Kays Translations

Chapter 21: The Strongest Onmyoji, Watching Over Us

“You’ve dug quite a bit, huh?”

Along with Amiyu, a few moments later, they began digging a grave.

On the ground, a considerably vast hole had opened up.

The traces of the female knight dropping a meteorite yesterday were almost unrecognizable. This was because they had dug up the entire area that encapsulated it.

On the edge of the hole, a mound of soil had piled up.

Although I have much more strength than the average person through Qigong technique, without Amiyu’s bottomless stamina, the two of us wouldn’t have been able to dig this far alone.

Amiyu says with satisfaction,

“If it’s this, everyone should be able to fit in, don’t you think?”

“It’ll be a tight fit, but…”

I say with a slightly grim expression,

“The depth is totally insufficient. If it’s for burial, I’d want three times the current depth, no, four times.”

“Well, that’s impossible!”

Amiyu fell backward onto the ground with a thud.

With her hand shading her eyes, she looked up at the sky and said,

“I underestimated it… digging a hole is so difficult.”

“Well, it’s a grave for two or three thousand people… Just the fact that we managed to dig this much is impressive.”

I said with a smile,

“I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Huh?”

“If we just need to make it deeper from here, it won’t be that difficult… What’s wrong?”

Amiyu, still lying on her back, stared at me with an indescribable, embarrassed expression.

“I’ll be relying on you again… Even though it was my own doing. I’m sure it would have been easier if you had done it alone from the beginning.”

I answered with a slight smile,

“Digging a hole skillfully from scratch is actually quite challenging even for me. You have to come up with various ideas… It’s not that it became easy; it’s just that I managed to dig this far manually.”

“I don’t need strange consolation.”

“No, I’m serious.”

“Ugh.”

Amiyu let out a deep sigh.

“I really can’t do anything on my own… I should have known I’m not strong enough to do everything.”

“You’ve become quite pessimistic. You were so enthusiastic back in the imperial capital.”

“Well… I must have been a bit out of my mind.”

Amiyu said with an embarrassed expression.

“After hearing various things from His Majesty, I somehow felt like I had to do my best for this country… I didn’t even think about refusing requests. I might have come here alone, really.”

“…”

Looking back… The Emperor’s persuasion skills were indeed skillful. 

Even I, who should have been quite cautious, found myself getting drawn into the conversation at times. 

Moreover, the Emperor was mostly speaking directly to Amiyu. Considering the atmosphere during the audience, it wouldn’t be surprising if she got caught up in it.

“Well, it can’t be helped.”

I reach out a hand to the reclining Amiyu.

“Let’s think about what to do next. For now, move aside. I’m going to use a slightly flashy method to dig the hole.”

“Yes.”

Amiyu takes my hand and stands up.

At that moment,

“Wow, what is this?”

A boy’s voice echoes.

Looking over, Holy Knight Ren is looking down at the hole we dug, wearing a somewhat astonished expression.

“Are you two foolish humans planning to start something strange?”

“It’s not something strange at all.”

Amiyu glares at the young forest elf and says,

“We’re just going to bury these people. Is that a problem?”

“Huh? Bury them?”

Ren shook his head as if genuinely astonished.

“I knew humans were foolish creatures, but to this extent…”

Then, he turns a contemptuous gaze toward Amiyu and speaks.

“You can’t just do something like that.”

“Huh?”

Amiyu retorts with a mix of frustration.

“Why do I have to hear that from you?”

“Even if it’s not me, anyone would say the same. Burying such a large number of corpses, especially those of undead soldiers… What if something happens?”

“What kind of something?”

“Contamination of the land, the outbreak of disease. There’s even the possibility that the enemy necromancer has implanted something in the bodies. It’s too dangerous to just bury them as they are.”

“…All of that can be addressed.”

I interject.

“Contamination of the land or disease can be avoided by burying them deep enough. Even if something is implanted in the bodies, I can erase it all beforehand.”

“No… Wouldn’t it be faster to use that effort to burn them?”

Ren directs a half-smile towards me.

“Even among foolish humans, I thought you were somewhat better. Seika Lamprogue.”

“…”

“You should cut it out. Why do we need your orders on what to do with these people? Can you take responsibility?”

Ren said, wiping away his smile.

Amiyu wears a perplexed expression.

“Eh…?”

“I’m asking if you can take responsibility in case something goes wrong after burying the bodies.”

Ren continues with a serious expression.

“What if flooding occurs, or if the bodies are unearthed by animals, causing an outbreak of disease? Or if the lingering magic of the necromancer we couldn’t erase starts acting up? What will you do?”

“S-so, I’ll make sure those things don’t happen!”

“I’m not asking about preventive measures. I’m asking about how you’ll handle things if, by any chance, something does happen.”

“…”

“In a few days, you will leave this place, and you may not care about what happens to this town afterwards. However, the foolish humans living here will continue to reside. I’m asking what compensation you can provide if your actions cause harm to the residents.”

“…”

Amiyu couldn’t answer.

And that was only natural.

She couldn’t take responsibility for people’s lives, as she herself had mentioned just a moment ago.

“If it were the princess, she could take responsibility.”

Ren says.

“With her skill and wealth, the princess can take responsibility for her decisions. That’s the difference between you and her. As someone entrusted by the princess to handle this situation, I must use my own talents to do my best to prevent such a situation… Do you understand the difference in our positions? Hero Amiyu.”

“…”

“Whether burying the dead is a custom in this country or not… the world isn’t so lenient as to allow foolish human sentimentality to dictate actions. It’s not as easy as you think.”

While saying this, Ren drew a magical dagger from its sheath.

Then, he looked down upon the sprawled group of corpses.

“Moreover,”

With a half-smile, he aimed the rainbow-colored tip upwards.

Around the dagger, a surge of immense power emerged — a colossal flame rose into the sky.

What originated from the tip of the dagger looked like a gigantic blade of flames.

“The foolish fate of those who die in a pitiful manner and are easily manipulated… ash suits them well.”

The blade of flames was brought down upon the group of corpses.

It set the slashed bodies ablaze, on the verge of turning them into ashes.

“Take this!”

Amiyu’s staff-sword’s tip parried the forest elf boy’s dagger.

In an instant, the hero girl closed the distance between her and Ren, who was quite far away.

“Ahaha.”

Ren extinguished the flames and leaped back.

A pleased smile was plastered across his face.

“Are you in the mood, Hero Amiyu? Great! I’m just in the mood myself.”

He raised the magical dagger.

Then,

“Your body’s feeling sluggish, isn’t it!”

He thrust the tip into the ground.

The earth bulged. A massive amount of boulders generated beneath the ground, propelling the hero girl into the air.

“Hey, what are you…”

Just as I was about to react,

“Seika-sama.”

Yuki called my name in a whisper, as if to restrain me.

“Let’s watch over it.”

“Huh?”

“What that girl started. She should deal with it herself.”

I hesitated for a moment and then repositioned the figurine in my pocket.

“…Let’s leave it until she faces the consequences herself. No more intervention.”

“Yes.”

As Amiyu landed gracefully, countless ice blades, each as long as an arm, attacked her.

Amiyu, like a storm, repelled them and took refuge in the shadow of the elevated ground.

“What the heck are you doing all of a sudden!”

“Is this the power of a hero!”

The forest elf boy swung his dagger.

This time, a large number of rocks appeared in the sky.

“With this, the ‘Battle Princess’ is much stronger!”

Driven by the falling rocks, Amiyu rolled out from the shadow of the elevated ground.

She then repelled the attacking blades of wind with her staff-sword, which was adorned with a faint light.

It seemed to be a type of magic that neutralizes other magic, although not as potent as a barrier-class spell.

However,

“Grr…!”

Against Ren’s output, Amiyu was completely inadequate.

By the third attack, she staggered significantly.

“Like that, how do you intend to protect humans!”

Ren unleashed a follow-up wind magic.

Amiyu, allowing her posture to collapse, dodged them.

And then,

“I don’t know, okay!”

Amiyu swiftly corrected her posture and unleashed fire and wind magic.

Ren didn’t show any signs of evasion; his figure disappeared, enveloped in flames.

Amiyu continued casting magic repeatedly.

“To expect me to protect this entire country alone! Don’t shove the role of a fairy tale hero onto someone like me!”

The magic ceased.

Whether exhausted or not, Amiyu was breathing heavily.

“Hah. Just like a child.”

Ren stood in the same place, in the same posture.

Around him, a faint light faintly sparkled.

It resembled the barrier the Battle Princess had used, but judging by the flow of power, it was refined on several levels.

“Your sword skills and martial arts are decent, but your magic is at an unbearable level. Well, even if it’s somewhat skillful, I don’t think it would reach me.”

While observing the flow of power, I understood.

Although there’s a difference between human magic and forest elf spirit magic, when it comes to magic, Ren is superior to that knight from before. Perhaps he’s still holding back his power.

As a pure mage, he might be the strongest among those I’ve encountered in this world.

The young Holy Knight toyed with the magical dagger, speaking with a condescending tone.

“If you want to live as a weakling and as one of the people, do as you please. But if that’s the case,”

Ren aimed the tip of the dagger at Amiyu.

Around it, the flow of power swirled.

“Know your place.”

A radiant belt of light surged from the dagger.

With almost instinctive movements, Amiyu bent her body, dodging. A few strands of her red hair that failed to escape were pierced by the light and scattered.

Ren swung the dagger.

Amiyu evaded the beam of light, which was cut horizontally. In return, the earth she avoided glowed red and melted in a straight line.

Amiyu skillfully dodged the swinging light sword with acrobatic-like movements.

Although she wasn’t hit, she couldn’t close the distance, finding herself in a purely defensive stance.

“W-What is this magic!”

“It’s a secret technique using the light spirits, foolish human.”

Ren continued swinging the dagger with a half-smile.

“Don’t worry, even if some part of your body gets separated, I’ll put it back together. Well, the head and torso might be a bit challenging.”

I attempted to reach for the figurine in my pocket… then stopped.

I bit my lip.

Her body hasn’t split yet. It’s what she decided.

“This…!”

Amiyu unleashed a series of earth magic projectiles.

They vanished against Ren’s barrier, but they served as a slight cover against the light blades.

Hiding behind the rocks she had created, Amiyu stepped towards Ren.

The sweeping light attack, released as if crawling along the ground, was narrowly avoided with a last-minute leap.

Amiyu tightened her grip on the sword and, flowing smoothly, thrust sharply.

The entire sequence of movements was something awakening.

Facing a sword-swallowing magic she had never seen before, the actions she took were beyond what an ordinary person could manage.

Undoubtedly, she possessed the talent of a warrior.

The decisive strike that seemed to settle the match.

However, it did not connect with the body of the young Holy Knight.

In the moment the thrust pierced the flickering space, Ren’s figure vanished along with the flow of power.

“I can teleport, of course.”

The voice echoed from behind Amiyu.

The young Holy Knight aimed the tip of the dagger at the hero.

The flow of power swirled.

“You lose.”

A radiant belt of light was unleashed towards the girl.

—In the next instant.

Before the turned-around Amiyu, a vigorously splashing wall of water appeared.

“What!?”

Ren widened his eyes.

It was a low-level water magic, Aqua Wall.

With a faint sound of “shhh,” the beam surged through the flowing water wall.

It continued, piercing through the girl’s body.

No—It didn’t pierce through.

The beam hit Amiyu’s body but failed to pass through, as if it were just ordinary light.

Breaking through the water wall, the girl stepped forward.

And then, a flash.

As if slipping through next to Ren, Amiyu vigorously deflected the magical dagger.

“Darn it…!”

Even after taking that intense blow, Ren didn’t let go of the dagger.

In a panic, he aimed its tip at Amiyu.

However, in the next moment—The rainbow-colored blade shattered with a fragile sound.

“A… Aahhh!?”

Seeing the shattered dagger, Ren let out a scream as if it were the end of the world.

“W-What in the world…!”

“Shut up! You’re so annoying!”

Amiyu turned around and shouted at Ren, pointing the tip of her staff-sword at him.

“If you’re going to make such a fuss, fine! I’ll take responsibility! Call me if anything happens! I’ll do the heavy lifting or whatever!”

With an irritated expression, Amiyu glared at Ren. 

However, there was a sense of relief in the atmosphere.

On the other hand, Ren was kneeling on the ground, gathering fragments of the shattered magic stone, looking disheartened.

“H-how precious do you think this is…”

“I don’t know! You started the fight, didn’t you!”

Amiyu approached the young elf and slapped him on the head. 

Ren was on the verge of tears.

“Amiyu…”

“Oh, Seika. How about that? It feels like I won a match for the first time in a while! Isn’t that a shining moment for a hero?”

Amiyu walks towards me with a somewhat bewildered expression and directs a smile at me.

With a cheerful demeanor, she seemed to be in a good mood.

I inquire,

“Hey, why did you… use a Water Wall Aqua Wall?”

“Huh? Oh, that. Um, you know, its magic, something about spirits of light or whatever it said, right? It looked shiny, so basically, it’s about shining, right?”

Amiyu continues, seeming uncertain about how to express herself.

“When it comes to water, it gets dark when it’s a bit deep, and with droplets or bubbles, the other side becomes hard to see. That’s because light doesn’t reach there, right? So, I thought, maybe you can prevent it with water.”

Amiyu looks down at her own clothes and wears a slightly disappointed expression.

“Oh, but it got a little burnt… If it were an Earth attribute wall, it could have been more perfectly defended… but then I would have to get around to close the distance, so I still think this was the right choice. Yeah.”

“I didn’t know… the principles and ways to defend against that magic.”

“I didn’t know. But…”

Amiyu momentarily averts her gaze.

“Even though you use magic that seems incomprehensible, you must be thinking about it in various ways, right? So, I thought maybe I should try thinking a bit and fight too.”

“…I see.”

A strong, wise, and courageous individual.

Even if the qualifications of a hero are not inherent but are rather qualities perceived by society… this child still felt like a true hero.

“That being said,”

Amiyu glares at Ren, who is kneeling on the ground.

“I won, so I’ll bury the people here. Got it? You little one!”

“What is going on with you people…”

Ren says, half in tears.

“Please don’t cause trouble for the princess…”

“I won’t cause trouble for Fiona.”

I respond in place of Amiyu.

“I’ll take responsibility to ensure that things she’s concerned about won’t happen. I’ll explain it to her as well. She should understand.”

“…What a foolish human. Even though I’m telling you to stop, I… I…”

Ren continues muttering discontentedly while still kneeling.

Amiyu says indignantly.

“Thanks to you, the hole I dug so carefully is a complete mess now. First, take responsibility and redig it.”

“What?! Why me?! Besides, it’s impossible, you broke the magic sword…”

“What are you saying? Even without a sword, you still have hands and feet. I’ll even lend you a shovel.”

“Huh, you want me to dig manually? I’ll die!”

Ren protests loudly, but it seems Amiyu is seriously intending to make him dig.

Given the chaotic aftermath of the battle, restoring everything without magic is practically impossible for one person. So, it’s probably just to give him a hard time. 

Well, I’ll probably have to handle the grave in the end.

“Well done, indeed,”

Suddenly, Yuki said near my ear.

“Such opportunities are necessary.”

“Yeah, you were right.”

Amiyu understood and learned something.

Surely, it was something that couldn’t be achieved if I just kept taking care of everything.

“Show some spirit, will you? Got it?!”

Amiyu shouts.

Looking back, Ren, half in tears, had planted the shovel into the ground. It seems Amiyu is serious about making him dig.

“By the way, it’s a bit late to ask, but,”

Amiyu turns to me and says.

“Why were you out of the city so early in the morning? I had you help with digging the hole, but didn’t you have something else to do?”

“Oh, I was planning to examine a corpse.”

I had completely forgotten about it. 

Not that I had high expectations anyway.

“I thought there might be some traces that could be clues to the enemy.”

“Come to think of it, you did that in the previous town too. Well then, I’ll help too.”

“Huh, you?”

“Well, I can’t do much besides removing things that seem to reveal their identity.”

“Oh… right.”

Until now, I had only collected items that survived the fire as belongings, but if we’re burying them, it’s probably better to do that.

Amiyu and I walk towards the location where the bodies are lined up.

As I ponder where to start, Ami suddenly raises her voice.

“…Huh?”

Her steps came to a halt in front of one particular corpse.

I instinctively look in that direction.

The corpse Amiyu is examining appears to be unremarkable. A middle-aged man with no significant armor, only a shabby sword on him – a type I’ve seen countless times before.

Nevertheless, Amiyu doesn’t move from in front of the man’s body.

“What’s wrong?”

A bit skeptical, I approach Amiyu.

While looking down at the corpse, Amiyu speaks.

“This person… I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.”

“Huh…?”

I ask, slightly confused.

“Could it be… someone you know?”

Amiyu shakes her head.

“I don’t think so… but I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere. What about you? Don’t you recognize them?”

“Uh…?”

While thinking it couldn’t be possible, I look at the face of the corpse again.

This region to the west is far from the Lamprouge territory, where I’ve spent most of my time, and also distant from places like Rodonea and Lakana. There’s no way I could know anyone here.

However… the moment I see the face, a definite sense of déjà vu washes over me.

I’ve seen this face.

But the impression is faint. I can’t recall who or where…

“Oh! W-wait a minute?”

Amiyu suddenly raises her voice as if she has realized something, but shortly after, she begins to look puzzled.

I quickly ask.

“What’s wrong? Did you remember?”

“Y-yes.”

Amiyu nods hesitantly.

“Doesn’t this person resemble that guy? You know, the father we pulled out together from the rubble when we saved the girl from the undead soldiers in that town. He was already dead…”

I widen my eyes.

Certainly… they do resemble each other.

“They haven’t been turned into undead soldiers, right? The clothes are completely different… Since the people in that town didn’t have the luxury to bury them, you guys cremated them. So, maybe they’re siblings? Perhaps twins? If so, that’s quite unfortunate…”

Amiyu mutters with a sense of dejection.

But her voice doesn’t register in my head properly from midway.

“No way…”

I just mutter in disbelief.

“Is this really…? If so…”

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