22
Chapter 22
For a moment, my mind goes blank.
In a way, it's only natural.
No matter how I look at it, that's the Holy Sword. I've seen it countless times while playing the game, so there's no way I could forget it.
'But why the hell is it broken!'
A Holy Sword never breaks.
Well, it can break, but there's never a reason for it to.
That's because it's a sword that will never break as long as its wielder's spirit remains unshaken.
But that Holy Sword is shattered.
On top of that, something insane must have happened because it's emitting that ominous light.
'What route do you have to take for the Holy Sword to end up like that?'
Bone and Blood was a game where the ending changed depending on your choices.
I had speculated many times about which ending would be recognized as canon and become the setting for the sequel.
'The Holy Sword has completely fallen, so the Demon King route... but that doesn't make sense?'
The route you could choose if the heroine died.
If it were the route where you despair at this world and fall to darkness, the Empire wouldn't be this intact in the first place.
And a Holy Sword that gained even more power from falling shouldn't have broken like that.
'But other than that, there's no route where the Holy Sword falls?'
Like the Empire's Lapdog route.
Like the Empire Revolution route.
Like the True Hero route.
There are various endings, but the Holy Sword is always intact.
Besides, the Holy Sword absolutely never breaks no matter what you do. The protagonist has a personality that doesn't give in easily.
Even in the only Demon King route where his spirit shatters, it only falls but doesn't break.
But what on earth would someone have to do to turn the Holy Sword into scrap metal and even make it fall?
I couldn't understand it at all.
......No, what's even more puzzling is this.
"This is an ominous sword found in the Demonic Realm. I wonder what story lies behind a Demon Sword that emits such an evil aura......."
Why can't everyone recognize that as the Holy Sword?
I mean, if it's the Hero's Holy Sword, it would definitely be famous.
Besides, there should definitely be people from the Empire here.
Why on earth can't they recognize the Holy Sword?
While I was panicking like that, numerous Mages stepped forward in front of the Holy Sword.
A massive Spell Formula, just by looking at it.
Only after dozens of Mages chanted Incantations for a long time did the Holy Sword stop emitting its ominous Curse.
Well, judging by the reactions of the pale, terrified people, it was merely weakened and the Curse itself still seemed to remain.
This current situation.
There was only one thing I needed to do.
I quickly asked Rubia about the Empire's history.
But no answer came back.
I turned to look and found Rubia had fainted with foam at her mouth.
Should I just wait until she wakes up? I was sighing with that thought when—
"......Are you troubled?"
As always, Ciel calmly stroked my head and asked.
I didn't even have the energy left to complain about her weird behavior anymore, so I simply answered yes.
However, what came back was something I couldn't understand at all.
"Then you can just ask me, right?"
"......What are you talking about? You don't know the Empire's history."
There's no way I wouldn't have asked her for information. I did ask, and she knew nothing.
Ciel seemed indifferent to the human world, perhaps because she was half-Elf, and Rien knew nothing of worldly affairs because she was holed up in the mountains.
Rubia was just busy running around here and there because of my request, so I never got the timing to ask her.
"I do know."
But Ciel answered confidently.
I couldn't understand why she was suddenly lying like this, and my mind went blank.
"No, you said you didn't even know about the Demon King who appeared about ten years ago."
"I don't know that."
"And you said you didn't know about the Hero who wields the Holy Sword, either."
"I don't."
"But you know the Empire's history?"
"Because Mother taught me."
What kind of bullshit was this? As I stood there bewildered, the conversation with Rien came to mind.
The reaction I got when I asked Rien the same question.
-I haven't heard about that. I don't really know about things outside the mountains...
What if that wasn't because she hadn't heard of it?
What if both of them had only told me the truth?
I quickly grabbed the fainted Rubia and shook her. This was no time to hold back.
"Rubia."
Rubia came to her senses but still had a dazed expression. I asked her with a serious face.
"The major incident that happened about ten years ago, do you remember it?"
At my words, Rubia moved her lips.
Her pronunciation was slurred, but I could somehow make out what she was saying. She was asking why I was suddenly asking about that.
"It's really important. Please tell me quickly."
As I said that more forcefully than I intended, Rubia broke into a cold sweat before hesitantly opening her mouth.
"Th-the Mana Stone Mine incident? The one where someone tried to destroy all the Mining Sites but failed?"
For a moment, my mind went blank.
A situation where no one remembers the near world-ending catastrophe. This pointed to only one conclusion.
For some reason, the Demon King never descended.
The Empire has never faced a crisis of destruction.
This is a world entirely different from any route in the original game.
People don't even know about the Hero, the Empire has never been in danger of collapse,
and the Holy Sword has been corrupted and shattered.
'What the hell went wrong?'
The one who caused that Mana Stone Mine incident was definitely the protagonist. It was a quest from the original game, after all.
But the protagonist wasn't known as a Hero.
They even corrupted the Holy Sword and broke it to pieces.
Yet the world remains perfectly intact.
I couldn't make sense of what was going on.
But if there was one thing I knew for certain—
"Rubia, I am really, truly sorry."
I absolutely had to buy that.
It was something I needed to acquire even if it meant emptying my entire fortune.
Rubia's face drained of color.
"I'll pay you back. So please don't worry too much."
Even after I said that, Rubia's complexion didn't improve at all.
Honestly, who would believe someone promising to pay back such an astronomical debt? It was remarkable she didn't slap me after hearing that. A true saint.
But I actually could pay her back.
I could even make her the wealthiest person in the Empire.
So let me just sell my conscience a little. Just a tiny bit.
I was about to press the button with that thought in mind—
-KABOOM!
A sudden explosion erupted.
Through the glass, I could see the Auction House in complete shambles.
What appeared there were people clad in black robes.
Emblazoned on the chest of those robes was a fang symbol, as if boldly flaunting their identity for all to see.
"This place is now under Black Fang's control."
*****
'......Stay calm.'
I steadied my mind and quickly assessed the situation around me.
Those calling themselves Black Fang were unleashing terror upon this Auction House.
Judging by the distant explosions alone, this wasn't some small-scale attack—it was a full-scale assault on the entire Black Market.
Then what was their objective?
The answer was obvious with just a little thought.
Money and Slaves.
Supplies needed to expand their influence.
'Should I run?'
I hesitated for a moment... then came to a conclusion.
There was no need for that.
Of course, Black Fang is a dangerous organization.
So if the real Black Fang were here at this Auction House, we should definitely be running away right now.
'If these guys were the real Black Fang, that is.'
I looked at the culprits who had attacked this place. Their faces were hidden, but it didn't matter.
Because I had the Clairvoyance Magic I learned from Ciel.
'Just as I thought.'
No matter how I looked, this wasn't a main character from the game.
He looked rough, sure.
But he wasn't a beauty or a handsome youth, nor a middle-aged man with dignified charm.
......I know it's weird to judge people like this. But what can I do, this is a game world.
'A guy like that could never be a Member of such a major organization.'
If he were that strong, this being a game, they would have definitely put more effort into his character model. But that face was nothing but a common Bandit no matter how you looked at it.
Once I figured that out, understanding the current situation wasn't difficult.
Someone was impersonating Black Fang.
"Black Fang's name is going to hit rock bottom."
This is the problem with secret organizations.
Even when someone impersonates them, there's no way to tell them apart from the real thing.
Being used for petty theft like this... I almost felt bad for the real Black Fang who genuinely wanted to start a revolution in the Empire.
"Can I go out for a bit?"
While I was lost in those thoughts, Ciel asked me that.
I was about to ask where she could possibly be going in this chaos... but then I realized why.
Those eyeballs.
They must have been weighing on her mind.
I had heard roughly what happened to Ciel's mother. Ciel said she didn't think those were her mother's eyes, but still, you never know.
If she used this chaos to her advantage, she could definitely sneak away with those eyeballs that had already been auctioned off.
Rationally, I should stop her, but emotionally, I wanted to take her side.
If someone had gouged out my mother's eyeballs and sold them somewhere, I would have done anything to get them back too.
After some hesitation, I ordered Rien to accompany Ciel. As a Bodyguard, there was no one better than Rien. When it came to defense, she was an all-rounder.
Surely, with Rien by her side, there would be nothing to worry about.
But I still couldn't help but worry a little,
So I added one more thing to Ciel.
"Handle it as quickly as you can and come back."
Because I'm worried.
I just hope she comes back safe and sound.