Published at 25th of March 2019 11:08 pm

Chapter 70: Why today

I can’t do what I can’t do.

A flow that’s so large my will and courage doesn’t matter is hindering my way.

I unintentionally hit the bed powerfully.

“Damn it, even though I finally found something I want to do, it has to interrupt me, doesn’t it. War should just disappear.” (Velt)

“Arara, for otouto-kun to say that it might be the end of this world.” (Cleran)

It truly is a real nuisance. As I thought that, I noticed Farga looking a bit strange.

He’s looking at the newspaper as if he’s devouring it all.

What is it? Was there any news that he’s curious about?

“Ah…………!” (Velt)

Then, I suddenly realized it too.

“Tha, that’s right. Speaking of the Ten Heroes of Light, doesn’t that mean-!” (Velt)

However, Farga immediately returned the newspaper to me and shook his head sideways.

“The names of the heroes that departed were written, but Forna’s name wasn’t in it.” (Farga)

“Eh, ah, really?” (Velt)

“Yeah. Since she just departed for the front a few months ago, she’s going to be waiting at the empire, organizing and readjusting the army.” (Farga)

I got a shock for a moment but immediately calmed down.

I see. Well, although she went to war with resolve when I hear about these large-scale wars, it really does make me worry.

However, it honestly made me feel relieved that she wasn’t participating in this one.

“Well, enough about being relieved, basically, I can’t go to the Divine Being Continent for a while.” (Velt)

This once again returns me to the original question, but this seems hard to solve.

To be honest, since my willingness was dampened, I’m feeling pretty down.

However, Cleran started grinning proudly for some reason.

“Fufu~nn, otouto-kun, if you want to go to the Divine Being Continent that much, there’s a nice way of doing so~.” (Cleran)

“What!” (Velt)

“After all, even though it’s a great war, it’s just one part of the vast Divine Being Continent. If we just try to avoid that, wouldn’t we be able to land?” (Cleran)

That’s true. But because that isn’t easy, I’m troubled.

“Look okay~, I thought of that too, but most entrances to the Divine Being Continent from the Human Continent have humanity’s great allied forces bases there, so if any trespassers are caught, they would be forcefully repatriated or arrested. There’s no way a civilian could go through during such a big war.” (Velt)

“You’re right. Yeah, it’s just as you say, that will happen if we’re seen.” (Cleran)

“No, we’ll definitely be seen!” (Velt)

However, Cleran suggested an unexpected idea against my common sense.

“Among the tunnels that Bolbardie made, what would you do if there are tunnels that go to the Divine Being Continent, and haven’t been recognized by humanity’s great allied forces.” (Cleran)

Bolbardie’s tunnels? Are there still such convenient things around!?

“The truth is, it’s been shared between some of the Hunters. Fufu, even the empire falls short to the Hunters’ intelligence network.” (Cleran)

Even the empire falls short? To something that’s like an association at most?

I look at Farga just in case, and he nods.

“I don’t know about that tunnel, but it’s true that the Hunters’ intelligence network is better than the empire’s or the allied force’s one. Hunters crawl on the ground, collecting information with their feet, regardless of what side the information comes from.” (Farga)

“Exactly. And so~, about the tunnel information I got with a pretty~ good price, what are you going to do?” (Cleran)

What will I do? She’s talking as if she’s testing me.

My answer to something like that is obvious.

I don’t even need to think about it. If there’s something I would appreciate so much, I would even depart straight away.

As I thought that, I became curious about something.

“What do you want? There’s no way you would give something for free.” (Velt)

“Fufu~nn, correct. But don’t worry, I won’t force you to pay me money or anything.” (Cleran)

It’s not money. However, in her case, it’s wicked because that doesn’t make me feel any better.

She would just casually ask, ‘give me a part of your body’ or ‘let me drink your blood’, which is scary.

However, I have no choice but to accept it as long as it’s possible, no matter what.

Now, what is it? Come! I waited for her words with resolve.

Then,

“About your journey, can you let me――――――” (Cleran)

There’s not even enough time to think. That’s what I believed.

No matter what happens, I would go to the Divine Being Continent.

No matter what happens, I prioritised going to the Divine Being Continent.

That’s what I was going to do from now.

I thought there wasn’t even enough time to think.

And I would’ve not had any time to think if I left this village in the morning.

Just as I wished, I could have gone to search for Kamino.

That’s right, if I had just left this village a bit earlier, my journey wouldn’t have been gone out of order so drastically.

“Someooone! Can someone cooome! A bloodstained soldier is collapsed heeere!”

We exchange looks with each other.

No, I’m not going, alright? After all, I’m not interested and it doesn’t concern me.

“Oi oi, are you okay? Your injuries are pretty bad.”

“Wait, oi, he’s so young. On top of that, this white military uniform. Are you a new soldier of humanity’s great allied forces?”

Farga and I jump out, reacting to the words『young』and『humanity’s great allied forces』.

Outside, the wreckage of the banquet still remained, and people were gathering around the square that hadn’t been cleaned up.

A man that seemed like a young soldier was warping his face in agony while being treated by an old man that seems like the village’s doctor.

“That’s the guy, huh.” (Velt)

As far as we can see from standing on our tiptoes and looking through the crowd of people, the soldier seems to be about my age.

His white military uniform is torn in some places and is dyed in blood.

However, his actual injuries don’t seem to be that deep.

If I had to say, it looks like he’s fatigued. It’s like he ran with all his power for three days and three nights without sleep.

What exactly…………

“Huh?” (Velt)

The moment I thought that I felt like I had seen that man before.

Huh? Who was he? No, rather than meeting him before…… it feels nostalgic and like……

At that moment, Farga’s look changed and he jumped out.

“Oi, let me through! You, aren’t you…………Chett!?” (Farga)

Chett? Huh? Where did I……

“Stupid younger brother, did you forget! This guy’s the son of the duke family and your former classmate, Chett Asouk!” (Farga)

Ah……

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I remembeeeeer!” (Velt)

That’s right, I knew I saw him from somewhere, he’s Chett.

He’s the son of a duke family in the Elfarshia Kingdom and is one of the two elite but cowardly twins.

And, because he had the seventh highest grades in the magic school, he skipped through grades with Forna and the others, at the empire’s great military army.

“Oi, what the hell are you doing here! What’s that injury? What happened?” (Farga)

“Oooi, Chett, what are you doing here, oooi, wake uuup.” (Velt)

The doctor starts panicking at us who try to wake Chett up by slapping his cheeks.

However, I’m more curious about why he’s collapsed here when he was supposed to be at the empire.

Then, without realizing Farga and I, Chett mutters with a hoarse voice, as if he’s having a nightmare.

“Rein…… forcements…… immediately to the empire…… the empire…… is being attacked by one of the Seven Great Demon King countries…… the country of『cyclops』…… the 『Maakai Demon Kingdom』…… reinforcements……” (Chett) (Note: Maakai is a stretched out version of Makai, which means demon world or hell.)

To Chett’s gasping and mumbling words, agitation and commotion run throughout the village.

What exactly happened? Everyone is showing uneasy looks, wondering that.

“……………… Cleran, I’m counting on you to treat him.” (Velt)

“Yeah, okay.” (Cleran)

However, because we became composed instead, Farga, Cleran and I gave Chett treatment calmly.

And then………

“Uuu, I, I am~……” (Chett)

With Cleran’s Holy Jellyfish ability, Chett’s complexion becomes better, and because he finally calmed down, he opened his eyes bit by bit.

And then, with a slightly absent-minded face, he started looking around at the surroundings.

“Are you awake now?” (Farga)

“Yo.” (Velt)

Then, the moment Chett saw Farga and I, his absent-minded face changed in an instant as his consciousness finally awakened.

“Ah…… prince Farga! Wh, why! A, and, are you…… no way…… Velt-kun!” (Chett)

“It’s been a while.” (Farga)

“Rather, what are you doing in a place like this? Weren’t you at the empire?” (Velt)

Chett looks at us, making an expression that says ‘it’s impossible’. He flusteredly, but also slightly happily grabs my hand.

“Velt-kun, it really has been a while! Uwa~, you really have grown bigger.” (Chett)

“Oi, we’re the same age. Like, since it’s been five years, it’s the same for you too.” (Velt)

“Yup yup, uwa~, this is nostalgic~, hey you know, everyone’s been talking about you quite a lot, wondering how you’re going. Yeah, I’m happy you seem well!” (Chett)

That’s true. Talking to him makes me feel nostalgic too.

However, it doesn’t seem to be the time to feel nostalgia right now.

“Oi, Chett. Leave your damn excitement of reuniting for later.” (Farga)

“Ah, prince Farga! Long time no see!” (Chett)

“Why are you in a village to the north of Shiromu, all injured like that.” (Farga)

“Tha, that’s right, I departed from the empire to request reinforcements from other countries……… u, it’s not the time to be doing something like this!” (Chett)

“Yeah, so what happened?” (Velt)

That’s the question.

Also, the words he was muttering before. What was that?

Then, Chett’s expression suddenly paled.

“It was an enemy attack.” (Chett)

“What?” (Velt)

“Once most of humanity’s great allied force’s regular army and the elite forces were dispatched to the Divine Being Continent, one of the Seven Great Demon Kingdoms, the cyclops race’s country, the『Maakai Demon Kingdom』led their army and attacked the empire, while we were short of hands!” (Chett)

The empire is receiving an attack? There isn’t a single person in the Humanity Continent that doesn’t understand how big that is.

“Absurd. No matter how short of hands they are, why couldn’t they sense the enemy’s attack! If one of the Seven Great Demon Kingdoms move, even the foocking empire should be able to sense it.” (Farga)

“U, I admit we lost in the battle of information. However, there was something even more unexpected…………” (Chett)

“Unexpected?” (Farga)

“Bolbardie’s tunnels. An organization called『Love and Money』sold information about a tunnel that the empire didn’t know about to the demons, leading them to the empire that’s short of hands!” (Chett)

“What, did you say…………, what are those pieces of sheets aiming for!” (Farga)

“I’m not sure. Although I’m not sure, this is the reality that is occurring right now! I departed to send this information to other countries as fast as possible and request reinforcements! However, pursuers found us half way through, and all my other comrades in my group…………” (Chett)

Chett hangs his head down, shedding tears so frustratedly that blood comes out of his fists.

That indicated that everything Chett said is true.

“With the current empire’s remaining soldiers and us new soldiers that just graduated from the military academy the other day as the core…… we have been fighting under princess Forna’s instructions! But there is too much of a difference between the quality of the armies, that…… at this rate!” (Chett)

That’s why they want reinforcements.

Even though pursuers appeared midway and his comrades were killed, he kept running with all his might.

After all, if he, who’s going to call for reinforcements, dies, the empire really would end.

However, Cleran gives him cruel words.

“It’s impossible. In the first place, Shiromu was attacked by demi-humans and every country is strengthening their own defences, so they can’t afford to send reinforcements. Even the Elfarshia Kingdom, that seems the safest, would take a month to get there. Rather, it was the empire’s fault for sending a hundred and fifty thousand soldiers at this timing.” (Cleran)

“N, no way, but, then that means…………” (Chett)

“No, rather than it being the empire’s fault, didn’t they just make light of the enemy? Ever since the Vesparda Kingdom was destroyed, demons have been shrinking back from the Humanity Continent’s attacks.” (Cleran)

No, that kind of thing doesn’t matter.

Nothing will happen even if we talk about that now.

The problem is what’s happening in reality right now.

“…… Velt-kun!” (Chett)

Wait a minute………… why are you looking at me now……

“Velt-kun! Prince Farga! I beg you, please head to the empire immediately! At this rate, something irreversiblefo will happen to the princess…… to everyone!” (Chett)

“U, Chett………… you……” (Velt)

“Velt-kun, please. Save………… everyone…… the princess will…… the princess will!” (Chett)

Like I said…… I’m…… not interested in war…………

“You asshole………… saying such a selfish thing. Even though you guys went to war out of your own will, why do I, who didn’t go to war out of my own will…… sheet!” (Velt)

That’s the path you guys chose…… of all days…… why today!

I’m going to curse you………… Forna…………

Share