Although A Different Appearance
“Raised by monsters……?”
Monsters kill humans, humans kill monsters.
This relationship won’t change. Both are reciprocally incompatible existences.
“Are you seriously saying that you’re raised by the monsters that we aren’t even able to come to a mutual understanding with?”
“Uh huh, exactly so”
“I can’t believe it”
“Well, I will not force you to believe. It is just that, yes. You were born from human parents, right?”
“……It’s a given. Since both my parents are humans”
“I thought as much. However, Iーーwas born at the Dragon Sanctuary. All that was around me were Dragons that are larger than me by far. That is what『it’s a given』is to me”
“Dragon Sanctuary……”
Dragon Sanctuary, a place which is said to have countless ferocious Dragons inhabiting in it, a place where even Adventurers don’t want to set foot in.
Previously, the《Red Dragon》of a quest that I undertook, is a Dragon which escaped from within that sanctuary and is branded as the weakest Dragon.
It’s a location where many Dragons, that are powerful even in singularity, are inhabitingーーin a sense, it’s a location that’s like this castle to humans.
It’s unbelievable that at a place like that, a human was there, much less there since her birth.
“You look like you want to say that it is unbelievable”
“It’s a statement that destroys the normalcy that I have lived with until now. Do you think that I can believe it that easily?”
“Uh huh, it is exactly as you said. But until I grew up, I had conversely thought that the creatures known as ‘humans’, were completely different creatures than me. It is exactly like how you view monsters as different creatures. In any case, it is because my father, my mother, everybody who is around me, are all just Dragons of different colours. Hence, when I saw a mirror for the first time, I was surprised by this appearance of mine. 『Why, is my body this small?』, I thought”
I can tell that, little by little, Levia’s expression is filling with emotions.
“It is because you were raised by humans, that you side with humans, right?”
“It’s not that I side with them. This is the given, this is the natural path of a human”
“ーーPath of a human? Well then, what is that given, natural, path of a human for me who was raised by Dragons? I am a monster, not a human. I know not of the given or whatever of you humans”
“……Just because of that, you attack humans?”
“Was it not you humans, who attacked first!?”
Levia’s expression changes for the first time and the atmosphere of the monsters around tenses.
Her young face looks as though she’s resenting the world and the emotion that releases from her entire body is nothing but darkish hatred.
“It is a way of being for world that the God of Guidance Hephaestus depicted arbitrarily. Humans kill monsters and monsters are no more than objects to symbolize the power relationship of humans. It is that rotten God or whatever that arbitrarily decided that that is the world’s way of being. Is it not that fool who claims to be God, who induced us monsters be targeted even when we were begging that we want to live”
“God may have induced it that way. I don’t know the reason either. However, it’s something that’s unrelated to those who live in this world now. Am I incorrect?”
“Unrelated?”
Levia laughed.
“Just how many monsters have you killed? Just how many monsters have Adventurers killed? Us monsters killed humans for the sake of self-defence, but for what sake do Adventurers kill monsters?”
“……It’s for the sake of living”
“Incorrect. You humans, are killing monsters as you like for sake of proving your strength, for the sake of obtaining new powers. You bring a part of the monsters’ corpses as a proof of that to the Quest House. Well then, where goes the miserable corpses that were left over? There are even monsters that have a part of their body torn off. Well then, the miserable corpses that were left behind, after that, what kind of fate do you think await them?”
“……I don’t know”
“I thought as much. I suppose you did not even care about such things. But not once did I ever forget about it. I witness the miserable corpses of monsters wherever I walk. Everybody is my brethren. Amongst them were even those who raised me. ……Burn them and hold a funeral for them. ……At least eat them and show that they have utility value. How much, have I thought that……. I suppose you humans, will not be able to understand”
I couldn’t answer anything.
I’ve never considered such things even once until now.
We become stronger if we hunt monsters. We obtain money if we accept quests and hunt monsters. It’s through becoming stronger and obtaining money, that not just Adventurers, but all humans lived.
It’s a depressing answer, but monsters are no more than existences to be hunted.
It’s the survival of the fittest in this world. Those who are weak die and those who are strong survive. Whether it’s humans or monsters that die, that’s up to luck and capability.
Hence, even if I’m to understand all of what Levia says, I’m unable to agree with it.
I guess Levia herself also understands that.
It’s just that we’re of completely opposite positions. If Eleanor and others were killed, had a part of their bodies torn off and abandoned, I suppose I’d go insane and try to destroy the world.
So even if I’m unable to understand the current her, malice that erupted once is unable to be stopped easily and the feelings of hatred for the world is unable to be stopped.
I throw my words in response to that at her.
“……In that respect, dark guilds primarily have killing humans as their objectives. Which means, you acquired the powers of humans over there huh”
“It is something necessary in order to live and achieve my objective. And with this abominable God’s power, I will walk alongside the monsters that God arranged humans’ sake. I have already obtained the necessary power. Us monsters, will not choose our means either”
“……Queen of Demonic Monsters huh. Do you seriously intend to be that? What’s exactly awaiting beyond that point? Nothing but a future of a hell-like war between humans and monsters is waiting, you know?”
When I say that, Levia suddenly laughs.
“It may be so. But if I do not change the world, a world where monsters can live in peace will not arrive. All the monsters will be killed someday, erased from the world someday. Existences known as monsters will disappear, me, my family, my brethren, the proof that we lived in this society will be gone. Hence I will act. At the very least, I want to return the favour to everybody of the Dragon Tribe that raised me”
Levia is similar to me.
I lost everything and was saved by Reynd Village so I become their strength to return the favour, and to those who depend on me, I’ll do for them the same thing that they did for me.
I guess Levia too, is moving according to her own convictions.
If that’s the case, I guess I won’t be able to stop her.
“Do you have no intention, to yield that conviction?”
“You too, are bearing your own conviction, right? It is the same thing as that. It is just the difference between whether it is humans or monsters”
We are both looking at different futures.
Levia, as the Queen of Demonic Monsters, likely plans to lead the monsters to fight against humans. By surpassing the framework known as Adventurers, and, as a 『monster with a human’s appearance』 that’s raised by monsters; I suppose that’s the least she can do to return the favour to those relatives with different appearances who raised her, whatever the result may be.
I have neither the intention to deny nor stop that thinking of Levia.
I might be doing that if I myself was also helped by monsters. Hence, I will not stop what Levia does. It’s not that I particularly want to be a saviour who saves the world from monsters’ attacks after all.
I’ll just, protect those who are precious to me; that’s my only wish.
And thenーーI have to complete what I was requested.
“I don’t have any particular intention to stop what you’re about to be doing from now on. But I was requested by my comrade. Amongst the Ogres that you’re controlling, there are those that use Hart’s comrades’ occupations. I have to release that fellow, from that curse”
“You are an utter oddball huh. Placing others before yourself. It is offputting when being unavaricious gets excessive”
“Well, that’s my way of life after all. It can’t be helped”
“Humph, as I thought, you are amusing. It is slightly regrettable, to turn you into an enemy……. However, I have things that I have to do as well. ーーAnd, it is slightly too risky to fight you here. I shall have you let me withdraw here”
Levia who smirked and turned her back at me.
But I don’t have the intention of letting her escape. The Ogres with Hart’s comrades’ occupations aren’t around.
I guess it’s likely that she let the Ogres, which are monsters, hold Divine Power Stones that can use occupations.
It’s because there’s nobody who does such a thing until now, that nobody knows that that’s feasible. If they’re those whose occupation controls something, like Levia and Fiー, then they might’ve tried it by some chance. However, I guess it’s likely that there’s nobody else besides Levia who does something like giving the monsters that are encircling me humans’ occupations and trying to eradicate the humans around the world.
I summon the swords from another dimension and attack so as to seal the escape route.
“Does the lot in your guild, know about that objective?”
“Who knows. It is just that we are not a chummy lot. We only cooperate for the sake of our objectives, if our interests are not aligned, naturally, we will not hesitate to fight either”
“What a group of really convenient comrades”
“‘Comrades’, are such things in and of itself”
No matter how many times I attack, the monsters obstruct those attacks,
Monsters that fly. Monsters that run. Large monsters. Monsters of various species protect Levia. Monsters that suffered fatal injuries retreat and the next wave of monsters protect Levia.
She’s taking leadership.
It’s not that I know everything about Levia’s occupation yet.
Whether she’s controlling everybody, or, whether she’s controlling just several. I don’t know about that, but the monsters’ attacks are unceasing.
If it carries on like this, neither of us will get off unscathed.
Thereupon,
“Here, you wanted these, right?”
Levia tossed three Divine Power Stones at me.
“……Is this perhaps, Hart’s comrades’? But why give them to me? Isn’t it because you wanted this, that you killed Hart’s comrades?”
“Indeed. It is just that, more than that, it is more important to have you let me escape from this place safely. You too, want to refrain from having the battle go any further, right?”
I’ve been read huh.
Levia who smiles while she looks at the broken and scattered swords that I summoned.
“‘I will give you these as presents, let me escape as it is’, is that what you mean?”
“Uh huh, exactly so”
I guess the curse of his comrades that torments Hart will be dispelled with this. It’s just that, I won’t be taking vengeance for his comrades who were killed.
But my remaining swords are about 3○○…….
It’s not so easy of a battle that I’ll be able to somehow manage this rough estimate of about 1○○ impregnable monster by myself.
Whoever runs out of『weapons』first……. It’ll likely, be me huh.
“My apologies, Hart”
I put away the Divine Power Stones. I return the swords I summoned to my side.
“I got it. I’m fine with that”
“Humph, well then, I shall have you let me go back as it is. But lastly, I shall tell you something good”
“……What?”
Levia, who rode a Dragon monster that has scarlet eyes along with moss-like green scales throughout its bodyーーa Wyvern, says to me right before she goes back.
“Hereafter, the world will change greatly. ‘It is because I will change the monsters’ way of being’, is also included, but other than that, it is because those with various thinkings will begin to take action”
“Those with various thinkings?”
“Those with strength bears the role to guide the mass. It is not a singular path, if there are ten people then ten people will probably choose different paths. In that case, the world will proceed in its original path. A world where humans fight each other; a chaotic world. It is us, the dark guild,《Pandora of Demise》, that will cause the actions that will serve as the pivot for that. I am sure that it will move not on the surface, but behind the scenes. And I suppose you, too, will undoubtedly be engulfed into a whirlpool that those eyes cannot see”
“……Me too huh”
“Being destined to such a fate is what it means to be, ‘those with strength’. At that time, what should you do to protect those who are precious to you. Since you are also of a leader’s calibre, I recommend you to consider what path you should proceed. Well then, Unavaricious Leader”
Levia who rode the Wyvern left just those words and went off.
The swarm of monsters as well, disappear as though to pursue Levia.
The rain doesn’t stop.
I look up at the sky with dark clouds,
the world is about to change, huh.
I don’t particularly think that everything Levia said is correct.
It’s just that, I guess various thinkings are intricating around the world, just without my knowing.
“……Egil-sama”
I who ended up alone.
Over there, I heard Eleanor’s voice.
When I turned around, over there were Serina and Fiー, Sana and Runa were there as well.
I won’t take any action if I’m alone. It’s just as usual.
However, I have those that I ought to protect.
If the world changed greatly and somebody bared their fangs at us, at that time, I wonder if I can protect these girls as it is now?
These girls, and those who are precious to me, I will…….
