“You can’t be serious.” Stey continues, now slightly boastful. She’s staring at the tabletop, although there isn’t anything there. Low-level elemental spirits can only be seen by their covenant owners. She’s probably looking at Cacao, or whatever its name is. “Cacao is super smart. She always seems to understand me whenever I talk to her.” “You can’t be serious.” The fact that it understands language is impressive, but I’m also floored that she’s been talking to it this whole time. “She also gives me advice on how to improve and points things out for me.” “You’re getting advice from an elemental spirit?” “She’s such a good girl! Whenever I fall down, she’s always there to comfort me.” “Even though she’s like a servant, and you’re the princess.” “She’s been with me ever since I learned elemental spells! Heh-heh… I guess you could say she’s kinda like a big sister.” I think you mean little sister. Stey continues, swelling with confidence, “At any rate, if there’s ever work that needs to be done, leave it to me! Cacao’s here, too.” “I see. I’m counting on you, Cacao.” “Excuse me?! Leave it up to me!” “…By the way, do you have any other spirits you’re in a covenant with?” “? Of course! All eight types!” …She’s legitimately leagues beyond Limis’s capabilities. Level 72, able to cast high-level holy techniques and elemental spells, and has already entered covenants with all eight elemental spirits. She’s a stunner in the looks department, her breasts are huge, and she’s extraordinarily cheery. She’s exceptionally qualified as a member of Toudou’s party. So what kind of karmic affliction does she have that makes her so incompetent? Amelia returns from her survey just before dusk. She, too, is highly qualified. She’s smart and attractive. She’s a bit stiffer than Stey, but she’s highly trustworthy. After receiving her oral report, I take the day’s results from her and thank her. “Thank you for your hard work.” In the end, Amelia couldn’t find any abnormalities in play near Fourth Town, either. It may be time to conjure a new tactic. My grounds for searching for unusual circumstances is simply because that’s what I would do, if it were up to me. I ponder the notion deeply when Amelia opens her mouth to speak, clearly tormented. “Ares.” “Yes?” “Don’t you feel I’ve been a bit forgettable lately?” The hell is she talking about all of a sudden? I remain silent, and Amelia continues on aimlessly. “No, I mean, I believe that you understand me fully, but I’m doing my absolute best. But lately with Gregorio, and Stey being around… Although, comparing me to all these crazy people puts me at a disadvantage…” “…” “Gregorio is of a whole different breed, so let’s forget him for now. But Stey is a sister just like me… I’m still learning, but I’m no match for an airhead, or, that is, I just can’t lie to myself and be like that…” She sounds like she’s getting defensive and sighs heavily. Uh…Amelia? Are you tired or something? “But, Stey is so, well, Stey, I figured you’d toss her aside in no time, but it turns out she’s actually extremely qualified… To be honest, I completely underestimated your capacity to deal with her.” “…” “I’ve had a bad feeling ever since she arrived, but I’ve ignored it. I still have so much to learn…” “…” “I really think that I should take up something new. Adopt a new persona, or change my direction… I mean, if I don’t grow in some capacity, then I might get snuffed out by Stey. What should I do…?” The direction you’re heading in isn’t particularly clear to begin with… Amelia is clearly not joking around. Her downcast eyes are rife with sorrow as she peeks at me. “Amelia… Please, just be yourself. Stay the same as you’ve always been, I’m begging you.” Seriously—your current persona’s already intense enough. I was really hoping that I’d get a normal person dispatched to me at some point. It’s probably my personality that’s paper-thin. If Amelia’s personality became even more extreme than Stey’s, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I’m shaking in my boots. Amelia whispers to me, “…Dinnertime.” “Ah, you’re right. I’m famished! All right, let’s go!” “You must be tired from dealing with Stey, meow.” “Yeah, that’s true. Okay, okay! I’ll take care of it! I’ll do it, so quit with the meowing!” “I’m joking. I’ll take care of it.” Amelia is dead serious. Rain mixed in with heavy winds crashes against the window. Carina has been using the same sturdy, oaken armchair since she first came to Golem Valley. It’s old and worn, filled with odd cracks and stains. As she lets her body down into its familiar recess, she sparks her pipe and sighs. Her body is atrophied from old age and years of duress, yet, as she relaxes against the backrest, her eyes retain a distinct shine. No one would get the impression that she’s frail. She knows this full well; local rumors say that she’s a witch. Golem Valley has been developed and cultivated over the decades Carina has resided here. Originally, it was known for the fearsome golems that inhabited its lands. They were infested with horrible monsters, and the location is on the very edge of the Kingdom of Ruxe to boot. Until First Town was built, no one except overzealous mercenaries hell-bent on training ever visited this place. When the Kingdom of Ruxe decided to pioneer these lands for the first time, the Church headquarters dispatched Carina here. She was still in her teens at the time and has worked at the church ever since. Golem Valley is made for leveling up. Mercenaries visit and gain levels, only to soon depart. Others are sent here from the Kingdom for administrative purposes, but they change quickly and often. This includes the merchants and knights who all pass through this place like the ebb and flow of the tides. Carina has always observed the developments that have taken place here. For example, even if someone leaves the valley and is replaced, she immediately knows who takes over. She doesn’t show any signs of her previous voluptuous beauty, but the wrinkles she’s gained in return are sheer proof of her experience. Her husky voice echoes throughout the dimly lit room. She has a magical implement for communicating with the Church headquarters hanging from her ear. “Ever the workaholic, that boy. Despite his cleverness, he keeps on marching forward, unafraid of failure.” Ares hasn’t changed noticeably since the first time he visited Golem Valley to level up so many years ago. Not in his personality, his nature, nor his lack of flexibility. He may have moved up among the ranks, and he’s physically matured—but that’s it. On the other end of the transmission, Creio responds. “Yes, I know. But the Demon Lord we are currently facing is not the Demon Lord of ancient tales. We are continuing investigations on our end, but right now, we need Ares.” “Hmph… You may be right.” Carina looks toward the bookshelf while deliberating. The Demon Lord is the king of all demon kind. One has appeared multiple times throughout history, and much of the research into his intentions has been conducted intensively within the Church. Most of the books on the bookshelf in Carina’s private study have to do with the Demon Lord. As a member of the Church, she has surveyed all of them, and she has exchanged opinions on the matter, but Creio’s right. The Demon Lord that has appeared this time—Kranos, the head of a demon army—is certainly making moves that cannot be found in the tales of yore. In general, demons are exponentially more powerful and capable than humans, and as a result, they are extremely prideful. There was even one Demon Lord who entered humanity’s dominion and battled them all alone. No matter how powerful, it requires a staggering amount of pride to take on all of humanity by yourself. Others have gathered all their fellow demons and taken command of their corps in battle to start a war with humanity, and the infiltration tactics have varied, but the common point among them all is the emphasis on an offensive approach. Demons do not fall back to defend. They are brutal and cunning and look down on anyone they deem inferior, which is why they will always invade directly, regardless of any traps or schemes plotted against them. At the very least, from the demons’ perspective, humanity has always defied them. Humans are nothing more than prey to be hunted. And so, a hero is summoned. The demons’ mortal enemy, humanity’s only hope—the Holy Warrior—has appeared time and again to defeat the Demon Lord. However, this time, it’s been three months since the hero was summoned, but there has yet to be even a single attack on them in earnest. Creio continues speaking, his tone at ease. “The vampire Zarpahn Drago Fahni managed to cast a web wide enough to reach the Great Forest of the Vale… This is also highly unusual. We’ve never seen an actual trap laid for the Holy Warrior.” “Hmm… As humanity continues to evolve, it’s not too absurd to imagine that demons are changing their ways, too.” Battle tactics change. People gain further knowledge of leveling up and develop new magic and techniques. Golem Valley itself has expanded considerably in the past several decades. The average level of the entire Kingdom of Ruxe has also risen, albeit by a small margin. Creio responds with sudden passion. “That’s exactly right, Madam. It’s highly inconvenient for us, isn’t it? But if these events are all the result of Kranos’s orders, that means the current Demon Lord is far more charismatic than we’ve seen thus far. The ideology of demon kind’s superiority has been taking root for many years. Leveling up and divine protection are only a drop in the bucket… The ideas behind these concepts are the main reasons why humanity is still alive and well.” There’s an innate distinction in true potential between humans and demons. Take the average capability of humans and put it against that of the average demon…the latter will always come out on top. If demons had the same mentality, intellect, conscious thought, and history as humanity, they would have enslaved mankind eons ago. These thoughts often turn to murmurings between intellectuals, but from the perspective of a member of the Church, such an explanation is beyond sacrilegious. “Madam Carina. I cannot help but feel that we are, at present…in the calm before the storm.” Creio’s words remind her of Ares, and Carina stifles a wry chuckle. “…Heh-heh… The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as they say. You and Ares are truly alike.” “…We need a Holy Warrior of ultimate strength. Madam, I say this as the head of the Church’s military power.” “Yes, I’m quite aware. I’ve provided everything you asked for. The rest is up to your Holy Warrior and his qualifications.” Researching the Demon Lord will provide all the knowledge necessary to create the most powerful Holy Warrior possible. If the Demon Lord Kranos has no precedent, then Naotsugu Toudou must in turn become the kind of Holy Warrior whose likes have never been seen before—no more, no less. Carina looks out the window while she converses with Creio. The rain has begun to fall with a vengeance, with no sign of stopping soon. The atmospheric conditions in Golem Valley change easily and often. The party had heard this before arriving, but they didn’t think they’d end up soaked in a squall without any warning. Toudou raises the hood on her coat—the closest thing she has to rain gear—and pulls it tight against the fierce winds mixed with rain. She regrets taking the outdoor route now. Aria wipes rain from her face with a stern look and steels her gaze. “This is bad—I can’t see a thing.” It’s not just the rain; the thick fog surrounding them has also reduced their visibility considerably. At this point, they’re incapable of moving forward or retreating. They can’t see their enemies coming, and if they make a wrong step, they’ll fall far to the river below. Thinking of the potential plummet sends shivers down Toudou’s spine. With her pointer finger, she pushes away her bangs, which are stuck to her forehead. Behind her, Limis is plodding along painstakingly and asks in a muffled voice, “What should we do? Continue ahead?” “Even if we turn back…we won’t see any caves for a while.” Toudou compares her mental map with their current location. Even if they turn back or continue ahead, there isn’t anywhere for them to avoid the rain. They chose the outdoor route because of its proximity to Fifth Town, but they were completely devastated just trying to put on their waterproof overcoats when the cloudless, sunny skies immediately turned to a downpour. Toudou bites her lip. Her dark eyes stare into the blank void in front of her. “It’s dangerous to continue ahead in these conditions,” Aria chimes in. “Perhaps, but it’s also meaningless to stay put—” “The real problem is the monsters,” interjects Limis. The party finally decides to huddle together close to the wall—to ensure no one falls below—and continues their conversation. Garnet is riding on Limis’s shoulder, its skin now covered in a glossy shine from the rain, and it peeks up at her. Glacia’s hair has absorbed a lot of moisture and is gently swaying back and forth. Limis looks down at her and continues speaking. “Golems are made for this environment! They can navigate these paths without using sight, I’m sure of it.” “Yeah, I guess we can’t afford to be ambushed. Besides, I can’t get a read on anything in this rain…” Toudou closes her eyes and attempts to probe their surroundings, but the sounds and sensations of the wind and rain interfere, and she can’t grasp anything. Aria limply lowers her sword to her side and stands on guard. Toudou follows suit and strains her eyes at the path ahead. Limis sighs quietly so that Toudou and Aria won’t notice her. In general, mercenaries are inactive during inclement weather. Donning their heavy waterproof overcoats alone is a waste of valuable stamina, and traversing their environs with minimal visibility is simply too risky. That said, there are some ways to cope with any issues that may arise. One option is elemental spells. Water-type elemental spells allow the caster to control water. The caster can even shut out the rain completely, or draw the moisture out of the air and clear away surrounding fog, to an extent. Garnet is a powerful spirit, but there’s a limit to how much support it’s able to provide. Fire elemental spirits can only control fire. In theory, Limis should be able to get them out of this fix herself. Being completely incapable of helping aggravates her deeply. Limis looks down and her eyes bore into the earth as she wracks her brain for a solution to the deadlock. Toudou and Aria stay on their guard while they converse in hushed tones. “Maybe if I cast a prism, it’ll keep the monsters at bay?” “Living magical beings are unaffected by normal prisms. We would need something more high level… I’m not sure you’d be able to manage it, Nao.” “When do you think the rain will let up?” “It doesn’t look like it will for a while…” Just as Aria said, the rain isn’t abating anytime soon. Toudou, Limis, and Aria look dejected, but conversely, Glacia actually looks more upbeat than normal. Her long, wavy hair moves like a tentacle as she uses it to splash in a puddle. “Gee, Glacia… You sure look happy. Not to mention… Your hair’s really gotten long, huh?” “…Mm.” Glacia stumbles past Toudou to the front of the party. The handle of the war hammer strapped to her back brushes just in front of Toudou’s face, and she quickly moves to avoid it. Aria lets out a wry chuckle at Toudou’s quick sidestep, which is far more agile than usual. “She used to be a glacial plant… A plant-type demi-dragon… Maybe she has an affinity for water?” “Her hair looks all jagged, but maybe it’s sucking up water…like roots?” Limis touches Glacia’s hair. It’s glossy and ice-cold; touching it for too long would likely freeze one’s hand. Glacia peers straight into the fog with her dark-green eyes. She seems to know exactly where she’s looking, and Limis furrows her brow. “…Glacia, can you possibly…see through the fog to the other side?” “……Mm.” Glacia nods imperceptibly. Toudou’s eyes go wide, and Glacia suddenly waves her arm in the air. Her tiny hand knocks down a shadow flying through the fog, and a massive crushing sound erupts in the rain. Dumbstruck, Aria looks down at the object lying at Glacia’s feet. The familiar sight of a ball golem is sunken into the ground, ripped in half. “…So there was a monster nearby…” “Incredible…!” Toudou exclaims in wonder. Aria crosses her arms and stares at Glacia wide-eyed. The young girl who just happened to join their party is now their glimmer of hope. They can’t afford to stay in one place. It goes without saying that no one in the party realized that ball golems were about to attack, except Glacia. They don’t have any other options. “Nao.” “…Got it.” Toudou picks up on Aria’s implication and nods. She drops to a crouch—just Glacia’s height—and looks her in the face. “Glacia, we can’t see in front of us. Sorry to put this on you, but could you guide us?” “……Okay.” Glacia nods slightly and starts to walk through the nearly blinding fog without any hesitation. The rain subsides, and the sky is dyed bloodred. The resplendent view sends a murmur of chills through my bones. I watched Toudou and his party pass through the massive steel gate far below, looking exhausted. Fifth Town is located in the deep recesses of Golem Valley, and although the valley continues far beyond here, there are no more towns to be found. Not many mercenaries venture past this point. Amelia is bewildered. “They finally made it… But really, I didn’t quite expect them to make it this far in just under a month…” The group has overcome the sudden inclement weather—which you could call a “Golem Valley baptism”—thanks to Glacia’s powers. They defeated a vast number of golems in their path before arriving in the valley’s deepest town. In less than a month—officially, just nineteen days—since arriving here, they’ve made it this far. Toudou’s party’s average level is still far below what’s appropriate for this place. That’s one hell of an incredible achievement. I think back on just how much time it took me to arrive at Fifth Town when I came to the valley to level up so long ago. At the time, my level was far higher than Toudou’s currently. They rushed to gain levels as fast as possible, but it really paid dividends for them. I put my hand to my forehead and calmly think. Something’s giving me a sense of unease. Oh, that’s right…their level. “What are their current levels?” “Let’s see… Toudou is thirty-nine, Limis is twenty-nine, Aria is also twenty-nine, and Glacia’s level is unknown.” Stey manages to count on her fingers for me in response. It’s a good thing that Toudou is leveling up quickly. The fact that Limis is now the same level as Aria is largely because Aria can’t deliver many finishing blows. As for Glacia, I’m not even sure if she has a level. Everyone should be over 30 in no time. No problems at the moment. Not a one… The second I think that far, I realize I’m not thinking hard enough. Abnormalities. There aren’t any abnormalities. Not much of anything has happened at all. Yet, it’s impossible there aren’t any. It’s simply that I haven’t noticed them. Toudou and his party are progressing well—too well. I thought this was all the result of their skills and equipment and having Stey tail them, but that’s not it. “Amelia. Among the golems that Toudou’s come across, how many were high level?” “Huh…?” Amelia is dumbstruck by my question for a second but quickly gathers herself and responds. “From what I’ve seen… None, I don’t think…” Precisely. They haven’t come across any. Not a single one. I clench my fists and stare at the gate to Fifth Town. The gate, created from special metal alloys, imparts a sense of dependability and authority. There’s no way they can make it this far. Not at level 39, or 29—no one with that low a level should pass through that gate. Luck plays a part in which monsters you come across, but it doesn’t make any sense for someone at their level to make it all the way here. I finally get it. The monsters may have increased in number, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the stronger ones are appearing more often. —They’re becoming rarer. “…Damn. The Golem Valley I used to know has gone completely soft.” I review the files that Cacao compiled and summarized in a day and a half, and my jaw drops. “Unbelievable…” The file includes the data graphed in chronological order. It shows the transitions in monster types and numbers across the past month, but that wouldn’t indicate any abnormalities. That explains why the madam and all the local mercenaries didn’t mention anything when we asked. I put my elbow on the table and hold my forehead, mumbling. The clock’s second hand thunders in my head, rushing me on with each moment. “We need a graph that goes back further—but that’s impossible. What is going on here?” It was a massive undertaking to gather data from the past month. Gathering data from the past few years or anything close to it would be impossible—no one will remember that far back. A more detailed survey would have to be left to the Church headquarters or the Kingdom. So—what exactly should I do now? The most important thing is keeping Toudou safe, but what I need right now is to investigate what’s going on. For starters, I need to know if the decrease in monsters recently is the work of demons. I’ve already told Creio of my suspicions, but without specific proof of numbers, we can’t mobilize anyone. Verification will have to be based on my own intuition. That’s what makes it such a terrifying prospect. If this is the workings of the Demon Lord’s army— “That’s—one hell of a long con.” There’s nothing brash about it. It’s a massive departure from any of the tactics employed by armies of the Demon Lord in the past. Fewer golems. This strategy’s only possible goals would be reducing the amount of life force that can be gained in larger numbers from stronger monsters, thus slowing their level-up process, or reducing the number of items that parties can gain from defeating them. That would certainly weaken the Kingdom of Ruxe, but this isn’t the only place built for leveling up, and it would not have immediate effects. Would a band of demons even do something like this, given their arrogance? It’s entirely too…underhanded. I hold my head in my hands at the table for some time, but I don’t come to any conclusions. Just then, Amelia and Stey return after having stepped out to speak with some mercenaries. Amelia sets down her knapsack and immediately begins her report with a stern expression on her face. “As expected, no one has noticed a significant reduction in monsters lately. However, it seems there haven’t been many sightings of high-level golems, either.” “Not many high-level golem sightings… Did they mention their spawn rates?” “Walking a full day, seeing just one is above the norm lately, so they say.” One high-level golem in one day… I feel like I saw a lot more when I was leveling up here, but my memory is hazy. Next, Stey—who has been tasked with speaking to the madam—looks up at me and says, “Umm… Since many people are leveling up on their own, I can’t be completely sure, but it looks like the number of injuries over the past few years has gone down a little bit. There are records of all those injured, I’m told… However, it’s unclear if this is due to fewer monsters appearing, or increased knowledge of dealing with the golems themselves…” Fewer injuries. It’s thin grounds, but it can be used as a form of persuasion. At any rate, regardless of any possible involvement of the Demon Lord, this could be proof that there’s something in the works. We’re not shit out of luck—not yet. “This is our chance. It’s good that we’ve learned these things before Toudou gets into any trouble.” I give another order to Amelia and Stey, who are lined up side by side. “Amelia, starting tomorrow, I need you out in the field. You’ll go ahead of Toudou and his party and investigate the validity of this phenomena and any potential causes.” We now have a specific aim in mind. If golems are truly declining in number, we should be considering the possibility that something’s happened to the mother golems that create them. If something has happened, there will be traces left behind. We’ll scour the area and come back with evidence. To the extent possible, we’ll also eliminate whatever gets in our way. As I begin to formulate a detailed plan in my head, Stey tugs on my sleeve. “Ares, what do you want me to do?” “Cacao needs to meet up with Toudou’s party and provide assistance. If something happens, please inform me.” “???? U-um, okay, I guess?” “Also, Cacao… Make sure you follow up with me.” “???? Ummm… My name is Stephenne.” My orders are for Cacao. I can’t see her, but I know she’s extremely capable—she even helped compile my reports. I’d practically adopt Cacao myself. I’m going to solve all the problems at hand, while Stey keeps Toudou busy. A piercing crash resounds through the blue sky, and the rock golem, having taken a mace bash to the abdomen, is smashed against the rock wall. As I sidestep the chunks of golem flying through the air, Amelia, who was waiting behind me to stay out of the way, yells curtly. “Ares! Above you!” A golem flies in from above, blotting out the sun. It has wings like a bat and a single silver eye. Despite being made from metal, it can fly through the air freely. Due to the harsh conditions of Golem Valley, this type of golem is deemed one of the most powerful: a winged golem. Despite the narrow paths, winged golems attack from high in the sky, launching metal projectiles. Warriors who specialize in close combat can’t reach them. There aren’t many of this type of golem, but they’ve been known to even fly over the town gates and attack people, which makes them extremely dangerous. Their armor can’t be pierced by arrows, and because swords can’t reach them, it’s difficult to defeat them without a mage who can cast powerful attack magic… Unless you’re high level yourself, that is. I make a break for the wall. I can hear Amelia swallow a lump in her throat, and then the sound of a bullet landing behind me. I dash up the cliff at nearly ninety degrees. All you need against these monsters are a decently high level and a strong will. When I race up to the winged golem’s height, I flip my body over and jump in the air. The winged golem continues to intermittently fire metal bullets at me, and I repel them with my mace. I fly right over the monster and bash my mace directly into its freakish head. The golem falls from the sky and lands on the ground. Amelia says to me, wide-eyed, “…That was truly monstrous… Just curious, but that wasn’t a normal takedown, was it?” “If I throw my mace and lose it, we’d be in deep shit.” “…Well, I suppose.” I survey our surroundings to ensure that no other golems are approaching. “Don’t let your guard down. That was a high-level golem. The monsters are becoming more defensive. It means we’re getting close to whatever they’re hiding.” “…Judging from what I just saw, defense doesn’t appear to have much to do with anything… But understood.” Amelia seems discouraged, but I continue to escort her and beat back the golems that approach us as we continue farther down our path. Before long, the scenery of Golem Valley changes from a reddish-brown hue to a pale gray. At the same time, the path slowly becomes extremely craggy—further proof that most people don’t come this far. Hardly anyone ventures past Fifth Town, and no one dares to enter the mother golems’ territory. The day steadily wanes. A thin sliver of the sun setting behind the horizon emits a soft vermilion light. After continuing down the path for a while, I suddenly stumble upon something incredible and stop dead in my tracks. I hunch down and feel along the rugged ground—there’s a hole in it. “? What is that?” “…Footprints… And not from a golem.” The footprint is approximately sixty centimeters long and ten centimeters deep. The outline is weathered and hard to distinguish, but looking at it carefully, there’s an obvious difference between this and the surrounding ground. I gently trace the outline with my finger. There are deep gouges in the spot where the toes would be—four of them. No golem could leave a footprint like this behind—nor could any human. I examine the nearby ground, but there’s only two footprints total—one pair. Amelia falls quiet for a time and then looks up at the sky. She understands. “That’s right. From the sky. This isn’t from displacement magic, like Zarpahn.” The ground here is solid bedrock. Any normal footsteps wouldn’t leave a print here. This is an impression left behind by someone or something falling from the sky. A shiver races up my back. I can see it clearly in my mind’s eye. A tempestuous wind. Clouds rushing through the sky. A brilliant crimson sun and dark shadows to shroud it. And then, a humanlike figure plummeting toward earth from those shadows. I speculate from the size of the footprint that whoever it is, they’re bigger than me but smaller than Wurtz. They’re definitely of a stature that is unfazed by falling multiple meters from the sky. Their giant body is covered in thick, bristling needlelike hair as they smash into the ground like a launched projectile. Their evolutionarily advanced legs hammer into the bedrock and leave two giant footprints. They remain completely unscathed—with a skeletal and muscular system vastly superior to humankind; a simple fall from the sky cannot injure them. The four deep gouges near the front of the footprint are undeniably claw marks. Pointed ears sticking out toward the heavens. Their vicious howl rips through the blue sky and convinces anyone beholding them that it’s all just a hallucination. “A werebeast—it’s a werebeast. A tiger? A lion? Either way, it’s definitely feline.” It must be a werecat. Its figure is too immaculate. Werebeasts are part beast, part demi-human. They possess superior physical prowess on the whole, but unlike followers of darkness, they aren’t susceptible to magic. Due to their feral nature, they will only follow the orders of an exceptionally formidable being. If anything, they are particularly well-known as typical subordinates of the Demon Lord. “The town’s overland route is closed. If it did come from the sky, it has to have wings. I’d say there are at least two of them, no more than that.” I investigate the footprint thoroughly, but that’s all I can deduce with my scope of knowledge and capabilities. Yet, this is a huge hint. “Ares, there’s another monster.” “Yeah, I got it.” I stand up slowly and stare at the monster with an air of composure. “It wasn’t what we expected, but we did find some evidence. Should we fall back for the time being?” asks Amelia. The sky is already pale and gloomy. It will be fully dark by the time we reach town. If we play by the book, that is. “Amelia, in order to track this thing, we’ll need…patience.” “…You’ll protect me, yes?” “Yeah.” “Wooow, Ares, you’re sooo cool. Clap, clap, clap… You’re a priest, right?” Amelia’s praise is half-hearted and listless. Can she be serious? …Ah, whatever. I brace myself and raise my mace to swing down on the rock golem steadily encroaching on us. Limis peers at Stephenne from the crack in the door and asks her, unable to hide the agitation in her voice, “…What did you just say?” “Heh-heh… Ar—Uh… Arrrgh, that one person… They asked me to…to follow after Toudou!” “What does that even mean?! It’s not like we’re struggling or anything!!” Stephenne replies bashfully, but Limis simply shouts at her in anger, her eyes popping out of her head. They’re not quite on the same page. “Oh… But how can you be so sure?” “What?!” Limis is completely taken aback. Stephenne shoves herself through the crack in the door and enters the room. Limis instantly reaches out to stop her, but Stephenne evades rather deftly. She reaches Toudou and Aria—whose face looks stiff—and does a little hop. “Toudou! I’ve come to help you!” “Oh… Um… Gee… Thanks?” “You’re welcome!” “Hold on, hold on. Just wait a minute. Settle down.” Aria rushes in between them, putting her arms out as if holding Toudou back while at the same time restraining Stephenne. “Stey. Calm down and listen to me. Really listen. We still don’t need any help.” “But I can cast Heal!” “?!” Stephenne sneaks a glance at Limis. Stephenne originally learned elemental spells at Limis’s home. She was told to never let anyone know, but saying it in front of Limis doesn’t count since she knows this already. Cacao dances in a circle at Stephenne’s feet, as if cheering her on. Stephenne smiles and continues. “I can cast elemental spells, too!” “?!?!” “…By the way, what level are you again?” asks Aria, her voice subdued. Stephenne cocks her head to the side but then answers with a bright smile. “About seventy, I’m pretty sure!” “C’mooon! This is my jooob, you guys! Someone’s counting on me! I’m gonna go with you. I’mmm goiiing wiiith yooou! Right, Limis? Right?!” “Ugh, would you shut up?! Don’t touch me!” Limis is sitting in a chair hugging her knees when Stey grabs her by the shoulders and begins to shake her. “…The last time we met, you were about the same level as me…” Limis’s eyes are lifeless. “Don’t you worry about that, Limis! Your level doesn’t define you!” Stephenne tells her sweetly. “It’s pretty convincing when you say it, in more ways than one.” “But honestly, level seventy… Just what did you do to get to that level…?” Aria mumbles dubiously. Only a handful of knights in the Kingdom of Ruxe are over level seventy. Limis winces as Stephenne continues to wrap her body around her. Toudou smiles wryly and cuts in. “C’mon, guys… Stey seems to need active work, so what’s the harm in letting her join us on a temporary basis?” “Whaaat?! Nao, do you even realize what you’re saying right now?!” “W-well, I mean… As long as we kill all the monsters, what’s the problem? Besides, it’ll only be until Spica gets back anyway…,” mumbles Toudou, avoiding Limis’s stern gaze. Limis continues to glare at Toudou. When she realizes Toudou’s opinion isn’t changing, she heaves a sigh. “…Fine. See if I care!” “Yaay! Thank you, Toudou! My limbs are now safe!” “Your limbs…? Wait—” Something soft envelops the back of Toudou’s head. Stephenne hugs Toudou around the neck from behind, and Toudou squeals. Unimpressed, Limis says, “Stey, you have no shame, as usual.” “Hey—Stey! Y-your boobs are touching me!” Even reproached, Stephenne’s face doesn’t change a bit. She keeps her grip on Toudou’s neck and head and turns her head to the side, perplexed. “Oh… Huh? Why should that matter?” “I-it matters to me! You know I’m a man, right?! You can’t do stuff like that!” “…Huh… What…? Huuuh?” Stephenne blinks repeatedly and brings her nose to Toudou’s lacquer-black hair, sniffing like a bloodhound. Now she’s even more confused. “Umm… You smell like a girl, though.” “…Um… Uh… What?” “You smell like a girl.” Stey looks completely bewildered as time stops on its axis. Limis’s face convulses wildly when their eyes meet. Toudou starts to sweat cold bullets as her entire body goes stiff as a board. “I’m a b-boy. A man… I’m a man. I mean, look at me…” “Um, no? You definitely smell like a girl— Let me see again…” “Wha— Stop! Nooooo!” “Stey, get off him! Nao, run away!” “Yes. We’re getting along splendidly.” “That’s…great.” Stey’s report goes in one ear and out the other. Her only role at the moment is to keep Toudou in one place. I don’t care about anything else. “If anything happens, let me know. Make sure you provide Toudou with all the support he needs.” “Of course! You can count on me!” Now it won’t be so easy for the party to move around. Shaking Stey off is no simple feat. I look toward Amelia. We have real business to take care of. If Stey is going to be the source of even a shred of interference, I can’t waste my time on her. Amelia sits down on a large boulder and closes her eyes as if she’s falling asleep. “Did you find anything?” “Not a thing… The scope is too broad… There are a few golems with high life force, but I can’t really tell which is which.” Amelia opens her eyes slowly and sighs imperceptibly. Her brow is slightly sweaty, and her cheeks are flushed red. Her moist skin reflects the torchlight. Yet, her expression is distinct. “I guess detection magic doesn’t cut it, huh?” “The human brain can only process so much information, after all. If I had encountered the monsters in question beforehand, that would be a different story…” Finding them quickly would have made things so much easier, but I guess we aren’t that lucky… We’re huddled inside a small cave to avoid the wind. The sun has completely set, and the star-studded sky is so stunning that it gives me goose bumps. “Can’t we leave this up to the Church?” “I’ll look into a few things, and if there’s no sign of improvement on our end, I’ll leave it up to them.” Judging from the data we have, abnormalities have been occurring since before Toudou was summoned. Thus, the chance the demons are directly targeting Toudou is low, but currently, our verification is incomplete. The footprint is still not enough. Even if it doesn’t directly lead to our goal—their annihilation—we need to know if the owner of the footprint is still in the area. I catch a glimpse of Amelia’s deep, indigo eyes. Bringing her along is a risk, but I need detection magic. I purse my lips, but the ever-prescient Amelia raises her eyebrows and says, “Ares, it seems like you’ve figured something out.” “…We leave at dawn. Make sure to replenish all your magical energy.” We spring into action with the morning sun, our sights once again set on the mother golems. I thrash four-legged golems that look like beasts and obliterate ball golems that attack from above. The monsters’ spawn rate in this area is well beyond the capacity of mercenaries currently present. I stop to ensure the golems we’ve encountered are all dead and shake off my mace with a sigh. Amelia looks up from her place a step away from the battle, where she’s counting the number of slain golems. “You’re right… None of these are high-level golems.” “Yeah…” Before long, the ground—which had been changing color gradually—turns stark white. We’ve entered the mother golems’ territory. This area is known as White Plains, due to its geographical formation. The surrounding land has been cleared and would be ideal for building a town. It looks like a snow field dotted with the occasional golem. “Ares, have you ever been this far?” “No… But I’ve seen it from afar. A few years back, there were far more golems here.” This was golem paradise back then. Thinking about it that way, the decline in golems is stark. Several golems are alerted to my presence and form a faction headed this way. They have numbers, but none of them are high level. I smash through the golems encroaching on all sides as we continue onward. They aren’t strong individually, but I can feel them nearly sucking me in as they gather in number. Before long, I can barely move. If I were alone, I could outrun them and put some space between us, but having Amelia here is complicating things. Nonetheless, we continue deeper and deeper into the White Plains, with no sign of the mothers, or any form of ruins. “At this rate—we won’t—make any—progress!” I yell as I annihilate five ball golems in one fell swoop. At the same time, I fall back and obliterate the ones coming up on Amelia’s flank. Amelia doesn’t bat an eye at the golems that attack her and answers calmly. “…Yes, you’re right… Shall we go back to town?” There is no sign of the mothers, or any high-level golems, for that matter. I suppose there’d be more security if any of the mother golems were nearby. We’re fortunate to have noticed the change in numbers, at least. When we reach the area’s entrance to turn back and escape, Amelia says, “Ares… Look—” I turn around at the sound of her voice. A figure looms far out in the white field. It’s not a werebeast but a dark-gray figure vaguely resembling a human being. It’s void of eyes or a nose or a mouth, and it holds two straight swords. It races toward us at frightening speed with silent footsteps. It’s humanlike, yet clearly something inhuman. Its movements are far more natural and smooth than the golems we’ve encountered, and in comparison, it’s most definitely a living, breathing creature. This type of monster possesses the highest life force in all of Golem Valley. I click my tongue and glare at it. “A metal golem…” These fearsome creatures’ bodies are composed of a special metal alloy. They have superior defensive and offensive capacity, along with speed, and they have no known weaknesses. They’re the rarest of all golems in the valley and require the most vigilance. But we’re not only facing one of them. I grip my mace and ready my stance, pushing Amelia behind me. There are five metal golems, all lined up in military formation like soldiers. It’s incredibly rare for high-level golems to form a group. A cadre of metal golems is something that I’m likely seeing for the first time in history. Five. Metal. Golems. The average mercenary party of appropriate level for the valley would be torn to shreds in an instant. I steady my breath. There’s no escape—I have to bring the first one down in a single blow. I summon all my rancor and murderous intent, boring my eyes into them. Just then, the metal golems all stop in unison, only ten meters away from us. I instinctively swallow the lump in my throat. Their expressionless, featureless faces turn to us, as if taking note of our countenances. The golems remain still and silent for more than ten seconds before suddenly turning back as if they’ve lost interest. They rush off and disappear over the horizon faster than the wind. A bizarre spectacle. Following them certainly may reveal something, but I can’t summon the gumption to pursue such a foe. Amelia leans in close and whispers, “…What on earth was that?” “…No clue. But—” —golems aren’t known to possess a flight response. We saw them gather in a group, even though they don’t form factions. Their behavior was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. These details will never leave me. We put the White Plains to our backs. “I told you…” The party has taken a room at the inn in Fifth Town, and Toudou hangs her head, wearing a grim expression. Toudou believes in a person’s capacity to grow and develop. That’s precisely why she couldn’t fathom it—the fact that someone could become more and more useless as time goes on. Limis is lying limp in bed hugging a pillow, while Aria tends to her sword with a dead look in her eyes. Stephenne has joined the party temporarily, and after going out to hunt monsters with the group, she exceeded Toudou’s expectations by a margin. However, the party can’t go on like this. Toudou nods, steadying herself, and speaks to Stephenne timidly. “Hey… Stey. I don’t wanna say this, but…” “? What’s the matter?” Toudou takes a deep breath and finally asks what’s been on her mind. “Are you… Um… How should I put this—? Are you getting…clumsier…on purpose?” “?! Um, n-no, not at all!” “No, but really, you have to be! At first, I thought we’d bring you along, but then, like, all this stuff happens!!” She trips. She forgets her spells. She gets distracted by her surroundings and bumps right into Aria and Toudou in front of her. She loses her priest’s ring. She stumbles and manages to fall off a cliff. At first, Stephenne only seemed like a bit of a ditz, but things escalated so quickly that it didn’t take long for Toudou to decide to head back. Seemingly self-aware, Stephenne’s eyes are downcast as she answers. “I-I’m not doing it on purpose, though…” “…I guess…you’re telling the truth, huh…” “Yes, it’s the truth!!” Stephenne hollers, proclaiming her innocence. Toudou looks lifeless as she watches her. It’d be better if you were doing it on purpose, thinks Toudou. But she can’t verbalize the sentiment. As Toudou purses her lips, Aria looks up resolutely. “…I think it’s best for Stey to leave the party, after all…” “Wha… You guys…don’t need me?” Stephenne’s eyes well up with tears. She looks needy and eager for someone’s help, but Aria’s expression is stiff. “Stey… We simply cannot—” “I’m an errand girl with the Church, you know! They sent me here on official business! You can’t just kick me out!” “…?!” Aria struggles to find any words as Stephenne pleads. Toudou has already forced one priest out of her party. Though they were never told explicitly, the entire party assumes this is part of the reason they weren’t assigned a new priest immediately. They can’t afford to foster any further ill will with the Church. Limis raises herself from the bed and looks up, exchanging a glance with Aria. Gauging the atmosphere in the room, Stephenne leaps to Limis and latches onto her. Her entire body shakes as she pleads, as if begging for mercy. “Limis?! Limis! If I get kicked out of the party, Ares is gonna bury me alive!! I’ll do better—I swear I’ll do better! Okay?!” “Say what you like, but you’re— Um, hang on… Who did you just say would bury you alive?” “Oh… Uhhh… Um… No one! It’s that person whose name I can’t say!” Stephenne laughs awkwardly as Limis stares at her before glancing at Toudou. Stephenne’s dark eyes shimmer in the lamplight. Before Toudou can open her mouth, Stephenne shouts urgently, “In any case!! It’s dangerous to fight without a priest! You guys need me, okay?” She’s really desperate now. Toudou stares at her for what seems like an eternity before sighing the deepest of sighs. It’s pretty obvious she doesn’t have any ill intentions. In Limis’s eyes, that’s the most annoying thing about Stephenne. This quickly proves how incompatible she is with Toudou, who constantly strives to do what is just. The Holy Warrior, Naotsugu Toudou, simply cannot abandon her fellow human beings, including Stephenne Veronide—no matter how incapable she may be. In the end, Toudou accepts Stephenne back into the party, on the condition that she uphold three promises. First, her support will be limited to before and directly after battle. She is not to participate in any combat, during which time she must remain calm and on standby at the party’s rear. Second, she must take extra-special care not to trip or fall off any cliffs. Lastly, once she has accompanied the party and confirmed they are leveling up without any problems, she is to report as such to the Church and, at said juncture, leave the party. The group gets ready to level up. Limis stashes magical energy-replenishing potions in her belt and checks that the flare ruby embedded atop her staff hasn’t faded. When preparations are complete, she takes a moment to remind Stey. “Stey, you better keep your promises, okay?” “Aww, c’mon, Limis—I know that! With me around, this’ll be smooth sinking!” “…Smooth…sinking?” Stephenne seems utterly confident in this colloquialism. Limis’s stomach is already cramping up. Just then, Aria returns from going out to gather information on what lies beyond Fifth Town. She glances at Stephenne before approaching Toudou and whispering in her ear. “Nao, just past Fifth Town, there is an area called White Plains. It’s where golems spawn.” Toudou’s eyes widen subtly, and she asks in a low voice, “Is it dangerous?” “It seems quite dangerous given the high spawn rate. Lately, hardly anyone dares venture there, so I’m told…” “Then it’s a bust.” Toudou answers without even a second thought, and Aria shifts her gaze toward Stephenne. “Perhaps… But I imagine it makes leveling up very efficient. Golems with high life force should spawn in droves there. If we can prove to the Church that we’re capable of taking down high-level golems, they might be swayed after all.” Toudou closes her eyes and thinks for a moment before quickly shaking her head. “…No. That’s still not good enough. C’mon, Aria… Think about it rationally for a second.” Toudou already understands just how problematic Stephenne can be. In her heart of hearts, she wants her out of their party as soon as possible. “Do you really think you can fight off an insane amount of golems while protecting Stephenne, who constantly trips and stumbles and falls off cliffs? I know I can’t.” Limis’s magic will be a huge boost for the party. Aria’s not quite strong enough to one-shot golems, but she’s got enough power to hold down the front line. Combined with Toudou, they can hold off a number of golems at once. Also, Glacia has been participating in battle lately. The party should be able to take on any foe at this point. But it’s no use, according to the Holy Warrior, who lost her confidence somewhere along the way. Aria looks at Stephenne. She’s throwing both her hands in the air and squealing. “…My apologies. It seems I was mistaken.” “You see? Let’s take it easy. I know we can. We’ll stick with the safer route. There’s no reason to take unnecessary risks. We’ll succeed—one step at a time. I…believe in us.” Her lip is trembling, but the Holy Warrior, certain to live on in legend, speaks in a voice thick with emotion. “I am—the hero.” Yet, courage and recklessness are not the same. Time often demands an effective retreat. Toudou repeats this mantra to herself and turns her dark, tempestuous eyes on Stephenne. “Don’t you think we should get Toudou and his party to sit tight for a while?” Amelia pours me a cup of tea and sits down at my side as I examine the new data she’s collected. “No… It’s too early for that.” Before engaging in any sort of business, I always make sure to keep the following three points in mind: Never lose sight of your goal. Prioritize. Be extremely thorough, to the extent that risk and resources allow. We cannot afford to hinder Toudou’s progress in leveling up. From the very beginning, the Holy Warrior is destined to do battle with demon kind. There is no such thing as guaranteed safety. Asking Toudou to pull back at this juncture will certainly warrant a complaint from the Church. Balance is paramount. Right now, Toudou can run from almost any enemy without issue. “Don’t worry—that’s why I have Stey with them. If something goes wrong, Cacao will be there to intervene.” Amelia looks at me as if I’ve grown two heads. I pat her on the shoulder and spread out a map. We never were able to find the mother golems in the White Plains. That means there’s a high chance they’ve relocated. It’s altogether too painstaking to search these nebulous lands for them, but we must. The mother golems must have a convoy of guard golems at their side. Our only choice is to narrow the spectrum based on monster spawning trends. “This is going to be a sobering task.” “Perhaps, but there’s no other choice.” The battlefields surrounding us are simply too vast. I don’t have the same cunning intuition as Gregorio. All I can do is hustle. Yet, if we can surmise the mother golems’ general area, we should be able to find them using Amelia’s detection magic. The most vexing proposition is going up against two or more golems. Amelia could be taken hostage as I’m fighting one off. In that instance, I’d be forced to act rationally and potentially abandon her. “…It’s too dangerous with just the two of us… Amelia, contact the madam. We need Wurtz.” “…Are you expecting demons powerful enough to warrant his help?” “It’s just a precaution.” I take a deep breath and psych myself up. My freshly polished mace absorbs the sunlight coming in through the window and gives off a dim glint. I can’t be completely sure we’re on the right path, but I will be giving it my very best. That includes walking into the maw of uncertainty when required. The darkest void holds the purest truth—whether unspeakable wickedness or a golden fortune. Now, then… Let’s get down to business. They said she had talent. She wasn’t jealous—that much was obvious. A mage’s power runs as deep as their blood, a culmination of unbroken pedigree inherited among human beings of boundless magical energy. Limis is a direct descendant of the ancient and honorable House of Friedia, born into this world to become a mage of the highest caliber. She has innately powerful magical energy, an arsenal of mage skills, myriad prized treasures—and a powerful elemental spirit. Spirits exist throughout the world, but those strong enough to act of their own volition are highly rare. Limis is low level and inexperienced. The fact that she has entered a covenant with Garnet is proof of her Friedia family heritage. “Flame Lance!” Surmising Limis’s intent, Garnet fires a blast of searing light. In spite of the golem’s high fire resistance, the Flame Lance completely melts its target into a syrupy puddle. Stephenne claps in amazement at the liquefied mass. “You’re just as amazing as ever, Limis…” “…This is a piece of cake for Garnet.” “But I feel like you’re a lot stronger than before?” “…Oh, really? And just when are you talking about? Over ten years ago, right?” “…Ha-ha. You’re right.” Stephenne hasn’t changed at all since learning magic from Limis’s family all those years back. Limis grabs Stephenne with her left hand to make sure she doesn’t go astray. Her right hand holds the Friedia clan’s prized mage’s staff, atop which Garnet rests, wrapped protectively around its gem. Stephenne looks at Garnet with affection and says, “I see you’re doing quite well yourself, Gar-Gar.” “Elemental spirits don’t fall ill so easily, y’know.” “Well, yeah, but…” Stephenne gently stretches her pointer finger toward Garnet, but it avoids her stealthily. Stephenne looks genuinely disappointed, and Limis sighs deeply. Just as they expected, the lands beyond Fifth Town have the highest monster spawn rate they’ve seen so far. First, there’s the slimy, viscous mud golems like the one Limis just melted. Then there’s the massive rock golems, covered in a boulder-like outer shell. And finally, there are the ball golems that attack in groups with their small, spherical bodies. However, the party has already fought all these types before. They’re used to them, and above all else, they simply don’t take as much concentration. They need to prove that they’re doing just fine, that they don’t need someone to watch over them. That much needs to be hammered home. A single swing of the holy sword Ex sends a rock golem’s arm flying, and Aria’s blade cuts straight through to a mud golem’s core, destroying it. Limis’s Flame Arrow zooms toward a ball golem that has lurched forward, piercing its round body. Then, Glacia smashes its companion to smithereens. Toudou’s party is now showing the battle prowess of heroic tales of yore. Stephenne claps enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. “Wooow! The hero is the real deal! At this rate, defeating the Demon Lord will be a cinch!” Stephenne says this with earnest sincerity, and Toudou sheathes her sword slightly bashfully. “We’re still pretty new to all this, but I definitely feel how far we’ve come. Before you know it, we’ll definitely show the Demon Lord who’s boss!” Their levels are still low, but they’ve now got the green light from Wurtz, who gave them training. Limis is empowered by Toudou’s strong display of will and pipes up. “Well? Nothing to worry about, right? Go on and tell that to the Church.” “Umm… But I’m still not sure yet… I’d like to see Toudou fight a bit more.” “…Don’t you go forgetting your purpose here!” “I know, I know! Once I see you guys through to the end, then I’ll uphold my end of the deal and inform the Church!” Stephenne’s overconfident attitude comes across limply, and Toudou and company all exchange concerned glances. Suddenly, Stephenne claps her hands together like she just remembered something and says, “Oh, by the way, Limis, you’re still only contracted with Gar-Gar, right?” She says it with such nonchalance that it causes Limis’s eyebrow to twitch. For Limis—no, for the entire House of Friedia—this subject is entirely taboo. The fact that the daughter of the kingdom’s most prestigious line of mages has a covenant with only one elemental spirit is not widely known. Limis toys with the idea of going off on Stephenne for a moment, but looking at her ignorant grin, she decides it’s not worth it and sighs wearily. “…You know, don’t you? …I can’t enter more covenants. Garnet’s rank is…too high.” Garnet’s eyes don’t emit any emotion. But Limis knows that unlike the innumerable spirits interspersed throughout the world—even the ones with the capacity for free will—Garnet’s intelligence is closer to that of a god than a spirit. In fact, Garnet is the most powerful fire spirit ever inherited within the hundreds of years of the House of Friedia’s legacy. Already, more than ten years have passed since Limis Al Friedia became the only person able to enter a covenant with that spirit, confined within several layers of magic seals inside the basement of the Friedia estate.
Chapter 25
50 min read