The Lion Shows Its Belly
"We have four days until the Mission Assessment deadline. We've already burned one, and today will be gone before we know it."
Simon held up his fingers.
"So there's really no choice. We take down 'The Society' fast and rescue Karl and Lisa's brother. Even if it means facing the Ganes Guild and the Lord's soldiers at the same time afterward, we'll just have to see it through."
Breaking the two factions apart one at a time before finally moving on The Society was certainly the safer route, but Simon judged it impossible with the time they had left.
"As expected of our Mast— ahem, our Master! With the strength we possess, I believe it is entirely possible!"
Erzsébet declared, and Kajan nodded his agreement. Lisa, who had been listening, blinked.
"But why do you call Simon oppie your Master? You look about the same age."
"Oh my! You don't know? This is what they call 'play'—a kind of role-playing that grown-ups enjoy—"
"That's a terrible thing to teach a child!"
Anyway, the decision was made.
They hadn't rested much, but with every hour precious, Simon's party immediately began preparing to set out.
If The Society happened to storm in, the entire Harlem slums could be dragged into it.
We have to break through before The Society realizes we're here.
Simon threw on his robe, his face set with resolve.
Beyond the window, the people of the Harlem slums lay sprawled and dying, without even a sliver of hope.
He had come to Tarados simply to retrieve Karl, but his shoulders felt a little heavier now.
At the secret base of 'The Society' in Tarados, Nirrti, the overall commander, was letting out an irritated sigh.
"Have you still not caught that Kizen student?"
"No, ma'am. Our apologies."
She exploded.
"I cannot understand it no matter how I think about it! How could we fail when we were watching the very moment they crossed through the teleportation circle?"
The Society and Nirrti had known that a Kizen student hired by the revolutionary group might cross over into Tarados.
So they had made the best moves available to them. They found the Kizen-side henchman who had installed the teleportation circle in Tarados and threw him in prison, then stationed soldiers around the teleportation circle.
The plan was to seize the students the moment they arrived, hold them for a few days, and send them back unharmed.
But the student who came through the teleportation circle had knocked the soldiers down and escaped instead.
That student was now rampaging across all of Tarados as if deliberately drawing every eye to herself. The territory soldiers were chasing her doggedly, but they still hadn't caught her.
"Lady Nirrti. According to rumor, even General 'Amin'—the strongest warrior on the Lord's side—has been defeated."
"...Something is definitely off."
Nirrti rested her chin on her hand.
"Beating Amin? That's far too strong for a student who just became a second-year at Kizen. I never expected strong ones to come for a measly five-gold request."
Tap— tap—
Drumming her nails on the armrest, she smiled.
"No, no. It's fine. However strong she is, there's nothing one woman can accomplish alone in a mere four days. If this experiment succeeds, we'll be done bowing to Kizen's scrutiny for good."
"Lady Nirrti!"
Another man of The Society came running and bowed his head.
"We have a problem! The underground passage to Ebnel has fallen!"
Nirrti's face contorted.
"The underground passage? Why there, of all places!"
Her gaze turned to the map of Tarados spread across the table beside her.
"The last point that Kizen girl engaged us was three hours ago, near the village of Adohan. There's no way she could have covered that distance and reached the underground passage."
"...Lady Nirrti."
The Society member who had delivered the first report lowered his head.
"The fall of the underground passage seems to be entirely separate from that girl."
Nirrti's expression hardened.
"Then what is this? There are other Kizen brats here too?"
"Yes. The girl's only purpose is to hold our attention. The real main force may have already crossed into Tarados through the underground passage from Ebnel."
"..."
Nirrti rested her chin on her hand, her face grave, and the man bowed his head once more.
"I hesitate to say this, but those students may well have come knowing the true state of Tarados."
"After all the effort I poured into internal control, it all collapses at once like this! That wretched revolutionary group—"
She ground her teeth, seething.
"But Lady Nirrti,"
the man began.
"We have the Lord of Tarados, and we have Ganes of the Ganes Guild. The forces and armies those two command are overwhelming, and unless they are defeated, no one will ever reach this place."
"Hmm. Contact those two. Tell them this is an emergency and to mobilize every soldier they have."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Letting out another long sigh, she laced her fingers together and tilted her head.
"Right. Tarados's system is solid. What could a handful of students who set foot on someone else's land for flimsy reasons like grades and money possibly do against true professionals?"
She rose from her seat.
"We will focus on the experiment."
Tarados. The headquarters of the Ganes Guild, the central war tent.
"Boss! Boss!"
A bandit came sprinting up, breathless. The man lounging in his chair, swigging from a bottle, lifted his chin.
"What is it."
"Karac was on patrol and captured a prisoner!"
"Karac did?"
The black-bearded man let out a rumbling laugh.
"This is Tarados! Who cares that he brought back a prisoner at this point? Why are you reporting this?"
The bandits drinking around him burst into hearty laughter as well, and the reporting bandit felt his dry saliva slide down his throat.
I've never seen all these big shots gathered in one place before.
Everyone sprawled about enjoying the drinking party, one and all, were captain-class fighters with their Cores unlocked. And the one who made his knees go weakest was the man seated at the center—the god of war himself, the Black Wolf, 'Ganes'.
The only man who could face him was General 'Amin' of the Lord's side, and the prevailing opinion was that Ganes was already a step above even him.
"Ah, we thought the boss should see this one for himself!"
"All this fuss. Bring them in."
Shortly after, the bandits brought in the prisoner.
Cries of ooooh~ and whistles rose from every corner of the tent. Some leapt to their feet; others licked their lips with eyes glistening with greed.
A girl with hair between blonde and silver was walking toward them, her hands bound, the strands catching the sunlight and throwing off brilliant flashes of light.
She was more beautiful than anything those men had ever seen in their lives.
Like a single flower blooming in the mud, she seemed like someone who had no business being in a filthy, squalid bandit camp.
"Hmm—"
Even the great Ganes rested his chin on his hand, showing interest. Before long, the girl stood before him.
"Well, well."
Ganes scratched the side of his head.
"You hardly seem like someone who belongs in a place like this. I apologize for my men's rudeness."
The girl only smiled sweetly.
At the sight of her standing proud even before Ganes, a few bandits hurled crude curses and lewd jeers, trying to intimidate her.
But Ganes raised an arm to hold them back.
"What brings you here? What is your purpose?"
"Actually, I'm looking for someone~"
Her mouth opened for the first time.
The room fell silent at once.
"A boy named Simon Polentia. That's why I came here. But Tarados is just so big, and hot, and generally a pain~ So I was thinking, if I put your men to work, I might find him a little more easily?"
Angry voices rose from all around. At that, Ganes roared, "QUIET!!"
"Ah, and could you untie this for me too? It's stuffy~"
The girl held up the rope binding her wrists.
"...Very well."
"!"
The bandits frowned and murmured, and Ganes spread his palm.
"I will grant everything you wish. In return, promise me you'll withdraw without fighting us. Once we locate this Simon Polentia, we will contact you first."
"Mm—"
Serene's gentle smile vanished as if it had been a lie.
"Wretched, lice-ridden bandits."
"!"
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice that at least one of you has his head stuffed in a lion's mouth?"
The hand gripping the armrest of Ganes's chair was already slick with sweat.
Shriing!
Just then, the bandit called Karac, who had brought her in, crept up behind her and drew his sword. A bandit standing beside Ganes saw it and shouted,
"H-hey! Karac! No matter what, if you kill the prisoner—!"
Shrak—
But Karac sliced through the rope around Serene's wrists with his blade.
When Serene smiled benevolently and stroked his chin, he flopped down like a pampered pet and began panting happily.
Shriing! Shriing shriing! Shriing!
At the same moment, Karac's soldiers drew their weapons. The bandits in the camp, startled, snatched up their own weapons and rushed out.
"K-Karac! Have you betrayed us!"
"Betrayed you?"
Karac, who had been fawning like a puppy, sprang to his feet and shouted,
"From beginning to end, the only one I serve is the great Queen Serene!"
"WAAAAAGH!"
Serene snapped her fingers.
Shaaak!
Thwack!
Krakoom!
Without warning, bandits throughout the camp began stabbing and slashing the allies around them indiscriminately.
"Wh-what are they doing—!"
"GAAAAH!"
Blood sprayed everywhere, screams erupting across the camp. With Karac's bandits joining the fray, the Ganes Guild camp plunged into massive chaos.
"...That idiot Karac. So it's come to a fight after all."
Ganes rose from his seat and spread his palm. Jet-Black gathered into a point, growing and morphing into a massive spear that settled into his hand.
Ganes strode toward Serene.
"You called yourself a queen. Tell me—what about my offer was lacking?"
"Hmm, let's see. I'd say what's lacking is your caliber entirely~"
She struck her sandy-blonde hair with her palm, sending it billowing.
Feathers slipping free from her hair sank into the ground all around, then rose again transformed into her summons—her 'Feather Soldiers'.
"How dare a mere monkey sit comfortably in his chair and make an offer? The moment I arrived as your prisoner, you should have rammed your head into the dirt and begged like a dog."
"That does sound like a demanding proposal, I'll admit."
Girl and bandit took up their stances at the same instant.
"You call yourself the Black Wolf, don't you~?"
She winked as she gripped a feather.
"I'd love to see a wolf show its belly."
"No more talk, then. Here I come."
Their bodies crossed, and a colossal roar erupted.
At the same moment, in the Lord's castle of Tarados.
"Ah, yes, yes! Don't you worry about that part! Hahahahaha!"
A middle-aged man seated in a chair made of lavish animal fur beamed broadly as he set down the communication crystal.
Then, the instant the crystal went dark, he hurled the wine glass on his desk.
Crash!
The glass sailed past a man kneeling on one knee and shattered against the floor. The red contents soaked the ground, and a thin line opened across the man's cheek, a drop of blood welling up.
"How do you manage to botch things this badly, Amin!"
At being called Amin, the man bowed his head even deeper toward the Lord and murmured, "My deepest apologies." His torso was wrapped in bandages, stained with blood here and there.
"You couldn't stop a single student, and you took wounds like that? And you call yourself Tarados's finest general!"
"I apologize."
Clicking his tongue, the Lord put a cigar between his lips.
"The Society contacted us. We're to mobilize every soldier and hunt down that girl."
"I can still move. Next time, I will capture her without fail."
"You'd better! And one more thing!"
The Lord snatched up a document and flung it at General Amin's feet.
"Send soldiers to these villages and round up every last one of the people there."
The seals of The Society were stamped on five villages of Tarados, including the Harlem slums. Amin's body trembled.
"My Lord! These are villages that paid heavy taxes in exchange for your soldiers' promise of protection!"
"But circumstances have changed."
The Lord said coldly.
"Those damned students are stirring up Tarados like it's their own playground! And what happens when they go back to school? They'll report the state of Tarados to the professors, and eventually Kizen headquarters will launch an investigation!"
"..."
"We have to erase every trace of evidence. These five villages are where the revolutionary group was organized. The moment Kizen's brats arrive, the villagers will sing like canaries and hand over the proof. So we clean it up quickly, before that happens."
Amin's fist, resting on the floor, shook violently.
"...That is a breach of your promise."
"What did you say? What did you just say to me?"
Amin raised his head sharply.
"You clearly said that villages that paid their taxes faithfully would be spared!"
"How dare you raise your voice in my presence!"
Furious, the Lord leapt up and kicked Amin's injured chest. Amin collapsed to the floor with a strangled hack!
"None of this would have happened in the first place if you'd managed the villagers properly!"
The Lord's face twisted with rage.
"And don't think I don't know, Amin! That you've been draining your entire salary to cover the taxes of the Harlem villages!"
"..."
"Those pigs are only alive and comfortable enough to form little revolutionary groups! Comfortable enough to scrape together money and send a request to Kizen! Tell me I'm wrong!"
After his furious tirade, the Lord sank back into his seat. Amin pushed himself upright and knelt before him again.
"I'm telling you to handle this well. We've done right by each other so far, haven't we."
The Lord's voice returned to calm.
"Never forget that your elderly mother and your children are in my hands."
"..."
Amin bit his lip until it bled. Blood trickled down his cheek and dripped steadily from his chin.
"You may go."
"...Yes."
Just as Amin rose from his seat and bowed his head—
KRAKAANG!
The window exploded inward, and bloodied guards went tumbling into the Lord's office.
"Wh-what—!"
The Lord cried out in shock, spilling his wine. Amin, too, raised his body.
BOOM!
Then the office door shattered, and a girl stepped through it, kicking aside the wreckage.
"...You!"
Amin's expression hardened instantly.
That monstrously strong woman—the one he had already fought once, the one who had wounded him.
Crimson light glinted behind her jet-black hair. In one hand she held a dagger that seemed to condense pure radiance.
And as if she saw no need to hide her identity—black jacket, grey skirt and all—she stood proudly in her full Kizen uniform.
"That's her! That's the one! The student who came through Kizen's teleportation!"
The Lord shrieked, jabbing a finger at her.
"What are you doing, Amin!"
The girl gave her dagger a lazy spin, then swept it through empty air.
EEEKEKEKEKEKEK!
Red fissures spread across the office wall, which then sheared away with a perfectly clean cut and collapsed to the floor. With an enormous roar, the ceiling vanished, and the open sky yawned above.
"Are you the Lord of Tarados?"
For a monster wielding such terrifying power, the voice that rang out was still that of a young girl.
To the Lord, who was all but entranced, she rummaged inside her jacket and held up her Kizen student ID.
"Loraine Archbold, second year at Kizen. I've come from Kizen."
"Stand aside, please."
Chak!
Amin drew a dagger from the sheath at his waist and barred the way in front of the Lord.
"Kizen or not, this is a violation of the territory's sovereignty. You will have to go through me first."
"H-ha ha! Th-that's our General Amin for you!"
The Lord finally came to his senses and smirked. And then the monstrous girl flipped her black hair and looked behind her.
"You may come in."
Before her words had even faded, someone entered through the shattered doorway. Amin's eyes went wide.
"DAAAADDY!"
It was Amin's son and daughter—the very children the Lord had taken hostage.
Sobbing, they ran and threw themselves into his arms, and Amin shook his pupils in disbelief. Behind them, his elderly mother appeared as well, leaning on a cane.
"H-how...!"
"I brought them from the deepest dungeon beneath the Lord's castle."
The girl lifted her head and looked up at him.
"Kizen needs your cooperation, General Amin."
Shriing!
Amin's bloodshot eyes hardened as he regripped his sword—and aimed it instantly at the Lord. The Lord's face drained white.
From Amin's chin, where blood had dripped only moments before, tears of gratitude now fell in fat droplets.
"...Yes. Even if it costs me my life."