0. Return Home> The Empire, Kukutaran’s Route 7 La-Shar-Roa
—Shar
—Roa’s guardsman, Larun, chatted with his companion at his side. La-Shar-Roa was operating peacefully today as well. In the past, they would have had to prepare for possible terrorism and incursions from other countries, but there was no longer any need for that.
When their conversation ran out of topics, Larun let out a yawn at the tedious silence that followed.
“Huah… La-Shar-Roa is quiet today.”
“Quiet is good. I wouldn’t mind being stationed here for the rest of my life.”
“Still, it’s too peaceful. It’s boring…”
Larun was naturally fond of fighting, so this tranquility was dreadfully dull to him. Compared to the days when he had fought tooth and nail at the Great Northern Wall, this place was safe, but it lacked stimulation.
“They say words become seeds, Larun. Heh heh.”
“Hah… That’s all a lie. The reason they say words become seeds is… because saying something leaves an impression in your mind, and when something happens, you blame it on the words.”
“Oh, my… Showing off that ink-stained education of yours?”
“Heh heh. Even so, didn’t I come from Gron-Phila?”
Crackle!
“…Huh?”
In the middle of their conversation, a strange sound came from behind. Larun frowned and turned around. The instant he did, his expression stiffened.
Crack-crack. Crackle.
The sphere of the perfectly functioning La-Shar-Roa was being forcibly crumpled and shrunk. Before long, the dimensional gates of La-Shar-Roa were all crushed and vanished, and in their place a vivid blue sphere appeared. The blue sphere, born amid tremendous lightning that spat in every direction, grew larger and larger. Then, as though it were about to burst, it began releasing its energy in all directions.
“Crazy… Run!”
Larun quickly grabbed his companion and began fleeing. If the tremendous energy within that sphere exploded, it would be difficult for them to come out unscathed. Whatever had gone wrong, it was clear that the situation was not to their advantage.
‘Damn it… Is it the Resistance…? What the hell is going on…?’
Larun cursed furiously under his breath as he ran.
But the explosion Larun feared never came.
The blue sphere, which had been emitting crackling sounds in every direction, slowly began to lose its light and fade away, as though the tremendous energy it contained meant nothing. Sensing the change while fleeing, Larun turned around.
The blue sphere was gradually shrinking. When it finally disappeared altogether, two silhouettes became visible. So did the conversation they were having.
“Wow… That tingles…”
“It operates quite violently. It doesn’t seem like an ordinary La-Shar-Roa.”
“Well… It could be because we used energy other than Exar… Or maybe it was made disposable in case those guys from earlier came after us if any traces remained… Anyway… Whew, that smell is so nostalgic.”
“Indeed. We’ve finally… returned…”
The two figures who had arrived by passing through the blue sphere, Steel and Sian, looked around and drew in deep breaths.
They had finally returned.
Larun and his companion stared blankly at the two figures.
‘What…?’
Two figures who had emerged after breaking through that violent energy. One was an astonishingly beautiful woman who could make a man’s eyes roll back, while the other was a man with an ordinary face but a magnificent frame. Even without considering their appearances, no one could dispute that the two were unusual. They had emerged through a controlled La-Shar-Roa by some bizarre means.
“But… is this place really safe?”
Steel could feel the gazes of the two men staring blankly at them, but she ignored them. There was something more important she wanted to know first.
The moment they arrived, Steel spoke to Sian. The mere thought of the energy that had flown toward them still made gooseflesh rise over her body. If those things had followed them here, this place would become a complete disaster. Ragaofe had given them his word, but he was such a habitual deceiver that she could not trust him.
Sian thought for a moment before answering.
“Well… if everything Mr. Ragaofe said was true, then it should be safe. And somehow, I feel that it is. We should be fine as long as we conceal our energy. If the Alphas had intended to come here and cause trouble, they would have done so already.”
After going to such lengths to bring Sian into existence, they would not have thrown him into a dangerous place. Sian had been concealing his energy in case he was detected. For the time being, he intended to train and increase his strength. Even after becoming this powerful, the continent was still dangerous. And given his terrible luck, it would not be strange for him to get entangled in anything at any time. He had to become stronger before that happened.
Sian’s words made Steel wonder about something.
“If we have to hide our energy… does that mean we can’t use our strength either? If someone like Ragaofe comes chasing after us and picks a fight, are we supposed to just let them beat us up?”
Sian frowned as though she had said something absurd and shook his head.
“What kind of terrible thing are you saying…? The difference in dimensions is absolute. As long as we don’t fight another Alpha, we should be fine.”
“…You call that hiding your strength? Even if we destroy mountain ranges like we did before?”
Sian nodded.
“Of course. Destroying a mountain range doesn’t actually require much power, you know. It may be broad, but it isn’t very sturdy. Besides, back then, it was because that… Great Warrior sent his power flying into the mountain range. Normally, it wouldn’t have broken apart so easily.”
“…”
‘It doesn’t require much power…?’
Steel looked at Sian oddly, but he continued speaking.
“However, it would be different if two Alphas fought and their energy spread outward. The range of destruction might be similar, but… the degree to which the power is compressed would be entirely different. So… the key is simply not to use that level of power. If they had come after us because we destroyed a mountain range, Krona and Dragona would have chased us down long ago.”
“Hmm… That is true.”
After finishing his explanation, Sian began looking around.
“First, we should return home and think things over. We’ve been gone for five years… We should rest a little, at least for now. But I don’t know which La-Shar-Roa this is.”
At that, Steel also looked around.
“Hmm… We can just go ask someone. You there?”
Steel called out to the two guardsmen collapsed in the distance.
Upon hearing her, Larun glanced around, then realized there was no one else nearby and pointed at himself.
“Me…?”
Steel nodded.
“Yes, you there. Come here for a moment.”
“…Yes.”
If he had seen such an astonishing beauty while walking down the street, he might have tried to hit on her at least once. But Larun felt as though he were standing before some monstrous beast. Her tone was undeniably rude, yet Larun had no desire to resist that voice. He felt as though he had to do whatever she said, no matter what it was.
As she watched him approach hesitantly, Steel spoke.
“Good. First… shall we ask about the year? What year is it this year?”
Larun wondered what on earth the woman was talking about, but when he saw the gentle curve of her eyes, he hurriedly answered. Though her eyes curved softly, the feeling they gave him was extremely ominous.
“This year is… the third year of the Kukutaran Calendar.”
“…What?”
“The Kukutaran… Calendar… third year, that is… Is something wrong?”
Hearing Larun’s trembling reply, Steel wondered whether she had misheard him.
“No… What’s the Kukutaran Calendar? Did something change while we were gone…? This is La-Sian, right, Sian?”
Sian nodded.
“I’m certain… Mr. Ragaofe said this was the La-Sian Continent… Is this La-Sian?”
Larun’s terrified expression began to change strangely.
“…Don’t look at me like I’m spouting nonsense.”
“It is. Of course it’s the La-Sian Continent. What other continent could this be?”
Hearing that, Sian sank into even deeper confusion.
“…Then what in the world is the Kukutaran Calendar…? Where did the Continental Calendar go…?”
Before Sian left, the year had definitely been 1017 according to the Continental Calendar. Even allowing for some discrepancy, he had expected it to be somewhere around 1022. So when this Kukutaran calendar suddenly appeared out of nowhere, he could not help but be flustered.
Larun answered him.
“Ah… According to the Continental Calendar, it is the year 1022, but… you should be careful what you say in public. No one uses the Continental Calendar anymore.”
Sian frowned, unable to understand what he meant.
“What is this supposed to mean now…?”
“Still, it does seem that we came to the right place.”
“That’s true, but… it seems like quite a lot has changed.”
Judging by the conversation, it did not seem that they had arrived in some other era or a distant continent by mistake. Still, something major appeared to have happened during the five years they had been away, so Sian wore a perplexed expression.
Steel smiled and spoke.
“Why are you worrying about it? The answer is right in front of us. Just ask.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
“You’re not busy, are you? By the way… what’s your name?”
At the woman’s question, Larun hurriedly opened his mouth.
“My name is… Larun.”
“All right, Larun. We’ve been traveling somewhere far away, so it’s been five years since we were here. Could you explain what happened while we were gone?”
Steel’s voice was quiet, but it carried an unbearably heavy pressure. Larun hurriedly began racking his memory.
“First… if you mean five years ago… I can tell you about the Great Invasion of the Harijans.”
“Good, good. We have plenty of time, so tell us as slowly and thoroughly as you can.”
At that, Larun calmed his pounding heart and began to speak.
☆ ☆ ☆
Five years ago, a gigantic Harijan appeared near the Great Northern Wall.
To be precise, something went wrong with the enormous defensive thaumaturgic formation,
Naturally, all hell broke loose. Only superhumans could contend with a six-horned Harijan.
Every possible avenue was mobilized. The Guardians defending the Great Northern Wall searched for the Groins who usually traveled outside. The Grand Magic Association contacted its leader, Tachyon. King Narasha desperately searched for someone, anyone. But it all meant very little in the end. No one could be found. For reasons unknown, all the superhumans on the continent whose whereabouts had at least been known vanished at the same time, as though they had evaporated.
But that did not mean the people of the entire continent could simply sit down and wait to die. They gathered every soldier they could muster and marched toward the Great Northern Wall.
Yet, for some reason, the six-horned Harijan that had supposedly appeared at the Great Northern Wall had vanished without a trace. The thaumaturgic formation of Lusara under construction had been completely destroyed, but no other traces could be found. Several parts of the mountain range had been obliterated, and inside them only unknown devices remained. The Association of Mages investigated, but could do nothing more than repeat like parrots that the devices were far beyond their level, making their nature impossible to determine. They said they would take them away for research, but since the devices had completely lost their functions after whatever had destroyed them, little was gained.
Still, gathering their forces had not been the wrong decision. Immediately afterward, Harijans began pouring madly out of the Great Forest.
The troops sent from every region to drive away the six-horned Harijan did not need to face a six-horned Harijan, but they did have to fight the countless Harijans swarming out of the Great Forest in a frenzy.
People called this assault the
It was, at least, an enormous relief. If the six-horned Harijans had emerged as well, the continent would have become a sea of fire in an instant. Aside from superhumans, there was no one capable of killing them. This was even more true because every superhuman, including the Groins who had protected the Great Northern Wall, had vanished.
In any case, the power of humanity when united was formidable. The assembled forces efficiently crushed the Harijans invading from the Great Forest, one step at a time.
And in the midst of all that, a new hope for humanity appeared.
A great name who, three years ago, had entered the realm of the Transcendents after fighting for his life amid the fierce battle at the Great Northern Wall and undergoing grueling training that had honed his bones to the marrow.
People were afraid. Every Transcendent until then had turned his back on the world the moment he reached the Transcendent realm. Kukutaran, of course, was a Grand Vander. The great Grand Vander of Broshan, the neutral kingdom. That was why he had rendered outstanding service in defending the Great Northern Wall. The number of five-horned Harijans that had fallen by Kukutaran’s hand alone exceeded ten.
If Kukutaran turned his back on the Great Northern Wall and left the mortal world, its defenses would inevitably become disordered. There was little room to spare in the wall’s defenses as it was.
But Kukutaran did not make that choice. In fact, he did the exact opposite. He began roaming the Great Northern Wall and slaughtering five-horned Harijans like a madman. And that was not all. Whenever he had strength left over, he swept away all the weaker Harijans as well.
As expected, the might of a Transcendent was worthy of its reputation. Soldiers and armed men who experienced the majesty of a Transcendent—a sight ordinary people would be hard-pressed to witness even once in their lifetimes—were all awestruck by the overwhelming spectacle and mighty presence, praising the man who had become humanity’s new guardian: Kukutaran.
☆ ☆ ☆
“What? Then didn’t he just follow that Groin fellow? And what’s this Kukutaran Calendar supposed to be…?”
‘That fellow?’
Larun doubted his ears at the woman who so casually called Groin, a Transcendent, “that fellow,” but soon decided not to think much of it. For a woman like this, even being related to a Transcendent by blood would hardly seem strange.
“Well… There must be more to the story. Would you continue?”
“Ah… Yes. There is more to what happened afterward. As you said, if things had ended there, His Majesty Kukutaran would have remained a great guardian, just like Lord Groin.”
And Larun continued telling the story of what happened afterward.
☆ ☆ ☆
Kukutaran did not leave, fulfilling the people’s expectations. When the Transcendent who they had naturally assumed would depart instead stayed behind to protect them, the people all went wild with excitement.
But Kukutaran did not stop at merely staying.
What?>
What Kukutaran did after becoming a Transcendent was unify the continent. It was an act no one had anticipated. But even if they had anticipated it, they could not have stopped him. Because Kukutaran was a Transcendent.
Tian, which was expanding its influence at tremendous speed under the leadership of the crafty King Narasha, and Usharan, which had annexed the Kingdom of Kon under the guidance of the Dmitri royal family and grown powerful at an astonishing pace, were both unable to resist.
Crying this aloud, Kukutaran began racing madly from kingdom to kingdom, all of which had been fighting fiercely while watching one another’s moves, and unifying them. No weapon, soldier, or stratagem had any meaning. Every kingdom was unified by Kukutaran, who traveled about riding La-Shar-Loa and visited each royal palace.
The continent was unified so absurdly quickly that the fierce battles of the past seemed laughable. In less than a month.
Even a great martial artist, a Grand Vander, was laughably frail compared to a Transcendent. The four Grand Vanders guarding Tian were unable to exert even the slightest strength.
The former king, Narasha; the Kairain Sword Duke; Kalagul, the Guardian Martial General; and Count Roman.
Seeing the four Grand Vanders gathered before him, Kukutaran snorted derisively, and all four knelt without even getting the chance to fight. The difference in level was simply too great. The only distinction was whether one had crossed the wall of Transcendence or not, but that difference was enormous.
The situation was not much different in the other countries.
In the end, every kingdom fell beneath Kukutaran’s feet in less than a month. Afterward, the continent’s seven kingdoms disappeared and were renamed the “Kukutaran Empire.” The entire continent was also informed that it would use the “Kukutaran Calendar,” counting as Day One the day the Kingdom of Taran, the last place Kukutaran visited, fell beneath his feet.
Thus, the third absolute emperor after Broxian and Kon-Rad was born.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Huh…”
After hearing the whole story, Xian wore an incredulous expression. Steel looked much the same.
“Sounds like the guy had absolutely nothing better to do.”
Steel tossed out the remark. The first thing he did upon becoming a Transcendent was play soldier? Any Transcendent from the past could have done something like that. They simply had not because it was pointless.
“Well… Is that really so strange? There probably wasn’t a single Transcendent left here anymore… Perhaps he was bored.”
“True… The circumstances were a little different back then.”
As far as Steel knew, there was not a single Transcendent left in this place. If Kukutaran had realized that, he might indeed have behaved so foolishly, and Steel reluctantly nodded.
“Come to think of it… Doesn’t that mean something might have happened to my little brother’s family?”
“Ah! Now that you mention it…”
Only then did Xian remember his family and urgently ask Larun:
“What happened to the Roman family?”
“…
The Roman family?”
At the man’s question, Larun searched his memory. So many shocking events had occurred over the past three years, and so many rumors had circulated, that the Roman family, Tian’s foremost martial clan, had relatively little that stood out in his memory.
After thinking for a moment, Larun told the man the one thing that came to mind.
“Well… Since I can’t recall any notable incident, I suppose nothing much happened to them. Even after the unification, there weren’t many deaths. People have to be bold enough to challenge him before they can actually do so… and no one had the nerve. If I remember correctly… I believe I heard they moved toward the Great Northern Wall. All the continent’s martial clans and military forces were transferred there, after all…”
“All the military forces?”
“Now that everything has been unified, what meaning do borders have? Everyone gathered together to defend the Great Northern Wall.”
“I suppose that makes sense…”
Before then, the armies had mostly been tied down at the borders to keep one another in check. Even in Tian, Kalagul, the Kairain Sword Duke, and the Roman counts had all been stationed at the borders.
But there was no longer any need for that. The continent had been unified.
“Then where should we go to find them?”
“They should probably be at the site of the former Crotia Fortress. It’s the most strategically important location… It was destroyed in the old army-of-the-dead attack, but I heard they poured in a great deal of supplies and restored it to its original form.”
“Is that so? Then… We’ll have to go there. Where are we now?”
“This is La-Shar-Loa No. 7…”
“Shh!”
Steel’s expression darkened. Why was he describing the location using the newly revised geography? He ought to explain it according to the terrain Steel had once known. Larun seemed to realize his mistake and hurriedly corrected himself.
“Ah… This is La-Shar-Loa in Einkel, in the southern region of the Kingdom of Taran.”
At that, Steel slapped her palm.
“Ah… No wonder it seemed familiar.”
“You know this place, Lady Steel?”
“Of course. I came all the way here once to catch my eldest brother after he ran away. He really did run far, that one. Still, it was a rather enjoyable outing since I got to tear apart Usharan at the same time.”
“……”
“Anyway… Since I know the way, let’s set out, Xian.”
“Let us.”
“Well… We should get there in a day.”
“At Lady Steel’s pace… Yes, it should take about that long.”
Larun cautiously interrupted, wondering what sort of conversation the two were having.
“Um… It’s Crotia. Not Croton, the nearby city.”
“I know, I know. You stay here and guard this place. Let’s go.”
With those final words, Steel stretched her body out and vanished toward the distant plains at tremendous speed. It was astonishing enough to see a person running at the speed of a comet, but the man beside her was even more so. His body blurred in an instant, and he was suddenly standing beside the woman racing away at ferocious speed. Seeing the man’s form decorate the air like a lingering afterimage, Larun rubbed his eyes.
“Huh… What exactly did we just see…?”
“Let’s report this first…”
Together with his companion, Larun hurried toward the nearby command headquarters to make a report.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Hm… So those sorts of fellows have appeared?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
While staying in the Kingdom of Karan, Kukutaran received the report and wore an intrigued expression.
“Good, good… I thought everyone had left, but there are still friends who remained. You there.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Your command?”
The nobleman bowing his head before Kukutaran answered calmly.
“They said they were heading to the Roman family, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t the little kitten say she wanted to visit the Roman family? Let’s go together this time. It’s been a while since she’s been there, so she’ll be pleased.”
“Understood. Shall I prepare a La-Shar-Loa?”
Kukutaran shook his head.
“There aren’t any La-Shar-Loa near that area yet, are there? Well… It isn’t that far, and we still have plenty of time. We’ll go slowly.”
“Then I shall prepare for Your Majesty’s outing.”
“Very well.”
Left alone in the room, Kukutaran wondered what he should do next. In the end, he decided to play with the little kittens and headed toward the harem he had created.
☆ ☆ ☆
“A great deal has changed. Five years certainly isn’t a particularly long time…”
As he ran, Xian muttered with curiosity while looking at the distant scenery. Steel agreed with him. Steel had lived for several hundred years, but it seemed that more had changed during the time she was gone than had changed throughout all those centuries.
“Is that… a means of transportation?”
Steel muttered as she looked at a steel carriage passing below them. The strange carriage, shaped like a box fitted with several wheels, was clearly moving at considerable speed despite having no horses. Nor did it appear particularly light.
Of course, it was not common. The steel carriages appeared only sporadically among the countless carriages traveling along the road, but the sight was still fascinating.
“It appears that the emergence of an emperor has changed quite a lot.”
“But Xian… Why are you moving so slowly?”
Steel looked at Xian with puzzlement. At first, she had thought he was merely matching her pace, but every now and then he seemed to be moving even more slowly than she was. He was not at a level where he would be unable to control his own body, yet his speed was irregular, so Steel asked out of curiosity.
Xian looked at Steel and gave her a sly smile.
“Well… You could call it training. It’s nothing serious, so please don’t worry too much. I’m still experimenting.”
Steel looked at his smile, then asked with a curious expression:
“What sort of training makes you do that in the middle of the road…?”
“I’ll tell you later. It isn’t proper training yet, anyway.”
“Well… Fine. We’re almost there, though. This continent is definitely smaller than that other one.”
Though Xian occasionally slowed down, he was basically flying along at Steel’s pace, and Crotia, where the Roman family was said to be located, was rapidly drawing near. Even considering how much faster Steel had become with her increased level, it was an astonishing pace, especially since it had once taken them several days to travel from one World Tree to another.
“Let’s hurry. I’ll finally be seeing my family again after so long. Whew…”
“Right.”
With that final exchange, Xian and Steel increased their speed as they crossed the plains toward the distant city of Crotia.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Whew… Just where is that boy Xian, and what is he doing…?”
Count Roman sighed as he watched the military supplies being tirelessly produced outside the window.
Though the war had ended, the training of elite soldiers and production of military supplies at the Great Northern Wall had not stopped. In particular, groups whose origins were unknown had suddenly appeared and were producing military weapons at a frantic pace while providing astonishing new technologies.
‘What did they call it… Amaran?’
After Xian disappeared, the world changed greatly because of two things.
The first, as everyone knew, was the birth of an emperor.
The seven kingdoms that had vied with one another for four hundred years after the Emperor’s birth were transformed into a single empire in one stroke. Yet more people viewed this favorably than negatively. The Emperor had little interest in ruling and devoted himself solely to enjoying his pleasures. Creating the empire had merely been a means of ensuring that whatever he wanted would be supplied to him on time.
In some ways, he was the very model of an incompetent emperor, but people actually welcomed that. Compared to his position, the Emperor pursued his pleasures in a remarkably ordinary, small-minded fashion. He did not demand that mountains be moved and pleasure palaces built atop them, or anything of the sort. It was merely the private life of some debauched nobleman. Of course, there was one crucial difference: no one could refuse his demands. Nor could anyone drive him out.
Though little had been lost, much had been gained. At the very least, the conflicts among the seven kingdoms had disappeared, and with the armies concentrated along the Great Northern Wall, the people’s lives had become considerably more stable. Moreover, the absolute being Kukutaran was, in a sense, a guardian who watched over them. The superhumans of the past had not cared whether the people lived or died, but Kukutaran was different. She treated them as human beings and made an effort to protect them, in her own way.
If one change had been brought about by the Emperor, then the influence of those who had brought other changes to the world was by no means insignificant either.
From places no one knew how to find, places that seemed almost like secret organizations, they had begun to release their knowledge. They possessed such advanced technology and knowledge that it was difficult to understand why they had remained silent until now. Then, all of a sudden, they emerged into the world and began releasing every bit of their knowledge to it.
Amaran, armed with astonishing knowledge of all manner of weapons, was constantly strengthening the forces stationed along the Great Northern Wall.
Baroka had brought forth unheard-of knowledge and miracles, greatly advancing the study of humanity.
And Makana was producing machines such as the four-wheeled transport devices that traveled about outside.
The technological prowess possessed by these three organizations was truly astonishing, and the world welcomed their appearance. However, the foundation for accepting their technology had yet to be established, so it was still spreading among the people at a slow pace.
Count Roman knew all of this in greater detail through Rimainu, the younger brother of his third daughter-in-law, who had returned.
“Neither Rian nor Sian is here… I wonder if those boys are living well.”
When Count Roman sighed and looked outside, something strange caught his eye.
Two figures were running toward him from far away at an incredible speed. Strangely, although they were flying across the plain at such tremendous speed, they did not raise even a speck of dust.
As Count Roman watched the two figures more closely, vitality began to return to his face.
“That boy! He’s back!”
☆ ☆ ☆
“Father is coming out to greet us.”
“So it seems.”
In the past, he would not have been able to sense it, but after consuming the Heart of Necra, Stil’s range of perception had improved astonishingly. He could feel the energy within Krotia Fortress. Among those presences, one enormous aura, incomparable to the others, was currently emerging from the fortress.
“Even if he stayed inside, I would have found him on my own…”
“Well, his son is returning after five years… In a way, it’s only natural.”
By the time they had finished exchanging this and that, they had already arrived at Krotia Fortress. As Sian entered while looking around at the enormous production facilities and training grounds he had never seen before, Count Roman came to greet him and pulled him into a rough embrace.
“Sian! You rascal… Just where in the world have you been?”
Something about him seemed to have changed, but to Count Roman, Sian was still the same son. He embraced Sian, whom he had not seen in five years, and asked in a trembling voice.
Sian sighed and replied,
“I went somewhere truly far away. At the same time, I learned firsthand that leaving home only brings hardship. Whew…”
“Don’t stand around out here. Come inside at once. Lord Stantal, you should come in as well.”
The three of them moved inside and began talking about everything that had happened during their years apart.
After they had reunited and shared their stories, Count Roman let out an exclamation when he heard what Sian had been through.
“Good heavens… You mean there are humans living on that upper continent? And all the superhumans who used to live here migrated there?”
“Yes. From what I heard… a superhuman was born here as well, wasn’t one? Something like Kuku-whatever…”
Count Roman sighed.
“Her name is Kukutaran. She became a superhuman three years ago. We were stationed in different areas of defense, so I never saw her in person, but we fought on opposite sides of the Great Northern Wall. She was Broshan’s Grand-Vander.”
In the middle of the conversation, Sian suddenly thought of Narasha and asked about him.
“And… what happened to Uncle Narasha? He must feel rather empty. He worked so hard to raise Tian into a powerful figure.”
Count Roman smiled bitterly.
“Well… he’s still busy, as ever. The kingdoms have been unified in name and an emperor has appeared, but… she isn’t particularly interested in ruling. In fact, from my point of view, creating the empire seems to have been merely a means, not the goal. A means to ensure that whatever she wants is supplied to her on time… Apparently, she’s been amusing herself by building a harem these days.”
“Hm…”
The more Sian heard, the more he thought Kukutaran was a peculiar superhuman. Normally, once one reached the level of a superhuman—or even a noble—the culture and lives of monkeys ceased to interest them.
But it had nothing to do with him. Whether people played dominoes with one another or played at soldiers, Sian did not care as long as his family was not harmed. Besides, he was quite pleased that his family no longer had to become involved in conflicts with other countries.
“But… where is my brother?”
Count Roman’s expression suddenly grew strange.
“He was taken away.”
“…”
“Taken away?”
“That’s right. By the superhuman who recently ascended to the imperial throne.”
“Why? What could she possibly need my brother for?”
It could not be for his martial prowess. A Master’s strength would be of no use to a superhuman. His brother was strong, but there were more than enough martial artists of that caliber. Since there seemed to be no particular reason she would need Rian, Sian asked in confusion.
“…”
“She took him because he has a handsome face.”
“…”
“What?”
Sian wondered if he had heard incorrectly and doubted his own ears.
“She said she was going to put him in her harem…”
“Good grief…”
Sian was so dumbfounded that a sigh escaped him before his anger could. What did she mean, a harem?
“Wait, did he go willingly? What about his wives?”
Count Roman’s expression hardened.
“With your sister-in-laws there, he couldn’t do otherwise. What would have happened if he resisted a superhuman and she harmed them in retaliation? Rian went with her without resisting. Well… resisting would not have made much difference anyway.”
“What in the world…”
Sian had heard many times that there were people in the world with all sorts of strange tastes, but he had never imagined that someone would abduct his brother for such a purpose. The world was surely full of beautiful women—why leave them alone and take his brother? He could not use harsh language in front of his father, but the word ‘madman’ nearly slipped out on its own.
*I’ve been away from home for far too long…*
Grinding his teeth, Sian asked his father,
“Where is this Kuku-whatever right now?”
“Oh my, your little brother is finally going to get some exercise.”
“Whew…”
Sian flexed his fists and began considering how he should deal with that fellow once he found him.
“She ought to be in Karan normally… but you won’t have to go all the way there.”
“What?”
“We received word this morning. She said she was coming here. She’s bringing your brother as well.”
“…”
“My brother too?”
“That’s right. Apparently, she calls him her little kitten… and dotes on him terribly. Whew…”
Sian wore a fierce smile upon hearing that.
“She’s coming here… That’s perfect. Truly perfect.”
Crack!
If she had risen within the past three years, she could be no more than a Baron at most. Since there was no chance of the surroundings being destroyed by a fight, Sian ground his teeth and waited for Kuku-whatever to crawl into his grasp.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Isn’t it time you let me go?”
Rian spoke to Kukutaran beside him in a weary voice. Kukutaran merely answered with a cheerful, circling smile.
“Why should I? I have never seen a boy as handsome as you. In truth… I had wanted you ever since my days in Broshan, but you were a talented person from another country, and there was nothing I could do, so I left you alone. Now that I have risen to this realm and gained the power to do as I please, why would I let you go?”
Kukutaran was not speaking empty words. She had brought countless boys into her harem, but she had never seen one as handsome as this child. A boy named Kalagul was handsome as well, but something about him made her uneasy, so she had not brought him into the harem. He felt more like a dog than a little kitten. Someone at about the level of a Master was just right—cute.
“Whew…”
Rian shook his head with an expression that said she was beyond reason.
“Do you still dislike me? Even so, I let you spend half of every year with your wives, didn’t I? And I granted everything you asked for.”
“…”
“Good grief…”
She was certainly telling the truth, but that did not change the fact that he had been forced into it. Rian gave a bitter smile.
“My brother, you say… The superhuman who has recently appeared is probably your brother. I’m looking forward to meeting him. At last, I’ll be meeting someone like myself.”
“…”
*He won’t be like you, though…*
Rian did not know much about superhumans, but no matter how he looked at it, his brother did not seem to be an ordinary superhuman.
“Whew…”
As he watched Kukutaran smile, filled with anticipation, Rian shook his head. There was no reasoning with her. Seeing Sian even once would be much faster for judging what sort of being his younger brother was.
In any case, Krotia was now visible ahead. And… if the report that had come up from La-Shar-Roa in the Ainkel region was accurate, there was a high probability that the person who had appeared there was his brother. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to immediately ask about the whereabouts of the Roman family.
Rian’s heart, on the verge of seeing his brother again after so long, was colored by a mixture of anticipation and worry.
☆ ☆ ☆
At the energy he sensed in the distance, Sian swiftly climbed down the wall and leaped over it.
That aura. There was no mistaking it—it belonged to a superhuman. And just as he had expected, the man was around the level of a Baron. Judging from the feel of it, he seemed to be about as strong as Ragaophe.
And beside him, Sian sensed a familiar presence. There was no way he could forget his brother’s aura. At the familiar energy he had not felt in so long, Sian ran toward it in delight. Of course, other emotions were mixed in as well.
Stil followed after Sian excitedly, as if he found the whole thing tremendously amusing.
“Hehe… Little brother, want to borrow that stick?”
Stil pulled the metal rod Ragaophe had given him long ago from his hand, spun it around, and grinned.
“First… I have to bring my brother back.”
When he reached the place where he sensed the auras, he found an imposing procession prepared there. It seemed that they were all attendants. And at the front stood his brother, Rian.
“Brother, it’s been a long time.”
“Sian…”
“…”
“Still, this is unexpected…”
From the aura he sensed, Sian could tell exactly which one was Kukutaran. Except that the situation was slightly different from what he had anticipated.
At the spot where the superhuman ought to have been standing was not the man Sian had expected—a man with a shaggy beard and the appearance of a bandit, looking as though he would be drooling over his brother, a perfect target for a beating. If that had been the case, Sian’s fist would already have been flying.
Instead, the person standing there possessed the exact opposite image. Sian looked at Kukutaran, the woman standing beside Rian and smiling brightly, and muttered,
“I thought she was a man, but she’s a woman… Why didn’t anyone tell me this important detail?”
Kukutaran, the first emperor of the empire, was a woman with a very delicate appearance. The well-honed muscles covering her entire body proved that she was by no means weak, but judging by her appearance and height alone, she was no different from any woman of a noble family. Moreover, she was astonishingly beautiful, as if it were a lie.
*Amazing… Even his kidnapper turned out to be a beauty… My brother really is something…*
Unlike his own cursed fate, it seemed that his brother had been struck by blessings in great heaps.
Come to think of it, judging only by the stories he had heard until now, Sian had thought Rian was a complete macho man, so the unexpected figure standing there left him briefly confused. It wasn’t that he hadn’t hit her because she was a woman. He simply hadn’t hit her because the situation was so completely unexpected.
“What… does that really matter? You can just beat her up anyway.”
Steel asked in a tone that suggested she couldn’t see what the problem was. Her younger brother was not the sort of person who would refrain from hitting someone just because they were a woman.
“Wait a moment.”
Since the expression on the older brother standing beside her did not seem particularly pained, Sian decided to hear the circumstances properly first. He approached with a frown, feeling that he would have to change the response he had already decided on, since the situation differed from what he had expected.
☆ ☆ ☆
A simple tent had been set up outside the castle. Sian had no idea what sort of technology had been used to make it, but the materials packed inside a small bag unfolded and assembled in an instant, forming a tent that was quite a sight to behold. More precisely, it was an extremely splendid tent. Perhaps because it was meant for the emperor, but despite being a prefabricated structure, its sturdiness and beauty were beyond description.
And inside it sat four figures.
Kukutar, Steel, Sian, and Rian.
All the other attendants had gone outside to prepare drinks and food.
After speaking with Rian face-to-face, Sian eventually came to a conclusion.
“So… what you’re saying is… you were dragged away by force at first… though not completely by force… and then you grew attached after going there… Is that it…?”
“That’s right. Don’t look at her like that. When you get to know her, she’s actually a pitiful woman.”
“Haa…”
‘This is giving me a stomach ulcer…’
His older brother, Rian, was endlessly merciful toward women. In some ways, he was the very model of a knight who was generous toward ladies, but from Sian’s perspective—who had thrown such things to the dogs—it was impossible not to find him frustrating. His brother was good in every other way, but he was far too weak when it came to women who liked him.
Sian wanted to beat up that Kukuku-whatever woman who had forcibly taken his brother away, but since his brother said he was fine, he felt awkward about hitting her and merely watched. From what he had heard, she didn’t seem to have done anything particularly bad to his brother… and she had apparently taken good care of his family as well…
Besides…
‘Hmm… it doesn’t seem so bad… Why didn’t she take me too…?’
Sian couldn’t tell whether it was truly a bad thing. It was a lifestyle any man would be satisfied with. It might have been different if she had treated him like a slave, but that didn’t seem to be the case… And if he were to play the role of a woman like that’s kitten, he thought he would be extremely happy. With that in mind, Sian looked at Kukutar, who was smiling broadly.
She fed him, gave him a place to sleep, let him do whatever he wanted, and on top of that, he would be with a beauty like her… It was exactly the kind of life Sian considered ideal.
‘Oh… I’m jealous…’
Sian alternated his gaze between his brother and Kukutar, smacking his lips. Seeing that strange look in his eyes, Steel grabbed Sian’s arm until it creaked.
Crack!
“You’re not thinking anything strange, are you…?”
“Gasp! What do you mean, something strange? I was merely thinking about the grand diplomatic statement to come…”
“……”
‘What should I do with that woman…? Later. For now…’
“Ah! Why, what is it?”
Sian decided to change the subject rather than face Steel, who was glaring at him with narrowed eyes.
“Surely… you aren’t planning to keep our brother here indefinitely?”
Kukutar smiled sweetly and replied.
“Well… I suppose I’ll have to give him up now. From the looks of it, the person before me won’t stand by quietly, so what else can I do? It seems it’s time to release my kitten.”
‘…
Wasn’t she supposed to be a warlord? Why is she so sly…?’
The warlords Sian knew, whether male or female, were all quite macho. The woman before him, Kukutar, did not seem like that at all, so Sian wore an uneasy expression. Besides, judging from what she had done to his brother, she had not crossed the line. That meant she had known of Sian’s existence and prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
“Well… Brother, you’re going back now, right? Your wives seem to be over in Crotia, so go on ahead.”
“Sian, aren’t you coming with me?”
“Me? Well… I think I need to talk a little longer with this person here…”
Rian nodded and decided to go inside.
“All right. We’ll discuss the details later.”
After Rian disappeared, only the three of them remained inside the tent.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. In truth, I’ve had many questions.”
Kukutar was the first to speak.
“Hmm… You had many questions?”
Steel asked in puzzlement, watching Kukutar’s strangely calm demeanor.
“Of course. I thought that once I became a superhuman like myself, there would be some group where superhumans gathered and lived together… or something of that sort. Since not a single superhuman had been active until now, I thought perhaps they had their own rules, or that something existed to restrain them. But no one came looking for me.”
“Hmm…”
“That made me curious. Why had the superhumans of the past abandoned such wonderful power and left the mortal world? We can live however we want and do whatever we please. I wondered if there was something I didn’t know. I was terribly curious about it.”
Only then did Steel and Sian realize what made the Kukutar before them so unusual. Kukutar did not regard other people as insignificant creatures. Rather, she could see them as utterly lovable, hate them, and even feel the desire to dominate them. That was why she had built an empire, created a harem, and lived a life of pleasure.
Kukutar was the first individual of the Narija-level species, the species Ragaophe had referred to as monkeys, to be born as an Alpha after driving out the blood of the human race.
“Amazing. To drive out the blood of the human race…”
It meant that she had washed away the blood of the human race with that of a monkey and awakened as an Alpha, which made it especially significant.
“So that’s why I felt this way…”
Steel realized the source of the strange feeling she had sensed from the beginning. That woman called Kukutar was powerful, but she did not feel like someone she could form an emotional bond with, unlike Livias or Groin.
She could also now perfectly understand what Ragaophe had said before. It was not a matter of strength, but of species. Kukutar was more than worthy of being called a noble, but she was not of the same species as them.
That might also have been why Kukutar spoke to them so respectfully. She could not treat them carelessly because they were strong, but she must have felt a certain distance from them. Still, she probably did not know what caused that feeling. Before hearing Ragaophe’s secrets, even Steel herself had been uncertain.
Sian debated whether he should explain this, but in the end decided not to bring it up. Explaining it would make the conversation far too long, and even if he did, little would change.
“Well… in any case… I was uneasy, wondering whether there was something I didn’t know. So after being reborn like this, I can’t tell you how long I searched for others like me. I even needlessly changed the name of my country to Kukutar… I thought that if I made enough of a commotion and enjoyed myself like this, someone would eventually come.”
“……”
“In fact, the most recent superhuman whose traces remained was you, Mr. Sian. So I came here in the hope that I might find a clue, but there was nothing.”
“And you took my brother while you were at it?”
Sian said with a sullen expression.
“Ah… I’m sorry about that. He was exactly my type… Still, I didn’t do anything bad to him.”
“……”
Sian wore a strange expression as he heard words that might have come from a prince who had carried off the princess of a neighboring country—spoken by a beautiful woman.
Watching Sian, Kukutar continued.
“In the end, we’ve met like this. To be honest, I thought I would never meet other superhumans like myself again.”
“Hmm… You saw traces of our migration.”
If they had reached the superhuman realm while fighting at the Great Northern Wall, Kukutar might have found traces of Konrad and Ragaophe fleeing north. From what he had heard from Konrad before, they had not escaped quietly.
At Sian’s words, Kukutar nodded.
“Yes. It made me even more uneasy. I knew there was a group of superhumans, but they had not only abandoned the mortal world—they had suddenly gathered together and moved as a group toward the Great Forest… I could only think that something must be there. Perhaps some catastrophe was about to occur…”
It was a speculation anyone could reasonably make if they knew nothing about the humans of the upper continent or Ragaophe’s plans, so Sian nodded.
“Surely you weren’t thinking of following them?”
Kukutar shook her head.
“No? Hehe. Why would I go there? I don’t know what will happen here, but it’s certain that the depths of that Great Forest are dangerous. I only know that there’s another continent; I don’t know what’s there… And this place is so wonderful. I was merely curious. Why had they left so suddenly…?”
“Hmm…”
“If they fled because some problem had arisen here… then I would need to prepare. Or perhaps follow them and leave this place for good.”
Sian shook his head and said,
“This place is safer. You should stay here.”
If an accident occurred, the Alphas would be the cause, and there was no way she could prepare for them. That was why Sian advised her to remain here.
“You know something, don’t you? But where did you go for five years? I heard you returned to La-Shar-Roa… Did only the two of you return?”
“That’s right.”
“Why did you return?”
Sian frowned. The hellish ordeal he had endured above came back to him once more. But he could not take out his frustration on her, so he looked at Kukutar and answered.
“Well… do you need a reason to return home? I didn’t go there voluntarily. I was dragged along by sheer bad luck.”
Kukutar’s eyes shone with interest.
“There’s something up there, to the north.”
Sian nodded.
“Well… it would be best not to go up there. A great many vicious creatures live there.”
Drakoon, Lukra… Ragaophe had made an excellent choice by leaving those parts out when telling Sian about the past. If he had known, he would never have gone there, Soul Jade or no Soul Jade. Still, the fact that he had been dragged to such a place despite Ragaophe having done nothing to him was enough to make him feel miserable.
“Hmm…”
Unable to get a clear answer, Kukutar narrowed her eyes slightly, but soon shook it off and began making small talk on other subjects.
When their brief conversation ended, Kukutar offered her thanks.
“Thank you. Even so, it seems I’ve achieved my initial purpose. To be honest, I’ve been terribly uneasy all this time. I was afraid something might happen…”
“Well… rest assured.”
Sian’s words did not mean that she could rest assured because everything would be safe from now on. He meant that she might as well be at ease because, even if something happened, it would be difficult to deal with anyway. But there was no need to say that much, so Sian ended the conversation there.
‘Haa… But how am I supposed to stop those Alpha bastards…?’
If something went wrong, he alone would have to deal with them. And if a great war broke out, it would be difficult for him not to be caught up in it, even if he had to protect no one but his family and Lady Steel.
They said the balance of power would keep things safe, but with creatures like that surrounding the continent, it would be a lie to say he felt at ease.
Sian sighed, left Kukutar behind, and headed toward Crotia. Kukutar, for her part, began packing up the tents around her and preparing to leave as well.
Watching her, Steel tossed out a remark.
“Hmm… Little brother Sian, you’re really going to let her go just like that?”
Sian nodded.
“Well… she treated my brother better than I expected. And there’s another reason too.”
“Hmm?”
When Steel looked curious, Sian continued.
“I realized something… I’m much unluckier than I thought.”
“……”
Ignoring the look on Steel’s face that seemed to say, You’re only realizing that now?, Sian continued.
“I won’t always be able to stay by my brother’s side. He should handle his own affairs as much as possible… If I beat her up and she holds a grudge, how would I know what she might do while I’m away?”
Steel spoke brightly, wearing an expression that suggested she could not understand why he was worrying about such a thing.
“Then kill her and be done with it.”
“…
I don’t feel like doing that. And isn’t that what you want, Lady Steel?”
“Tch.”
Since it was not as though he had committed that grave a fault, Sian shrugged and spoke, while Steel let out a dissatisfied voice full of regret.
“I suppose I should go train. Ah… first, I should talk with my family a little longer.”
“Train?”
“Yes.”
Steel forgot his dissatisfaction and looked at Sian with curiosity. Come to think of it, he had never once seen Sian train until now.
Sian took Steel with him and moved into the inner city.
☆ ☆ ☆
“Your Majesty, you have returned.”
Kukkutaran had come back, but instead of going to his harem, he returned to the conference room. Considering Kukkutaran’s pathological hatred of meetings and the like, it was a strange occurrence.
The reason Kukkutaran had come to the conference room was to discuss his future.
More precisely, he wanted to speak with Dekaduin—the new chairman of the Law Assembly, who had risen to the position left vacant by the vanished leader of the Superhumans, Takion, and had devoured the secret organization abandoned by the vanished Superhumans.
Dekaduin was a First-Class Law Master, but aside from Takion, a Superhuman, he was the strongest and had the greatest influence. Above all, he had learned many secrets while assisting Takion. In a way, it was only natural that he would fill the void left by Takion.
“Yeah, I’m back. Whew…”
“How was it? What did you think after seeing him?”
At that, Kukkutaran waved his hands.
“No way. No way at all. I could never beat him. Whew… I was planning to kill him if things came to that… but I didn’t stand a chance. I thought I’d be able to kill him easily since they said he was only twenty-seven…”
“He was that formidable?”
Kukkutaran made a peculiar expression and spoke.
“Actually, I don’t know much about that boy named Sian… but he had this oppressive presence that made me feel I shouldn’t pick a fight with him. And even if we set that boy aside, the woman beside him was even more frightening.”
“Did the woman seem stronger?”
“I don’t know whether the man or the woman was stronger… but she didn’t seem to have very good feelings toward me. And she was definitely stronger than I am.”
He had been able to sense it the moment he saw her. Something about her was different. He had not even dared to challenge her. It was not as though he had been able to see or judge the opponent’s skill and reached that conclusion. His soul had simply been frantically warning him that if he attacked, he might be torn to pieces and killed.
Hearing that, Dekaduin smiled.
“That is a relief.”
“Indeed… It was a good thing I didn’t treat that child Rian carelessly, just as you advised.”
Rian thought that Kukkutaran had treated her well and cherished her because he was favorably disposed toward her, but that was not the case at all. It was true that he did favor her, but Kukkutaran was the sort of person who believed that everything belonging to him had to submit to his rule. Even so, he had not treated Rian carelessly because of Dekaduin’s advice.
Dekaduin had shaken his head.
It had been an excellent choice. If Rian had said even a single word back then, the man named Sian would have beaten him senseless as though he had been waiting for an excuse. And if he had tried to play the hostage game, he would have been crushed into minced flesh.
Dekaduin opened his mouth as he watched Kukkutaran shudder.
“So… did you gain anything?”
Kukkutaran wore an ambiguous expression.
“Well… I accomplished the objective, more or less. First, we learned that we must never touch those newcomers… and that they did not migrate here because of some crisis in this place. That’s about it.”
“That is a relief, at least.”
Dekaduin exhaled. Although he had been Takion’s closest confidant, Takion had never told him very much. No—in truth, it did not feel as though Takion was hiding things from him. It felt more as though he thought there was no point in telling Dekaduin because knowing would make no difference. Whenever that happened, Dekaduin felt utterly wretched.
Perhaps for that reason, Takion had never told them why they were trying to go upward. And so, after Takion vanished, Dekaduin had always lived in fear that something might happen to the continent.
He did not know why they intended to go, but one thing was certain: migration was difficult. Whatever might exist in the Great Forest, the great Superhuman Takion had always sought a way to migrate while filled with concern. Sian had thought that Kukkutaran had learned of the Superhumans’ migration after seeing traces of it, but in fact, Dekaduin had told him.
Now that they knew the continent was safe, only one problem remained.
Kukkutaran was not the sort of person who would ever leave a dangerous element behind. When he thought he was the only Superhuman on the continent, he had always been relaxed. He knew instinctively that no one could even dream of rebelling against him.
That was why, upon hearing that a new Superhuman had appeared, he had gone to confirm it immediately. If they were Superhumans like him, they were more than capable of threatening him, so he had to identify the opponent and formulate countermeasures. Unfortunately, the newcomers were powerful beings beyond the limits of his perception.
They did not seem overtly hostile toward him, but from Kukkutaran’s perspective, the very existence of such immensely powerful beings was a threat. If things went awry, they could come for his head at any moment. Though he had not shown it in front of Sian and Steel, Kukkutaran found it unbearably humiliating to have to address his opponents respectfully every single time.
“Did you find out what lies above?”
Kukkutaran shook his head.
“No. He wouldn’t tell me anything. It didn’t feel like a secret… It felt more like, ‘Even if you knew, it wouldn’t do you any good, so just live quietly without knowing.’ Damn it! Talking about it is getting me angry all over again!”
Kukkutaran scowled. Dekaduin, who knew that feeling all too well, gave a bitter smile.
“Well… I may not know what lies above, but after hearing what that man named Sian said, it seems there is no danger from that direction that will affect this place. That is our conclusion, so let’s leave them alone and simply continue what we were doing. There is no need to provoke them for no reason.”
At that, Dekaduin nodded.
“Understood.”
“I’m going to the harem to have some fun, so make sure you do your work properly. Ah… If there are any children who disobey or rebel, let me know.”
“Yes.”
Dekaduin gave a bitter smile. There would not be anyone who rebelled anyway. Everyone had seen what happened to those who had rebelled at the Grand Law Assembly the last time—how Kukkutaran had ground them to pieces.
‘What an ignorant brute…’
He always felt this way, but Superhumans truly were far too violent. Unlike the other Superhumans, this woman showed an intense interest in humans, which had its advantages. But in some ways, that made her even more dangerous. The other Superhumans had no interest in humans whatsoever, whereas this woman was deeply interested in them.
But Dekaduin had no other alternative, so he decided to remain aboard this ship a little longer.