Chapter 163

…it was because she complimented him. In the large dining room, Luminas sat behind a long table. The crimson woman had yet to touch any of the opulent dishes that were set out on the table. “…My apologies for keeping you waiting, Lady Luminas.” “Hah. No need to mind it. ’Tis an everyday occurrence.” As they exchanged pleasantries, Alvarto moved to sit down. “Today, the special seat rights are mine.” However, Kalmia hastily shoved him aside and sat down in the chair he was going for. The seat in question was the one directly across from Luminas. To Alvarto and Kalmia, it was a special spot that let them gaze directly at their beloved. Having lost the chair to Kalmia, Alvarto glared daggers at her. “…I’m going to make you pay during combat training. You better be prepared.” “There is nothing to fear from a general who is nothing but talk. Ah, today’s breakfast is quite delicious.” The pair looked close to a physical altercation, yet Luminas chuckled with amusement as she watched. “The two of you truly are close, aren’t you?” ““Pardon?!”” “Ah-ha-ha. See? Perfectly in unison.” Luminas smiled widely as she brought food to her lips. Although Alvarto couldn’t explain why, he couldn’t bring himself to argue with her. If the boy ended up doing so and upsetting her, he would undoubtedly live in slumped depression for the rest of his life. That was just how important Luminas had become to Alvarto. He had learned language, cleaned up his appearance, and endured frustration all for her sake. Luminas’s praise and her smile were the things that made life worthwhile. He would do anything if it made her happy. Alvarto’s dedication to that feeling was unwavering, hence— “Ahh, that reminds me. Dear Alvarto, ’tis about time for thee to participate in thy first battle.” “Yes, with pleasure,” he answered without hesitation. Luminas casting her ward into danger as though she were sending him on a little shopping errand was strange on its own, but Alvarto, who showed not the slightest hesitation in agreeing to it, was also tinged with a certain madness. “Hrrrm. I admire thy ability to answer so readily… Yet doth thee understand what thou art agreeing to do? I am not dispatching thee on a fun little jaunt.” “I know. A place where people clash with the entirety of their strength and will and seek to take their opponent’s life… A war zone. That’s where I’m to go, yes?” “Indeed. That is true. Dost thou feel no fear?” “No. Not in the slightest.” Most people facing their first battle tended to react strongly—excessive excitement, obvious anxiety, embarrassing denial. None of those reactions applied to Alvarto, however. “I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to get results on the battlefield and make you happy. Why should I fear fighting? I feel nothing but joy at the prospect. I eagerly anticipate displaying the many skills you’ve taught me,” Alvarto stated eloquently, without the slightest hint of worry. Luminas grinned affectionately, as a mother might have before a good son. “Mmm. It seems my eyes did not deceive me. Thou hast the talent to be a warrior.” “You honor me beyond measure.” Her praise only inspired him further. The wol Croft army led by Luminas was known as the most powerful and peerless force in the world. Even against the rebel armies of humanity, which had made a recent comeback, Luminas’s forces rarely took a loss. While the crimson woman was a great governor, she was an intense, savage warrior at heart. Thus, her greatest praise was reserved not for her intelligent bureaucrats but for her warriors who showed mastery in battle. To know that adoration, Alvarto would happily march off to war and wager his life. He would do anything to be the most beloved of the woman who was both his mother and the mistress he served unwaveringly. That was Alvarto Egzex’s purpose. “…You’re going to just burst out crying mid-battle. Just so you know, I have no intention of aiding you. I’m your instructor, no more, no less. I haven’t accepted you as my master.” Kalmia’s irritating words also bolstered Alvarto’s determination. “I never counted on a piece of scrap like you from the start. I’ll stand at the summit with my own strength.” “I pray from the bottom of my heart that your arrogance brings a proper reward. Die as you regret insulting me. Or just die right now, damned bastard.” Alvarto’s heart skipped as he traded barbs with Kalmia. The image of himself winning on the battlefield. The image of his mother praising him. He felt like he would dance with joy. There was nothing special about the morning Alvarto faced his first battle. He complained about Kalmia’s annoying way of waking him, then changed into his clothing, ate breakfast, then… “Now, shall we be off, my friends?” …he departed the city as a member of the army, led by Luminas. Alvarto was clothed in crimson garb that resembled a military uniform. While the design itself was the same as the uniforms worn by others around him, the outfit had been specially tailored to suit his body. Today marked the first time he’d donned it, but it fit him like a glove. Luminas had even complimented him on his appearance. This kept Alvarto in high spirits and helped him ignore the fact that he’d been assigned as a foot guard to that man. “Heh-heh-heh. In quite a mood, ain’tcha, lad?” The man in question, Lucius, called from atop his mount. Smirking down at Alvarto while astride a powerful wyvern horse, he had a similar air to that devil’s, and Alvarto was unable to bring himself to like him. In fact, Alvarto’s one-sided hostility toward Lucius was so great that it showed through in his demeanor. “…Hearing your voice ruined my mood. How will you make it up to me?” “Heh-heh-heh. Well, ain’t that a pity?” The way he so casually accepted Alvarto’s biting remark was irritating. Alvarto hated the idea that Lucius was his superior. “Why didn’t Lady Luminas include me in her honor guard?” That’s what Alvarto had assumed his assignment would be. He had been looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the reality was very different, as Luminas had ordered him to fight beneath this despicable man. “The boss lady has a tendency to lose sight of her surroundings when it comes to battle. She’s not suited to looking after a child.” “…I’m not a child anymore.” “Heh-heh. The fact you’re saying that proves my point.” Alvarto despised Lucius. He far preferred the other pillar of the army, Garp. That silent warrior was worthy of respect and admiration, and Alvarto had always been closer to him than to Lucius. For whatever reason, Alvarto simply couldn’t bring himself to tolerate Lucius, and it had been that way since their first meeting. “Eh, no one’s looking for any miracles from a novice in his first battle. Your job is to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.” That disrespectful attitude riled Alvarto like nothing else. The boy swore to himself that he would accomplish great deeds today to make Lucius eat his words. At the end of their peaceful road, they arrived at the battlefield. “Hey, lad. See that? That’s our cemetery.” Lucius said as much with a joking tone, but the glint in his eyes was that of a warrior prepared for whatever awaited him. Rolling hills ran into the distance before ending abruptly before a gigantic, looming wall. “Well, well. The great rabble of humanity really can impress at times,” Lucius mused as he rubbed at his jaw. “High enough to reach the heavens. Thick enough that none can penetrate it. Those structures are a crystallization of their hatred toward us demons.” The walls and the fortress beyond were constructed by the rebel army that was primarily composed of humans. The barricade around the garrison was not only the key to the rebel army’s defense, but it also served as a spear to counterattack the approaching enemy. “Breaking through a single one is a pain, but getting to their general requires smashing through three of ’em. Oh, that reminds me. I’ve heard that none but our forces could get through so much as the first wall.” That was understandable. The walls and the fortress protected by them were key to guarding the city beyond. Thus, the place was run by top-notch commanders who had routed all attempts at invasion. “Cracking a tough nut like that…is the flashiest way to win, but… Well, no need to get too nervous. Our job’s just to distract them.” As Lucius noted, he and Alvarto were part of the group with the easier task. They simply had to draw the enemy’s attention. While their foes were occupied, an elite squad led by Luminas would circle the fortress and attack the enemy’s largest strategic asset. The goal was that Luminas’s detachment would kill the rebel army’s leaders and claim the city past the garrison. “Enjoy the bit of exercise, and when the boss lady sends word, retreat, regardless of whether we’re winning or not. Pretty simple.” Lucius laughed, yet he likely understood this battle wouldn’t be easy. To serve as an effective decoy, Alvarto and Lucius’s group needed to frighten their enemies enough that they’d devote themselves to destroying them. Failure risked the rebel army catching on to Luminas’s detachment, and then the entire plan would collapse. “Can you truly stoke the enemy’s fears that much, Lucius?” “Heh-heh. Leave it to me, lad. I’m unmatched when it comes to scaring the piss out of opponents.” Those were the last words the two exchanged before the fight. It seemed the enemy’s detection net had found them. The rebel army fired the opening salvo from their position far in the distance. Countless points of light appeared on the surface of the giant wall before brilliant rays filled their entire line of sight. Flare—a basic fire element attack spell. To demons like Alvarto, such magic was nothing to fear… But that changed when there were this many. “Defend!” Lucius’s voice thundered at an earsplitting volume. The soldiers responded immediately, and in no time at all, the entire army was encapsulated by a protective dome of conjured shields. “This is what makes humans such a pain to fight.” The defensive formation was holding against the Flare bombardment. Just viewed on a per spell basis, the enemy’s volley wasn’t enough to break through. However, just as rain and wind could erode a boulder with the passage of time, the sheer number of attacks would eventually pierce even the toughest of magical shields. “We need to get inside to have any fun. Soooo…all forces, charrrrrrrrrge!” At Lucius’s second order, all the warriors sprang into action. The infantry kicked off the earth while the cavalry sped through the air. As they advanced, they continued to repair and maintain the barrier guarding them from the Flare spells. This was a masterful demonstration of why Luminas’s army was considered the best. It was certain that it, unlike other forces in the past, wasn’t going to fall to the enemy’s opening move. While the rebel army’s sheer size was an issue, it wasn’t enough to cripple Lucius’s troops. “…An attack worthy of one of the Twin Jewels, I suppose.” No sooner had Alvarto muttered those words than he and the rest of the group reached the enemy’s line of defense. The Flare spells slowed to a trickle, and the small gates set in the wall swung open. “Rahhhhhhhhhh!” Countless enemies poured from the open doors, roaring like a flood. They outnumbered the demons five to one. Still, none among Lucius’s ranks faltered in the face of the advancing horde. If anything, the sight of their opponents fired them up, as the warriors bared their teeth in feral grins. Lucius was no different. He sat atop his mount at the front of the pack, beaming with a predatory glint in his eyes. “All right, you bastards! Who’s the greatest warrior in this army?!” “““Lucius! Lucius!””” “Who’s the general known as the Raging Thunder?!” “““Lucius! Lucius!””” “What’s the name everyone thinks of when they think first into battle?!” “““Lucius! Lucius!””” “And the epitome of reckless bravery?!” “““Lucius! Lucius!””” Each time the general shouted to his soldiers, they responded in unison, morale climbing with each cry. Their morale and momentum were enough to carry them into the heavens. A moment later, Lucius charged ahead of his forces. “Ahh! It’s a good day to die!” His wyvern horse understood its master’s intent and raced forward. “Hee-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-heh-hee-heh!” As Lucius let out a shrieking cackle, his curved swords danced with terrifying speed—a storm of slashes that cleaved through anything that dared approach. “Graaaaaaaaaaaah!” Blood sprayed in a mist around him. Enemy soldiers desperately fought back with weapons and spells, but it was pointless. Their bodies were sliced apart before their swords made contact, and every magic attack was cut in two. Lucius’s skills were exceptional, but so was his beloved mount that he rode on. The wyvern horse must have shared its master’s warrior heart. The creature’s eyes burned with fighting spirit. It activated its own magic and swept aside any obstacles before Lucius had to deal with them. It was a glorious display of man and steed as one. This was undoubtedly why Lucius was considered one of the Twin Jewels of Luminas’s forces. “Follow His Lordship!” “Raaaaaaaaah!” Lucius’s army charged, following in his wake. No one was able to halt their advance. “Ha-ha-ha! Hello there! Thanks for letting me in!” The first wall fell. The thick gates were shattered into splinters, and Lucius passed through. His army poured in behind him like an avalanche. It was an overwhelming sight. The battle past the gate degenerated into a hellscape. Foes surged in from all sides, using their numbers to slowly crush one ally to death, then another. There were no “people” here. Regardless of whether they were human or demon, all of them had lost any semblance of higher thought. “Shaaaaaaaaaaaah!” “Raaaaaaaaaaaagh!” Shrieks and screams. These were not the sounds of creatures capable of reason. No, they were beasts. Everyone present had reverted into feral animals. Although they had surrendered to the roar of battle, they still mustered everything they could to kill their opponents. With magic. With blade. With hand. Ireena could only stare in astonished silence at the gruesome sight. She felt nauseated and wished to look away from the slaughter. Alvarto, standing amid the chaos, wanted to do the same. He was embarrassed by his arrogant attitude from before the fight. He could have never imagined what it was truly like. War was such an overwhelming, intense thing. That the battlefield was such a terrifying, horrific place stunned him. “Haff…! Haff…!” He hadn’t moved all that much, yet his breathing was labored. The furious shouts and screams that made his eardrums ache shook him to the core. Which meant that he was no longer paying attention to his surroundings… “Waaaaagh!” Suddenly, Alvarto detected a hostile gaze from behind. There was no time to react. He was going to— “Ah, careful!” What magic technique had been used? The soldier who had tried to catch Alvarto unawares was immediately reduced to heaps of meat. Naturally, that man was responsible. It had been Lucius, who was a good distance away, trying to break the enemy encirclement. He took a moment to glance in Alvarto’s direction. “You’ve left your back wide open. You trying to commit suicide?! Eh?” he called with a sardonic grin as he looked upon Alvarto like the boy was a failing student. Lucius’s voice and expression lit a fire under Alvarto. “Rah… Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” A young man’s roar echoed through hell. There was no fear in his eyes, nor terror in his heart. “Answer my call! Sweet death!” The moment he finished the two stanzas of his chant, Alvarto’s body was engulfed in black flame. In the past, it had been something he created unconsciously. Now, he was able to control it as he wished. Alvarto became a grim reaper, gathering souls on the battlefield. “I unleash the Blade of the Abyss!” The dark fire that surrounded him began to move as though it had a will of its own. It split into tens of thousands of tendrils and aggressively attacked the enemy army. All of those touched by the flames lost consciousness and collapsed, their eyes rolling back into their heads. “Rah!” Alvarto let out a war cry and kicked off the ground. None could stop him. The enemies who approached, the enemies who ran, it made no difference. They were consumed by the burning shadow and vanished. Alvarto was as a fallen angel spreading his black wings. The black flames released from his body eventually swallowed the entire area. “Your back is open.” He stepped behind Lucius just as the man was about to be struck from behind. The dark blaze wrapped around the spear jabbing for Lucius and destroyed it. “Wha…?!” The poor soldier barely had time to express his surprise before the shadowy flames claimed his life. Alvarto offered only a single remark. “Are you trying to commit suicide, Lucius?” “Heh-heh. That’s a good one, lad.” Lucius smiled toothily at the boy, who snorted. By this point, the battle’s outcome had been decided. The second and third walls, once previously believed to be impregnable, had been taken by a pair seeking to outdo the other. “I’ll be taking the general’s head!” “Hey! Hold on! Dammit, lad!” After outmaneuvering Lucius, Alvarto had put an end to the battle. Luminas and Garp, who had been part of the other detachment, had also fulfilled their roles perfectly. They had reclaimed the city from rebel hands, returned it to the original lord, and rendezvoused with Lucius’s forces. Then, as everyone was making their way back to Gladsheim… “Thy work was instrumental in this victory. It was a truly wonderful debut, my dear Alvarto.” Alvarto had been given the great honor of sitting upon the same horse as Luminas. She gently embraced him from behind, praised him, and even patted his head… “Heh. Heh-heh-heh. Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh…” …surely, this was the peak of happiness. Lucius and Garp laughed dryly as they watched Alvarto giggle in joy. “Thought I might admit he’s got some talent, but…still a brat.” “B-but he’s adorable.” Alvarto didn’t hear their words. “Heh-heh-heh-heh. Lady Luminas, I worked hard.” “Indeed. Even I was surprised that thou claimed the general’s head.” “Heh-heh-heh-heh. I ended up bringing down a fortress that was considered invincible.” “Indeed. Thou art a warrior that has exceeded even my rosiest expectations. Wonderful.” Alvarto was a child reporting his success to his mother. For a while, Luminas simply worked to sate Alvarto’s desires, but…out of the blue, she stopped patting his head and asked him a question. “How was it? Thy first battlefield?” Alvarto thought to put on a brave facade and claim it hadn’t frightened him, but he decided against that. He didn’t want to lie to her, so he gave his honest impression. “It…was terrifying. From the very depths of my soul.” Immediately after his answer, Luminas once again patted his head. Evidently, that was the correct response. Luminas’s reply was rather cheerful. “Yes, that’s good. That is how thou should be.” Her voice was filled with motherly love, yet there was something else, as well. “Throwing one’s body into bloody battles and seeking Valhalla through battle. We should be the last of those fools.” The young Alvarto was, in the end, unable to realize that Luminas’s love was also filled with mourning. It was here that the color drained from the scene and returned to pure white. As she floated in this blank canvas, Ireena softly gave her thoughts. “I don’t know how to put it, but…he’s completely different from the Lord Alvarto I know…” Ireena had met him once in the past, when she had been thrown into the ancient world by the power of a strange child claiming to be a god. She had gone with Ard and Ginny to have an audience with the Demon Lord Varvatos and had encountered the Alvarto of that era. “His demeanor was completely different then. The way he talked, his expression… How did he end up that way?” The man she had encountered had seemed like an unhinged battle junkie. It was utterly at odds with the boy she had witnessed here in this blank place. “He is, in fact, playing a role, pretending to be someone else. That’s because if he doesn’t, his heart would be overwhelmed by sadness and break under the weight. He can no longer live as the true Alvarto Egzex. He can’t stand to live in this world without being someone else,” explained Kalmia. Ireena still didn’t know Alvarto well enough to understand, leaving her with nothing further to say. She had no intention of asking how it had all happened. After all, she was probably going to have to bear witness, whether she wished to or not. And Ireena had already guessed that it would not be pleasant to watch. The elf girl kept silent as she waited for the re-creation of the past to resume. Meanwhile, Kalmia gazed up at the empty space and began to speak. She gazed back at the past and wove words of tragedy. “Thinking back…that battle was likely the start of it. A particularly powerful faction within the rebel army. By destroying it, Luminas’s army obtained a great deal of prestige—respected by their allies and feared by humanity… “It was the beginning of the end. They should never have sought to crush humanity’s hopes. If they had lost that battle… No, even that wouldn’t have been enough to change things. Regardless of how hard they tried, he would have come eventually. “That man. “That hated man. “The Demon Lord Varvatos would have eventually come.”