- Hio Pavlenko, guardian knight of the Empire. Hear me.
Beneath the sun that had only just begun to rise.
The will of the new Empress, Sylvia Verden, rang out through the mouth of the Sword Saint Vitalianus.
- The coronation is not far off. The moment of utmost glory is not far off. How could my knight, who represents the Empire, be absent at such a moment?
- It is only right that the most glorious knight attend the most glorious seat. The shield that protects the Empire and its sharpest sword, Hio Pavlenko. My knight.
- Return once more and stand by my side.
- …Of course! It would make me really happy if you came, but it’s fine even if you don’t! Yes. It really is fine. Don’t you have things to do? There are plenty of knights in the palace, and they’re all on my side now, so you don’t need to worry! Of course, if Hio were beside me when I enter the ceremonial hall, I’d feel incredibly reassured, but… Hio is busy, so you don’t have to think too much about it! Ah, Sir Mahel. Please don’t read this part in front of the others, and only secretly tell Hio…….
Hio smiled faintly with his head bowed.
“I suppose I’ll have to go.”
Morning had dawned.
* * *
「Achievement Accomplished! - Protect the Academy!」
「You acquire 110 points for accomplishing an achievement」
「You have exerted a great influence on Imenia Academy」
「You acquire 80 points due to increased fame」
「The story of ‘the Guardian Knight who appeared in Imenia’ spreads」
「You acquire 2 points due to increased fame」
「You acquire 2 points due to increased fame」
…….
The Black Fang’s raid on Imenia Academy.
The tragedy that had resulted from it.
It was not something that could be easily passed over.
It was something that must not be easily passed over.
“War will be declared at the same time as the coronation.”
Imenia Academy was one of the Empire’s important institutions.
If the Empire stood still after it had been attacked so openly, it would become a laughingstock.
In the end, war again.
But it would likely be quite different from when this had been a game.
Because this was not a meaningless war of conquest, but a war against the Black Fang waged under a clear cause.
On top of that, if they could eliminate Ataolf and wipe out the Black Fang’s forces through such a war, preparing for the future would become far easier.
“Sylvia’s going to have it rough too. To think she became Emperor in an era like this of all times.”
She would declare war against the Black Fang the moment she ascended the throne, and even once that ended, she would soon be racking her brains over the Abyss.
Having risen as Emperor in the worst era, it would not be easy.
Well, even so, he did think she was the best Emperor suited for such an era. With Sylvia’s abilities, they would be able to combine all their strength without petty power struggles or internal strife and focus solely on the Abyss.
- Since she is about to become Emperor now, would it not be about time to reveal a few things to her?
Hio nodded at Purnell’s words.
“I was planning to anyway.”
The Abyss.
For now, it was information known only to the possessed, but now that Sylvia had ascended the throne and formed strong imperial authority based on her own abilities, it should be fine to receive her help.
It would not be bad to have the Abyss directly managed under the name of the Empire by Sylvia’s order either.
“And there are a lot of things I’ve learned in various ways.”
Witnessing the battle between the Sword Saint and Ataolf with his own eyes had certainly helped.
At first, he had thought that even if Ataolf came, it would be a fight they could handle well enough.
Even excluding the summoning of the Death God, he had no less than two top-tier skills.
In the world of Ventair, a top-tier skill was, literally, a symbol of strength one could only obtain by grinding away for years.
Since he had two of those, he had been quite confident.
But what about Ataolf, whom he had faced in person?
Though they were of the same top tier, the power contained within was different. Even though Hio possessed three top-tier skills, he had been unable to break through a single skill and had only run around fleeing.
It was clearly different from when this had been a game.
Back then, if you had more mana and more top-tier skills, you won the fight.
But this place was not a game. It was reality.
Which meant that, unlike in the game, it was possible to climb even higher than the top tier.
- Perhaps there is another grade above the top tier. In the end, even skills depend on how the one who wields them refines and tempers them.
Though what was given might fall from the heavens as if predetermined, the one who had to nurture, polish, and refine it was ultimately oneself.
- Ataolf’s black mist contained will. Like a superhuman of the seventh rank or higher, or an archmage of the seventh circle or higher.
“Will, huh.”
The Sword Saint had said something similar.
That in order to cut Ataolf’s mist, one had to imbue one’s own will into the blade.
“What exactly is that?”
Purnell’s voice answered Hio’s question calmly.
- How would I know? If I knew that, I would have become an archmage of the seventh circle myself. The realm of superhumans and archmages is the realm of enlightenment, and it seems that man called Ataolf applied it to his own skill. Putting good and evil aside, it is an impressive feat.
“…Right. I see.”
In any case, his words only sounded plausible. If one listened closely, he was ultimately saying he knew nothing.
Why did he have to make not knowing sound so grandiose?
…At any rate, there was something else he had gained as well.
“I also learned a bit more about the penalty.”
The hidden trait, ‘Violence Is Not Allowed!’, caused a penalty when he wounded or harmed the body of an intelligent lifeform.
The beings of the Black Fang that had already become Ataolf’s black mist.
He had known from the start that they could not be considered living creatures, so he would not receive a penalty for dealing with them.
But the Death God. In other words, Kkingkking, taking mana or other energies away… he had wondered if that would trigger the penalty.
Yet even that had not triggered the penalty.
For Hio, it was quite welcome news.
- It seems to be because you did not inflict physical damage, does it not?
“Probably. The key point is physical damage.”
Saying that, Hio rose from his seat.
“I should head back out now.”
Outside, cleanup was in full swing.
Searching for survivors, tending to the injured.
Clearing away the debris of collapsed buildings… and the bodies.
The heavy aftermath that always followed once a war was over.
Just as Hio was about to leave the room.
Knock, knock—
A knock sounded one step ahead of him.
Before he could answer, the door swung open.
The one who entered was an unfamiliar man he had never seen before in his life.
However.
“…….”
Hio’s expression sank sharply when he saw him.
“Hio Pavlenko.”
An unfamiliar appearance and an unfamiliar voice.
And yet.
“I missed you.”
For some reason, that smiling gaze was familiar.
Those eyes, at least, were a scarlet he had definitely seen before.
“…Ailights.”
It was Ailights.
* * *
Ailights naturally sat down across from Hio.
Hio’s cold voice fell upon her.
“Do you even know what you’ve done, Ailights?”
“Yes. Of course.”
Her attitude was so unabashed that he found himself at a loss for words instead.
“…I see. So you’re one of that side too. The ones Sirbert talked about.”
Those who did not accept reality as reality and turned away from it, calling it a game.
Those who, because they thought that way, felt not the slightest pang of conscience.
“Still deluding yourselves into thinking this place is inside a game…….”
But at Hio’s words, Ailights tilted her head.
“Hm? There are people who delude themselves into thinking this is inside a game? You mean there are idiots like that calling themselves rankers?”
“…….”
Once again, he was rendered speechless.
“…Then you committed such acts even while knowing this was reality.”
She had manipulated the First Prince’s Legion to cause countless deaths and chaos, led Theordo to his death.
And even passed Sirbert’s information to the Black Fang.
Was she saying she had done all of that while knowing it was real?
Ripples spread across his once-calm heart.
…Why?
For what?
Those questions arose first, but he did not bother asking them.
Because he instinctively knew he would not hear a proper answer.
Instead.
“Speak, Ailights. What else did you hand over to the Black Fang?”
Just what was she plotting in league with the Black Fang?
What reward had she been promised, and what had she handed over for it?
To that question, Ailights answered without the slightest hesitation.
“Hmm… regarding this incident, Sirbert’s information and the academy guard deployment chart. Also the rough level and abilities of the professors?”
There was no hint of mischief in it.
She answered seriously, with a serious face.
“…Ha.”
It was absurd.
Even so, he could not impose sanctions immediately.
The one before him was undoubtedly Ailights, but the body she used likely belonged to an innocent person.
In the end, he found himself asking.
“Why, exactly?”
What reason did she have to go that far for the Black Fang?
What could Ailights, who had maintained third place in the rankings, possibly lack?
“What do you mean, why?”
Ailights still wore an expression as if nothing were wrong.
“Because it’s the fastest way.”
She answered calmly.
“Rather than waiting for the Black Fang to move first, it’s better to induce them to. Even if I handed over a little information about Sirbert, it didn’t seem like he would die from that… In the end, isn’t it a gain?”
“So… you knew this would happen?”
“Yes. I believed you would handle Ataolf somehow. It’s unfortunate he slipped away, but, well, the result wasn’t bad.”
Ailights was saying she had done it hoping for this outcome.
For the Black Fang to overreach and raid the academy, and for the Empire to move as a result.
For the imperial army to step forward in earnest by using the tragedy at the academy.
“…Do you have any idea how many people died this time?”
“Well, that couldn’t be helped. If the Black Fang is dealt with late anyway, victims will appear somewhere else.”
“It was hasty and a reckless gamble. If Ataolf hadn’t come, it would have ended as a one-sided massacre without dealing them any meaningful blow.”
That was what made the Black Fang terrifying.
The main body of the black mist was Ataolf.
In other words, no matter how much of the Black Fang’s black mist was destroyed, the damage dealt would be minimal.
If the Sword Saint had not inflicted a serious blow on Ataolf at the end, it could truly have ended meaninglessly.
Even at Hio’s words, Ailights answered with the same calmness as ever.
“But since they attacked one of the Empire’s major institutions, it would have ultimately become a reason for the army to move, wouldn’t it?”
“If Vitalianus hadn’t come, we would have been annihilated by Ataolf.”
“Come on. For saying that, you fought far too well, didn’t you? Modesty doesn’t look bad on you, but it feels a little unfamiliar. Supreme Heavenly Demon.”
Their conversation did not come together and only circled around.
Their ways of thinking were different.
“If you had just… stayed ordinary like everyone else, I would have dealt with the Black Fang somehow.”
“Like everyone else…….”
At those words, Ailights’s expression stiffened, if only for a very brief moment.
It lasted an instant, and soon she put on that familiar smiling gaze.
“But I wanted to look good in your eyes, Supreme Heavenly Demon.”
That smile made anger surge up within him.
“Do you think I would like that kind of behavior?”
“…Hm? It was the fastest method to deal with the Black Fang… Isn’t that what you wanted?”
“Let me make this clear, then.”
Rising from the sofa and picking up the staff beside him, Hio spoke directly to Ailights.
“You are the worst, Ailights.”
He rotated his circles and raised his staff. He was about to activate Cancellation, as he had before.
“Do you think I won’t be able to find where you’re hiding just because it takes some time?”
There was Jason, the head of the information guild, and though it was a crude method, tracking her mana backward was possible.
Returning to the Magic Tower and learning a spell to locate her would be one way as well.
“I absolutely have to catch you and make sure you can’t do anything.”
If he tossed her onto an empty floor of the Magic Tower, it would be perfect for imprisoning Ailights, who had no circles.
Her ideology was dangerous.
Even if, in her own mind, she had done it for a goal, if her method was like this, what meaning was there in the result achieved that way?
It was truly a result for the sake of a result.
A result with only the shell left.
Just as he was about to activate Cancellation.
“W-wait! I’m sorry!”
Ailights waved her hands, visibly flustered.
“I did something wrong, didn’t I? I’m sorry! Please don’t hate me!”
The sight of her climbing onto the sofa and even kneeling on it was truly extreme.
“I thought you would like it, Supreme Heavenly Demon! I thought you’d praise me and say I did well… I was wrong. Okay? Then I’ll think of another way, so please don’t hate me, all right?”
“…Don’t hate you?”
Ailights nodded vigorously.
“Yes! I’ll really do well this time. What should I do? I’ll do anything you tell me to! Really.”
At that attitude and behavior, a rather decent idea suddenly came to mind.
“You can really do anything I tell you?”
“Yes! Of course! Should I just come there right now? It’s a bit far, but if you wait just a little…….”
“No. More importantly.”
Hio approached Ailights and whispered lowly.
“Then Ataolf must trust you quite a bit, right?”
“That’s right! The information I handed over this time was accurate, so I should have built up a fair amount of trust!”
“Good. Then lure Ataolf out.”
“Lure him out? To where?”
“Anywhere. Get him out of Baal Forest.”
Baal Forest.
Also known as the Forest of Mist. Or the Cursed Forest.
The stronghold of the Black Fang and Ataolf’s domain.
It was the reason why even the Empire had thus far been unable to rashly touch the Black Fang.
If they drew Ataolf out of that place and waged war, things would become twice as easy.
“That’s all? Then you won’t hate me?”
“Yeah. But lure him out for certain. Time it properly. I’ll trust you to handle that.”
“Yes! Don’t worry. I’m good at luring people.”
As if to prove those words, the scarlet light in her eyes deepened in an instant.
It met Hio’s gaze.
「Mental intrusion detected」
「Trait - ‘Can’t Live Without Style!’ activates」
Even though the trait ‘Can’t Live Without Style!’, which had high resistance to mental attacks, had activated, the dense scarlet light still burrowed in.
At the unpleasant sensation of his heart being forced to pound.
Hio frowned and tapped Ailights on the head with his staff.
“Quit the useless tricks and prepare properly. We’ll be going to strike Ataolf right after the coronation.”
“Yes! Then if I do well, will you love me?”
“…Just do it first.”
“Yes! I’ll do really well! I love you!”
As Hio was searching for what to say to those eyes, which somehow seemed to be filling more and more with madness.
“Wait, someone’s coming. I think it’s Ataolf. Yes. I’ll contact you again, Supreme Heavenly Demon! No, Hio Pavlenko! I love you! I love you!”
After shouting that.
“…….”
The body lost strength and slumped limply.
Hio shook his head and looked down at the man who had been Ailights for a short while.
Then, he soon put on his mage’s hat and walked toward the door.
Was this really the right choice…….
“Haa…….”
He was not certain.