“You decide for yourself, Nephteros. Will you plug your ears and wait for her to perish? Or do you go and save your friend yourself?” Zagan asked as he kneeled down in front of Nephteros. It went without saying that she wanted to save Chastille. But that was unreasonable. She couldn’t face that thing.
“I want to... save her...”
“Then be quick about it. It seems she’s almost at her limit,” Zagan said. However, she couldn’t even look at that chimera. As she cast her gaze to the ground, Zagan stood in a way that blocked her entire field of vision.
“Will this do?”
He’s... really protecting me... Nephteros stared at him in wonder. That was why Nephteros clung to his back and finally began chanting.
“[Thou art he who rules over terror. Accompanied by the god of war, become he who brings about destruction and chaos.]”
The chimera, which was thrusting its limbs out at Chastille, was once more pinned to the ground. However, that chimera was still a high elf, so it struggled as it began breaking through her celestial mysticism using sheer strength.
“[Battle gives birth to the vanquished, and rule over them beckons chaos. Panic becomes a bridle, and with no harmony nor friendship, under the name of chaos and discord, the battlefields run rampant.]”
Nephteros strengthened the pressure, but the chimera let out black tears as it stretched out its limbs. It looked like it was begging for salvation, and this dulled Chastille’s strikes. And, as if using that opening, the chimera flung an arm at her.
“I won’t let you!” Kuroka roared as two shortswords came in and severed that arm. It wasn’t clear whether her misunderstanding with Chastille had been cleared up, but it seemed she’d at least decided to build a united front against the chimera. She mowed down its limbs in the blink of an eye, but the chimera still vomited out sludge as if clinging to life.
“It’s futile — Azrael!” Chastille declared as the Sacred Sword’s light burned the sludge, giving Nephteros’ enough time to complete her celestial mysticism.
“[Such is the bell’s toll that crushes the soul] — Phobos Ichos!”
If I can weaken it with this, then Chastille’s Sacred Sword can defeat it! That was what Nephteros wholeheartedly believed, but her celestial mysticism didn’t activate.
A misfire? From the very beginning, the burden of celestial mysticism was far too great for Nephteros. But still, she had always been able to use Phobos Ichos. However, now it seemed she was unable to do even that.
Upon realizing that wasn’t the case, she turned pale.
“Wh-What the?” Chastille muttered in confusion. Her Sacred Sword shined a pallid blue light. The same happened to Kuroka’s shortswords. Nephteros could tell that this was the celestial mysticism she intended to fire at the chimera.
“Cut it!” Zagan yelled. Just from that, Chastille and Kuroka both understood what they were supposed to do.
“With this...”
“...it’s over!”
The Sacred Sword and shortswords tore into the beast. Immediately following that, the chimera’s body was swallowed into a black orb. Nephteros could tell that it was a bundle of gravity so powerful that it was visible. And after that orb vanished, there was nothing left behind.
What... is this power...? It was something that clearly surpassed Nephteros’ own power. Having said that, it wasn’t the Sacred Sword’s power either. As she stood there dumbfounded, Chastille came running over, and she immediately separated herself from Zagan.
“Nephteros, are you alright?”
“Well, of course I am. I was far away from the actual battle, remember?” Nephteros replied in astonishment.
“Sorry. This is about all I could think of doing for you,” Chastille replied as she embraced her for odd reason.
“What are you talking about...?”
“It’s alright. I’m here by your side.”
For some reason, Nephteros’ vision distorted upon hearing that. And that was when she noticed... that tears were falling from her own eyes.
“H-Huh? Why...?” Chastille put more strength into her arms in attempt to combat what she assumed was a display of her sadness. It was to the point where it hurt, but for some reason, it was relieving, so it made Nephteros lose all strength in her body.
Before she knew it, Nephteros was crying loudly. And tempted by that, Chastille burst into tears as well.
“This is far too cruel... How can the world be so cruel...?”
Oh, it’s not because this girl is sad herself... Is she crying for me? She never once thought that another person would do such a thing on her behalf. And so, Nephteros felt like she had been saved by her fateful meeting with Chastille.
Unfortunately, the two girls who were crying in each other’s arms were caught up in their own little world. That was why neither of them noticed that Zagan had all of a sudden vanished, and that upon departing, his face was twisted with rage.
◇
“...What a failure. To think I wouldn’t be able to retrieve Nephteros or Azazel...” Bifrons stamped their feet in frustration while biting down on a thumbnail, then continued by saying, “This isn’t the least bit amusing! Still, it is interesting! What was that right at the end? That wasn’t simply the power of celestial mysticism. Did it sympathize... no, resonate with the Sacred Sword? Hm, this requires further research.”
Even after having all their pawns destroyed, Archdemon Bifrons didn’t learn a single lesson. And then, the androgynous Archdemon burst into laughter.
“Kufufu, Zagan really is quite fun. As for Nephteros... Well, I’ll leave her for later. Shall I just make a substitute in the meantime?” Bifrons said while donning a wicked smile, perhaps having thought of their next sinister plot. However, a large hand slammed into their head with a thud at that exact moment.
“You seem to be in quite the good mood, Bifrons,” Zagan stated, standing there with bloodshot eyes as Bifrons turned around to see him.
“...Huh? Zagan? How did you get here?”
“Do you think I have any reason to answer you?” Zagan replied, though the trick was rather simple. All he did was find traces of Bifrons’ mana and use Barbatos’ sorcery to teleport over.
“Oh dear? Are you maybe... angry?” Bifrons’ mouth popped open with a dry laugh as they asked that question.
“Not at all. I just came to accomplish what I said I would. I’ll have you go to hell right here and now,” Zagan strengthened his grip with the intent of crushing Bifrons’ skull as he made his purpose clear.
“Aaahahahah! Hellish landscapes are my favorite, you know!? Just like this!” Bifrons responded with shrill laughter. And then, sludge crept out of the surrounding walls.
This idiot still has a lot left in stock... Well, that was why Zagan came alone in the first place. He put enough strength into his grip to hold Bifrons in place, and held his other hand out to the sky.
“Heaven’s Phosphor Autumn Lightning.”
Immediately following that, lightning fell from the sky. It split into countless black branches and tore apart the sludge, which made Bifrons’ entire base collapse in turn.
It can’t compare to the Fivefold Grand Flower in penetrative power, but its area of effect is far greater... There was nothing left behind after the lightning subsided. No sludge, no base, no research results, nothing. That sorcery, which burned mana itself, reduced absolutely everything to dust. With this, the medium that Bifrons used as a source to create Nephteros should also have been annihilated. And even Bifrons’ barrier, which was set up around the entire area using all the wisdom they accumulated, was demolished. In other words, all that was left here was a naked sorcerer.
“It seems you won’t die even if I crush your skull here, but I wonder if you’d survive a point blank Heaven’s Phosphor?”
“Haha... You’re better off not killing me here. There’s far too much knowledge you’ll lose on celestial mysticism.”
“Not interested,” Zagan drove Bifrons’ head into the ground
as he said that, and a splash of blood came from beneath his hand.
“Ouch, that looked painful,” Barbatos said as he broke into laughter from within the shadows. This time around, he had also been forced to go through quite the terrible experience.
This guy’s unusually angry. I wonder why... Zagan’s foolish, undesirable friend was acting like something very important to him had been hurt. That was why Zagan didn’t say anything and brought him along.
“Gak... Hak...” Bifrons groaned, somehow still alive. Hearing that, Zagan let go of Bifrons’ head and raised his right hand overhead. Bifrons was trying to put some sort of defense in place, but since Bifrons was a sorcerer, there was nothing they could do but use sorcery. And there was no sorcery that Zagan couldn’t devour.
When the sorcery dissipated in vain, doing naught but strengthening his power, Zagan drove his fist downward. The earth split and quaked. The shockwave reached all the way to the neighboring town faster than any horse could, and rocked the entire region and blew away what little debris there was left of Bifrons’ base. It was a destructive scene that made one think a meteor had landed.
However, Bifrons’ body remained. Zagan’s fist had missed Bifrons’ face and hit the ground next to their head.
“Hee... Hee...” Bifrons was trembling with a clatter.
“I thought it’d be fine to just kill you here, but I’ve changed my mind.”
“Heehee, you’ll regret not killing me — GYAAAH!?”
Zagan plunged his hand into Bifrons’ chest as the sorcerer began laughing, cutting them off.
“I planted Heaven’s Phosphor in your heart. It’s set to activate if you break a certain rule,” Zagan stated. Basically, it was a contractual sorcery.
“Isolation... That is the punishment I shall grant you. I’ll be taking charge of Nephteros. You’re not permitted to show yourself before her, talk to her, or convey your intent to her. Slowly have a taste of the hell known as loneliness.”
“Hahaa... Here I was wondering what you were going to say, and you make it something that simple... Nephteros is quite the precious specimen, but you must know that I can just make a substitute.”
“I’ll let you know one thing here. Homunculi have short lifespans. If someone doesn’t continuously supply them with mana, they won’t even survive three days. However, that never happened to Nephteros,” Zagan said as looked down at Bifrons with a faint look of pity in his eyes. Such were the limits of current cloning techniques. And yet, Nephteros was still alive. Even though she was chased by a chimera for several days on end without getting any water or sleep, she survived.
“That’s because you supplied her with mana. You protected her, keeping her from the embrace of death. The truth is, you’re attached to Nephteros,” Zagan said. If all Bifrons cared for was retrieving her, he could have just cut off her supply of mana and gotten it done easily. If the goal was to kill her, then the same thing could be done. And yet, that never happened.
“Heehee, well, it’s not any fun if she dies so easily. It’s easy to get attached to a nice toy.”
“You really don’t get it, do you? Being attached to another... is what people call love,” Zagan replied.
“You’re saying... I love Nephteros?” Bifrons looked completely dumbfounded, as if looking at something completely outrageous, as they said that. Of course, this sorcerer’s love was twisted. Forcing a one-sided love on another wouldn’t make anyone happy. There was also no way Nephteros would accept it. Such were human emotions, and there was no good or evil when it came to emotions. Love had nothing to do with such concepts. Even so, this sorcerer came to know of the emotion of loving another.
Losing the person you love... is hell itself.
The sense of emptiness Zagan felt upon forcing Nephy away from him.
The despair Orias felt upon losing everything she wished to protect.
The hatred Kuroka felt upon losing Raphael.
All of them were stuck in a hell without salvation... And that was why Zagan didn’t kill Archdemon Bifrons.
“That’s all I had to say,” Zagan vanished, leaving those words behind.
“How stupid. I don’t understand. Well, that may also be one of Zagan’s interesting sides... Fufufu...” Bifrons put a hand to their own chest as they said that, laying on the ground all the while.
However, despite that, the sorcerer didn’t even realize that they were seized by a feeling of a large hole opening within their heart.
Epilogue
Several days after the chimera incident, Kuroka was sitting down in the plaza in front of the church, seemingly at a complete loss.
What should I do now...? Was she to try to avenge Raphael even now? At the very least, she didn’t feel any desire to keep hounding Zagan after all that had happened. It may have been true that he killed Raphael, but at the same time, he clearly held a deep sense of respect for him.
Raphael was definitely not killed in some vile and underhanded manner, so it was difficult for her to hate a man who said he respected him. Kuroka’s desire for revenge had come to an end. However, having lost that goal, she no longer had any idea what to do. Was there even a purpose to working at the church when Raphael was nowhere to be found?
Plus, it’s hard for me to even face Lady Chastille at this point... After Zagan had explained things, Kuroka was convinced that Chastille had only caused a misunderstanding and had nothing to do with Raphael’s death. Though she did have doubts as to why Chastille had said such misleading things in the first place, she was far too embarrassed to bring that up after she had already attempted to take her life. And that mishmash of awkward circumstances made it hard for Kuroka to work as Chastille’s subordinate.
However, after making an unreasonable transfer request, it was also difficult for her to return to the church she was originally affiliated with. Kuu had told her to stay in town with a smile, but there were far too many problems for Kuroka to simply accept that.
Unable to find an answer, Kuroka let out a sigh. Then, a large shadow suddenly cast out before her. It seemed that they were looking for a bench. The plaza had been thoroughly trashed by the battle with the chimera, so the only place to sit was the bench Kuroka was currently occupying.
“Please take a seat,” Kuroka said as she scooted over on the bench to make space. The one before her was likely a man. Judging from the sound, he seemed to be wearing bulky armor. The sound it made was relatively light compared to that of the Anointed Armor Angelic Knights wore, but the man’s movement still rang out loudly. She assumed the man was rather large and strong, as he managed to move around in that attire with little problem.
Hm, how odd... This is... a really nostalgic smell... It was a smell that she had to have known quite well, but with her mind all muddled, Kuroka was unable to recognize it. The man bowed his head with a clank from his armor, then sat down next to Kuroka.
Silence. Kuroka had lost her way and was simply sitting there in a daze, but before long, the man spoke to her in a troubled tone.
“Hmm... Are you in good health, Kuroka?”
It was a far too nostalgic voice, yet one that she should have been unable to hear ever again.
“Huh... Huh? No way... That voice is... Rafmmm!” Kuroka’s eyes shot wide open as she attempted to call out his name. However, the man pinned down her mouth.
“I am Valefor. That man is dead already.”
Kuroka’s chest tightened up as she found herself unable to speak. The way he spoke in an awkward manner that was filled with an overbearing sense of kindness made it clear that it was the voice of the man Kuroka knew.
“Owing to certain circumstances, I am currently serving under Archdemon Zagan. It’s quite the noisy place, but I’m doing quite well in my own way there,” the armored man said as he scratched his cheek, making metallic noises due to his bulky armor.
He knew everything... and even saved Lord Raphael... yet said nothing... and accepted all my complaints... Kuroka clung to the armored man and nod
ded repeatedly as she pondered Zagan’s motives. Why exactly was he willing to go so far to help others? He was supposed to be a heinous sorcerer.
“Do you intend... to go back to the dark side?” the armored man muttered as if searching for the right words to say.
Kuroka had belonged to Azazel before she even lost her eyesight. That was because her entire people were slaughtered by a sorcerer, and she was invited to join their ranks because of her physical abilities and the overwhelming hatred she had of sorcerers.
However, Kuroka failed during her duties and lost her eyesight. At that time, Raphael took her in, provided her with tender care, and used the shortswords she used during her time in Azazel to make a sword cane for her.
Raphael began moving to change the ways of the church due to his disdain for the branches of it that used children as weapons. No longer able to fight and left in low spirits, Kuroka was saved by him. And then, once she had gotten accustomed to walking with a cane and was able to once more use her shortswords, news of Raphael’s death reached her ears.
“I was planning to, but it looks like I did something careless again...” Kuroka shook her head numbly as she said that. She had felt from the very beginning that the voice whispering in her ear was one she couldn’t trust. However, the higher-ups of Azazel were all people like that. She knew that they were using her with some sort of goal in mind, but Kuroka was willing to do anything to avenge Raphael.
Incidentally, that ‘voice’ was apparently the voice of a sorcerer who had nothing to do with Azazel. Though she was desperate, it really was quite shameful of her to listen to it.
It was difficult for her to return to Azazel as she was now. Having said that, she didn’t know if it was fine for her to stay at this church, either. And seeing Kuroka’s dilemna, Raphael offered a suggestion.
“If you have nowhere else to go, why not come with me? My liege is a man with a wide bosom. He would surely receive you as well.”
That’s why that Mister brought my dad here... A throbbing pain assaulted Kuroka’s heart once more.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 5 Page 20