Chapter 3:
Homecoming
THE BATTLE WAS OVER—and while I wanted us to immediately rush onward to Alion, things weren’t that simple. The fighting had raged for three days. We could have continued onward, letting some soldiers sleep in our carriages, if the skirmish had been more limited. But as things were, our soldiers all needed rest.
It’s unclear how much strength our enemy has left. There are limits to how much information a familiar can get their hands on, so we can’t see everything that Vicius has got. We also need to sort through our casualties, because not everyone is going to be able to return to battle. The Wildly Beautiful Emperor and Cattlea have been taking care of that, sending the badly injured to fortresses and cities behind our lines. Cattlea’s ensured that Neah accepts our injured without complaint, and given how the people of Ulza have forsaken their king, they’ve been willing to aid our casualties too.
There was another problem, though. It was first discovered just as night was falling over our camp. A report arrived as Lokiella, the Wildly Beautiful Emperor, and the other leaders were discussing plans for what would come next. Seras carried it into the tent, crouching by where I sat to whisper in my ear.
“…What?” I said, turning to face her. Seras just nodded silently. “The reinforcements from the Country at the End of the World have come with the Forbidden Words Clan… The Kurosaga?”
“Eh?!” cried Lise, completely shocked by the news.
If Lise didn’t know about this, then the Kurosaga must have joined up with the reinforcements from the Country at the End of the World in secret after Lise left them?
Seras leaned in closer.
“Apparently Lady Amia and some of the other Lamia were aware that they were traveling with the Kurosaga. They were told that the Forbidden Words Clan would be targeted by Vicius. That is why they hid themselves on the road.”
I excused myself and made to leave Lokiella and the others in the tent, but Lise stood up and tried to follow me. I stopped her with a wave of my hand.
“Geo and Kil are with them, they’ll be fine. You stay here for the military council.”
Lise returned to her seat as asked, folding her arms. “Well, all right, then… I’ll leave this to you.”
Seras and I left together, making our way through the bonfire-lit camp.
“Is Munin’s daughter here, too? Fugi?” I asked.
“Yes,” Seras answered.
Fugi’s the only one who can use Forbidden Magic, except for Munin—the only other mark-bearer of her clan.
“Does Munin know?”
“I have not confirmed it as yet, but I believe someone will have informed her.”
I remembered Munin’s words… “But she is ready. If my blade should fail to reach the Goddess and I should fall on my path… She will risk her life in my stead.”
“Well…we’d have had to tell her either way.”
We arrived in the camp of the Country at the End of the World, where their troops were resting. There was already a ring of people there. Geo looked to be toward the center of the crowd, standing head and shoulders above everyone else. He noticed me and waved me over. The crowd parted to let us through, and we found Geo, Kil, and Amia waiting—as well as a silver-haired young girl with cat-like eyes and a vacant expression on her face.
“Lord of the Flies?” asked Fugi.
“You came, then, eh?”
“That’s the Lord of the Flies’ voice. But…”
“Ah, right… I guess I’m dressed differently now, eh? My old outfit was pretty beat up, so I had a new one made.”
“I see.”
“You didn’t stay in the Country at the End of the World, then?”
Fugi looked up at me and nodded. “I didn’t.”
I looked at the black-winged group assembled at Fugi’s back—the rest of the Kurosaga.
“Neither did everyone else,” she said flatly.
“Could I ask why you d—”
“Fugi!”
My question was interrupted by a cry, and Fugi poked her head over my shoulder to look in the direction of the voice. Munin was charging at her. Fugi’s mouth softened into a faint smile at the sight of her.
“Mom.”
The harpy Gratrah was behind Munin. She must have been the one that went to tell her the news.
Munin stood facing Fugi directly, both her hands on the girl’s shoulders—she was panting and out of breath.
“Haah, haah… Wh-why are you here?!”
“I thought it over,” said Fugi, looking straight up into her mother’s eyes. “Not just me. We all decided together.”
“…All of you?”
Munin looked up, and now saw the rest of the Kurosaga standing behind Fugi. One of the Kurosaga men stepped forward.
“Chief, we can’t let you carry this burden alone. It’s not right. Let us join you in battle too. We’re ready…” The man pounded his chest. “We can fight.”
“But I… I can’t put all of your lives in danger…”
“Mom.”
Munin looked down at Fugi, hesitation still lingering on her face.
“If we lose this fight… There’d be no point in the rest of our clan surviving anyway.”
“But that’s not what this is about…” Munin tried to protest.
“No. It is.”
I get what she’s trying to say. It’s just…
“…”
Geo and the others just watched.
This is for the Kurosaga to decide. Our opinions have no place in the argument, huh? I’m guessing that’s what he’s thinking.
✦ ✦ ✦
