconduct,” Ferris said. “He won’t get the chance to meet Toale’s siblings again in heaven.”

“…Huh, why am I going to hell!?”

“Mm? Am I wrong? That’s where serial rapists of women and children go…”

“Like I do that shit… And besides, this isn’t the time for that… anyway.” Ryner turned back to face Froaude. “It’s a pain, but there are still things I gotta research at Toale’s place.”

“Mm,” Ferris said. “Three meals a day and naps are included. We can’t give up a place like that.”

They readied themselves for a fight.

“Then I will get serious,” Froaude said and closed his eyes.

Ferris didn’t let that chance slip by. She ran forward, aiming to cut Froaude in two.

However… the shadows below him rose, and something far larger than the shadow beasts from before appeared. It took the hit from Ferris’ sword.

“…Gh…”

Ryner couldn’t help but stare at the thing that had just appeared in awe. It was a giant humanoid monster, the midpoint between beast and human. It was made of the same pitch black shadows as the beasts from before, but its limbs were thick like logs, its muscles so prominent that they looked ready to burst. Horns sprouted from its grotesque head, and its winged back was stooped over in somewhat of a hunchback that ended in a sharp tail.

“Whoa, whoa, you’re kidding me…”

It was the demon of fairy tales, of legend…

It skillfully manipulated its movements to a degree that even the shadow beasts couldn’t, and clashed against Ferris’ sword.

“Hyeeeeeeehhhh!!” It screamed ominously as Ferris attacked it. She leapt up and punched, using her other hand to cut at its arm off with her sword.

It didn’t flinch at all, nor did it seem to mind as its arm fell down and off. Instead, it made to cut Ferris with its sharp nails…

Ryner’s hands moved quickly. In half a second he’d completed a magic circle. “I wish for thunder - Lightning Flash!”

He fired thunder at its head, every zigzagging piece of it heading straight for the demon’s head. Ferris took the chance to stab its heart.

“Did we get it!?”

“Gh… it’s not working, Ryner,” Ferris said, her voice shaking. “Ru…”

Her words stopped there, and in the blink of an eye she was tumbling on the ground. The demon’s arm moved, squeezing its sharp nails into her back…

Fresh red blood sprouted from the wound.

“Ferris!?” Ryner yelled and tried to run to her, but…

“Oh, no. Ryner, was it? Your opponent is me,” Froaude said. He stood in the way, blocking Ryner from where Ferris fought the demon despite her wounds. She was clearly overwhelmed. They’d attacked the demon’s head, severed its arm, and pierced its heart, and yet…

It had recovered entirely as if nothing had happened at all…

It was punching Ferris’ wounded body again and again with its mighty log-like arms. Even so, she managed to catch its fist in her sword.

But…

“Kuh…”

She was forced off with unbelievable speed…

Like a puppet whose strings had been cut, Ferris rolled unceremoniously on the ground…

Ryner’s eyes narrowed. “Move.”

Froaude shrugged. “I cannot do that. Besides, what do you think would happen if you went over there? She’s already done for. She finished much faster than I initially assumed, but… that’s how it is. The weak have no choice but to prostrate themselves before the strong.”

“Weak? Her?” Ryner said, shaking his head. His expression said he thought it was all horribly stupid. “Don’t you know?”

Froaude tilted his head. “What?”

Ryner ran a hair through his bedhead with an exhausted hand, his eyes mellow and sleepy as always. “See, that girl’s got a terrible personality. Also, she’s violent, bullies me, only eats dango, and her face is all aloof no matter what situation she’s in. If she wasn’t here, I wouldn’t have to go through with this tough journey… I really don’t wanna save her at all.”

“I see. Then I suppose you are in the same category of human as myself. It’s alright if you run as long as you don’t interfere with me…”

Before Froaude finished talking, Ryner sprung forward with a punch one wouldn’t think exhausted body could manage. Froaude took the punch in the face, the momentum pushing him to the ground. He stood slowly, blood dripping from his mouth.

“Well, now… I wonder what that was just now? You hate that girl so you’re going to escape, correct? Or do you just want to fight against me now? I don’t think that you have a chance of winning… but you’ve realized that, haven’t you? I have an inexhaustible supply of shadows.”

Ryner heaved a big sigh. “Yeah, I noticed. Somehow or other, you have an amazing power. If at all possible, I would like to give up here since it’s a pain and escape so I can go nap, but…”

“Mm. It is fine if you want to escape. That swordswoman is a fool to put her life on the line for someone else. No one’s life is more important than your own. Go, escape obediently. I won’t chase you.”

“…pissin’ me off,” Ryner muttered to himself.

“Hah? What did you say?”

Ryner studied Froaude with sharp black eyes.“I said you’re pissing me the fuck off. It’s fine if she’s always expressionless. It’s fine if nothing bothers her. It’s fine if she always hits me while eating dango… She’s so strong that there’s never been any need for me to save her…”

Ryner ran. He drew magic circle after magic circle in every element, firing them as he went.

Froaude summoned shadows to protect himself with. Ryner just increased his speed.

“Lightning Flash.”

Thunder sparked and ran.

“Crimson.”

Fire cackled.

“Leveling rain.”

Rapids swirled into a whirlpool.

“Pitfall.”

A massive hole appeared in the ground.

Froaude’s shadows protected him from it all…

But Ryner used the opportunity to close the distance between himself and Froaude. He slapped Froaude’s face hard with the palm of his hand, forcing him down to the ground. “She isn’t the sort of person who should be lying in a heap on the ground! I should be the one lying there beat!”

What an absurd thing to say.

Froaude’s face was still pressed to the ground. He looked at Ryner, amazed. “Hm. So what are you going to do?”

“I’ll beat you until those shadows disappear.”

“You aren’t capable of doing that.”

Ryner smirked. “I wonder. Won’t know ‘til I try, after all. You’re manipulating those shadows with that ring, aren’t you?”

Froaude’s expression changed in an instant. The shadows that had fallen back to the ground were roused and made to attack Ryner.

Ryner jumped back, then turned his head back to Froaude. It was on the middle finger of his right hand: an unusual black ring…

“…You really are a frightening person,” Froaude said. “What made you realize?”

“Who knows. It’s just my intuition. But when you waved your hand around before, my eyes were struck by a sorta dull pain. I don’t really understand why, but… that’s what got me paying attention to your hands. I noticed your ring, and then I remembered something: the legend of the great Dark Emperor…”

The smile that had been stuck to Froaude’s lips disappeared. “Why do you know—”

But Ryner cut him off to spin a tale of a foreign country… no, of an ancient country long since lost to time, his voice clear. “You people were born of darkness; under the moon, with night as a curtain. Pitch black wings, dark’s phantom. The shadow of the king. When you were born, the world, eternity itself, was wrapped in an everlasting darkness—”

“What are you?”

Ryner didn’t stop. He just continued his tale, staring intently at Froaude. “It’s the legend of the king of the world wrapped in shadows. I’m told that he was human, but… because of his brutal tyrannical rule, he was treated like a demon king… but this king’s best subordinate was bestowed with a ring with a strange power—”

“Shut up!” Froaude yelled.

But Ryner wouldn’t stop. “It was the power to manipulate shadows. And with that power, his subordinate went to their enemy countries one after another and assassinated the important figures. The Dark Emperor’s domain grew larger and larger. However… when the subordinate made to kill the important people of a certain country, his knight defended him, cutting his attacker’s finger off and taking his ring, finally killing him instead. It went something like that, right? Anyway, surviving literature doesn’t know where that strange ring came from originally, the name of the hero who saved the world from it is known. If I recall…”

Ryner took a moment to search his memory, gazing into nothing.

“If I recall, the hero’s name was Halford Miran. And your name is Miran Froaude… it’s a perfect fit, don’t you think?”

“……”

“Are you one of the holy knight Miran’s descendants?”

“…What if I were. It doesn’t change this situation in the slightest, does it? You will die here. No other possible conclusion exists.”

Ryner smiled meanly. “Don’t try and change the topic. And don’t try and tell me that all the hero’s descendants were slaughtered. You’ll shatter the dreams of children everywhere.”

“Then I shall kill you before those dreams can be shattered,” Froaude said and raised the hand with his ring up high.

“…You can’t do that,” Ryner said. “Do you need proof? Halford Miran was able to repel the assassin’s shadows when he cut his finger off.”

“But you are not Halford Miran. You are unable to do that.”

Ryner nodded easily. “Yeah… it’d be impossible for me. But if it’s her… if it’s Ferris, she could do it. She can move way faster than Halford Miran ever could.”

“How stupid… do you really trust her that much? She is just about dead by my hand.”

“Idiooot. Don’t call it something embarrassing like trust. I just got used to getting smacked around by her. It’s based on my actual experience. Besides, see for yourself,” Ryner said and looked behind Froaude to where Ferris was still fighting.

She severed the demon’s arms and legs, and before they could attach to its body, she cut them into innumerable equal pieces with amazing agility. She was like a tornado. A tornado that moved faster than the eye could see, making perfect cuts with keen judgement.

It was the fastest Ryner had seen her move yet. She hadn’t showed him anything like this when they’d fought before…

Even so, she was still getting faster.

It was a truly unbelievable sight.

Froaude watched in astonishment.

No, not just Froaude. Any normal person who watched her would probably call her a monster.

She had an amazing power. Anyone would fear and detest being close to her.

But Ryner just watched her, smiling happily. “Now then, Froaude. Sorry, but I’m gonna have to have you draw the curtains on this. See, I’ve been here and there today and haven’t slept much, so I’m real tired…”

As he spoke, his hands moved quickly through the air to make a magic circle.

“I wish for thunder - Lightning Flash!”

Thunder fired for Froaude in a split second. Naturally, he had his shadows protect him. But that was just a feint.

“Ferris!” Ryner yelled, looking away from Froaude and back to her.

She met his eyes emotionlessly and ran over in a second… no, so quickly that it was instant. She raised a fist.

“Huh? You’re kidding, right? Wait… gyah!?”

She whacked him in the head hard enough to knock him right over, then stepped on his collapsed body. “You’re late, Ryner. I was at the brink of death. Now, hurry up and tell me those shadow beasts’ weak point.”

“No, I… was definitely gonna die before you here,” Ryner muttered, exhausted. “Wait, that’s not the point! You said I was late, so… you get that I found their weak point?”

“Mm. I thought you’d be able to do it. That’s why I was fighting that demon alone.”

“Then you…”

Ryner looked up at Ferris, who nodded deeply. “Right. You’re a brute whose specialty is finding a girl’s weak point with one look, after all. I figured you’d be able to do it here too…”

“That’s what you were thinking!?”

Leaving aside if this could be called ‘trust’ or not…

A smile rose to Ryner’s face. He looked up at Froaude. “Now, what’ll you do? You saw how fast she was, right? As long as she knows what to do, she can do it. She could make the finger that ring’s on fly. To use your words from before, I don’t think that you have a chance of winning.”

“Hoh,” Ferris said. “So that ring is what creates these shadows. Ryner, just what is that thing?”

“Hmm, it’s gotta be one of those Heroic Relics I’m looking for… no, maybe it’s better if I call it a demonic relic. Anyway, it’s something like that.”

“I see… then why are you sleeping here? There’s a heroic relic right before your eyes. Collect it at once. Come on, move.”

“Huh? You’re the one who knocked me over! I swear I’ll fucking ki—”

Ferris stabbed her sword up in the ground right next to him, cutting his words short. “Oh, sorry. My hand slipped. Were you saying something?”

“…No. I’m standing up now. I am deeply sorry…”

Froaude had been watching them the whole time. “Heh… hehehehh… I see. You two are truly interesting. It’s a real shame that I must kill you…”

“Haven’t I been saying that you’re not gonna kill us?” Ryner asked.

“Of course. But I must kill you eventually. You are both dangerous, after all. If you lived as you are, then you would surely become an obstacle to my master someday. A great obstacle, far exceeding the likes of Toale Nelphi…”

Ferris looked at him, puzzled. “Who’s behind your actions? It’s… not one of Nelpha’s nobles, right? What are you scheming?”

Froaude faintly smiled, then jumped back. Then he looked up at the dim sky as morning began to dawn. “It is truly unfortunate, but that is something I am unable to tell you. It appears that I don’t quite have the power to deal with you yet, after all… I will bring you down next time. Ah, but please, be at ease. I won’t raise my hand against Lord Toale. Killing you two has become a more important matter. In any case, I will take my leave… but know that we will meet again in the near future.”

The darkness below him swelled up and swallowed him, his form easily disappearing. Ryner and Ferris didn’t even think of trying to give chase.

“We don’t wanna see you again,” Ryner said, tired. “Please, I’m begging you.”

They stared at the place Froaude had disappeared for a moment to confirm that he was really gone.

“Geez, we’ve somehow made enemies with a real nuisance of an opponent,” Ryner mumbled.

He was going to come back again once he prepared himself and found the power to defeat them with. They’d managed to repel him this time, but next time…

Ryner looked to Ferris. “We would’ve been in real trouble if this bluff didn’t work… that was tough.”

Ferris was red and out of breath. She almost looked like she was an entirely different person than before. She nodded. “Yeah.”

She pushed herself against Ryner’s chest suddenly. Ryner let her, but grimaced. Her clothes were all torn up at the back, wet with her blood… It was a wound so bad that one could call it fatal. The blood pouring out of her was stealing her body heat, leaving her terribly cold.

That’s the kind of battle she’d endured. Froaude hadn’t noticed, but Ryner had understood as soon as he saw her face. She was always so expressionless, but her face had showed the faintest signs of this bitter pain…

Ryner gently held her wounded body. “Good work. After I deal with this, I can finally sleep.”

“…Mm. But if you’re thinking of attacking me while I lie wounded in bed…”

“I’m not gonna attack you!”

Ferris raised her head for a moment, looking for confirmation in his eyes. “…Mm.”

Then she closed her eyes, still in his arms.

---

The next morning… well, it was already pretty much morning, so really, it was only about an hour later.

They held their breath to hide their presence as long as they were able, moving without a sound.

Their foe was formidable. Even though he always looked so sleepy, he was impossible to get the drop on. But failure wouldn’t be tolerated. Their duty lay heavy on their shoulders.

They haven’t failed once yet, and they couldn’t fail even once going forward. That knowledge weighed on them, an intense pressure on their chests… but even so, they looked comfortable as could be. It gave them a professional aura.

They opened the door to his room and filtered in, assuming battle formation on signal.

There was the target, sleeping sloppily in his bed.

Though they’d come across all sorts of situations in this line of work and become used to them all, they never cut corners. They proceeded smartly. With caution.

They arrived at the target, then looked around at each other. Estimated the timing their plan required. Their detailed plan had begun last night. Who would do what and when they’d do it had already been decided.

It was easy. There wouldn’t be a problem.

Their leader’s eyes closed once, and after counting three seconds, opened again.

That was the signal. Now they had to grab the target’s nose and mouth and hold them shut…

“…!? Uu… ah, auau… hey,” Ryner grumbled for a minute, then jumped up in shock and yelled. “How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!? I’m seriously gonna kill ya one day!”

“Kyah! The beast woke up!”

“Who’re you callin’ a beast!?”

“Eh, well, Iris said—”

“I already know what Iris said!”

“Kyah, kyaah!”

The kids ran around happily, pushing the mountains of documents that Ryner had gone through great hardships to organize over.

Ryner could just stare, powerless. He felt the true despair of being human. “Seriously? I barely even slept and now this… ah, I really should’ve let that Froaude guy put me out of my misery,” Ryner mumbled to himself, then held his head in his hands.

The kids ignored him, jumping around energetically, triumphant and proud. “Alright! Ferris is next!”

With that, the kids tried to run out. But Ryner grabbed each of them skillfully by the collars. “Ah, wait a sec. Um, she’s not feeling good so she has to get some sleep. And besides,” Ryner said, smiling darkly. “Did you seriously think I’d let you leave like nothing happened after you disturbed my much needed sleep?”

“Wh… what’re you gonna do!?”

Ryner smiled mysteriously. “Die!!”

Their punishment: a hellish amount of tickling.

But after a moment…

“Gyaaaahhh!”

Ryner lay on the ground, defeated by the children’s counterattack.

After messing around for a while, Ryner was finally brought down to the dining hall to eat the breakfast Toale prepared. At some point, Sion and Iris had joined them again…

“Hey Ryner,” Sion greeted.

“…You’re here again… Man, you sure have a lot of free time… I have to wonder if you’re even suited for your line of work…”

Ryner joined them at the dining table as he spoke.

“Thanks for the food!” Iris said. “Look, look! Iris cleaned her plate! I ate everything whether I liked it or not! Remarkable, right? Right?”

Sion nodded. “Yup, remarkable. Isn’t it, Ryner?”

“Huh? If that’s remarkable, then everything i-aaaaaaaa!?”

Iris whacked Ryner down in the middle of his sentence. “Anyway, Iris is gonna go play! See you!”

She ran off outside with Toale’s siblings.

“Are you okay, Ryner?” Toale asked in that considerate voice of his as he set some more breakfast out for everyone.

“D-don’t worry about it… but man, thanks for going through the trouble to make all this for us every day.”

“It’s no trouble at all. You saved our lives protecting us from those hoodlums, so it’s only natural. Were you able to sleep alright?”

That remarkably long night ran through his head again at Toale’s words… “Yeah,” he said after a moment, tired. “I did sleep well.”

Toale, who had no way of knowing the truth, smiled, lacking malice entirely. “I’m glad. There’s plenty left, so please eat as much as you’d like,” Toale said and headed back to the kitchen.

Ryner looked away and to his other side where someone was smiling chock full of malice. Ryner sighed at Sion. “Hey, you… if you’re gonna come here and eat his food, then give Toale some cash for it.”

“I don’t want to hear that from a guy who uses saving someone from a hoodlum as an excuse to freeload.”

“Shut it. I saved Toale’s life so it’s fine.”

“Huh? Seriously, what kind of an excuse is that?”

Ryner fell into thought. He figured he better explain what happened last night, but he wasn’t sure where to start.

Maybe with how that guy meant to attack Toale. Maybe with how he had a heroic relic in the form of that strange ring. Maybe with how Ferris was wounded because of him. How was he supposed to explain any of that…? In the end, he hadn’t been able to get his ring… so he probably didn’t need to tell the dictator anything. Besides, he was tired.

What an efficient solution to such a complex problem. Ryner looked at Sion, sleepy. “I’ll start. What business do you have here? You had to have come here on some business or other.”

“No, I just wanted to trade some information. Thanks for your hard work yesterday. According to the information my subordinate gathered, Nelpha’s nobility planned to assassinate me… I think the guys they called were called Gustag, or something? Apparently they’re a pretty notorious assassin group. I hear you can’t sense their presence at all. You did them in, right?”

“Geez, you’re always making me do this tedious shit,” Ryner said, fed up with him. “I haven’t gotten to sleep at all because of that. And I even had to deal with that crazy monster…”

“Mm? Monster?”

“Same deal as what we just talking about,” Ryner said.

Sion was puzzled as expected. But Ryner snipped that useless conversation at the bud. “So? What ended up happening? Was everything wrapped up all nice and tidy?”

Sion nodded. “I made it so that Nelpha is plenty deep in debt to me. The current king won’t be able to raise his head around me for a while. But I still don’t know about the traitors within Roland, so it’s far from a perfect score… it’s just so-so.”

“I see. That’s good,” Ryner said monotonously.

Sion laughed, satisfied. “Yeah. It’s good. Knowing you’re this useful, I can give you all sorts of new jobs.”

“Hah!? Hey, wait a sec! You’ve got things wrong! I should be fine just chasing down Heroic Relics…”

“I wonder, do I have it wrong?” Sion said, playing stupid. “You’re free to choose whether you listen to my requests or not. But if you don’t, then make no mistake. The Taboo Hunters will definitely get in the way of you getting a good night’s sleep.”

A good night’s sleep… all Ryner could do was groan. Thanks to his current level of sleep deprivation, he lost easily.

Ryner sat crestfallen as Sion smiled, boasting about his victory. Just where had his life gone wrong to bring him here? As he worried and wondered about that to himself, Sion looked around.

“Where’s Ferris? I haven’t seen her at all…”

“Ah, she’s sleeping. She’s not feeling well.”

Sion’s eyes widened. He was shocked to the core. “Huh? Not… feeling well? Her? She couldn’t have gotten hurt when driving those assassins off… right? Not someone of her caliber…”

“No way,” Ryner said, agreeing easily.

Sion fell into thought once again. “Then what’s wrong? Is she on her period?”

Ryner tilted his head. “Do you really think something like that could defeat her? You could lop off one of her arms and she’d still stare expressionlessly and go ‘mm, no problem.’”

“Ahaha. Good impression, that does seem like something she’d say. So what happened? Did she eat too much dango and ruin her stomach? Or… could she be lovesick? She does raise her hand against you an awful lot.”

Ryner paled. He could tell that the fear of god had not yet been instilled into Sion. “Hey… do you really want me to die that badly? If Ferris was here, I’d start to worry if my head was still attached to my body after a few seconds.

“Nice. Giving up your life for a woman is a man’s idea of romance. Good luck, Ryner.”

“Shut it. If anyone should die it’s you.”

“No, I still want to live.”

“Hah? What about the romance?”

“It can also be said that it goes hand and hand with one’s life, no?”

“True… that’s a famous saying. ‘Things are remarkable as long as they don’t die,’ right? Alright, then it’s decided! From now on I’m through with danger. I’ll just eat and sleep and eat and sleep some more! Ah, that would be grand.”

“…I think you missed the mark entirely, Ryner.”

What a stupid conversation they were having.

One wouldn’t think that they were the remarkable king of the Roland Empire and the hidden hero who had single handedly defeated Estabul’s Magical Knights.

Something crept up behind the two men as they talked, approaching with neither a sound nor a presence. “Mm. I see. This thing they call a ‘conversation between men’ and ‘a man’s romance’ is quite refined, isn’t it? Shall I grant your wishes just this once?”

Ryner and Sion heard her voice coming from behind, followed soon by the sharp sound of a sword leaving its scabbard.

And then Ryner and Sion…

“…Gyaaaaahhhhh!!”

It was the loudest scream to echo through Toale’s manor yet…

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