by Unknown
But, the elf even now resolutely----gave appreciated information.
“Even so Arka-shi-anse is what the Elfs---- what I betted all my elements on, the
strongest elemental destroyer spell----If you say that those mole scum (Dwarfs)
created something that can overcome it then, I’l take that information even at
the cost of my life...”
----I see~ is that so. So Arka-shi-anse seems to be this thing called elemental
destroyer spell.
While smiling mischievously inside, Riku said.
“Then----shall we start the game?”
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
----There were twelve chess matches. The elf had five victories, four loses, three
draws.
By result alone it was her victory. The information she demanded----correction.
Al the information that Riku wanted to deliver to the Elfs were already
delivered----a good part of the information he wished were already obtained.
But the elf----was already supporting her cheek with a hand, and growled while
holding her face.
“Making the [essence] of the inactivated Old Deus detonate during their
inactivation......? They are going insane, those Dwarfs...”
Look who’s talking----on the other hand, Riku hid his face and couldn’t help but
think that.
----While continuing to pretend that he knew the true identity of Arka-shi-anse,
he matched the information, and reached its principle.
(The one who turned it into a weapon that makes the Phantasma self-destruct is
calling someone madman----it’s not even funny.)
In this world----no matter whoever it is, they are all going crazy already.
After letting that out inside his heart, he passed through the elf who was holding
her head and was about to leave----
“...Wait.”
He was halted.
“----Be it your true identity, or how you gathered this much information, at this
point already I won’t even pry into it. Besides, from the current point until the
veracity of all this information is confirmed, there’s no choice but to accept it all as just delusions.”
“That is fine. It’s a wise conclusion.”
“But, let me say just one thing.”
With keen eyes----If there wasn’t a “certain reason” for that, even Riku wouldn’t
be able to pull out such a face.
While directing a kil ing intent that was like a well-honed blade towards Riku, the
Elf pointed out.
“You, there were times that you intentionally moved in a way that would make
you lose----I’l ask only one more time.”
Depending on the answer, it doesn’t matter what you are, I’l attack
unconditionally while using all kil ing methods I know of.
Even if by result I end up being the one shot down, I’m prepared for that; that is
what her gaze announced.
“----Are you, an enemy? Or are you an ally?”
----But unfortunately.
“I’m neither an enemy nor an al y, it’s the second time I answer this but, let’s
see...”
To Riku who was laughing like that while answering, at this point that much of
kil ing intent---- was even less than a breeze.
For those who lived while holding hands with the death, something like kil ing
intent---- was just a cute thing with intent.
“If that was an answer that doesn’t satisfy you then, let’s complement it like this.”
And then, Riku who had been living in such a world---- spoke words from the
depths of his [heart].
“As much as it’s possible, I’m wishing so that there won’t be deaths coming from
you guys. “
----------.
“...Fine [ghost]-san. You want to ask me, what I plan on doing by accepting that
information right.”
Once again, she surely must be using for real her Octo-magic to search for my
true intention right.
----No way there’s falsehood in there. That’s because that is Riku’s real heart.
Then even without showing out that intention, even as someone who is neither
an enemy nor an ally,
“----I wil only understand that you are an existence that doesn’t have any
“harmful intentions” towards me. Just as you desired, alright.”
Saying that and smiling bitterly, the elf called Nina---- no...
“----By the way~”
Suddenly the way of talking---- no, even the personality----
“As expected even for the [ghost-san]~...there are things which you don’t know
about right~♪”
As if everything changed into a different person, the elf,
“Nina Clive is a false name, my real name is----“
She said, with a soft smile, reminiscent of the warmth of a fireplace.
“Sink Nirvalein---- you see~♪”
(TL Note: it’s シンク - lit. Shinku, so I left it as Sink, since it sounded more
feminine to me.)
And then, *fufu*, she laughed.
“This one, is the true me but~----this acting, were you able to see through it~?
Instantly, as if it was a different person, with a teasingly smile, Nina---- no.
Sink Nirvalein---- but Riku, while stil covering his face, smiled bitterly and
answered.
“Yeah, I saw trough it.”
“.........”
“Did I call you [Nina]---- even once?”
----Developer, and even the logic caster were described while encrypted in the
documents.
Because of such thoroughness, doubting that real name or whatever---- is just
obvious.
But, if it’s now that he understood the principles behind the Arka-shi-anse, he
can consent honestly.
----This crazy logic, Sink Nirvalein isn’t so idiot that she would announce
something like that with her real name.
“Fufu, I’l be honest~, right now~, I’m really boiling inside you see~”
The elf’s number one caster----Sink, who is aware that she’s a performer,
laughed dissatisfied.
In the end----she resented the fact that not even once it was something out of
the blue for him, but Riku----
“My bad but acting is the favorite trick of a [ghost] you see... I have confidence in being able to see a compatriot.
----That’s right.
“That’s exactly why---- I made contact with you.”
----Why did he choose Sink, the last reason is this.
Being able to perfectly cover the fact of having made contact with a [ghost], pick
up the support of the information, and on top of that----should be able to guide
the Elfs in the direction of reapplying it----Sink continued, without turning her
gaze to Riku who turned the heels.
“By the way, ghost-san~? Did you hear the rumor~, about Elfs having a sticky-
persistently nature?”
“Aah, I heard about it. Something like how a grudge won’t be settled even if you
spend dozens of generations right.”
Slowly, laughing like a flower, Sink declared.
“I’l sincerely take the information~, and the effort of not wanting deaths to come
out~...but that aside~”
Sink Nirvalein said, smiling----but glared at Riku’s back with eyes like those of a
vengeful ghost.
“The ghost-san’s true identity----I’l find it out and then locate you~---- and I’l
“definitely kil you” you see~. To think from all peoples, you had to play just with me
with the back of your hand, I’l make you regret that~----it’s because the
origin of the rumor of Elfs having a sticky-persistently nature is from~...none
other than---- the Nirvalein house you see♪”
-------------Hmm.
“I’l honestly recognize that it’s the first time I heard that. I’m already regretting that I bought the antipathy of a troublesome opponent, alright.”
While Riku was saying that and leaving, Sink kept watching over him the entire
time, with a smile mixed with kil ing intent…
■■■■■■
“...Riku----hurry, up! Drink...this...!”
In a small room after getting away from Sink’s mansion---- ShuVi hurried
desperately with Riku’s “decontamination”.
Even now the excruciating pain made he feel like almost losing his
consciousness along with his life, but Riku shook his head and withstood.
With the sensation of having melted iron being poured into every blood vein, he
couldn’t even let out a voice.
No, I wonder if that’s even a sensation or not, Riku smiled bitterly at that
thought.
The Elfs who possess the greatest aptitude for magic within all races---- he
acted like a [ghost] against their number one caster.
If they met normally, he would be stark naked after being identified with the body
elementals, and his true identity would be revealed in one instant.
Then what should be done? It’s simple right.
It’s fine if you just become impossible to be identified.
“...If we don’t, drain, the elemental bones, soon... Riku, you wil , die!”
While letting Riku, drink the decontamination fluid that could be called her (Ex-
Machina) blood, ShuVi grievously shouted.
----That’s right, it’s fine if you just take in the black ash, and get [Elemental
bones contamination] on purpose.
Broken elementals--- the [elemental bones]disturb all elementals, erode, and
destroy them from inside-out.
No matter how much of an excellent caster she is, a body that was disturbed
with elemental bones contamination, can’t be identified.
Let alone if she has an excellent intellect she won’t even imagine it----such a
suicidal act.
“...Riku...you liar! Even though...you said, one hour...it was more than two
hours...!”
Riku drank what ShuVi calculated to be the verge of a lethal dose of black ash,
and painted his body surface with it.
But that lethal dose---was calculated to be a dose for merely only one hour.
Riku’s body that was affected by more than two hours of [Elemental bones],
eroded without mercy, and was being destroyed.
If he don’t hurry up and decontaminate, just like ShuVi said it wil lead to death.
But.
“It can’t be helped, right...that fellow, was stronger, than I imagined...”
Riku answered as if squeezing out the voice.
He thought that there’s no way there is someone who can play chess better than
ShuVi.
But if it’s Sink Nirvalein then, even if she can’t win against ShuVi it seems like
they will have a good match.
Smacking a bitter smile he remembered...[lost on purpose] you say?
I’m really grateful---- I’m being extremely overrated.
Even though the necessary information was obtained, everything besides that, I
just seriously challenged and lost.
It’s thanks that everything that got through were bluffs. If even a single step was
wrong I would be kil ed instantly right----
“...Riku...! It’s, just a little more...so----! Do your, best...!”
If the decontamination ShuVi is holding don’t succeed----either way surely I
won’t last much right.
----At the very least, the skin won’t go back to how it was anymore right.
I already saw the fate of those who continued in direct contact with the Black
Ash, many times.
Being affected by the burns, and those marks---- will never disappear.
After his just how many years I’l live---- in any case, Riku wil spend his entire
lifetime wrapped up in bandages.
Not only his body surface, but his insides too must be in a similar situation.
A dumbass that would ingest a huge dose of Black Ash from his mouth; as far
Riku knows, the first one in the history to do that was a dumbass known as
[Riku].
Since his skin became like this, it’s certain that his internal organs too wil burn and necrotize.
He probably, won’t be able to have a proper meal, never again.
Fortunately he didn’t take it in by nose. The cardio-respiratory functions must be
safe.
----If the [Elemental bones]caused erosion from the blood then that too would be
suspectable but----
“...Riku...even though, you said, that, no one wil die, no one wil be allowed to
die...!”
ShuVi struggled desperately with the decontamination, but---- Riku thought.
----That’s just how much value it had.
The details of the Elf’s Arka-shi-anse, the words Sink let out [number of
machines capable of loading it] and it’s method of operation was revelated. The
Dwarfs' Zuibaku too, after reading the force map Ivan bet his life to obtain----
with this finally, he can cooperate with the [ghosts] that are sneaking around in
various places, and achieve the first goal.
The “exclusion of the front from the humanosphere”----made through battlefront
induction.
And then, Riku laughed inside---- “the last one hand” wil charge into reality----
but.
“Hey, ShuVi...I...just how much, I’l live, after this?”
Wil he make it or not until “the last one hand”, it was a question he wondered
about, but.
ShuVi glared at Riku---- with an expression unusually fil ed with clear “anger”.
“...I won’t let, you die...Riku will...live...until, ShuVi dies...!”
“----I see...hey~, an Ex-Machina’s lifespan...how many years is it?”
“...ShuVi’s, number of years of durability...approximately eight hundred fifty-two
years, left...”
Riku laughed, at that answer, even while being assaulted by a pain that felt like
his entire body was cracking.
“Haha--- wel ~ I must put effort into that now, right~...”
Really, I can’t afford to die, at such a place, right...
■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■
-----------............
Once again, the [Ghosts] gathered around the round table, and the head of the
ghosts spread the [board] with his hands.
In the [board] which mostly of the pieces of the races were already set, dozens
of pieces of race were lined up.
And then---- this time he took out a[White Queen]----
“----This is, the Flügel.”
After saying that he put--- the White Queen on the[board].
At the coordinates where Avant-Heim was---- the Phantasma that had the
Flügels’ base set at its back.
----Queen. The strongest piece.
The [ghosts]put on question marks at why it was allocated to the Flügels, and
not to the Phantasma nor to the Old Deus.
“...Is it because, they are strong?”
But the head of the ghosts smiled bitterly and answered.
“There’s also that but---- it’s because “they don’t grow”.”
No one understoo
d the true meaning but---- suddenly, a [ghost] said towards the
board surface that had nothing but white pieces.
“But, with this all pieces are white--- it means that they are ally?”
“That’s right. We---- wil win without taking out even a single piece, there are no
[enemies].”
“No, but then, against what, we should be victorious, you say?”
After being told that, the head of ghosts fearlessly---- took out the [Black King].