The Eminence in Shadow, Vol. 1 (Light Novel)

by Daisuke Aizawa

  “Eek… What the hell are you? We’ve done nothing to deserve this!”

  A sea of blood.

  That’s what this is. And there’s a man screaming in the middle of it.

  It has come unannounced. Without any warning or stating its reasons, it burst through the wall and commenced its slaughter.

  Yet another man becomes prey to its black katana blade.

  No one wants to fight it. The men wish to make a hasty escape and nothing more. But it is blocking the only exit.

  “What have we ever done to you?! Nothing, right?!”

  It turns to the man and starts to cackle.

  “Eek…!”

  From behind its ebony mask, it laughs viciously.

  “H-help…!” he sputters.

  His body is split down the middle, sliced from the top of his skull to his crotch. Blood bursts from each side as the two halves fall to the right and left.

  As it submerges its body in blood, it catches the falling drops tenderly. It might have the appearance of a woman, but the temperament is of a devil.

  Upon noticing there are only a few spoils in the area, it extends its weapon, elongating its black blade.

  Without exaggeration, the katana literally extends far enough to smash through the wall.

  With a mighty swing…

  “S-stop…!!”

  …it destroys the building and everything in it.

  “It’s begun.”

  From atop a clock tower, an alluring elf watches the complete annihilation and fall of a building. It’s a joke, almost. The breeze tousles her long golden locks, which glisten in the dark of the night.

  “Oh, Delta… She always overdoes it.” She sighs, shaking her head.

  But she can’t undo what’s already done. Alpha looks over the capital from the top of the tower.

  The entire capital begins moving frantically. Everything commences as planned. And most of the attention is directed at Delta, who just hacked a building to bits.

  “I have to give it to Delta for making it easier for the others to start…”

  If she could just ignore the victims, she could admit Delta’s moves are exceptional.

  “Guess I should get going, too,” she murmurs.

  Alpha hides her face behind a pitch-black mask.

  There is something going on outside.

  Alexia opens her eyes for the first time in hours.

  The only ones who ever enter the room are a female caretaker and the man in the white coat, which gives Alexia nothing to do except sleep on the same table that binds her hands and feet. Neither Alexia nor the creature bother the other, which means they are getting along all right. The clamor intensifies, indicating there’s some kind of conflict beyond this room.

  Alexia smiles, expecting to be rescued.

  “I wonder if they’ll crash through the wall all dramatically,” she mumbles for no particular reason.

  The stress must be getting to her. And even though she knows it’s meaningless, she shakes the chains that bind her.

  “I’m sorry for waking you.”

  The creature next to her lifts its head.

  “But I think it’s best to stay awake. You don’t want to miss out on the fun.”

  Alexia knows it won’t answer her, but she talks to it anyway. Boredom can have strange effects on the mind.

  It takes a while before the sound of the key unlocking the door echoes throughout the room in a flustered and apprehensive way.

  “Shit, shit, shit!!” The man in the white coat barrels into the room.

  “Good day to you, too.”

  “I was so close! So close!!” He ignores Alexia, who is clearly having fun with all this. “Those bastards… They’re here!! This is the end! The end…!”

  “Give it up. Resistance is futile. If you unchain me now, I’ll ask them to spare you,” Alexia tells him.

  “But no guarantees,” she adds quietly.

  “Th-those brutes would never let me go scot-free…!! Th-they’ll kill everyone…everyone!!”

  “The Knight Order doesn’t kill without reason. If you don’t resist and go quietly, they won’t take your life.”

  A voice in her mind chimes in Not.

  “The Knight Order? I don’t give a shit about them! Th-the fiends will kill everyone, everyone, I tell you!!”

  “You’re not talking about the Knight Order?”

  Then who? Alexia can’t imagine anyone else. But then again, she knows it’s completely possible he’s gone nuts.

  “Either way, this is the end for you. Turn yourself in.”

  “No, no, no, no, no!! N-not until it’s complete!!” The man in the white coat claws at his head and shifts his bloodshot eyes toward the creature. “I-I’ve made a prototype. I-if I use this, even a worthless shit like you might be useful.”

  He pushes the device with the syringe against the creature’s arm.

  “You shouldn’t do that. I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Alexia warns, sounding quite serious.

  But he obviously just ignores her, shoving the needle in its arm and injecting it with an unknown fluid.

  “B-behold! I give you a glimpse of Diablos!!”

  “Ooh, how exciting.”

  The creature begins swelling, its muscles bulging before their eyes, and even its skeletal structure starts to expand. Its right arm, which was long and thick, morphs into a malicious and ominous form. Its fingertips sprout nails as long as human legs. Its left arm appears to be holding something and stays stuck to its body.

  It lets out a high-pitched shriek.

  “I-incredible! Astounding!!”

  “This…is surprising.”

  But the chains cannot endure the rapid growth of the creature and snap off on their own.

  “I told you it was a bad idea.”

  Splat.

  The man in the white coat isn’t even spared a final scream of agony before he’s crushed by its right arm.

  “Well, then.”

  Alexia and the creature lock eyes.

  She studies its movements. Her hands and feet are bound, which means there isn’t much she can do. But she can move around a little bit. Plus, she can’t stand the thought of dying as a consequence of some idiot’s mistake.

  The creature swings its right arm.

  Alexia twists out of the way as much as she can. As long as her injuries aren’t fatal, she can survive…!

  “—…gh!”

  It avoids Alexia and pulverizes the table that binds her. The impact sends her flying against the wall, where she writhes in pain.

  “Augh…!”

  But she doesn’t have any broken bones or visible wounds and can still move. After checking herself for injuries, she quickly rises to her feet.

  But the creature is gone, leaving behind a shattered table and demolished wall.

  “Did it…really save me…?”

  Even if she hadn’t shifted away, its arm wasn’t anywhere close to hitting her. Which would mean… Nope, it can’t be. Maybe it missed.

  “Well, anyway.”

  Alexia swipes the keys from the man’s corpse and removes her magical restraints. With this, her magic can flow free. She stretches once to loosen up, then heads through the wall the creature destroyed.

  There is a long, dimly lit hallway before her. Piles of trampled soldiers litter the ground.

  “I’ll be taking that.”

  Alexia borrows a mithril sword from a corpse. It’s flimsy, but it’ll get the job done.

  When she goes down the hallway and turns the corner, she sees someone.

  “We can’t have you leaving on your own.”

  “Y-you. Why are you here…?” Alexia’s eyes widen with fear.

  What in the world is going on?

  Iris’s red hair swirls behind her as she dashes through the capital late at night.

  She was told that a building had been destroyed. At first, she thought she’d misheard the news. But as Iris sprints toward the city, half in
disbelief, her subordinates keep receiving report after report.

  There are many ambushes occurring in the capital simultaneously.

  It doesn’t take long for her to reach that conclusion. But there’s nothing logically connecting the various locations under attack: firms, warehouses, restaurants, private homes of nobles… The crimes must be premeditated, but she can’t figure out the goal.

  That said, the capital is shaking.

  The Knight Order is mobilized in a state of emergency, and they begin evacuating high-profile leaders. Even though it’s late, the residents crack open their windows to check what’s happening, and there are more than a few onlookers outside. Iris shouts at the meandering residents, telling them to go home, and rushes to the scene.

  Something strange is happening. This is in no way a normal incident.

  Iris can sense it.

  It’s right at that moment when a scream reaches her ears.

  “M-monster!! Help…!!”

  They are shouts from the Knight Order. They aren’t too far away. Iris changes directions and books it toward the cries for help. When she turns the corner down a back street to the main road, she spots the monster.

  It’s a colossal, hideous beast.

  With a swipe of the enormous, blood-soaked fingernails on its right hand, it transforms the knights into piles of flesh.

  “What is that?” Iris mutters as she dashes toward it. “Stand back!”

  With one fluid movement, her unsheathed blade shimmers in the darkness as it slices through the creature’s chest.

  And completely bisects it.

  She cuts down its immense body in one fell swoop.

  “Are you hurt?” Iris calls out to the Knight Order and forgets all about the creature as it slowly falls to the ground.

  “Princess Iris, you’ve saved us!”

  “That’s our princess! She slayed the monster in one stroke!”

  The men are unharmed. Almost all the soldiers are completely unscathed. Well, the ones who survived, at least.

  “The monster killed eight of our men.”

  A single hit took them down.

  Her red-wine eyes tremble with sorrow when they fall upon the ghastly corpses.

  “Gather the bodies and head back. Please inform the lieutenant that…”

  “Princess Iris!” shouts one of the knights all of a sudden.

  He’s standing there, pointing at something behind her, and the other knights try to raise their muted voices.

  “What…?!”

  Iris turns and strikes without missing a beat.

  Her sword collides with the right arm of the creature.

  “Ksch…!”

  For a moment, it seems as though Iris has been beaten until she quickly releases a huge quantity of magic that effectively blasts its mighty arm. From there, she dives into its bosom, severing its leg, and leaps back to prepare for a counterattack.

  In the following second, the monster swings its right arm where Iris had stood and retrieves a few strands of her long red hair.

  “Is it regenerating…?”

  The injuries from the bisection vanish, and the new wound on its leg is starting to heal.

  “Ridiculous… How can it regenerate when Princess Iris sliced it in two…?”

  “This can’t be…”

  “Stay back,” Iris calls to the shaken knights as she blocks its next attack.

  Its moves are quick, powerful, and heavy—but bland.

  “It’s only a creature, after all.”

  Iris counters ruthlessly: She slices its arm to pieces, chops off its legs, and beheads it. Successive strikes rain down on the creature, as if to mock, Try healing from all that.

  She won’t let it retaliate. She’s the only one attacking.

  “Is it still healing?”

  But the creature survives. In the brief moment Iris stops her assault, it regains its form and swats her away with its right arm.

  And then it shrieks into the night sky.

  As if in response, rain begins falling from the moonless sky. It drizzles at first but quickly becomes a torrent. White steam rises where the droplets hit the creature’s blood.

  “This might take a while…”

  Iris straightens her posture, preparing for a long fight.

  She doesn’t think she’ll lose. Even now, she never considers that she might see defeat. But it seems this battle is going to require more time.

  Iris readies her sword. When the monster finishes healing, she rushes toward it.

  The next moment, her sword is knocked out of her hands, accompanied by a shrill sound, and the impact sends pins and needles up her arm.

  She glares at a sudden intruder, ignoring the fact that her beloved sword whirls into the distance. The newcomer glances at her.

  They stare each other down. The first to break the silence is the interloper.

  “Why won’t you see it’s hurt?”

  The uninvited guest is a girl in an ebony bodysuit. Iris can’t see her face but notices that her voice sounds young.

  “Who are you?” Iris cautiously keeps both the intruder and the creature in view.

  “Alpha.” After uttering a single word, the girl turns her back to Iris as if she has lost interest in the conversation.

  “Wait, what are you planning to do? If you plan to oppose the Knight Order, we won’t go easy on…”

  “Oppose…?” Alpha cuts in, giggling condescendingly at Iris while continuing to face away from her.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Oppose… I think that might be the most ridiculous word in the world. Opposing an ignoramus would be senseless.”

  “Excuse me…?!” Iris’s magic begins to swell, transforming into a massive wave that sweeps the rain away and forms violent gusts of wind.

  But Alpha doesn’t even glance in her direction. She stands there unfazed, her back still turned to Iris.

  “Play your assigned role as the spectator and keep your eyes on the stage. Don’t disturb our performance,” she utters before approaching the creature.

  From behind, she seems solemn. She’s already completely forgotten about Iris.

  “Did you just call me a spectator…?” Iris clutches her tingling hands as she glares at Alpha.

  “Poor thing. That must’ve hurt,” says Alpha, walking toward the monster. “There is no more pain. No more sadness.”

  Alpha extends her ebony sword longer than her entire body.

  “You don’t have to cry anymore.”

  Then, with a step forward, she slices the creature in two.

  No one has time to react.

  Iris and the creature can only watch as Alpha bisects it. Everything about it feels natural. There is no bloodlust; it’s as if this is the only reasonable solution.

  The monster’s massive body crashes onto the ground, and white smoke rises from the husk as it gradually shrivels to the size of a little girl. A dagger has fallen from its left hand.

  There is a red jewel embedded in it, along with an engraving on its hilt: To my beloved daughter, Millia.

  “I pray…you achieve peace in your next life.”

  With that, Alpha vanishes within the white smoke.

  A clap of thunder sounds in the distance. Iris is stunned in place. Raindrops run down her hair and fall onto her face.

  She’s trembling, but she doesn’t know why.

  “Alexia…,” Iris murmurs. She senses that her little sister is at the epicenter of this chaos, and this premonition pushes her forward.

  “Alexia, please be safe…”

  Iris picks up her sword and starts running. The storm rages on.

  “Wh-why are you here?”

  When Alexia turns the corner, she sees an all-too-familiar visage.

  “Because this is my facility, that’s why. I invested thousands of zeni into that man. That’s all there is to it.”

  Confidence overflows from the smile stretched across the face of a dashing blond. It’s Instructor Ze
non.

  “That’s nice to know. I always thought you were messed up in the head. I guess I was right.”

  Alexia takes one step back and then two. There’s a staircase behind him, and she guesses it’s her best bet to escape.

  “Huh. Think whatever you want. But I don’t mind as long as I have your blood.”

  “All anyone talks about around here is blood. Is this a research facility for vampires?”

  “If that’s what you want to think. More or less.”

  “Skip the explanation. I’m not into the occult.”

  “Figures.”

  “I’m sure you’re aware, but the Knight Order will be here any minute now. This is the end for you.”

  “The end? What do I have that can possibly end?” Zenon is still all smiles.

  “Your title and reputation will be ruined, and you’ll obviously be put to death. I’ll be happy to drop the guillotine on your neck.”

  “You’re off the mark. You and I will be escaping through a secret route.”

  “What a romantic offer. Too bad I can’t stand you.”

  “You’re coming with me. With my research and your blood, I’m destined to receive the twelfth seat in the Rounds. I shall bid farewell to my meaningless position as an instructor.”

  “The Rounds? Is that a group for lunatics?”

  “The Knights of Rounds is a gathering of twelve superior knights from my religion. Becoming a member brings me rank, honor, and fortune like you’d never believe. They’ve already acknowledged my power. All I’m lacking is experience, but my research on your blood should fix that right up.”

  Zenon melodramatically spreads his arms out and lets out a guffaw.

  “Whatever. I’m just sick of all this blood talk,” mutters Alexia.

  “I would have preferred Princess Iris, but it looks like I’ll have to settle for you.”

  “I’m gonna kill you.”

  “Oh, excuse me. I forgot you hate being compared to your sister.”

  “—…gh!”

  A forceful swing from Alexia’s sword signals the start of their battle. She goes straight for the jugular.

  “Ooh, how scary.” Zenon repels her attack at the last second and blocks the following strike.

  Sparks fly from the colliding blades.