Campione 14

by The Eighth Godslayer

  Rather than a miracle, one would describe the recovery and resurrection as comedic.

  What happened just now, was it really an authority—!?

  Just as Godou frantically tried to run towards the girl—

  Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

  The soldiers who had been watching this resurrection drama all yelled together.

  It was mighty yell born from joy. The thunderous noise, almost enough to rupture one's eardrums, felt as though it was shaking the ground.

  While the soldiers were yelling, Godou suddenly noticed something.

  "I get the feeling the temperature suddenly increased. Was it my imagination...?"

  "Doubt it. Ena also felt wind that was rather warm."

  On the other hand, Erica frowned while watching the resurrection drama.

  "I can assert with great certainty that no magi, no matter how great, can reproduce this amazing feat of healing heavily injured patients instantly like she did just now. It's also different from Godou's [Ram] incarnation."

  "That's right. So, let's go over for a look."

  Erica nodded. Godou approached the girl on his own.

  Although the crowded mass of soldiers were in the way, they yielded a path automatically as soon as Godou pushed himself between them.

  They apparently regained their senses as a result of seeing the man who had battled Uldin just earlier.

  Thanks to that, Godou managed to make his way before the girl who was more slender than he had imagined.

  Dressed in a white overcoat, the olive-skinned beauty tilted her head as if going "Ara?" as soon as she saw Godou's face.

  It was an elegant motion that matched her polite and graceful airs.

  "Are you Aisha-san? My name is Kusanagi Godou."

  "Yes, a pleasure to meet you. I've never been called by my real name in this land before."

  The olive-skinned girl smiled faintly as she replied.

  "I've also heard of your name. If my memory serves me correctly, you are my seventh compatriot who appeared in the world of the distant future..."

  These words settled the truth beyond a doubt. Indeed, the beauty before Godou's eyes was precisely the person he sought.

  This was the instant of Kusanagi Godou and Madame Aisha's encounter in the ancient land of Gaul.

  "The great godslayer who had displayed power equal to Uldin-san—after receiving news that the commander had hired him, I originally intended to pay a visit to offer my greetings. However, I was asked to heal the injured soldiers..."

  Godou found out that Madame Aisha's residence was a Christian church inside the city of Raurica.

  In order to find a "quiet place" to talk, Godou had gone to the church together with the Madame. Perhaps because of the venue, there were no significant differences in architectural style compared to those in the modern age.

  Erica and Ena had also gathered in the chapel. Thus, a conversation began with no ancient people involved.

  "So the power displayed just now, was that really your authority, Aisha-san?"

  "Yes. It is the power I unintentionally usurped from Persephone, the goddess of spring. By sharing the energy of life with all living beings, wounds can be healed."

  The Madame was answering Godou's question with a sad tone of voice.

  Somehow there was a sense of dissonance that could not be dispelled, greatly puzzling Godou. Not even half a day had passed since he met Aisha. But so far, the impression he got was that she seemed to be a really good person.

  Gentle and magnanimous, the type of person whose presence people would describe as healing.

  She exuded an atmosphere that felt as gentle as the spring breeze. Displaying her graceful smile, her radiance illuminated people's hearts—

  That was what Godou found strange.

  Apart from a few special exceptions, Campiones were all heaven-sent children of disaster with serious personality flaws.

  Weren't those the hallmarks shared by the Campiones as a group?

  "Madame. Would you permit Kusanagi Godou's knight, Erica Blandelli, to speak here?"

  "Of course you may. Hoho, you're quite courageous for a girl."

  She smiled nobly and gently as she granted permission to Erica.

  Madame Aisha possessed a face that could only be described as a "beautiful girl's". At the same time, she was capable of behaving like a broad-minded noblewoman.

  Erica inquired with utmost respect of this lady.

  "Madame Aisha, may I ask why you have come to this city? Also, why are you known as the 'Holy Maiden'?"

  "I came here only by pure chance. While traveling aimlessly in this time period, I arrived at this place by chance. It happened to be just after Uldin-san had attacked the town... There were many injured people."

  Aisha explained with a slightly troubled expression.

  "After helping various people heal their wounds all over the city, somehow I became known as the Holy Maiden before I knew it... Then they asked me to stay. As it so happens, the bishop of this church was absent as well."

  "Was he killed by that Uldin guy?"

  "Oh no, not at all. From what I've heard, the bishop had left the city in order to avoid Uldin-san. Being a nobleman of Roman blood, he returned to his homeland."

  "Speaking of people like monks, many of them turn out to be selfish people."

  Prompted by Godou's question of what happened to the bishop, the Madame smiled wryly while Ena commented with giggle.

  The Yamato Nadeshiko could have chosen her words with more tact and grace if she wanted to, but perhaps influenced by contact with Madame Aisha's temperament, Ena made a forthright statement very much like a child of nature.

  In fact, the Madame simply smiled lightly and did not seem inclined to reprimand her.

  Completely devoid of a Campione's ferocity, was she really a good person?

  Feeling quite intrigued, Godou decided to clear up the most fundamental question.

  "So, please answer another question. What's your goal in visiting this time period?"

  "Goal... huh?"

  "Yes. Your goal, Aisha-san. This is something I couldn't figure out all this time."

  Traveling from the Italian countryside to ancient Gaul.

  One could not discern any logic or reason. Why did she create this kind of passageway? Godou's questioning gaze caused the Madame to bow her head in embarrassment.

  "Umm, actually... That corridor-creating authority, I can't control it very well."

  "Eh?"

  "When I actually want them, I can't make them at all. But when I forget all about it and go on a stroll or a trip somewhere, a hole is naturally created once every few years."

  "N-Naturally?"

  "Yes, even if I don't have any intention of going anywhere, the holes will randomly connect to some era in the past or the Boundary of Life and Immortality. Furthermore, because a terrifying power sucks me into the hole, I end up being forced to go on a journey."

  Hence, the reason why Godou's group was "sucked into" the corridor in Tuscany was not entirely due to the rampaging effects of Doni's authority.

  It also stemmed from another Campione who possessed a troublemaking authority.

  But then again, Madame Aisha was actually the one who made trouble for herself, was she not...?

  "By the way, it apparently doesn't connect to the future. After all, it has never connected to the future before."

  "So basically, the destination is completely random..."

  "Yes, you are right. Ah yes, however, it seems like most of the places I visit often have people in trouble. For example, there were large numbers of wounded people such as what happened here with invaders or citizens oppressed under tyrannical rule."

  Madame Aisha frowned for the first time and clenched her fist tightly.

  She was probably recalling the anger she had felt during her past travels. However, she still looked adorable when making this sort of expression and gesture.
This woman was very likely the determined variant of the healing type.

  However, Godou was beginning to understand her true nature.

  Unaware of the thoughts going through Godou's mind, Madame Aisha asserted seriously with a stern yet adorable expression.

  "Perhaps—it is the will of the heavens that I should bring salvation to the people in desperation. All of my authorities exist for this very purpose!"

  "W-Wait a sec, Aisha-san. You must be mistaken somewhere."

  Godou tried to correct her as calmly as possible.

  Well, perhaps it was not coincidence that she encounters people in need at her travel destinations. However, even if that were the case, it did not mean Madame Aisha should unconditionally become a savior.

  "The Astral Plane aside, there's a great risk of changing the course of history when you visit the past. If you act on whim to help people, thereby sowing seeds for changes in history—Doesn't that mess up the future instead?"

  Events not happening as they were supposed to. People not being born as they were supposed to. People not dying as they were supposed to. Creation of things that were not supposed to be created. Even the face of the world could go so far as to be altered dramatically.

  Imagining such tumult in his mind, Godou continued to offer his frank advice with a dispassionate tone of voice.

  "Our powers are quite absurd and unnatural already..."

  "I-Indeed, what you say is possible. But I think it's definitely fine. After all, I've already survived a good many times..."

  "A good many times?"

  "Yes. Even that time with what happened to Frederick the Great, I was already mentally prepared for the consequences, but in the end, there was nothing strange when I returned to modern times..."

  "...Umm, could you explain that clearly in greater detail?"

  Godou's attempt to probe deeper into her unintentional slip of the tongue prompted the Madame to go "!?" in realization.

  She turned her face away as though she were avoiding eye contact with Godou and desperately tried to cover up.

  "N-No, I didn't say anything! K-Kusanagi-san, you must have made a mistake in what you wanted to ask about!"

  "There is no mistake here. What I want to ask about is the seemingly crucial matter you just mentioned!"

  So this really is the case? Godou was struck by a heartfelt revelation as he retorted.

  Even a benevolent and gentle "good person" was perfectly capable of becoming a child of disaster with personality flaws. Furthermore, only just now did Godou realize that Madame Aisha's personality was unexpectedly prone to bouts of self-absorption.

  And a person like this was regularly traversing space and time...

  "...That Frederick guy, I remember he was an emperor roughly three hundred years ago?"

  "...Although there are many figures bearing the same name, the only Frederick renowned as 'the Great' would be the Prussian king, Frederick II. Not only was he a cultured man with excellent upbringing, he was also a great diplomat and a military genius. Obtaining many victories where the enemy forces outnumbered his army by at least two to one, he was a great and indomitable king."

  Ena and Erica whispered quietly to each other as they stood beside the completely terrified Godou.

  What kind of incident had Madame Aisha actually caused? As Godou watched, the problematic character coughed dryly and spoke up:

  "H-However, Kusanagi-san. Based on my past experience with dozens of repeated travels, this is what I've come to believe. History very likely has a 'corrective force' at work!"

  "C-Corrective force?"

  "Yes. Unlike the future, the past is like a story where the plot is already decided. If anything happened to alter the plot, I believe the corrective force will do its utmost to rectify logic."

  Story, plot, rectify logic.

  Madame Aisha uttered words which seemed quite inappropriate in a discussion about the problem of altering history.

  "For example, if the king ruling from a country's zenith happens to die, the close aides and people pulling strings from behind the scenes would desperately try their utmost to cover up the king's death. If people who were supposed to die were saved, they would die suddenly a few years later by accident or illness..."

  "In other words, what you're asking us to consider has happened many times already?"

  "N-No. The examples just come from my imagination, rather, I should call it a hypothesis!"

  "Well, hypothesizing is fine... Anyway, I have another issue I want to understand."

  Despite Madame Aisha's attempts to cover up using clumsy acting skills, Godou tried asking another question.

  "Despite this corrective force, which could very well cancel out all of your efforts, Aisha-san, why do you still continue to save people? Isn't it clearly futile?"

  "If the people I save are unrelated to the basic outline of history, it probably doesn't always get corrected."

  Madame Aisha smiled and replied.

  "And despite everything, I can't stand back and watch without doing anything. What follows, follows. Isn't it fine for me to help people in need without hesitation and I'll just worry about the details later?"

  "......"

  Although he disagreed with the appropriateness of her actions, Kusanagi Godou himself had gone and hindered Uldin from destroying the town.

  Hence, Godou really could not bring himself to reprimand her. Silently, he nodded for now.

  Then Ena suddenly spoke up.

  "Actually, it totally slipped my mind until now. Where did King Salvatore go? There's no sign of him and no rumors either?"

  Salvatore Doni. The man who should have arrived in ancient Gaul before Godou.

  Hearing that name after so long, Godou and Erica exchanged glances.

  "Now that you mention it... I've completely forgotten him thanks to all the hectic stuff these past few days."

  "I still remembered but just didn't have the leisure to search for him."

  "Oh my, I've heard of that name a little. Apart from you Kusanagi-san, have other godslayers crossed over from the modern world?"

  "Yeah. He should have passed through that 'corridor' a few minutes before us."

  Godou and his group had first arrived at the Rhine's shore.

  Was that guy hiding somewhere in the thickets in that vicinity? Seeing a puzzled expression on Godou's face, Madame Aisha smiled gently.

  "If that were the case, it cannot be helped that you were separated."

  "How does that work?"

  "Although the 'corridors' opened by my authority do send people to the same place, there are subtle differences in the destination time. In this aspect, one could call it a little sloppy."

  Sloppy. What an unsettling word. Then the Madame continued:

  "For example, suppose a 'corridor' manages to send people to the year, 500 CE. However, there would be no way of deciding which month or day is the destination. Whether you arrive in spring, summer, autumn or winter, it's entirely up to luck."

  "Luck!?"

  "As a side note, the time I arrived here was two months ago, during midwinter."

  "So that guy Doni could have been sent to several months earlier?"

  "Or conversely, he could have arrived several months later from now."

  "What sort of unreliable time machine is this..."

  Godou could not help but grumble. Oh well, the 'corridor' turned out to be just a simple passageway.

  Expecting to adjust time with precision on the scale of minutes was probably impossible. However, Godou could strongly feel a connection between this matter and other troublesome things.

  Part 3

  It was said that Dejanstahl Voban was born in the earlier half of the eighteenth century.

  His rival, Her Eminence Luo Hao had once mentioned herself that she "became a Devil King some two hundred odd years ago." According to the testimony of her direct disciple, she was apparently born in a prestigious family involved in the martial arts realm, originating fr
om a clan of outlaws.

  Together with Madame Aisha, these two were known as the Campiones of the older generation.

  However, Madame Aisha's era of birth was unknown.

  According to Erica, "There was a legend that somewhere in the mid to latter part of the nineteenth century, a certain person, who grew up in a British colony, managed to slay her first god."

  She called herself by the single name of "Aisha."

  No family name was given. "Madame" was simply a courtesy title people offered in respect to noble ladies. Presumably, she did not have a husband or children either.

  She still had a house in her home base of Alexandria.

  That was the mansion where she lived in seclusion for long periods of time—Although this rumor about her existed, in actual fact, she was a traveler who did not walk the modern Earth.

  "Because I have the kind of personality that cannot bear to live in one place for too long, in that sense, this corridors authority can be said to be a valuable treasure."

  "In other words, you love to move house frequently?"

  In response to Madame Aisha's admission that ran counter to a shut-in's personality, Godou remarked to concur.

  The current location was the general's quarters inside Augusta Raurica's stronghold.

  This was the residence assigned to Godou who had been hired as a mercenary captain. Unlike the rectangular homes inhabited by ordinary soldiers which resembled apartments, Godou's was a detached house.

  In the reception hall of the house, the two modern Campiones were engaged in a conversation.

  Two days had passed since Godou's arrival.

  Although Godou was nominally the leader of a mercenary team called the "allied division," his only subordinates were Erica and Ena.

  Most soldiers and even the commander were fearful of the "man who was able to fight Uldin equally."

  His days here were still short.

  Having returned to his quarters, Godou had been pondering how to improve his relations with the soldiers when Aisha made a sudden visit. Knowing that each other had nothing to do, they started to chat.

  "Although I don't move house, I need to take a long journey once in a while, lasting for years. Otherwise, I feel so confined it's like suffocating."

  "Where have you visited during these long journeys?"