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

by Daisuke Aizawa

  “This is unforgivable.”

  “Oh, my head…” Alexia decides to let herself pass out and leave these things up in the air.

  Two shadows dash through the dark streets of the capital.

  As they grow concerned about attacks from behind, the men in black veer down an alley and skid to a halt. They appear to be in a hurry. They place their hands against the wall, trying to steady their ragged breath. For a few moments, only their harsh inhales echo through the dark alleyway.

  Thunk.

  A sound from the depths of the alley.

  They quickly turn to peer into the darkness. A black silhouette takes form in the shadows, coming toward them.

  Thunk, thunk.

  The sound of his boots draws closer.

  The men cautiously ready their swords. But then, a black blade is jabbed into one of their heads, instantly passing through the hapless soul’s skull without warning.

  “Agh… Aghh… Aghhh…!”

  The ebony katana is withdrawn as the man shrieks in agony, spouting blood and dropping to the ground.

  The remaining impostor starts backing away in fear when the figure emerges from the shadows and makes his appearance. In a black coat, he possesses a sword and keeps half his face hidden behind a magician’s mask.

  “Did I keep you waiting?” His voice is deep, as if resounding from the depths of the earth.

  “Eek…!” yelps the man in black as he steps backward.

  “Why are you afraid?” he asks. “Did you really think…you could escape?”

  The man in black turns to flee.

  “Wha—?!”

  “Great work, Master Shadow.”

  He turns to find a woman standing there. She’s alluring and elegant, wearing a short dress.

  “You secured the culprit in no time at all. I’m in awe,” she comments.

  “Is that you, Nu?”

  “Yes,” she replies, continuing the conversation with the assassin sandwiched between them.

  He backs up against a wall.

  “Please leave the rest to me. I’ll extract information from him.”

  The man in ebony lowers his sword.

  “…Don’t mess this up,” he warns.

  “Understood.”

  He turns on his heels and vanishes into the darkness. The lovely woman bows her head as she watches him depart.

  The beauty and the man in jet-black are left in the narrow alley. The latter is fully armed, but the former is weaponless in a dress and heels.

  The man acts quickly. With a series of rapid slashes, he stabs the unarmed girl to death.

  At least…that’s what he hoped to do.

  With her dress upturned, she rends the night asunder with her white, sensual legs.

  Ka-chank. The man’s sword falls to the cobblestone road.

  There’s a beat before eight of his fingers drop next to it.

  “A-aghh…!”

  It’s hard to tell if he’s trying to retrieve his eight fingers or his sword. With only the thumbs remaining, he extends one of his hands.

  But it’s crushed by a high heel.

  “Gyah…!”

  With that, an ebony blade emerges from the toe of her stiletto. The blood from his fingers flows over the cobblestones.

  “I’m not as kind as Master Shadow.”

  He can hear the bitterness in her voice. The man looks up to find a gaze cold enough to freeze him to death.

  “Don’t think I’ll let you die in peace.”

  With the hem of her dress rippling through the air, she slams his chin with her milky knee.

  The next morning, a ghastly corpse is found hanging over the main street in the capital. There is a message written in blood on its stomach:

  THE PATH OF FOOLS

  The face of the dead man is warped with agony and fear.

  Lying in an immaculate bed, Alexia looks up to see her sister’s stern face.

  “I know what happened.” Iris is seated next to the bed. “The murders weren’t committed by the Shadow Garden but by impersonators from another organization.”

  “Shadow mentioned that,” Alexia adds.

  “Shadow, huh…? We still don’t know what this organization is.” Iris lowers her eyes in contemplation. “During the attacks on the capital, I identified the existence of a dark knight who may be in the Shadow Garden.”

  “The one who goes by Alpha.”

  Iris nods. “Other sources have indicated the Shadow Garden is an extraordinarily powerful organization. And your report confirms their name and the existence of a man called Shadow. But that’s all we know. Everything else is a mystery. We don’t even know their goal.”

  “Shadow was fighting the Cult of Diablos. Maybe their purpose has to do with them.”

  “Which makes the Cult our clue…” Iris lets out a sigh.

  “Iris…?”

  “I thought they were a normal religion that believes in Diablos the demon, but it looks like they’re pulling the strings in more operations than we’d thought.”

  “Like that fire?”

  “There’s that. And the budget for the Crimson Order. I can’t get the go-ahead, so I’ll be funding it out of pocket for now.”

  Alexia knits her brows together. “Does that mean the Cult not only infiltrated the Knight Order but that they’re also civil officers?”

  “I don’t know. They’re either members of the Cult or taking bribes…but I can’t say for sure. After all, I was reckless in throwing together the new Order.”

  “I’ll help you pay for it.”

  “It’s the thought that counts. You know how many members are in the Crimson Order, right?” Iris smiles bitterly.

  “Eight.”

  “Right, just eight. With my contributions, they could easily survive for over ten years.”

  “Then can’t we make the Order bigger?”

  “It would be senseless to make it bigger now. We don’t even know who we’re fighting yet.”

  “Iris, um…” Alexia apprehensively looks up at her sister. “Which is the enemy of the Crimson Order: the Shadow Garden or the Cult of Diablos?”

  Iris smiles. “Both. I refuse to allow any mischief in this kingdom.”

  “Iris… We shouldn’t fight Shadow.” Alexia clenches the bedsheets.

  “Alexia, drop it…”

  “Iris, you wouldn’t say this if you knew him. I know you saw that attack that colored the night sky throughout the capital!”

  “We’ve already concluded that was just the artifacts burning.”

  “But I saw him use his magic!”

  Iris huddles close to Alexia and peers into her red eyes. “That sort of power is impossible for humans to achieve. Spending too much time in captivity has made your memory foggy. And I bet all those strange drugs made you hallucinate. I don’t think you’re lying, but I do think you need rest.”

  “Iris!”

  Iris places both of her hands on top of Alexia’s. “And even if it really did come from that Shadow, we can’t turn a blind eye to him. Who will protect our country if I flee?”

  “Iris…”

  Iris strokes Alexia’s hair, then rises to her feet. “Get some rest until you’re healed.”

  “…I’ll help you when I get better.”

  “That won’t be necessary.”

  “Huh?”

  “Oh, you’re under house arrest. I must’ve forgotten to tell you.”

  “You can’t be serious!”

  “For stealing evidence.” Iris shows her the red pills, and Alexia’s jaw drops to the floor.

  “Think about what you’ve done.”

  The door slams closed behind her.

  Chapter 5

  Mastering the Peaceful Life of a Nobody!

  I’m being watched.

  I feel their gazes when I walk into class. Everyone’s watching me and whispering.

  “That’s him.”

  “The one who shit himself as he ran…”

  “I heard he
crapped on the street so everyone could see.”

  I shoot daggers at Skel and Po. Their eyes nervously flicker around the room.

  “Th-that was a real disaster yesterday.”

  “G-good morning. It must’ve been tough for you.”

  “Yeah, morning. And today is much worse.”

  They wear a pair of stiff smiles, and I heave a huge sigh.

  “A-anyway, did you bring your chocolate from yesterday?” Skel takes out a baggie.

  “I brought mine,” Po chimes in.

  “Yeah, I guess,” I say.

  “All right. Come lunchtime, Operation: Give-a-Gift begins!”

  “Ooh, I’m so excited!”

  “Yeah, whatever you say.”

  Which brings us to lunch.

  We follow Skel, who claims he’ll show us how it’s done.

  He stands in the hallway near a classroom for the second-year students. We observe him from a distance.

  “He’s going for an upperclassman? Go, Skel.”

  “Yeah, whatever you say.”

  After a few seconds pass, a cute girl exits the classroom.

  “Uh, um…here.” Skel holds out the chocolate.

  “Hey, you got some business with my fiancée?” A pair of large hands clutch his shoulders.

  There’s a crazy-buff senior behind him.

  “Oh…I…I just…”

  “Let’s take this outside. Y’know, to talk it out.”

  The two of us ignore his distressed stare and turn away.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Yeah, whatever you say.”

  I can hear Skel screaming behind me.

  Po takes me to the library. It’s an enormous resource shared between the academies for dark knights and sciences. Naturally, this isn’t where the jocks of the school hang out. Though, of course, it’s not for me, either.

  “Which means you’re after someone from the Academy of Science.”

  “Yes. I’m not taking Skel’s approach. See, I did a thorough investigation on her. I know her friends; her favorite foods; her dorm room number; which bathroom she uses; her shoe size and the smell of her feet; the color of her underwear; her hip, bust, and waist measurements; and I used a cup she drank from to…”

  “All right, enough. Just go already.”

  I drag Po into the library and walk away. I don’t see what happens next.

  “Eeeeeeeeek!! It’s that guy! My stalker!”

  Almost instantly, I hear screaming behind me.

  The bag of chocolate sways as I walk around the library. I usually never come here. It’s nice.

  I speak to the first girl from the Academy of Science that I pass. “Here’s some chocolate.”

  “Huh?” She’s a hottie with light-pink hair.

  I hand off the bag of chocolate and leave.

  “Wait! What?”

  I can hear her getting all confused. I think I’ve seen her face before, but I can’t remember where.

  “I wonder what this is.”

  A cute girl with peach-colored hair in the study room cocks her head to the side. She scrutinizes the brown objects in the box with relaxed eyes. Even after taking the fragrant thing in her hand, she can’t identify it. She’s almost certain the boy had called it chocolate when he gave it to her.

  “Sherry, are you all right?”

  There’s a middle-aged man standing behind her with salt-and-pepper hair all slicked back.

  “Assistant Principal Lutheran…”

  “You promised to call me Father in private.”

  “Foster Father.” Sherry smiles uncomfortably.

  “Why do you have that box of chocolate?”

  “Chocolate? A boy from the Academy for Dark Knights gave it to me.”

  “You don’t say.” Lutheran thoughtfully strokes his beard. “That’s the luxury snack. All the girls have been talking about it. I think he gave it to you as a gift.”

  “What? But I don’t even know him.”

  “They call it ‘love at first sight.’ That’s the finest chocolate in the world. You can line up for it at the crack of dawn and still not be able to purchase it. He must have done the impossible to get it for you.”

  “Love at first sight…,” Sherry murmurs, her cheeks tinged pink.

  “How will you answer him?”

  “Answer him…?”

  “He must be waiting for your response.”

  “B-but I…” Her face flushes bright red, and her eyes dart back and forth.

  “You’re not just here to do research. You should learn how to interact with your peers. That’s what school is for.”

  “…I will.”

  He gently grins at Sherry, who’s hung her head.

  “Is all going well with the artifact?”

  “I’ve only just started.” Sherry smiles uneasily, her cheeks still slightly flushed.

  “That’s totally understandable.”

  “But I do know one thing: It’s written in a unique code.”

  “A unique code?”

  Sherry spreads documents across a table. “I’m guessing it was used by an ancient country or organization. And…it’s almost identical to the one from Mother’s research.”

  “Oh, Lukreia’s… She was a great researcher, too.” Lutheran closes his eyes as if remembering the past.

  “I need to crack the code that Mother researched right before she died.”

  The face examining the documents was that of a brilliant researcher, no question.

  “It’s just the right job for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  When Lutheran lightly pats her head, Sherry is bashful.

  “Where is the artifact now?” he asks.

  “A knight is guarding it in the other room.”

  “You’re not holding on to it?”

  “Only if it’s necessary. It’s important for me to think in peace. Plus, I get too nervous around the knights.”

  “I see. Cough, cough… E-excuse me…” Lutheran turns away to hack.

  “Foster Father! Are you all right?” Sherry panics and rubs the back of a skeletal man with sunken-in cheeks.

  “I-I’m fine. It’s okay.” Lutheran calms his breath. “And I was just feeling good the other day. I guess illness can be unpredictable.”

  “Foster Father…”

  “Don’t worry about me. More importantly, I received another message from the college town asking if you’d like to study abroad.”

  “The college town, Laugus…”

  “The most brilliant scholar in the world has acknowledged your research. If you study in Laugus, your skills will only improve. It’s a fantastic offer.”

  Sherry shakes her head. “I can’t leave you alone sick, Foster Father.”

  “You don’t have to worry about me, Sherry.”

  “I would have died if you hadn’t taken me in when Mother passed away. I’m going to help you…for helping me,” she states with tears forming in her eyes.

  “Sherry…you’re a wonderful daughter,” Lutheran replies with a kind smile. “Good luck on your research. And eat your chocolate.”

  “…I will.”

  Lutheran exits the study room. Sherry puts the chocolate in her mouth.

  “It’s sweet… It’s delicious.”

  She reaches for a second piece.

  I’m on my way back home after an Alexia-less, Skel-less, Po-less day.

  The campus has assumed the orange hue of the setting sun. I walk through the campus, where there aren’t many students, when a girl suddenly approaches me. Her uniform indicates she’s in her second year at the Academy of Science. Her dark-brown hair is pulled back into bun. A drab pair of glasses covers her dark-brown eyes.

  But a seasoned extra can tell: She’s an inconspicuous beauty who’s pretending to be a minor character.

  “Hey, can I talk to you for a minute?”

  I’ve heard that voice before.

  “Nu?” I whisper. She nods in reply.

  It’s crazy h
ow a change of hair and makeup can conceal an elegant woman.

  “Are you planning on going to school here?” I ask in a hushed voice.

  “No, I’m just borrowing the uniform. It helps me blend in with the others.”

  “I see.”

  I don’t know most of the students here. As long as she’s in uniform, there’s a good chance she’ll stay undetected.

  “Where do you want to talk?”

  “Let’s head to that bench.”

  There’s no one near the seats that overlook the campus, and the two of us sit under the dazzling glow of the sunset.

  Nu surveys the academy. Behind her glasses, she narrows her eyes.

  If her life had gone differently, she would have been in her second year. Until the day she was abandoned for being possessed, she always believed she would have a peaceful, successful future.

  But that ended up being nothing more than a fantasy.

  For little did she know, everything she took for granted—her friends, family, life itself—rested atop a thin tower of ice. Nu was a happy child who didn’t know what lurked underneath that fragile construct.

  Her eyes observe the students in envy and sorrow, and she recognizes a few of their faces.

  In many social circles, Nu was known as the daughter of the marquess, living an affluent lifestyle.

  But that time in her life has passed. She’s been erased from the history of her household, as if she never existed.

  She wonders how many of her friends still remember her.

  Maybe they talk about her. But she guesses they’d rather spread hateful rumors.

  That’s what happens to the possessed.

  There’s no reason she has to meet Shadow at school in daylight, but she can’t relinquish her last shred of hope. She wants to believe she has a place in a tranquil corner on this campus. She wants to relish in this foolish dream.

  Nu smirks.

  She has no place to call home, but she has comrades who share the same goal. And sitting right next to her…is her beloved master.

  He started fighting all by himself. Even if he was the last man in the world, he would continue to fight. His existence is what keeps the Shadow Garden afloat.

  People are frail and want to rely on something definite. If god is essential to Earth, then Shadow is essential to the Shadow Garden.