Chapter 249: A Sore Spot
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 249: A Sore Spot
Shiati grimaced in pain and displeasure, lifting her head. Her broken fingers, the black magic consuming her, and the wounds from Maximilien’s attack were steadily eating away at her.
In contrast, Historia stood tall and straight, looking down at Shiati. The Sky Silk bound her, rendering her arms completely immobile, but... Historia was still strong. Objectively and subjectively.
“What… are you talking about?”
Historia glanced at Shiati’s fingers.
Her right arm was a prosthetic, a solid piece of metal replacing the hand she had lost long ago. On her one remaining left arm, her fingers were broken and twisted.
Judging by their state, they too might be gone soon. Perhaps... it wouldn't stop at just her fingers. Historia’s eyes narrowed.
“Your fingers. We haven't even reached the headquarters, and you only have two left. Your ring and middle fingers are already beyond saving.”
“Hmph, so what?”
“Two shots left. Once you use them up, what's next? Are you going to use your life?”
“I wouldn't hesitate.”
Shiati said it out of sheer defiance. She meant it.
She was prepared to use even her final curse. If she were to confront the headquarters, to face those who had ruined her life, Shiati would use her own life without a moment's hesitation.
Her resolve was real... but Historia dismissed it in a single breath.
“Don't bother.”
“What?”
“That black magic of yours won't work.”
Furious, Shiati pushed her upper body up. But while her body reacted honestly to her emotions, no rebuttal immediately left her lips. Because Shiati herself felt it more keenly than anyone.
She had sacrificed two fingers against the Warforger and achieved nothing. She had only bought a sliver of time, a mere speck. Maximilien had returned unscathed.
No, if she had managed to stall the Warforger with just her fingers... that was an achievement beyond her means.
Shiati treated her own life as a bargain-bin item if it meant she could kill her enemies. She always had.
But what if she gave her life and still accomplished nothing? What if she dabbled in the forbidden and still failed?
“Even if it did work, you can't accomplish anything with just two fingers. A gun without bullets is just a lump of metal. And a black mage without sacrifices is more helpless than an ordinary person.”
Shiati retorted, incensed.
“…So, what, you want me to just sit on my hands instead of breaking my fingers? Don't be ridiculous! Is someone else going to break their arms for me?!”
“I will.”
“Ha?”
“I'm saying I'll break them for you. Unlike you, I don't have a limited number of shots.”
Historia turned without a second thought. Her face, her body—she left Shiati behind and faced the Princess.
The Princess, suddenly dragged into the conversation, blinked. One of the Military State's famed Six Generals was approaching her with a chilling aura.
“Princess. I will make you a formal request. In Shiati's place, I will be your gun.”
“Pardon?”
Shiati's eyes widened, anticipating what Historia would say next. Historia was trying to take away her reason to fight.
“I will cooperate with you and the others completely. I will use all my strength to help you achieve your goals. Even if it means going against the Military State.”
It was an extraordinary offer. One of the Military State's strongest assets, a member of the Six Generals, was offering her complete cooperation to the Princess. The Princess swallowed hard and asked.
“Of course, you must have a condition. What is it that you want?”
Historia nodded and stated, with almost cruel finality.
“In exchange, take Shiati out of the fight.”
“Historia!”
Ignoring Shiati's cry, Historia continued on her own terms.
“You said Shiati is your friend, Princess. This is your chance to protect that friend and bolster your forces. If you have any sense of calculation, you won't refuse.”
“Don't you dare overstep! Who are you to tell me to stay out of it!”
“I am Major General Historia of the Military State's Six Generals. The youngest general, one who has reached the Axiom. A Gunmaster who wields her firearms with perfect freedom. I am beyond comparison to a black mage with only two shots left.”
Historia calmly listed her qualifications.
“I also have knowledge of the headquarters. I don't know who your informant is... but they won't know the structure of the headquarters better than I do.”
Therefore, my strength will be more useful than yours alone. Historia sharply delivered the inconvenient truth—an undeniable fact that was nonetheless hard to voice.
The reason Shiati hesitated was because she couldn't deny it.
'If Historia becomes an ally, it would certainly...'
For a brief moment, the desire to take refuge in a safe haven bloomed within her. If a being so much more powerful than her helpless self were to help... wouldn't it be easier for her, and more efficient?
The moment her heart began to weaken, defiance reared its head.
If Tyr had made the same offer, Shiati would have gladly accepted.
But this was Historia. The woman who had once shared a past with her was now trying to save her out of pity.
“You're tied up yourself! How can you help anyone!”
Historia didn't counter with words. She showed her with actions.
“A prerequisite for becoming a general of the Military State is to have mastered the Gam Qi Art.”
Crrk, crrk.
A chilling sound began to emanate from Historia's entire body.
Bones, joints. Muscles contracted and tendons pulled taut. Her back arched as if an unseen hand were yanking her shoulders, and her shirt, unable to keep up with the contortion of her body, strained as if it would rip.
But there was no one behind her. She was doing all of this herself.
Even as she twisted her own body, Historia continued to speak calmly, as if this were no obstacle at all.
“Only by mastering the Gam Qi Art can one earn the right to be a general. The ability to infuse your bones and muscles with Qi drastically increases your chances of survival. A general leads a legion; they must survive even if swords tear through them or rocks crush them, so they can be responsible for their soldiers to the very end.”
Historia's arm bent further, a bone momentarily dislocating. Pop. A button, unable to take the strain, tore off. The change was so violent it damaged the sturdy Clothing Packet.
Unlike Historia's flexible body, the knots lacked such pliability.
“Huuu.”
Historia exhaled deeply and popped her shoulder back into place. With nothing left to bind, the Sky Silk drooped from her arm. She hadn't untied the knots but had shed the bonds entirely. Historia peeled away the Sky Silk that had curled up toward her chest, looking for something to cling to.
“That is why. Black magic... is not particularly effective against a general. All it can do is inflict minor injuries and restrict movement.”
Historia tossed the Sky Silk back to its owner. The Regressor caught it and clicked her tongue as if she'd expected it.
“…Well, I expected it, but she got out more easily than I thought. I tied it pretty tight, too.”
The Princess muttered as she watched Historia free herself from the restraints.
“So those can be broken...”
“Of course. Restraints like straitjackets or ropes are meaningless to someone at the level of the Six Generals. It takes time to get out of something like Sky Silk, which is why I used it—to buy myself time to react.”
“I thought that was your preference...”
“Huh? Preference?”
“That's a relief... I don't think I have that kind of potential... No, maybe it's not time to relax yet...”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Realizing where the Princess was looking, Historia's face flushed slightly as she fastened her shirt button. In any case, now free from the Sky Silk, she repeated her offer.
“Princess. Your answer to my request?”
The Princess composed herself and replied.
“Uh, um. Gunmaster. Thank you for your offer, but.”
“But?”
At the faint hint of refusal, Historia glared at the Princess with an intimidating gaze. The Princess swallowed at the fearsome pressure, but while Historia's aura was domineering, it wasn't threatening.
“As you said, I am Shiati's friend. I'm not in a position to give her unilateral orders.”
“So? You don't care if Shiati dies?”
“No, no! That's not what I said!”
The Princess frantically shook her head and quickly replied.
“I-Instead, if you want to help Shiati! Rather than cooperating with me, why don't you stay by her side and protect her? I have... I have an ability that prevents me from being attacked...!”
“So in the end, you're refusing. You don't care if Shiati dies or if her hand disappears completely.”
“Th-That's not what I mean! It's just... Shiati has something more important to her than her life, so I thought that would be better!”
“I see. In the end, Shiati is just another piece you can move as you please. Just like a princess, acting just like the kingdom.”
The Princess fell silent. If she truly thought that way, she wouldn't have joined the front lines in the first place, but having just lost Selphy, she lacked the will to deny it.
“I don't need it! I'd rather die than accept help from someone like you!”
Shiati shouted instead.
“You've never seen us as equals, have you! Because we're weak, because we're pathetic. You're convinced we can't do anything! It wasn't someone else who abandoned the children of Hamelin. It was people like you, who saw us as useless! You might as well have killed us all!”
“Say what you will. No matter what you say, I'm going to save you my way.”
“Like when we fell into the Hamelin River? Ha! You're so high and mighty, did you accomplish anything besides pulling corpses from the water? Who did you save back then?”
Shiati sneered, digging into an old wound. It was a form of mental black magic. Painful for both, but more fatal to Historia than to the already worn-down Shiati.
“…Yes.”
Historia winced in pain for a moment, but it didn't show on her face. Instead, she calmly turned her head.
“Just like then.”
At the wheel and thus removed from the conversation, I sighed inwardly.
Neither of them is particularly sociable, but their conversation was going absolutely nowhere. I suppose it's to be expected with their history, but when you two are at each other's throats, it's me who gets tired.
“Alright, alright. Everyone calm down. In the grand scheme of things, this is a good development...”
Just as I was trying to lighten the mood with some nonsense, Historia whipped her head around.
“You too, Huey.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Stay out of the fight. Take Shiati with you. I'll fight in your place.”
Historia was relentless. After Shiati, she was now trying to protect me as well. I scratched my chin at the unexpected offer.
“Uh, look. Ria. I really appreciate the thought.”
She seems to have a big misunderstanding. Can't she tell from the fact that I'm driving? I'm not a combatant to begin with.
“I can't accept your offer either, you know?”
“…Are you planning to die recklessly like Shiati, too?”
“Nope. Not at all. Like I said, I'm not a combatant. I don't go anywhere near dangerous places in the first place.”
'...I don't think so. He acts like he's clever and avoids trouble, but he always ends up sticking his nose into dangerous situations.'
Historia gave me a skeptical look, but there was nothing I could say. I really have just been getting dragged into everything.
“And you don't have to worry too much. Look.”
I raised a finger and pointed to the sky. The sun, having finished its daily work, was preparing for sleep. The slanted light gradually weakened, and darkness filled the void.
“The day is ending.”
It was worth forcing the automaton carriage to make it here on time. It was now night. A time when danger often comes calling.
But we have a noble of the night on our side. Tonight, the danger will be for the Military State alone.