Kays Translations

Chapter 56: Night Sky

In silence, Lucius and the others continued their path towards the surface.

Along the way, they looked back several times.

Perhaps they could still rescue Joseph now. Even if it was a trap, with Chiyou's abilities, they might be able to handle it somehow.

—But it's no use.

Lucius knew nothing.

About the Empire's technology, the dire straits the knights were in.

He had no idea what would happen as a result of their actions, he couldn't predict anything at this point.

Exiting the dimly lit labyrinth and passing through a hole, they arrived at an underground hall with torches lit.

A crowd had gathered there.

At the center was Captain Karan.

Beside him was a priest dressed in white, and next to them, a young girl in a white habit.

"It seems that something serious has happened," Karan said, welcoming Lucius and the others. He didn't have his usual smile, but he didn't seem disheartened either.

"Captain Karan, as we communicated via the telepathic spell, four Imperial soldiers appeared in the labyrinth, and one of them escaped. Both knights and tacticians were injured... and nine members are confirmed dead."

Shaulia reported matter-of-factly.

"To think we'd have to be conscious of their presence even this far away from the frontlines and inside the labyrinth. I wish we could be spared from such troubles. Anyway, thank you for minimizing the damage in this unexpected situation."

"It was mostly thanks to Lord Lucius."

"I see. I understand the situation for now. Let's proceed with the discussion about what to do next."

Lucius felt a strong sense of incongruity in Karan and Shaulia's conversation.

Joseph had been abducted. Right now, he was about to become the victim of an inhumane act.

And yet, they were resolving it with just a few words.

Moreover, according to the report just now, he was already dead.

"Everyone has done well. Please take the injured to the infirmary and rest afterwards."

Responding to his call, the knights and tacticians moved forward with heavy steps.

Lucius couldn't help but speak to the northern knights who passed by his side.

"...I'm sorry about Joseph-san."

Hamiya looked puzzled.

"Why is Lord Lucius apologizing?"

The other knights also chimed in.

"Perhaps if it were me at that time—"

Without waiting for Lucius to continue, Hamiya interjected.

"It's a common thing."

"A common thing...?"

"I came here on a special mission to explore the labyrinth, but originally, I was stationed on the eastern front. Such things are quite common at the front lines."

"But..."

"It's a joke that goes, 'Unable to save a comrade, you're only half a person; able to save a superior, you're a full-fledged knight; able to save a subordinate, you're a veteran.'"

The knights wore a dry smile, but it looked painful.

"Save... You mean killing your abducted comrades, right?"

Lucius gritted his teeth.

He looked at Olivia, who had seen him trembling, and she approached him, looking apologetic.

"Lucius, I'm sorry. I absorbed the Class 1 fake core that I captured for your sake."

"Don't worry about it. No one could have imagined that the Imperial soldiers would attack us there. Besides, there's still the black fake core we saw before."

He didn't say it out loud, but he was fortunate that the griffon had taken the initial blow at that place where the support team, not skilled in combat, was ambushed. There was even a chance that they would have been severely injured by the first attack.

Olivia took Lucius's left hand and pressed her forehead against it as if praying.

"I'll do everything I can, so please, don't die."

Then, Olivia, the tact knights, and the northern knights left the hall.

The ones left behind were Captain Karan, the priest, the nun, and the knights who came to pay their respects.

Waiting a little away was Yu, quietly waiting for Lucius.

Lucius didn't move from in front of Karan.

"What's wrong, Sir Lucius?"

"...The Empire's weapons. I've never read about something like that in any books."

There was a hint of reproach in Lucius's voice.

If he had known, they might have handled things differently.

"Oh, right. You're only twelve years old, and you haven't been taught about such things yet. Normally, that's something you learn from your parents or at the knight training school after reaching adulthood. What did you think of the Empire's weapons?"

"They are ugly. If there were formulas, such things wouldn't be necessary."

"That's right. That makes sense. However, most of the people in this country don't have magic cores or formulas."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It matters. Not just for weapons, but Empire's magical instruments can transfer the risk of manipulating magic power to others. Originally, it's the power obtained by staking your life on the "Gift of Magic". In other words, even in our country, many people would want it if they knew about it."

"...You mean information control."

Of course, not everything can be kept under wraps. But they probably didn't disclose everything proactively.

"In simpler terms, yes. The manipulation of magic power and formulas is the backbone of this country, so it's closely related to its social ideology. Even if they are nobles, they won't teach children with a twisted perspective. Moreover, there are people outside the Empire who use formulas of different forms from us."

The privilege of nobility.

In this country, in short, they rely on formulas for magical manipulation.

Even in my previous life, I knew that differences in social ideology could easily lead to conflicts between nations.

Moreover, they were currently at war.

The rulers' intentions not to involve even factions that could sympathize with other countries could be seen through.

It was not only about ideology but also about energy issues directly linked to real life. If it involved their own citizens as fuel, it might be a reasonable judgment.

"...I understand. Then I'll ask you directly. Is there any way to save the abducted members?"

"There isn't. Their formulas and magical instruments are sealed, and they will be taken straight to the heart of the Imperial Army. They will forcefully heal any injuries, leaving no chance for self-determination. Well, in the end, it's just a matter of becoming that, so they won't die completely, but..."

"But they're still alive."

"It might be hard for a young one like you to accept, but in the Knights, once someone is abducted, they are considered deceased. Whether it's by swords or magic, having their brains probed, analyzing the cause of death is the job of the strategists. All we, who are at the scene, can do is to alleviate their suffering and prevent the enemy from getting satisfaction by killing our comrades."

Karan wore a wry smile.

—I understand.

The knights, who had fought against the Empire far longer than Lucius, surely had to swallow feelings of regret, anger, and sorrow.

"One more thing to do is to pray for them. To return their souls to the earth together with their formulas. Priest, please."

"Understood."

Prompted by Karan, the priest began offering prayers.

He was a priest for the baptism of Noah and was often stationed with the Knights, who faced death on a regular basis.

But Lucius clenched his fist.

—They aren't dead yet, why pray...

The girl with pink hair, accompanied by the priest, approached each mourning knight and offered her condolences.

Soon, she stood in front of Lucius.

"May the blessings of Quadra be upon you."

She said, placing her lightly clenched left hand under his right palm.

It was a form of worship for the baptism of Noah and was known to everyone in the country.

Lucius returned the greeting with a somewhat cold response.

"May the blessings of Quadra be upon you."

"...It seems you don't believe in the gods."

Suddenly, the girl in the habit spoke.

"...It's not like that."

"That's alright too. Quadra bestows her grace upon believers and non-believers alike."

"I see."

Lucius responded tersely.

—If it's an invitation, not now.

After exchanging greetings, as Lucius was about to leave the hall, Karan spoke to him.

"Sir Lucius, I think we won't be able to enter the labyrinth for the next two or three days. Since Imperial soldiers have appeared, we are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Knights."

"But... We need the fake core immediately!"

"I know. I'll try to negotiate with higher-ups somehow. If it's not too unreasonable, I intend to push for it."

"Please, I beg you."

Lucius bowed deeply and returned to the temporary office with Yuu.

— — —

That night.

Lucius suddenly woke up from a dream of being killed by the evil dragon.

Despite it being mid-winter, he was drenched in sweat.

—It's alright, everything's still alright.

He reassured himself while looking at the markings on his left hand.

He lay on the bed for a while, but his mood didn't improve.

To dispel the uncomfortable sweat, he put on his jacket and went outside.

He didn't want to see anyone now. He climbed up to the rooftop alone.

He gazed vacantly at the moon hiding behind the clouds.

When he saw several clouds off, he felt someone's presence.

"Can't sleep, Lucius?"

Turning around, he saw Yu on the rooftop.

"Yu-san. I just woke up for a moment."

Even if he just woke up for a bit, there was no way he would go to the rooftop.

Understanding that, Yu didn't touch on the matter.

"It's not as cold as the northern regions, but winter nights can be chilly."

"Yes, it's cold."

Lucius returned his gaze to the dark sky.

Without saying anything, Yu summoned Rikugo.

"Get on."

"Huh?"

"I said, get on."

Yu called out as he was in his tiger form.

"Huh?"

"Just get on."

Yu urged Lucius strongly.

Confused, Lucius stood up and approached Yu, who picked him up and carried him on his shoulders with his arms wrapped in thick fur.

"Make sure to hold on tight."

Suddenly, Yu started running and leaped off the rooftop.

"Where are you going?"

"...Nowhere in particular."

Both of them exchanged no words as they ran through the pitch-black night.

Soon, a dark mass that seemed to pierce through the clouds came into view.

It was Kuron Mountain in the middle of the night.

Yu casually put his hand on the vertical cliff face.

Then, as if running on the ground, they climbed the cliff of Kuron Mountain, which was almost perpendicular.

"Do you remember, Lucius? The first time we came here, we climbed the mountain like this."

"I remember. I never thought I'd end up living with Yu-san and Lauren for so long back then."

The white breaths were swept away into the air.

"Yeah, I feel the same. You''ve become quite heavy in just two years."

Yuu's voice sounded somehow happy.

"It has been two years."

With that, the two reached a corner of the steep Kuron Mountain.

The mountaintop closest to the town below.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, Yu set Lucius down.

The biting cold air was even colder.

Before their eyes was a sea of black clouds that had taken over the night sky, and glittering stars.

Above all, the full moon illuminated the two of them.

"If something bothers you, Lucius, just look up at the sky. I said I'd take you up to the sky as far as I can, even though I don't have wings."

Lucius had said those words to Lauren before.

A clumsy man he was. Not one to talk much.

But he was kind.

A smile unconsciously spread across Lucius's face.

"Thank you."

"Lucius, don't worry. If anything happens, we'll dive into the labyrinth together. And we'll catch that Class 1 fake core. That will solve everything."

"But if we do that, we might be accused of a crime."

"The Knights owe us a favor. They might just turn a blind eye to it. Besides, there's also the option of moving to the northern region with Lauren."

It was not the kind of words one would expect from the earnest Yu.

However, Lucius soon realized that this wasn't a mistake.

He was earnest. To the point where it made living difficult for him.

"Um, if things really go bad, I might have to ask for your help."

"Sure."

The two gazed at the sky where the full moon floated.

"Yu-san."

"What is it?"

"Why did you defeat the former Lord of the Tact family?"

Yuu closed his eyes.

Perhaps he was recalling something.

"...Because I didn't want to see it."

"You didn't want to see it?"

"I wasn't driven by righteous indignation or anything the world might say. I simply didn't want to see Lord Clark continue to fall."

"I see."

Yu didn't say much.

But even so, it was clear how much resolve he carried.

"Lucius."

"Yes?"

"Someday, I want you to show me around the northern region."

"Of course. My parents also said in their letters that they want to meet you and Lauren."

"I see. I was wrong to look at the people of the northern region with the wrong eyes. The truth is that you can't understand something until you see it with your own eyes."

"Yeah, that's why we have to keep living."

Smiling at the full moon, Yu showed his profile.

And Lucius felt a weight in his chest that had been bothering him suddenly become lighter.

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