Chapter 39

CHAPTER 4 Intermission—Individual Motives They had safely abandoned Logres Manor. Their hideout of choice was Camelot International High School. Midnight. They had the next day off. The campus grounds were a suitable establishment for a holding fort. With his magic, Rintarou had cast a Netherworld Transformation, breaking the school off from the real world. The Neverwhere projected an image of the school building. They were gathered in the nurse’s office. Lying on the two beds were two girls, sound asleep. Luna and Emma. “I can’t believe…they got to Emma, too…,” Felicia said, sounding distressed as she gazed at her in bed. She looked terrible. Drained of blood, her pale face made her look corpse-like. From her tattered and bloody uniform, they could only guess she faced a punishing plight. Nayuki sounded apologetic. “I managed to get through the boundary to the netherworld in the manor, but the enemy had already gotten to Emma by the time I reached her…and she’d stabbed her with a white blade…” “If I remember correctly…she goes by Reika Tsukuyomi, right?” Felicia asked. She nodded. Reika Tsukuyomi. The girl responsible for Emma’s critical condition. “When I tried to use magic to save Emma, Reika immediately abandoned the netherworld. Emma was barely breathing. And I tried to use my healing magic, but…” “…Even though her wounds closed up on the surface, her spirit wasn’t the same… Am I getting this right?” Rintarou asked solemnly. Felicia, Sir Gawain, and Nayuki gazed at him from behind. He was focused on the bed in front of him…where Luna was sleeping. Like Emma, her face was ghostly white. She looked like she was knocking on death’s door. “Same thing happened to Luna. We took care of her wounds…but she’s still dying,” he muttered. His eyes were hollow… Something dark boiled in them. “She’s clinging to life by an unraveling thread… She doesn’t have much time… They’ll die if we don’t do anything.” He had voiced their collective thoughts. They held their breath, letting the silence wash over them. “Wh-what is going on?! Why can’t we heal them?!” It didn’t take long before Felicia let out a panicked cry, lips trembling. “That white sword…might be Reika’s Excalibur,” Sir Gawain guessed, forehead breaking into a sweat. “Her power must be…to steal someone’s spirit…,” Felicia concluded. “There’s no way!” Sir Gawain refuted. “Reika’s Excalibur is the Sword of Destruction! Kings can wield only one Excalibur! Which means that white sword isn’t one!” “B-but…it’s hard to believe a modern magic sword would wield so much power… If Reika Tsukuyomi is a King and if her white sword isn’t an Excalibur—” They continued to argue among themselves. “…He’s right. It isn’t an Excalibur…,” Rintarou muttered almost inaudibly. “And that sword…steals the blood of kings.” “What…?” “Do you know about it, Rintarou?” “……” He turned to Nayuki. “Hey, Nayuki. Who are you? What’s with that getup?” He looked her up and down. They were used to seeing her look categorically ordinary. But she seemed like a completely different person now. Her beauty sent shivers up their spines. “I think you already know, Rintarou…” She sighed defeatedly, then gave him a sad smile. “…I’m part of the Dame du Lac…or at least, I used to be…” Felicia and Sir Gawain accepted her confession immediately. The Dame du Lac were half human and half fey, masters of witchcraft, bearers of concentrated mana. It explained Nayuki’s powers. “Hmph… I see.” Rintarou’s tone started to take on a hint of disgust when he heard who she was. “And? What business does a former Dame du Lac have with us? Why be friendly with us by pretending to be a civilian? I bet you controlled some minds with magic to enroll at the school. Tell me I’m wrong.” “…” “On my first day, you were awfully friendly toward me. It wasn’t an accident. It was premeditated… You knew who I was. Are you telling me that the Dame du Lac are attempting to fool me into dying again?” “Rintarou! This isn’t the time to lash out! Nayuki saved us!” Felicia protested, putting him in his place for his attitude. But Nayuki raised her hand to smooth things over. “It’s okay, Felicia.” “Nayuki…?! But…!” “I’ll be fine… I can understand why Rintarou—why Merlin would hate us… Don’t worry about me…,” she said, seeming sad and lonely. “But I hope you can believe me when I say I’m your ally, Rintarou… No matter what. I will vow to you on my life…” “Save me your empty platitudes and answer my question. Why did you get close to me?” Nayuki didn’t say anything at first. “I’m…sorry…but that’s the only thing…I can’t tell you.” She sounded like she was about to cry, voice thick with emotion. “If I tell you…I can’t be by your side anymore…” “…………” This time, it was Rintarou who was quiet. The silence said everything there was to say…signaling denial and rejection. “…Rintarou. Get it together,” Felicia warned. “She can’t be an enemy. Otherwise, why would she help us in a pinch?” “Felicia’s right. We might not know her circumstances, but we can think of her as an ally. At least for now,” Sir Gawain added. “I know! I frigging know!” Rintarou smashed his fist into the wall. He was smart. He had enough reason to know Nayuki wasn’t an enemy. But he couldn’t reason away his emotions. In his former life, Merlin had been betrayed by his lover from the Dame du Lac, sealed away until his demise. That was why he hadn’t been by Arthur’s side. And without his guidance, Arthur had nose-dived into annihilation. If Rintarou had still been a loner, he would have demonized Nayuki—maybe even turned his sword on her. But now— “……” Rintarou took a deep breath, repressing his sinister thoughts as he gazed at Luna, who continued to slumber. It was like his memories were flashing before his eyes, like a movie reel of his life. Every single one was with Luna. From the day they met until now. Well, they were all of Luna pushing him around to do her bidding. Nothing really…noteworthy. In fact, he was getting tired just thinking about them. Regardless…they had shared some irreplaceable memories and the best of times. He hadn’t had this much fun since his childhood…before people started to fear him…when he had been lollygagging with that brat in the remote parts of the English countryside. “—I’ll believe you.” He turned around and looked straight at Nayuki. “Rintarou…” “Not for you. For Luna,” he snapped, snorting. “I need your help right now. That’s why I’ll believe you. Call me out for being a dirtbag…but I’ll trust you if it means I get to use your magic powers… For Luna’s sake.” “Thank you, Rintarou…” Nayuki looked happy. He knew it wouldn’t be smooth sailing from here on out, but this settled things for the time being. Felicia and Sir Gawain sighed in relief. “Now what? What’s the next move?” “I can see them…chasing after us.” “It’s a possibility. It won’t take long before they worm in.” Their netherworld was in the Assiah stage, which meant it was relatively close to the real world. In other words, it was entirely possible to invade it from the outside, though it would take considerable work. A netherworld with a high-ranking World Fusion Grade wasn’t built to last. And if they stayed in here for too long, they would start to lose their minds, absorbed by the netherworld…especially into a coma, like Luna and Emma. “They have a witch on their side. I imagine with enough time, we’ll be captured… I don’t think we can hide out for an extended period…,” Felicia observed. “I can’t picture that brat letting us get away, just based on his personality. And if I know Reika Tsukuyomi, we won’t be able to escape her clutches. I can see her finishing off Luna and Emma. Even you, Felicia.” “Gh… Me…?” “It’ll be hard to move if we have to carry their bodies… Which leaves us no choice but to strike back.” The air in the room was almost suffocating. “And to save Luna and Emma, we need to destroy Reika Tsukuyomi’s white sword.” “Really…?” “Yeah. To get back their king’s blood… That’s the only way.” Rintarou looked convinced. “But, Rintarou… Who is Reika? What’s up with her sword?” Felicia asked, since he seemed to know something. “I’ll tell you later. It’s kind of a long story… And we have to deal with the current situation.” “Okay. But…I don’t imagine winning under these circumstances will be an easy feat.” Felicia sighed. “Even though we have Nayuki’s support…they’re on another level.” “I hate to admit you’re right.” They had only Felicia, Sir Gawain, Nayuki, and Rintarou, who was off his game. Their enemy had Sir Tristan, the witch in black, Reika Tsukuyomi, and Reika’s Jack, who still hadn’t made an appearance. They were obviously at a disadvantage. “…What’s our next move, Rintarou?” Sir Gawain asked. “They’re way stronger than us, even individually.” “…Gh!” He grimaced, racking the brains of Merlin to come up with a breakthrough tactic. …But their situation was dire. It wasn’t just that they lacked strength. Luna and Emma were immobile and needed to be protected. That meant their only options were underhanded—like a surprise attack or assassination. The odds were stacked against him. His rational judgment arrived at his chilling revelation. Dammit…! If I had the Fomorian power…! He still couldn’t feel his natural ability bubbling inside him. Rintarou buried his face in his palm in anguish. “……” Nayuki observed him from his side. Her gaze moved to the hawthorn cross hanging from his neck. She stared at it for a while. “…Rintarou,” she said at last, her voice full of resolve. “Are you prepared…to pay any cost to save Luna?” “…Nayuki?” “I can think of one way…to get back your Fomorian power…” “—What?!” They all blinked at her. “But it’s a dangerous path… If you care about her…if you’re prepared to resist your fate…” “Nayuki!” he barked. “How do you know about my Fomorian power…?!” “……” She revealed nothing, looking directly at him and cracking a little smile. Her eyes were locked on him, gazing at him with determination. Around the same time, other events were transpiring in Logres Manor. “Hmm… Luna’s group lives in a swanky place.” Hitoshi and Morgan sauntered through the halls like they owned the place. “Hey, Elaine… Can I really take their house…?” “Of course, Master Hitoshi…” Going by Elaine, Morgan smiled flirtatiously. “You won, Master Hitoshi. This is the spoil of war… Another privilege of a true king.” “R-right! …Obviously…” Hitoshi excitedly pushed open the door in front of him, peeking into the room. It was an unused bedroom. A large queen bed covered by a grand canopy took up the center of the space. Expensive paintings decorated the walls, and a chandelier hung in the middle of the opulent chamber. It was immaculate, ready to use at any time. Must have been the work of the broonies summoned to the manor. “Wow… How wonderful.” Morgan flicked on the light switch, slipping into the room. She stepped next to the bed, looking entranced by her surroundings. The soft glow of the chandelier illuminated her figure. Hitoshi gulped. Until then, she had been concealed under a veil of darkness. He hadn’t really caught any glimpses of her body. But exposed by light, there was no way around noticing her. Whether he liked it or not. Her feminine body curved with gentle grace. Every inch of her skin was smooth. The soft peaks on her chest were perfectly proportionate, and her nipped waist and shapely thighs were works of art. The heavens extolled her teen body, but there was something mature about her—something very adult and bewitching that left him breathless. And when he beheld her beauty for the first time, it felt like his spirit was ascending. The goddess of beauty must have blessed her body by blowing love into her. It was contained in her risqué outfit and sheer robe. There was something more arousing about seeing her this way than nude. She must have been born to make men go wild. And she was standing defenselessly next to the bed… “E-E-Elaaaaine!” “—UH?!” His rational brain couldn’t take it anymore. After all, he’d never been with a woman. Hitoshi charged at Morgan, ramming her onto the bed. He cast away his scabbard, which was perpetually strapped to his back, and buried his head in her chest. “Aaah…! Ngh…! I—I can’t wait any longer! Please, Elaine…! I’m going to…!” “…Master Hitoshi…” Any girl would have panicked if she had been assaulted. But Morgan looked composed, offering a spellbinding smile to the boy who kept her pinned down. “Elaine…! Elaine! Oh, Elaine!” Hitoshi, overcome with unusual excitement, attempted to rip her out of her clothes. But his hands were trembling from nerves. It wasn’t going well. “Shit…! Dammit…!” He finally managed to get her half-naked. “Calm down, Master Hitoshi.” Morgan held his shaking hands, gently admonishing him. “My heart and body are already yours… No need to rush.” “E-Elaine…” “But…I have one wish as a woman. I wish to lie with you as a hero, Master Hitoshi. To devote my entire self to you.” “?!” “You were born with the potential to be king. But heroism is proven by military conquest… Please make a young girl’s dreams come true, Master Hitoshi…” A roundabout way of saying “hands off.” Pleading with tears in her eyes was enough for this virgin to back off. He wouldn’t violate her, much less do anything else so forceful. “What…? What do I need to do to be a hero by your standards…?! I-I’m…I’m…!” Hitoshi was starting to become frantic. “…Kill Luna’s group.” For a moment, Morgan flashed him a smile as cold as absolute zero. “Show me how you punish those criminals…,” she whispered. “And I’ll know you’re the hero who will save the world.” “…!” “And after that happens, at daybreak…” Morgan began to disrobe. Hitoshi couldn’t take his eyes off her. She tugged the sheer robe open slowly, teasing him, exposing her supple skin as a challenge. “I will allow you to devour every inch of me…for as long as you wish, for as many times and as many nights as it takes to satisfy you. I will be your partner. I have been yearning for this dream of mine…” His brain was on the verge of climax from her poisonous seduction, toxic allure, narcotic beauty. “AAAAH…! Whoa! Okay! I’ll defeat them! I’m a hero! A CHAMPION!” In some ways, he already was a hero for backing off. Hitoshi jumped up, burning with militancy, boasting about his powers. “……” Morgan stared at his little shtick. She extended her hand, touched his Excalibur…and chuckled. Her lips were stretched into a smile, frosty and cruel. “Hmm. I imagine that…lord of yours is having fun.” “Yeah… No.” In a corner of the manor’s front garden, Reika Tsukuyomi and Sir Dinadan were looking up at the building’s facade. “If I know anything about her…she’s already sworn to stay chaste to a certain man. There’s no way she’d allow any other to touch her.”