by Fuse
After all that briefing and interviewing, I went back outside. The visitors from Blumund were milling around, waiting for me.
“We’re ready to go, Sir Rimuru, but what should we do, exactly?”
I had them outfitted with all the extra wagons we had in town, so they finished up quicker than I thought. I nodded at them and guided them a little ways outside of town, all one hundred or so of them following me in orderly fashion.
“I wanted to provide guards for them,” a repentant-sounding Benimaru said, “but none of us can get past this barrier…”
“Not a problem. Now’s not the time to be stingy with my magic. It’s gonna take a lot of energy, but I’ll figure it out.”
So I left my monster cohorts within the barrier and guided the human visitors past it.
“We will hurry back home as quickly as we possibly can, Sir Rimuru.”
I raised a hand in response. “Before that, Mjöllmile… Can I have everybody here promise to keep what I’m about to do a secret?”
“Hmm?” Mjöllmile raised an eyebrow, already well aware of the kind of nonsense I occasionally pull off (much to my chagrin). “What are you planning to do this time…?”
“This time? You’re always expecting the worst from me, aren’t you?”
“Ha-ha-ha! No, no, you’ve provided me with so much, Sir Rimuru!”
“Heh. You said it.”
Mjöllmile and I slapped each other on the shoulder.
“I hope you will keep yourself safe.”
“Ah, I’ll be fine. I’m not a fan of fighting battles I can’t win.”
Then I activated Spatial Motion, deploying it across a wide swath of land. Everyone looked on in shock. Benimaru and Geld watched from within the barrier, both surprised and exasperated.
“The outskirts of Blumund’s about the best I can do for you all. It won’t last long, so hurry up and hop in there.”
The visitors nodded at me, faces still frozen in disbelief, as they filed on ahead. None of them asked any more questions, which I appreciated. Magic exists in this world—everyone knows that—so it takes more than a little pixie dust to really alarm these guys.
I made them promise to spread the word and provide as much support for our cause as they could. But would it have much effect? We were already at war. We couldn’t make any really brash moves—not against the Western Holy Church. They’d have to provide military support if I asked for it, as our pacts with them stipulated… But I didn’t want that, and there wasn’t much else they could do as a nation, I don’t think.
Better not expect much…and there’s no need to, really. This was our nation’s problem, and I intended to make the Kingdom of Farmus pay amply for it—by my own hand. If I didn’t, I knew, I’d never have a chance to make up for the anguish all those dead felt.
I watched our visitors go as I mentally pored over my situation. I had been delayed a bit longer than I thought, but now I decided to help out Shuna with the wounded. Rigurd mentioned an errand or something he wanted done, but I figured he could handle that without me.
Heading over to the building that served as our hospital, I found two people laid up in beds, Shuna providing nursing care and Kurobe helping her out.
“How are they looking?”
“Oh, Sir Rimuru!”
“Sir Rimuru, I don’t know what I can say to you…”
Shuna looked tired, and Kurobe was a lot more hesitant than usual. I told them to relax a bit as I examined the patients. These were Hakuro and Gobta, both sporting large and bloodied wounds.
“Whoa, these are some serious slash wounds! Why don’t we just use these…”
I whipped some potion out of my pocket and sprinkled it on both of them. Nothing in particular happened in the healing department.
“I apologize,” Rigurd said, lowering his head. “We have already made the attempt. I’m afraid we will have to rely on Shuna’s care…”
As leader of our nation, I had to decide on our future direction. I was also responsible for handling the remaining resident visitors from other countries. That’s why Rigurd didn’t want to worry me further.
Hakuro, despite looking like he stepped off a horror movie set, still gave me a smile. “Nh… Do not concern yourself about me, Sir Rimuru. I am fine. This injury was likely brought about by a skill invoked by the attackers. In time, the skill’s effects will fade, and I will heal up then. Gobta is a well-trained apprentice of mine; he won’t die like a dog over something like this.”
I should’ve expected nothing less from him. It almost made me cry, but I held it back and returned the smile. No way the master of all these monsters could show tears to anyone.
“Ha-ha! Well, glad to see your spirits are high, at least. Let me see this wound. Maybe I can do something about it.”
I checked over his body.
“Sir Rimuru,” Shuna said, “the wound is caused by an air-type attack. We need to keep him stable and full of stamina until it heals naturally over time.”
She had already used her Parser skill to figure out what was up with him. I was of the same opinion as her; it sounded like the right thing.
Air type, though? That sounded like something I might be able to harness for myself. I’ve already analyzed a high-level spirit. Let’s see if this works…
Understood. The effects of the air element have been confirmed. Use Glutton to acquire this effect?
Yes
No
The Great Sage followed through more than I expected. I thought YES and sprinkled some more potion on Hakuro’s wound.
“Oh… Ohhh! Amazing, Sir Rimuru…”
I left Hakuro to marvel by himself as I attended to Gobta.
“I should have known,” Shuna said with a light smile—one with just a twinge of gloominess to it. A sort of hmm? level of doubt. And that reminded me…
…Or it would have if Gobta didn’t choose that moment to leap right out of bed.
“Gobzo! You all right?!”
“Hey! Gobta!”
It took Rigurd yelling at him to make him realize where he was. He blinked once or twice.
“Oh wow, so…am I good?”
I scoped him out as I decided to ask Shuna about the thing that bothered me just now. Someone I expected to be here with her wasn’t present. If she was, I’m sure she would’ve been carrying on about me to no end.
“Hey, where’s Shion, by the way? I haven’t seen her lately…”
The question made everybody in the room—Rigurd, Shuna, Benimaru, even Hakuro—freeze. What’s with that reaction? Whoa, whoa, there’s no way…
“Don’t tell me,” I said, “that idiot’s gone to get revenge all by herself?”
“Oh man!” Gobta nodded warily at me. “And maybe Gobzo, too? He’s so absentminded; he’s probably running full-speed without realizing how badly outmatched he is…”
“N-no, it’s not that… Um…”
Huh? This was getting weird. Nobody was looking me in the eye.
“Okay, so where’d she go?”
No answer. I looked up to find Shuna turning her face away from me, eyes growing watery. I had a bad feeling. Gobta looked just as concerned. No way, I said to myself. That could never happen.
“…All right. I’m not going to be angry, so can you tell me where she is…?”
“…Very well,” Benimaru finally replied. “Over here. Follow me.”
I nodded, and we began to move…
Our destination was the central plaza.
And there she was, lying right in the middle of the neatly made rows. There was a white cloth covering her, ensuring she wouldn’t be easily spotted—by me or anyone else. Ha-ha. As if I’d just never wonder about where she went… It wasn’t funny.
Open your eyes—
I couldn’t believe it.
Open your eyes for me—
I didn’t want to believe it. Why? Why did it turn out like this…?
Next to me, I could hear Gobta sobbing and shouting, “Gobzooo
oooooo?!” as loudly as he could. I paid him no mind as my ears turned toward the voice providing what sounded like a faraway explanation.
Shion had been protecting a child targeted by one of the attackers.
With her own body, weakened by the plummeting magicule level.
She couldn’t move, and then an attacker came…
Gobzo had been trying to protect Lady Shuna.
He didn’t have anywhere near the strength for the job.
The attacker just laughed at him as he swung…
The words were meant for me, but I didn’t want to hear them. Each syllable gouged its way into my brain. Open your eyes, Shion… I wanted to cry, but I couldn’t. My heart felt like it was going to burst, but this body didn’t feel any need to shed tears.
Yeah, I thought. I guess I really am a monster. Somehow, it seemed so incredibly convincing now.
“I’m sorry. Leave me alone for a little while…”
Silence enveloped the plaza. I could feel everyone edging away from me. Shuna was the only one to give me a tearful hug before she joined them alongside Gobta, Hakuro placing a hand around his shoulders. Sorry, Gobta. I know you just want to say good-bye to Gobzo, but…
…Yeah. I wanted to be alone. I no longer had a grip on myself. I felt like I was going insane, but my mind was sharp as a tack. There were tempestuous levels of sadness, regret, and anger, all crashing against one another in a mad contest to find an exit.
—Why did all of this happen?
Report. Cannot calculate, comprehend, or reply.
—What would’ve been the right thing to do?
Report. Cannot calculate, comprehend, or reply.
—Was getting involved with human beings a mistake?
Report. Cannot calculate, comprehend, or reply.
—Come on… Was I wrong?
Report. Cannot calculate, comprehend, or reply.
That’s right. Even with the untold powers of the Great Sage, there were some problems that just didn’t have an answer.
—Goddamn it. If this wasn’t our town… If it wasn’t our town, I could’ve just flown into a rage, mowing down everything in my path. Goddamn it all. Taking so many people dear to me…
Looking back, this was the first time I was there to see someone close to me die. I had never gone through a loss like that, and now I understood the sadness involved. I felt it vividly, with a pain more intense than being slashed ear to ear. Cancel Pain wasn’t cutting it for this one—not against the all-too-strong currents of magic and emotion within me.
It was maybe too much for my new mask. A crack appeared on it, almost looking like a tear of sadness. I couldn’t cry, so it seemed like the mask was weeping for me.
Somewhere down the line, night fell. I gazed at the moon.
What should I do?
There was no answer. My mind was clear, but I couldn’t come up with a single thought. I looked up at the moon and kept asking myself, over and over, for an eternity. Even though I knew there was no way to find an answer. But I couldn’t stop. It was so foolish, but I couldn’t stop.
And I never noticed the small light, the reflection from the moon, that was upon me.
Three days passed. Shion didn’t wake up. She’s sleeping in way too late. I wish she’d knock that off.
…………
No, I know. I understood that she’d never open those eyes again. But I didn’t want to admit it. I wanted her back to her usual stupid antics, making her terrible meals. Gobzo, too. I didn’t know him well. We exchanged a few words on the way to the Dwarven Kingdom. But Gobta loved him as a valued sentry. He was his friend.
All the monsters who lay here had valuable relationships in their lives. No—it wasn’t like these monsters lacked any kinds of feelings. They were my most cherished companions. My family. I wanted to enjoy life with them again…but it just wasn’t going to happen.
There’s no way to resurrect the dead.
What do we do?
Do monsters not count as people? Does that mean we’ll be forced into subjugation without a passing thought as to our own feelings?
—That better mean they’re prepared to be subjugated, too.
Dark emotions began to get the better of me.
And just then:
Report. Analysis and Assessment of the compound barrier and Great Magic: Anti-Magic Area covering it is completed. Removing the compound barrier will be difficult, but the great magic can be canceled. Execute?
Yes
No
No, we don’t need to yet.
The Great Sage must’ve just wrapped up that request for me. As it did, I realized that Thought Communication messages had been coming in through the Sticky Steel Thread wrapped around my neck for a while now. I had been contacted almost constantly for the past three days. I made Soei worry for me, which I regretted.
“…Sorry. I didn’t notice.”
“Ah…! You are safe? I am so relieved.”
It was clear from Soei’s tone of voice. It also made me realize that everyone else must have been just as worried. I could whine and plead to myself later. We had a time limit, and I had things to do.
So I asked Soei how things were. Our enemies had set up battle encampments in the four cardinal directions around town, each one holding a company’s worth of knights. The magical machinations protecting each one were apparently projecting the same type of barrier that had weakened our townspeople. Sadly, the power of Soei and his team alone wouldn’t be enough to take down even one of these camps. He had also detected transportation magic at work; if we wasted time, they might call for reinforcements.
“All right. Don’t stretch yourself too thin. Join up with Gabil and rest.”
“But…”
“That’s an order. Rest.”
“…Yes, my lord.”
I wasn’t accepting any other reply. I couldn’t make Soei’s team do something reckless and get them killed as a result. I just couldn’t.
So, about that barrier.
Simply canceling out the magic wouldn’t do anything for us. What I really wanted to do was address the weakening effect it had somehow. Being a “compound barrier” or whatever it was made it a much thornier issue than I had expected.
But that could wait. What about the other search I had going?
Report. No search results found. Failed to find any magic related to complete resurrection of the dead.
…Ah. No, I suppose not. Nothing that handy can be found too easily. It makes sense. You never know for sure, though, until you check. As pointless as I thought it was, as useless a struggle as it must have looked, I couldn’t stop myself.
Shion didn’t open her eyes. Neither did Gobzo nor the rest of them. Of course they wouldn’t. They weren’t sleeping.
But I still put all my skills in motion to find some kind of measure I could take. All the bodies here, Shion’s included, were being preserved by my magical force—to keep them from decomposing, from reverting back into piles of magicules and disappearing. I knew it was pointless, but I was still betting on the possibility.
But nothing.
There were no resurrection spells in the magic books I scanned through back at that library. I guess there wouldn’t be. I had to stop grieving like this. Let’s just give them the rest they deserve in my body, as I pray they’ll wake up someday.
With that decided, I prepared to absorb them all—and that’s when my Magic Sense told me about several figures approaching.
It was the trio of Kabal and his friends. It made sense. With the order I gave, it’d have to be someone from out of town if anyone was coming near me right now. I guess they had been traveling night and day on the wagon I gave them to come here.
“…I’m sorry we’re late, boss.”
“Rimuru, um, I gotta admit I really don’t know what to say here…”
Kabal and Gido no doubt wanted to say, Hang on, you’ll get over this, that kind of thing. Elen stopped them before they could.
“
Rimuru, I… I can’t say this has much of a chance of succeeding…or, like, any, really…but there are several fairy tales about coming back from the dead…”
Now was no time to be depressed. The statement made all the diverging thought processes in my mind snap back into place.
“Can you tell me more about them, Elen?”
I turned toward her. If there was any chance, I wasn’t about to refrain from betting on it. She nodded and began to speak.
………
……
…
A story about a girl and her pet dragon.
Through assorted events, the girl’s dragon was killed. She grieved over the loss of her only friend, and with her head full of anger, she destroyed the country that had carried out the killing—along with several hundred thousand people who lived there.
The girl evolved into a demon lord, and then a miracle occurred—the dragon connected to the girl evolved right alongside her, regardless of its death. But that was the end of the miracle. The dragon had lost its soul at the moment it died, and as a result, it revived in the form of a chaos dragon. It still followed its master’s orders but now brought nothing but death and destruction to everyone else.
Thus, no longer driven by anger, the demon lord shed tears for her pet, her best friend, as she sealed away the chaos dragon herself. That’s where the story ends.
Elen’s story was a fairy tale, but it had a suspicious amount of detail to it. There were also stories about vampires using a spell called Bloodraise, as well as necromancers using Raise Dead on the dead to make them their servants. The Great Sage picked up on those, too, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. It changed the target too much, making them into a different person from when they were alive.