Once the dead elf collapsed without even understanding the reason, Hifumi’s smiling face was reflected in the sight of Laboras who released the spell.
“L-Laboras-san!?”
An elf, surprised by the friendly fire, shifted his attention from Hifumi to Laboras and was instantly killed by the katana stabbing directly into his heart.
Laboras fires one stone after the other at Hifumi with magic while including his companion, who got skewered, in the line of fire.
While pulling out the katana, Hifumi, who decided to use the corpse as shield and kicked it flying, dashed in an extremely forward-bent posture, as if falling, by drawing out the power of his knees.
He doesn’t head towards Laboras, but to another elf.
“D-Don’t come!”
Although he tries to face Hifumi with magic in panic and fright, he is too slow.
As he tried to finish him with a reversed diagonal shoulder slash, Hifumi fell onto his back this time.
At the moment the elf felt relieved with a “I’m saved,” his entire body was riddled with holes by the stone bullets, similar to finely sharpened shells, fired by Laboras.
“Tsk.” (Laboras)
“Don’t sweep away my prey from the side.” (Hifumi)
Hifumi pouted at Laboras who clicked his tongue due to Hifumi avoiding his shots.
Laboras doesn’t reply.
Facing Hifumi who stopped his feet, he approaches him with the knife in his hand while roaring.
Similar to his strong body, which doesn’t suit the image of elves, his knife is also thick and solid.
In contrast to that, his attacks are precise without any gaps.
“You are quite skilled.” (Hifumi)
The thrusts are accurately aiming at the vital spots and the blended-in slashes are swung in order to close possible escape routes. Hifumi, who deals with those while handling the spells from the surroundings, is slowly retreating while getting more and more small gashes.
However, Hifumi doesn’t take the initiative.
And, Hifumi has a composed expression.
“Fast. But, those attacks are too straightforward.” (Hifumi)
At that moment, the elves including Laboras saw something unbelievable.
The katana wielded by Hifumi counters all of the knife thrusts with its point. The thrust are met with thrusts.
Countless sparks violently revolved between those two.
“I can’t believe that you are doing this!” (Laboras)
Although Laboras frantically raises the speed of his thrusts, Hifumi calmly follows up on that.
“Easily readable attacks won’t work.” (Hifumi)
The tempo accelerates accompanied by creaking metallic sounds.
“Guh, this!” (Laboras)
“That won’t do.” (Hifumi)
Laboras, who grew impatient, unleashes a thrust entrusting the weight of his entire body into it with a force to break through Hifumi’s defence.
However, Hifumi passes alongside the flank of Laboras who pitched forward without meeting the attack.
“Ah?” (Laboras)
Laboras stumbled a step or two forwards as the impact he expected was missing. His knee was stepped on by Hifumi from the side.
Losing his balance, Laboras forcibly twisted his body without collapsing obediently and swung his knife.
But, his outstretched arm is sent flying after getting cut by the katana.
“Damn iiitt!” (Laboras)
“Shut up.” (Hifumi)
The throat of Laboras, who raised a scream after having lost an arm, is torn open by the blade which pierced into it in a smooth and unhindered motion.
Laboras, who spilled hot blood from his mouth and throat, died while glaring at Hifumi.
“L-Laboras-san is…”
There still one young elven man alive.
“U-Umm…”
Throwing away the bow he held in his hands, the elf just bows while only breathing out from his mouth as he is puzzled whether he should beg and what kind of words he should use.
Hifumi approaches the elf, who fell to his knees, while holding the katana in his hand.
“I-I give up…”
“You had a chance to choose.” (Hifumi)
“Therefore this is nothing but the outcome of your choice”, Hifumi swung his katana downwards.
☻
Once Zanga raised her face due to the sound of the sound of the wooden door being lifted, the bloodstained Hifumi stood there.
“… Did you come to kill me?” (Zanga)
Puuse and Shiku are nestling close to Zanga on both her sides.
“If you still believe that you want to die, I won’t mind.” (Hifumi)
The knife, thrown by Hifumi, pierces into the ashes of the sunken hearth.
“This is… Laboras’ knife.” (Zanga)
Intently staring at the knife which she had sometimes carefully maintained, Zanga had seen it several times in the past.
“Laboras is dead… so, do you yearn to exact your revenge upon the elves who were hostile towards you?” (Zanga)
Puuse’s and Shiku’s bodies stiffened.
“Not really.” (Hifumi)
“… You aren’t angry? This elf village attacked you, didn’t it?” (Zanga)
“I will kill if I’m challenged. If that doesn’t happen, I have no hobby of going out of my way to kill weaklings either. Rather than that, I prefer to go visit the demon race. I will have you guide me there at noon after I got some sleep.” (Hifumi)
When Hifumi turned on his heel, Zanga extended a hand in panic.
“P-Please wait.” (Zanga)
Zanga, who got up vigorously, is supported by Puuse.
“I heard from Shiku. He told me that you discovered something about the final moment’s of an elf.” (Zanga)
“About that, huh?” (Hifumi)
Hifumi explained what he told the elves from before.
Explaining the accumulation of something that entered their bodies and the way it changes by slowly hardening from the extremities of the body, Puuse’s face turns pale. But, Zanga listened while nodding.
“… Finally I’m able to understand, the reason for my strangely long life.” (Zanga)
Zanga tosses a twig into the fire of the sunken hearth which was about to vanish and blows at it with a “Fuu~” Politer than usual, she lowers her body softly.
“I didn’t go outside much since I was small. I didn’t get too close to the forest either because I was scared. If that “something” from the forests’ trees is the reason, then I can understand why my transformation has been slow. Now that I think about it, I have a feeling that those, who spent a lot of time in the forest, died early as well. However, even if I say that now, it cannot be helped anymore.” (Zanga)
Zanga shed tears while talking.
She only weeps while enduring the pain with a dishevelled expression.
“While living with the blessing of the forest and being called the people of the forest, we were getting killed by that very forest… It can’t be something that empty… Grandma…” (Zanga)
What kind of emotions did her grandmother, she ended up abandoning in her childhood, bear, I wonder?
Her mental state, which was burdened with the despair of having abandoned her and the despair of her grandmother not having had a peaceful death; just how heartbreaking was it? I’m not even able to imagine it.
“Zanga-sama…” (Puuse)
Looking at Shiku and Puuse who is uneasily calling out to her, Zanga roughly wiped away her tears with a cloth at her side.
“Hii hi… I ended up showing you something embarrassing. Human-san, I have a single request.” (Zanga)
Standing up, Zanga bowed towards Hifumi who is looking down on her expressionlessly.
“Since I will recruit those who want to leave this village, can you please take us, including me as well, to some other place?” (Zanga)
“Za-Zanga-sama?” (Puuse)
The shocked
Puuse raises her voice, but Zanga remains in a state of bowing.
“As leader of the elves of this village I only want to popularize this attempt. One day the elves will be imprisoned by this forest. No, they already are, I think.” (Zanga)
“Didn’t I tell you that I’m going to the demons?” (Hifumi)
“It’s fine if it’s after you come back from there. Also, gathering the interested people of the village will take time. I know that I’m making an unreasonable request, but I will do anything for it.” (Zanga)
“That’s my duty as leader”, Zanga looked at Hifumi.
“Aren’t elves good at magic though?” (Hifumi)
Zanga laughed with a “Hya Hya” due to the sudden question.
“They are. It’s my strong point. Puuse is quite skilled at healing magic, too.” (Zanga)
“Is that something which you were taught by another race?” (Hifumi)
“I don’t think so. It might be possible… No, I guess there’s no other choice but to do it, if that’s your wish, human-san.” (Zanga)
Hearing her answer, Hifumi placed a hand on his chin and groaned.
“… If that’s the case, I will have you do it.” (Hifumi)
“Further talks are after I come back”, leaving those words behind, Hifumi went away.
“Zanga-sama, I will accompany you. … I have also become scared of this forest’s scenery…” (Puuse)
“Are you sure? It’s not like you have to force yourself to leave the forest since you are still young.” (Zanga)
Puuse softly shook her head while smiling.
“It’s my way of thanking you for teaching me magic, Zanga-sama. Even though that method will be some kind of challenge, something like not helping you is impossible for me.” (Puuse)
“I-I will help as well! … Magic is difficult, but…” (Shiku)
Stroking Shiku’s head, Zanga murmured a “Thank you.”
“Somehow it got exciting, didn’t it?” (Zanga)
Although my brethren got killed, I guess I’m truly cruel, Zanga thought within her mind.
Chapter 104 – To Feel The Fire
City Arosel
After being annexed by Fokalore due to Hifumi’s shocking invasion, the people are passing their days without any major chaos.
Even the guild of the adventurers who are living in this city was managed as it was up until now, with the exception of Hifumi having killed several of its adventurers.
Reshi who is the master of the guild’s branch is also doing his job as usual.
At the time when Arosel was taken from Vichy by Orsongrande, there were some among the adventurers who were defamed to have attempted to protect themselves by buttering up to Hifumi of Fokalore. However, once everybody started to actually feel that life was getting better than it was in the time of belonging to Vichy, those rumours completely settled down.
But, Reshi was more troubled by the grave problem now than he was back then.
“Hmmm…” (Reshi)
What has been piling up on top of his desk are reports and testimonies from the adventurers belonging to Arosel’s guild. They are documents which were collected by the guild’s staff.
Many of those are arguments among the adventurers themselves, snatching of prey and such. Those were common frictions one might even call daily occurrences, however what is reported in the divided documents is something that hasn’t been seen until now.
According to those documents, there are monsters which haven’t been spotted so far.
According to those documents, large specimen, which have more than twice the usual size, were observed.
According to those documents, the groups of monsters decreased while the individual’s power went up.
“What’s this about, I wonder…?” (Reshi)
Reshi stroked his white beard.
If pushed to say, Arosel was one of the cities which has too many mouths to feed. After their allegiance changed, it has shown an immense growth as stopover on the road towards Fokalore. The number of adventurers who are coming and going as escorts increased as well.
It was the common knowledge of adventurers that monsters aren’t very powerful close to places with many people. Do the monsters avoid those places because there are people there? Did people build their cities in places with weak monsters? No one knows about the truth by now, but presently that’s how it is.
Reshi’s current understanding after reading the reports is that this balance is rapidly deteriorating. There is a considerable number of victims, who were attacked by those irregular monsters, among the common citizens and adventurers.
Should I request the cooperation with other guilds or the country? As Reshi was hesitating about making a decision about this point, he heard the sound of knocking.
“Enter.” (Reshi)
“Excuse me.”
A single male staff member enters the room and gives his greetings.
“A messenger from Lord-sama has come, but…”
It’s probably not my imagination that he looked slightly pale at the moment he took Lord into his mouth, Reshi thought. This staff member is the only person who was personally present at the adventurer killing when Hifumi was in Arosel.
“A messenger from Earl Tohno, huh…? Of course we have to meet them, I suppose. Let them in.” (Reshi)
“As you wish.”
“Don’t let anyone enter afterwards until I tell you that it’s fine.” (Reshi)
Nodding a second time, the staff member leaves.
Before long two women appeared in front of Reshi.
Walking in front is a girl with unkempt red hair. A woman with a bit more set red hair is standing behind her.
Due to their roles being similar to one being on her first mission and one being the first one’s care-taker, Reshi absolutely wasn’t able to imagine what kind of business these two might have with him.
The girl smiles broadly.
“I’m the Military Director of the Tohno* Earldom, Alyssa.” (Alyssa) (T/N: author called it Hifumi Earldom, changed that … also Alyssa refers to herself with “boku”, which is a male pronoun, just for your information.)
“Nice to meet you. I’m called Miyukare and am acting as Alyssa-sama’s exclusive military advisor*.” (Miyukare) (she used “civil official specialised in military affairs”, that sound like a brain fart to me, so used something more proper :p)
“I’m honoured to meet the two of you.” (Reshi)
Alyssa’s introduction wasn’t polite at all, however Reshi faces her with a smile without daring to touch that matter. First of all, his maximum priority is “to not provoke troubles.”
“There you go, please take a seat in the sofa over there.” (Reshi)
“Thanks!” (Alyssa)
Alyssa sat down obediently and Miyukare quietly stood behind Alyssa after bowing. Their roles are certainly a leader and their aide, but with Alyssa’s appearance of restlessly looking around the room, all of that impression is ruined.
“Does black tea suit your taste?” (Reshi)
“Yea.” (Alyssa)
Miyukare firmly watched the sight of Reshi personally pouring the black tea.
And, Reshi pours the black tea while being fully aware of that. Holding unncessary suspicions isn’t a good policy.
“Here you go. So, is there anything you wish to speak about with me?” (Reshi)
“Ummm… it’s about the monsters.” (Alyssa)
Reshi felt shaken within his mind, but due to his many years of experience he was able to successfully hide that.
“Monsters, it is? They are our, the adventurer’s guild’s, main target.” (Reshi)
“Isn’t anything peculiar about those monsters?” (Alyssa)
“Anything peculiar…” (Reshi)
He recalls the documents which caused him headaches not long ago.
However, he isn’t given the time to think it over carefully.
“The numbers of strong monsters increased or such, you haven’t head any
thing like that?” (Alyssa)
It can’t be helped, Reshi, who smiled bitterly, stood up quietly, grabbed the documents from his desk and spread them in front of Alyssa.
“This is a collection of reports about monsters which became large or ferocious and monsters who were seen for the first time. Even though I have the intention to, there are some points which are troublesome to deal with.” (Reshi)
Quickly scanning through the documents, Alyssa handed them over to Miyukare in her back.
Miyukare’s red pupils read through the documents with a speed similar to leaping.
“… Alyssa-sama, it seems there’s no mistake about this.” (Miyukare)
“Yea, after all?” (Alyssa)
Although lord and retainer don comprehending faces, Reshi can’t follow.
“Do you know something about this?” (Reshi)
“You see…” (Alyssa)
“Please let me handle the explanation.” (Miyukare)
Stopping Alyssa, Miyukare handed back the documents to Reshi.
“Not only in the territory of Fokalore, the same state of affairs can be observed in all of Orsongrande and even in Vichy and Horant.” (Miyukare)
Miyukare told the surprised Reshi that it was something not only independently discovered in Fokalore but in all of Orsongrande Kingdom.
“I see. As expected of what Hero-dono said. Others don’t have such keen insight.” (Reshi)
In reality it was the outcome of all of the finer parts being moved by Caim’s orders, but neither Miyukare nor Alyssa mention anything about that.
“If necessary I will have someone deliver these documents after transcribing them.” (Reshi)
“That’s not necessary. I have memorized the main points of their contents. Rather than that, there’s something important to talk about.” (Alyssa)
“… Let’s hear it.” (Reshi)
The one who addressed Reshi, who put down the documents and corrected his seating posture, was Alyssa.
“There are suspicions that someone has strengthened the monsters. From the fact that it’s extending over such wide scope while leaving an influence regardless which country it is, there’s a low possibility that it’s someone belonging to the countries Vichy, Horant and of course Orsongrande as well.” (Alyssa)
“… A being similar to a demon lord who appears in fairy tales. Isn’t it possible that it’s a country on the other side of the wastelands?” (Reshi)
Summoned Slaughterer - Book 6 Page 6