O God, grant this world fire through me.
Grant us fire so that man’s work may never die. Grant us an inferno.
✦ ✦ ✦
My armor is custom-made of wood, leather, and chainmail. It’s light and easy to move in. However, the helmet is made of steel, so it’s heavy, and the chin strap chafes; I can hardly keep my head up while wearing it.
“Wah ha ha! A very heroic look, I must say, Sira!” A man with a shining head arrives. He’s the top military man in this fort. He’s very loud and always laughing, plus he gives me lots of food. “And I like this thing you’ve put on your helmet! It’s red and wavy, like fire!”
I can’t say thank you. I want to, but he won’t let me. You see...
“Don’t you agree, Lady Ange?” He asks her before I get a chance to speak.
“Yes, General Bandkan, it’s a marvelous gift,” I compliment him. “As representative of the Northern Frontier, I—WHOA!”
“Ah-hah! Blocked, eh? What a shame!”
...He likes to touch my butt every time I try to say thank you.
“Please, enough with the jokes. We have much to prepare for,” I warn him.
“Jokes? You wound me! Very well, let us get married on the eve of our great battle!”
“Please, enough with the jokes. We have much to prepare for,” I repeat, ignoring his nonsense.
“Like I said... huh? Lady Ange? Why, what a dangerous smile that is!” he laughs while looking at the Crimson Flower Company lady.
Despite it all, I don’t hate this man. In fact, I like him a lot. He listens to me, tells me lots of fun stories, and praises me often. Not to mention...
“Ahem! In any case, I felt the need to express my gratitude to Sira! Not only did she enlighten my soldiers to the existence of God, but she also showed them a very special training method! Furthermore, she now says she’ll fight alongside us...”
His eyes remind me a lot of Dad. Deep in his heart, something burns, spilling out of his quiet smile... it’s faintly warm, and makes me miss him.
“What sad excuses we are for adults, to be forced to accept a child’s help in battle,” he laments.
They really are alike; he gets angry and sad on behalf of others. He works hard, ignoring his own needs. I’ve met many like him, and I’ve said goodbye to most of them. His type is common among soldiers.
“General, might I say something, though you might find it imprudent?” I ask.
“No, no. Speak your mind.”
“Our enemy is fifty thousand strong. Our allies number two thousand cavalry and three thousand foot soldiers. From the numbers alone, even a draw would be...”
“Yes, if we clash head-on, we don’t stand a chance. It’d be one vampire for every platoon of men. We’d be overrun easily.”
“Even so... must you ride out to battle?”
“We must. This fort was designed with the intention of fighting enemies coming from the north; we are beyond weak to an invasion from the south. It’s possible this will be more of a slaughter than a true battle; we can’t fight in groups with all the buildings in the way. And a one-on-one battle with a vampire? I can already imagine the gore.”
I don’t want him to die. I don’t want anyone else to die. Everyone here is a good person. They ask me how son Peine is doing; they comment about how gallant Lord Willow is; they tell me that they wish they had a son or a daughter like me, and pat my head; they all smile, but in their eyes, I can see they’re all prepared to fight to the death.
God. Oh, God. Does surviving mean you have to keep fighting like this?
“That said, I will need you to stay at our headquarters, Sira. Unfortunately, that is the only way we can use fire magic. Otherwise, it’s as good as a dull blade.”
“So you mean to make use of Sira after all?” asks the Crimson Flower Company lady.
“I do. We must win. There is no possible retreat for humanity at this point. If we fall, the supply trains required to mount a counterattack will be destroyed. Moreover, the plains to the north will turn into a mass graveyard, and all hope... will be lost.”
Thinking of Lady Kuroi fills my eyes with tears. I’m fine when we’re together, but I can’t stand being apart. Just remembering her face lit up by the bonfire... oh, here I go again. But I can’t help it; if we keep fighting, even Lady Kuroi will die eventually.
“Sira, are you crying? What’s the matter, dear? Are you scared?” Ange wants to know.
“I’m always scared.”
“Sira...” the old man trails off.
“I’m not scared of fighting; I can bear the pain. But...”
So many lives... So many deaths weigh on Lady Kuroi’s shoulders as she fights for all our sakes. She works so hard, and burns brighter than anyone else. She’s the greatest flame of all—an inferno granted to us by God to light up this cold, dark world.
“Everyone’s going to die,” I weep.
A flame that burns too bright is beautiful, but leaves nothing behind. I know that her fire is so beautiful because it uses every last bit of fuel; that’s the nature of blinding infernos. Odysson taught me that.
“I won’t let that happen!” the shiny-headed man barks.
Whoa! That surprised me. Aaah, he’s picking me up on his shoulders! He’s so strong; I’m wearing full armor, too.
“This is a massive battle! A time of great danger! Many will die, it’s true! Not even God can stop that! But, Sira, you mustn’t be mistaken. We do not go to battle to die... a warrior fights to prevent death!”