“What an unthinkable...”
“So cruel...”
It was a considerably strong shock to the girls. Covering her mouth with her hand, Titania was unable to speak any further, and Mizuki looked like she was about to cry. Seeing the two of them like that, Reiji thrust his resentment before Gregory.
“Using people like that... Isn’t that going too far?! What do you take people’s lives for?!”
“The life of our hero and the lives of soldiers are not something that can be compared. If we were to save a few soldiers and lose you, the only one who could save this world, then... looking at the bigger picture, it was easy to see the disparity.”
“And just like that, even Suimei...!”
“Even the people of the trade corps have nothing to do with it. But despite that...”
Reiji let his violent emotions run wild as he shouted angrily, and hearing Mizuki’s grieving voice on top of that, it seemed Gregory was no longer able to say anything more. He fell silent. He likely had his own thoughts on the loss of his fellow soldiers. After venting his anger by yelling, Reiji questioned Gregory in a disheartened tone.
“Was there... no other way of doing this?”
“By now the demon army will have already passed through the center of Shaddock’s domain and likely be near the mountain range at the national border. There is nothing that can be done...”
“If they’ve been planning this all along, why didn’t you say anything until now?!”
“I-I had no choice! I was commanded not to say anything until the time came. As but a single knight, I do not have the right to disobey such an order... Moreover, by the time I heard of it myself, it was already...”
“N-No way... Then Suimei-kun is...”
“It is likely that he has already made contact with the demons. According to the information, they have learned that Suimei-dono has no peculiar characteristics, wears uncommon clothing, and is traveling with a trade corps towards the border. None of it is definitive, but even if they searched with just that much...”
“B-But... if he runs away and hides somewhere, then...”
“That would likely be difficult. Somehow, the demons have even spread their net all the way over here in the Nelferian Empire. Thinking of it that way, the scale and reach of the demon army must be quite considerable. As long as they have a general location, I believe they’d sweep every nook and cranny of an area to find their target. And in that case, a trade corps that knows nothing of the situation would...”
Hearing Gregory’s conjecture, everyone present was stunned into silence under the weight of bitter emotions like despair and grief. Faced with this terrible news, Mizuki and Titania’s hearts went out to Suimei. Knowing he had no power to protect himself, they were both afraid for his life. Reiji had concerns along the same lines. But at last, Titania was the one to speak up.
“What of the country’s—No, what of the defenses in Metel and Kurant City?”
“I see... That’s right!”
When Titania asked that, Reiji suddenly realized something. He’d been so absorbed in all this talk of Suimei that he’d completely overlooked it. If the demons were aiming for Suimei, it meant they would be within the national borders, and when they came into contact with the trade corps, there was no way they wouldn’t rampage. And when that happened, it would be unavoidable that the nearby towns would feel threatened.
“Well, Your Highness, regarding the defenses of Kurant City, they have recruited the aid of mercenaries and those who are able to fight from the Mage’s Guild in the region. In addition, they have secretly summoned the elite from the Adventurer’s Guild. Regarding the defenses of Metel, the best of the knights and magic divisions have been gathered. They are currently getting into formation.”
“If they can do that much so skillfully, then why use Suimei as a decoy?”
“There wasn’t enough time to organize the troops. In order to by buy time to send messengers and transfer forces to Kurant City, there was no other way but to sacrifice Suimei-dono and the trade corps...”
There was no other way. To save the many, a few had to be sacrificed. Reiji understood the principle, but it was unthinkable to treat someone they’d forcibly summoned to this world that way. As his thoughts turned to the unsuspecting Suimei, he grew even more frustrated at these people’s unwillingness to stand up and protect themselves. Mizuki next to him also had tears floating up in the corners of her eyes from the inhumanity of it all.
“That’s cruel. That’s just too cruel...”
Her tears and sorrow were unmistakably her true feelings. Even if she held the strength to take part in the demon subjugation, she was still just a normal girl on the inside. They were all summoned over and begged to help, and this was how these people treated the one who wouldn’t cooperate? Anyone’s heart would ache like hers did to be in such a painful situation.
The same was true for Titania. Her expression as she cast her gaze downward was a mixture of vexation, distress, and disappointment. She’d been so delighted to finally make friends with Suimei when they’d parted ways, and now this...
Under a heavy moral weight, Gregory once more fell to his knees.
“My deepest apologies.”
Just what would apologizing any more do for them now? There was nothing they could do about the fact that Suimei had fallen into danger. Not Reiji, Mizuki, nor Titania had anything more to say to Gregory. Their resentment had already been exhausted. Unable to clear away their feelings, all that was left was a gloomy atmosphere hanging over them. Even so, there was a knight in the prime of his life lowering his head right before their eyes to the extent that his brow was pressed against the ground. Just what was he expecting from apologizing in such a way? Was it merely what he felt obligated to do? A display of his earnest feelings of guilt? A mere veil to hide the dark, secret laughter in his heart? It was like he was racking his brains as he speculated what was going to happen from here in a self-loathing manner.
Ah!
It hit Reiji like a bolt of lightning. That was it. Once he could think through it calmly, it made perfect sense.
“Reiji-kun?”
Mizuki was puzzled when she saw Reiji’s eyes suddenly light up.
“That’s enough, Gregory-san.”
“H-Hero-dono?”
Grabbing both of Gregory’s shoulders, Reiji brought him to his feet and put an end to his long, deep bow of an apology. There was no need for it. On the contrary, Reiji felt like he should be thanking him now. After all...
“Gregory-san. In truth, when you heard this story, you were also told to keep quiet, weren’t you? I imagine you were told strictly to tell us that there were demons approaching, and to guide us somewhere else.”
Titania and Gregory both had their eyes wide open. Mizuki spoke up to try and better understand what Reiji was getting at.
“Reiji, what do you mean?”
“If Gregory-san was only doing as this Hadorious nobleman said, then there was no need to tell us about Suimei. It would have enough just for him to get us to escape successfully. There was no need to go out of his way to build up our suspicion against him.”
“Ah...”
Mizuki’s quiet gasp of realization was louder than anything else in their otherwise silent surroundings. Gregory had intentionally provoked their mistrust. That was what Reiji was suggesting. Thinking back on it, it was certainly a strange confession. It was a foregone conclusion that revealing what had happened to Suimei would incite Reiji, and knowing that, Gregory had no reason to behave suspiciously and give himself away. As the subordinate of someone who had concocted the despicable plan in the first place, he had every reason to try and hide the truth from Reiji and the others. That is, unless he was subtly trying to reveal himself. In the end, he’d told them all about it willingly. Perhaps he just couldn’t take carrying the dark secret anymore. Perhaps he couldn’t accept the horrible truth either.
“Sorry, I just put it together myself. I apologiz
e for shouting at you without thinking about your situation.”
“Hero-dono...”
Reiji bowed his head and honestly apologized to Gregory, who looked fraught with emotion. Titania spoke up next.
“Gregory, I owe you an apology as well. Until I heard Reiji-sama’s explanation just now, I thought of you as untrustworthy.”
Hearing her say that, Gregory once more hung his head down. And then, as if repenting, he began speaking without hesitation.
“...I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t deceive you who have no ties to this world and were summoned here only for the sake of defeating the Demon Lord. You took on that request so bravely... And now that your friend is in danger, for me to feign ignorance... it would make me nothing more than a villain.”
After baring his soul to them, Gregory once more lowered his head.
“My sincere apologies. I was powerless to do anything.”
“It’s fine. It’s fine already. I mean...”
To Reiji, even if someone else was to blame, the responsibility ultimately fell on his shoulders. He was supposed to be the only one summoned here to this world. His two friends had just been dragged along. Worse yet, he’d refused to listen to his own best friend’s advice. That’s why...
“...Reiji-sama?”
As Reiji stood up and began to run off, Titania’s voice chased after him. When he didn’t so much as look back, Titania once more called out to him in a now panicked voice.
“J-Just where do you intend on going, Reiji-sama?!”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m going to go save Suimei.”
“You’ve got to be kidding! What can you do even if you go now?!”
“H-Hero-dono! I understand how you must feel, but you’ll never make it in time! We don’t even have horses now!”
“We still have one—Roffrey-san’s horse.”
“Th-That may be true, Reiji-sama, but what will you accomplish by leaving? Even if you do make it in time, you’d be confronting an entire army of demons! You’d only die in vain!”
Titania remonstrated Reiji to try and keep him from leaving. Her heart was in the right place, but Reiji wasn’t backing down, so she continued to press him to reconsider.
“Reiji-sama, please think it over. If something were to happen to you, just who will defeat Nakshatra?”
“...!”
It was exactly as Titania said. Reiji was a hero. He was their only hero and their only hope. He’d agreed to save them. Casting all that aside and rushing to an early death would be, in a sense, a betrayal. Yet even so, he had his own morals to uphold.
“I won’t...”
“R-Reiji-sama?”
“I won’t abandon Suimei. Suimei is my friend. That’s why...”
Even as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in vexation, he didn’t want to give up. He wanted to go and help. Suimei was a dear friend to both him and Mizuki. Reiji didn’t want to lose him. So if fate was about to swoop in and take him, Reiji couldn’t just sit idly by and watch it happen.
Titania implored Reiji. Her pleading eyes were wavering between concern for Reiji and concern for the world at large. She wanted to support Reiji, but she knew what would happen if the Demon Lord went unchallenged. She was torn. Averting his gaze from her, Reiji looked over to Mizuki.
“Mizuki...”
“I... I...”
“Mizuki, let’s go save Suimei!”
Grabbing Mizuki by the shoulders, Reiji looked earnestly into her eyes. He appealed to her go save their friend with all his heart. He thought she would agree.
“I, uh...”
But all Mizuki did was tremble.
“I...”
There was a far-off look in Mizuki’s pitch black eyes. Looking at her, Reiji was reminded that she had just finished her first battle only moments ago. It was her first real fight. Her first time standing up against a demon. She’d been seized with fear she’d never known before, and clearly hadn’t handled it so well. In perspective, asking her to take on an entire army of demons was beyond unreasonable.
There was no way Reiji could force her to do it. Something had to be wrong with him for even asking this frightened girl to consider such a thing. Reiji had gotten hotheaded and carried away in the heightened emotion of the moment, but now that he’d had a moment to cool off, things looked a little different.
“Sorry, Mizuki...”
“R-Reiji-kun?”
Reiji turned around as he apologized, but the apology wasn’t a concession. He still didn’t want to give up.
“It’s fine if I’m the only one who goes. Everyone, please wait somewhere safe. Roffrey-san!”
Roffrey was just returning from his patrol, and Reiji called out to him from afar. Roffrey, who had no idea what had just transpired, tilted his head to the side and hurried over to him on horseback.
“Is something the matter, Reiji-sama?”
“Lend me your horse.”
“Reiji-sama? Well, I do not mind, but just what are you...”
Roffrey dismounted his horse, and as if trying to intercept him, two female voices called out to them.
“Please wait a moment Reiji-sama!”
“Reiji-kun, wait!”
They were hot on his heels, but this time, Reiji...
★
After parting with the trade corps to go after Lefille, Suimei tracked her mana presence through the forest. He’d been following her for some time now, but still hadn’t caught up with her yet. It seemed she was in a hurry to get as far away from the trade corps as possible to prevent any further trouble. That was just the kind of thing Suimei would expect from a girl who’d seen through Gallio and accepted his judgment so readily. As he walked around looking for her and thinking, Suimei gazed up at the patches of cloudy sky that were difficult to see through the umbrella of trees overhead.
We’re really out in the sticks, huh? This is probably just the kind of place wild beasts or fantastical monsters like to hang out...
Suimei came to a stop for a short moment to take a break. Leaning back against a nearby tree, he gulped down the contents of his canteen and let out a satisfied sigh. It seemed quite likely he’d run into monsters around here. In that sense, the forests of this world were far more dangerous than the ones he was used to.
For me to walk into a place like this of my own free will..
Was it praiseworthy? Or maybe foolhardy? Suimei wondered, but it only inflated his doubts. Before he could take another swig of water to quench his thirst, Suimei casually spoke out.
“Sorry to interrupt while you’re steeling yourself, but could you spare me from being cut in two?”
“―?!”
Suimei’s voice was directed behind him at the person who’d approached, ready to strike him down. Suimei’s deadpan request echoed though the quiet forest, and after a few moments, the sound of someone stepping forward and a bewildered but familiar voice reached his ears.
“...Suimei-kun? Why are you here?”
“Well, as you can see, I came after you.”
As Suimei turned around, he was greeted with the sight of Lefille lowering the point of her large sword to the ground. Because Suimei was suppressing his presence, she’d likely mistaken him for a beast and was planning on cleaving him in half right along with the tree he was resting against. After Suimei calmly and frankly answered her question, Lefille’s face distorted with a grim expression.
“You came after me...? Ridiculous. It’s dangerous to be together with me, you know? Why would you come?”
“Well, that’s ’cause things’ll be troublesome on your own. So I was worried.”
“Y-Your concern is unnecessary. I can manage somehow or other on my own. Your actions are just unwanted meddling.”
“You’re saying you can deal with the dangers ahead on your own?”
“That’s right.”
Suimei found this part of her rather stubborn. And seeing her take up this attitude, he put on a cynical smile and raised a pointed que
stion.
“Then just let me ask you one thing: is that going to be enough water and food?”
“Well... That’s, um...”
“Uh-huh.”
At a loss for words, Lefille awkwardly shifted her gaze to the side. Just as Suimei thought he was able to deliver the final blow and get her to consent, she once more regained her composure and summoned a rebuttal.
“Despite your criticism, you don’t seem to be carrying much in the way of supplies either. Someone who doesn’t have enough food for themselves doesn’t have any―”
“How ’bout this?”
Crushing her serious and triumphant expression before she could finish speaking, Suimei pulled out a wealth of goods from his bag—far more than it looked like the bag could hold—and showed them off to Lefille.
“...Right to...”
“Doesn’t have any right to what? Are you saying the food I brought is insufficient?”
Suimei spoke out with a somewhat prideful tone, and Lefille was left standing there repeatedly blinking in surprise and disbelief at what he’d just done. No sane person would suggest his supply was insufficient. Suimei’s school bag was a special one; it used magicka to increase its internal capacity substantially. Though it only looked like a doctor’s bag, it was as spacious as a 150-liter suitcase. And it was mostly full of provisions, apparently.
“...What’s with that suspicious magic tool?”
“Calling it suspicious is a little mean... But, with this, you can’t really say my meddling is unwanted, now can you?”
“That’s true, but... Suimei-kun, are you alright with that?”
“Do you think I’d say that I super regretted it after I’d already come this far?”
“That’s... Sorry.”
“No freaking way, right? If I was going to get buyer’s remorse, I wouldn’t have come in the first place. So don’t worry about it.”
Seeing Lefille look dejected as she hung her head, Suimei tried to play things off as a joke, but what he said was true. He never would have come if he thought he’d regret it. Just the fact that he was standing here right now was proof of his resolve. But clinging to hope that she could get him to back down, Lefille continued to offer him reasons to reconsider.
The Magic in this Other World is Too Far Behind! Volume 2 Page 17