—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Demons.
Legend described them with massive wings and long tails, their eyes glowing a menacing red.
Goat-like horns sprouted from their heads, and their skin, pitch black, was said to be so terrifying it could stop a crying child in its tracks.
While the remnants of magic on the continent were currently attributed to ancient technology, the old folklore persisted, claiming demons wielded magic, and thus, enchanted weapons were sometimes cited as proof of their existence.
Demons were said to be cannibals, enslaving humans and attempting to establish dominion over them.
However, their attempts were thwarted by eight heroes.
So the legends claimed.
Few knew if any of this was true.
Some believed the stories were fabricated to honor past heroes, others, to soothe restless children.
Currently, no one knew the true appearance or characteristics of demons, or if they had ever truly existed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
A cool breeze passed between us.
Belle stood before me, her expression resolute.
Her hand gripped the hilt of a real sword, not a wooden practice one.
She had grown considerably since I first agreed to train her.
Her stance, her demeanor, everything had improved.
A fluttering leaf drifted between us, slowly falling to the ground.
The moment it landed, Belle pushed off the earth with a powerful thrust.
She charged, her posture low, her eyes burning with intensity.
The look of a warrior facing an enemy.
She reached me in an instant, her sword sweeping upwards in an arc, aimed precisely at my torso.
A practiced, fluid movement, unlike her earlier, less refined attacks.
I swiftly parried her blow.
Clang!
The dull thud of our swords clashing reverberated through my arms.
In the past, a single strike would have ended the spar.
But Belle had changed since those early days in Tillasden.
A rapid, powerful two-strike combination followed.
Clang! Clang!
Three exchanges in the blink of an eye.
Impressive.
Her strikes were clean and precise.
A genuine improvement.
She had grown, this little Belle.
I felt a small smile tug at the corners of my lips.
Since our journey began, and even after arriving in Begalo Vegas, Belle had been training with various adventurers, learning different skills.
From one, she learned formal swordsmanship.
From the bearded adventurer I knew, dagger techniques.
From another, hand-to-hand combat.
And various other skills from various other people.
Initially, I had intended for her to focus on what she could readily absorb, but Belle, true to her talent, had quickly grasped everything.
She had grown remarkably in such a short time.
“Haaah…!”
As I parried her flurry of attacks, I sensed her strikes weakening.
Her combinations were impressive, but they were taking their toll.
It was time to end the spar.
Just as I thought this, Belle’s sword, locked against mine, suddenly flew from her grasp.
She hadn’t lost her grip from exhaustion.
She had released it intentionally.
Before I could react, her small form vanished from my sight.
She was behind me.
“Hyaaah!”
A strange battle cry, followed by the full force of her body colliding with mine.
A tackle, her arms wrapped around my waist, pushing with all her might.
I was momentarily taken aback, but…
“Ughhh…!”
She strained, her face contorted in effort, trying to topple me.
But she was still too light.
She had gained some weight recently, eating properly, but she was still slender.
Her tackle wasn’t enough to bring me down.
But…
I couldn’t resist that determined expression.
I relented, letting my legs give way, allowing her momentum to pull me backwards.
Of course, Belle, still clinging to my waist, tumbled down with me.
We lay there for a moment, side-by-side on the ground.
Belle, her face buried in my chest, lifted her head.
A wide smile beamed up at me.
She was clearly delighted to have brought me down.
Her joy was infectious, and I smiled back.
“Well done, Belle.”
“Hehe.”
Such a silly grin.
I ruffled her hair playfully, and she nuzzled her face against my chest.
The leather armor must have been uncomfortable, but she didn’t seem to mind.
“You need to eat more. Your sword strikes are powerful, but you lack the strength for grappling.”
“Yes!”
“Eat more and build up your strength. Understood?”
She nodded vigorously, her smile radiant.
I ruffled her hair again, charmed by her enthusiasm.
We lay there for a while longer, then got up and returned to our assigned quarters.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After arriving in Begalo Vegas, the expedition had been granted a period of rest and reorganization.
The lord of Begalo Vegas had generously provided accommodations, and we were relatively comfortable.
Relatively, because I, personally, wasn’t.
Thanks to the dubious honor of being the adventurers’ representative, I was constantly summoned to the lord’s mansion.
Lady Nikolai, seated across from me, unfolded a map provided by the Begalo Vegas officials.
Her sharp gaze scanned the terrain, then she spoke.
“Now that we’ve rested, it’s time to begin our investigation. Our first priority is the ghost village.”
“We received a report from the Begalo Vegas officials, but it’s always better to investigate ourselves.”
“Their resources are limited, and they lack experience in these matters.”
Lady Nikolai and Sir Müller exchanged a look.
Their gazes then shifted to me.
I rose awkwardly from my seat as they stood.
“You’re up to this, Iyerpol?”
So suddenly?
“We chose you for this expedition partly because of your tracking skills. As Tillasden’s finest hunter, you’re best suited for this investigation.”
“Were the Begalo Vegas officials unable to conduct a thorough search?”
“Their report was… inconclusive. No survivors, no trace of the missing villagers.”
That explained the lord’s excessive hospitality.
Even for a small city, it was unusual for the lord to personally greet us.
There had to be a reason.
They lacked the expertise and resources to conduct a proper search.
That portly lord…
“They’ve narrowed down the possible escape routes. We’ll investigate the village, then follow these routes to search for the missing villagers.”
“But if they’ve already searched the village, I doubt I’ll find anything they missed…”
“The people of Begalo Vegas are unaware of ‘them.’”
Lady Nikolai’s voice dropped to a low murmur.
Her eyes, however, were serious, as if discussing a grim reality, not a fairytale.
Sir Müller’s expression mirrored hers.
Not just them, but the entire Feiler family seemed convinced this incident was connected to something… otherworldly.
Surely they wouldn’t entertain such a preposterous notion without reason…
My role was to play along, to follow their lead.
As I considered this, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway.
The rapid approach ended abruptly at the door to the reception room, which burst open.
“D-Disaster! It’s happened again!”
Ah.
This wasn’t good.
My instincts screamed danger.
“Another village has suffered the same fate!”
“The same fate…?”
Lady Nikolai and Sir Müller exchanged a worried glance.
They sprang to their feet, and I followed suit, feeling a sense of foreboding.
“It seems our task has just become more complicated.”
Indeed.
It seemed it had.
I nodded grimly, watching the glint in Lady Nikolai’s eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[it’s time for Iyer to become THE DOOM SLAYER (heavy guitar in the background)]
