“‘Once both artifacts leave the floor through their usage, the floor will be destroyed by the dungeon master along with everything on it. A heavy penalty debuff will be applied to everybody remaining on the floor.’ That rule is the basis behind my theory that we may all be able to survive, as long as one of us has the ability to transcend floors and hand over the key after each usage,” I began as I explained my thoughts and the possibility of surviving this death trap. “However, how are we supposed to do this when rule two states ‘Leaving the dungeon in any other way aside from these artifacts will result in death through the dungeon master’s choice?’ That’s why the only answer to this problem is [Space-Time Magic].”
“Hmm, that’s why you placed that grey magic circle down, huh?” King Fugnarus inspected the magic circle I placed in front of me. “However, how can you be sure you’ll survive it? Sorry if I get this wrong, not a mage after all, but isn’t that the circle for [Warp Point]? The simple, two way portal?”
I nodded.
“That spell takes a lot of mana to maintain it … Depending on how far down the next floor is, you might just kill yourself before you can rescue everybody. Distance, time, they both bring up the mana cost, from what I read.” Even for a non-mage, King Fugnarus had basic knowledge on how some spells worked, which makes sense as warriors knowing which spells took shorter or longer to cast could help them stop a mage.
While I appreciated his worry, I couldn’t accept it. “Unless you have another idea, this is the only way we all survive. That’s my goal, and I’m not budging from it.”
“Meoschaera, please!” I turned around to one of the elves, addressing me as “princess” in elvish. “You have no need to sacrifice your own self for these … We saw that rogue attack you. If they raise their hands against you, you have no need to treat them with courtesy. The gods witnessed their savagery!”
Urgh … it’s been a while since I spoke with a less ‘worldy’ elf.
While it was true Peolyncians across the world were quite religious, the elven nation took things far enough that Tasianna compared the elven kingdom Saelarial to a theocracy due to their worship of all Origin Gods and their role in society. It also didn’t help how, aside from Artorias-integrated elves, the ones I met have been pretty uptight and holier-than-thou.
“You heard the king, elf,” but to defend and excuse their actions, Lautrex spoke up. “Whatever … Her Highness is attempting to do what will most likely not work. Four parties will die. You call Sir Hayato a rogue, I argue he tried to assu—”
The elves drew their arrows, aiming their bows at the knight. “Always with these petty excuses, human. Never taking responsibilities for your own actions, also bla—”
“Haireti,” I called the elves out, calling them by the name of the elven ranger corps—Forest Phantoms, or Haireti. They did not stand down, but they perked their ears in my direction. “What are your names?”
“Astello, my lady.”
“Ihrwin, your grace.”
The first was slightly taller than the second, but outside of their ears poking out of their hoods, I couldn’t make out anything else about their physical features, not even being able to tell if they were wind or high elves, although I was pretty sure they weren’t dark elves since their skin wasn’t grey. Fitting for forest rangers, they had long dark green cloaks hiding leather and wood bark armor, obscuring their entire body, even to the point I couldn't tell if they had backup weapons.
As such, I couldn’t exactly tell their mood aside from their actions and the tone of their voices. Still, regardless of the historical animosity Saelariel felt towards humans, none of that mattered here.
“Mr. Astello. Mr. Ihrwin. Why exactly did you accompany Ankoran King Fugnarus down into the dungeon?” I asked, causing both to momentarily turn their heads around, only to refocus on Lautrex.
“We were ordered by our king, King Elutis Anduriol from Saelariel, to come to your rescue after we heard there were complications in the [Menagerie of Golems]. Due to our alliance to Kargryx and your father, Empero—”
“She’s telling you to listen to her and just put the damn bows down, yfleis!” A sudden interruption came from one of the dwarves, specifically, the samurai-looking one who was standing behind King Fugnarus like a shadow. He tapped his feet on the ground, impatient at how slow this was going. “For bladdarg elves, ya two sure are dull.”
Outraged, they dropped their aggression at Lautrex and snapped around, shouting “Mundari?!” only for the Ankoran King to silence them all with a deep, booming shout. Like a commander, his voice carried the authority to not only force everybody to listen to him, but also make sure they remained quiet.
Thanks, I quietly thanked him.
“Ungi, your tongue doesn’t need to be as sharp as your blade.” After he chastised his bodyguard, he turned back to me. “You came here for these kids, but it seems like something happened with how that brat is looking at you. Mind filling me in, Hestia?”
I nodded, also thinking Takuma is giving me too much of a stink eye, before eyeing Kyouya who had lost his arm to him, and how Kyouya was touching his neck after it was sliced opened. “Sure, but, I have to handle something first.”
King Fugnarus nodded his head before I turned around to Takuma, before pointing his attention to Yuuko, who was still unconscious in Ichiyo’s arms. I then turned back to Lautrex.
“It seemed none of you believe I am a blessed, even after I told you plain to your faces. Not only did you hurt my friends, but you also threatened to leave us to die by taking the keys. Still, I forgive you all, because I understand.” My unexpected answer caused Aiko, Takuma, and Lautrex—the only conscious people of the coup—to widen their eyes. “I understand why you are so paranoid. I hurt Yuuko-san, and for that, I am sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt any of you, and I meant it when I told you this before. That food I shared? I was happy to do so, even to you, Sir Lautrex. People deserve good food, nobody deserves to starve. That I believe.”
I looked over at Vifi’Yok for a moment, before I gestured to Kyouya for him to come over. He sighed, picked up his severed arm and showed it to me. Unfortunately, during the fight, it was stomped on multiple times to the point the bones were completely broken. Well, it was nothing a bit of [Miraculous Grace] couldn’t heal.
I could probably regrow him a new arm, but that was a waste of mana and resources from his body. Doing it this way was much faster and showcased my skills better.
Ignoring the stunned Aiko, I attached Kyouya’s arm back on him and healed it up, before patting him on his back for hanging on well. While doing so, I was contemplating if I should ask the students to empty their storage out, but this probably wasn’t the correct timing. I needed their trust due to the uncertainty of my plan. I had to snuff out any possibility of betrayal to assure everything would work out as I wanted to.
First, I told King Fugnarus I wouldn’t hold him responsible, telling him the moment I entered the dungeon, my life was my own responsibility. That was the adventurer way, and blaming somebody else was just weak. Yes, he should have made sure his dungeon master wasn’t secretly assassinated and then taken over, but that was hindsight at the end of the day.
Instead, I told him what I knew.
“… That blasted Maagneil is actually still alive? And he’s the one who caused all of this?!” The dwarven king’s eyes grew wide in rage after he took off his helmet, looking like he was about to eviscerate somebody. However, he calmed down, instead his face looked pensive. “A ‘rebellion orb,’ you say? Those nasty, dungeon agitating catalysts? I heard Folschreck has had their fair share of issues with those. Demonkins, huh?”
“Nonsense.” However, my recollection of everything that had happened to me in the last dungeon up till my party’s landing in the Event one was quickly dismissed after I was finished by Lautrex. Ha! I haven’t even told him about Crustacia, the elemental emperor, nor Vifi’Yok true identity.
Regardless, I heard him out.
“Why would the demonkins try to attack Ankor-Nazta? We are already pushing them back, but they are trying to antagonize even more people?”
“… But, Sir Lautrex, then how are we here in the first place?” Surprisingly, Takuma was the one who spoke up. “We learned from our tutors that dungeon walls cannot be broken. They are indestructible unless the dungeon master wills it. How else … unless, the dragon is the real—”
“Brat, I swear to the Earth Mother, shut up!” King Fugnarus shouted at him.
The dude had a moment of clarity and he blew it?!
Enraged, King Fugnarus took a step forward towards Takuma. “Fugnarus Kongun; that is my name. My relative is Dravlia Kongun, also known as Goddess Chihiro, the Revolution Queen. An otherworlder just like you came from a nation called Japan. Nippon. Unlike her who was a reincarnator, I heard your title allows you to automatically translate everything I say. [Otherworldly Visitor], wasn't it? Then, listen here.”
He kneeled down, now eye level with the boy. “Do you actually know anything? Are you presuming this royalty here is guilty of everything the Empire wrote in that ‘newspaper’ of theirs? From whom did you receive this information?”
“… T-the church of Aurena,” Takuma meekly answered, prompting Franz to suddenly interject.
“Are you seriously telling me all of you actually believed what they told you? Every bit? Are you serious?”
“They are the only ones who have been mostly helping us!”
“They’re using us just like the imperial nobles! Like everybody else in this world! You can’t be serious!” Franz stormed up, pulling Takuma up by his armor’s scruff. “You have no idea just how much I want to punch you right now.”
“Same.”
“No, no, this is far more personal than you think. You’re supposed to be smart. Where did all those high scores get you to, Takuma, huh? A little pawn listening to the wishes of the church’s pope? Thinking they are our allies?” Franz pushed him down, now directing his attention at Aiko and Yuuko’s party. “All of you! Especially you guys, Ichiyo! Where has all our distrust for the church gone? All of us wanted to flee from the church, but the moment we learned it’s impossible, you all decided to just ride the train? Ha! I thought I was paranoid about analyzing everybody’s weaknesses in case I had to one day exploit them, but I really was naive! I never thought we would turn against each other!”
“You’re the one who switched sides!” Takuma shouted, only for Tatsuya to suddenly kick him in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Nice one, dude. I was about to do the same.
“Tatsuya!” Aiko shouted, but Kyouya quickly went over to her to quieten her down, allowing Tatsuya to speak.
“Here’s the thing, everybody knows I hate Daisy. And I still do, even after we had the chance to speak, but I understand his position now. Here’s the thing, I know you ordered Chifuya, Hayato, and Natsume to attack us, Takuma. You have always been the person with the honeyed words.” Tatsuya pulled him back up and gave him a right hook to the face, sending Takuma back onto the ground. “So thank you, for making me feel bad when I instinctively drove my spear into her stomach. We fucking talked at lengths on how to deal with some bandits back at our second assembly, and it seemed like that bloodthirst of yours influenced everybody else. Are we killing each other now, Takuma, huh?! Not only Peolyncians, but the people we’ve known for four years now?!”
He then snapped his head to the other members of the coup-d’etat. “But don’t think any of you will get out of this with a slap on the hands. He might have cajoled you, but none of you decided to use your brains for a moment! Mind washing? If we actually were ‘Aurena’s Chosen,’ you think she would make us this weak against it? No. You are at fault. You tried to kill Kyouya, Hestia, and me. And you’re blaming us?”
Bad cop, good cop. This is the correct way. They know Tatsuya better, so having him say all the things I’m holding back delivers the message better.
“W-we didn’t mean to!” Aiko tried to stand up, but she immediately tensed up when she saw the elves had their arrows trained at her. Pale and terrified, she sat back down, shivering so wildly it was hard to hear her. “W-we just didn’t want to die. W-we—”
Takuma spat blood at Tatsuya’s foot, pushing himself back up despite being tied up. “Two teams! Two parties are allowed to live, you bastard! You think it was that easy to persuade everybody?! Fuck no! But, I want to live! I have a company to lead when I go back to Earth, and am not letting anybody in this world steal that away from me! I will NOT die in this third world crap of a place! Do you think I want you all to die here?! Hell no! Ichiyo, say something!”
“… We’re on her side.” The only boy in Yuuko’s party sheepishly looked at me, only for him to twitch when Ryuji and Shiko patted him on the back.
Ryuji sighed deeply. “We heard it, dude. You made your decision on who to trust, and there is no shame to it. Stand straight, say it outloud, and announce it. If you think about it clearly, the fault for this entire feud is on your end as, instead of trying to talk, you immediately went to attack her. How would it have felt if you managed to kill her with that Galg and later learned she was innocent and just a good person?”
“Kuek!” The bruised up Chifuya, Natsume, Hayato lowered their heads, grimacing and gulping at that very thought.
“Stop it!” Takuma jerked his body forward, elevated by the tension between the classmates. “We. Are. Not. At. Fault. Here! We are in the right! All of you, stop trying to listen to these idiots who think they got it all figured out, because they don’t! You think we could just leave our fate to that dragon? That dragon the church knows more about than us? She is the one who is driving a wedge between all of us! She is the—Uurrgh!”
In the end, Franz couldn’t hold himself back. With a straight punch, he knocked Takuma on his back. He then stomped on his face, preventing the latter from resisting at all.
Looking down at the groaning young man, Franz swept back his grey hair. “… You still didn’t answer my question. Did you really think the church is our ally? Then, how about I tell you something; the Church of Aurena has been under the control of the demonkins since we arrived in this world.”
“What …?” The students went speechless, unable to process what he had just revealed. Sadly for them, the bomb wasn’t done detonating.
“Correct. It wasn’t Goddess Aurena who summoned us into this world, it was the demonkins using the power of the Edjurl gods. They don't have the power to send us back to Earth.”
With the exception of King Fugnarus and his bodyguard, the elves and dwarves looked around and whispered in surprise, confused at this reveal. After all, this was still pretty classified information, but it was honestly okay to reveal right now. Vifi’Yok, on the other hand, could only sigh and sit down.
“How do I know? I’ve been doing my research, never standing still the moment we arrived in the Empire. The moment they wanted to send us into war like child soldiers, I’ve never given them an inkling of my trust. Manipulators, the lot of them, and we are their propaganda. What exactly is their plan with us? I don’t know, but I know if we had actually killed my co—Mhrm, Hestia. If we had killed her, we would have lost our only one true ally.”
“You are being mind controlled …” Takuma expressed his suspicion, all while eating dirt. “You’re talking about all this crap about the demonkins, but you’re telling us this city destroying dragon is our ally? How, huh?”
“Because I’m a reincarnator, you idiot. How long does it take for you to finally get the fucking memo?” I snapped at him, before taking out the video recorder. “Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor. I told you already! Or, has Saori not taught you anything about Greek myth? Or, how about the ‘Atsuko’ part about my name? Do you want me to explain to you the katakana? Or, how about this: Ich bin eine Amerikanerin. I am an American. Amerika-jin desu. I can continue speaking in German, English, Japanese, or, do you want some Korean?”
[“Are you sure?”] Franz suddenly spoke with me telepathically.
[“If this is the only way to drill it into their thick brains, then sure! This fucking arrogant bastard!”] I glared at Takuma, wanting to feel the same sensation of punching him like Tatsuya and Franz.
“… Are you kidding me?”
However, there was one person who wasn’t so quiet, and that was Lautrex.
“What you are sayin—”
“The Pope is the Prince of Envy, Sir Knight. Want to know my source for that? How about the fact Goddess Aurena herself warned me of that? Or, how there was actually one truth in the newspaper, and that was how he saw us break into his room. How was I there? Well, he was the one who brought us there; in fact, there shouldn’t even be any other witnesses who saw us as my mother, Empress Melloxtressa, can reflect light with her scales, making us invisible.”
I straightened my back and turned the video recorder on, showing Aiko and Takuma the videos I recorded with it. Everything I showed Yuuko’s party, I showed them, even the one with the hot spring. Once it was done, I put the recorder back into my storage before taking a step back.
“As I said, I will bring everybody out of this alive, so trust me. King Fugnarus.” I handed him one of the data chips, entrusting him with it. “Then, hopefully, we can do this. If this won’t work then—”
“We can wait, lass. I will take this as my punishment for sending you into that death trap with that rank S dragonslayer. We got the rations to last us for weeks. Enough to share, too.” His eyes widened a bit, though, as he remembered something he wanted to ask me. “Right, if you see the other half of the rescue party, tell them we’re okay. We lost nobody on our side.”
“Other half?”
He nodded. “My wife … she went behind my back and informed everybody about your disappearance. Loatryx, Artorias, Estralia, and Yeos were quick to send their people to help me, with Saelariel barely able to, as King Elutis’s advisor told him to not send too many rangers. We had around 56 members, including the six you see here.”
A chill went down my spine. “… Perchance, can you remember the number of humans and dragonewts who joined you?”
He raised an eyebrow, shaking his head, but instead his bodyguard had the answer to my question.
“28, your grace.”
And my eyes widened in horror as I remembered the System message I received on the deaths of exactly 28 humans and beastmen. Looking at me stuttering, trying to process the news, only made King Fugnarus pester me until I finally told him what was wrong, much to the shock of him and his party.
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
They wanted to make sure I was absolutely certain about it, but I nodded, telling them it was part of my blessing from Aurena. Seeing no reason why I would lie, all of them slowly accepted the truth, but some seemed to be grieving for the people they lost.
“… Then Goddess Kronnaz better be our witness then,” King Fugnarus stated with a neutral tone. “Aye, those humans weren’t my people, but King Artorias, President Reajaen, and Prince Markval entrusted their knights’ and warrior’s lives to me. Not to mention Loatryx … if an elf or dwarf had also died, then … hopefully your plan works, Hestia. I don’t think I have the patience with the key in my hand.”
“W-wait, please—”
The students tried to protest but King Fugnarus glared at them, silencing them before they could speak.
Only Takuma was able to complain. “Now we have to trust our lives on these strangers. Dammit, I should have bided my time, instead of sending Hayato in to—Ark!”
Franz stomped Takuma to silence him, again. “And you may continue biding your time, otherwise I’ll actually put mana into my leg to knock those teeth of yours out.”
I ignored them and took a deep breath. I went outside the temple, joining Rajah as I stroked him. He entered my shadow before I turned to Tatsuya, Kyouya, Franz, and Vifi’Yok. Kyouya’s uneasy frown made it clear he was conflicted on the matter.
“… Aiko-san didn’t seem to take the news too well. Ichiyo probably is okay, since you healed Yuuko-san but …” He scratched his neck, before touching his formerly severed arm. “A-are you sure this will work? I know they backstabbed us, but I still don’t want them to die. I-I don’t think Haruka would be able to handle it …”
“It’s all up to luck now, if this’ll work. I mean, the dungeon master could just change the rules in a matter of seconds, you know?” Vifi’Yok just had to scare me with that thought, but it was entirely possible.
Franz pointed at the [Warp Point: Exit] I placed down inside the temple. “Nothing in life is 100% guaranteed except in a highly isolated and prepped location or environment. Well, then again, a 99.99999% chance is effectively 100% … If we don’t forge ahead, nothing will work. A bit of risk to maintain some integrity is alright.”
“Well … you should be the person to say that,” Tatsuya sighed, looking like he was about to start another fight, but he shook his head. “You were the one who asked us not to start killing the bandits. Although I went along with the decision, it still felt so naive.”
“As I said, not everything is 100%. It did make me aware that even if you have lofty goals and ambitions, if you don’t have the connections, power, or ability, the world doesn’t care about you. We are all insignificant little pebbles in this entire world, until we take the reins in our own hands to lead us forward.”
“Franz?” His sudden monologue made him too much of a doomer for me to take in easily. Noticing my worry, he shook his head.
“It’s what my father always said to me … I always fought back against it. How ironic that I finally understood what he meant, despite how nihilistic his philosophy was. A terrible, grotesque person and parent he might be, but he didn’t get to the top without some kind of plan.” His tense face turned pensive, looking back at the nervous students. “The Church of Aurena isn’t the only thing that must change. It is the whole Empire as well. To its very core, it is beyond rotten and corrupt, damaging the good people living on the surface, minding their own business. You have a tough Quest, cousin.”
“Haha, true enough …” I shook my head, noticing Vifi’Yok eyes turning down, sullen and dejected, at our words. I slapped my cheeks, clearing my head up, before turning to Vifi. “I don’t know where we will land, but the moment we do, I will need your help, alright? Can I count on you and that you won’t just run away?”
The demonkin turned her head up, showing me her entire open palm. “Five bags full of donuts after we’re done, alright? Free, each with a different topping or preparation method. I want them after we’re done so I can depart right away, alright?”
“My god, what sort of rancid sweet tooth do you have?” Tatsuya grimaced, looking disgusted at her. “You’ll rot your teeth if you eat that much! No, wait, all that trans fat will clog up your heart. Eat more than that!”
“Oi, I don’t want to hear that from you, coffee addict,” Kyouya glared at him.
“Ha! What the big guy said, you loser!” Vifi’Yok jumped right onto him, causing me to giggle before I agreed to her demand.
With everything set, I raised the data chip into the air, shouting “Activate” before my vision was basked in a blue light. I felt my body move but at the same time, it didn’t. I didn’t know how long it took while I was in this state, but once I opened my eyes, I was greeted by my party’s gasps and voices, expressing their shock as we landed in … another ruin.
Well, it wasn’t similar to the one in the [Menagerie of Golems], as this one seemed less decrepit. I looked around, noticing the rock slabs covering the floor, walls, and ceiling had none of those magical blue lines I was used to seeing in the previous dungeon. This was a plain old ruin, but with the distinct difference of many glowing doors illuminating this place.
In fact, one of those was just behind us. We tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge at all. Franz suggested scouting the place, as we could see there were corridors in this place, but I declined, telling him we had to save the others first. As a compromise, I sent Rajah, Tatsuya, and Kyouya out, while I placed [Warp Point: Entrance] down.
I can feel the connection!
I opened up my storage, taking out all of our excess health, mana, and stamina potions in addition to a bunch of fulinoe leaves and dragorade. I began to brew some fulinoe tea, making sure I had enough mana recovery pots before I opened the portal. I also took out my zazail orb, finally having found the moment where its mana battery-like function was useful.
I wanted to transform into a dragon to gain more mana, but I had to settle with my minor form.
[Humanize (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]
“Woah!” Franz was freaked out by how my form changed, but he quickly accepted, mumbling how this was the “new Hikari.” I reassured him that while I did look scary, I was still just as cute as always, before opening my portal.
“Krriiiiiiaaaaagh!” I felt the pain coursing through my body as mana was sapped out of my body, reaped away as if someone had swung their blade at me to gouge out a chunk from my body.
However, through this pain, I was able to fully smile, even crackle as I saw the surprised faces of all the students, rescue party members, and Lautrex.
[“Told you I could do it! Now … catch!”] I threw the data chip through the portal at Ryuji. [“Don’t exit through the portal, it will break the rules. Ryuji-kun, please, please, make this work!”]
My heart beat like crazy, not only due to how [Warp Point]’s mana cost to maintain the portal was steadily increasing with every second, but also at the slight chance this might fail. If Ryuji couldn’t use the data chip now, then it would be pretty much over. All I could do when that happened was hope the Ankoran King kept to his word and be patient in the hopes I could solve the situation.
As Ryuji held the data chip into the air, I held my breath as he recited the activation word. I could hear my heart beat inside my ears, including the burning sounds coming from inside my slightly cracked sun core. My eyes widened as, after a full second of roaring “Activate,” nothing happened.
Two seconds. Three seconds. Four. Five. Six! Horror filled my heart as nothing happened, only for me to let out a deep sigh in relief as I saw his body finally being consumed by white light. I roared in triumph, shouting “Yes!” over and over again despite my inability to pronunciate Common with my minor dragonewt form.
Yuuko’s party even joined me, expressing their apology for doubting me, but I took it in stride. I gave them a thumbs up. Meanwhile, Lautrex, Aiko, and Takuma did not react much at all.
However, this moment of elation was quickly drowned out as I felt a headache. The mana cost was getting higher and higher, and it seemed like the Ankoran King was correct—the distance between portals was too much.
Headache, illness; some symptoms of arcane corruption.
Ryuji and his party did not appear before us, forcing me to send Vifi’Yok to scout for them. They landed somewhere, but those doors were most likely a clue on the strangeness of this new stage. Maybe they were teleported into another section of this place.
With her voltaic lightning, she dashed through the place, all while Franz began feeding me mana potions and dragorade. It was a good thing the boys didn’t use up all our major mana potions during our first encounter with the dragonslayers.
“H-hey, why is it taking so long?!” The students started to panic after the early cheers, in addition to how I was slumping forward, more focused on maintaining the portal than speaking. After all that, the moment this portal closed, it would be all over.
Thankfully, Vifi’Yok managed to find the boys, but instead of bringing them over, she just brought the data chip with her. She told them to stay put until everything was over, as it was more important to get everybody over here first.
“It’s an entire maze, but no traps or monsters. It’s safe … probably.”
Franz made sure she didn’t lie with his unique skill, assuring me I made the correct choice by not usurping his skill too early. I then threw the data chip to Yuuko’s party, having Franz explain to them what will happen and what they should do.
Once they were transported out, Vifi’Yok departed and the most excruciating part about all of this continued—the wait. At this point, my parallel minds made me aware I was on the brink of arcane fever and how my mana was now below 40%. I grabbed my zazail orb and began absorbing the 10000 mana stored inside of it. Considering my [Humanize (Minor)] form had a little over 32000 mana, that 40% meant I was almost below 10000; that extra 10000 mana I absorbed from this catalyst was a godsend.
Vifi’Yok once again got the data chip to me and I handed it off to the next group, deciding it should be Takuma’s party next, making it clear to Lautrex once again that I didn’t care about the knights. Saori’s students were my objective and I was getting them out of here alive, even if it cost me my bloody limbs.
I owe that much to her after all our time together!
Takuma, though, held the chip in his hand, not moving a bit despite the elves freeing him from his binds. He was just staring at it, to the worry of Aiko in the back. On the other hand, Chifuya, Hayato, and Natsume all stared at him, causing him to take a step back. I couldn’t see their expressions, but I could guess they were starting to turn on him.
“… Takuma?” she shook him, waking him before he nodded to her.
He held it up and spoke “Activate” before he and his party members—conscious and unconscious—were swooped away by light.
[Arcane Fever (Minor)] inflicted on [Young Sunfang Dragon, Hestia Atsuko Kargryxmor]
“Iioourgh!” I dropped onto my knees as the pain finally climaxed into [Arcane Fever], causing me to actually feel sick using any mana at all, including staying in my humanized form, instead of my dragon self.
“Hestia!” Franz supported me back on my feet, helping me drink the next batch of fulinoe tea, but it didn’t feel like I was getting better at all. The portal was draining too much from me.
I looked at my arms
“… Champion Hestia.”
Huh?
With bated breath, I moved my head up, noticing Lautrex speaking to me.
“Close the portal. You’ve shown your worth enough at this point. I admit it, you are a Champion of the Goddess, and I am … a heretic who raised his arms against you. I am not worthy of the title of Hand of Heaven, neither in strength nor dignity as a knight.” Lautrex took off his ring after the elves freed him from his binding, throwing it through the portal to me. “‘Night Slayer’ is her name. I found her in a dungeon, but still a blade worthy for a knight as it increases damage against those with [Sacred Resistance]. Very ironic for a knight like me to wield one, but oh so many demonkin and beastmen have gained resistances against holy spells during the war. It is now yours.”
He also threw over the broken shells of his gauntlets, telling me any artificer could repair them. They were actually weapons he received when he became a Hand of Heaven, mentioning how grateful he was when he received them from his Emperor. He told me to either use them, or return them to the Empire, for they were now in my ownership.
“Thank you very much for showing how delusional I am. I swear, even when I meet Goddess Death, I will dedicate this life to you—Huh?!” Lautrex dodged to the sides as I threw one of his gauntlets back at him. “What are you—Woah?!”
I threw the second gauntlet back at him, leading him perfectly for me to hit him straight at the nose with his ring, causing him to flinch back from the sheer surprise factor. Once he recovered, he snapped his head towards me, looking like a tomato as a flush covered his entire face.
“What possessed you to do that?! They are prized equipment, to the point even some rank A are unworthy of them! Why would you—” But before he could continue I just turned around and drank the entire piping hot tea pot without a single worry, all while showing him the middle finger. I didn’t even flinch.
“Guhahaha! Never been rejected by a girl before, lad? Even threw the ring back at you, as if she couldn’t even take it as a joke! Guhahaha, you tried to kill her, you think you can fault her?” King Fugnarus laughed at him, smacking his back without a single care.
“Rejection? I was—” He fell onto the ground with another smack.
“Hahah, the lad can’t even take it! He’s already rejecting his own failure! Huhuhahaha!”
Ungi, King Fugnarus’s bodyguard, nodded. “Ha, comes with the fact he can’t even get a beard going. Boy needs to let it grow if he wants a woman to take him seriously. Also, she’s too young for you, lad.”
… I didn’t even think of the implication with the ring. Jeez.
The dwarves were completely making fun of Lautrex, to the point I even heard the elves join in the laughter. Whether they actually found the joke itself funny or just found it hilarious that Lautrex in particular was made fun of was unknown to me. Regardless, this little moment of comedy certainly helped clear up the tension of the situation, to the point I couldn’t feel the pain for a moment before it came back.
I wanted to sleep so much, but, fortunately, Vifi’Yok came back just in time. She threw the data chip through the portal and I was finally allowed to close the damn thing. I fell right onto the floor, feeling so numb all around my body. Franz checked up on me, mentioning how he could see some seriously dark patches of purple behind some of my scales.
“… Nice work, dragon.” The demonkin showed me a thumbs up. “I’ll go get your friends. Oh, and don’t forget the donuts.”
I showed her a thumbs up. A deal was a deal.
“… Hey, Hikari?”
Franz and I were now alone, with nobody around to talk with. He stroked my head, caressing my forehead as if it was naked skin. He stopped after a while, forming a large smile as he looked down at me.
“Just so you know, I’m happy to be able to meet this new you. You’re not my Hikari any longer but … people can change. Despite what happened on Earth and how your death affected all of us, I’m sure both your parents will be able to forgive you.”
Franz …
“Because I can. I … couldn’t forgive you for going on and breaking your promise to me and your parents. How you would become an idol and I could become your lawyer, maybe even manager to make sure those companies don’t scam you. I blamed myself … but it spiraled down to hating you, hating idols, hating my father, hating my mother for leaving me. I felt genuinely alone, despite having friends loyal enough to follow me down any road like Ryuji, Shiki, Fusao, Hirofumi …”
I grabbed his hand, pressing through this staggering headache, making sure I absorbed every single word he told me. I could see his downcast eyes, looking down at me with tears dropping on the hard, cold ground.
“I’m proud. I’m proud that you managed to become an idol, you hear me. And, and that only makes it more important that I make sure I do my part. I can’t become your manager in this world. You’re your own woman, after all. I’m not much use as a lawyer in this world where you’re a princess. After all, I’m not ‘Hestia’s cousin,’ I’m not related to your dragon—”
I clenched his hand harder, shaking my head.
“… Thank you … That sister of yours? Fargryneill? It would be nice to meet her, make sure she knows exactly what you like and to not mistreat you. Can’t be too careful.”
Oi, jeez! You’re not my babysitter, Franz! Annoyed by that attitude of his, my grip tightened, causing him to jerk back, calling it a joke and apologizing to me before I let him be. Still, I kept his hand tightly with me. I wanted to make sure I remember this warmth from him.
“Then … although I haven’t seen your idol concert yet, I want to make a new promise with you.” He moved his hand around, freeing himself and locking our pinkies with each other. “I promise, I will make sure to change the Empire. At the rate it’s going, it’s clear the nation is about to crumble under its own weight, and not just because of the demonkins and the church, but rather from how complacent they had become for being ‘Humankind’s bastion.’ They take too little care of their vassals, throwing their levies at the beastmen and demonkin as if they were nothing more than fodder. Meatbags. Kids, all of them, but thrown at the wolves for nothing! Not even as bait! I-I-Arrrrrgh! Why is—”
Huh? Oh shit …
My mind was turning numb. I heard Franz’s voice, I could make out he was still speaking, but I couldn’t register his voice. I opened a health potion and drank it, making sure I wouldn’t randomly die from the continuous damage. I drank another dragorade and some fulinoe tea, losing sense of my time, unable to make out what I was doing.
Was I even holding Franz’s hand?
I couldn't tell until I felt my body falling. Gravity took me and my head landed, although I couldn’t tell. The pain was numbed. In addition, I suddenly felt so incredibly sleepy, but my resistance against drowsiness forced me back up, only something to gently push me back. I felt something tickle my ears.
I didn’t resist and went to sleep.
----------------------------------------
“Shuuu.”
Franz pressed a finger against his lips as he heard the sound of footsteps close in. He addressed the students Vifi’Yok had successfully brought back to the rendezvous point. He counted them, making sure they were all here, discounting Tatsuya and Kyouya, but still grimaced as Lautrex from Cashim was here with the knights.
He didn’t want them here.
“She’s sleeping.”
Vifi’Yok who was walking up to him nodded. “With her mana supply, tsk tsk. Really shows how dangerous [Space-Time Magic] is for weak mages. You brats got lucky.”
She turned around, addressing the three groups of students she managed to bring back. She hadn’t been able to find King Fugnarus, but got lucky enough to meet the knights on the way. She would soon go find the dwarven king, but for now, she had to make sure her donut maker wouldn’t just die on her.
She went over to the sleeping dragon, looking at the purple patches under her scales—evidence of arcane corruption. Vifi’Yok opened the last health potion left and slowly helped Hestia drink it.
… Marsven take me. What am I doing?
Vifi’Yok was once again feeling these weird feelings inside her chest. She didn’t know if it was respect or admiration she had for the dragon.
Her determination to solve a problem in her manner, the way she brokered peace between the students, and how she resolved to sacrifice her own well-being to achieve what she desired, not compromising if she could afford it. And, as the dragon was still alive, she managed to achieve what she wanted. Vifi’Yok was impressed.
At the same time, though, she didn’t want to feel so attached to her former enemies. The moment she got her emergency rations, she would vanish from her mind, never to be found again by any of her former allies or enemies. She had resolved herself that that was her future, and it was something she could live with. Regardless of how the main conflict would end, she would decide how she would live and die by her own terms.
Well, it was a fun time. Then again, there is still a long road—Huh?
Vifi’Yok suddenly noticed the discussion the students were having with Franz. They were arguing for some reason. When she turned around, she squinted her eyes when Franz suddenly groaned, nearly falling onto his knees. He pulled an amulet out of his storage, designed in a weird form with an emblem she couldn’t recognize. The only feature she noticed was the hat of a jester.
It rattled, shaking as if it was a living being before an eerie laugh was released from it, causing it to glow grey. In the next moment, the air exploded, breaking part.
What?!
Vifi’Yok braced herself, ready for a fight, only to notice the hole in the air looked similar to something she had just seen—a space-time portal! A chill went down her spine as her sharp ears picked up the sound of footsteps underneath the loud crackling around the portal, caused by air rampaging around, trying to replace the missing air despite it already being “filled.”
The students cried out in surprise as a figure in a long robe walked out of the portal. The demonkin couldn’t see who it was from behind, but the students’ eyes immediately widened.
“You?! How are you here?!” Takuma shouted.
“My god told me you were finished.” The figure spoke, turning his head slightly around. “Are you satisfied?”
Franz’s mouth was agape, looking shocked as the other students, but a smirk appear his face. He shook his head, looking at the robed man with a wry smile. “I am, Boss. I have revealed everything to them. I’ll uphold my end of the bargain … and, I also made sure who the dragon was.”
Franz turned his head around, looking at Hestia and Vifi’Yok.
“What is your decision?”
“… I will ally with her, so you will leave her alone in this conflict. I will make a world she can be happy in. I will make sure her second life will be long, filled with happiness, joy, and without any of the stress that came with her past. She will do her part, and I will do mine. We are both adults in this matter now, and I made sure she doesn’t need me around her. She has enough people to make her happy. She has … her family.”
“And your fellow otherworldlers? Will you leave them here?”
Franz scowled as he turned to Takuma and the others, causing everybody but his party to flinch back. “I won’t let them run away from hurting my cousin. I will make them work for their way back home.”
“C-cousin?!” The rabbit was finally out of the hat. The students’ widened eyes couldn’t become wider.
“Good. Then, let us go. Heroes of Au—I mean, students of Shiroko High, let us make sure you will find a way back home to Earth. To Japan and your families. Allow my god to help you for the purpose of changing this world for the better or worse!”
What! Vifi’Yok’s eyes widened as she saw the air split apart behind the students, revealing an even larger portal. Whoever this person was, he was a far more adept space-time mage than Hestia currently was, and it seemed like he was not restricted to [Warp Point] as his only portal option.
“Stop!” Vifi’Yok didn’t know why but her legs moved on their own. Her voice spoke before she could think. Her lightning began to crackle as she identified this person as an enemy!
“Former Warbringer, Vifi of House Yok.”
The demonkin’s body froze as the man spoke. The robe figure did not show his face, but she was sure it was a man.
“I will not reveal your existence to the Prince of Wrath, if you stay still. Do not interfere.”
Lord Pride?!
“If you obey, I will allow you to choose your time to decide to reveal yourself or not. Your consequences should remain in your hand, not in mine.”
Her fear of her former general caused her body to stay still, draining her of any desire to stop him. Her mind wandered to the man who helped her get out of her old life, to ascend to the role as a Warbringer of the Bole’Tarian army. She couldn’t, no, she wouldn’t want to meet him again and reveal her betrayal of his trust.
The sin she wanted to leave behind to embrace a life without war. She couldn’t give her new life up! As such, she obeyed, she stood still. Her lightning disappeared as the students were swallowed by the dimensional hole, taking them to a place she could not tell where.
“Vifi’Yok.” Franz spoke with her, taking off his bracelet. He threw it onto her feet. “Give it to Hestia. Make sure my cousin survives all of this. Otherwise …”
He walked up to her, drawing his head close to her face. With a glare that could freeze even this demonkin, Franz gave this girl an ultimatum she would not forget.
“I will make your life a living hell. Bring her to the Empire when she is ready, and I will free you of your shackles binding your true potential. That demonic sin plastered on your soul; I will remove it. Until then, make sure she lives.”
Franz walked away, entering the portal while only thinking of the one person he cared for. His mind began to brainstorm on the ways on how he would turn the Empire upside down, changing it into something his beloved cousin would not have to dirty herself with.
He began to envision his new dream.
Father, I will be better than you. I will bring happiness where you brought damnation! I will change this world for the better! And then … I will crush you when I come back.
Aurena’s deal with the third god had been fulfilled.