Chapter 177

“…What is it? I have no record of that smug look on your face in my Lady Komari data bank.” “Oh, it’s nothing. Happy birthday, Vill. Just relax and enjoy it, will ya? Here, try this omelet rice. It’s fantastic.” “There’s no way my Lady Komari can be this smug. I’ll give the omelet a try if you feed it to me, mouth to mouth.” “No.” “Spoon to mouth, then? I won’t be able to enjoy the party otherwise.” What are you, a baby? “No, Ms. Villhaze. It may be your birthday, but you shouldn’t pester Ms. Komari like that.” Silver knockout beauty Sakuna Memoir made her entrance. I’d invited plenty of people outside the Seventh Unit to the party. “Make do with the present I’ve just given you.” “What is it, Sakuna?” I asked. “A fluffy cushion that takes away all your fatigue when you sit on it.” Whaaa? I want one. No, I need one. I’ve accumulated more than enough fatigue for a billion lifetimes. “Mm-hmm,” Vill replied, disgruntled. “I am exceedingly grateful for your present, Lady Memoir. However, that has nothing to do with this.” “Why? What’s wrong with the cushion, girl?” I asked. “Nothing, but I want a gift from you, Lady Komari. Feed me now, please. Ahhh.” Vill leaned in toward me. Oh, what am I to do with you? I gathered she needed the satisfaction of an act of deviance or two to get back in form. In other words, she just wanted to get over her shyness. I’ll indulge you just this once. I grabbed a spoonful of omelet rice, transported it all the way to Vill, who was waiting with her mouth open like a chick for food, and… Nom! “Hey, Vill. Happy birthday.” Out of nowhere, I heard the voice of a man I didn’t recognize. “Blewugh?!” The omelet rice shot out of Vill’s mouth and onto my clothes. “Whoooa?! What’s wrong?!” “Cough, cough… Why…? What are you doing here, Grandfather?!” “Grandfather?” Vill’s eyes widened as she stared past me. I turned around to find a tall, old man. He was wearing a suit and a silk hat; the spitting image of a gentleman. A beaming smile adorned his face. “Pleased to meet you, Commander Gandesblood. Thank you for always looking after Vill.” “Huh? Wait, so that means…” “My name is Clovis Dodrens. I’m Villhaze’s grandfather.” “Why are you here?!” Vill jumped in front of me, red in the face. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets. I had never seen such an unsicko expression from the sicko maid. “I told you to keep out of my workplace! You’re no longer a Crimson Lord! Go back to slacking off at home!” “How could I not come to your birthday party? Hmm… I see, so you wear this every day? You make one fine maid.” “Wha… You… Bah…!” Vill babbled. What’s with you? I have no record of this in my Vill data bank. “Lady Komari,” she said, tears in her eyes, as she sidled up to me. “Could you explain this to me? Why is he here?” “Because I thought I should invite him. He seems like a nice guy.” “How dare you, Lady Komari? I protest. I will express my dissent tonight by sneaking into your bed and fondling and groping—” “No! Why?! I’m gonna tell your grampa!” “?!” She turned to stone. Despair claimed her face. Her lips trembled as she pleaded with me. “Could you…please not do that?” “I will if I don’t get to have my good night’s sleep because of your fondling.” “Ummm, but, you see, he doesn’t know I’m doing that sort of thing.” “? What do you mean?” “That is to say…he is ignorant of my perverted deeds…” So you agree! You’re perverted! How could he not know at this point, though? Pretty sure the newspapers already publish rumors of your deviancy. I get it, though. Of course you’d feel embarrassed about showing your sicko side to your family. This kinda reminds me of Pitolina’s whole deal… That said, I’m surprised to learn Vill has a shred of normalcy in her. …Wait a second. Doesn’t this mean I’ve got dirt on her? “Ha-ha-ha. I’m glad to see Vill is doing her job right.” “Of course. I am an adult vampire.” “Yes, you’re already sixteen… How much you’ve grown. It feels like just yesterday that you were a timid little girl who couldn’t sleep by herself. Oh, the nights you kept me up because you were scared of thunder.” “Enough reminiscing! You’re sounding like an old man.” “What’s the harm? There’s no better time to reminisce than on your birthday.” Clovis patted Vill’s head. That made her blood boil. “I’m going to the restroom,” she announced, running away like the wind, red in the face. Sakuna’s jaw was on the floor. My brain wasn’t keeping up, either. Not in a billion years could I have expected this… I’d never seen this side of Vill. “Sorry, Commander. She’s always been such a shy girl,” Clovis said. …Shy? Her? In this timeline, in this universe? “But I’m glad to see she’s doing well in the Seventh Unit. What do you think of her, Commander? I hope she’s not troubling you.” “She’s a good worker. I would’ve died a thousand times by this point if she weren’t around.” “Really? That’s great to hear.” His eyes shone bright and kind. Clovis really cared for his granddaughter. I almost felt jealous. The Gandesblood family rarely gathered all under one roof. “She’s so lucky to have met you. So much happened to her in school, and if it weren’t for your help, it would have been her in trouble.” “No, no, it’s always her helping me. I’m grateful.” “How charitable. Spoken like the world-unifying commander you are. I hope you continue to look after Vill. She only has the future to look forward to.” “The future? What do you mean?” “Oh.” Clovis blinked. “She hasn’t told you? Then please forget I said anything.” “Hey… You’re only making me more curious. Don’t tell me she’s been getting up to her perverted ways behind my back again.” “Perverted?” “Ah, no, nothing! She’s such a moral, virtuous maid!” Those words couldn’t possibly be further from the truth. That said, I understood Vill’s desire to keep up a good image. I made myself out to be a math wizard in front of my sister. I should help her keep her cover. Or so I thought, but… “Ha-ha-ha. She really loves you so much. I’m glad things have been working out so far, but if she really annoys you, I’ll be sure to give her a warning.” “…” Vill… He knows… Eh. I don’t care either way. And so concluded my first encounter with Vill’s grandfather. There had been many surprises…but I was going to oblige him in his request that I continue being Vill’s friend. After all, it would be impossible for me to be commander without her. There was something about our interaction that stuck out to me, though. “She only has the future to look forward to.” What had he meant by this? Oh well, no use thinking too much about it. I can just ask Vill later. I let the optimism take my mind as I savored the omelet rice. “My goal is to destroy the Dark Cores and open the doors to the Netherworld. I’ll take all the shut-ins in the world outside!” the Wicked God Slayer announced, like a child revealing her plans for mischief. Winter. After the struggle in the Mulnite Empire had subsided. Inverse Moon had been demolished during the Vampire Riots. Their captured forces had revealed the locations of the organization’s hideouts, which the armies of the world had stamped out. There were now only six operating members of Inverse Moon. Spica, Fuyao, Tryphon, Cornelius, Amatsu, and a single servant. The rest had been captured by the authorities, or had disappeared, or had been killed. “The people of the Six Nations are ignorant.” Spica spoke with grandeur from her throne. “They are content accepting the world as it appears to them. In the same way a frog in a well knows not the vastness of the ocean, or the insects that die in summer doubt the beauty of the snow, they only enjoy their momentary day-to-day existences, daring not take a step forward. That’s adorably human of them, but also a bit pitiful, don’t you think?” “Are you just going to monologue at us?” “Fuyao!” Tryphon yelled. Fuyao didn’t know why Tryphon was taking issue with her. Even Amatsu was just pretending to listen, while Cornelius was scribbling away at a manuscript on the table. Tryphon was the only one there paying attention to Her Highness’s ravings. “…I’m trying to make you aware of our circumstances. That would be the best for the future,” Spica said. “So what’s Inverse Moon’s goal, then?” “Destroying the Dark Cores! I said that at the beginning.” Spica smiled, red lollipop in her mouth. “Do you even know what they are? Cornelius.” “Huh? Well…they’re special Divine Instruments that provide infinite mana to each race.” “That’s only what they do on the surface! You see, in the distant past, far before I was born, the Dark Cores were artifacts constructed by the gods! The ultimate substances, capable of granting the wishes of anyone who sought them. Some people even say the Dark Cores created this very world.” Fuyao grabbed a piece of fried tofu from the table and thought. To summarize, they’re precious treasures with great power. “The Dark Cores were originally spheres that shone bright like the stars. But they change shape according to the wishes they grant. Currently, they serve as the foundation of each nation, as the fools from six hundred years ago configured them that way. In accordance with their wish, the Dark Cores are used as tools of eternal recovery. The history books say the old fools wished on the Cores to bring peace, but the truth is far from that. They didn’t want peace. They wanted to seal the doors to the Netherworld.” Fuyao was having trouble keeping up. She wasn’t good with complicated stuff. Tryphon, meanwhile, kept listening fervently. “The Netherworld… Do you mean the realm where I fought Terakomari Gandesblood?” “Yes, Tryphon. A realm with inverse moon phases. Six hundred years ago, there were doors to the Netherworld in each nation, but the old fools wished on the Dark Cores to seal them. That’s why most people have forgotten about the Netherworld now.” Fuyao thought back to what had happened at the Mulnite Palace. A crack had appeared in Terakomari’s pendant, from which light had flowed and taken Gandesblood and Tryphon to a different realm. In other words, the crack in Mulnite’s Dark Core had loosed the seal on that door to the Netherworld. “So the Dark Core’s current function is to seal the doors. The fact they emit infinite recovery mana is just a side effect. There’s a logical explanation for this, but we can go over it some other time.” The confusion served as the trigger. Cloing. As the “head” stopped thinking, the “tail” surfaced. “So that means if we destroy the Dark Cores, we get to go back and forth from the Netherworld!” “Yes! That’s exactly what I want to do!” “And what do you want to do in the Netherworld, Your Highness?” Amatsu asked, arms crossed. Fuyao straightened her fox ears. Tryphon always talked about that Peace Spirit committing treason. “The Netherworld is a utopia. All shut-ins must live in peace over there.” “That’s…abstract. We’ll need a more detailed explanation if we want Fuyao to understand.” “Lord Amatsu? Are you trying to provoke me?” “Don’t argue, kids.” Spica laughed. “This world—let’s call it the Foreworld, provisionally—is full of suffering, don’t you think? The strong walk around like they own the place, trampling on the weak as if they’re flowers on the side of the road. Last year’s Six Nations War is a good example. That is why I’m going to gather those with aptitude, the shut-ins, and take them to the Netherworld. There, I will create a utopia without conflict.” “I see. And the Dark Cores are getting in the way of your goal.” Fuyao looked at Amatsu. It didn’t seem like any of this was new to him. “There are six doors to the Netherworld, and six Dark Cores sealing them. By the way, a Dark Core’s area of effect extends from the door as its epicenter, so it won’t change if you move one around.” “So the doors are at the center of each nation?” “Exactly. In Mulnite’s palace and Aruka’s former palace. There are other doors around the world, but they are only forced open through lightning or storms. They disappear after a while, too, so we can’t rely on them.” “But you confined the Mulnite Empress to the Netherworld, correct? How did you accomplish that?” “There was a blizzard during the attack, remember? The door opened, so I simply shoved her in.” “Hmm.” Cornelius crossed her arms. “So destroying a Dark Core opens its respective door to the Netherworld. This calls for investigation.” “Destroying just one isn’t enough. If we allow even one Dark Core to remain, others will use it for wrong. Especially those Star people…” “Star?” “…Nothing.” Spica narrowed her eyes somberly. “Your Highness,” Amatsu said inexpressively. “Could you get to your point already? What do we gain by helping you?” “Heh. Don’t look at things like that, Amatsu. This is no ambition to be gauged by merits and demerits. This is a story of love.” Everyone but Tryphon was befuddled by her delirium once again. “You’ll find out. You all are Lunae because you have what is needed to empathize with my ideals. Regardless, Inverse Moon’s true goal is to destroy the Dark Cores and build a utopia in the Netherworld. That’s all I wanted to say today. Now let’s have dinner.” Spica wrapped up the conversation, but Fuyao rose to her feet in a frenzy. “Your Highness! I’m still confused. Couldn’t you at least give us more details on the Netherworld?” “Flowers wilt if you give them too much water.” This again. Fuyao was sure Spica’s tendency to keep information to herself was exactly what had led Inverse Moon to crumble. Still, Fuyao didn’t point it out. Being an obedient vassal was the best way to stay alive. She sat back down with a smile on her face. “Roger! I will think about it myself.” “I’ll just give you a hint.” Spica swayed the lollipop in her hand. “Maybe you should go to your hometown in the Lapelico Kingdom. You might understand a bit of this world’s mysteries there. Although I don’t know where exactly your hometown is! Just bring souvenirs, all right?” Fuyao Meteorite’s hometown was in the backwaters of the Lapelico Kingdom. It was a poor village on the top of a mountain range on the border, where beast-folk led pastoral lives. Its name was Lunar Village. It no longer existed. The town’s demise had happened a few years back, on the day before the festival where they prayed to the god of harvest. All the villagers had been preparing everything before noon. Fuyao remembered making rice cakes for the offering with her family. Then a vampire had appeared and ruined everything. Crimson Lord Yulinne Gandesblood. Her flames had engulfed the village in an instant. Young Fuyao had been taken to the storehouse for protection and had hidden behind the wine barrels for the festival as she heard the village burn. By nightfall, she’d only been able to hear the chirping of birds. Fuyao had come out of the storehouse and found her hometown devastated. Burned fields. Houses turned to ashes. Piles of corpses. Lunar Village had been one of the few rural settlements that was outside the range of a Dark Core. Her loved ones would not return. Her father, her mother, and her big brother were all dead, slain by the hand of Yulinne Gandesblood. Ever since then, Fuyao had been stuck in a monochrome world. No joy, no sadness—just day after day of mechanically swinging her sword. The pursuit of strength was like an art. Making blood spill and screams fly were acts of revolution that brought color to the world. The only way she could repaint her world was to take revenge. To obtain absolute strength. No. This train of thought is poisonous. A voice came from the bottom of her consciousness. Her “tail” was a worrywart. The “head” responded as she crossed the snow. I know. The past is a stimulating drug, but also a poison that eats away at my heart. —Yes. Do not lose yourself to despair at the sight of Lunar Village. Is there any reason to despair at this point? It should be nothing but ruins. Fuyao had walked for three hours from the closest Gate. The white of the snow was even stronger now; she shivered with every lick of the chilly breeze on her ears. Just as she’d begun losing her patience at the thought of the trip being for nothing, she realized something: The path was too easy to traverse. A series of footsteps and wheel tracks had made a road through the snow. This can’t be right. There’s nothing beyond here. —Don’t you feel the people there? What do you mean…? The “tail” didn’t respond. Fuyao felt something was off and hurried on her way. She ran, weaving through the barren trees until she reached a forked road with a sign she had no memory of: LUNAR VILLAGE THIS WAY. Fuyao stepped into the wintry settlement. It was unlike what she remembered. But that was no surprise. Lunar Village had burned down. “No way… They rebuilt it…?” There were a few thatch-roof houses here and there. Fuyao walked farther in, driven by confusion. Then laughter shook her eardrums. Some fox-eared children were throwing snowballs at one another on the frozen fields. A sight so peaceful that one couldn’t believe this place had once been host to a tragedy. Fuyao stood there at a loss. The children continued their snowball fight for a while until they noticed the visitor and stopped. They stared blankly at the stranger. Over there. My house was right in the middle of the village. Fuyao turned around at the urging of the “tail.” Despite the cold, she couldn’t stop sweating. But this wasn’t the elation of facing a strong opponent or the despair of an overwhelming defeat. No, she was feeling pure and simple disgust. “Here…” There was a house near the town well; another detail that contradicted her memory. She felt nauseous the moment she saw the name on the doorplate: METEORITE Only Fuyao’s clan used such a strange name. Which meant even though they were supposed to be dead… “Oh, is that a visitor?” Fuyao clutched the hilt of her sword as she turned around. She felt like she had slipped off a cliff. Seeing that man made the old wound in her heart itch. “…Brother?” She felt like she had stepped into the world of the dead. But upon further inspection, it wasn’t him. His face didn’t look like that. He just had a similar air about him. “Who are you, little lady?” “No…who are you…?” “I live here. You’re not from these parts, are you? Are you someone’s relative? That’s a pretty nice weapon you have there. Could it be you’re with the royal army?” The snow fell quietly. Lunar Village was turning whiter and whiter. And yet Fuyao’s world had turned oddly colorful. She wanted to throw up. Nauseous, she cupped her hand over her mouth and fell to the ground. The man rushed to help her up. “Are you unwell? I should take you somewhere warmer…” Fuyao didn’t have the energy to push him away. Confusion, fear, and nostalgia filled her mind. The “tail” groaned. So that’s how it is. This is reality. No question about it… My Lunar Village was destroyed. The shadow of Her Highness is devastating. I’m being toyed with by this nostalgic illusion. Dancing in the palm of the Wicked God Slayer’s hand. Yes. A stimulant and a poison. She could only hold back tears as she was shown to the Meteorite residence. The sights of her birthplace, of her hometown, brought her back. They were different from her memory but still too similar. She could feel warmth and familiarity. Color was returning to her monochrome world. I see. Her Highness had shown her a choice. “If you stop and live like a normal girl, your lust for revenge will fade away little by little. A lovely rosy tint will return to your world. Unlike the rest of us, you still have another path left. “So what will you do? “Will you keep the truth hidden and live happily in Lunar Village? Or will you face reality head-on and fight on my side? Choose whichever you want. I won’t be mad.” For Her Highness to go out of her way to suggest I come here… Does that mean there’s no value in the truth I’m looking for…? Cloing. Cloing. The world flipped. Ever since the day Lunar Village had burned down, a noise like a cloing had echoed inside her head. Tail and head. Good and evil. Enemy and ally. Lie and truth. The sound of a biwa flipping it all. The door to the Netherworld opened. I wanted more time to prepare, but there was no use crying over spilled milk. There was too much to do. Destroy Star Citadel. Seal the gateway. Build a utopia. And reunite with the friend I had been separated from six hundred years prior. “Let us meet again after 622 seasons have passed. Beside the heavenly jewel.” She was a medium, capable of seeing the future. There was no doubt her words were the truth. Soon, 622 seasons would have passed. “Wait for me. Our wish will be granted soon.” I licked my blood candy while walking down the cobblestone streets of Jingshi. I shall take outside all those lamenting inside their rooms. Let us shut ourselves in a world without sadness. Terakomari would probably reproach me for being too pessimistic. But I didn’t know any other way of earning inner peace. In fact, I was certain this was the best way. And I will achieve it. Even if I have to flip the world on its head in the process.