Chapter 50 - Ema and Ito
Raindrops struck my face. I woke up.
Looking around, I realized I was in a sea of trees. Had I been drugged asleep?
"You're awake? Good. Then you can walk on your own two feet."
Riley's voice. She'd been carrying me on her back. She set me down.
"Where are we?"
"A sea of trees, just as you see. We're heading for Ito's hideout."
So I'd been kidnapped. I looked up and saw a sky shrouded in thick clouds through the sparse canopy. Rain poured down from it. The dim light made it impossible to tell the time. I took out my smartphone and checked.
"July 8th, 7:36 AM…"
It was the day after Riley and I had been together.
"In your world, yesterday was Tanabata, wasn't it? The one day a year the Weaver and the Cowherd can meet in the heavens, but… well, look at this rain."
"I'm not exactly disappointed. They're all alone up in the heavens. They must have been whispering sweet nothings to each other, far from prying eyes."
"Heh, you say the most romantic things. Just like us last night."
"Shut up. I'm going back to the inn."
"And how do you plan to do that?"
Riley laughed. I surveyed my surroundings again. In every direction, the trees grew thick and oppressive; I had no idea which way to go. One wrong turn and I could be wandering this forest forever.
"Do you know the way?"
"I was originally a Chaser. It's a job exclusive to beastkin. My skills let me get a rough sense of direction to a person or a place I've marked. I became a warrior to protect my master."
"That's a pretty overpowered job."
"You think so? An adventurer's Storage is way more broken."
"…You've got a point there."
I gave a noncommittal nod, not really caring about the conversation. Riley started walking. It seemed I had no choice but to follow her.
"Do you even know where Ito's hideout is?"
"I knew they used this area as their base. My master and Ito used to meet on the roads around here. But I never knew the exact location of their hideout."
"Then how do you know where we're going is their hideout?"
"Ema's position hasn't changed since yesterday."
So, we were about to charge into a place that might not even be their hideout. Just the two of us.
"So, what's the plan?"
"We'll make Levante fight Ito's bandits. In the confusion, I'll rescue my master."
"Hold on, I'm the only one in Levante here."
"Don't worry. I left a note taking credit. I've also been sprinkling a strong perfume along the path we've walked. A dog-eared girl… Fam should be able to smell it. I've been leaving other marks, too."
With that, she swung her sword and gashed a tree.
"Hey, when did you get that sword?"
Come to think of it, she wasn't wearing her usual claws. Maybe Maira and the others took them off while treating her. My memory was fuzzy.
"When we entered the forest, some kind folks gave this to me. There were two of them, but I only needed one sword, so I turned the other one down. Did you need one?"
She grinned.
"Hey, you didn't kill them, did you?"
"Payback for yesterday. They were just bandits, anyway."
So being a bandit was reason enough to die.
"…You're far too reckless. I thought so back at the Bell Tower, but you're a complete idiot, aren't you?"
"What did you say?!"
"I don't know who this Ito is, but Ema hasn't been killed, right? That means they don't intend to kill her. This doesn't seem like a situation with a clear beneficiary from a commercial kidnapping or abduction. And there's no way a simple disagreement over whether to kill me would escalate into them trying to kill each other. If their conflict is resolved, Ema will be released. And yet you haven't gathered a single piece of information that could help with that."
The shadow of the noble who had been hosting Ema back in Richelle flickered in my mind, but I kept quiet.
"…"
"All you're doing is fanning the flames, creating a situation where they have no choice but to fight, and backing them both into a corner."
Ito was a wild enough person to lead a band of thieves. Yet, she also had a side to her that chose not to come after us directly.
"Finding a condition or creating a situation where Ito will release Ema is a much faster solution than slaughtering all the bandits."
"My master and Ito are twin sisters. They were originally in the same party. Six months ago, Ito and another member left. It was sudden. I didn't know anything."
"You should have led with that! If that's the case, there's no way they'd try to kill each other!"
"To be honest, I have almost no impression of Ito. Even when we were in the same party, we rarely did anything together. The most recent time was when we tailed you into the dungeon."
"There was someone who carried you two to the 12th floor, wasn't there?"
"Yeah. Ito's an adventurer, after all."
"That doesn't add up. It means Ito was complicit in the plan to kill us in the dungeon. Wasn't she against killing us?"
"No, you're not wrong. She was always reluctant about it."
"…"
They were summoned by the same god. I was sure of it. If they were summoned by the same deity, they should have been drawn to each other. Their conflict started six months ago, so while the argument over killing me might have been the trigger, it wasn't the root cause.
I thought of Maira and Aira. They weren't twins, but they were look-alike sisters. Maira was clingy, and Aira always seemed annoyed by it. They might have that level of friction, but it would never escalate to them trying to kill each other unless it was over something like an inheritance or succession dispute.
My own sister used to call me 'gross' all the time, but… no, that's unforgivable. It's a miracle an angelic niece was ever born from her. I suppose we can make an exception for brothers and sisters.
My thoughts had strayed. Still, something about Riley's story didn't sit right with me. The way she spoke, or rather, the way she revealed information, was strange. I didn't think she was hiding anything, but there was an overall sense of dissonance.
"Our companion was killed," Riley said, her voice laced with resentment.
"You killed one of them, too. And today, you killed two more. Aren't you the one who created a reason for all this killing? Because of you…"
…Ema will die. I couldn't bring myself to say it. I was getting too worked up myself. Cornering Riley wouldn't solve anything. I needed to calm down.
"By the way, you said Ito used the power of a dragon. Didn't Ema fight back?"
"Ema tried to counter with the same special skill."
"…The power of a dragon?"
"Yeah."
It shouldn't be possible for one person to acquire a special skill that someone else already has. Could you obtain it even if the entry was blacked out? What was going on? Was it a bug?
"Anyway, let's hurry to Ema."
I wondered if Fam and the others had already set out. I didn't want them to fight the bandits. If we waited here to join up with them, our approach might be seen as an attack, and turning back would mean leaving two bodies behind. I wanted to avoid a conflict between Levante and the bandits at all costs.
"So you'll help me? As expected of the man I love."
"Whatever! Just lead the way."
I wanted to kick the me from yesterday.
"Look, your plan is too sloppy. I'm in charge from here on out. If you want to save Ema, you'll follow my orders!"
I had no confidence I could actually save her. But I would not let Fam and the others fight. I wanted to end this before they arrived.
"Can I trust you?"
"I could always just wait here and go back with the ride you so kindly called for me."
Fam had probably already figured out that Riley and I slept together. Had she given up on me? I wondered if she might just leave me behind and head for Migul out of spite. I wasn't entirely confident she would come.
"…You've got a point. My plan is full of holes."
Riley smiled. There was something about her you couldn't hate. In any case, I had to meet Ito. My only option was to hear her conditions for release and try to persuade her. I didn't have much of a plan myself, but if it came to a fight, it would be a clash of special skills, so numbers wouldn't matter.
The trees overhead shielded us from the worst of the rain, but the ground beneath our feet was muddy as we walked through the forest. Riley seemed to be choosing the easiest path for me.
What kind of place would bandits choose for a hideout? Their goal was to attack travelers on the main road, so I doubted it would be too far from it. But if it was too obvious, they'd be vulnerable to counterattacks.
It couldn't be a comfortable life. It didn't seem like a profession that paid well. I wondered if the Crimson Brigade, the ones who attacked Fam's village, were also hiding out in a place like this. And was that noble who housed Ema really their patron?
As I mulled it over, Riley stopped.
"We have a welcoming party."
I stopped Riley as she reached for her sword.
"Is Ema nearby?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's have them guide us to their hideout. That sword is a bad idea. Give it to me."
It was a sword taken from one of their own. It would obviously eliminate any chance for negotiation.
"I'll ask again. Can I trust you?"
Riley stared at me.
"We're lovers, aren't we?"
"…You're an idiot, too. Do you really think I'm serious about you?"
"I do."
"Moron."
I took the sword from her and put it in my Storage. Raising my hands, I started walking forward. Riley followed suit. Men armed with bows emerged from the trees.
"I want to see Ito. Just tell her Mash is here. She'll understand."
They made Riley and me wait on the spot. It seemed they weren't going to take us to their hideout. If they had a kitchen, I would have loved to start a grilled corn festival to show my friendly intentions. But the fact they weren't taking us to their hideout also meant they might be willing to release her. There was a chance they'd let us go alive even if negotiations broke down.
A pair in deep-hooded black robes appeared. Only their mouths were visible. One was tall, likely a man. The other had the same build as Ema. That had to be Ito.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Ito."
Ito introduced herself. Her tone was identical to Ema's. They sounded like the exact same person.
"Yeah. First time we've met."
"So, what can I do for you?"
"I want to talk to you, just the two of us."
"Are you asking me on a date?"
"That's right. I asked Ema out for a meal once. But she turned me down."
Ito recoiled slightly. She seemed surprised. So they are different people after all.
"Is that true?"
She looked at Riley.
"It's true."
Riley nodded.
"I see. Then let's take a short walk, just the two of us."
We moved away from Riley and the bandits. The sound of rain was constant, but here too, the thick canopy overhead served as an umbrella. She was waiting for me to start the conversation. I guess I had to be the one to speak first.
"Nice place you've got here."
"It's a little inconvenient, though."
Ito played along with my small talk.
"Have you ever met another person who was transferred here?"
"…Besides Ema, you're the first."
Was that true? There was a slight pause before she answered.
"So, you were also told to defeat the people summoned by the Five Goddesses?"
"I was. You?"
Ito answered without hesitation.
"I was told to defeat the Demon Lord, but I never heard anything about other transferred people. I wasn't told to fight them."
It was my little secret that I'd been arguing with Mizuki the whole time instead of listening to Racshell's explanation.
"The Demon Lord… he's supposed to have died a hundred years ago, you know."
"Did you hear the reason why we have to be defeated?"
"They said it's a continuation of a past war. If we defeat all the people summoned by the Five Goddesses, the Ark will be released. And the wishes of the one who releases it will be granted."
Hearing that a wish would be granted only gave me a bad feeling. Why was that? I couldn't think of a single story of that type that had a happy ending.
"Does Ema have a wish she wants granted?"
"Yes. And so do I."
Ito nodded.
"Where is the Ark?"
"The Imperial Capital. It's said to be in the deepest part of a dungeon called the Palace of No Return."
It was a grand name, but if they knew the Ark was there, someone must have made it back.
"Have you seen it?"
"No, it's in the basement of the royal castle. It's protected by the king's soldiers. No one is allowed to enter."
"Sounds like a pain. My goddess said something about granting a wish if I defeat the Demon Lord."
Racshell had said something about granting Mizuki's wish to return to her original world. Not that I believed her.
"I wonder which one of us has it tougher…"
"By the way, why did you fight Ema?"
"I was surprised Riley was still alive, but didn't you hear it from her?"
"Yeah, she told me you fought over whether or not to kill me, but I don't see why that would lead to a fight to the death."
"You don't? Well, you're strong. I'd rather avoid a direct confrontation."
Was she playing dumb? I had a feeling that pressing further would be dangerous.
"I don't think we have any more secrets to share as people from another world. Shall we head back?"
"…Yeah."
She ended the conversation and started walking. I followed behind her. We headed back in the direction where Riley was waiting.
"I want you to release Ema."
"Why? Ema is trying to kill you."
"That black panther over there came crying and begging for forgiveness, so I decided to let it slide. You don't plan on killing Ema either, do you? If you have conditions for her release, I want to hear them."
"Hmph!"
Riley shot me a glare.
"I'm afraid she's no longer here."
"What do you mean, no longer here? Riley's alive. Where is she?"
"She failed to defeat you. She left evidence and created a conflict. I didn't want to openly oppose you. So, I decided to reset things."
Ito took a sword out of her storage. Then, she tossed it to Riley.
"Riley, catch. That's an order. Kill Mash."
She caught the sword and drew it.
"…You… you really are Ito. The slave crest was never transferred. So why—!"
Riley roared.
"It's an order. Kill Mash."
The slave crest on Riley began to glow dimly. She lunged at me. I drew my katana from my Storage and barely managed to block the blow.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"I'll just say you fought here and killed each other."
Riley came at me again with a flurry of swift movements. She was fast. It was all I could do just to dodge.
"Kuh, you… you're still hurt from yesterday, aren't you?! Slow down!"
"If you don't want to die, then come at me for real!"
She lowered her sword, leaving herself open. If I didn't fight, I would be killed. But I couldn't move.
"You fool!"
She began swinging her sword again. I backed away, parrying her attacks. My foot caught on a tree root and I stumbled. I expected a final blow to come down on me, but she had stopped, her sword raised high.
"Mash, you said if I wanted to save my master, I had to follow your lead… I'm counting on you!"
She brought the sword down into her own stomach.
"Stop!"
I was too late. Covered in blood, she crumpled to the ground. I rushed over and caught her in my arms.
"Heh… in your arms, huh? I never thought this would be my end…"
"Hey! Don't screw with me! Don't you dare screw with me!"
"…"
Riley whispered something in a small voice. I couldn't hear it. The strength was leaving her body. I felt her warmth fading at an alarming rate.
"Hey, is there anyone here who can use healing magic?!"
I screamed at Ito.
"No one."
Ito's reply was chillingly cold.
"She's your comrade!"
"She's a slave. She lives for me. And she betrayed me."
"Riley is Ema's slave!"
"Don't you get it? Ema is me, and I am Ema."
"…A special skill?"
She nodded. A skill that creates a clone of herself? That would explain how they both had the dragon transformation skill, and why there were two Hekatonkheires. Back then, Ito must have moved to a different floor to let us pass, then sandwiched us with Ema.
"I don't care what it is, just save Riley!"
"It's useless. She can't be saved. And you're going to die, too."
"Dammit! Goddess Summon!"
The moment I shouted, the area was enveloped in light. When the light subsided, a goddess appeared, perched on a spear floating in mid-air.
"…To call for me alongside such a vulgar word… that's just awful of youuu."
Even in the rain, her golden hair shone and fluttered. In stark contrast to her beautiful appearance, her tone was as flippant as ever.
"So, who would you like me to kill todayyy?"
She said something murderous in that carefree tone of hers.
"I'm not killing anyone. I want you to fire a rain of arrows into the sky so they know where I am. I need you to call Maira and Aira."
"This is a dense forest, you knoow. No one will see anything happening in the sky from down here."
"Then there's no choice. Hit Ito with a flashy one. The woman in the robe."
"Okay. If I must, I musttt."
Racshell replied. For some reason, her words filled me with anxiety.
"…Racshell, you understand, don't you?"
She'd said Ema was already gone. She must have killed her. If Ito died now, Riley would die too. Racshell floated gently down from her spear, landing on the ground. She stood before me as I held Riley. She raised a hand toward the floating spear. The spear began to glow, and I could tell from its dazzling brilliance that it was charged with far more power than necessary. Even I could see it was far too much power to use on a nearby enemy.
"You should probably defend yourselff. You're going to die, you knowww."
Racshell warned Ito. Ito, who had been staring blankly at us, snapped back to reality at those words. Had she been staring blankly because of that charm Maira mentioned?
"Special Skill, Dragon Mode!"
"SHOOOOOT!"
Ito's scream overlapped with Racshell's. The radiant spear shot forward, aimed at the transforming Ito. A blinding flash, a deafening roar, a searing blast of hot wind. It blew everything away, centered on Ito. A cloud of rising dust swallowed everything.
Only the area immediately around me and Racshell remained peaceful, protected by her barrier.
With the surrounding trees gone, the rain was now hitting my cheeks directly. It was a heavy downpour, as if trying to wash away all of Riley's blood. I tried to scoop it up, but the rain washed that away too. Maira, Aira, please hurry.
The explosion from Racshell's spear had subsided. A massive crater had formed in front of me. The destructive power was absurd. Racshell's body was beginning to fade, enveloped in light.
"I've poured some of my mana into Riley-san. She should be okay for a little while longerrr."
"If you can do that, I'd like some poured into me, too."
My head felt like it was being violently shaken. If I wasn't careful, I felt like I would pass out. I was out of mana.
"To do that, I'd need to receive mana from you first, silly."
So, my mana had been funneled through Racshell into Riley.
"Ito is…"
Racshell pointed. In the center of the crater, two legs were sticking out of the dirt.
"A V-for-victory sign, you seee."
"…"
It was a stupid joke. I wasn't laughing, so I kept my mouth shut.
"Master!"
I heard Fam's voice.
"Well then, I'll be going nowww. And please, by all means, make sure it's with me before Maira-san, okayyy?"
She vanished into particles of light. Holding Riley, my consciousness faded away too.
Thank you for reading. To everyone who has liked, bookmarked, and rated this story, thank you very much. Your support encourages me. I'll do my best.