Episode 19

“What the hell is this…?”

It was a sight as though the world had been cut away. There were no people, and there were no buildings. No mana could be felt from the atmosphere or the earth, and not even living creatures existed. In the land that seemed to have once been Samaris, a world of death spread out.

“I feel no breath of life. The earth is crying.”

Van and the others were left stunned as they looked at the vanished Samaris. As Ciel said, there was no sign of living creatures, and the mana that should have been circulating through the world did not exist at all.

“Even if there was a battle here… why did even the buildings disappear without a trace?”

“…I don’t know. But only Samaris disappeared.”

In the direction Atri indicated, there was the unopened tunnel. It looked as though light and dark were separated from a certain point onward. Had there been some kind of starting point, and had everything inside it been targeted and erased?

“Hey, this is…”

“Yeah, it’s exactly the same as back then.”

“…”

Skinny, Nahal, and Luke’s emotions were shaken just like Van and the others, who were stunned. Perhaps they knew something, because they reacted differently from the rest.

“It is faint, but I can sense traces of mana. As far as I know, this mana… belongs to h-i-m. What about you, Luke-san?”

“…”

“If you know something, I would like you to share it. Your reactions are different from ours.”

Luke quietly looked over the empty world. He looked as though he was desperately searching, hoping it was some kind of mistake, wondering if there were any clues.

“We saw the same scenery in the Igza Plains. That was two years ago, during the enlistment exam.”

Skinny chose his words as he explained what had happened at the time.

They had prepared themselves for death before the monsters attacking them again and again. When they had given up, thinking that this time it really was the end, the ones who moved were Zeke and his private army.

“Just like this city, a part of the Igza Plains vanished. But you know, back then, it was a desperate measure to deal with the monsters attacking us. Right, Nahal?”

“That is consistent with the facts. Without that, we would have died.”

“That’s what I’m saying. There had to be some reason this time too.”

While Skinny and Nahal continued explaining, Luke did not open his mouth. Was he unable to accept the reality before his eyes?

“But… where did the people of Samaris disappear to?”

“Hey! Nahal! I was in the middle of tying the story together!”

“There is no point in twisting the facts. We are the national army. We need to judge matters objectively.”

In the Igza Plains, it had been a power that repelled the attacking monsters, but conversely, it was also a power that destroyed every living thing within its range.

It could also be interpreted as having sacrificed Samaris in order to defeat a powerful enemy.

“No traces of living creatures can be confirmed. Now then, what should we do?”

Glanz carefully turned his eyes toward Samaris, which had become empty land, but he could not obtain the answer they sought.

“Glanz-san. Do you think… Zeke did this?”

“Could you not speak based only on speculation?”

“…I just want to know the truth.”

Van and Selen exchanged words for the first time in a while. Since the Sword Saint incident, a deep divide had formed between them.

“There is one thing I can say…”

Luke, who had not spoken until now, uttered words for the first time. Those words were very heavy and filled with pain.

“This mana and this magic… belong to Zeke. Something this absurd can only be done by Zeke.”

Luke clenched his hand tightly. Blood dripped from his fist.

“Luke, you…”

“We need to hear the story from him.――Because I am a knight.”

Warm sunlight and the chirping of birds. Trees swayed in the gentle wind, and sunlight filtered down through the leaves.

The people widened their eyes at the atmosphere, which was different from Samaris, surrounded by mountains.

“Where in the world is this…?”

“It would seem this is not Samaris.”

Arnica and Baccus looked around just like the other residents.

Only a moment ago, they had been in the middle of battle, with inescapable death closing in on them. Then, in an instant, they had moved to another place. It was something even Baccus, who had lived a long life, had never experienced.

“Is this some forest? I did not know Diabalet had such a calm place.”

“Hah, how shameless. This is the Lagias Domain that you people detest so much.”

The antihero who seemed to have moved here together with the people of Samaris. And the wicked noble hated more than anyone else, who had become the trigger for their salvation. Zeke was there, spewing venom as usual.

“Was it the Sage’s teleportation magic? You truly are bottomless, lad.”

“Hmph, do not think your old eyes can measure me.”

“Hm? Gahaha! What an amusing fellow.”

Baccus laughed boisterously while slapping Zeke’s back again and again. Zeke had an irritated expression, but Baccus did not notice it. That sight would probably look like nothing more than a kindly old man enjoying interacting with a young person.

“Zeke. You saved us, did you not? Truly, thank—”

“Silence.”

Zeke cut off Arnica’s words.

“Formal nonsense has no value. If you are truly grateful, show it through action and results. That is what the deal was for.”

Zeke left no room for argument. From the outside, he looked as though he hated Arnica. But the essence was different. He simply found this exchange troublesome, and he would likely have responded the same way no matter who the other person was. Because Arnica understood that, she felt just a little disappointed.

“My private soldiers will come soon. Explain the situation to them.”

Zeke fired magic into the sky. If his words were accurate, he had sent a signal to his private soldiers.

“…Are you going? I think Rosetta and the others, as well as the adventurers, will wake up soon.”

“I have no further use for you people.”

That was quite dry for someone who had overcome a brush with death alongside them. But Baccus understood, despite the short time, that this was what Zeke was like.

Although the world regarded him as a great criminal because of his bad reputation and suspicion of murdering the Sword Saint, the reality was vastly different. He was an awkward young man who could save others even while taking on risk.

“If anything happens, rely on me. …Including matters about Masfelt.”

“If I ever cling to you, then I am finished.”

“Your mouth truly is foul. When it goes this far, it becomes refreshing.”

Baccus laughed aloud. Arnica was pulled along and also smiled, but that smile looked somehow sad.

“…Little El is…”

“That man will be defeated by the defective grandson. Do not interfere unnecessarily.”

With those words as his last, Zeke disappeared.

Baccus and Arnica were left behind. A dry wind blew between them.

Spirito was one of the continent’s largest cities, where many people lived.

In times of emergency, the national army, such as the knight order and mage corps that protected the city, would become the sword and shield that buried enemies. And the silver barrier, which could be called the symbol of the Kingdom of Diabalet, would repel evil.

An underground space where a special magic tool that generated the barrier, the key to the city’s defenses, was stored. A sealed sector that only a limited number of people with royal blood could enter. There was a young man there.

“…I thought that if I stayed here, you would come eventually.”

“Do you always stay underground? You are as gloomy as ever.”

The young man had silver mixed into his hair. A black-haired figure abruptly appeared behind him. It was Aktor and Zeke’s first meeting in several months.

“Judging by how you look, there does not seem to be a problem. We have also received information that the knight order was badly beaten.”

“Hmph, what exaggerated fools. Tell them they should be grateful they still have their lives.”

“…If you can provoke them that much, then you really do seem to be fine.”

Aktor could not help feeling impressed that only Zeke could act this arrogantly while being wanted by the knight order of a major nation. Through several years of dealing with this arrogant noble, he had increasingly found moments where he realized his own values and thinking had changed.

“There was no concrete report, so I had been observing the situation, but… enough is enough. The knight order is simply too pitiful.”

“Are you abandoning, of your own accord, the pretext to remove me?”

“That is a foolish question. I have already analyzed your personality. You have not a single benefit to gain from killing the Sword Saint, so there is no way you would do something so pointless.”

Zeke had no need for honor or fame. In addition, because he did not seek wealth, unlike other nobles, he was difficult to handle. Aktor had learned that painfully well over these two years.

“The knight order should be cleaned up here. Now that Hanhanberu has left, the organization is in tatters. There is no meaning in continuing this farce. I will tell the king—”

“I do not care.”

His words were interrupted. Aktor had almost never experienced such a thing before becoming involved with Zeke.

“Let them do as they please. If they come at me again, I will simply crush them all. …Though I did not come here to have such a worthless discussion.”

“…It is not worthless, is it? You are a member of a ducal house, even if only nominally.”

Aktor still clearly remembered when Zeke had told him to add him to the intelligence organization. It had been practically half a threat, but the request itself had been far too unexpected. He had been so overly wary, wondering whether Zeke was plotting something bad, that his stomach had hurt. That memory was… not a good one, but the worst.

A thorn in his side, a problem child, a dangerous person.

Aktor had thought it would be best if Zeke changed his mind and disappeared quickly, but for some reason, Aktor had not cut Zeke off. If Zeke was suspected of killing the Sword Saint, there was no longer any reason for the ducal house to keep him, and it was a perfect situation to punish him.

“Then that ends too. You and the others can make a fuss together with the knight order. Direct everything toward Lagias. It is this country’s specialty, is it not?”

“…”

Zeke casually spoke about something related to his own future. From the perspective of this antihero, it was probably truly unimportant.

From Aktor’s position, it could be called the very situation he had wished for. Despite that, why had the words of acceptance not come out immediately?――Aktor did not know.

“Back to the subject. …The Third Princess is safe. She will return to the royal capital before long.”

“!? Her Highness, who disappeared in Samaris!? The royal palace is in an uproar right now!?”

Zeke had suddenly changed the topic and released an important fact. It had been one week since Arnica, who had been scheduled to attend the tunnel opening ceremony, and the Royal Guard Corps went missing. Though the information had only reached the kingdom’s central authorities, Aktor had thought it was only a matter of time before it spread throughout the nation. To think Zeke was involved there too.

“Tell them not to make an unsightly fuss.”

“You are the only one who can use such words toward the royals. …What will you do from here?”

“You do not need to know.”

Aktor did not know the reason, but he felt as though Zeke was saying he was going off to his final task. It felt as though he was declaring that he would take this opportunity to go somewhere far away.

“…A farewell gift. Please take this.”

Aktor threw an object to him. Zeke caught a necklace that held a hidden silver glow.

“What is this tasteless ornament?”

“It is a magic tool filled with Diabalet mana. …There are many things I should probably pursue, but you can use sacred arts. In that case, this should assist you.”

Originally, it was probably something he should give to Ciel, but repairing that relationship was impossible at this point, and the other party likely did not want that either. In that case, Zeke, who could use it effectively, should have it.

Zeke looked suspiciously at Aktor. It was only natural that he directed strong eyes of doubt toward him, but that applied to both of them. However, this kind of relationship might be just right for them. In some cases, things went better when they honestly put what they were thinking into words.

“I am not a baggage carrier. The Sword Saint and you alike should stop pushing unnecessary things onto me.”

“It is an honor to stand in the same position as the Sword Saint.”

Though he grimaced, Zeke decided to accept the magic tool that Aktor handed over. Making that kind of face appear on him might be considered more than enough.

“…Since the Sword Saint incident, the Freak Trading Company has not shown itself. Elzen has not responded to the royal court’s summons.”

Because Masfelt Freak had been killed, Elzen had been summoned as a relative and as the successor to the Sword Saint. However, he had still not appeared in the royal capital. Some had even begun spouting conspiracy theories, wondering whether the Freak family had been caught up in some incident.――In truth, they were the ones who had caused the incident, but it would probably be difficult for that truth to come to light. Zeke himself had no interest, and above all, the one wanted as the suspect was the son of Lagias.

――The House of Lagias had made too many enemies.

“Given that man’s personality, he likely will not come out into the open anymore. Once the time is right, he should head for the Lagias Domain.”

“There is no ‘Guide,’ though…”

“If there is no ‘Guide,’ he will capture one. If there are not enough sacrifices, he will kill. Elzen is that kind of man.”

His tone sounded as though he had known Elzen for many years.

“Aktor. Do not do anything unnecessary. …Goodbye.”

Zeke disappeared, just as he had when they first met in this sealed sector.

Aktor was left alone underground. It was exactly the same situation as that time.

“Was that not the first time he called me by name…?”

The situation was the same, but the emotions filling his chest were vastly different.