Chapter 31

8 A WARRIORESS IN THE RAIN Somewhere deep in the forest. About a half day’s march from the succubus capital. The clever placement of multiple barriers caused people to lose their way in the forest, and many never reached their destination. Not to say they’d be lost and stranded. Instead, they were funneled in the direction of the capital. In this way, even after the war ended, the succubi were able to keep this place hidden from the other races. Not that the other races would have done anything in particular, even if they’d known about it. The succubi called it the Sacred Place. Unlike the beastkin, they did not build their town around it or hold festivals there. It was kept hidden and protected by multiple barriers. Those of other races wouldn’t even pick up on the fact that barriers were in place, let alone that there was a succubus sacred place there. Even some succubi didn’t know about the existence of the Sacred Place. Still, there was definitely something there. Something the succubi had protected and believed in for many years. A woman stood in that sacred place. “Darn you…” The Sacred Place was quiet today, as always. But the ground was soaked with blood, and the last barrier had lost its glow. Several succubi lay on the ground. Succubi corpses. “Who are you…?” All of the fallen succubi had been decorated warriors. In a peaceful world, these were people who chose to serve their country over freedom. Now those succubi were lying on the ground, destroyed. The last standing succubus was glaring at the person who had committed this massacre inside the last barrier standing in the way of the Sacred Place. A barrier that was designed to prevent any intrusion. She was a woman. A human, probably, but she looked odd. About 80 percent of her face was covered, with only her eyes showing. She stood casually but was clearly on the alert. She answered the succubus’s questions in a light tone. “I’m under no obligation to answer, but I am humbled by your dedication, so usually, I would tell you. However, I have already lost my good name, and I have no intention of using my old name, so you’ll have to forgive me. As to my purpose… I want to take the power of your Sacred Place and use it to exact my revenge.” “The… Power…?” “Oh, you don’t know? Well, I suppose I didn’t know about it myself, either, until recently… There are certain places on this continent where power is accumulated, and if you gather that power, you can make miracles happen. Miracles, yes, it’s a vague term, but…for example…” The woman’s easygoing tone darkened a little. “Like bringing the dead back to life.” The strongest of the succubus warriors trembled at those words. “Are you planning on reviving Geddigs?” “Good guess. Precisely.” “You’re a human, right? Why would you do something like that? It’s a human world right now, isn’t it? Even the elves and dwarves kowtow to humans now. So why?” “I mentioned revenge, right? Yes, I am human, but I am not on their side.” “But a swordsperson of your caliber… You must have achieved great feats on the battlefield, right?” “Yes. I know it sounds crazy. But humans are idiots.” Shrugging, the warrioress shook her head. “Now, let’s end this nonsense, shall we? …Succubus warrior.” “…” “Normally, I would say that I’d spare your life if you can break this barrier, but contrary to appearances, I actually like the succubi. I won’t do anything that would hurt your national pride. I’d rather kill you honorably, like a real warrior, than do that.” “What you’re doing is damaging enough to our pride… Doesn’t that occur to you?” “I disagree. In fact, if I get my way, you people will get all of your lost pride back and more. Now, steel yourself.” The succubus responded to the threat instantly. She held up her fists in front of her, red eyes blazing, and a thick pink mist surrounded her. Obviously, she knew the charm wouldn’t work on women, but releasing fog helped her get in the right mindset for battle. “…I am Nion the Suffocator, the Vice-Commander-in-Chief of the Second Battalion under the succubus Queen!” “I’m really sorry, but I don’t have a name to give you.” The woman readied her sword. The fighting stance set Nion’s nerves jangling. Considering the clear difference in their ability levels, it was only natural. Nion knew winning was out of the question. This woman was clearly overwhelmingly strong. None of the elite soldiers Nion had brought with her had been able to inflict a single scratch. “Well then, farewell.” Nion was a ray of light. She couldn’t even see the trajectory of the swipe. She just felt the heat of it against her neck. “…Gah… Curly… I’m so sorry… Nio… Your Highness…” Certain of her imminent death, Nion thought only of the Queen she adored and of her younger sister, who worked as the Queen’s aide. Then Nion’s vision went black, and her long life as a succubus came to its end. “…Hah.” Amid the piles of corpses, the woman took a deep breath and ran her hands through her hair. The blood and gore on the sword she held was washed away quickly by the pouring rain. “Now, then…” The woman produced a key from her clothing. One glance was enough to tell that this item was imbued with immense magical power, decorated as it was with intricate metalwork and jewels that emitted an ominous glow. She inserted this key into the final barrier. An ominous light spilled out from the insertion point… But then an unpleasant, discordant sound rang out, as if to indicate some sort of conflict. “…Oh. It’s not going to open so easily, eh?” The woman shrugged and peered through the barrier. There were still a few succubi left inside the barrier. Casters, maintaining the final barrier. “I suppose this much should be expected from a succubus barrier… Even with the exact magic key needed to shatter the barrier, it’s still going to take some time to take effect…” “…” “But this magic key will not fail. After all, it’s a national treasure of the demons. It’s only a matter of time until the barrier breaks. But how about you do me a favor and release this barrier right away? You people will be trapped in there for several days, you know? You’ll go crazy from hunger, you know? Rather than suffer all that, why don’t you just come out now and fight? It will be better for both of us that way.” The succubi holed up on the other side of the barrier knew all this. The soldiers they’d seen slain in front of their eyes had all been decorated war veterans. The slaying had been brutal. They’d barely had time to lift their swords before they’d been sliced and diced by the woman. So they got it. They understood what the woman was offering. “I’ll kill you, but I’ll make it quick and painless. So come out now.” The remaining succubi had a mission—to protect the Sacred Place. Yes, they were hungry. But they weren’t going to abandon their posts over a few hunger pangs. All they could do was hold tight and wait for reinforcements. “…So you’re going to wait for reinforcements? Hmm, I thought the succubi would be braver, but you people are a disappointment.” The succubi did not respond to the woman’s taunt. “You’re wondering what will come first, the barrier breaking or your reinforcements showing up… But let me assure you. It won’t work out in your favor. You are simply wasting your own time.” The woman grinned, perhaps sensing the unease unfolding within the hearts of the succubi. Still, the succubi did not move. They could not. “Well, that’s fine. Like I keep saying, it’s all just a matter of time…” The succubus heard those words, but the rain snatched them away quickly, the wind whipping the dregs away to the forest. There was no one else to hear. “Do you really think that you can revive Lord Geddigs?” A succubus inside the barrier was the one who muttered this. The woman laughed. “Oh yes, I think so.” “Bringing the dead back to life… It’s absurd, you know?” “Yes, I agree. In fact, in order to resurrect the dead, you apparently need an enormous amount of power, far beyond the comprehension of current human knowledge.” “Then…” “But this land… Has so much power.” The woman continued talking, almost as if she was trying to bring the succubi around to her way of thinking. Even though that really wasn’t her intention at all. “A certain person found a document detailing this in an ancient ruin… This world was built on ancient battlegrounds, where battles were waged between great creatures, creatures modern humans couldn’t even begin to visualize.” “Some of those old corpses still hold power… And they bestow certain blessings on those who live in those areas…” “People have worshipped the power that dwells in those old corpses as gods… Your Sacred Place is one such place of power.” “So then why not use this power? Simply revering old bones will do nothing…” “If I revive Lord Geddigs and spark another war, this time, the Coalition of Seven will win. Demons, succubi, ogres… They will be able to escape their current painful reality and grow drunk on the sweet wine of victory! Like the modern-day dirty humans are doing.” One of the succubi confused by that final remark spoke up. “Dirty humans…? Have you no pride in your own race?” “Nope, none.” “…” “That self-serving, scummy race… They have zero pride.” The woman’s voice was suddenly so cold, it chilled all listening to their very cores. “So that’s how things are. I apologize for this, but would you mind opening the barrier for me? You’ll all die, yes, but it won’t be a bad thing for the succubus race in the end, you’ll see.” Some among the succubi were slightly moved by what the woman had to say about resurrecting Geddigs. But that final remark she’d made about her own race… That put any of them off going along with her. Because what she was saying was twisted… Abhorrent… And it chilled them all to the bone.