Chapter 86
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ED: LonelyMatter
Chapter 86 – What Is the Rightful Appearance?
For example, a wind with extremely low temperatures.
Let’s compare this to a blizzard.
In the first case, the wind hit exposed skin, such as the face.
After a while, the person would gradually feel a painful cold.
And in the latter case.
In the latter case, first of all, it was necessary to be prepared to be covered by the worst visibility.
In other words, the risk of getting lost was much higher.
In the first case, it would be easier.
Even if you felt pain, the possibility of dying was close to zero now that you were still walking with your physical strength.
“The sound of the snow has stopped, hasn’t it?”
“Yes. It must be even cooler here.”
As Dill mentioned, the temperature dropped every time they approached the former Demon King’s territory.
The snow on the surface has not melted and was dry.
Therefore, when they stepped on the snow, there was no crackling sound, and the snow was as smooth as powder.
Perhaps because of this, many people slipped on the snow.
The guide from the guild walked behind Ain and the others.
Even though they were supposed to be leading the group, it was necessary to walk while escorting them because of the danger of monsters appearing.
“This is snowfield training, right?”
“Snowfield training…?”
Near Ain, two people, Lloyd and Dill, walked as escorts.
Although Lloyd raised his voice from time to time to give instructions and lead the group, his main job was to escort Ain.
When Lloyd opened his mouth, a white-colored breath escaped.
No matter how strong a knight he was, it was natural for him to be affected by these natural influences.
“Yes. I’ll report this to His Majesty as soon as we return to the royal capital. …Training in areas with snow. That should be increased.”
“Yes, Father… In an emergency, this is not the way to show our face to the people of Ishtalika.”
It must have been very difficult for both of them.
The journey to the territory of the former Demon King was so hard that it made Lloyd think so.
Due to the topography, it never snowed this much near the royal capital, and the temperature never dropped this low.
“We need to organize a budget. So it’s not that easy… Nevertheless, this is an urgent matter. I think we should assign the training in the snowfields of the Baltic to the Royal Guard.”
“Ah… As expected, Lloyd-san is dissatisfied with that.”
“Well, I’m talking big, but I’m having a lot of trouble with it myself. Dill, as soon as you get back to the inn, make a plan. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Father.”
It seems that the father and son knight duo had a new task.
The task was to write a proposal for “Training in the Snowfields at Baltic.”
As always, Ain was very impressed, but he prayed that they take good care of themselves.
“Anyway… the scenery is nice. But the environment is terrible.”
The sky was icy, and it’s all silver.
Big fluffy snowflakes were falling from time to time. The scenery was first-rate and, in a word, beautiful.
It was truly an unexplored region, but it was too cold.
To get to the former Demon King’s territory, they had to go through a mountain pass after climbing up a slight slope.
They were already halfway there, and they had one more step to go.
Ain took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill his lungs.
He felt a momentary chill, but more than that, he felt refreshed.
“…Ain-sama. Please stop.”
Dill’s voice came to Ain, who was enjoying the air in this way.
He seemed to have discovered something and stared into the distance.
“Father. Something is coming in the direction of two o’clock.”
“I see it. …Halt immediately! Prepare to intercept!”
At Lloyd’s signal, Ain’s body reacted.
He prepared his “illusory hands” so that he would be ready to fight at any time if the need arose.
“Ain-sama. Please step back. Stay between me and my father.”
“Y-yes, I understand.”
Lloyd stood in front of him and took a stance to protect Ain.
He pulled out the large sword he carried so heavily and picked it up in a seigan stance. [T/n: A stance aimed at the eyes.]
The royal guards walking behind them also drew their swords, surrounding the researchers and the guides from the guild.
Once they entered the territory of the former demon king, no monsters appeared for some reason.
However, since they had not yet entered that territory, the monsters in the snowfield area would appear.
“Enemy Shadow 3!”
“Medium size confirmed! All enemy shadows at 12 o’clock!”
The knight who had confirmed the enemy shadow through the telescope loudly announced its contents to everyone.
Hearing this, Lloyd and Dill exhaled quietly, relieved that it did not seem to be a major problem.
“Were you able to confirm the enemy’s shadow?”
“Yes! All enemy shadows are Lamprey Rabbits!”
…Huh? What is that?
A rabbit version of the lamprey?
The humorous name caught Ain’s interest.
“T-That’s right… Dill, I will kill them all. You stay by Ain-sama’s side and protect only Ain-sama, no matter what. Protect nothing else.”
“Understood.”
Lloyd said, “Good grief,” and swung his sword lightly.
Ain had trained under Lloyd, so he knew firsthand how strong he was.
However, this was the first time Ain saw his strength in a real fight.
It was natural, but it was impressive that he carried a murderous intent, unlike when he was training.
“Hey, Dill. What kind of creature is that lamprey?”
Lampreys are not called lampreys because they have eight eyes.
They are called lampreys because they have six holes in their gills, which, combined with their two eyes, make them look like eight.
But this was a rabbit. Rabbits did not have gills.
So Ain wanted to know what kind of creature it was.
“It’s a rabbit about five meters long that lives in cold regions.”
“That’s too big. Are you sure it is a rabbit?”
“Hahaha. By the way, as the word ‘lamprey’ implies, it is a rabbit-shaped monster with eight eyes. The only other thing is that, as you can see, it has six legs… Oh, and by the way, it is a carnivore.”
Surprisingly, it lived up to its name.
What were they going to do with eight eyes in this cold place?
Ain fell into a subtle feeling that even giving eye drops was a challenge.
“It is as it is…”
“Yes. But there is another feature…”
“Feature?”
The three lamprey rabbits approach with a thud.
Probably because they were carnivores, they thought Ain and his group were prey and charged at them.
However, Lloyd was very dependable, not caring about their momentum and swinging his greatsword around.
The lamprey rabbit’s charge did not lose momentum and continued to advance toward Lloyd.
“Hnnuaaaaah!”
A moment later, Ain thought, “It’s going to collide!”
The lamprey rabbit, which had been running in front, stopped at a distance of about 2 meters directly in front of Lloyd.
What happened? The people around him wondered as if the air had stopped moving.
Lloyd’s greatsword, which he had just swung down, began to fall to the ground.
“Yes. The features. The lamprey rabbit is a delicacy so delicious that it is known as the jewel of the snowy mountains.”
“That sounds wonderful.”
This was a good thing. Lloyd turned back to Ain, who thought so.
The other two lampreys stopped about 10 meters away and looked at them.
“Hmm… I guess it’s hard for them to be in good shape after all.”
“They looked like they were feeling heavy, Father.”
“Oh, yes, but it’s not bad. It’s surprisingly manageable.”
Father and son started talking as usual.
Huh? What about the lamprey that stopped? Ain looked at them.
“Ain-sama. We have some good food. This is a good start.”
“E-eh, uh, Lloyd-san? It’s stopped; what’s wrong…?”
“Hmm? Oh, you mean this? Don’t worry about it; it’s already done.”
It’s done?
What was done? The question only deepened, but the answer soon appeared in Ain’s eyes.
“So that’s how it is. Indeed… it’s nice to swing a sword like that once in a while.”
Lloyd then walked to the side of the lamprey that had stopped nearby and abruptly kicked it with his leg.
The lamprey’s body then shifted from the front, and within a few seconds, its body was neatly opened to the left and right.
“Ain-sama. I have an idea. Just one thing. Training for only one thing, it will become a must-kill. For me, that was cutting in two with a single slash. How was that?”
The technique that Lloyd has been training all his life.
It’s to cut in two with a single slash. …It was a pure, straightforward technique.
This was Lloyd’s only technique and the strongest technique.
The cleanly cut surface of the entire body is a spectacle that even looks like art.
Blood immediately spilled out from the severed surface, staining the silvery white ground red.
“…..!”
“——…..!”
The two lamprey rabbits that had been on alert saw this and quickly ran away.
They must have understood that they were not supposed to touch anything.
“So, Ain-sama. Here you go.”
Ignoring the grotesqueness, Lloyd approached the other half and fumbled with it.
Then he took out an object, wiped it with snow, and showed it to Ain.
——There was no way that Ain, being a glutton, would not notice it.
“T-the magic stone…!”
“Please enjoy it later. I will also take care of the meat, but I think this is best for Ain-sama.”
At that moment, his favorable impression of Lloyd probably jumped up a few notches.
＊＊＊
Due to an unexpected attack, the former demon king’s investigation team was able to obtain some high-quality food.
These words were more than enough to motivate them as they began to tire.
“After all, we all love good food, don’t we?”
“Ain-sama. Don’t get too excited and eat all the magic stones you brought.”
“Yes.”
This concern had already been conveyed to Dill and Lloyd by a competent assistant.
Ain, who received the lamprey rabbit’s magic stone from Lloyd, walked lightly with a smug look on his face.
It was undeniable that the large amount of food that could be taken from a 5-meter-long body had overloaded the luggage.
However, considering the many benefits it would bring, there was no way they could throw it away.
It took several knights to finish disassembling the food and pack it into their luggage along with the snow.
Although they had brought enough food with them, it was still a relief to be able to hunt locally.
“Still, it was an amazing feat.”
“Was it my father’s?”
“Yes, yes. I wondered how long he had been doing that. When did he cut it?”
“Indeed. I think it was really brilliant.”
How could he reach the sword from such a long distance?
Even if he could reach it, it was not a human skill to open it, including the spine.
The strongest knight in Ishtalika. Ain thoought he had glimpsed the reason why.
“It was a beautiful skull breaker. …The obstacles Dill has to overcome seem to be quite high.
“Ha-haha… But I won’t lose. I will surely break them sooner or later.”
Dill and Krone.
Ain was fortunate to be blessed with excellent subordinates.
No matter how decent the lord may be, it was always possible that his subordinates were not so decent.
——The group continued walking for several tens of minutes after the lamprey rabbit’s attack.
The uphill walk, which included an unfamiliar snow-covered path, finally came to an end.
From this point on, the road became flat for the first time in a long time.
This meant that they were approaching the territory of the former demon king.
“Ain-sama. Finally.”
“Yes, Lloyd-san. …Somehow, it seems that no one got lost.”
It was fortunate that the only trouble was an attack by the lamprey rabbit.
The road was smooth.
“By the way, Ain-sama. I found out something right at the beginning.”
“What did you find out?”
After a cough, Lloyd changed his mind.
“It’s not that monsters don’t live in the territory of the former demon king; it’s that they deliberately ‘avoid’ it.”
“…Continue.”
“Yes! …I checked the escape route of the lamprey rabbit and the footprints it made along the way. And some of the beasts and other footprints.”
When did he confirm such a thing?
It was a surprise, but Ain also learned a lot. He learned that it was possible to get information even from small places like this.
“They showed no signs of going up this slope. It seems to me that they are deliberately avoiding it.”
“Could it be that today was just a coincidence?”
“I have thought about that as well. But… With all due respect, this is just my own peculiar impression.”
Lloyd finds it hard to say this, but Ain wants some information.
He keeps asking for more information.
“Okay. I want you to tell me what you feel, Lloyd-san.”
“Yes…, I will tell you.”
His heartbeat was getting louder.
He wondered what words would come out of Lloyd’s mouth and what he felt. That was what held Ain’s attention.
“It was after we had just finished the climb. I felt it clearly from that point on. …We are being watched. Something is up ahead.”
He heard it from Chris as well, as if something was watching her. It was a place that gave Chris that feeling.
And Lloyd felt the same. If that was the case, then it could no longer be a matter of imagination but rather a fact.
“Fa-Father…”
“Dill. I want you to keep your guard up at all times, okay? Is that clear?”
“Of course. But… what exactly is this presence?”
“Mm… I guess so.”
Dill, like Ain, is interested in what Lloyd is sensing.
Looking at his forehead, he notices that there is some sweat on it.
“Let me tell you something right now. If it comes down to it, all you have to do is protect Ain-sama. Just go back to the city and protect Ain-sama, okay?”
“Father…? Is there a chance that even you will lose? Are you saying that?”
“I am not sure. I will not know until I actually cross swords with it. But yes… at the very least, I might lose at least an arm or a leg.”
A feeling that was nothing more than an intuition, so to speak, without any sense of reality.
In other words, a feeling of coldness or a sense of impending doom was just another kind of intuition.
Even though these feelings were unrealistic, they were so special that a man like Lloyd thought of them that way.
——There was no way that someone would not feel threatened by such a feeling.
“So I’ll say it again. As the head of the Glacier Family, I command you. If anything should happen to me, you must return to the city and protect Ain-sama alone. Is that clear?”
“…Certainly, sir.”
Dill quietly agreed.
But it made Ain wonder… what’s the point of going to all this trouble to watch them from afar? Was it to treat them as intruders?
If he were to treat them as invaders, wouldn’t he come to the point of using force? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t come up with an answer.
What he did know was that there may be an entity that even Lloyd felt was a threat.
The other is that this entity has not yet made a move.
“Though perhaps it won’t harm Ain-sama, I suppose.”
“Eh?”
“I expect that Dullahan and the Elder Lich will have some influence on it. They were heroic and full of charm to attract the people of the territory. So if the one looking at us is from the demon king’s territory, then there is a safe part of us.”
“You’re right,” Ain agreed.
Dullahan was currently being held back by his wife, but if push came to shove, he may come out.
If the written and surviving records are to be believed, then Lloyd may be right.
“Father. We can’t let our guard down, can we? My goodness… you’re making strange predictions again.”
“W-what do you mean by strange? It’s a possibility!”
“I’d rather believe in our own abilities than in such uncertainties.”
“You’re starting to say that now, Dill.”
The tense atmosphere was eased by the exchange between the two.
The knights listening nearby also began to smile.
“Hahaha! It looks like the day will soon come when Lloyd-san will lose.”
“Oh, even Ain-sama!”
With a smile on his face, he begins to make fun of Lloyd.
Lloyd’s appearance was unusual, and the Royal Guards laughed as well.
“Come on, guys, let’s go. We are almost at the former demon king’s territory! We can have a good rest when we get there, so let’s go with our heads held high!”
The exchange between the father and son of the Glacier Family and Ain’s appeal. These two things helped the group regain the energy they had when they first left Baltic.
The march through the snowy mountains had been more nerve-wracking than they had thought.
The mental depression made them feel tired.
As Ain said, there should be few paths left.
With these words to boost their morale, they continued on their way to the former demon king’s territory.
＊＊＊
A flat road was a happy place.
Was it a lesson to have realized such a thing?
As noon approached, the temperature gradually rose.
The sunlight became stronger, reflecting off the snow and shining softly.
The snow was light as feathers.
But it disappeared as they approached the former demon king’s territory.
Now, the sky was blue and calm, showing Ain and the others a peaceful sky.
“It’s kind of warm, isn’t it?”
“Yes… to be honest, it’s a bit hot in this outfit.”
“Yes, indeed. But it’s hard to put it on when I take it off.”
The warm weather may have helped the group relax.
The harsh environment up to the top of the hill was nothing but a gradual change in the situation.
“Lloyd-sama! According to the guild members, we can already see the former demon king’s territory!”
“I see! Thank you for the report!”
The escorted guide delivered the welcoming information.
This long journey was finally coming to an end. The group shouted with joy at the information that they would arrive at their destination, the former demon king’s territory.
“When we arrive. We should let them rest for now.”
“Thank you for your kindness. Ain-sama.”
Lloyd bowed his head in gratitude.
In fact, Lloyd, Dill, and Ain were also tired and needed a break.
“I can see it now.”
Lloyd, walking in front, finally saw the sight.
The place they had finally reached was the demon king’s territory? It was a sight that made him wonder.
“Father… Considering that this is the demon king’s territory, the ground is quite well organized.”
Dill, who was standing next to him, had the same thought as Ain.
The cobblestone pavement was made up of several types of bricks arranged in an intricate pattern as if forming an arch. The fact that it had collapsed in places was probably due to deterioration as well as past events.
The houses that lined the street were already crumbling but still had a sturdy appearance, also made of brick.
“It’s the height of culture. And look at the far end; that’s the demon king’s castle.”
Following Lloyd’s voice, Ain also looked in that direction.
There was a huge castle. But the castle’s appearance was familiar.
“…White Knight?”
The castle was similar to Ain’s home in the royal capital.
However, the difference was that it was based on the color black.
If the castle in the royal capital was called White Knight, then the demon king’s castle could be called Black Knight.
“But, I see… yes. What does the name of the castle matter?”
And just like the castle in the royal capital, a huge gate stood in front of the castle.
“I-it looks very much like the White Knight… A-Ain-sama.”
——Ain felt it, somehow.
He couldn’t wait to step on those cobblestones. He wanted to set foot on that land.
The feeling that rose from the depths of his heart was one of nostalgia and a certain longing for home.
He felt sad and happy at the same time. He could not put his feelings in order, but he was not lying when he said that he was happy to be here.
“Suu… haahh…”
He naturally took a deep breath.
The land seemed to have stopped time and was devoid of color.
No sound of life could be heard, no wind blew, and even inorganic objects felt dead.
And the landscape full of dead trees only reinforced this impression.
“This isn’t right.” …He doesn’t understand where he got this idea, but the words appear in Ain’s mind.
“…..”
He shifted his gaze to the demon king’s castle looming in the distance.
He stared at the sight, then turned his gaze to a room atop the castle.
Ain was aware.
This was probably what Dullahan and the Elder Lich remembered.
But since he didn’t feel any more signs of anger, Ain surrendered to this feeling.
He did not know what was in that room.
But it must have been a place of memories for them.
Even after becoming magic stones and even though they were absorbed by him.
They were still nostalgic for their hometown. Understanding this, Ain decided to make a concession.
“I’ll lend you my mouth if you want to say something.”
Was there something you wanted to say?
That was the question he asked them.
And if they had something to say, he would lend them his body, if only for a word. That was what he told them.
Immediately, he felt something well up deep inside him.
Had they awakened?
Ain opened his mouth, of course, and prayed, “Don’t get out of control this time…”
But the next words were shorter and more succinct than Ain had imagined.
“”…I’m home.””
Lloyd and Dill heard a male and a female voice from Ain’s only mouth.
They quickly guessed that it was Dullahan and Elder Lich.
They were afraid that something might happen to Ain, but when they saw the calm expression on his face, they changed their minds.
Ain must have done something for them. The expression on his face was enough to make them think so.
“…Did the wind blow?”
Dill muttered, but that was not all.
The dead trees began to sprout some leaves, and from somewhere, birds began to chirp.
Coincidence? Lloyd, standing next to Dill, braced himself for the strange phenomenon that made him think it was a coincidence.
“Come on, let’s go.”
“A-Ain-sama! Is there anything wrong with your body…?”
“I’m fine. I just wanted to say a few words. Sorry, I took the liberty.”
Then Ain took a step onto the cobblestone pavement.
At the same time as this step, a situation of extreme importance occurred.
“The gate is… open?”
A sound like an earthquake echoed through the air, and the gate in front of the demon king’s castle opened. The knights looked at the scene and exclaimed in surprise.
“No way… the gate of the demon king’s castle is opening. This has never happened before…”
The knights all look alarmed as they hear the researcher say this.
Dill and Lloyd both stood in a way to surround Ain.
——However, this scene seemed as if this land, which had lost its color, had come back to life. For the first time in hundreds of years, it seemed to have returned to its rightful appearance…