Summoned Slaughterer - Book 6

by Ido Masayoshi

  “Earl Tohno has left in order to investigate them.” (Alyssa)

  “That story was true!” (Reshi)

  Reshi, who unintentionally raised his voice, glossed it over by coughing and saying “Excuse me.”

  The matter of Hifumi having left towards the wastelands, and moreover by himself, reached him as rumour, however Reshi was one of those who discarded most of it as mere gossip.

  “If I may speak frankly, given that the witnessing of powerful monsters and the number of actual encounters has risen, I wondered whether Lord-sama has brought up consultations with other countries, but… it seems that everyone, who is working as central figure of Fokalore, is looking far more ahead than people like us.” (Reshi)

  Listening to Reshi’s words, Alyssa and Miyukare looked at each others’ faces.

  “There is something we’d like to request from you.” (Miyukare)

  “What may that be?” (Reshi)

  Reshi listened carefully due to Miyukare’s remark.

  “I’d like you to make the adventurers aware of it, about the matter of fiendish monsters increasing in number and about the possibility of a mastermind existing somewhere.” (Miyukare)

  “… Isn’t it possible that this will trigger chaos?” (Reshi)

  “If it brings whoever is hiding in the shadows into the light as result, that will be fine.” (Miyukare)

  “If we know who it is, Hifumi will finish them off.” (Alyssa)

  “Oh!”, for some strange reason Reshi could comprehend that.

  “… I got it. I shall circulate the information little-by-little starting with those I’m able to trust. I’d like you to leave it to me to deal with the finer details. Would that be alright with you?” (Reshi)

  “Of course, that’s no problem.” (Alyssa)

  Once Alyssa and Miyukare exited the room after thanking for the black tea, Reshi entrusted his body fully to the back of the sofa.

  “What’s happening…? While I’m still alive the world is changing in various ways, it seems.” (Reshi)

  Reshi tasted the black tea he poured for himself, but it had gone completely cold.

  ☻

  Dawn in the elven village was greeted with an uproarious atmosphere.

  Many corpses are scattered in a part of the village. Among them, there is the cruelly massacred body of Laboras who rallied the men of the village under him.

  Even those, who didn’t leave their houses in fright while hearing the turmoil, are gradually emerging from their houses once the sun begins to rise. Gathering with their friends in panic once they see the terrible scene in front of their eyes, they begin to discuss at various places without reaching an answer.

  Zanga, who foresaw such situation, instructed Shiku and Puuse to make an announcement that there will be a meeting to explain the circumstances to the villagers. Then she personally volunteered to act as Hifumi’s guide while using a wand to prop herself up.

  “Eh…? Z-Zanga-sama!?”

  At the edge of the village, in a different direction from the place where Hifumi entered, there’s a sturdy hut which used big logs although being small itself. “The magic squares have been set up in that hut”, Zanga explained while mixing in a 「Sorry for disturbing」.

  The elves, who were on duty to use their mana for the sake of holding up the barrier, are quite surprised.

  “W-Why here…? Eh, moreover together with a human…?”

  “Stay calm. This person, well, won’t do anything if you don’t do anything to him.” (Zanga)

  Probably, added Zanga in her mind and then sat down on a chair located in the middle of the hut she led Hifumi to.

  “It’s been a while since I last breathed the outside air ~nee. This might not happen overly often either, but…” (Zanga)

  The elves judged Zanga, who suddenly showed a lonely expression, as odd, but apart from that their wariness has increased due to the human they have seen for the first time.

  Their vigilance was blown away by a brief comment of Zanga.

  “For just an instant, we will make a hole in the barrier.” (Zanga)

  “W-We can’t do such thing!”

  A single elf raised his voice, but Zanga waved her hand while laughing with a “Hya Hya.”

  “It’s not you guys who will do it, but me. Even though I may appear to be like this, I was the best elven magician back in the old days. I was completely unable to use offensive magic though.” (Zanga)

  “If it’s related to protecting something, it’s better to not look down on me”, Zanga looked joyfully at Hifumi.

  “Human-san, around when will you come back?” (Zanga)

  “Don’t know. But I memorized this place here.” (Hifumi)

  “I see. … Then I will make my request once you came back.” (Zanga)

  Countless scripting, similar to symbols and characters, are lining up within several magic square-like circles and squares.

  “Heave ho!” (Zanga)

  Zanga, who stood up by using the wand, sits down in front of a magic square while being supported by the elves.

  “If you walk for one minute along the path on the other side of this hut, you will encounter the barrier. Since the barrier will be raised open only for the path for about 3 minutes, go inside during that time.” (Zanga)

  “Got it.” (Hifumi)

  “Human-san, I didn’t hear your name yet.” (Zanga)

  “Could you tell me?” Zanga asks.

  “It’s Hifumi.” (Hifumi)

  “Hifumi-san? It’s a strange-sounding name ~nee. But, it’s a good name. Hey, Hifumi-san, why did you deliberately come to meet the demons this deep in the forest? Even you probably understand, but they are aggressive and will likely attack you.” (Zanga)

  While asking that, Zanga turned her look towards the magic square.

  “… There isn’t enough fighting in this world. There isn’t sufficient killing with the life on the line, that whittles down one’s life force as if setting one’s soul on fire. Someone has to ignite a spark.” (Hifumi)

  “So, that means that the demon race will be the trigger for that.” (Zanga)

  Although Zanga is laughing with her shoulders trembling, the elves in the surroundings are baffled while thinking aren’t they talking about something outrageous, though I don’t quite get it.

  “Well, then it won’t do, if we don’t struggle desperately for survival either. Even if we abandon the forest, the elves have pride. There’s no way that we will perish this easily.” (Zanga)

  Due to the words of Zanga, who started to focus her mana while facing the magic square, Hifumi turned his back on her.

  “That’s fine. You won’t be able to enjoy life much unless you don’t know when it will end.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi began to walk outside the hut.

  I will be able to observe the techniques, magic and anything of the demon race, his feet hurry to advance with a feeling of impatience.

  “I wonder what kind of fellow I will be able to meet first?” (Hifumi)

  Taking out the katana, he affixes it on his hips.

  “I pray for there to be a good demon king candidate.” (Hifumi)

  His monologue vanished into the wind without being heard by anyone.

  Chapter 105 – Crawling

  Advancing through the path which had only the small, simple undergrowth trimmed, he arrived at the barrier’s location right away.

  “This is the barrier, huh?” (Hifumi)

  Above the path, there is a hole to the degree of him being able to pass if he cowers a bit.

  Hifumi touched the barrier with a finger, but except a feeling similar to going a bit numb, it had a sensation like plastic which got cooled down.

  “It looks like it would break if I hit it, but… well, I leave that for later.” (Hifumi)

  He passes through the hole speedily and without delay.

  Once Hifumi adjusts the place of the katana on his waist, he walks ahead, not slowly but neither hurried.

  The forest
continues even when he goes through the barrier, however compared to the forest where the elves live, Hifumi felt that the air has obviously become clear. Though it’s natural, but there are no elven corpses on any of the trees.

  “Shall I try going straightforward?” (Hifumi)

  The path continues towards outside the forest in a distance.

  He tried asking Zanga and Puuse before passing through the barrier, but the two didn’t know how the demons live their lives or what’s life like on the other side of the barrier.

  Hifumi decided to walk ahead by following the path “for some reason or another.” If there’s a path, there has to be someone using it, was the level of his care-freeness.

  And after he walked for around an hour, the trees became too sparse to call it a forest and he became able to see far ahead. The forest’s parts became vague and before him realizing it the visibility improved.

  “A city… huh?” (Hifumi)

  With the forest ending, grey walls, appearing to be made out of stone, can be seen far ahead after following the path.

  Is it because there’s still quite a distance? It’s yet not clear whether there are people or not, but there’s a place where a part of the wall is heightened. Hifumi judged that it might be something like a watchtower for the sake of guarding or a gate.

  “For the time being I will go there…” (Hifumi)

  Just in the midst of saying that, Hifumi swiftly dodged and rolled on the ground.

  Right next to his side, a beast with the same physique as Hifumi cuts through.

  “A monster, eh?” (Hifumi)

  At the moment he got up, Hifumi is already grasping the unsheathed katana in his hand.

  The monster and him face each other.

  It was a monster with an appearance similar to a leopard possessing a flexible body. Without any intention to hide its sharp claws, it is tightly and powerfully grasping the ground.

  Due to the opponent being a monster which displays its intimidation by snarling, Hifumi stepped forward with his right foot and took a stance as if thrusting the katana at his opponent.

  “It seems to be stronger than the monsters around Orsongrande.” (Hifumi)

  Hifumi wasn’t able to sense its presence until it came quite close for its surprise attack just now.

  If its speed had been a bit higher, he might have received damage from its first attack.

  “Leopard, eh? It might be different from beastmen, but I wonder how?” (Hifumi)

  Once he swings the point of the katana as if luring it, the monster makes a growl as if it was irritated.

  In the middle of their confrontation, when Hifumi suddenly raised the katana in an overhead position, the monster, judging it as opportunity, leapt on him with its blank claws.

  “Oh?” (Hifumi)

  It was faster than Hifumi had expected.

  While letting the forepaw, which was precisely aimed at his neck, go past by advancing forward diagonally, he hit its jaw with the pommel.

  “Gyan!”

  The monster, which whined as it was unable to endure, tries to take a distance by dashing in a circle.

  However, Hifumi has predicted that and presses forwards in a straight line.

  When he gets right in front of it, it opens its large snout in order to attack him.

  “Conversely, that is your weak point.” (Hifumi)

  He thrusts the katana towards the throat of the monster while pushing the pommel with his waist.

  The thrust, which put the blade sideways, pierced even the medulla oblongata while experiencing only little resistance.

  “Guu…”

  The monster tried to strongly snap at the katana’s blade, but that was the extent of its opposition.

  “Heave-ho.” (Hifumi)

  Pressing his foot against its forehead, Hifumi pulls out the katana.

  Placing a paper on the blood-smeared katana, he wipes it clean in one go.

  The blade had rubbed against the sharp fangs, but it has already regained its original radiance.

  “I see. Even if you put the demons aside, the monsters are strong as well, eh?” (Hifumi)

  I might be able to enjoy myself with something else besides my original objective, Hifumi breathed out through his nose.

  ☻

  “Does that mean that it’s possible for a demon king to appear?” (Imeraria)

  “There are such rumours among the people on the streets.” (Adol)

  Prime Minister Adol avoided the affirmation of Imeraria’s question.

  “… Isn’t it possible to verify the truth? Or are there some problems?” (Imeraria)

  “No, there are no problems.” (Origa)

  The other person who is present at this place opened her mouth. Origa was visiting the castle for the sake of helping in the research of the sealing magic.

  For the period of several days in this place, she has taken and been staying at an inn in the capital.

  All of her just 5 attending soldiers are women. The security measures are strangely weak-levelled for the wife of an Earl. Though there is the incident of her instantly killing the thugs who were hired by young nobles who have grudges against Hifumi and moreover her crushing those young nobles in one night, she made sure to abstain from interacting with other nobles. And the capital’s nobles, who felt her to be eerie, don’t approach Origa either.

  On the other hand, since she is the feudal lord’s representative of Fokalore, which was at the forefront in regards to industry and commerce, merchants and craftsmen come visiting her without interruption for the sake of greetings and studying.

  Without discrimination, Origa dealt with those commoners and at times she even taught them valuable techniques for free.

  “The hero’s wife isn’t an ordinary person after all.”

  is her reputation, but although nobles and commoners mean that in different ways, it didn’t take long for it to spread widely.

  Of course such talks have reached Imeraria’s ears as well. However she doesn’t touch that topic.

  “You saying that there are no problems must mean that there’s some reason. Could you please elaborate?” (Imeraria)

  “Your Majesty, that way of talking to me is unnecessary. If my husband is Your Majesty’s retainer, then I, who am his wife, shall serve Your Majesty as well.” (Origa)

  Due to Origa making that statement smoothly, Imeraria was disappointed that “she doesn’t really mean it”, but she was at least able to make sure that this wasn’t revealed on her face.

  “I’m someone showing proper respect towards Hifumi-sama. I believe it should be the same towards you who is his spouse. So, would you mind answering my question?” (Imeraria)

  “My husband is currently investigating the person who is behind those strengthened monsters. In addition, our Earl Tohno feudal army intends to give instructions in combat techniques to each nation and area without sparing any efforts.” (Origa)

  “Is the idea of teaching those combat techniques originating from Hifumi-sama?” (Imeraria)

  “Even to foreign countries… that will also depend on whether it will become act which serves the interests of the enemy…” (Adol)

  Adol shyly expressed his worries towards the details Origa talked about as if they were something wonderful.

  Origa’s reply which confronts those worries begins with a smile.

  “Foreign countries… Vichy and Horant are learning techniques from us. Even if they turned against us, for argument’s sake, it’s very possible to deal with them.” (Origa)

  “H-However, in case they aimed at another place than Fokalore…” (Adol)

  Once Adol mentions the matter he fears once more, Origa’s laughing intensifies.

  “Do not worry, Your Excellency, the Prime Minister.” (Origa)

  Her tone is filled with confidence to the brim.

  “Even in such case we will have the privilege of helping out with at least “sufficient resistance.”” (Origa)

  She doesn’t talk abo
ut winning.

  Neither does she say that Fokalore will suppress them.

  She just guarantees “to resist” them.

  “… Then, let’s deal with it in each territory. Watching the state of affairs, we will dispatch war potential from the country at any time.” (Imeraria)

  “At the time of doing that, the Tohno Earldom will also cooperate with you at full power.” (Origa)

  Imeraria and Origa smile while looking at each others faces.

  “So, let’s continue the magic research.” (Imeraria)

  “Yes, let’s do that.” (Origa)

  Standing up together, the two headed towards the reference room while the sounds of their heels resounded.

  Having been left alone, Adol sighed into the silence.

  ☻

  Hifumi, who slowly approached the place which appeared to be a city, noticed a battle raging in its vicinity.

  Getting close to a distance so that he can watch the situation, he takes up position in the shade of a tree.

  “Demons, eh?” (Hifumi)

  Against the backdrop of the wall, around 30 demons are struggling against the same number of wolf-type monsters.

  “Ooooohh!”

  A remarkably tall demon shouldered a big long sword of approximately the same length as himself and dove into the pack of monsters leading the charge.

  While rotating like a spinning top and brandishing his shouldered long sword with the momentum of dashing, he tore the monsters into shreds.

  With the other demons adding fire and lightning spells, the monsters, who were just overwhelmed by the pressure, fled in all direction once their numbers decreased to less than half in the blink of an eye.

  Without recklessly chasing, the male demons quickly confirm the damage and walk towards the direction of the city while being vigilant of the surroundings.

  Once Hifumi looked in the direction of their heading, he discovered a door, which appeared to be the entrance, at one part of the wall.

  He ponders while having folded his arms.

  “Their fighting strength is high? Shall I call out to them from here? Or shall I do so after taking a look at the city?” (Hifumi)

  Even if I entered the city just like that, it will require much effort to search fellows, who are capable in fighting, one by one, Hifumi made a bitter expression.