Whether it be the ability he used when he abducted Nephy and Chastille, or the power he used to easily hijack Zagan’s teleportation circle, this man was a sorcerer who excelled at teleportation and summoning. It would be a trifle for him to just hide and protect Chastille.
That’s probably why he managed to pull off something like summoning a demon, huh?
It wasn’t by a large margin, but as Zagan was now, it would be difficult to mimic Barbatos. Perhaps he could manage by borrowing the power of the Sigil of the Archdemon, but that wasn’t good enough.
And so, Zagan uttered his request, but Barbatos bluntly made a face like he didn’t want any part of it.
“What? Why should I?”
“I’ll add some extra to your tip. Whatever, just go already.”
Barbatos then made a face like he found this turn of events rather unexpected.
“Are you seriously planning on saving a damn Angelic Knight?”
“The enemy of my enemy is my friend... is something that is often said. Besides, don’t you think it’d be amusing to put a wielder of a Sacred Sword in my debt?”
“Man, I think you’re definitely gonna fucking regret this, you hear?” Even as he cursed out toward Zagan, Barbatos did not refuse his offer.
And just like that, Barbatos sank into his own shadow. He likely moved over to the Purgatory that was his namesake. And from there, he would be able to investigate Chastille’s circumstances.
Zagan, however, was left taken aback.
“...That ass just up and left without paying the bill.”
Zagan had been the one who ordered him to leave, but somehow it felt like he had just been tricked.
◇
By the time Zagan returned to the castle, it was already about time for the next day to begin.
I wonder if Nephy and Foll are already sleeping? Nephy woke up early in the mornings. If she was still awake at this hour, then it would affect her the following day, but even so, it was a little lonely for Zagan to come back and not hear her voice.
If he wanted to just see her face, then it was fine to take a peek in her bedroom, but Nephy’s room was on the top floor. If she heard the sounds of him coming up the stairs, he would end up waking her. That was why he returned to the throne room while making as little sound as he could, but...
(Welcome home, Master Zagan.) Nephy was waiting for him in front of the throne room in her nightgown.
“Nephy, you were still awake?”
As Zagan stared at her in wonder, Nephy put her finger to her lips and went ‘Shhh.’
Looking closely, he realized Nephy was sitting down with Foll sound asleep on her lap. It seemed the two of them were waiting for Zagan to come back.
(Didn’t I say to go to sleep without waiting?) As Zagan said that, Nephy formed a wry smile.
(I’m only here because Foll insisted on waiting for you to return, Master Zagan.) The person in question seemed to have fallen asleep like a log partway through, though.
And seeing that, Zagan’s face naturally slackened.
(She was originally an intruder who attacked me because she wanted the power of the Archdemon, though, huh?)
(And were you not the one who placed this child close at hand, Master Zagan?) While saying that, Nephy gently brushed Foll’s head, which made the small child stir lightly as if it was ticklish.
Zagan then went up beside the two of them in a relaxed manner and sat down.
(Ah... Also, what did you have for dinner today?) Zagan felt like covering his face as he wondered why that was the first thing he asked upon coming back, but Nephy just quietly nodded.
(We had a simple meal of lamb soup and salad.)
(Oh, that soup, huh? How regrettable.)
(There are still some leftovers. Shall I warm some up for you?)
(Hmm... No, I’m fine for now. Foll is already asleep, after all.) After watching Foll’s peaceful sleeping face, he realized he didn’t feel like waking her up just to have some soup poured for him. And so, Zagan decided to warm it up and have some on his own later.
Nephy then covered her mouth as if his decision felt strange to her. The change in her expression was meager as always, but the way her ears quivered with a twitch showed that she was rather cheerful.
(After that, Foll also did her best. She carried all of the books we brought back into the archives.)
(There were quite a large number of them, right?)
(Yes. But because she wanted to quickly read them herself, she tried to have them ready for you to read right away upon your return, Master Zagan.)
Zagan tried imaging the figure of that small girl pattering about in and out of the archives for his sake. And as he did, a charmed sigh spilled from his mouth.
I wonder if... having a family feels something like this... It felt like he would forget that he was a villainous sorcerer if things kept going at that rate.
After that, Nephy pointed her azure eyes toward him.
(Master Zagan, could it be that something happened with Foll?)
(Huh? No, I don’t think there was anything in particular?) Foll also wasn’t good at expressing her emotions, but he didn’t think he had caused her to get angry or sad.
As Zagan inclined his head to the side, Nephy affectionately gazed at Foll’s sleeping face.
(Today, Foll seemed to be particularly happy. Master Zagan, you may not be self-conscious of this, but it is likely that you did something that brightened her day.)
Something that made Foll happy... Unable to think of what that was, Zagan tried to retread his earlier conversation with her. And as he kept his head tilted for a while, he remembered the moment where Foll made a strangely happy face.
(Oh, could it be that?)
(Do you have some sort of idea?)
(It wasn’t really anything major, though. All I told her was that if we spent a thousand years together, then wouldn’t we be able to sense what the other needs just by look at each other’s faces?)
As Nephy blinked with her eyes wide open, she let out a stifled chuckle.
(If you say such a thing, then anybody would be in high spirits.)
(Why’s that?) Zagan couldn’t figure out the meaning behind Nephy’s words as she leaned on his shoulder.
(I believe the reason Foll was so happy was because you said ‘if we spent a thousand years together.’ I mean, aren’t dragons supposed to live far longer than humans? Not only that, to say that you would understand each other...)
Having that said to him made the truth finally dawn on Zagan.
The mythical classed dragon was a race that was said to live over ten thousand years. With a human’s original lifespan, it was likely impossible to pass time together. After all, they didn’t live long enough to even last through a young dragon’s childhood. As such, it was difficult to find an existence that they could live together with during their eternal time.
Perhaps, that’s exactly why the grudge she bears for her parent dragon being killed is so deep.
It may have been a different story if it was a matured dragon who passed the age of childhood. However, to a young dragon who still needed their parents, the anguish they felt from having that stolen away should have been the same as humans, or perhaps even far greater.
I guess in the end, if I don’t finish off Raphael sooner than later, it’ll become something troublesome.
If Foll and that man were to meet, at worst, it was entirely possible that it would turn into an all-out war with the church. If that happened, it would be a huge step back in Zagan’s goal of making it so that Nephy could live under the sun.
And while he racked his brain over what to do, Nephy muttered in a somewhat lonely manner.
(It would be nice... if I could also spend that much time together with you...)
And this time, it was Zagan who stared back at her in wonder.
(What are you saying? Isn’t it obvious that you’ll be with us, Nephy?) Elves were also a race with a long lifespan, even if it wasn’t
to the extent of the dragons. If one were to add on the power of sorcery, then it would likely be a trifle to live at least a thousand years.
In that sense, the one who had to put the most effort into living a long life was Zagan.
As Nephy’s azure eyes trembled at his response, she returned a large nod.
(Yes! I will accompany you anywhere you go, Master Zagan.)
This time, Zagan was taken aback, and before he knew it, his face and Nephy’s were close enough that their noses were almost touching.
Ugh... So Nephy’s eyelashes were this long, huh? Or rather, she smells good!
Thinking about it, the fact that she was wearing her nightgown showed that she just got out of the bath, which meant Zagan was likely smelling the scent of soap. Upon realizing all that, he touched her hair, which was let down with his hand. It was still a little wet, cold, and soft.
Right around the same time, Nephy also grew conscious of the distance between them. She was now bright red from the tips of her pointy ears to the top of her cheeks.
(Nephy...) He called her name, and Nephy’s eyes grew moist. As his gaze was sucked in by her pink lips, Zagan softly touched her cheek.
(Ah...) She let out that gasp like breath, which merely served to make Zagan’s face grow hotter.
If it was now, then he felt like she would permit it. Yes, he was sure it was fine to touch her pure white skin, and progress onward after that.
And then, just as their lips were about to meet...
“Hey, Zagan! This is bad!” A magic circle shined in the middle of the room, and the voice of his undesirable friend who couldn’t read the atmosphere rang out.
Trembling with a start, Zagan and Nephy distanced themselves from each other. And then, Barbatos’ face suddenly appeared in the center of the magic circle.
“Hey, at least answer me. What are you... uh, huh?”
Zagan slowly got up and stood before Barbatos. And within his gaze, one would not be able to find even a speck of compassion.
“Come out to the surface, Barbatos. I’ll turn you into minced meat.”
“Why are you so pissed?”
Zagan was seriously intent on killing Barbatos, but seeing the ‘other person’ he was carrying within the magic circle made him stop his hand.
“Chastille?”
“Didn’t you tell me to go take a look at her...?”
Yes, Barbatos was carrying the young girl who served as an Angelic Knight. Unlike when Zagan met her in the afternoon, however, she was wearing her Anointed Armor. And on her back was a Sacred Sword.
Unfortunately, her face was pale and her breathing was rough. He couldn’t spot any external wounds, but she didn’t look to be in good condition. In order to get a better grasp of the situation, Zagan touched Chastille neck and brow, then examined her.
Her pulse is high. And yet, her temperature is bizarrely low. From that condition, he immediately figured out the cause of the irregularity.
“Is it poison?”
“Probably. She was given something to drink and all.”
Zagan immediately turned over to Nephy.
“Nephy, I’m going to treat her. Give me a hand.”
“Y-Yes.” Despite having yet to digest the entire situation, Nephy immediately nodded and softly set Foll down on the ground as she stood up.
And then, as one would expect, Foll woke up.
“...Zagan, you’re noisy.”
“Sorry about that. You can just go to sleep.”
As Foll rubbed her eyes while mumbling, Zagan gave her an apathetic response. But then, she began sniffing the air.
“Huh...? This smell...” And what Foll shifted her focus over to... was the Sacred Sword on Chastille’s back.
Ah, crap. By the time Zagan noticed how bad the situation was, Foll’s golden eyes were lit up in rage.
“An Angelic Knight!” Foll’s arm transformed into that of a dragon. Even if she was merely a young one, her claws could easily tear apart steel. They likely possessed enough destructive power to rival that of Zagan’s fist when he wielded it with his power as a sorcerer.
“The hell? H-Hey, Zagan!”
By the time Barbatos raised his voice in a fluster, Foll was already slashing in with her claws.
“Stop that, Foll!” Zagan was somehow able to grab her arm and stop her assault. He managed to stop the fiendish claw right as it was on the boundary of touching Chastille’s brow.
Foll was surely scowling.
“Why are you stopping me?”
“She’s my guest. Don’t go killing her on your own.”
Hearing those words made Foll’s eyes cloud over with disappointment.
“...I see.” She was making a face like she’d been betrayed.
Zagan felt a pain in his chest from having made a young girl who was waiting for him at such a time make that kind of face.
Chastille’s condition was a race against time. However, he couldn’t just leave Foll alone as she was.
Zagan didn’t give any thought to saving someone else as a sorcerer. But even so, Foll was one of the people that Zagan had to protect. And because of that, Zagan quietly questioned her.
“Do you... hate Angelic Knights?”
“...Zagan, you should have already noticed. I became a sorcerer in order to get revenge against Angelic Knights.”
Foll had been watching Zagan for the same amount of time that he had been watching her.
I can’t... just irresponsibly brush this off, huh? Resigning himself, Zagan nodded.
“So, is the target of your revenge this girl?”
“A Sacred Sword wielder killed my father.”
“I see. Still, it couldn’t have been her.” Taking hold of Foll’s hand, Zagan earnestly appealed to her.
“Hey, Foll. Getting revenge by killing anyone you can get your hands on is a mistake that amateurs often make. Even if you kill this one, it would be of no concern at all to the one you want revenge on. On the contrary, it would only increase the number of enemies you have. And those enemies will likely become further obstacles along your path of vengeance.”
“Zagan, what do you even know about me?” Foll’s voice trembled with anger and irritation as she asked that, and Zagan shook his head.
“That’s why I’m saying you’re an amateur. Real revenge... is different, okay?” Zagan said, then pointing a severe yet warm gaze over at her like an affectionate father, he continued, “Real revenge is to take your target, intently torment them, drag them down to the depths of fear and despair, and finally make them beg you to let them die, got it?”
Hearing that left not only Barbatos, but even Foll completely dumbfounded. However, Zagan simply continued in an indifferent manner.
“And then you kill them when you’re satisfied, at which point your revenge has finally been enacted. Killing them in one breath won’t make you feel refreshed at all. Such a simple revenge... won’t ever save you.”
Zagan’s words were likely taken as being completely serious by her, as a line of sweat ran down Foll’s cheek.
“Zagan, have you also... taken revenge before?”
“Yeah. Though, I killed them in one breath, so I didn’t feel relieved at all... That’s why I’ll teach you the correct way to do it.”
Zagan was talking about the former owner of this castle, the sorcerer who tried to use him as a sacrifice. After being abducted, Zagan was tortured to increase his freshness as a sacrifice. At that time, he found an opening and took him out. However, what he was left with was not the relief of survival or the sense of accomplishment from victory, but hollowness.
I should have tormented that guy to death...
As he was now, Zagan knew of a much more effective method. There were many torture devices at his disposal in this castle, after all. And he would use them to fully sate Foll’s thirst for revenge.
Perhaps overwhelmed by his drive, Foll nodded repeatedly as she bobbed her head.
“G-Got it,” she said, and then her dragon a
rm returned to its human shape.
“...Hey, are you really okay with teaching that to your adopted daughter?” Barbatos was making an astonished face as he questioned him, but Zagan had no time to pay that any mind.
◇
“Huh...?” As Chastille opened her eyes, she saw an unfamiliar ceiling spread out before her. It looked old and made of stone. However, it was in no way dirty. In fact, she could tell that it had been carefully maintained. And additionally, she could tell it was night out due to the color through the window, so only dim candlelight unreliably illuminated the room.
Where am I...? As Chastille sat there, completely bewildered, she suddenly heard a quiet voice to her side.
“So you’re awake.”
“Za...gan...?”
She caught sight of a sorcerer with a villainous countenance who somehow also had a listless gaze. And in her mind, she was sure his gaze had grown far more gentle than when they last met.
Zagan lowered his sight to a thick book, shifting his focus away from Chastille.
“Give your thanks to Nephy. She was the one who provided treatment.”
“Treatment...” Her head was still in a haze, so she wasn’t able to think properly.
Did I... lose against someone...? If so, then why exactly was I fighting in the first place?
As Chastille let her eyes wander, she spotted a greatsword that was next to her bed. It was a Sacred Sword. Her Sacred Sword. There were no signs of it being dirtied with blood or chipped from crossing swords. And while she stared at it in wonder, halfway at a loss for words, Zagan spoke up as if he was unable to just watch her.
“It seems you ingested some poison. I don’t know any more than that myself.”
Hearing those words made Chastille recall lost memories.
That’s right. I was summoned by a letter...
“The Unification Faction...?”
The man who called out Chastille named himself a member of that group. He lurked in the shadows, so she never quite managed to make out his figure. He claimed that was best for both their sakes. And so, she believed that he was an Angelic Knight just like her.
Regardless, she’d heard the voice of a man who didn’t seem all too young. It was calm, and even somehow akin to that of a sage holding deep wisdom. It didn’t sound at all like the voice of a person who picked up a sword in order to slay sorcerers.
An Archdemon's Dilemma: How to Love Your Elf Bride: Volume 2 Page 11