Firstly…….
“ーーThe traitor that I know of, it didn’t have the appearance of a human”
“It didn’t have the appearance of a human?”
“Yup”
“But, according to Hart, he was saying that the wounds were caused by occupations, you know?”
“Yup. It’s using an occupation’s power”
“If that’s the caseーー”
“It’s a monster that uses an occupation’s power. It’s something like that”
“In that case, the traitor’s true identity is……”
“It’s either a monster, that acquired an occupation, is possessing a mind of its own, or, it’s an Adventurer who controls the monster through some kind of method”
“Some kind of method huh……. In my case, it goes from the Elementary Occupation’s Swordsman to the Intermediate Occupation’s Sword Relic, from there, it’s the Advance Occupation’s Swordian, and then, it’s the S Rank Occupation’s Sword Lancer. Although similar occupations line up something like this, their strength is completely different. If that’s the case, there’s a high possibility that that fellow is an occupation that derives from Fi’s Beast Tamer?”
“It has the highest possibility. If the occupation’s grade increases, the things that one is able to control also increase. I’ve heard that one will even end up being able to control monsters”
“I see”
“However, even if one becomes an Advance Occupation, what they can control are more or less just Lower Class or Middle Class monsters. The monster I saw was above that”
“In that case, it’s an S Rank like me huh……”
“Un. Besides, for a monster to acquire an occupation, it’s strange”
“Monsters attack humans, humans attack monsters. In other words, they’re mutual enemies. It’s unthinkable to try and give such fellows the means to fight, and one won’t even try”
“In that case, is it right to say, that the monster acquired the occupation through some kind of method?”
“No, we still don’t know. All I can say is, be it there’s a monster possesses a mind of its own, or there’s a fellow who controls the monster and attacks the Adventurers, what is the objective, it’s something we won’t know unless we confirm with that fellow. Historically, until now, there shouldn’t have been any instances where monsters acquired occupations thoughーー”
♢
As expected, the latter thought might be the right one.
“It’s a mistake, a mistake a mistake……Leonard is, Leonard is dead. This, is a mistake……but, no it’s a mistakeーーthen, who is using this?”
Hart’s deranged voice reverberates somewhere in the pitch-black darkness.
“Element・Sorcery is, an Advanced Occupation so……it’s not, particularly weird even if it’s amongst them……even, even if there are others……n, no, there wasn’t, amongst them, but, then……who is”
Element・Sorcery is a minor occupation. It’s not an occupation that everybody thinks of becoming.
I’m even uncertain on what Lower Occupation it’s from.
“Hart, calm down! Your companions have already been buried, right!? If that’s the caseーー”
“Are, are you……resenting me, because I’m the only one who survived!? Is that why you’re trying to kill me!?”
“Oi, Hart!”
……This is bad.
I had a peace of mind since he always had a composed demeanour, but the three of his companions were just killed about two, three weeks ago.
His three companions died, and he himself is the only one who survived.
And then now, before his eyes, something used his former companion’s occupation, and attacked him.
Why couldn’t I save them.
Why was I the only one who lived.
The more he laments, the more he has the delusions that his former companions are resenting himself.
I know where I’m standing.
But my sight is bad and no matter how much I walk, I don’t bump into any wall or anything.
Even where this is, has become vague.
“Elenor, Serina, Fi. Are you guys alright!?”
I called out to the three of them, and replies from different directions reached me.
“I am fine”, says Eleanor from behind, diagonally to the right.
“I’m also fine! I can’t see anything though”, says Serina from the front, a little ways away.
“Somehow”, says Fi from right beside me.
Everybody’s alright somehow.
Nobody’s been attacked, Hart’s also still alright.
But……why doesn’t it attack us?
Why did it obstruct our vision with the black mist even though it doesn’t attack us?
I can’t attack because if I haphazardly summon my swords, there’s the possibility that I might hit somebody.
It’s all or nothing, let’s try it, I guess.
“Eleanor, are you able to summon the Wind’s Saint Beast?”
“Eeh, I can do that, but I cannot see the surroundings so there is the possibility of me hitting somebody”
“Weaken the power the best you can. Just enough to blow this black mist away with the wind is fine”
“Understood”
Thick Mist does not have a source somewhere, it’s a mist that appears endlessly once it’s generated. To eliminate this mist, it’s necessary to blow it away and clear up the sight.
Over there, we can use Eleanor’s Saint Beast’s power.
Restrain its power and use it in another way.
I think when she’s capable of that, she’s achieved a level of competency.
“Holy Bird of Wind, bestow upon me the power of a strong wind to clear this world, this world that is enshrouded in dark cloudsーーDesignationーAerial Bird!”
In the direction of Eleanor’s voice.
An emerald green light, that was gently expanding, changed into a round dot, and it flew high up into the sky.
“Wind Bird-san, a gust of wind that is as weak as possible, as gentle as possible, please”
the Aerial Bird, that listened to such a request of Eleanor, generated a gust of wind that’s generally warm and pleasant.
It’s a gust of wind that normally slashes at the enemies’ skins, but she succeeded in adjusting its power.
No voices of anybody in pain were audible. It seems she’s succeeded.
And the black mist slowly disappears.
Thereupon, the entire place gradually became visible.
Eleanor who’s feeling relieved.
Serina who’s holding her sword and being vigilant of her surroundings.
Fi who’s shutting her eyelids.
But there’s just one person, who wasn’t there.
“Hart, where did you go!?”
Hart’s figure wasn’t nearby.
No reply. Don’t tell me…….
“He ran away”
Fi softly commented.
“It’s not that he’s done in, right?”
“Yup. This child told me”
What Fi is carrying, is a small cat.
I guess it’s still a child. It’s just that, judging from its composed vibe, there’s no mistake that it’s an animal that Fi is controlling.
“A cat that can see even in the dark huh. And, where did Hart ran off to?”
“There”
she points at the gate we came.
“He’s trying to leave this place huh……. Well, that’s fine. Fi, do you have any animal remaining to make follow by Hart’s side?”
“Just Fenrir. The others are observing the other guilds”
Black cat = Fenrir, apparently.
“In that case, have that cat follow and observe Hart. And, immediately report to me if there’s any danger”
“Got it. Go, Fenrir”
When Fi lightly nods, she gently places Fenrir on the ground and makes it run.
“I’m sorry for Hart, but I can’t be pulling back here”
“Egil-sama, is it alright to not chase after Hart-san?”
“Aah, I’d like to think that it’s fine. If we pull back here, the objectives we came here for will all be for nought”
It goes for Eleanor’s objective as well, but by going to help Hart, we’ll end up being unable to dispel his chagrin towards his former companions.
It’s also for his sake; to know the traitor’s true identity and take revenge.
“Fi, did you see the fellow who attacked us?”
“……I saw. I think it’s an Ogre Species”
“Ogre Species huh”
“Egil-san, Ogre Species, is that what the Treasure Sword was talking about in the morning?”
“Aah, that’s right. But why didn’t it attack us……? I think there’s the opening to though”
If it stole our sight, then it should attack us as it is.
And yet it didn’t attack us. Rather, it’s not here anymore.
“I think, it probably came to see the face”
“Face? Ours?”
“Uun, not oursーーEgil’s”
“Mine? Why me alone?”
“I don’t know, but it was looking at Egil the whole time. It’s probably the same as me. I think they’re able to borrow and see through the eyes of what they’re controlling”
“It’s looking at me huh……I don’t know the reason. However, there’s somebody controlling it, it’s right to say that huh”
“Probably……. And, the others are in danger”
We heard Fi’s words and the air turned cold.
“Are there, mysterious Ogre Species at the other places as well?”
“There are. If we don’t hurry up, they’ll be done in. The twins whom Egil was being worried about as well”
Fi stares fixedly at Eleanor
“The guys of your objective as well”
“Oh my, you know of my objective as well huh”
“It’s because I’ve been watching the whole time”
It’s fine to say that the two of them still hasn’t had a proper conversation yet.
So I guess this is their first actual conversation.
Eleanor was smiling sweetly, and making a slightly displeased expression.
“The whole time, huh. You have the sense of a stalker huh”
“My forte”
“It is an amazing forte. I shall be thankful for that forte of yours for now”
It seems it’s resolved.
“Fi, is there anybody who’s acting strangely?”
“……None. The Eastern Gate is in battle. The Western Gate is at a disadvantage. And, it seems the two guilds at the Southern Gate decided to proceed forward”
At the Eastern Gate is Relic.
Those advancing from the Western Gate, it’s where Eleanor’s childhood friends are huh.
The Southern Gate is where Sana and Runa, along with the Kingdom’s direct guild are at.
“Alright, we’re going to proceed from the Western Gate. ……Is that fine, Eleanor?”
It’s not that we’ll save them.
We’re just heading over to put an end to everything.
And then, what’s necessary is Eleanor’s resolve.
“Thank you for worrying about me. But I am fine. Finally……finally, it can end”
“……Aah, that’s right”
Eleanor smiled.
I can usually read her emotions from her expression, but only now, I don’t know what she’s feeling.
Whether she’s happy, whether she’s sad. Or whether she’s afraid to meet them, I don’t know anything.
“Alright, we’re going”
We start running.
Towards the location where she, whom I love, will settle things.
