V2C2

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Chapter 2 – Don’t Miss Your One Chance

The barking sound of a dog woke me up. On the other end of the bed, which Celes was

sleeping on, a dim red light poured in from the window. It was probably the sunrise.

As I snorted drowsily, I could hear the barking gradually

coming closer. What’s this all about?

The bedroom door made a loud banging noise, and

woofing could be heard from the other side.

Sanon and I jumped, and we watched the door knob clatter. Celes sleepily murmured “Nn…?”

Click. The door

opened. What flew inside was a white-

A large dog leapt into Celes’ bed and began

mercilessly licking her half-asleep face.

The intensity of it was unmatched, even when up against Sanon’s.

“Ah, Mr. Rossi… I get it, I get it already…”

Celes raised her upper body and hugged Rossi. Rossi is Nott’s partner, and is a large dog.

(Did Nott return…?)

As I asked that, Celes answered while trying to escape

the rampaging dog.

“No. When Mr.

Nott was captured, only Mr. Rossi escaped and returned to Bapsas… Ah, stop… that’s too much…”

I see. Then why

did Rossi suddenly come and attack Celes…?

─Mr. Lolipo.

Sanon conveyed to me in a serious tone through

Celes. Prompted to look outside, I

realized that the red light was definitely not from the sunrise – the forest

was on fire.

There was a whistling sound, followed by an explosion

nearby. The red glow intensified. This is…

(Celes, let’s get out of here!)

We rushed out into the pub and spotted Martha removing

the silver coat of arms – a magic-like item made from a silver collar and two

swords – from the wall.

“The village is being attacked! I’ll use a horse, so you should run away

first, Celes!”

“But, Martha-sama…”

Celes’ eyes wandered in confusion.

“Don’t worry, let’s meet at Munires.

Go visit Cloyt from the Sleeping Foal Inn.”

Martha disassembled the silver coat of arms and placed it in a leather

bag. Outside the window, something fell

and exploded from across the road. There

was a loud noise as the pub’s glass windows shattered.

I immediately went to protect Celes, but Sanon and Rossi were already

shielding her.

Martha, who had been thrown onto her bottom, waved her

hand as if to drive us away.

“Hurry up and leave!

I’ll be out soon as well!”

We two pigs nodded, and Rossi dashed out as if he had understood

her words.

─Let’s go. Follow after Ro-kun.

Sanon conveyed that towards me while nudging the

crouched Celes’ back with his snout.

Celes stood up as if she was being dragged by us. Rossi was waiting for us at the turn corner,

and we followed him out the inn through the backdoor.

The inn wasn’t burning yet, but the trees surrounding

it were already ablaze. Even if there

was some distance between them, depending on the direction of the wind, it

could prove dangerous to be in this building.

The black pig saw the fire and stopped as if he had a flash of

inspiration.

(What are you doing Mr. Sanon? We need to hurry up and get away from here.)

The black pig slowly turned towards us.

─Sorry, I just remembered

there’s something I need to take care of.

Please take Cele-tan to a safe place, Mr. Lolipo.

(Eh…? Why are

you saying something that’s like a death flag from a mystery novel? You need to escape with us, Mr. Sanon. I don’t know when we’ll be able to meet again

if we get separated.)

─Then please wait for me

at the stream a little further ahead.

After conveying those thoughts, Sanon turned around

and ran towards the flames.

What’s going on?

At a time like this, what’s worth prioritizing over escaping…? Did he suddenly want to become a roast pig…?

However, I can’t dawdle here and let Celes become a

roasted loli.

(Celes, do you know the direction of the stream that

Sanon mentioned?)

“Yes. The

stream, right? Let’s go.”

Rossi, who was looking at me, started running in

reaction to Celes’ words. Celes and I

followed.

…Hm?

I suddenly realized a certain possibility and

stopped. Don’t tell me Sanon is-

Turning my head around and squinting, I saw the scene

I was expecting.

The black pig was using his mouth to drag along a tree

branch, full of burning leaves, that was twice the size of himself.

And the direction he was moving towards was Martha’s

inn, which hadn’t caught fire yet.

The stream water flowed between the rocks without any

disturbance. Due to its rocky

surroundings, the fire hadn’t spread near the stream. As we patiently waited, the black pig came

running back from the inn.

─Thanks for waiting. Let’s head out.

(You didn’t get burned, did you?)

In response to my discreet questioning, Sanon carefully

nodded.

─I didn’t get burned. I accomplished what needed to be done.

We stared at each other. This was for Celes’ sake. If it were me, I definitely wouldn’t have

done that, but… I could sense Sanon’s level of commitment through the black

pig’s gaze.

The entire forest was ablaze. The roaring gusts of wind and the crackling

of the trees were unbearably loud. If

we’re not careful, the smoke will get into our eyes. I don’t know what’s attacking the village,

but we better escape quickly. I have a

bad feeling about this.

Rossi pricked up his ears and looked around

nervously. Unlike before, he didn’t

immediately dash ahead. His nose was

constantly twitching.

(What’s up with Rossi?)

When I asked that, Celes placed a trembling hand on

Rossi’s back and answered.

“He appears to be on guard… it looks like it’s

something bad…”

I also tried sniffing the wind. A pig’s sense of smell is as keen as a

dog’s. Since Rossi can smell something,

I might be able to figure something out as well.

…I could smell the sea. It smelled like a fish market, and like a

beach. There was an unpleasant, sweaty

odor, and the smell of alcohol. There

were many slightly varying odors mixed together, so I would imagine that there

are many sources to those smells.

I felt like I could hear clattering noises from beyond

the roar of the burning forest.

(There’s a group coming from upwind.)

─This place is under the

rule of the royal dynasty. If it’s their

army, they would never carry out this kind of scorched earth tactic. I can only imagine that the Northern Forces’

army has arrived.

(But why would they suddenly choose to target this

southern village?)

Is it a coincidence that Bapsas was attacked after we

had arrived?

─We can figure out their

motives later. This is war, Mr.

Lolipo. Let’s get out of here first.

As the black pig conveyed that to me, he nudged Rossi

and urged the dog forward. However,

Rossi didn’t move.

─What’s happened to him…? He’s normally quite eager to find the way,

but now…

Seemingly on edge, Rossi turned and looked

everywhere. It’s not that he won’t move,

he probably can’t move. Under the

dawnlight, no matter where we look across the 360 degrees, the sky was covered

in black smoke.

(We’re practically surrounded by flames. If we want to avoid the fire, I’m afraid the

only way out of the village is in the direction of the group approaching us. No matter where we go, danger awaits us.)

“How can that be…?”

Celes let out a sad and feeble voice.

Think, pig.

There’s no way you can let a delicate girl like her die here. And it’s not like you have time to obediently

become a roasted pig here. There’s still

the capital…

I shook my head and collected my thoughts.

If we’re surrounded on all sides, the only escape

routes I can think of are… above or below.

But it’s not like we can fly out of here. If it’s below, however…

(Celes, you mentioned that the monastery has an

entrance to the underground passageway that leads to the village, right?)

“Yes.”

(Do you know where that underground passage’s exit

is?)

Celes suddenly raised her head.

“Erm… It’s near

Martha-sama’s inn, but it’s no longer in use, so I don’t know what the

situation inside is like…”

(The monastery is located outside the village on the

mountainside, so it’s unlikely for the fire to spread that far. If we take the underground passage to there,

we might be able to avoid the flames.)

“I see!”

The black pig also nodded.

─Since it’s decided, let’s

get going. It looks like the army is

just around the corner.

A girl, a dog, and two pigs. This strange group rushed back towards the

inn. Along the way, I turned my head

towards the approaching noise and spotted something terrifying beyond the

trees.

A giant humanoid monster that looked to be three

meters tall was walking along the village’s main street. It was extremely muscular, its entire body

was covered in a thick, rhinoceros-like grey skin, and it held a log-like spear.

─That monster is called an

Org.

Sanon informed me that they’re said to be powerful

soldiers used by the Northern Forces. It

didn’t look like an opponent that a pig or an ordinary person could contend

with. Its hands and feet were unusually

large, and had a webbing-like structure to them.

We lowered ourselves and ran through the woods to

avoid being detected by the army.

Martha’s inn was completely engulfed in flames. Seeing that, Celes’ eyes widened slightly.

─Cele-tan, where’s the

entrance to the passageway?

Sanon asked as if to draw her attention away, and

Celes pointed at the cliff behind her. Several

battered planks were blocking the hole in the rockface.

This was not the time to be hesitating. I charged forward and smashed the planks into

pieces.

＊＊＊

I was surprised to find that it didn’t hurt very

much. The hopeless exhaustion was the

only thing that pressed me against the ground inside this prison cell.

The torturer was an unusually tall old man. His bony hands were adorned with several rings,

and his fierce, gleaming, golden eyes made me shudder. I felt an unusual aura from him, and wondered

why this person was a torturer. However,

I only had those first ten seconds to think about such superfluous thoughts.

I was tied to the torture chair with my body arched

backwards and forced to endure an unbearable amount of pain for a long time

without involving any interrogation. The

torturer stood nearby and silently observed as I groaned.

“How unsightly.”

I heard a female voice. I shifted my head and looked up to find a

skinny Yesma with emotionless eyes standing just outside the golden cell – it

was Nuris, who had taken me to the castle.

Her tattered underwear was visible from the hems of her dirty clothes.

“Are you pent up?”

I’m inside a prison.

I would prefer if she could at least overlook these vulgar thoughts that

won’t ever happen.

“What is it?” I squeezed out.

“Don’t you want some water after being tortured? Or do you prefer raping a Yesma?”

I didn’t realize it until I was told, but Nuris was

holding a leather mug.

“Don’t underestimate me. What do you take yourself for?”

“A slave. An

obedient slave that was born for the convenience of others.”

Nuris’ indifferent assertion without any changes in

her facial expression angered me, and I raised my upper body.

“That’s why-”

I pressed against the ground with my elbows and lifted

my head with my right hand.

“That’s why you people will be like that for the rest

of your lives. Is that what you’re

saying?”

“Wrong.”

Nuris responded apathetically.

“Whether it’s for this or that, the role of Yesmas

does not change. Just like how

livestock exist to be eaten.”

I couldn’t think of an immediate rebuttal.

“…Since you brought it over, could you please hand me

the water?”

Nuris didn’t move in the slightest.

“I am a slave.

If you want to ask a slave for something, try ordering me in a befitting

way.”

What’s wrong with her?

I thought. It’s like she’s trying

to distort my convictions.

“In that case, I’m also a slave – a death row prisoner

whose life is being toyed with. Why

don’t you try giving me water in a manner that’s suitable towards slaves?”

She quickly walked over towards the cell and slipped a

bony leg through the gap. She then

pressed the leather mug against her thigh.

“Then drink the water from my leg.”

As she said that, she

tilted the mug and started pouring water down her leg. Without hesitation, I placed my face against

Nuris’ inner thigh and let the water pour into my mouth. It relieved my parched throat.

“Don’t you feel any shame?”

Nuris asked after the cup was emptied.

“I have my hands full just from trying to

survive. There’s no point in acting cool

when you’re the only one watching.”

There was a brief silence.

“Why do you go to such lengths to survive?”

“…That’s because I have something I want to

accomplish.”

“What is it?”

“I’m going to annihilate those bastards that earn

money off of killing Yesmas, and then destroy the very system that brought

about the Yesmas’ misfortune.”

Ys’ smile involuntarily came to mind. The clever, mischievous, and kind Ys. Ys, who was kidnapped, raped, and then

beheaded.

“Ys. In the

end, it’s still a matter of personal obsession.”

“So what? Isn’t

it because a lot of people respond to this kind of obsession that I received

this type of special treatment?”

Nuris stepped back slightly and looked at the gold

cage.

“You certainly seem to be under an extra strict

confinement. The interrogation must have

been rough.”

“It was nothing like that. I was just being tortured in silence.”

“They didn’t ask you anything?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why were you released from being tortured and

sent back to this underground prison?”

Hearing that, I recalled something. It’s a fragmentary memory, but…

─The escapee from the govern camp…

─A wild boar rampaged…

─Bring that captured Yesma over here…

I heard this voice come from the throne room adjacent

to me, interrupting the torturing. I

couldn’t remember anything after that. I

probably fainted.

“I see. So the

Yesma I passed by while carrying you was an escapee from the govern camp.”

Nuris muttered while reading my thoughts without my

permission.

I was probably brought back to the arena’s basement by

Nuris after I had lost consciousness.

“She had bruises all over her face and her back had

welts. She looked wretched. That one doesn’t have long to live.”

Nuris took a few steps back while talking like it was

someone else’s problem.

“Excuse me, I shall take my leave.”

She left the scene.

Even though all I did was drink some water, for some reason, I felt a

little less tired.

＊＊＊

The underground passageway had cave-ins here and

there, but we managed to pass through thanks to the two pigs’ digging

abilities. After reaching the monastery,

we had Rossi guide us north along the mountain paths and arrived at the Valley

of Oil, just north of Bapsas. The sun

was high in the sky now.

The Valley of Oil is a white rock canyon that’s nearly

100 meters deep. Although there was a

large suspension bridge built over the canyon, Rossi walked in the opposite

direction from it without any hesitation and descended a steep slope down to

the bottom of the valley.

─The name of this place comes from a

battle during the Dark Ages. I heard it

had a cute name in the past, but after thousands of people died in the battle

that took place here, the valley was dyed in their blood and looked as if oil

was flowing through it. That’s why it’s

called the Valley of Oil now.

A nostalgic voice resurrected in my mind.

Sensing Celes’ gaze, I shook my head and appended

parentheses.

(We should be fine now that we’ve walked this far.)

“We shouldn’t let our guard down, but I think so too.”

(We’ve been walking non-stop for a while, so let’s

take a quick break.)

At my suggestion, we stopped between some bushes in

the middle of the slope to rest our feet.

─It sure helps to have

Ro-kun around. His escape routes are

solid. What a clever boy.

The black pig drew near Rossi, and his snout was

licked by Rossi.

(Did Rossi stay in Bapsas the entire time? Even after Nott was gone?)

When I asked that, Celes, who was wiping her muddy

face with her hands, dutifully explained.

“Yes. He

appeared to have been captured alongside Mr. Nott, and they were taken quite

far north. But along the way, Mr. Rossi

managed to escape… He’s always been around

to protect me since then.”

─Ro-kun was standing guard

outside earlier, right?

“Yes. He’s a

little dirty and isn’t wearing any visible equipment so that in case a bad guy

spots him, they’ll think he’s just a wild dog.”

That certainly seems to be the case, but then…

(What about the metal bracelet on Rossi’s foreleg?)

I have a bad habit of worrying about the details. I feel like Rossi also wore that back when we

were traveling with Jess. It’s a metal

ring that’s tightly wrapped around the end of his left foreleg. It isn’t rusted black, so I wonder if it’s

made of silver.

“That, I’m not sure about. From what I was told, he had it even before

he met Mr. Nott.”

(Met? He wasn’t

raised as a puppy?)

I figured he was raised by Nott because he was so well

disciplined and trained.

“I heard they met five years ago while Mr. Nott was

journeying to rescue Ms. Ys. It’s a bit

of a strange story, isn’t it?”

─The fact that No-kun is

so reliable and good at hunting must means his previous owner was likely a skilled

hunter as well.

I see, that sounds reasonable.

(Oh, just one more thing.)

“Okay.”

(You said Rossi “isn’t wearing any visible

equipment.” Does that mean he has

something that’s not obviously visible?)

“Yes. Please

take a look at this.”

Celes opened Rossi’s mouth to reveal his teeth. His sharp canine teeth glistened in the

moonlight, and I spotted a metal dental-appliance-looking thing attached to

them.

“Three small ristas are stored on the roof of his

mouth. When Mr. Rossi bites something,

the rista’s magic will provide it with an additional effect. Fire fang, which burns; ice fang, which

freezes-”

Hm? Where have

I…?

“And thunder fang, which shocks and paralyzes.”

I see. It’s

devised to be effective against various opponents.

With that said, it’s quite an amazing invention. If you’re able to pour the magic power onto

your tongue instead of your fangs, wouldn’t you be able to numb your opponent

via some no-good licking?! I want one

too!

“Um… I don’t think that’s a good idea…”

Celes was taken aback and placed her hand on the back

of the black pig who was sniffing her like mad.

Personally, I think it’s better to be more wary of the pig over there…

Anyway, now’s probably not the time to be idly talking.

The black pig wagged his tail and looked at me.

─Now then, Mr. Lolipo,

let’s figure out what our next move is.

After all, I didn’t expect this to happen as soon as we got here.

(Yeah. In order

to save Nott, we’ll have to head north and find his comrades. Martha said to meet up at the Sleeping Foal

Inn at Munires, but…)

Munires is a large commercial city that’s about a

day’s walk north of Bapsas. Jess and I

also stopped by it the night after Nott joined us as a traveling companion in

Bapsas.

Celes explained while stroking Rossi, who was sniffing

her legs. “Munires is a key location in

the south, so it should be well protected by the royal army. I think it’ll be safe. I also heard that a considerable number of the

remaining Liberation Army members that were led by Mr. Nott are hiding there.”

─Hang on, Cele-tan. Then where did the soldiers that just

attacked Bapsas come from?

Sanon points out.

That’s true.

(Assuming the army came from the north… There’s no guarantee that the area north of

here will have remained the same. We

don’t know what might’ve happened to Munires.)

─Right. It doesn’t make sense for them to suddenly

attack Bapsas only. It’s just a small

village. I think it’s best to assume the

places north of here have been invaded.

Celes appeared uneasy, but she spoke firmly.

“But… Munires is a large city. If it was attacked, there should have been

some kind of news, and I’m sure people would have fled past here. Yet, up until Bapsas was attacked, it’s been

very peaceful around here…”

─Yeah… Something just doesn’t add up.

It’s certainly hair-raising, but it’s not like we can

keep oinking around here either. So I

conveyed to these two, (For the time being, let’s head north while keeping an

eye on the situation. If we don’t

rendezvous with Martha or the Liberation Army members, Celes won’t have anyone

to rely on.)

─You’re right. No-kun is also located somewhere north, so

I’d like to avoid moving south. Let’s

take a short break before we cross the river and head towards Munires.

Sanon earnestly conveyed that while copying Rossi’s

actions and sniffed Celes’ legs.

“Um… do my legs smell that much?”

Celes asked curiously, to which the black pig snorted

and panicked at.

─No, that’s not it,

Cele-tan. Rather than saying it smells,

it’s more apt to say it’s fragrant…

Officer! This

guy right here!

Celes tilted her head.

“Come to think of it, Mr. Shitty Virgin used to stare

at my legs as well… Is there something

wrong with them?”

On second thought, give us a moment, Officer!

(No, uh, there’s nothing wrong with them… I just happened to look at them…)

At my inarticulation, Celes, with her face full of

innocent curiosity, drove another nail in my coffin.

“If there’s nothing wrong, then why were you

interested in my legs…?”

Does this girl specialize in pressing guys to explain

things that are difficult for them to do so, or what? Do you think you’d be able to spell out why

you’re interested in a girl’s legs?

In a panic, I turned towards Sanon for help.

The black pig’s sparkling eyes

looked up at Celes.

─You know, Cele-tan, a

person’s skin is an important indicator of health. If it’s pale, it means their blood circulation

is poor; if it’s flushed, it means their blood is circulating more than

usual. How much they sweat is also a

good point of reference. That’s why it’s

very important to pay attention to the parts of your leg where your skin is

exposed in order to understand your physical condition.

Celes lightly placed a finger

over her lips and responded, “Then… couldn’t you just look at my face?”

Sanon was left

speechless. We had no excuses left to hide

behind. It’s our loss.

Even while Sanon was make

excuses towards Celes, Rossi mercilessly sniffed her bare legs. Please don’t misunderstand me, everyone. It’s not like I’m jealous of that dog or anything.

I averted my eyes and gazed

down at the river at the bottom of the valley.

Now’s not the time for me to be sniffing Celes’ legs.

─Mister Pig sure is fickle.

─That’s alright, I don’t mind. Please feel free to look at what you like.

Just remembering her voice

made my heart ache.

Nott’s plight, Celes’ dearest

wish, and this twisted world – it’s obvious that these are the problems I need

to be concerned about, but there’s someone I can’t forget about above all else.

Jess.

If we can meet again, how

should I face her? After parting like

that, would a simple “I’m back” resolve everything? To begin with, am I even in a position where

I’m allowed to see her…? In fact, is it

even possible for me to meet her?

Someone suddenly touched my

back, startling me. It was Celes, who

had escaped from the perverted dog’s attacks and came right next to me.

“It seems like there are

various circumstances around this, but… I hope Mr. Shitty Virgin’s wish comes

true.”

She smiled an awkward but

gentle smile.

I should probably tell her what

“shitty virgin” means.

＊＊＊

“…ter …aster …Master! Don’t tell me… Master didn’t kick the bucket, did he?”

I slept on the prison floor

like a dead man and was woken up by Bart’s voice. It was dark, as usual, so I didn’t know what

time it was.

“I’m not gonna die.”

When I turned to face him, I

spotted the innocent kid laughing in relief.

“That’s right! You’re the indomitable hero that stands back up

no matter how many times it takes.”

Bart handed me a rotten apple

through the gaps between the bars. This

seems to be today’s meal.

I thanked him and accepted

it. I leaned against the cage and bit

into the apple. I felt like I was being

revived.

“Hey, Bart.”

“Yeah?”

“How are Yesmas treated in the

govern camps around this region?”

Bart’s face tightened.

Govern camps. The secret to the north’s ability to expand

its power lies in this scheme. By

confining the vulnerable people, such as women, children, and elderlies, in

these places called govern camps, they become hostages and turn the remaining

people into puppets. Naturally, if

anyone resists, cruel death awaits the hostages related to them.

Maintaining control of the

govern camps is essential for the Northern Forces. However, managing a large number of hostages

requires a lot of effort, and if the hostages die, it will inevitably lead to

those who have lost their loved ones rebelling.

As a result, they use the slave-class Yesmas to maintain the camps. Since they’re of a lower status than the

hostages, Yesmas also seem to help keep the hostages’ mind at ease.

“Well… it’s terrible. The govern camp here is very big, so there’s

naturally going to be a lot of male hostages.

Therefore… yeah, you know.”

The pain in my chest was

unbearable. Nuris said that a Yesma

escaped from a govern camp and was then caught.

I recall her saying the girl was whipped and bruised. What did that girl do wrong?

“…Hey, Bart. Don’t you think it’s rotten?”

“Huh? The apple?

Sorry, that’s all I got…”

“No, I meant this world. Don’t you want to tear it all down?”

“O-oh. Well, yeah, but…”

He didn’t seem opposed to

it. While he may act cheerful in front

of me, Bart must have family members held hostage as well. That’s why he’s been working to feed the

prisoners in the basement of this arena.

“Hey, if I disappear… can you

promise me this? You don’t have to act

on it, but I want you to never throw away your feelings of unrighteousness in

this world… Can you do that?”

This boy’s the only person I

can entrust my wishes to while I’m in this prison. He’s the only person I’m able to relay to

that this world should be destroyed.

While deep in thought, I

turned towards Bart and saw him standing still in the darkness as if he was

terrified.

“Whether he can fulfill that

promise will be up to you.”

A hoarse voice that was like a

ghost came from the darkness.

Bart appeared to be grabbed by

the scruff of his neck.

That torturer – the shadowy

old man, was approaching this golden cage.

“How are you doing, young

man? You seem awfully fine even after

going through that torturing.”

“What are you doing? Let go of that kid.”

“That I cannot do. This one’s an important stage prop after

all.”

What is he saying?

“What business does the king’s

torturer have for him to come to such a bloody place?”

“No need to rush, I’ll tell

you. After all, I came all the way here

to make you despair.”

It was a chilling voice. The torturer’s golden eyes, as if they were

the only things emitting light, shot at me from underneath the darkness of his

hood.

“Let’s start with the good

news. This morning, we burned down the

village that you used to visit often when you were a hunter.”

I felt the blood drain from my

face. Bapsas was…?

“That’s right, it was

Bapsas. However, it seems the Yesma that

you cared for managed to escape.”

I was thrown into

disarray. Was he talking about

Celes? How does this guy know about

Celes? …No, wait, calm down.

“…Don’t lie. Bapsas is a village south of Munires. The territory you control hasn’t reached that

far yet.”

“Even if it’s not near any

territory we control, there are ways to dispatch soldiers there. But rest assured, that Celes whatever should

still be alive. Naturally, we’ll kill

her as soon as we find her.”

The old man appeared to be

laughing as his shoulders shook. Bart

was stiff and didn’t move.

“…What the hell are you trying

to do? Why did you attack Bapsas?”

“I’ve been searching for the

best way to kill you. Swordfights and

torturing won’t do.”

“Why don’t you just feed me to

some beasts?”

“That would be too lenient. Even if you perish, your heart won’t have

died. I want you to die amidst

despair. You’ve killed someone important

to me in the Forest of Needles. I’m sure

you haven’t forgotten… the man called En.

Do you know how it feels to have something precious stolen from you?”

Who do you think you’re

asking? I thought. On the other hand, there was something that

puzzled me. Wasn’t I going to be

executed as the head of the Liberation Army?

Why does my execution involve a torturer’s personal grudge against me?

“You’ve got a good intuition,

kid. It’s probably not a good idea to

say too much, so I’ll keep it concise and tell you the bad news next.”

I was wondering where the

clacking noise was coming from before noticing Bart’s teeth were chattering.

“I thought of something

interesting, so we’re going to have a special performance this afternoon.”

I had such a bad feeling about

this that I couldn’t even open my mouth.

“I’m going to make you and

this Bart kid have a swordfight. Only

one of you will survive. If you delay it

until there’s a tie, you’ll both be publicly executed.”

I had goosebumps. How can this be…?

“Why, isn’t that a nice

reaction? Worry your heart out. If you want to live, you’ll have to kill this

kid. If you want the kid to live, then

you’ll have to die. How’s that for

suffering?”

Even if I wanted to retort, I

had no words to say.

The old man took the helpless

Bart away and disappeared into the darkness.

The feeling of despair

enveloped my body. I still wanted to live

a little longer. I still had a lot I

wanted to do.

But I can’t let the boy

die. I have no choice but to take my own

life first.

As I thought about the person

I once loved, I felt my tears flow silently.

＊＊＊

─Something… just doesn’t

seem right.

Sanon relayed to me while

eating grass from the roadside.

(Yeah. It doesn’t look like it was attacked, but the

tense atmosphere is probably due to Bapsas going up in flames.)

It was evening. After a careful reconnaissance, we entered

the city of Munires. It’s a large-scale

commercial city with pastel-colored buildings lining the large cobbled main

street. However, it didn’t carry the

same unrestrained liveliness as when I came here before. Instead, soldiers in red leather armor and

armed with sharp, polished spears roamed the streets. According to Celes, they’re the royal army.

“I’m a little worried that so

many soldiers are out and about, because the members of the Liberation Army who

are in hiding will find it difficult to stay here…”

Celes looked around anxiously,

and Rossi stuck to her bare legs while he walked. Sanon and I watched the rear and followed

while pretending to be pigs – or rather, we were already pigs.

Celes mentioned she visited

the Sleeping Foal Inn once before, so she led us there. After arriving, it dawned upon me that this

was the inn in which Jess, Nott, and I stayed at in the past. It was a tidy building with decorative

flowers on its light brown exterior walls, and it had a pub just like Martha’s

inn.

Upon entering the pub, I

spotted a silver coat of arms on the wall – a Yesma collar decorated with two

swords crossing the center of it. It’s

protected by a special magic and serves as proof the owner is a Yesma guardian.

“Ah, thank goodness! You’re Celes, right?”

The one who spoke and walked towards us was a

countryside-looking old man with a grey beard.

His hair was covered by some cloth, and his glittering eyes carried

smiling wrinkles as they spotted Celes’ figure.

As I was wondering who was barking, Rossi pounced onto

the old man and started licking his face after he kneeled down. It looks like this old man is quite close to

Rossi. Although, three months ago when

we stayed here with Jess, they didn’t seem that close…

Celes bowed and greeted him.

“It’s Mr. Cloyt, right? Good evening.”

“You’re safe.

Phew, that’s a relief.”

Cloyt smiled at Celes while wiping his saliva-covered

face with his sleeves.

“Yes… we somehow managed to escape.”

“I see, I see.

That’s good.”

He breathed a sigh of relief before tightening his

expression.

“Celes, it’s about Martha…”

“…Yes?”

“Come with me.”

Cloyt invited Celes to the back as he spoke. Rossi accompanied them, and Sanon and I

followed suit. Whatever was waiting for

us ahead wasn’t going to be something good.

We were led in front of a guest room. When Cloyt knocked, a hoarse voice came from

inside saying “Come in.”

When the door was opened, I spotted someone lying down

in bed. There was a burnt smell coming

from somewhere.

“Martha-sama!

Are you alright?!”

Celes exclaimed as she ran towards the bed.

“I managed to save my life and the collar.”

The person in bed was Martha. Her gaze was directed at the leather bag near

her bedside. It was the bag with Ys’

collar.

“Your life, and…”

Celes stiffened as she looked at Martha. On closer inspection, Martha’s hair was

shorten to a hideous extent. It was

burnt. And everywhere around her face

was red and blistered.

“How foolish of me.

I tried to cross the flames with a horse and ended up getting severely

burned. I pushed on desperately and was somehow

able to arrive at Munires.”

“How can this be…?”

A weak voice spilled from Celes.

Cloyt offered something to the crestfallen girl.

“You don’t need to pay for it. Go ahead and use this.”

Celes received a black rista – it’s a source of magic

power for prayers, which only Yesmas can use.

“Hold it. Cloyt,

we can’t accept this. Give it back to

him, Celes.”

Celes handed the rista back as instructed by Martha,

but Cloyt crossed his arms behind his back.

“I happened to be given that rista for free

today. I don’t have a Yesma in my house,

and even if I did, there’s nothing to use it on. Go ahead, take it and treat Martha quickly.”

For free?

Ristas should be fairly expensive, so is that even possible? That said, if he doesn’t have a Yesma, he has

no reason to keep a black rista that only Yesmas can use. Hm.

Celes turned towards Martha. Martha smiled and nodded.

“Then let’s accept his kind gesture. I’ll repay the favor someday.”

As soon as she heard that, Celes approached the

bedside and kneeled on the floor. She

wrapped her hands around the rista and pressed it against her forehead. Her large eyes slowly closed.

Silence.

After a while, Celes’ eyes opened and Martha lifted

her upper body. While Martha’s hair

remained burnt, before we knew it, the burn traces on her face were nearly gone. Only a bit of redness remained, but since

Martha originally had a red face anyway, it wasn’t very noticeable.

Martha stroked Celes’ head.

“Thank you.

That was really well done. Thanks

to you, I’m all good now.”

“I’m glad. It’s

because Martha-sama has been kind to me…”

Celes looked back at Cloyt, who was leaning against

the entrance.

“Thank you so much, Mr. Cloyt. Thanks to you, I was able to heal

Martha-sama.”

“That’s alright.

The rista’s yours, Celes, so use the remaining magic power however you

want.”

Cloyt responded while grinning and prepared to leave

the room. However, as if he had just

remembered something, he turned back around to face Celes.

“Come to think of it, I have some good news. Have you hear about it, Celes?”

“…Erm?”

“You already knew Nott was captured, right? Well, it sounds like he managed to escape

from the arena this noon.”

“Eeeeeh?! Mr.

Nott escaped?!”

Celes’ voice squeaked in surprise. Sanon and I glanced at each other. This was shocking news.

“I just heard about it from the streets. Although people don’t dare say it out loud,

it’s made a big commotion behind the scenes.

After all, the Munires merchants favor the Liberation Army.”

Is that so? Our

transmigration, the attack on Bapsas, and Nott’s escape – it’s hard to imagine

this series of events all being coincidences.

I’m not able to wrap my head around everything, but this is definitely

good news.

I truly think he’s a tenacious guy. His flames are still burning.

“Um, where is Mr. Nott right now?”

Celes leaned forward and asked. To which Cloyt, seemingly bewildered,

responded.

“I’m not quite sure…

Rumor has it that Nott suddenly disappeared from the arena, and no one

knows his whereabouts. It makes me

wonder what he’ll do in the future.”

Celes could be seen clenching her small fists.

Cloyt continued, “Even so, we citizens can only

continue on with our normal lives here.

But this is definitely a joyous event.

Now then, time to get back to work.

I still have to clean up the basement too. Celes, please stay here and take care of

Martha.”

The old man glanced at the three docile animals and

readied himself to leave.

Hold on a minute – I thought.

“Oink oink oink oink!”

When I cried out loudly, Cloyt looked back in

surprise.

“Oh my, what’s the matter Mr. Pig?”

(Celes, I want to talk to this old man. Can you help with the relaying?)

─Erm… Understood.

After Celes revealed us pigs’ true identities, I got

straight to the point.

(Can you please tell us where the remnants of the

Liberation Army are headed towards?)

Cloyt look at me with an expression that was a mixture

of surprise and bafflement.

“Wait, wait.

What are you talking about?”

(Mr. Cloyt, you were hiding people from the Liberation

Army in your basement, weren’t you?)

He stared at me suspiciously.

He seemed to be wondering how I knew, but it’s

something that could be inferred just by piecing together a few bits of

information. According to Celes, it

seems certain that the remnants of the Liberation Army are – or perhaps were –

hiding in this city. And Rossi, who

wasn’t so familiar with Cloyt when he last came with me here, was very attached

to Cloyt when they met today. This

implies that during the three months after I left Mestria up till my return,

Rossi, or more specifically his owner, Nott, had met Cloyt many times.

And then there’s what Cloyt said.

─I happened to be given that rista for

free today.

First of all, it’s not possible for an expensive rista

to just fall from the sky. And since he

doesn’t have a Yesma, there was no reason for him to buy one. In that case, it’s possible that he received

it as compensation for something. So who

could have given it to him? What

happened today?

─Now then, time to get back to

work. I still have to clean up the

basement too.

Think about why he has to “clean up the basement” at

this time. What if he was hiding people

from the Liberation Army in his basement, and they set off in a hurry after

hearing the news about Nott’s escape?

The royal dynasty has their eyes set on the Liberation Army, so in order

to destroy the evidence, he needs to clean up the basement as soon as possible.

Sanon oinked with his nose.

─Please. Celes-chan wishes to meet with Nott-kun. We’ll take any leads you got that could let

us get in contact with the people from the Liberation Army.

Appearing troubled, Cloyt bit his lips under his grey

beard. My instincts told me we just

needed another push to make it work.

Then, the bed creaked and Martha turned to face us.

“Sanon, shouldn’t you be asking me, Celes’ master,

about this first before requesting that?”

It was a gentle, reproachful tone that was difficult

to tell whether it was supportive or opposing.

─You’re right. Ms. Martha, by all means, please agree to this.

“I believe I’ve said that I can’t allow Celes to

travel far away.”

Celes casted her eyes down. Beside her, the black pig resolutely stared

at Martha.

─That was when Celes still

had her workplace, the inn. However, due

to the recent attack, the inn has burned down.

Sanon’s brazen and proud assertion carried such

intensity that it was hard to imagine he was a pig.

“Indeed, that is correct. But I hope you didn’t forget what happened last

time after I allowed you to take Celes to join the Liberation Army’s battles. Not only did Celes not provide much help, she

was almost killed during the battle at the Rocklands.”

─No, Celes-chan was helpful. The Yesma girls, who are able to relay

thoughts remotely and heal people through prayers, are very important

existences as logistical support in battles.

In order to be able to work closely together, it can be said that no

many how many Yesmas there are, it’s never enough. And when it comes to the ability to heal

Nott-kun, Celes-chan is by far the best at it.

She’s a necessary existence for the Liberation Army.

Hm? What does

he mean by Celes having by far the best ability to heal Nott?

I looked at Celes and noticed her cheeks were dyed

pink for some reason.

Martha kept silent for some time, but eventually

called out, “Celes.”

“Do you really want to go?”

Celes looked at Martha and nodded affirmatively.

“You might die, you know? And based on the current situation, if you’re

caught by the Northerners, it wouldn’t be strange if you were raped to the

point of losing your mind, or if your stomach was sliced open without

anesthesia. Even so, do you wish to go?”

“…Yes. It’s

much better than sitting here waiting.”

Martha raised her eyebrows in resignation.

“Is that so?

…The house seems to have burned down anyway, and I can’t let you stay

with a homeless person like this forever.

Nott and the others are doing something very noble. If Celes can become their strength, then

that’s something worth being proud of.”

“Then, Martha-sama…”

“Yeah, go ahead.

Cloyt, tell these kids where to go.”

Cloyt’s grey brows furrowed, seemingly troubled.

“Well in that case, I’d love to help… It’s true that I hid them in my basement. But even though I support those children, I’m

just like Martha – an ordinary citizen who lives a quiet life under the rule of

the royal dynasty. I may have secretly

taken care of them… but I know next to nothing about their activities. I haven’t heard where they’re headed either.”

Sanon enthusiastically appealed.

─But you’ve been in

contact with them, no? It’s clear that

the people of the Liberation Army have left to rendezvous with Nott-kun. Do you have any ideas as to which direction

they might be headed towards?

Cloyt shook his head.

“Those children have gotten very cautious these days. It seems like their information is shared

only to a small group of people. I was

only told ‘Thank you for taking care of us.’

After they left in a hurry, I heard rumors of Nott’s escape a little

later before finally realizing what was going on. If it’s them, I suspect they’re already quite

far away by now.”

It sounded like he was admonishing us and saying: just

give up and live your life peacefully here.

Celes dejectedly dropped her shoulders.

“Is that so? …I guess there’s nothing we can do then.”

Well, it’s clear as day that Celes would be safer

here.

However…

I recalled when I visited Martha’s inn with Jess. Celes wanted Nott to stay, but for the sake

of Jess, I half-tricked Celes into letting Nott accompany us. At the time, she accepted my proposal and saw

us off with a smile.

─I hope your wish comes true as well,

Mister Pig.

I thought back to Celes’ words.

Now it’s my turn to grant Celes’ wish.

(Mr. Cloyt, could you please show us where the people

from the Liberation Army were staying?)

“It’s already empty,” Cloyt remarked as he guided us

to the back door leading to the basement.

The spacious area had long since been vacated. Six wooden triple-bunk beds were tucked against

the wall side by side, and a few tattered sofas were strewn across the

place. In the center was a large square

table.

Leaving the party of a girl and three animals behind,

Cloyt went back to work.

(Alright, it’s time to solve this mystery.)

I motivated myself.

“Mystery… Are

you saying you’re going to figure out where the members of the Liberation Army

have gone?”

(That’s right, Celes.

And I’m absolutely confident about this.)

When I said that, Sanon looked at me.

─Why… do you claim that?

(It’s the smell.

We just need to roughly guess their location, and the rest can be

handled by the smell of their beddings.)

─I see!

Sanon caught on, but Celes was drawing a blank, so let

me explain.

(Celes, dogs and pigs have a very sharp sense of smell. A human’s nose can’t compare to it. They can perceive odors that are infinitesimal

faint, and are good at differentiating varying scents. For example, if Celes were to leave here,

even if you were to walk for a whole day, we would still be able to get to you

by following the faint smell left on the ground. We’re also able to tell where and what you

ate, and know exactly where you picked flowers.)

>TL Note: Some Japanese girls use “picking flowers”

as a metaphor for going to the toilet.

Celes’ expression hardened. Oops, I let that accidentally slip from my

mouth.

“Mr. Sanon, at that time, you really were…”

─N-no, Cele-tan. I just happened to sniff it…

The black pig started panicking. I don’t know what had happened, but once we

return to Japan, the first thing I need to do is turn this lolicon in to the

police.

(Anyway, what we need to do here is get a rough idea

of where the Liberation Army is headed, and collect as many things that carry

their smell as possible. Should be

simple.)

As I conveyed that, I walked around the room.

(Hm, this string was cut…)

I found a piece of cut-off linen string on the ground

that was knotted and had traces of having been used, so I tried sniffing it.

(Celes, do you use birds for communicating in Mestria?)

“…Yes.

Especially if it’s urgent.”

(This string smells of a bird. It was probably used to tie the paper that

delivered the news of Nott’s escape to the bird’s feet.)

─Really?

The black pig approached and sniffed the string I had

smelled.

─It really does smell of a

bird.

Celes smiled wryly while pressing her hands between

her legs. Seriously, what happened?

Rossi came towards us while wagging his tail and

mimicked us sniffing the string. He left

soon after and began sniffing around the room.

I was astonished, because this was exactly what I was

planning to do. If we look for same

smell as this, we might find a clue. If

Rossi acted knowing this, his thinking abilities are far beyond that of normal

dog.

“Ruff!”

Rossi barked and brought over a small scrap of paper

with his mouth. I looked at it as he

placed on the ground. It was a piece of

paper that was slightly larger than a postage stamp, and had creases from having

been rolled up. Only a double circle was

drawn on the center.

I quickly sniffed the paper. Was it parchment? It had a strong animal odor to it. But beyond that, I could definitely smell a

burnt scent, and the smell of something like a birdhouse.

(Celes! Mr.

Sanon! Look at this!)

I called the two over, and Celes picked up the piece

of paper.

“This is…”

As Celes said that, Rossi brought over another similar

piece of paper. A double circle was also

drawn on it.

─This is a code that

No-kun and the others use a lot. It

means “convene.”

I thought about it.

(There seems to be a lot of the same piece of

paper. They probably used several birds

at the same time to send them to multiple people. Whether it was because it’s an urgent matter,

or because they wanted to make sure it was delivered, we can assume both. Considering the remnants of the Liberation

Army left in a hurry on the same day Nott escaped, we can speculate that this

means “convene where Nott is ASAP.”)

─It looks like they purposefully

charred the parchment instead of using ink.

Sanon noticed.

Is that what the burnt smell was?

“Mr. Nott probably scorched it with the flames from

his twin daggers.”

We two pigs nodded in agreement at Celes’ remark. Sanon then pondered.

─So now we need to figure

out where this place is, and we only have the double circle to work with.

(Let’s look at it from the other way around. The remnants of the Liberation Army determined

their destination based on the double circle only. It’s extremely risky to transmit the

destination via birds, so where’s the most reasonable place the scattered

remnants from various places will gather at based on this message? – It should

be fine to think along these lines.)

─I see. Then let’s think about it rationally.

I nodded.

(First of all, Nott should be wanting to get out of

the area controlled by the north as soon as possible. Naturally, he’ll prefer to flee to a place

with more Liberation Army members and supporters.)

“With regards to the capital, which is located at the center

of Mestria, the people supporting the Liberation Army are concentrated southeast

of there. Since there’s no reason for

them to head west, they should be headed somewhere further east from the Forest

of Needles which surrounds the royal dynasty.

How does that sound?”

(Nice one, Celes.

Speaking of which, what’s the current situation regarding the borders

between the areas controlled by the Northern Forces, and the areas controlled

by the royal dynasty?)

“I heard the royal army recaptured a large port city

in the east called Niabel very recently.

When it was captured, I was told it was a geographically isolated place,

so… I believe the frontlines are located

near Matto, a mountain village located a little further north of Niabel.”

I was impressed by how informed Celes was. It means she was just that concerned about

the world outside.

(For the Liberation Army, their priority should be

meeting up with Nott as soon as they can outside the areas under the Northern

Forces’ control. However, the frontlines

is dangerous because the royal army is concentrated there.)

That was my hunch.

Sanon seemed to agree with me and nodded in my direction.

─For a “convene”

message… If a lot of people are going to

appear, it would be better to choose a big city, right?

“In other words…”

Celes’ large eyes looked over here.

(Yeah. We

should head towards Niabel.)

Martha sat on her bed with a serious gaze.

“Celes, are you really going?”

“Yes… I’m very sorry.”

Celes frowned apologetically.

After a brief moment of silence, Martha spoke.

“It’s a pity I won’t be able to accompany you with

this body.”

“Martha-sama…”

“Take care of your life.”

“I will.”

“As for the Mister Pigs over there.”

At Martha’s beckoning, the black pig and I trotted to

her side.

“Pork dishes are my specialty. If Celes doesn’t come back safely, you know

what’ll happen, right?”

Eek.

(I will risk my life to protect her.)

Following my lead, Sanon also conveyed.

─Me too. I won’t take my eyes off Celes-chan for even

a second.

Is that alright…?

“Please.”

It was OK’d?!

Since the sun had already set, we decided to set off for

Niabel tomorrow at sunrise. If Celes

rode on the pigs’ back, we should be able to arrive in about three days.

On the day of departure, dark ominous clouds loomed

over the clear blue sky.

＊＊＊

It was Nuris who came to pick me up. She held a pair of daggers – the set of

daggers made from Ys’ bones. I will use

Ys’ burning flames to return to her side.

─There’s no time, so I’ll

make it simple. Don’t look at me.

I could hear Nuris’ indifferent voice in my mind.

─These two daggers are

equipped with special ristas. Just one

is enough to release a large amount of magic power at once.

Nuris expressionlessly restrained me. I looked at the daggers. The ristas were red in the center, and clear

around the peripherals.

─By swinging either dagger

towards the ground, you’ll be able to fly high into the sky. It should have just enough magic power to be

able to handle taking that boy named Bart as well. When you land, swing the other dagger towards

the ground. It should cancel out the

speed from falling and allow you to land without dying.

We headed towards the lift that led to the stage. I couldn’t believe it. I was going to escape.

─Thanks, I owe you.

─Failure is not allowed.

─Understood.

We arrived in front of the lift. A prison guard was holding a small knife. I wondered why.

Nuris, who had removed my shackles, reacted with a twitch

and looked at the guard. The guard

grinned underneath the helmet covering his face, threw Nuris and me together

into the elevator, and tossed the knife he was holding next to Nuris.

The chains rang, and the lift raised the two of us

onto the stage.

Their message was clear. They won’t let me take the easy way out and

have it end with just me committing suicide.

Only one person will be allowed to survive. Even if I die, either Bart or Nuris will have

to die. Perhaps it was for this cruel

act that they were stationed around me.

However, that’s not the problem. It’s that this rista only has enough power to

barely allow me and Bart to fly.

That means one person will be left behind in this

arena.

The lift inevitably neared the sand-covered stage, and

I squinted.

It’s sunny. The

wind was strong. Dust clouds were being kicked

up. The sunlight from above was

reflecting off of the sand.

The circular arena was filled with thousands of spectators. The audience seats surrounding the elliptical

stage were like rising walls, towering over us.

These faceless citizens – were they forced to watch,

or did they come here seeking bloodshed?

Do they wish for my death, or do they wish for my cruel victory? No one was speaking towards me – all that

entered my ears were unintelligible yelling, cursing, and cheering.

When the lift stopped, Nuris emotionlessly picked up

the knife and walked away from me. She

spoke with her back turned.

─Leave me.

I bit my lips. There’s

no way I could do such a thing. What should

I do? How can I save everyone?

Sanon’s figure appeared in my mind. That guy never gave up, no matter how

unfavorable the situation was. He saved

me. In the end, he staked his life so

that Celes and the others could escape.

Think. Think!

─You should stop that boy

first.

Nuris’ voice resounded in my mind.

The arena was wrapped in cruel cheers. On the other side of the dust cloud, the

opposing elevator gradually rose, and Bart, standing in a daze, appeared on

stage. The blade he held in his small

hands glowed faintly.

It didn’t take long for me to interpret Nuris’

message. Under the enthusiastic gaze of

the audience, I ran straight towards Bart.

He slowly raised his thin arms, and thrusted the blade against his neck.

“Stop!”

I screamed as I neared him. I grabbed Bart’s blade by the hilt and

twisted, pulling it away from his neck. I

then thrusted the blade towards the ground, and Bart fell forward as his

posture broke. With my elbow on his

shoulder, I picked up the blade. Bart

then fell on the ground.

I threw Bart’s blade far away. Though the stage is covered in sand, there

are wooden boards underneath, and the blade stabbed beautifully into the

ground.

I could hear jeering.

They probably wanted me to kill him.

“Don’t worry, Bart.

We’re escaping from here.”

I tried informing him without moving my mouth as much

as possible. Bart’s eyes, which were

filled with tears, widened. I raised the

corner of my mouth and smiled at Bart, who had fallen unsightly onto the

ground. I’ve told him that it’s alright

now, and that I’ll save him.

All that’s left is to figure out what to do so the

three of us can escape.

No, wrong.

I realized then – when it was too late – just what

kind of race the Yesmas are.

I quickly turned around and spotted Nuris’ body

suddenly collapsing. A knife was stuck

in her abdomen. Even from a distance, I

could see the blood spread across her ragged clothes. She had stabbed herself. On the other end of the dust cloud, a Yesma

had lost her life. The cheering and

cursing faded away, and it felt like time had stopped.

The girl’s body fell face down, and after that, she

stopped moving.

The arena was enveloped in a storm of jeers. As I suppressed my anger and despair, tears

began flowing. Are you watching, you

senile old torturer? This is what you

wanted to see.

But there was no time for me to grieve. Unsheathing a dagger, I held it in my right

and looked up at the sky. It was a blue

sky. The gateway to the future.

…Hm?

For a moment there, a strange shadow appeared in the

blue sky. It had large wings and a long

tail. Don’t tell me…

The next second, the sound of stone masonry collapsing

could be heard from the outer parts of the arena. Something roared. Its body color, which was the color of the

sky, gradually returned to jet black, revealing its true identity. Its gigantic appearance was unmistakable.

It’s a legendary creature that I have only seen in

book illustrations. It’s a dragon, a

tyrannical monster that breathes fire.

Its huge mouth, which looked like it could swallow a

human whole, was densely lined with sharp fangs. It had a large, narrow body that was covered

in hard scales. It had broad wings, and

a long tail covered in spikes.

The jeers in the arena turned into screams.

The dragon stopped at the edge of the arena and opened

its mouth wide.

Shit!

I immediately pulled Bart to my side and tried to dodge. No, it’s too late. At this rate, we’re going to be hit by the flames

directly. We had no choice but to escape

to the sky.

“We’re gonna fly, hold tight.”

Saying that, I hugged Bart tightly.

Bart, who had a dumbstruck look on his face, also

hurriedly wrapped his hands around my neck.

I held Bart with my crippled left hand and swung the dagger in my right.

Along with hearing the sound of the wooden floor being

ripped apart, I felt as if my internal organs were being pulled against. Bart and I cut through the wind at an

incredible speed and began rising towards the sky. Suddenly, my field of vision was dyed

black. What happened?

The black stuff disappeared. Looking down, I saw the entire arena shrouded

in black smoke. The dragon must have

spewed out black smoke instead of flames.

But why wasn’t it flames? Only

the mages from the royal dynasty are capable of controlling a legendary

creature such as a dragon. The royal

dynasty should be trying to kill me, yet the dragon spat out smoke that was

incapable of killing. Why was that? In fact, why did a dragon come here?

We flew diagonally, tracing an arc and crossing the

outer edge of the arena. It was more

than enough height. With this, I might

have even been able to take Nuris with us…

But it was too late now. We started descending. I returned the dagger in my right hand into

its scabbard and pulled out the other dagger.

We were going to land in the forest.

The direction was calculated. The

trees were approaching.

I swung my dagger before hitting the branches. My body was wrapped in a strong repulsive

force. I squinted at the pain that

followed.

I writhed in a whirlpool of

shock that resulted in me being unable to tell up from down.

We rolled on the ground and

seemed to have hit a tree trunk. I

opened my eyes and saw that we were inside the forest.

“Bart, are you alright?”

I tore away my arm that was clutching

his neck and got up, only to see the boy on the ground rubbing his eyes.

“That was crazy. What was that just now?”

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I used a special rista to escape from the arena

through the sky. Is your body fine?”

“Yeah. I’m

fine, but…”

As Bart got up, he looked at me in the eyes with a

strange expression.

“Why is Master

crying?”