Claire looked me straight in the eye with a determined frown and said, “No. I won’t let you die.”
The darkness still dominated my mind.
“But there’s no reason to go on living! Remy’s gone! My sister! My…”
My everything. Without that, what worth was there in remaining on this earth?
“You have a duty,” said Claire. “She is gone, but you remain. That is why you must carry on and do the things she cannot.”
She roughly combed my hair with her hand, preventing me from talking back.
“From now on, you shall be my apprentice.”
Thus began my life with Claire. She forced me to become an adventurer and subjected me to harsh training day after day. I didn’t even have time to mourn my lost sister.
Sometimes, when her back was turned, I would grab a knife and decide to end it all. But she always appeared out of nowhere to stop me. Then, every time, she would hug me tightly and say, “Don’t let it win.”
No matter how many times I tried, she would not let me die. She just hugged me and, in doing so, dispelled my reckless delusions.
The dungeons, the villages, the towns, the fields, the snow, the heat, the wilds. Wherever she went, Claire Redheart brought salvation with her. An unconditional, unceasing salvation.
This was the person my sister idolized. This was who she wanted to be. Perhaps that was the reason that, after a while, I found myself looking up to her as well. I found myself wanting to be like her too. And in the process, my desire to die gradually faded, and in its place, a dream was born.
“Master. I’m going to be a hero. But not like you. I’m going to be famous, gain favor with the church, and become a politician. I will change this world from the inside. I will grant freedom and equality to all and create a world where nobody needs to be unhappy.”
It was the same dream Remy had once told me. Now it had become mine. A childish, unreasonable, unattainable dream, but I wouldn’t let anyone dissuade me from it.
And then, one day, I met a man who shared my dream.
“You have a choice, Nameless. Stand with humanity or live as a fiend.”
“I want…to live among humans. Even if they never accept me.”
It was a strange ghoul that Master had picked up. To be honest, when we first took him in, I found his presence vexing, but…
“When people are in trouble, I want to help them… Just like you and Master do.”
The more I got to know him, the more I saw him as a valued friend.
“If you don’t have a name, then how about I give you one? To celebrate you officially becoming a member of our party.”
Leon Crossheart. That was what I named him. And before I knew it, he had become someone very special to me.
“…It’s a funny thing, Master, to think of someone as family, even though we’re not related.”
“If that’s crazy, then I must be the maddest woman in the world.”
I came to think of him as my younger brother, despite the fact he was taller than me and not very cute at all.
But whenever I looked at him, it felt for a moment like Remy had come back to me.
“All I ever do is hold you guys back.”
“Don’t worry about crap like that. Isn’t it an elder sibling’s job to look after his kid brother?”
This time, I would be ready. This time, I would not let him die. I would protect him. I wouldn’t let him end up like her.
For him, I could do anything. Our bonds were unbreakable.
“…Anyway, that’s pretty much everything that’s happened to me.”
In one room of the vast, sprawling mansion, I finally reached the conclusion of my story. After all that, the man sitting across from me only had one thing to say.
“I see.”
Leon didn’t try to offer sympathy or pity. He only listened. Listened to everything I had to say. Just as Master usually did.
“You really are the best partner a man could ask for, you know?”
My smile was met only with his characteristic indifference. But there was another face—a true face—lurking beneath the mask. A smile of triumph.
“By the way, Rheina, I think we can safely say I win again, don’t you?”
He eyed my presumably bright red face and the empty casks of alcohol scattered around the place.
“Don’t you think it’s time to throw in the towel?”
“Huurh?! I ain’t drunk yet! You’re drunk!”
In a display of spirit, I grabbed another mug and attempted to down the contents…only to quickly have my limits reiterated.
“Bleeegh…”
As I emptied my guts, Leon only took a calm sip and spoke gently.
“Heh. How is it you can be my superior in blade and arm and yet be so truly inadequate when it comes to holding your drink? It feels good to finally be able to beat you at something.”
“Don’t you realize how pathetic that sounds?”
“Not at all. It’s kind of nice, actually.”
The wine of victory must truly be as sweet as they say. Leon even hummed a tune as he drank it.
“You really are the best partner ever, you son of a bitch.”
My previous line returned with a hint of irony. Just then, I heard footsteps coming our way.
The door swung open, and in walked Claire Redheart, our teacher and mother.
“…Master, there you are,” said Leon.
“I guess you’re all done with work?” I ventured.
“Yeah, I—” she replied, then she saw the state of the room she had just entered. “Wh-what the hell have you doooooone?!”
Judging from her screams, you’d think the end times had come.
“Oh, sorry we didn’t wait for you, Master, but it’s nothing to scream about…”
“Not thaaat! I spent ages maturing that wine! It was going to go down as the greatest taste in history!”
“Oh. Guess we fucked up, partner.”
“…Hold up,” said Leon. “What’s this ‘we’ business? As I recall, you were the one who arranged all this.”
“That’s true, but if we count up how much we each drank, then I think you’ll find you’re no angel either. In fact, it was basically all you, so if you think about it, this is kind of your fault.”
“What sort of logic is that? This is the thing about you, you’re always—”
“You’re both to blame!” yelled Claire, bonking us over the head in sync before proceeding to give us a stern telling-off. So far, same as always. Except…
“Now, then. Now that I’ve calmed down, it’s time to say what I came here for.”
Something about her changed. She seemed to grow serious, and that could only mean one thing.
“Oh no, it’s not another boring job, is it?”
“The church hasn’t mistaken us for their errand boys, have they, Master?”
Leon and I voiced our concerns.
“It’s Night Walker,” said Master. “You’ve heard of them, I presume?”
“I don’t think anyone hasn’t,” Leon replied.
“They’re famous. Assuming they’re still alive, we should try to get their autograph.”
Master sighed at my little jest and continued.
“Unfortunately, I think the only thing you’re likely to get from them is a knife in the throat.”
“…Huh? You mean…”
“That’s right. Our job is to take them down.”
“Whoa, seriously?”
I hadn’t expected a job like that. While I was still reeling in shock, Leon answered her.
“…Night Walker is a criminal genius who has eluded the authorities for almost seventy years. They’re beyond our expertise. Besides, we specialize in fiends, not men.”
“You’re quite right. Which brings me to my next point.”
Master spoke on. Of the truth surrounding that enigmatic figure.
“This has only recently been proven,” she said, “but…they aren’t human. They’re a Red-Eye, just like you, Leon.”
“…I see. In that case, I can see how my power would come in handy.”
“Right. You have the power to see into a fiend’s past. Using that, we might be able to find some clues.”
Master unfurled a map onto the table. It was a map of Yugosland, the Holy City.
“Just the other day, Night Walker incited a riot here, in the seventh district. The corpse of their victim, and the message written in their blood, have been preserved exactly as they were.”
“Then we should head over and investigate.”
I nodded at my partner’s words and stood up.
“A legendary killer, huh? Not a bad adversary, if you ask me.”
Leon rose to his feet as well and declared, “I was hoping to try out a new technique I’ve been preparing. I will bring back Night Walker’s head, mark my words.”
It was like he was saying, “I won’t let you hog all the glory.” I smiled, and said, “In that case, let’s make it interesting. Whoever fails to catch the killer has to treat the other to a top-class Veil Meat steak.”
As we sealed the deal by touching fists, Master sighed and said, “Just don’t let down your guard, okay?”
Everything was just as it always was. At that moment, I hadn’t the slightest suspicion that this case would be anything other than another pebble in our path, so easily kicked aside.
But that all changed when I met him.