Published at 18th of December 2022 3:46 pm

Volume 10, Chapter 5 – Nameless, Part 2

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

“No, should I say First Princess Frey Stryer von Grantz?”

The moment he uttered the person’s name, an enormous amount of deadly energy began to overflow from the princess shrine maiden.

The flowers on the ground were unable to bear the intimidation, and their petals danced, startled birds flew away from the trees into the sky, and in the shadows of the grass and leaves, animals moved away as if frightened.

A rustling sound came from nowhere. A beautiful tone sounded out of nowhere.

The sound was clearly audible and made Ghada look around in alarm, but he lost the time to pay attention when the princess shrine maiden took a step forward.

“Who told you that name?”

“The one-eyed dragon. But judging from your reaction, it seems I was correct.”

The princess shrine maiden’s face had been drained of all emotion.

Until a few minutes ago, it was unbelievable that they were the same person.

No, totally different.

Just different.

Intimidating enough to transform the air, immense enough to distort space, awe-inspiring enough to remind one that just confronting her was enough to make one realize that she was different.

However, Ghada, who had been through many austere situations, did not take it well to be pressured and did not stop saying and doing provocative things as if to declare that he was the one who had the upper hand by adopting an aloof attitude.

“You hate it so much? Your own name?”

“Yes, I have a tremendous dislike for it.”

She turned her face down, and her complexion was no longer visible.

Clank. And then there was a sound so loud that it shook the world even louder than before.

As if to drown out the deafening sound, Ghada raised his voice.

“Then let me call you this!”

Ghada kicked the ground with his great sword, cleaving it to the side.

“Nameless!”

The great sword swung down and easily split the ground, sending up a large amount of dust.

He looked for a sign, and when he saw a shadow in the dust, he sharply flashed his sword and thrust the blade into the shadow.

“Tsk.”

There was no response. Searching for a sign lurking in the dust, he crawled on the ground to look for his prey, and when he detected it, he slashed at it without hesitation. Ghada’s well-trained body produces overwhelming destructive power with the magic stone shining on his forehead. The torrent of this enormous power―the magic that flowed outward―withered the grass and flowers.

But――,

“…..This is.”

All his attacks failed. Ghada sensed that this was indeed an anomaly. He took one step, then five, then ten steps away from the dust, which had not yet cleared up, at a threatening speed.

A number of people were chasing after him. All of them belonged to the princess shrine maiden―Nameless.

Ghada stopped, counting the presence that tried to surround him.

Then, he shook his open hand down to the ground. The magic stone on his forehead shone brightly. At that moment, he made a fist and hit the ground vigorously.

Then, Ghada’s magical power―which had been scattered over a wide area just a moment before―gathered in one place and exploded in the blink of an eye. The clumps of soil that had been thrown up were broken up in mid-air, and a rain of gravel fell to the earth. The wind blew, and the dust was taken away, sucked into the sky through the gaps in the trees, and allowed the usual forest to emerge.

“Where have you disappeared…”

All signs were gone. He must not have finished her off because there were no bodies to be seen anywhere. Ghada looked as if he had been possessed by a fox, and as he looked around him, a strong presence suddenly appeared behind him. As soon as he sensed it, he twisted his body to the limit and reaped a great sword at a threatening speed at the presence that appeared behind him.

“You are too slow.”

A sweet voice that touched his eardrums―clank. The sound of a bell rang out, and at the same time, a shock pierced through the core of his body.

“Guh!”

As if tossed about by the waves, the giant body rolled spectacularly over the ground.

Ghada stopped when his body collided with a tree while rolling in the gravel.

“Aghh―shit.”

He gritted his teeth and endured the intense pain. Wiping the fresh blood flowing from the edge of his mouth, he slammed his fist on the ground, forcing himself to stand up, and at once, Ghada turned around and began to run through the forest, feeling the presence of countless others approaching him.

However――,

“After provoking me so much, do you think you can escape?”

Nameless stood in front of him. Behind him, there was also her figure.

No―Nameless, who radiated a strong killing spirit everywhere, was blocking the way for Ghada to retreat.

“You use a strange ‘blessing,’ don’t you?”

Ghada spat out a glob of blood from his mouth, lifted the edge of his mouth, and slashed down at Nameless in front of him.

However, there was no response. The feeling of just slashing through space made Ghada let out an involuntary laugh.

“As I thought, a mere sword is a heavy burden to bear against the possessor of the Five Destructive Holy Principle Swords…”

“If you knew, why did you choose to fight?”

Checking the number of Nameless surrounding him, Ghada looked for where the main body was. But all of them were so elaborate and well-made that it was difficult to distinguish one from the other.

“Maybe I just wanted to see if the one-eyed dragon’s words were true.”

“But would you choose to die just for that… foolishness?”

“It’s important for the future.”

Once you doubt someone, you can’t build a relationship of trust.

Then, you need to have enough convincing material to crush your insecurities and not have any doubts.

It was bad luck for him to meet an enemy more difficult than he had imagined, but he deserved it because he had sowed the seeds of his own misfortune.

“I also wanted more time than that.”

“…..Ah, I see. The demon race is very kind, isn’t it?”

Nameless lifted her shoulders in dismay as if she had guessed Ghada’s words.

Many of Ghada’s subordinates remained in the small country of Baum. He needed time to let them go.

They must have left Natua by now.

However, what was miscalculated was the ability of Nameless. Once they were sensed, she would pursue them even to the ends of the earth.

However, she would not be able to find any useful information by searching for soldiers who had no information about her. Considering the time and effort involved, the probability of a threat to Ghada’s subordinates was small.

Ghada twisted around, putting his hand on his neck.

“Well, I guess that means there is no reason for us to be here anymore.”

Nameless clones reacted to Ghada’s busy gaze.

They were holding a dagger in their right hand and a staff in their left. Their faces were as indistinguishable as Noh masks, and their emotions were completely unreadable. They looked like puppets. Moreover, all of them performed the same action, which made them extremely creepy.

“Are you trying to escape?”

Ghada thrust his great sword into the ground and opened his arms as Nameless, who was trying to close the distance, stepped on the ground.

“No way―are you going to fight?”

Ghada’s forehead emitted an enormous amount of light. The air was disturbed by the outpouring of magical power. Then he concentrated all his magical power into his hands, bent over vigorously, and slammed his hands into the ground.

Then came a sudden change in the world.

The ground expanded and exploded. Nameless and her clones fell into the cracks in the earth. Even the clones that barely survived were swallowed up by the rising walls of the earth and vanished.

Even so, new Nameless were being born into the world one after another.

Ghada pulled out his great sword, which he had thrust into the ground, and with an explosion of his strong legs and feet, he ran across the earth, swinging his great sword and destroying his enemies.

Countless Nameless jumped at him.

Whether it was the cost of the clones or Nameless’ limits, each and every one of them did not have a high physical capacity. Even so, Ghada’s physical strength was gradually depleted by Nameless’s inexhaustible attacks.

As his movements slowed down, countless wounds began to appear on his body. But he did not stop. While splattering fresh blood, he swings his arms, twists his hips, reverses, turns, and counterattacks with a variety of movements to defend against Nameless’ attacks.

But his breath would not last.

Nameless was like a swarm of ants swarming for food and continues to torture Ghada’s body while he was still alive.

The giant body was soon knocked out of position, and although he managed to resist falling while stomping on his foot below, he was still completely unable to stop the attack.

“…..Hah, this is tough.”

The armor that was protecting Ghada’s body was caving in everywhere. The dagger was stabbed into the gap, and a great deal of blood stained the ground red. His hair was disheveled, his face was bloodless, and the magic stone on his forehead had lost its luster.

Looking at Nameless, who surrounded him with empty eyes, Ghada drew the dagger that had pierced through his armor and sighed loudly.

“…..I can’t win, huh?”

As his shoulders slumped in resignation, a thin leg dug into his huge body, and he was blown away by a tremendous impact. Nameless approached Ghada, who had crashed into a large tree in a cloud of dust, and cast a cold look at him.

“Is your resistance over?”

As before, she showed no sign of fatigue with a blank expression on her face.

Ghada coughed up blood in his throat and smiled to himself.

“Did His Majesty the ‘Black Dragon King’ order you to die?”

He had bought enough time to let his men escape.

If Ghada had chosen to escape, he would have had a better chance of survival than if he had fought the Nameless.

“No… he told me to… run away.”

He was also told never to fight.

Even if he was a pure-blooded demon race, it was nearly impossible for him to compete with the holders of the world’s five most treasured swords without the five demon emperor swords.

But Ghada chose to fight.

Nameless frowned as if she couldn’t understand it.

“Then why didn’t you run away?”

The reason was simple. Even if he explained it, Nameless would not sympathize with him.

Ghada turned his empty eyes to the night sky and twisted the corners of his eyes apologetically.

“I told you earlier… that I doubted you once…”

When Hiro told him the truth, he was unsure whether he could really trust him or not.

Above all, when he revealed his future plans, he felt a slight discomfort with his decision and had not been able to get rid of it.

But――,

“I am just a…. big fool…”

Crazily and dearly, he just kept walking straight to his goal.

Even if no one understood or sympathized with him, he kept walking the path he believed in. When he was shown such a back figure, he felt like a dwarf for having doubted him even once.

“It was atonement.”

This was Ghada’s way of making amends. He owed Hiro a debt of gratitude for saving Mirue.

Not only that, he had sheltered a pure-blooded demon race, which was difficult to survive on the central continent.

And yet, he had doubted him―he was about to avenge his benefactor.

So, even if it meant dying, he wanted to return the favor, even if it was just a little.

“I see… then I will punish you.”

The dagger flickered on Nameless’ hand as she approached, stepping on the ground.

Ghada closed his eyes and waited for the moment, watching the dull light flow across the blade’s crest.

“Goodbye, Ghada-sama.”

Nameless’ merciless words poured out, but there was no emotion in her voice.

Numerous blades were coming at Ghada from all directions.

He had no way to stop them.

The battle was over.

――Then something unusual happened.

The dagger that was to pierce Ghada was stopped just before it was about to strike him.

“It was because Nameless had stopped moving. Her expression showed her agitation.

Until a moment ago, there was no obstacle between Ghada and Nameless.

But now, a sword was thrust into the ground between them.

“This is…”

Nameless looked panicked as she moved away and looked around her.

Then, the countless Nameless gazes narrowed to a single point.

In a forest surrounded by trees, where the remnants of the battle still remained, the moon in the night sky peeked through a gap in the clouds, and light fell on an open area of desolate land.

There was――

――there was a wolf with shining, beautiful white fur.

Ghada, who had noticed something unusual, looked at the same place as Nameless with a surprised look on his face.

“…..Cerberus…..?”

But the atmosphere felt somehow different.

Ghada was puzzled, but Nameless looked somewhat satisfied.

“I thought you were hiding in a place like this when I didn’t see you.”

“Nameless’s eyes narrowed.

Tension was building up as she prepared herself for the appearance of a new enemy.

“Is it something you want to protect… even if you have to abandon your self-respect and look like that?”

Provocative words and actions, but there was no sharpness in them.

Nameless was less relaxed than when she was dealing with Ghada, and she looked at Cerberus with some bitterness in her voice.

“He was once one of the “Five Black Heavenly Generals” and created a legend…”

Not bothering to hide her disappointment, Nameless gripped her staff and looked at Cerberus.

“Do you love the Lord so much?”

Nameless’ murmur swung feverishly to the ground.

“Huh, Meteor-sama?”

The white wolf did not respond but simply stared straight at the princess shrine maiden.

＊＊＊＊＊

There was a group of horsemen riding along a road in the country of Greif, one of the countries of the Six Kingdoms.

The sound of their horses’ hooves roaring in the darkness was disturbing, and the villagers living nearby all jumped up at the terrible and ominous sound, and bonfires were lit in various places even though it was late at night.

As if mocking them, the cavalcade passed by the villages without showing any interest in them.

The banner they carried was the “Serpent” banner, which represented the nation of Anguis.

At the head of the pack was a four-horse chariot, its wheels bouncing at an astonishing speed.

Inside, Hiro joined Lucia.

Even amidst the violent shaking, Hiro and Lucia were sitting dexterously with each other facing forward. It was Lucia who opened her mouth, frowning at the screams made by the wheels.

“The country of Greif is fortifying its own defense.”

“Have they sensed our movement?”

“No, I don’t think they have sensed us yet.”

“Then they are simply on the defensive for fear of the Grantz.”

“Yes, and they let you in without suspicion at the gate, didn’t they?”

When Lucia had just passed through the gate between Greif and Anguis, she was not suspected of having led a 2,000-strong cavalry.

But the gate, despite its grand name, was a decorative one.

Perhaps it was because they had been allies for so many years, but they had no manpower to defend it, and it was a gate in name only.

“Above all, General Ramses of Greif is very tolerant of other countries. He would let the soldiers pass through unless they were the enemy, speaking for the good of the country of Greif.”

“Is he a powerful man?”

“Yes, he is in charge of the military affairs of the country of Greif. He is called a warrior among warriors and is well respected by the soldiers and the people. However, he does have one flaw.”

“A flaw?”

“Well, yes, despite his abilities――”

The carriage was hit by a violent jolt when Lucia stretched out in a bored manner. The back of her head hit the wall.

“Kyaa!”

Her scream was surprisingly cute, but the person in question patted the sore spot and opened her mouth with an exasperated look on her face.

“――Anyway, he is a stubborn man with old-fashioned ideas. He is completely inflexible.”

She tapped her cheek with the tip of her iron fan, and Lucia changed the subject.

“In any case, so far so good. All we have to do now is reach the capital of Greif and push through the hills to the palace.”

The palace in the country of Greif existed in a way that separated it from the city below.

The palace was built on top of a hill, the main gate built at the foot of the hill. The port city was located a short distance away.

It was fortuitous that it was separated from the city. There was no need to worry about the involvement of innocent people.

If there was a problem, it would be the path of the hill.

It was easy to fortify the palace. Even if Greif’s army had been reduced by the battle with Grantz, there was no way that they would have fewer than the 2,000 cavalrymen led by Lucia.

“Can these numbers break through the gate of the hill? If they are so well defended, they must have far more defenders than at the gate.”

“Don’t worry. The capital of the country of Greif is garrisoned by the armies of many countries. There are not many of them, but my men will open the gate for us.”

According to what Lucia told him, her close associate, Seleucus, was in command of the garrisoned troops.

“If it had not come to light that I had betrayed them, we could easily approach the gate to the hill without the suspicion of the garrison surrounding us. All we have to do now is climb the hill, secure the entrance to the palace, and take possession of the unified king.”

“So it’s a race against time.”

“That is why we have only 2,000 cavalrymen riding at full speed.”

Still, doubts remain. Even if everything went well, her title would still be that of a rebel.

After she secured the title of unified king, it would be interesting to see how she managed to settle the turmoil.

But even if she failed, it wouldn’t hurt Hiro. If the two countries, Anguis and Greif, were to get into trouble, the battle between Grantz and the Six Kingdoms could be carried to a favorable outcome.

“So my role is to handle Nameless, is that correct?”

“Yes, he is supposed to be guarding the palace.”

Lucia assured him, but Hiro had his doubts. [T/n: I assume that Lucia still doesn’t know Nameless’ gender here.]

If she “sees” him, the operation would fail.

There was no movement. In other words, she may not be in Greif.

If so, where was she…?

(If my prediction is correct, she will abandon Greif.)

There was no reason not to take advantage of the opportunity. It’s also time to ingratiate himself with Lucia.

The top of the hill would finally be in sight.

He had come this far by reeling in several thin threads―to bring everything together into one.

(Princess Shrine Maiden―no, Nameless… you can keep dancing.)

Using and being used, the pawns played various roles on their own, with several intentions.

Laughter, joy, anger, and sadness be came a shade of history and were buried.

Hiro was one such pawn.

Whether he became a great military commander, a wealthy and successful man, or a king of a great nation, he was destined only to be tossed about on the board of the gods.

(But that, too, will come to an end. For a new world――)

And Hiro’s musings were interrupted mid-sentence. Lucia spoke to him.

“But why can’t you ride a horse?”

He thought for a moment about how to cover it up, but then he remembered that Lucia knew what was really happening.

And while Hiro was struggling to answer, Lucia was once again hitting the back of her head against the wall and getting teary-eyed. While trying not to laugh at her unfamiliarity with riding in a carriage, Hiro touched his own chest and spoke out.

“The horse. The horses are frightened by the presence of the Black Princess Camellia.”

Lucia nodded her head, tapping her cheeks repeatedly with her iron fan as if she had understood.

“I see. Horses are sensitive to human emotions. They can easily sense the presence of others and even sense danger. Is there any horse that has the spirit to carry the king of all creatures?”

“I see what you mean.”

Nodding lightly, Hiro took a letter from his pocket.

This was the one he did not hand over to Munin.

He might have given it to him, but after some hesitation, he chose not to give it to him.

“What’s that?”

“…It’s something I don’t need anymore. Everyone has started walking on their own two feet.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that people grow up.”

After saying this, Hiro tore the letter open with great vigor.

He began shredding it finely, finely, and then, opening the window, it was thrown backward by the wind.

Looking at the white pieces of paper fluttering like cherry blossoms, Hiro smiled, deeply moved.

(Aura… you will surely notice. Just keep moving forward.)

Lucia, who had been looking at such a pensive Hiro suspiciously, pointed the tip of her iron fan at the Black Princess Camellia.

“But I was wondering, when we met before, why are you wearing a white coat? Weren’t you wearing a black coat?”

“The Black Princess Camellia―No, I have a unique presence. I used a principle stone to disguise my presence.”

It was coming to an end.

He threw his eyes to the window, imagining a woman running across the ground in the same way.

(I’ll be waiting for you. I hope you’ll come here.)

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