After the Subjugation (Complete)
Once he had watched Rubia and Noah disappear completely into the distance, he let the smile slip from his lips and returned to his usual expression.
"Kent. So, what became of the corpse?"
Kent approached without a sound, as he always did, offered a light bow, and spoke.
"According to the investigation team's findings... no trace of Carpeng could be found. The damage was determined to have been caused solely by a greatsword. Even after death... approximately thirty-nine times..."
"I see."
He recalled the meaty ruin that had been spread across the ground. Limbs torn completely free, entrails burst outward, flesh and bone pulverized until they could no longer be told apart.
"In all likelihood... the one who was standing beside the Priestess earlier—"
He raised a hand just enough to stop Kent's mouth.
"There are many ears listening. Keep your voice down. Then—did the villagers see the body?"
"Ahem. There are people who witnessed the killing itself. I ordered them to keep silent as best they could, but... the rumors have already spread."
"It will be difficult to cover completely."
"My apologies."
He remembered the voices that had risen from every direction.
"So that is why the atmosphere has become like this..."
There had been a few friendly voices, true enough—but they were a tiny minority. The great majority of the villagers trembled in fear and muttered that everything was those two's fault. Looking at the state of the corpse, he could not entirely blame them. Still, it felt far too harsh a treatment for the heroes who had protected the village.
"Haa..."
Yesterday and today. He thought of the girl he had spoken with. That bright, open smile. A body absurdly small compared to everyone around her. A timid, pure nature. And that greatsword, far too large for her height, dragging along the ground...
She was a girl one could never imagine killing a person. And yet he could not understand how such a girl had committed this atrocity. Any normal human would feel at least a flicker of hesitation when taking another human life. Looking at that corpse, however—there had been no hesitation at all. If anything, it looked as though she had enjoyed it.
"Tsk."
Thinking further would change nothing. He widened his vision as far as it would go and took in every trace of the battle that had been fought against Carpeng. Then he activated his second unique ability and read the flow of mana, reconstructing the course of the fight inside his mind.
First: Carpeng against Luci and Heinzel.
Second: the greatsword... Noah.
After that... faint residual mana, a blood-stained arrow. A Perception Obfuscation Robe. A modified Horn of Frenzy. And what he had seen on the corpse—the corners of the mouth stretched upward as if they might tear, and the mark of the Black Sun carved into the brain.
"Is it certain that no one saw the mark?"
"Yes. Certain."
"Then that is fortunate... but I ask that you do everything possible to stop the rumors from spreading any further."
"Understood. I will do my best."
"No. Do not do your best. Do it well. Well."
"...Yes. Understood."
He turned his back and waved a hand dismissively.
"I will be going."
Kent vanished. He let out a long, deep breath. Luci's final battle rose before his eyes. Cutting down Carpeng. And the sword scar that continued beyond that— the scar that had cut the world itself. Not the mark of following heaven, but of reversing it. Not a Master who had mastered all things, but a Challenger who had gone against the world and achieved Reversal. Luci, smiling brightly even in death, rose in his mind.
He opened his eyes wide and glared at the sun. The sun he would one day bring down. He glared at the evil goddess, Lilith.
The fifth nightmare had ended at the hands of a new Challenger. And so—four nightmares remained. Five Challengers remained. The balance had broken. The Awakening of the End. The descent of the False Paradise had begun.
"It has... diverged far too much from the prophecy."
The birth of a sixth Challenger. The disappearance of the fifth. The girl of unknown identity, Noah. And the Priestess and Noah heading for the Karahan Mountains, where the fifth Challenger had vanished. A world that had always flowed according to prophecy had been changed completely by Noah's appearance. The prophecy had gone awry.
He closed his eyes and drew up his mana.
"Ah, can you hear me? This is Jure."
To the first Challenger, far away in Alrba. He reported the incident. The beginning of everything.
"Beginning the report, Lady Hermila."
"The fifth nightmare has ended."
On the highest floor of the Temple of Erden, inside a hall whose walls were entirely of stained glass, Alstein, clad in pure white holy vestments, knelt in prayer.
"And... a new Challenger has..."
Blood burst from his body, and crimson letters carved themselves into the Book of Revelation he held.
I'm quite disappointed, Lord Alstein.
"Khhk... I-I am sorry."
Blood streamed down Alstein's face. Every fingernail tore free. His fingers twisted. His toes were ripped out. His entrails crumpled.
I believe I told you the Awakening of the End was still too early. Moreover, did I not say that Erden's descent was not yet prepared?
"I-I am... sor... ry..."
Ah, I'm sorry. It is only natural. I myself was unaware of her existence, so of course Alstein would not know. My emotions simply got the better of me for a moment. Fufufu.
Alstein's blood flowed backward into his body. The crumpled entrails smoothed out. The torn-out toes returned. The twisted fingers twisted once more, and new nails grew.
"I give thanks for your mercy..."
I trust my apostle Alstein. You will do well this time, will you not?
The face that had been twisted in agony flooded with fierce rapture.
"O-of course!"
Alstein's golden eyes gleamed wetly.
Then, Alstein Saint Erdenscht. As your master, I command you. Restore the balance of the world.
Kill the fifth Challenger and sow despair across the land.
And bring me the Fragment of the End.
"I receive your command."
Alstein, who had been bowing his head in prayer, lifted his face toward the heavens, his expression overflowing with rapture and steeped in madness, and bared his soul.
"All things for Erden."
At once the Book of Revelation, which had glistened with blood, returned to pure white blank pages. At the same time a mask settled over Alstein's face. The surging emotions subsided. The raised voice sank. Returning to his usual self, Alstein turned his head toward the door and spoke in a devout tone.
"Haa... You may enter."
One of the many panes of stained glass opened, and a man whose entire body was covered in black armor stepped inside. Every time the man moved, a hair-raising sound like metal scraping metal clawed at the eardrums. The sword hanging at his waist creaked and trembled. A breathing sound that seemed to tear the lungs filled the hall.
"It has been a long time, Sir Kalt."
Alstein smiled and extended a hand. But the man standing before him—Kalt—ignored the greeting and simply let his eyes gleam.
"This is the first time I have seen you since you became a Master... yet somehow you seem greatly changed."
"Shut... up... and... give... the... order."
Kalt's throat produced a sound that could no longer be called human.
"Dear me... your throat is badly damaged. Holy water, perhaps—"
"Or... der."
Kalt's hand moved toward the hilt of his sword.
"You seem to be in a foul mood. My jest went too far... haha. Very well. I shall deliver the Goddess's command."
Kalt, who had been radiating a rough aura, even stopped breathing as he dropped to one knee and bowed his head. Alstein smiled with satisfaction and continued.
"Master Kalt. At once, assassinate the fifth Challenger currently at the summit of the Karahan Mountains... Yuria."
Divine Power laced Alstein's words.
"And recover the lost Fragment of the End."
That Divine Power bound Kalt's body, constricted it, and crushed him beneath its weight.
"All... things... for... Er... den."
"All things for Erden."
The moment Alstein finished speaking, the Divine Power that had been crushing Kalt's body sank into him.
"Haa..."
The rough breathing quieted. The creaking, trembling sword fell still.
"The time limit?"
His voice had returned completely.
"Fifteen days."
"...And the aftermath?"
"Erden will take full responsibility and resolve everything. Even compensation for the bereaved family."
Kalt's face twisted.
"I will go."
"Please, take care of yourself."
Inside the carriage rattling across the rough plain, Hepais clung to me, sniffling, while Rubia watched the two of us with a complicated expression.
"Umm... Ru-Rubia...?"
"Yes?"
Her voice was a little... a little sharp.
"W-would you like some jelly?"
I carefully took out the jelly I had been kneading in my pocket for quite a while. It felt a bit wrong to offer it, but it was all I had...
"The shape is... strange."
"Ahem, ahem... uh... i-it must have gotten squished because it was in my pocket..."
Rubia's body drew a little closer.
"It is crushed exactly in the shape of a hand... Noah, you were playing with it, weren't you?"
"Eep... um... ah, earlier I just... got bored... but I washed my hands properly... It is a bit gross to eat, right? Then I will just—"
The moment I curled my trembling fingers and tried to put it back in my pocket—
"No."
Rubia's body leaned forward sharply.
"Hyaak—!"
She snatched the jelly from my hand. Then her soft, moist, pliant tongue... licked my hand with a wet slurp...
"Rubi... a...?"
"It is peach-flavored."
"Eh, uh... ah...? B-but the peach ones... I-I thought I ate them all...?"
I rubbed my damp fingers against my clothes.
"Hmm... it is definitely peach. Then, perhaps Noah's fingers taste like peach?"
"Eek..."
Watching Rubia smile sweetly, I clenched my hand tight and shoved it deep into my pocket.
"Unni... sniff... m-me too, please give me jelly..."
Beside me, Hepais stretched out a hand covered in snot.
"Y-you want some?"
"Yes..."
Of the two jellies left, I took out the one I had kneaded a little less and set it gently on Hepais's palm. Carefully, so the snot would not touch it...
"Thank you... sniff—"
After slowly steadying her breathing and swallowing the jelly, Hepais finally sat up. Ugh... the place where Hepais had been clinging is all damp...
"Have you calmed down, Hepais?"
"Ah, yes... I am sorry..."
The moment Hepais pulled away, Rubia's expression softened. Had she been angry because the clothes she washed today might get dirty? Since Rubia does all the laundry... that would make sense...
"Huu... I-I have something I need to tell you..."
Hepais slowly exhaled and took a small letter from her breast.
"...This is... the reason I am going to Karahan. Still... I thought it would be better to tell you."
Rubia nodded and carefully accepted the letter.
"Hepais. May I read it aloud?"
"Ah... I do not mind."
She is probably offering to read it for me because I cannot read the letters... B-but saying the contents of a letter out loud... would that not be too embarrassing?
"Thaat... i-if it is embarrassing, I can hear the explanation later separately, so..."
"Mm. No, Noah Unni has to hear it too."
But Hepais only smiled softly and shook her head.
"Then I will read it. Ah... it is a letter that came to Master."
"Yes, that is right."
"And... Master's name is..."
Rubia slowly unfolded the letter and continued.
"'Yuria.'"