115 - Chapter 7 Epilogue
After registering Mei as an adventurer, I sat on a sofa against the wall in the lobby to wait for her, who had gone to take the beginner's course and was likely exhausted.
Located near the stairs, as I sat on the hard sofa waiting for Mei, I saw a familiar group of adventurers talking to the reception with eager looks on their faces.
Listening in, I could hear from their fragmented voices that they had been given a penalty.
It seemed they had barely achieved their quest goals and their evaluation was so low that instead of a reward, they were required to pay a fine.
However, the party members led by Erhardt looked happy. I found it strange, but the mystery was solved when I saw the face of the receptionist behind them.
A woman with long golden hair, a soft atmosphere, and drooping eyes was scolding them. But even her scolding was adorable.
"Listen! Trust is important for adventurers too, so it is important to steadily handle small jobs!"
She lectured them with her index finger raised, but everyone's gaze was directed toward her chest.
"Y-yes. We understand."
The party members, with eager looks on their faces, listened to the receptionist's explanation without contradiction.
In terms of age, was she an older sister type? She looked a few years older than me.
Her green eyes were serious, and there was no doubt she was worried about Erhardt and the others.
However, it looked like she had slightly modified her guild staff uniform. It was a uniform that emphasized her large breasts, and unlike Tanya-san, she was a soft, gentle older sister type.
And she was doing this while lecturing Erhardt and his group.
"For a while, I will manage you strictly as your exclusive receptionist! First, let's reliably complete the jobs you are capable of. If you cannot pay the fine, you can use the guild dormitory if you achieve the quests we designate."
Since they had no money—no, since the party members other than Erhardt, and even Erhardt himself, lacked proper equipment—she introduced them to several chore-type quests.
(I heard there were facilities where you could stay at the guild, so that's what it is. It's not that they let you stay for free.)
The receptionist explained that she had persuaded the guild to let Erhardt and the others pay the fine in installments.
"Normally you would have to pay in one lump sum, but I've stopped them from doing that, so make sure you pay it off. Once the payment is finished, monster hunting is forbidden until you've worked for a while and gathered your equipment!"
The party members were moved and grateful for the decision of the huffing, angry receptionist.
(Does a staff member have that much authority? Or rather, would they go that far?)
As I watched with curiosity, the receptionist smiled.
"Let's do our best together, everyone."
"Yes!"
When Erhardt replied vigorously, the other members also replied with spirit. Then, they began the various procedures.
As the receptionist looked down to fill out the documents, her long hair fell over her ear, and she brushed it back with her hand. In that moment, she looked at me.
Erhardt and the others didn't seem to notice, as they were filling in their names on the documents they had received.
The receptionist's gaze was not the soft one from before. I felt her atmosphere was slightly sharp. Then, she smiled at me and immediately resumed her work.
While I was surprised, I heard many footsteps coming down the stairs.
Mei, who jumped down vigorously, called out to me upon landing.
"Did you wait long?"
"Eh? No, ah... yeah."
I, who had been sitting, stood up and left the guild lobby with Mei.
(What was that about?)
Night.
Inside the Jewel Orb, I am facing The Third Generation.
The Third Generation's Memory Room had a city spreading around it.
In that plaza, I fight The Third Generation, who holds a one-handed sword.
"It certainly felt suspicious. But would they go that far just to deceive them and erase them? They might disappear even if left alone!"
While speaking, he swung his sword, parrying my saber and attempting to launch a kick. However, as I stepped back, The Third Generation kicked the ground and threw sand at me.
As my hand moved to prevent my vision from being stolen—.
"Damn!"
Before I could even finish the word, The Third Generation took advantage of that opening and deeply slashed my leg with his sword.
An illusion created by The Third Generation appeared in my vision, and the saber I instinctively raised did not stop the attack, this time, my right arm was slashed.
"Hahaha, you're still naive, Liel."
The Third Generation, heading toward the plaza's fountain, threw away his sword, made it disappear, and sat on a nearby bench.
Once the pain subsided and the wound healed, I approached The Third Generation.
"One more time, please."
When I challenged him to a rematch, The Third Generation smiled.
"I refuse. You're pushing yourself too hard, and as you are now, it's meaningless no matter how much you do it. Is it called dojo swordsmanship? Liel, you are too honest."
The slashes and thrusts I continued to swing according to form seemed naive to The Third Generation. The successive heads of the family, who continued to fight on the battlefield and continued to defeat monsters, are in a state where they possess their peak bodies.
I probably still cannot reach them.
As I looked down and clenched my fist, The Third Generation said to me.
"Liel, winning a sword match against me is important, but have you forgotten? There is no meaning in mastering only swordsmanship. The final goal is—"
"—to win against Celes. For that, I must have at least the strength to fight Celes."
To win against Celes, several conditions had been given to me by the successive heads.
To have an army that can defeat House Wolt and Vanseim.
To have a small, elite unit that can defeat Celes.
Simply put, it means creating an environment where I can win.
Training with the successive heads is only a part of that. Rather, if I could get someone who could defeat Celes on my side, it would have been unnecessary.
"...Even if you just defeat Celes, everything is the responsibility of House Wolt. Even if you win, there is no future beyond that. Besides, you cannot defeat a country with a party of fewer than ten people. In war, if you're going to do it, it's meaningless unless you win."
To win, the successive heads lend me their wisdom. To win, I am gathering allies. But at this rate, just how much time will it take?
The Third Generation, noticing my impatience, spoke as if admonishing me.
"If Liel challenges her half-heartedly, Celes will surely continue to spread madness across the continent. If you do it, do it once. And aim for a complete victory, not mutual destruction. Otherwise, Liel, you might also be executed as a male of House Wolt after defeating Celes. That would be betraying the allies who helped you."
Even so, the current me did not know how to catch up to Celes. I personally possess no military power.
It is also difficult to unite the surrounding countries and challenge Vanseim.
"Success rates don't increase just by being impatient. Hurrying and being impatient are different. Besides, first you have to gather information."
Information on the surrounding countries can be gathered if it's Beim.
Having achieved my first quest in Beim, I will begin to move in earnest here.
"I haven't gathered that information yet, though,"
I said self-deprecatingly, and The Third Generation had a serious expression.
"Either way, the surrounding countries probably won't attack even if they think Vanseim is strange. We might also bear responsibility for making it so large."
The Sixth and Seventh Generations contributed greatly to Vanseim.
The Third Generation was the same, having saved Vanseim from crisis.
"Liel, won't you make a promise with me?"
"A promise?"
The Third Generation stood up from the bench and placed his fist against my chest.
"Look beyond defeating Celes. This is not a story that ends with just defeating Celes. The reason we help is because we want the future beyond that. The bloodline of House Wolt that has been connected... it is to continue that into the future."
"...The future, is it?"
The Third Generation nodded.
"Yes. That's why you shouldn't think about winning against Celes while being prepared for a mutual kill."
"...Even if many lives are lost in the meantime?"
"That's right. Do not be conceited. Even for a goddess, it is impossible to save all humans. Despite that, it is arrogant for a human to think they can save all humans. Besides, with the current Liel, no matter how you struggle, you cannot win against Celes. It wouldn't even be a gamble of winning or losing."
From the moment I decided to challenge the country, I knew there was an irremediable gap between Celes and me. But when I decided to challenge her, I felt that gap had grown even larger.
"...I will absolutely win. I will also obtain the future."
The Third Generation moved his fist away from me, smiled, and began to walk.
"That's fine."
—Kingdom of Vanseim.
One city was burning.
Surrounding the city was the regular army of Vanseim.
Knights were lined up on horses wearing armor. In the center stood Maizel Wolt, clad in armaments.
Celes's specially made palanquin had a roof, and the knights carrying the palanquin were waiting nearby. On the palanquin placed on the ground, Celes, sitting in a chair, watched the burning city.
"How dull."
A dissatisfied Celes wore armor that looked like a specially tailored dress.
Maizel said,
"If we surround it with thirty thousand, a single small city like this is simple. Truly, those who oppose Celes are foolish to the end."
The Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Vanseim had suddenly changed his fiancé, causing a great commotion. And as news of Celes spread, nobles who opposed it began to appear.
"I thought they were brave lord-nobles, but it seems I was mistaken."
In the city ruled by a viscount's house, the fleeing populace was being killed by soldiers. Attacks were also occurring in surrounding villages, carried out by lord-nobles who had offered to participate.
Looting was taking place, but no one blamed it.
Celes, watching the burning city from a distance, thought that the regular army she had specially brought from the kingdom was not a fitting opponent, but...
"Well, fine. Even so, I can't hear any screams. Move closer."
She told the knight managing the palanquin.
The knight said,
"B-but, if something were to happen to Celes-sama—"
When the armored knight countered, Maizel drew the saber at his waist and thrust the blade into a gap in the knight's armor—around the neck—killing him.
"Did you think a daughter of House Wolt would fear such a thing! This is why court nobles are..."
Seeing Maizel with bloodshot eyes, the knights carrying the palanquin—knights of low court rank—seemed to become terrified.
Blood spurting from the knight's armor splashed onto Celes's cheek. She wiped it away with her fingertip, smeared it on her lips, and licked it with her tongue.
The knights who saw this were captivated by her voluptuousness.
"Father, I want to know the battlefield. Also... it seems there are knights fighting. Please let me through. I must meet the Hero personally."
To the smiling Celes, Maizel hesitated.
"But the opponent is a renowned knight. Dozens of regular army cavalry have been cut down. To expose my daughter before such a fellow is..."
To the incoherent Maizel, Celes smiled and said to the knights around her.
"You are such a worrywart, Father. Now, let's go see the Hero. It's alright... since I am here, we will win."
The knights gathered to carry the palanquin looked up at Celes, who was in a high position, and swallowed. The palanquin was lifted, and Celes was carried forward into the battlefield by dozens of men.
Then, as a messenger ran, the knights and soldiers who had been fighting to protect the city began to retreat.
A knight who had a horse nearby grew suspicious, but seeing the main force led by Celes on her palanquin approaching, he charged on his horse.
Celes could understand by looking at the way he charged that he was an excellent knight. Maizel also said,
"Hmph, not bad."
Celes, thinking the knight was young and in his mid-twenties, wanted him.
"My horse."
As she said that, the palanquin was lowered and Celes's favorite horse appeared. That holy beast, with black scales, a grey mane, and a horn, was truly a Kirin.
"Wait, Celes! That one is strong. If you are wounded—"
While her father, Maizel, was grieving, Celes winked.
"It's alright, my worrywart Father."
Then, she mounted the Kirin and received the rapier offered by a subordinate. Kicking its belly to make it run, she intentionally made the Kirin run on the ground.
Knights and soldiers cleared the way for Celes, and then a knight covered in blood charged forward with a spear.
The armor was functional yet decorated, possessing elegance. The horse also seemed to be a fine steed, working robustly as its master's legs.
Unity of horse and rider.
Just how much training had the knight before her undergone to accumulate such a thing?
"Ah, I want him. He's much better than Rufus!"
The opponent's sharp gaze directed killing intent toward Celes. Celes, thinking this was pleasant, blurted out that she wanted him more than the Crown Prince.
As they passed each other, Celes's rapier and the knight's spear crossed.
Sparks flew, and as they both turned around and approached, the knight held the spear with both hands, controlling the horse with only his legs, and launched a thrust at Celes.
"You monster!!"
Celes was excited by the sharpness of that spear. She parried the spear's thrust with her thin rapier. Normally, the opponent would lose their balance here. However, the opponent did not falter and continued to launch attacks at Celes.
"How wonderful. You are very wonderful. I'll add you to my personal guard. Now, will you tell me your name? Also, take off that tasteless thing."
Celes, who hadn't worn a helmet from the start, couldn't see the opponent's face, so she knocked the helmet away.
When the opponent's face became visible, a youth with handsome features and a sharp gaze took the reins and created distance.
The helmet that had floated in the air fell into Celes's hand, and she grabbed it, playing with it by spinning it with her left hand.
"Now, say your name."
But the opponent knight said,
"I refuse! I have no name to give to those who commit such despicable acts! I will never forgive you, who invaded without a declaration of war and burned the city!"
The smiling Celes suddenly made a bored expression.
(Sigh, there are always people like this occasionally...)
Then, a voice came from the yellow jewel embedded in the hilt of the rapier. The voluptuous voice sounded as if it were laughing.
"You were rejected, Celes. However, it's truly a pity. He must be one of the finest knights in Vanseim... what will you do?"
While listening to the voice, Celes said,
"I wonder. Is there some interesting method?"
The knight before her moved his eyebrows and readied his spear while looking at Celes.
"A knight with a sense of loyalty, eh. I see, it might be interesting to keep this fellow alive and show him how the people he should protect die. He's probably never done it, right? He'll surely make a much more interesting face than if he were just carved up himself."
Celes's mouth twisted like a crescent moon, and then she kicked the Kirin's belly and ran toward the knight. The opponent also galloped his favorite horse, readied his spear, and charged.
They crossed, and both horses slowed down and stopped.
Then, a tear appeared in the skirt part of Celes's outfit.
"Oh?"
"You let your guard down. Celes, you've always been like that. Behave more elegantly. This is the second time, following Liel."
Hearing Liel's name, a wrinkle appeared between Celes's brows.
"...If Novem hadn't been there, I would have carved him up. Just because that thing is alive, I..."
Laughter came from the jewel.
"I told you that you should just keep Liel as a pet, but you are too obsessed with that. I, however, want to cherish that person. Beautiful and excellent as a knight... he is the same as you."
Celes brushed back her hair and turned around to look at the knight.
"Hmph, that's the part of you I hate."
The knight, who turned around in the same way, spat blood from his mouth—and dropped his right arm, which had been holding the spear, to the ground.
Then, the horse's neck also fell, and as he collapsed to the ground, red blood spread across the dry earth and was immediately absorbed.
"C-curse you..."
Celes approached the knight on her Kirin.
"Ah~, I overdid it."
"He won't last long like this. Now then..."
However, the knight showed his final bit of pride. He took out a hidden dagger with his left hand and tried to spring at Celes.
As Celes's gaze narrowed, a spear was thrust into such a knight.
"Oh."
A bewildered Celes looked at the knight who had thrust the spear. A knight in light armor, who had been there to carry her palanquin, thrust the spear deeply once more.
The knight who took the spear in his flank spat out a large amount of blood from his mouth.
"Don't think things like this will continue forever... someday... you all..."
Sighing, Celes sliced off the knight's head. Then, while sending a gaze to the knight who had helped her, she held the severed head of the knight in her hand.
Grabbing the hair and looking at the expression,
"You, what is your name?"
"I am Bread Bumper, Celes-sama!"
Maizel approached on his horse and drew his saber.
"You... doing something unnecessary!"
Celes stopped Maizel, who was trying to kill Bread.
She threw the knight's head and the helmet she had been holding in her left hand to Bread.
"No, Father. I'll give a reward to the one who helped me. I'll give you that knight's armaments. From today, belong to my personal guard."
Bread, who was told this—.
"Y-yes!"
He was shedding tears of emotion.
Bread Bumper... he was a knight who had been in a romantic relationship with Doris, the daughter of House Sarcly. But now, he pledges loyalty only to Celes.
Celes mounted the Kirin and returned to the palanquin.
A voice could be heard from the jewel.
"Are you satisfied with this amount of blood, Celes?"
Then, Celes said with a smile,
"Of course not. I'll keep doing it more and more from now on. I want to see the sight of the earth stained with blood. More importantly, tell me the next interesting thing."
Urged by Celes, the voluptuous voice inside the jewel announced,
"Fufufu, that innocent side of you is desirable. Let's see, how about surrounding a village and making the villagers kill each other? It's a good spectacle."
Hearing that, Celes said,
"That's great! That's it! I have to go to an untouched village immediately! Father!"
Celes immediately called her father.
Maizel responded to her.
"What is it, Celes. Are you injured? More importantly, you must change your clothes stained with blood. I've brought many dresses and armor prepared for you."
Using the money from the national treasury, he uses taxes for Celes.
But no one blames him for it. He is showing right now what would happen if they did.
"I want to play in a nearby village. I want to finish here quickly and go to the next one."
To the spoiled Celes, Maizel smiled.
"I see. Looting is also an important duty of a lord. I'll have preparations made immediately. Oh, before that."
Maizel gave instructions to the magic users.
"Enough. The play is over. Blow it away."
Then, the magic users who raised their staves exchanged signals with light. The sound of bells was heard from the units deployed to surround the city, and the knights and soldiers withdrew from the city.
Then, as Maizel nodded to Celes,
"Bang!"
Celes, who had held up her thumb and aimed her index finger at the city, said.
Magic was fired from the surrounding units.
Fire, water, earth, wind, lightning... everything attacked, and one city disappeared. Simultaneously, thousands of lives also disappeared.
But Celes didn't care about such things.
"Ahahaha, maybe 'Bang' was a bit much."
As Celes laughed, Maizel smiled.
"What, Celes is cute no matter what she does. Oh, for Celes who is already engaged, I should say she is beautiful."
Celes puffed out her cheeks.
"Geez, Father always teases me like that. Now, Father."
Celes hurried Maizel.
"Umu, let's go to an untouched village immediately. Hey, we're heading for looting next. Find a village that other lords haven't attacked."
Celes looked satisfied as she watched Maizel give orders to the Wolt knights nearby.
From the jewel, watching such a Celes,
"Celes, you are cute."
Such a voice could be heard—.
In a cafe in Beim, Novem was waiting for a certain person.
Liel and the others were acting separately as it was a holiday, and Novem was there to contact a certain person without letting anyone know.
The door of the small cafe opened, and the sound of the bell attached to the door was heard in the shop. Novem heard the footsteps and knew that the person she had summoned had arrived without looking back.
As the clerk tried to guide the customer to a seat, the customer found Novem, ordered a drink, and asked for it to be brought to the table where Novem was.
The customer, carrying luggage, sat in front of Novem and brought up the business.
"It's been a while. Greetings are unnecessary, so I'll just tell you the business. It happened just as you said, Novem."
While drinking tea, Novem said,
"Is that so."
That was all.
The other continued.
"...The viscount's house of Vanseim was truly erased. Both the city and the villages. Everything was blown away."
"I thought it would turn out that way."
The other, not exasperated by Novem's attitude, handed the luggage to Novem.
"It's from Father. And today, I've come to say goodbye to you."
Looking at the other's face, Novem received the luggage.
"...You will follow Celes-sama, Big Brother."
The youth called Big Brother, after handing over the luggage, thanked the clerk who brought the drink and took a sip.
Then, he looked out the window.
At a seat near the window, there were a fair number of people in the shop. There were couples, and there were parents with children.
"Father cannot betray Maizel-sama. I will also follow that decision. In House Wolt where Liel-sama is absent, only Celes-sama remains."
Novem is not the only one with many mysteries.
The Foxuz family itself had many mysteries. They, who pledge loyalty as vassals of House Wolt rather than the royal family, are heretics from others' perspectives.
"Among the clan, you probably have the thickest blood. You are always calm. And you probably won't make a mistake in judgment. You can handle everything dispassionately."
At her brother's words, Novem tried to answer dispassionately as usual—but stopped.
"...Big Brother, I don't think the thickness of blood is related. It's just that we have memories."
"That's true. But you are the one who inherited those memories most vividly, Novem."
The two, who drank their drinks and repeated conversations sporadically, ran out of drinks.
"The next time we meet, we'll be enemies."
"Yes."
"You probably won't panic even in front of us... but what about Liel-sama?"
When Novem thought of Liel,
"He is a kind person, so he might hesitate."
"I see. I also wanted to serve Liel-sama."
Seeing her brother smile sadly, Novem stood up with the luggage. She also took the bill for her brother's share.
"If I'm treated by my younger sister, I have no standing, do I?"
To the brother making a joke, Novem smiled.
"It's a thank-you for coming all this way. Well then, eventually on the battlefield."
As Novem went to pay the fee at the counter, her brother called out to her back.
"Novem, do you think Liel-sama would be able to accept you?"
Novem, having paid the fee, looked at her brother's face and smiled as she left the shop. Seeing that, Novem's brother cast his eyes down and looked down.
"I see..."
Giving an answer that only the siblings would understand, Novem left the shop and walked through the streets of Beim, holding the luggage carefully.
However, her expression was a bit sad, rather than expressionless—.