Kays Translations

Chapter 20: A Certain Man’s Name

It was Ren’s second time walking the path to the Sword Garden.

On the way, Ren found himself wondering again why Lutreche had given him that advice and how much she knew about what had happened. She probably would not tell him, but there was no harm in asking.

Yet whenever he investigated House Ashton, his thoughts also returned to another point in time.

Why had Saint Licia lost her life at Ren Ashton’s hands?

It was an event Ren had never been able to stop thinking about—something that could be called the beginning of his story. At times he had deliberately avoided it, but now that spring of his second year had come, the question pressed on him more strongly than ever.

Don’t forget.

It was as though someone kept insisting those words to him.

The sound of his own footsteps on the bridge seemed strangely loud.

Even so, Ren kept walking, pretending not to notice the unrest in his heart, until he stepped into the Sword Garden.

A beautiful spring plain spread before him, its greenery even more vivid than on his previous visit.

Ren, as before, headed for the small hill with a single tree.

No matter how long he waited, Lutreche did not appear. Nearly an hour passed.

Well, it’s not like I can meet her whenever I want.

He had only hoped he might see her, so at last Ren began walking again with a resigned air.

“…In the end, was Ragna-san’s Emblem Contract the one Lutreche-sama wanted me to find?”

Ren gave up and left the Sword Garden.

He felt that the chances of getting a response were low, but he might as well ask Radius to deliver a message later.

…A few days later, he did ask Radius to pass along a message. The reply was exactly what he had expected.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

It was Charlotte and Lizred.

The two seemed to be shopping in the Imperial Capital on their day off, with several paper bags in their hands.

As Ren left the Sword Garden and walked along the main street, he spotted them.

“Oh my?”

Charlotte also noticed Ren and smiled at him when she saw him.

Lizred noticed him next and waved, so Ren walked over to exchange a quick greeting.

“Are you two shopping?”

“Yes, we are. This one didn’t buy spring clothes again, so we came a little late to buy them.”

“…It’s strange. It feels like the second time my flaws have been revealed in front of Ashton-senpai.”

“That’s fine. I find it kind of endearing, actually.”

“Aaaah…”

Ren laughed at Lizred’s strange groan, and Charlotte chuckled as well.

The paper bags they were carrying contained various items they had purchased, including spring clothes.

Of course, some of the clothes didn’t need any alterations and could be taken home on the same day.

Nobles or not, they were still young girls. Like commoner children, there were days when they went out to enjoy the main street and days when they simply went shopping like this.

“There’s a big party in May, right? Liz hadn’t bought anything to wear for it either. Her grandmother asked me to bring her into the castle town, so here we are.”

“May… Oh, right, there was something like that.”

“This child didn’t have any clothes to wear for that occasion.”

“I do have some! I have a few outfits!”

While Lizred protested vigorously, Charlotte calmly continued. 

“It’s old stuff. Even though I tell her every year to buy new ones, she’s either lazy or doesn’t want to go shopping.”

“Haa… What nonsense are you talking about, Sharo? I buy new clothes every year.”

“If by “new clothes” you mean outfits for magic training, what am I supposed to do with you?”

“…Anyway, there’s no need to buy a new dress when your size hasn’t changed much. It’s a waste of money.”

Lizred, feeling hit close to home, changed the subject.

And as Charlotte said, even the dresses Lizred already owned were probably getting old.

Dressing up was not an obligation, but a noble ought to have at least a few dresses appropriate for her age.

“Right, Ashton-senpai?”

“Don’t drag a man into that discussion.”

“You can ignore it.”

“Ah! I think that’s a bit harsh! It’s just a light-hearted joke!”

Lizred huffed in dissatisfaction and planted a hand on her waist.

“It’s fine… I mean, there’s nothing wrong with it. Wearing familiar clothes is the best. Clothes that have been washed a lot are soft and comfortable, just like towels.”

“You can do whatever you want with your loungewear and towels. We’re talking about outside clothes. It’s about personal grooming.”

“Uh, ugh…”

Perhaps all the strength left Lizred’s hand, because the shopping bag she carried slipped free.

The bag rustled loudly as it fell.

“Ahhhh!”

Watching her, Ren found the little-sister—or perhaps small-animal—quality of her behavior oddly soothing. He smiled wryly and helped pick up the bag.

“Thank you!”

“No problem. Don’t worry about it.”

Ren smiled gently and returned to the earlier topic.

“Now, about the discussion of the party earlier, there’s the Imperial Castle Conference before that, right?”

The Imperial Castle Conference.

It was a gathering of nobles held in the castle only once every few years, providing an opportunity for many nobles to visit the capital.

The large party mentioned earlier was held after the Imperial Castle Conference.

It was an important social event, and Viscount Clausel would probably be busy.

“Is everyone going to the party?”

“For now, that’s the plan. Ashton-kun, are you and your friends going to attend?”

“I haven’t heard yet, but I think we probably will.”

Vayne’s situation would likely be a major topic at the Imperial Castle Conference. Ren could already imagine the Hero Faction becoming extremely animated over it.

…In fact, it wasn’t a matter of imagination but a confirmed fact.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

The Elfen Continent, in a certain country.

The man was riding in a shared carriage traveling along the highway.

Spring air flowed through the window as the man sat with one knee raised, an arm resting on it while he read a book.

Each time he turned a page, the pleasant breeze softened the corners of his mouth.

“Excuse me, sir!”

The coachman called from outside to his only passenger.

“We’re almost to the town!”

“Thank you. I’ll be getting off there.”

“Alright! Just wait a little longer!”

After another thirty minutes or so, the carriage stopped just outside the town that was the man’s destination.

When the coachman showed his face through the front window of the carriage, the man immediately handed over several bills.

“Thanks. Come ride with me again.”

“I will. Thank you for a pleasant journey.”

The man stepped out into the warm sunlight and pleasant breeze and began walking toward the town.

The town was large—more than twice the size of Clausel by a rough comparison. Still, this was not a town in Leomel, so the comparison could only go so far.

At the entrance of the town, there was a huge gray castle gate.

It was a checkpoint for verifying the identities of visitors, from adventurers traveling the country to ordinary travelers.

The man glanced at the gate and continued toward it at an unhurried pace.

In gray slacks, a shirt, and a waistcoat, he could easily have been mistaken for a noble.

He held a leather bag for travel in one hand and a jacket in the other.

A fellow traveler quietly approached him.

The traveler took the man’s leather bag before speaking.

“Orphide-sama…”

That was the man’s name.

“What is it?”

“I have something to discuss regarding the Ring of the Goddess of Water.”

Unhurriedly.

Walking side by side, the two strangers looked as though they were merely making casual conversation.

At the name of the ring, Orphide’s brow twitched ever so slightly.

He adjusted his glasses by the bridge, a gesture habitual enough to be called a tic.

“Continue.”

“Yes, sir.”

The traveler produced a folded sheet of paper from inside their clothes and handed it to Orphide.

Orphide unfolded it as he walked, then adjusted his glasses at the bridge once more.

The repetition made it obvious that the gesture was simply a habit.

With clear disappointment, he muttered, “How troublesome.”

The traveler—or rather, the Demon King cultist—became intensely tense at nothing more than that voice, though outwardly they remained calm as they walked.

“I apologize. I didn’t intend to trouble you, Orphide-sama.”

“I suppose not. You followed my instructions and went to Windea to find that ring. I have no doubts about your loyalty.”

“Yes, sir…”

“I commend your efforts, and I have no intention of belittling them.”

But then…

A sharp, cold gaze reached the cultist through Orphide’s lenses.

“Failure in this plan is not acceptable. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes, sir…”

At the Demon King cultist’s reply, Orphide let a seemingly good-natured smile spread across his face.

“Do you remember when I stayed in Leomel during the winter?”

“Of course.”

“During that time, I met that person. She still seems no more willing to act with us than before, but perhaps one day she will change her mind. That is why this plan absolutely must not fail.”

That person. She.

From those two expressions alone, the Demon King cultist close to Orphide immediately understood whom he meant. A mere rank-and-file cultist might not have known.

The Demon King cultist answered once more:

“For the sake of the great Demon King, I will stake my life.”

“If you understand, then good. Make your preparations. I will contact you later. As soon as my work here is finished, I will return to Leomel.”

“Understood. Then…”

“Yes. We will meet again soon.”

The Demon King cultist disappeared as though they had never been there at all.

Orphide approached the identity checkpoint at the gate alone.

Eventually, his turn came.

“Your guild card will do. Please present an item that can prove your identity.”

“I apologize, but I don’t have such an item with me.”

“Then, leave. You cannot enter this town.”

Even when stopped by the knights guarding the town, Orphide continued to walk calmly.

To the knights, anyone trying to force their way into town was simply a criminal. Looking like a well-dressed noble did not change that. At most, his appearance made them hesitate to resort immediately to violence.

One of the knights drew his sword and stood in Orphide’s way.

Orphide snapped his fingers and casually said, “Excuse me.”

“—”

A mass of black mana rose from beneath the ground, took the shape of an arm, and coiled around the knight’s feet.

The knight was swallowed up by the darkness and disappeared.

At the unexpected turn of events, the surrounding knights, travelers, and residents were stunned, but soon screams erupted, and the knights drew their weapons.

“Someone call for reinforcements! Hurry!”

But before anyone could leave to summon reinforcements, another group came running.

Orphide smiled when he saw them.

“Wonderful. I was looking for you.”

The approaching group was not the town’s knights.

They were Holy Palace Knights, the formidable warriors of the Elfen Church.

They had learned special sword techniques at the Silver Holy Palace of Nodias and honed their magic as well. Each possessed strength surpassing even the elite knights of major nations.

Every one of them served Main God Elfen and wore pure white robes.

Ren had seen such knights before, though he was not here now. They had accompanied the Elfen Church choir to Roses Caitas during the Lion King Grand Festival.

Orphide continued to walk without concern as they approached.

A momentary disturbance—nothing like a natural gust—rippled through the air.

“I’ve been wanting to meet you, Holy Palace Knights.”

Shadows closed in on Orphide from every direction, including above.

Sacred magic and sacred weapons forged in the Silver Holy Palace of Nodias—attacks imbued with special efficacy against beings aligned with the Demon King—converged on the lone man as he continued his elegant walk.

“…No greeting? How sad.”

“No need.”

“To offer a greeting that would only defile us? Never.”

Lances of light. Beautiful sword blades. Arrowheads coated in holy water.

Though they pierced Orphide’s neck, shoulders, abdomen, legs, and brow, the Holy Palace Knights did not stop attacking.

Strangely, no matter how much his body was wounded, Orphide never shed a single drop of blood.

That fact unnerved the Holy Palace Knights.

The Holy Palace Knights’ attacks only intensified. The pressure alone cracked the city gate, while the surrounding people immediately evacuated at the town knights’ orders.

The stone-paved ground sank beneath the force of countless spells and weapons, and light poured into the resulting depression.

A mass of light brighter than midsummer sunlight became a cage around Orphide.

Holy Crest Technique.

Lenidus, the former bishop of the Elfen Church who had attacked Elendil’s Grand Clock Tower, had used it before. What the Holy Palace Knights employed now was one variation of the same technique.

Around thirty Holy Palace Knights wielded it with destructive and purifying power born of skill that far surpassed Lenidus’s.

The light didn’t stop.

Extreme heat. Refined purifying power.

From the bottom of the crater where the light had fallen, Orphide spoke without the slightest sign of pain.

“Wonderful. I’m surprised you managed to kill me twice.”

Even with his entire body swallowed by light, his voice carried without a hint of suffering.

One Holy Palace Knight was swallowed by black mana leaking from the light.

Another raised a sword to finish Orphide, only for black thorns erupting from within the light to pierce the knight’s chest.

There were still many Holy Palace Knights.

At last the light was swallowed by darkness, and Orphide reappeared.

The shirt covering his upper body had burned away, exposing his lean, well-trained frame.

Then his clothing began to heal instantly. It was not merely being repaired—it healed as though it were regenerating skin.

“You… priest!”

One Holy Palace Knight spat the word bitterly.

“Oh my. I am honored that you know me.”

“Of course we—”

“But perhaps that knowledge did not matter very much after all.”

Before the Holy Palace Knight could finish, Orphide vanished for an instant and reappeared behind him, one arm already driven through the knight’s chest.

The knight’s sturdy armor might as well not have existed.

Orphide withdrew his arm at once and continued walking, adjusting his glasses with his free hand.

“Let us kill everything Elfen has created.”

He looked toward the temple visible deeper inside the town.

“I will kill everyone who believes in you, and everyone who does not. I will even lay hands on innocent children who know nothing. The elderly who will soon be summoned to your side—I do not mind taking their lives in your place. And those who fit neither category, I will kill with my own hands as well.”

Not a single drop of red blood stained Orphide’s shirt. It remained immaculate white, as if brand-new.

Facing the remaining Holy Palace Knights, Orphide declared:

“I came today to claim the sacred relics, esteemed members of the Elfen Church.”

That day, one large town in a country on the Elfen Continent vanished. Not a single sacred relic stored in its temple remained.

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