Chapter 32
People often take their everyday life for grantedâuntil it's gone.
The irreplaceable, peaceful normalcy we once had can fall apart from just the smallest misunderstanding.
âMe-Mei!? What happened!? Whatâs going on!?â
We had just returned from the training grounds to the inn Emma had arranged. The moment Rex opened the door to our room, we found our Black Mage companion in a horrifying state.
ââŚâ
âWho could do something this cruel!?â
Mei lay face-down, her complexion pale. Her hair was disheveled, her legs twitching in spasms. A dying message remained near her trembling hand.
She must have written it with the last of her strength. The shaky handwriting readâ
âThe culprit is Clari.â
âOoh! Youâre back, Rex!â
Just as I rushed over to hold Mei in my arms, we realized someone had already entered our room.
âItâs been a while, Rex. And you too, Flatche! Iâve come to visit!â
The intruder, the one who had so mercilessly done this to Mei, smiled warmly at us as we stood there, confused and struggling to process the situation.
âOh, Iâm punishing my little sister because she mocked my prospects of getting married.â
âI see.â
Apparently, the strongest mage alive is rather sensitive about her marriage prospects.
âI went through hell⌠I feel gross.â
âIâll have you know, despite appearances, Iâm quite popular! Despite appearances!â
âThatâs why you should drop the delusional fantasies and seriously look into marriageâah, Iâm sorry, I wonât say anything else, please forgive me.â
âYou two really do get along, huh.â
When we entered the room, the affectionate sisters were cuddled up as usual. It seems weâd intruded on their private time. That was rude of us.
âLong time no see, Clarise. Well, itâs only been a few days, though.â
âIndeed!â
Clarise replied energetically. Weâre about the same age, but she always makes things feel a bit warmer somehow.
âWelcome back, Rex.â
âHuh? Karin? Werenât you supposed to be staying at the church today?â
Standing next to Clarise was Karin, who should have been at the church. Maybe they didnât have space for her? So she ended up staying here again?
âI got kidnapped by these tiny sisters. Iâll head back to the church soon.â
âYes, I met Karin at the church. I asked her to come because thereâs something important to discuss.â
âHuh, so even you go to church, Clarise.â
âIâm a devout follower, after all! I never skip my daily prayers!â
âOh, really?â
It suits her, actuallyâClarise praying. With her usual black-and-white habit-like outfit and the goddess-engraved amulet she wears, she looks more like a priestess than a mage.
âWell, make yourself at home. Itâs just a temporary inn Emma arranged, though.â
âI wouldâve loved to stay longer myself, but I have to head back soon to prepare for a long journey. A royal order came downâIâm on a tight schedule.â
âHuh? Is it really okay for someone under direct royal orders to be lazing around here?â
Clarise shook her head sadly. It seems sheâs been assigned a mission.
âItâs something important. Strictly speaking, the mission details are military secrets, so I shouldnât say anything. But I thought it best to let you know, Rex. The mission is to suppress a possible Demon Lord army.â
âDemon Lord army!?â
Wait, is she going to face them alone? Then again, this is Clarise weâre talking aboutâit might just be doable.
âNo witnesses. No reported damage either. But apparently, the Demon Lordâs forces may appear near a derelict fort northeast of the capital.â
âWhat the hell is that about?â
âOur strategist put it this way: the Demon Lordâs army might soon take refuge in the northern fort and launch an attack on the capital. So my mission is to preemptively strike them before they strike us.â
I see? So theyâre predicting a surprise attack and planning to counter it ahead of time. If theyâre sending one of their strongest assetsâClariseâthey must have great faith in this strategistâs foresight.
âThe strategist... You donât mean Mino!?â
âIndeed. Iâm moving under her command this time.â
âMino⌠wasnât she that general Rex said was even worse than Mello?â
Oh, that one. The ruthless one who somehow always looks like sheâs overworked.
âCanât you refuse this mission?â
âItâs a royal order. I donât think thatâs possible.â
I thought she was a general, but it sounds like sheâs acting as a strategist too. A general-slash-strategist, maybe.
After hearing all this, Rexâs face darkened.
âItâs dangerous to take Minoâs words at face value⌠There might be more to this mission than meets the eye.â
ââŚSo thatâs why you came to me.â
âWhether the Demon Lord army actually shows up at the fort, someone like me wouldnât know. But this mission⌠it feels like an excuse to get me away from the capital.â
Clarise looked up at Rex, worry in her eyes, and bowed her head.
âThereâs always a deeper motive to her actions. Something cruel. Something cunning.â
ââŚYeah. Thatâs the kind of woman she is.â
âThatâs why I want to leave the capital in your hands, Rex. Thatâs the only reason I came.â
With a serious expression, Clarise pleaded with Rex. I didnât get it when I first met her, but if even someone like her is this wary, Mino must truly be dangerous.
For someone as kind as Clarise to be this guardedâitâs no joke.
âYou can count on me, Clarise. If thereâs anything I can do, Iâll do it.â
âIâm counting on you. Please protect this city I love, and everyone I hold dear.â
Clarise bowed her head, and our leader responded with a firm nod. Naturally, I feel the same way.
No matter how twisted Minoâs schemes may be, Iâll slice through them all with my sword.
ââŚJudging by the Demon Lord armyâs past movements, they donât seem desperate enough to rush an assault on the capital. This mission really does feel like itâs just to send my sister away.â
âYeah, Iâve got a bad feeling too. Iâll try to trace some church connections and dig up intel around Mino.â
âWeâre counting on you. Youâre the brains of our party, Karin. I trust your judgment.â
"Leave it to me!"
...What!? Wasnât I supposed to be the brains of this party!?
"I do have some noble connections, but I doubt Iâll find anything Clarise doesnât already know. Karin, Iâm counting on you."
"Sorry, but I donât have any political ties. Actually, I donât even know anyone in the capital."
"For now, letâs have Karin focus on gathering intel. If my skills are needed, just call me anytime."
"Got it."
Well, itâs true I donât have any real connections or pull right now. Best to let Karin, who knows the capital well, handle this one.
"Alright, Iâm off. Mei, donât cause too much trouble for Rex!"
"Iâd rather not be lectured by someone known as 'a walking nuisance.'"
"Well, I doubt itâll come to that... but if the Demon Lordâs army really is out there, be careful. You might run into a swordsman as strong as a demon and swift as the wind."
Rex suddenly offered a warning to Clarise, as if something had just crossed his mind.
Hmm, is he talking about the brainwashed version of me? âŚToo bad, that guyâs long gone. Cremated at Saikoro Volcano.
"No matter how many spells you hurl at him, none will land. Heâll be standing right in front of you, completely unharmed. Unless you run away the moment you see him, before you realize it, heâll be right on top of youâand then, off goes your head. If you come across an enemy calling himself âKazenagi,â flee immediately, Clarisse."
"Hm. Thatâs the one you mentioned before, right, Rex?"
"Yeah, my personal rival. Look, I know how strong you are, Clarisse, but even then, your compatibility with him is just awful. Iâm not underestimating you, I swearâŚ"
"No, I understand completely. If you say so, then this âKazenagiâ must be a terrifyingly powerful man."
Uh, wait, I think youâre overestimating him a bit. If Clarisse just blows him away with one of her big area attacks, heâs toast.
Iâm not afraid of fighting other swordsmen, but against a monster like Clarise? No chance. Weâre just playing different games.
...Hmm, though depending on the distance, maybe Iâve got a shot?
"Then farewell. And Mei, come visit home every once in a while, wonât you?"
"Ugh, absolutely not."
"My sisterâs so cold⌠How tragicâŚ"
Looking genuinely heartbroken at her rejection, Clarise wrapped things up quickly and left.
"Next time, letâs sit down for a nice cup of tea, shall we?"
Clarise is part of the national army, after all. Must be a busy guy.
Mei, you really should go home once in a while. Donât let your family feel too lonely. I used to pop in to visit mine now and then, too.
"So, what do you really think the chances are of the Demon Lordâs army actually showing up?"
After Clarise left, Rex turned to us with that question.
"Pretty low, Iâd say. âŚIf they really were attacking the capital, it wouldnât be impossible, but I donât see why theyâd bother hiding out at the North Fortress. Theyâve got the tech to dig out much better hideouts themselves."
"Besides, the Demon Lordâs army isnât even publicly recognized yet. Most people donât believe they exist. Thereâs no real reason for them to go out of their way to show up at a fortress."
"So basically, Minoâs goal was to get Clarise away from the capital."
Now that they mention it, that does make sense. I donât know where the North Fortress even is, but it doesnât seem like a strategic move for the Demon Lordâs army. Thereâs probably more to this mission than meets the eye.
âŚWait. No way. Donât tell me our mission was actuallyâ
"Hey, Rex. Maybe we should double-check something with Emma."
"Check what?"
"That we were called to the capital as guards because of a possible attack from the Demon Lordâs army, right? âŚThen who was it that predicted such an attack in the first place?"
Right. This mission came from Emma. But someone could have planted the idea of a Demon Lord army attack in her head.
"Youâre thinking thereâs a chance Emma was manipulated by General Mino? Thatâs what youâre getting at, Flatche?"
"Hmm⌠So even us being summoned to the capital might be part of Minoâs plan?"
"I-It feels like a stretch, doesnât it?"
"No, not if itâs Mino. âŚYou can never be too careful with her. Letâs confirm it with Emma."
Well, even if thatâs true, Iâm not sure what we can do about it. Rex clearly canât stand General Mino, but personally, I still donât fully get what makes her so dangerous.
Ah well. As long as we donât blindly trust her, we should be fine.
"Alright, Iâm heading back to the church. If anything comes up, Iâll report in."
"Counting on you, Karin."
With that, the nun left our room.
âŚA heavy, indescribable tension lingered in the air.
"Well, donât worry too much, Rex. No matter what happens, Iâll handle it with this sword."
"Yeah, youâre right. No use overthinking things now. First, we need more information."
"Then, letâs call it a night, shall we?"
Trying to sweep away the creeping unease, Rex spoke with forced cheer.
"Alright then, see you at the training grounds tomorrow. This time, come with meâI wonât let you get lost again."
"Hmph. I only got lost because I didnât know the way. That wonât happen again."
"I still feel vaguely uneasyâŚ"
And with that, we each retreated to our assigned rooms for the night.
The strongest party sleeps soundly, unaware of the hell unfolding outside the castle walls.
They do not notice the screams begging for help, the wails of grief from those whoâve lost their loved ones, or the death cries of those whoâve fallen into utter despair.
The âenemyâ they believed to be far away had already crept into their midst, quietly sharpening their blades.
"Sir Sword Saint!! Wake up, we're under attack!!"
At the break of dawn, a young girl bursts into the inn room and shakes the Sword Saint awake.
"Huh? Enemy?"
"The Demon Lord's army!!"
"What the hell!?"
With her face pale, Emma rushes into the inn where Rex is staying. Her furious voice jolts them from their sleep, rubbing their eyes as they scramble to their feet.
"Get ready for battleâmove it, all of you!!"
"Yeah!!"
"Right away!!"
Still in their sleepwear, a mage hurriedly throws on a robe and grabs their staff, climbing onto Rex's back. The lightly armored swordsman already has their short sword and gear equipped.
Without hesitation, they dash out under Emma's direction, heading straight for the front wallsâ
There, in the morning sun, stretched a road dyed crimson and black.
The once-lively castle town had been reduced to ruins, and along the road, as far as the eye could see, bodies were piled high.
ââŚâŚâ
It was the first day since Rex had arrived in the royal capital. The Demon Lordâs army had already reached its gates.
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