Kays Translations

Chapter 45: Dawn

"Hahaha..."

A man runs through the forest alone.

The man's complexion is pale. Due to his dissolute lifestyle of over 20 years, even running a little makes his blood vessels feel like they're about to burst.

"What is this?! That dragon!"

It's Count O'Malley.

As the battle between the avatars of Chi You overflowing in the town and the evil dragon began, he, like the other retainers, fled from the mansion.

Although he didn't run a considerable distance, his complexion is already bad.

"You fools! You underestimated me! Why didn't you inform me about that monster?! Why am I always left to clean up after you idiots?!"

While gasping for breath, he couldn't help but curse.

"Just a little more! The mausoleum will be complete soon!"

After uttering his final curse, O'Malley's stamina finally reaches its limit, and his legs come to a halt.

He sits down on the ground.

He haphazardly opens the lid of a bottle of alcohol he brought with him when he escaped and pours it into his dry mouth.

"Oh, you're here too, O'Malley-sama."

Suddenly, a woman's voice echoes.

A female knight appears from the shadows of the trees.

"Ah, it's you."

Her name doesn't come to mind.

He's not good at remembering people's names, and it's too much trouble to remember them.

"Carry me. I can't run anymore. We need to retreat to the neighboring town."

The female knight ignores his words.

"Hey! Don't make me say it twice, you fool!"

The sighing female knight stabs her sword into O'Malley's abdomen without hesitation.

She tears open his belly and withdraws the sword.

There is no hesitation in her slash.

"You... who are you to... me..."

"Oh, I feel refreshed now. I really hated you, you know."

The female knight stretches.

At that moment, the sound of something lightly stepping on the ground can be heard.

Soon, a horse with silver wings clad in armor emerges from between the nearby trees.

A young man is riding on top of it.

A young man with blond hair and golden eyes.

The young man's appearance is so perfect that it could be a sculpture.

"Your Majesty, didn't I ask you not to come to the front lines? This territory will soon be engulfed by a Class S monster."

The young man dodges the female knight's words with a smile.

"Hey, Bridget. It's been a while."

"Half a year. But Your Majesty, why did you come here without any escorts?"

"The Empire is a military state. It's part of the Emperor's job to die on the front lines. Besides, I have no intention of falling behind even to a weakened Class S monster."

"If Your Majesty defeats Chi You, the plan will be meaningless."

"More importantly, how is Avalotis doing?"

"It's been terrible. Even though such incompetence is rampant, the current king and the four great nobles are only complaining in letters. If it were the Empire, Your Majesty would have beheaded them all."

"Oh, so the one shedding blood there is him, huh?"

While holding back the wound in his abdomen, O'Malley wears an expression of agony.

His lips move a few times, but no words come out.

"You, answer Emperor's question!"

The female knight called Bridget kicks O'Malley, who is cowering, away.

O'Malley, who lets out a pig-like scream, crawls towards the blond young man.

"Well, don't mind him. Besides, he probably awakened the Class S monster as promised, right? I should praise him for that."

The blond young man answers with a refreshing smile.

"I'm sorry. Your Majesty, about that matter, the awakening happened much earlier than anticipated."

"It can't be helped. It's impossible to perfectly control the awakening of a monster. If that monster rampages within the territory and retreats to Mount Kuron, it's enough."

"There's one more thing that concerns me. A Class S mage has appeared. It seems like they have subdued the evil dragon. There's a possibility that Chi You might be defeated."

"A Class S mage, huh? Surprising. We should consider the possibility of them being defeated."

Contrary to his words, the young man remains calm.

"I apologize. I couldn't understand everything. But the existence of a Class S mage itself is irregular, isn't it?"

"I don't fully understand either. But for him, it might have been salvation."

"I still can't comprehend it."

"It doesn't matter. Well, shall we go?"

The blond young man, with a gleam in his golden eyes, extends his hand to Bridget.

Blushing, Bridget takes the young man's hand.

He lifts her up and places her behind him.

"Let's free Avalotis from the curse of the monsters. It's because they rely on that hideous system of formulas that the ugly nobles are running rampant."

The young man and Bridget both wear dream-like expressions.

The horse with wings starts walking as if it were an afterthought, crushing O'Malley underfoot.

◆ ◆ ◆

"Hurry!"

Lilinths Esta Windsor, the Eastern Alliance Lord, rides on horseback along the road.

It's still before dawn, and the surroundings are dim.

"Hah! Hah!"

Knights and vassals march nervously around her.

"Lilinths, once we cross that hill, we will be in the Honogyla Territory."

The report of the mysterious monster horde attacking Honogyla reached them three days ago.

They immediately sent scouts, and the reports came back saying that both Honoura and Tact Territories had been decimated by a horde of mysterious armored monsters.

Within just one day, they organized an army and marched out from the state capital, Shanark.

In terms of a force of nearly 1,000 soldiers, it is an unprecedentedly rapid response.

It is all thanks to Lord Lilinths' exceptional command ability.

However, the horde of armored clones created by Chi You's forging technique has been overflowing into their territory for five days now.

—This is the worst.

Of all places, the territory where the monsters appeared was that of Count O'Malley.

A lord who has no interest in politics and whose knights' quality is poor. There are even rumors that he had connections with the Empire and brought a Class S monster into the town.

—If only this happened a little later...

She thought it necessary to take action as soon as possible, but it's not easy to punish a duke like Count O'Malley.

They were in the midst of gathering evidence.

If it weren't a duke's territory, Lilinths herself wouldn't have had to come.

Only Lord Lilinths or an equivalent duke could have military intervention in a duke's territory in the Eastern region.

But they can't send back the margraves stationed on the border.

"How are the knights doing!?"

"Hah! After marching through the night, they're a bit fatigued, but there's no problem."

Not all the troops of nearly 1,000 soldiers are present at the moment.

They also need to transport relief supplies to the large number of civilians who are likely to be present. The logistics unit is trailing far behind.

There are only about 100 people around at the moment.

Even so, they can still be considered an elite force if it weren't for the soldiers deployed on the border.

"It's true. We should rest at night, but the situation doesn't allow for that."

Lord Lilinths' impatience can't be contained.

The barons and viscounts, who are the vassals present, watch her with tense expressions.

One of the barons, placing his reins in order, speaks to Lord Lilinths.

"Lord Lilinths, is your territory safe?"

Those words grate on her nerves.

How can he say the word "safe" in this situation?

"Safe? There's no way! Not even 10% of them have survived!"

"Ah... I see."

The baron shrinks back.

There's no deep meaning behind his words; he just said them to ease the tension.

The viscount next to him hesitates for a moment, then continues.

"The situation is desperate. Count O'Malley, the lord of Honogura Territory, has no interest in politics and is likely actively plundering the residents. Furthermore, there's an evil dragon in that area. If it goes out of control, several towns would have disappeared by now."

Lord Lilinths wears an expression as if she has bitten into a bitter bug and silently agrees within herself.

But there is something even worse than that.

"Moreover, if the initial reports are true, the monsters that attacked Honogura and Tact are—"

The viscount hesitates.

However, on the battlefield, proceeding without properly grasping the situation can be a matter of life or death.

With a pained expression, Lord Lilinths continues the words.

"There's a possibility that it's Chi You."

The knights walking around and the nobles on horseback hold their breath.

If they are from the Eastern region, everyone is familiar with that tale.

A long time ago, there was a Class S monster that made Mount Kuron its stronghold. It actively attacked warriors and plundered many weapons and armor. It was said to have annihilated every army sent to subdue it.

"Damn it! Where are the scouts' reports!?"

Impatient thoughts have been running through Lilinths' mind since earlier. It's still before dawn, and the dimness of the surroundings adds to her frustration.

The Eastern region has long served as a stronghold for defending the border, and they have been immersed in constant battles. It is a battle to protect the country. Someone has to do it. It is the duty of the nobles.

That is why Lilinths, as the alliance lord, has believed that she must become strong. The people need a pillar to rely on. She has always told herself to be strong for her husband as well, even when she cried alone until morning after his death, she must never show it to others, never let them know.

But battles erode the soul and make light of human life. The unrest in the hearts of the people in the Eastern region has affected their temperament, and it has broken many people's spirits. The negative emotions that come with the shadow of battle have accumulated in the Eastern region. No matter how strong she is alone, there is a limit to it.

Just because their spirits are broken doesn't mean they can tell those who fought for the country to die. On the contrary, they were relieved to be employed by Count O'Malley. But that was a mistake. Darkness swallowed darkness and created the darkest place.

And now, they must witness the devastation caused by that darkness.

—This is something I don't want to see.

They don't want to see it, but they can't help but feel the contradictory desire to know the situation quickly.

—Was it a mistake to send Orleans' people to confirm the monsters?

When they start considering the possibility that the scouts who haven't returned yet have already been killed, they see beastmen running down from the top of the hill.

"Lord Lilinths! It's the scouts!"

Beastmen, such as leopards and birds, along with an elderly woman on their backs, come down the hill. Lilinths, along with the other lords and knights, stare intently at their approach.

Lilinths can't bear it and urges her horse to run. She can't wait for them to come down.

The other lords and knights around her also follow suit.

Soon, the scouts and Lilinths meet up. The scouts are confused and trying to bow down.

"Forget about that now! What's the situation!?"

One of the scouts raises his voice while still looking bewildered.

"I report! The town has suffered severe damage. It is believed that many residents have been injured."

Everyone swallows hard.

"And what about the monsters that attacked the town!?"

"...We couldn't find them."

"You couldn't find them...!?"

One of the scouts carrying Gufel on his back carefully dismounts. Lilinths asks the former head of the Orleans family, the elderly woman Gufel.

"What does this mean!? Was it Chi You!?"

Gufel responds respectfully.

"I only saw them from a distance, but judging from the state of the town, it is certain that it was attacked by a considerable number of monsters. Despite there being so many monsters, not a single one was lurking around. Considering the information about the armored monsters earlier, there is no doubt."

The expressions of everyone present freeze.

Beyond the hill, it means that it is a death zone.

They are about to step into a place from which they can never return.

"I see..."

Lilinths slumps in exhaustion.

Now it is confirmed that both the Honogyla Territory and the Tacto Territory have been annihilated. Most likely, not a single person has survived.

—This is my responsibility...

It's too late. Everything is too late.

Many residents, as well as the daughters of the Four Great Nobles and the boy who made a contract with the evil dragon, have lost their lives.

When she raises her head, she suddenly feels a tremendous amount of magical power.

It is rushing towards them from the town at an incredible speed.

The overwhelming presence makes her want to run away immediately.

"What is this!?"

"It's coming towards us at an incredible speed!"

"It's Chi You! Run!"

There is no doubt.

If there is a monster approaching in this situation, it must be Chi You. Strong monsters prefer places with dense magical power. But that doesn't mean they can't be present where magical power is weak.

"...Someone, let the Orleans people escape."

Lilinths jumps off her horse.

She transforms herself into the Nine-Tailed Fox.

—I can't run away as the alliance lord.

"The rest of you, follow me. We can't let Chi You head towards other territories! Protect the Eastern region, protect this country!"

Death is evident in Lilinths' expression.

Everyone understands her determination.

"Everyone, follow Lord Lilinths! This is where we make our final stand! Even without the dragons, we will defeat Chi You!"

"Oooohhh!!"

The other lords also dismount from their horses and transform into beastmen, shouting their determination.

In the chilly autumn morning, as they feel the chill in the air, something with an overwhelming presence and magical power approaches.

Everyone watches anxiously, and in the darkness, a black figure appears.

A pitch-black armor with a menacing appearance.

Floating six iron plates.

It feels like the space around it is distorting.

Everyone who had just raised their voices trembles reflexively, overwhelmed by its tremendous pressure.

Lilinths mutters in a low voice.

"So... this is Chi You... It's even more than I imagined."

But they can't be frightened by that alone.

They suppress the desire to run away.

Esta takes a deep breath and shouts.

"For an honorable death! Let's fight with valor that befits the fallen warriors!"

Everyone manifests their weapons simultaneously and prepares for battle.

And Lilinths takes the lead.

"Oh, Esta, long time no see."

"Huh?"

She can't believe her ears. She is being addressed by the legendary monster.

But she recognizes the voice.

"That voice... Lucius, is it?"

"Yes, just a moment. Since we've already summoned the ritual."

Countless armor-clad figures crawl out from Chi You's shadow and head towards the town.

Lilinths and her subordinates watch them go.

Chi You's body shrinks in size.

In the place where Chi You was just now, a young boy wrapped in bandages stands.

The knights behind him tremble in their voices.

"No way..."

"What's going on!?"

"Fool! You turned Chi You into the ritual!?"

Lilinths and her subordinates are dumbfounded.

"Oh my! Oh my!! Isn't this wonderful?! It's the first time to see Chi You being turned into a ritual! More! Show me more! Show me more of your greatness!"

"Gufel-sama, you're here too."

"Oh, yes! If I can see Chi You, I'm willing to die for it! But more importantly, please manifest the ritual one more time! Perform the spell!"

"I'm sorry, Gufel-sama, but I can only summon it once a day. There's also the assimilation of magical power."

Desperately trying to approach Gufel, Lucius continuously evades her with a smile.

"...What on earth needs to happen for Chi You to be summoned?"

In response to Lilinths' overflowing question, Lucius answers.

"Well, there are various reasons. But more importantly, I'm glad. I thought maybe bandits were attacking again."

"Bandits?"

"Yes, they were originally knights in this area, but I drove them out because of their wickedness. After that, they occasionally attack the town."

"...I see."

It's beyond comprehension, and there's no other way to answer.

"I'm currently having the replicas remove the debris and rescue survivors, but we don't have enough hands, medicine, or food. So please come to the town quickly, everyone."

"Well, what about the Tact Territory?"

"No problem there. The damage is limited, and the lord himself is overseeing the reconstruction."

The lords show expressions of surprise, but Lilinths had already considered that possibility. But who could have predicted that Chi You would appear and be summoned?

"How about the people? How many... have survived?"

Lucius's expression darkens.

Everyone senses it.

—As expected...

Chi You appeared. There's no way it would end easily.

"Over a hundred people have already lost their lives. The debris removal is almost complete, but it will probably be twice that number... or more."

Lucius wears a mournful expression.

"A hundred..."

People have died. Even if it's just one death, it's not something to be taken lightly. But as a ruler who had anticipated the complete annihilation of her territory, the number is far too small. It's almost like a miracle.

When the boy turns around and walks towards the town, the surroundings suddenly become brighter.

The morning sun illuminates the town.

Although the buildings are heavily damaged, the people, who have just woken up, can be seen moving along with the morning sun.

They are wounded.

But there is no sense of gloom.

They move forward with strength and perseverance.

The people who have just woken up wave their hands enthusiastically to the boy descending the hill.

Their appearance vividly represents the days they were absent.

"I surrender."

Lilinths can't help but feel that the darkness that had accumulated in the Eastern region has been dispelled by the boy alone.

She brushes her light green hair and smiles.

"Lucius, a small light indeed. A very modest name."

Author note:

Thank you for reading.

This concludes Volume 3. (Chapters will be posted separately.)

If you found it interesting, I would be grateful if you could give it a ★ rating by clicking on "Rate with ★" in the "Related" section below.

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