Chapter 306 - 306. The Battle for the Fortress and the Final Effigy
It looked like I'd taken the worst of it. Maira offered to heal me, but since there was no poison, I asked her to treat Mizuki first. I was more concerned about the gash on her face.
Maira peered into my face.
"You look pale. And it seems you can't even stand without support anymore..."
"I'm fine."
As I answered Maira, Mami, who was supporting me, shifted restlessly.
"...I'm not fine. I can't anymore. I can't hold Mash up."
My body swayed, and her hand on my back touched my wound.
"Guh..."
An involuntary, muffled groan escaped me. Maira's expression hardened.
"I-I'm fine. Please, take care of Mizuki first."
A cold sweat beaded on my forehead. I tried to dismiss it with a weak smile, but Maira didn't budge.
"What is it?"
"Well... you're very kind, aren't you, Mash?"
"That's what all women say. When you can't find anything else to praise, you just fall back on 'kind'."
"That's not what I meant at all!"
She came at me, fists clenched in a fighting pose, so I pushed her back by the forehead.
"What would happen if a scar was left on a beautiful face like that? It would bother me, and I'd regret it for the rest of my life."
"..."
Maira gave me a lingering, intense look before finally heading over to Mizuki.
As if taking her place, Fam approached.
"This was on the ground."
On her palm lay a stone shaped like a magatama.
"Jade... jasper... or maybe agate? Did it drop from the Yamata no Orochi?"
It was a deep, translucent green stone. It was beautifully polished and seemed to emit a faint glow from within. Several smaller, similar stones were strung on either side of the large one, forming a necklace.
"It wasn't there when we were fighting."
I lifted the necklace.
"But why a magatama..."
In the myths of my world, the one thing that comes from the Yamata no Orochi is the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi sword. I also remembered Mizuki saying that the Yamata no Orochi was a symbol of a raging river that flowed through the land.
"If that's the case, then jade found in a river being a drop from the Yamata no Orochi makes sense, I guess...?"
I noticed Fam and Mami were also staring at the necklace. When I moved it to the left, their gazes followed. When I moved it right, they followed again. Finding it amusing, I moved it left once more.
"What are you muttering to yourself and playing at?"
Mizuki, her treatment finished, lightly chopped me on the head. Then Maira moved behind me and held her hand over my wound.
"This means we now have the staff, the mirror, and the jar of holy oil that were housed in the Ark."
The staff is the battleaxe Maira carries. The mirror is the stone tablet from Migul, and the jar of holy oil is this magatama necklace in my hands. We've gathered them, but the battleaxe is just a normal weapon, and while the tablet is apparently used in a dog-eared race ritual, I don't really get it. And this magatama necklace also seems like just a necklace. I couldn't sense any power that the giant, said to be the God of the End, would seek.
"They seem like effigies. Not that I think their power or effect is weak, but..."
Do we have no choice but to find the mirror Isaac took and search for the staff said to be in the Demon Kingdom's capital? Or would something change if we placed these items in the Ark, which is supposedly in the Imperial capital? Then there's the matter of the three special skills, the Imperial Regalia: Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, Yata-no-Kagami, and Yasakani-no-Magatama. Fam has Yata-no-Kagami, and Toratsuna has Yasakani-no-Magatama. And the last one, Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, is probably held by a transferee summoned by the Five Goddesses in the Demon Kingdom. I have no idea what will happen when they are all brought together.
The same goes for the sword Racshell gave Mizuki. I had thought that sword was Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. However, it seems several transferees summoned by Racshell have wielded it before. In fact, we have two of them: the one entrusted to us by Racshell, and the one Akizuki Uta possessed. Are these also just effigies? Does an original even exist?
Until now, I've journeyed on, believing something would happen if we gathered all the items from the myths, but I still don't even know what that something will be. But Karpana of the Wandering People prophesied that the journey's end lies in the Demon Kingdom.
There's just not enough information to organize my thoughts. As I thought this, I dangled the necklace back and forth. Fam's and Mami's eyes followed the magatama, and this time Mizuki's joined them.
"I wonder how many more effigies there are?"
"The thought of fighting another giant-like thing every time is exhausting. I'd rather not think about it."
Mami reached out, grabbed the dangling magatama, and pulled it toward herself.
"...I feel magic."
"Like a magic seed or a crystal core?"
Mami shook her head.
"...Not an accumulation of mana, but something more... fundamental? Like the source of power?"
"You're asking me?"
I handed the necklace's cord to Mami.
"Want to hold on to it?"
"...Are you sure?"
If she's sensing something, it's probably best for her to have it. I nodded, and Mami clutched the necklace tightly.
"But don't blame me if it's cursed."
"...It's not cursed. Probably."
Probably? I thought, watching Mami, but then I flinched, noticing the intense stares from Fam and Mizuki.
"W-what is it?"
"It's not fair Mami's the only one who gets a necklace!"
Mizuki pouted.
"What are you talking about!"
"I worked hard too!"
"You have a necklace made of magic seeds, and I bought one for Fam too!"
"...Why isn't there one for me...?"
Suddenly, Maira's voice came from behind. I stiffened and turned to see her glaring at me resentfully. She lightly tapped the spot where my wound had been; the pain was gone. Her healing must have finished. I could finally stand on my own without leaning on Mami.
"What are we talking about?"
I knew full well, but I asked Maira anyway.
"Fam, Mizuki, and Mami all got presents, but I haven't gotten anything!"
"What are you talking about! You have the battleaxe, and I bought you grilled fish skewers and ale in Flucht!"
"Why am I the only one who gets food! If that's how it is, then I don't want this stupid battleaxe!"
Maira raised the battleaxe as if to throw it away.
"Hey, wait. I promise I'll buy you something in the next town."
"And a date?"
"And a date."
She beamed, and I let out a sigh of relief.
Then I turned my gaze to Nefy, who had been leaning against the open doorway, looking out of place.
"Are you ready?"
Nefy uncrossed her arms and asked with her usual smile.
"What are you going to do?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean after we go through that door behind you. This dungeon will probably disappear. When it does, we'll be surrounded by the knights of House Wanland and the Crimson Brigade."
"And?"
Her tone was flat. She probably didn't see the point in pressing for more. But I had to lay it all out to get the situation straight.
"If Jinma doesn't keep his promise to break Fam's curse, I'll do whatever it takes to slaughter him and the entire Crimson Brigade."
"Even if it costs her her life?"
Nefy glanced at Fam.
"I wouldn't like it. But rather than let them toy with her..." I stared at the floor. "If it comes to that, I'll be with her. I won't leave Fam alone."
I heard the other members besides Nefy gasp.
"Master, I—"
I held out an arm to stop Fam from speaking.
"So there's no need to think about what comes after."
I fixed my gaze on Nefy. But this time, Fam stepped in front of me, blocking my view.
"Please wait. I don't want that. I don't! I don't want to die. But I can do anything if I think it's for your sake, Master. But that's so you can continue your journey!"
"Fam, it's the same for me. I'll do anything to make sure you can live happily."
When I tried to look away from her, she grabbed my arm.
"No! Since the day we met in Richelle, you've continued this journey. You've gained so much experience and made so many friends. But I'm alone. Without you, Master, I'm alone. It's not the same at all!"
"That's not true. I told you we'd always be together! And we have been!"
"That's just what I think! It's not what you think, and it doesn't matter!"
"You stubborn girl."
I tried to shake off Fam's arm, but she only gripped it tighter.
"You're the one being strange, Master! This is my mistake! I've already accepted it."
"It's not your damn mistake! They're the ones in the wrong. I don't give a damn what happens after! That's why I'll take them all down with me, no matter what!"
As Fam and I were glaring at each other, Nefy pulled us apart.
"Calm down. Jinma will definitely break Fam's curse. The problem is what you and the knights will do about the Crimson Brigade's fate afterward."
Nefy said.
"How can you be so sure he 'definitely' will?"
"From your perspective, Mash, the Crimson Brigade might just look like villains, but commercially, they're thieves and mercenaries. Losing their credibility is a death sentence for them. This time, the knights of House Wanland will be witnesses, so it'll be impossible to silence everyone. That's why they won't go back on an agreement they made. You're the one who can't be trusted, Mash."
Stared down by Nefy, I was at a loss for words. It was true I hadn't been counting on the promise we made before the battle with the Yamata no Orochi. And I was planning my actions regardless of whether Jinma kept his word.
"Their leader is a transferee. He doesn't follow the common sense of this world."
I squeezed the words out.
"You can become a leader through brute force, but you can't maintain an organization that way."
Hearing that, I clenched my fists. I couldn't let a group like that live. I wanted to tell Nefy she was wrong. But she was right. And even if I won the argument, nothing would change. As I was thinking that, Nefy patted my shoulder a couple of times. Then she walked through the doorway. As I watched her go, Mizuki slapped my back.
"Well, I do like the part of you that worries like this, though."
Mizuki followed after Nefy. Then I heard Maira's heavy sigh.
"I wonder what Mash thinks of the promise he just made with me... If something similar happened to me, would he get this worked up?"
Maira tilted her head with feigned innocence.
"Maira."
"Yes?"
"Of course I would."
"Yes."
Maira's expression didn't change. Her hand reached out and gently caressed my cheek. Then she started walking, following Mizuki. As I watched her leave, Mami came to stand quietly beside me. She pointed a finger at the magatama necklace around her neck.
"...This is an item. You're buying me something too."
"You're rich, aren't you?"
"...That's not the point."
Mami's cheeks puffed out slightly.
"Alright. I'll get you something affordable..."
As I said that, Mami stomped hard on my foot. Then she walked away.
Fam and I were left alone.
"Mami doesn't say much, but she's your friend, right? Mizuki and Maira care about you deeply, too. You know that, which is why you agreed to become a slave by yourself in their place, right? And, probably, Nefy cares about you too..."
"Probably... you too, Master."
Her hand reached out and took mine. We also started walking toward the door.
"Master, I understand. I really do."
Fam murmured, her head bowed.
"What are you talking about?"
"What you're thinking isn't what I'm wishing for. And I'm sure what I'm thinking isn't what you're wishing for. I hate that. But... it also makes me happy."
Her hand squeezed mine tightly. I squeezed back, just as firmly.
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