Chapter 106: Existence (8) |
I barely managed to twist myself out of Berserk’s invitation.
I had to extend my commendations once more to Deb, who supported me by leading me away from there, claiming we had something important to do. Whether he did it because he didn’t want to go there himself or for some other reason, I felt grateful to him nonetheless.
Ah, I also felt thankful to the Temple folk who faithfully adhered to our request not to let anyone in, regardless of who came knocking. That way, I could avoid Berserk by locking myself in the Temple.
“Stoning corpses, huh? There are certainly many ways to insult the dead in this world.”
And like that, another day passed.
“They sold themselves to the Demons. Even if this act is insulting the dead, they aren’t worthy of a peaceful rest.”
“Who said anything about that?”
Before explaining why others were stoning corpses, I need to explain something else.
The people of Pa Enoch watched for any further signs of an invasion for the whole day. As soon as it became clear that it was unlikely, they followed the manual they had established over the years.
Furthermore, the Temple formally announced the presence of the traitors scattered in their midst.
With the battle almost over and the traitors dealt with, it was decided that revealing their presence would cause no further unrest.
Naturally, many people didn’t believe them initially. Even setting aside the mid- to high-ranking fighters, three of the most popular fighters being deemed traitors was just too unbelievable.
However, these lands were none other than the frontlines.
Given the clear evidence, how could one possibly defend those who conspired with the enemy here on the frontlines to the bitter end?
Their anger became overwhelming, proportional to how much they’d believed in the traitors, and the result was the stoning of these corpses. It seemed to show their determination not to let even their corpses rest easy since they couldn’t be killed again.
Of course, in the eyes of a modern person, this was a very barbaric act… However, I had to tolerate it because the world I knew had very different common sense and levels of development regarding human rights.
And throwing rocks at them like this could be considered relatively tame. The treatment of the Martial King, who’d ruled over this place for over five years, was much harsher.
The guy was now reduced to a mere lump of flesh, impaled on a spear and inevitably pelted with numerous stones.
“…Any idea what Kankan is up to?”
Deb, whispering quietly while looking down on the city, seemed conscious of Kankan having been friends with the Martial King.
“I saw him right at the front, throwing rocks. Didn’t you see?”
“…?”
“…?”
His expression quickly turned into astonishment at the Inquisitor’s words.
I wasn’t sure whether he was shocked because he found out about it after the Inquisitor or because Kankan had participated in the stoning.
Maybe it was both? I was surprised by both these points, at least.
“Shouldn’t the Lord also get hanged?”
“If we hang him now, how will we go about the succession? Even if we waited until after becoming completely sure that the Demons won’t attack again, it wouldn’t be too late, either.”
“We’re also not sure if hanging him is even justified. The Lord didn’t collude with the Demons.”
“But some of the city’s residents have already died.”
“The Martial King killed them.”
Meanwhile, some senior officials gathered behind us and debated the Lord’s criminal charges.
Roughly speaking, there were bishops representing the Temple, commanders who had led battles on the Lord’s behalf, and other high-ranking officials. The Archmage was also present as a Great Sage of the Magic Tower.
“We must strip him of his position.”
“Isn’t that too hasty? We should first confirm if there’s anyone suitable to succeed him.”
“So, are we supposed just to leave things as they are? We should at least appoint a representative.”
“Well, who should we appoint as a representative, then? What if the Demons attack while we are in the middle of deciding?”
“Would those Demons actually attack after declaring they wanted to maintain the status quo?”
Ah, about us… We had been brought here because we’d played significant roles in the battle, and there were good reasons for it.
I was here to testify about the Great Demon, Deb was here to confirm matters about those he’d killed, and the Inquisitor was here because she was the Hero. Those were the reasons.
Now that we’d done all that, we were just listening to those guys chatting.
“I don’t know about the other matters, but Demons shouldn’t be believed.”
“Ah, Sir Great Sage.”
At that moment, the Archmage, who mainly had observed the people of this city handling their own matters, let out a brief remark.
“While I also agree that the Demons attacking in the near future seems unlikely, whether that’s truly the case is still unknown to anyone. We must never let our guard down.”
The Archmage also suggested that they should heavily suspect the Demon’s intentions.
“That entity conveyed their will to ‘maintain the status quo’ to us through the Demon Knight. However, no one would make a suggestion that would only benefit the other, especially not Demons.”
“And?”
“What we must heed is that Sloth induced people to betray their own despite them not being Demon Contractors. Moreover, with that trick, they even managed to avoid the Temple's attention.”
“…It would be difficult for us to notice even if the same thing happened again.”
“That’s right. In that regard, maintaining the status quo isn’t necessarily good for this city.”
Stagnant water is bound to rot. The result of that was this betrayal.
Of course, the water had been changed out after this incident, but… did that mean there wouldn’t be a next time? After the moment passed, the water would stagnate again.
“Demons are beings of chaos. Investing 10 or 20 years into the fall of this city isn’t such a long time for them. So, regardless of who becomes the Lord and what they ultimately do, supervising this matter is absolutely necessary. As long as we are confronting these Demons, our struggle will be eternal.”
That was the point the Archmage wanted to emphasize. He repeatedly urged them to increase surveillance to prevent the fighters from being corrupted and warned them against the Great Demon’s tricks.
Fortunately, none among the listeners dismissed his words.
“Then isn’t that even more reason for us to change the Lord?”
“Even so, the battle is already over now…”
“At least stability…”
However, the severity of the Lord’s punishment remained undecided.
“It’s infuriating.”
Deb, who was examining all the aspects of the punishment being discussed, expressed his dissatisfaction. That was something I could agree on.
While I felt relieved that they would receive some sort of punishment, if I were asked if these were the correct punishments for him, I would also just end up tilting my head. The issue of whether it was right to enforce strict punishment on one criminal who could save many people or withhold or mitigate punishment to save more was always a tough one.
“He deserves to die.”
“Then kill him.”
I leaned against the wall, quietly contemplating. Deb looked up at me. The Inquisitor did, as well.
“Ah, Demon Knight. That’s…”
“And take responsibility.”
“…!”
“For those actions.”
The storyline of the Thief often began with assassinating a noble who lived comfortably despite having killed his friend. In other words, their trigger was villains getting away without any punishment.
So, if Deb wanted to kill the Lord, I was sure he was capable of it. Throughout the plot, the Thief character was always portrayed as a representative and avenger of the weak.
“If the city that lost its leader collapses, if the frontlines are broken through, whether these people live or die in the process, that’s your responsibility.”
But did I sympathize with his perspective? Not really. I wasn’t someone who advocated for enacting personal justice. I understood where he was coming from, but I didn’t necessarily believe he was right.
“If you got that, then pick up your sword. Prove your courage with your blade.”
However, I wouldn’t stop him. Who was I to stop him? In the end, this was just a matter of differing values.
As a matter of fact, my character wouldn’t especially care about others seeking revenge or anything else they decided to do. If Deb wanted to fight the Inquisitor, even if it would only bring tears, I should still let it happen.
“However, if you don’t have the confidence, then put up with it.”
Well, I personally hoped he wouldn’t do that, though. Our cute meat dumpling.
If he engaged the Inquisitor in battle, he would absolutely have to leave the party… and if that happened, who would cover for my character?
“…”
I walked away from the debate, wearing a complicated expression. Its venue was in the castle, so there were still plenty of places I could go to.
Our lodgings were in the Temple, anyway.
* * *
* * *
Rustle.
Of course, I didn’t head straight for the lodgings. Haha!
I entered the training grounds. Since this place had an arena, many fighters ended up in the Temple, so this area was originally prepared for them.
“Phew.”
I would only feel drained if I used my skills too much, so I just wanted to train lightly today.
This time, I’d noticed that accurately aiming [Arcane Spear] was far too difficult if there were too many enemies. I would often slightly miss my target.
There was no rule saying that only big Demons would come out every time, so I just wanted to get used to dealing with these things.
Thud.
I kicked a rock into the air.
The rock, suspended in midair, shattered after being hit with [Arcane Spear]. However, it didn’t break evenly; one part was small, and one was larger. The reason was that [Arcane Spear] had only hit the edge of the rock, not its center.
Was it an issue with my vision? Was that the best my reflexes could do?
Furrowing my eyebrows slightly, I kicked up another stone. My subsequent try seemed a little better, but I still wasn’t satisfied.
“The reason it keeps veering off is because your control loosens at the end, causing the tip of the spear to waver.”
Just as I was wondering how much longer I would have to keep trying, someone suddenly emerged from the darkness. Well, they approached me gently while clearly announcing their presence, so it actually might not have been so sudden.
“It seems you have an abundance of Arcane Power, so how about focusing just on control? Refining it will absolutely improve both your accuracy and efficiency.”
“…You.”
No, wait, how did they even get in here? Didn't the Temple block anyone from entering? Did they climb over the wall or something?
Rather, was that really the reason I was slightly off? Was it possible to control an already activated skill? Wasn't it just about the intensity of the output?
As I thought over these new realizations, I tightened my grip around my sword, trying to maintain the mood.
I was increasingly doubtful regarding my character's temperament. I mean, I had since the beginning. That guy's massive pride wouldn't even allow him to accept others’ advice.
“It was just a suggestion. No need to react so strongly to it.”
Considering her demeanor, she was probably Weapon Master rather than Berserk.
Since there was no discernable physical difference between them, I had to judge them by their tone and expression. Luckily, their personalities were distinct enough for me to differentiate them.
“I heard the news from my younger sister. You guys want us to join you on your journey.”
Apparently, they’d already finished their talk with the Archmage.
“Your objective is hunting Demons, right?”
I hesitated for a moment, unsure whether I should answer, before simply furrowing my brows.
“Yes.”
I decided to reply as I conjured another Arcane Spear in my hand.
“You're also part of that journey, right?”
"It's a temporary companionship.”
“I see. Companionship.”
So, the goal here wasn’t just to shoot it off but focus on controlling it. But how was I supposed to control it?
Shooting it was easy, like pouring water out of a water bottle. I could easily adjust its intensity. However, I didn't know how to do that with something that had already left my hand.
I was already using [Arcane Power Control], so I couldn't receive any further corrections from it in this regard. I couldn't even feel the Arcane Power anymore.
“When sending out Arcane Power, it's important to condense it. It tends to disperse into the atmosphere, after all.”
“…You.”
“I'm not talking to you here. I'm just reviewing.”
…what the hell? Did all the social skills Berserk was supposed to have go to her sister or something?
“Wizards can easily manipulate the flow of Arcane Power through magic circles and spells, but things are quite different for us warriors. We do it relying solely on instinct and mental strength.”
She said she was just reviewing these things for herself, so what could I say? It was a fairly weak excuse, but I had no choice but to go along with it, even though it would hurt my character's pride a bit.
I gracefully accepted her consideration, although outwardly, I clearly showed how bruised my ego was.
“There are no shortcuts for this. The reason there aren't any warriors who can visibly manipulate Arcane Power is because possessing both the ability to condense Arcane Power to a visible degree and the amount of Arcane Power needed for that is incredibly rare. However, it seems you've met both those requirements.”
I had wondered why it was so hard to encounter warriors using Arcane Power like me. So that was the reason. It was actually rare for someone to make Arcane Power visible, huh?
“However, just because there aren't any shortcuts doesn't mean there isn't a way. While wizards start accumulating Arcane Power externally, warriors build it up internally. So, you should keep in mind…”
Keep what in mind?
“Do you think this journey will succeed?”
Did she know that the most irritating thing was stopping in the middle of a sentence?! Aargh!!
And of all times, she had to stop when she was about to mention a proper method for me to improve! It was so blatant!
“…I don’t care.”
I impatiently threw the spear I’d summoned just now before creating the next one.
I might not have listened to all that properly, but I had consumed enough fantasy works to go from there. I wouldn’t just desperately cling to her hints alone.
“I’m just curious. I’m wondering whether I can leave my younger sister in your care… That’s why I need to know this.”
Earlier, she said that wizards accumulate Arcane Power externally and warriors internally. What was the difference between those two?
…Hmm. Externally?
“If you give me a negative answer, I won’t see any reason for her to join you on this journey.”
If one started accumulating Arcane Power externally, one could distribute it in all directions, but if one gathered it internally, wouldn’t it focus more on one’s skin or weapon? Was that not it? Or would it focus more on the parts that touched one directly?
Or was it more like the difference between inflating a sphere and coating it…?
Was that it?
“I said, I don’t care.”
Ah, whatever. Theory was always different from practice.
I threw yet another spear without any hesitation. This time, the Arcane Spear I sent out without any target in mind reached a bit further than previously before scattering.
“Why don’t you care?”
“I don’t care whether you and your sister join this journey or whether this journey fails or succeeds, as long as I get to kill Demons.”
I looked back at the Weapon Master as if trying to dismiss her. Unlike earlier, when a gentle smile adorned her face, her expression was now stiff.
It was probably because of my own expression…
Anyway, I was satisfied. Aside from their recruitment into the party now being entirely out of my hands, I still needed to maintain my character.
“So, just get lost. I don’t need cowards like you. You’ll only get in the way.”
Oh, should we just assume this guy’s temper, which had subsided a bit after the incident in the Yabad region, has flared up again due to the appearance of that Great Demon? It wasn’t my fault I acted that way, it was that damn Demon’s fault.
* * *
The competent Norda Warrior watched the man leave, his face distorted. She’d heard the general outline from the Archmage, but he was more intense than expected.
“A good Norda Warrior believes in themselves and moves toward their goal without worrying about things like failure or success.”
However, that wasn’t so bad. In this situation, where the journey's goal was as precarious as this, even though his personality wasn’t perfect, having someone with determination was a thousand times better than a weak person.
Just like that child who had confidently introduced herself as the Hero. She spoke lightly, but her words still carried steadfast honesty.
“Earlier, I also thought the rest of his companions got passing marks.”
It was just that their personalities were incredibly different. However, they were all equipped with the power to explain those personalities. Not just that man walking down the street, but the others, as well.
Even the thief, who she’d once considered weak, was capable enough to ‘hunt’. In terms of combat power, they possessed all the necessary aspects for her to call them her companions.
“Hmm.”
It wasn’t just that. Considering the wisdom shown by the Archmage and the wit shown by that thief friend, they might be able to handle Berserk’s personality.
They seemed accustomed to controlling the stubborn, so-called tough guys who wouldn’t listen.
Moreover, the purpose of this journey also appealed to her. While she held no particular connection to the Demons, Berserk needed a fight that could push her to her limits.
In that sense, a journey where her life would be at stake was far better than wasting any more time seeking someone strong to fight. Furthermore, she would be saving the world in the process, which would also earn her honor.
“I can’t give up on this even more if it’s like this.”
However, what stimulated her the most… wasn’t any of that. No, it was something subtly intertwined with what she’d said earlier.
“…We can’t afford to miss out on someone who can defeat Berserk.”
Even if the others were weak, even if their journey had no particular purpose, she would still have considered accompanying them so long as the Demon Knight was with them.
After all, it was that man who’d brought about Berserk’s first taste of defeat.
“Hah.”
She thought about the Demon Knight, who’d managed to improve immediately after receiving a slight hint.
So long as he possessed that abundance of Arcane Power and tremendous talent, Berserk could never defeat the knight. That was still true even if he was self-taught without formal education and obstructed by bad habits and a lack of theory.
“If you’re next to a genius, you’ll stop acting stubborn, right?”
Yes, if Berserk continued to rely solely on instinct and kept trying to force her way through everything, she could never beat that knight.
“…It really is time to stop now.”
If it persisted for too long, childishness would be nothing but unsightly. Sometimes, extreme measures were necessary to make someone come to their senses.
“Is your conversation over?”
Just then, the sage who’d made her a proposal through Berserk approached her. Since she had already felt his presence, the Norda Warrior rose to her feet.
“Yes.”
In truth, she had already decided as soon as she received that proposal. She had delayed her response only because she wanted to carefully assess that man’s personality a bit more closely.
“So, what is your answer to my proposal?”
Now, certain the man wasn’t one to feel fear in the face of danger, there was no need to postpone her answer any longer.
With her desire for blood and battle, Berserk would never oppose accompanying them on this journey.
“If all of you are okay with it, we’d like to join you.”
So, she willingly decided to join them on this journey.