The Paramere Search Operation (15)
The Paramere Search Operation (15)
The elves who had been getting spanked for a while flushed red. The sounds they made each time their bottoms were struck had also diminished somewhat.
"Ah-ow... hnngh..."
"Hah... heek..."
The sounds had turned rather suggestive.
"P-Please, Flora's hand keeps touching my bottom..."
"S-Something about this feels strange..."
Well, look at these two. Like master, like servants.
"S-Stop iiit... I'm sorry..."
I stopped Flora's hand as she sobbed. As if wracked with guilt, she looked up at me, sniffling.
"I-It's... because I'm so worthless... Please stop..."
"Oh? So it's because you're worthless?"
"...Huh?"
"Then give me your bottom."
"N-No, you mustn't! Flora!"
"Take me instead!"
"Now, now. Step aside."
I sat Flora down on my lap. Then I smacked her bottom hard.
Smack!
"Heek!"
Flora flinched.
"If you were going to rob the treasure vault, you could've done it a bit later. Why'd you go and cause this mess? Hm?"
Smack!
"Hyaah!"
"If you were going to rob it anyway, you should've done it properly. The alarm device was plain to see, but you thought you could handle it and just charged in. Huh?"
"Th-That's..."
Smack!
"Hyeeek?!"
"Did you do wrong or not?"
"I-I'm sor..."
"Doesn't sound sincere."
Smaack!
"Waaah!!"
Flora, who had been trembling, panted. A strange nasal tone mixed into her breathing.
"I-I'm sowwy...♡"
"Are you going to cooperate quietly or not?"
"N-No, you mustn't! Flora!"
"Our mission takes priority...!"
Smaaaack!
"Hngiiiiiiiiii?!!"
Flora shuddered. Little hearts floated in her eyes.
As expected of main NPC Flora.
Just what you'd expect from an elf born with masochistic tendencies.
"I'll coopeewate...♡"
I tossed Flora aside. The elves hastily caught her.
"Wh-What is the meaning of this!"
"Speak politely. Unless you want to die."
"...D-Do you think we fear death!"
"Hey. You lot."
The World Tree's blessing, called the Tear of Yggdrasil.
It was certainly a rare treasure. But it was merely an item that helped young saplings grow quickly, and to me, it held no particular value.
"When we open the treasure vault later, I'll set aside one Tear of Yggdrasil for you, so cooperate quietly. Got it?"
"Y-You'll give us a Tear of Yggdrasil?! What in the...!"
The elves hesitated. Their attitude shifted subtly.
"Th-That's not... a lie, is it?"
"Politely."
I casually raised Brionac. The elves, who had witnessed the overwhelming gap in power, flinched.
Their speech became deferential.
"...Th-That's not... a lie, is it?"
"Of course, don't go around telling people I gave it to you. I'll be slipping it out in secret, after all."
"B-But you're a human..."
"Human or not, I'm a priest of Ra."
I put a faint smile on my face.
"Elves are living beings too. You must have a reason for wanting the Tear of Yggdrasil, right? You came all the way to Paramer because you truly need it."
"......"
"Don't worry. I'll swear on Ra. I promise to set aside the Tear of Yggdrasil for you. So cooperate."
Cause the problem, then offer the solution!
And there's nothing better than taking credit with someone else's property!
Ah. Scolding them really relieved my stress.
I casually touched the elves' bottoms. I let Sacred Power flow into the heated spots.
They'd been spanked by the master they served in front of a strange man. Their pride must have already hit rock bottom. I kindly caressed their bottoms and healed them.
"That must have hurt a lot. So next time, think before you act."
"...Nn... nnh."
Perhaps they'd felt the difference in skill. Even the elves' voices had shrunk. I generously spent Sacred Power and healed all the rest as well.
Now, shall I catch the last remaining monster, then go catch the Clock Tower Monster too?
Ah. The ending wasn't far off. It had been eventful. I'm sick of it now, so let's just end it!
In the first place, the final mini-boss was practically imprisoned in the Clock Tower's basement. As long as you didn't make contact with the monster, you could kill it very easily. It resisted, but only feebly.
Even Rosemary, who hadn't learned Shape Transformation, could kill it easily enough. If the mercenary companies and other churches helped too, there'd be no need for me to step in.
You might be briefly fooled by its cute appearance, but the moment it revealed its true form, it would undoubtedly lose its head without exception.
So all that remained was the boss fight.
"...So, um..."
"Call me Zahard."
"P-Priest Zahard..."
The elf glanced at me.
"Are you... really going to give us the Tear of Yggdrasil?"
"A man doesn't go back on his word. Why? Want me to write you a promissory note?"
"N-No... That's not it... Even if we obtain the Tear of Yggdrasil... there doesn't seem to be a way out of this place..."
"What are you talking about? We're almost there."
"Pardon?"
Right now, this was a story only I knew. But soon, everyone would know.
"The source of Paramer's calamity is at the top of the Clock Tower. It's sleeping right now. By now, it's probably suppressing the last monster's fragment."
"What do you..."
"It's just an obvious story. A love story. The tale of a monster who was deceived by a human."
"Love...?"
"Yes. Love."
It was a story I'd read so many times I was sick of it. I had it memorized down to the last syllable.
"Once upon a time—"
I recited it as if singing.
"There lived a monster who loved a human."
. . .
The girl raised her head. The iron chain around her neck clanked.
Gears turned. Small and large ones interlocked, producing a beautiful sound.
The ticking sound of a clock turning.
The sound had a steady rhythm. The familiar yet tranquil sound slowly stirred the girl's stopped heart.
She wasn't hungry even without eating. She wasn't sleepy even without sleeping.
Since when had it been?
Since when had her body become so monstrous?
Perhaps it had been then. The day she first saw a monster. The day she met a being who wore a human shape but could be recognized at once as not human.
The first time...
The first day she received a name.
「Aris.」
The girl stood up. She stretched out her legs as always.
Once to the ticking sound. And once more.
She slowly circled the Clock Tower's basement. Moving in time with the ticking sound was the girl's only hobby.
The girl's world was this Clock Tower and nothing else. From the day after she was sold, she had spent all her time inside this Clock Tower.
Whose name was Aris? Why had that monster asked her to give it commands?
Even now, long after, the girl couldn't understand. But she liked the name Aris very much.
I am Aris.
The slave who manages the Clock Tower.
Aris spun in place. She reached her hands upward as if dancing.
「Cooperate with me. Monster.」
The person she'd met after so long had said that to her. He'd said he would grant whatever she wanted, so cooperate.
What the girl wanted was freedom. To eliminate everything that bound her and obtain true freedom.
The girl took his hand. The chains that had bound her were undone by that man's power.
And now, only a little remained.
The preparations to go outside were nearing completion.
The girl's world was about to widen. Once she went outside, she would poke her head in again and stroke the head of the cute, dear monster.
"Pierre. The end is in sight."
The sound of the gears slowly came to a halt.
. . .
Claaaaaaang!!!
Metal screamed. Magic poured down, and flames swept the surroundings.
Rosemary, who had clashed, was pushed back. Her body staggered for a moment.
"Ugh!"
He was strong. Overwhelmingly stronger than the other knights. Ian Pamel scattered his sword. Flames dispersed, and magical power burst forth.
The axe that had blocked him cracked. Rosemary was pushed back once more.
He's no mere knight commander! This is...
Skill that ranks among the top even among imperial knights!
"So there was a reason for your arrogance. Priest. You must have had considerable influence within the church."
"You... bastard...!"
"But only at the level of a church."
The ground behind Ian's feet condensed.
The sword moved before the sound.
"From the Empire's perspective, you're nothing more than 'the weak.'"
Claaaaaaang!!!
Flames burst in succession and wavered. Rosemary gritted her teeth and responded.
If she collapsed, the tide of battle would collapse too. They were already being pushed back. The wizards were stronger than the mercenary company's wizards, and the knights had driven the paladins to the brink.
The Apostle of Isis sang. He spoke blessings. But the imperial knights were strong enough to shatter them in an instant.
Holy Arts shattered one after another. Lucas's right arm was knocked back. A sword exploiting the opening stabbed into his side.
Thud.
"Ugh?!"
"Brother!"
Marcus's axe split the air. The ground broke and the underground shook. The momentum was fierce, but it didn't reach the knight's body.
Fluid movement. The imperial knights were elites chosen from countless applicants. They had a systematic education system, and even the lowest-ranking knight was stronger than the paladins.
"The world of religion has already collapsed. The brilliant glory has vanished, and all that remains is ashes."
Ian brought his sword down. The heated mana blade bit deep into Rosemary's axe.
"You are not the church of old."
Crrrack.
Amid the strange sound, Rosemary's axe split in half. Between the scattering metal, the sword drove into Rosemary's shoulder.
Magical power burrowed into her body. The colliding Sacred Power exploded. Her body was flung back and blood poured out.
"Just get lost."
Rosemary was slammed into the wall. Debris falling from the ceiling covered her body.
Crunch.
Her leg broke and flesh flew. Rosemary lay face down, gasping. It wasn't enough. She lacked strength.
Her vision blurred.
"...F...fuck..."
A frog in a well.
"...I... know..."
She knew. She knew she was a frog in a well. That despite her long career, she fell far short of even Radatok, who had joined late.
Beastfolk had long lifespans. Perhaps that had made her even more complacent. With several times a human's lifespan, she had naturally put more strength into her voice than her hands.
She had wanted others to look up to her. She had wanted them to admire the achievements she'd built.
Paladin.
Her reason for wanting to stand above others as an inquisitor was nothing special.
She liked the sword, and she liked power. She wanted to stand above someone, and she wanted the respect of others.
Vanity and arrogance were Rosemary's stepping stones. The reason she could stand where she was now was the worldly desires a priest of Ra should not possess.
...B...but...
Rosemary gritted her teeth. Blood poured out. The magical power burrowing into her body prevented her healing from working properly.
She raised her gaze. The paladins of Iskandar had fallen to their knees. The subdued priests were pinned to the floor. The mercenaries' bodies were stabbed with swords and scorched crisp by lightning magic.
They were dying. Everyone was dying.
She had to move. She forced her staggering body upright and panted.
In her wavering vision, Rosemary thought of Zahard. She didn't know why he came to mind. A drop of blood running down the half-shattered axe blade fell to the floor.
She cleared the debris. She stood. She took a step forward.
Her condition was a wreck.
Her Sacred Power was empty.
Rosemary laughed. Who would have guessed that the very end would be at the bottom of Paramer? And that she'd die at the hands of someone she'd thought was an ally—she'd never imagined it.
At first, things had seemed fine. Where had it all gone wrong?
When she'd discovered that a paladin she'd given special attention to because he lacked talent was talking behind her back?
When a money-grubbing inquisitor had stabbed her in the back?
When the barbarian paladin she'd trusted to the end had charged recklessly against the plan and gotten half her comrades killed?
Looking back, everything had been a mess. The mess had bred disgust, and made her forget her duty as a paladin.
...Once.
Once, she too had called upon Ra like the others. There had been a time when she'd taken up arms not for worldly desires, but for a greater cause.
Back when she was a greenhorn. Knowing nothing.
Why was she thinking such thoughts now? Was her life flashing before her eyes because she was about to die?
The torchlight flickered. Ian Pamel, who had turned around, asked as if he couldn't understand.
"If you'd stayed down, you could have died peacefully. Why did you get up?"
"I... wonder..."
Why had she gotten up?
Rosemary asked herself. Then suddenly, she noticed that the fire on her axe had not yet gone out.
Sacred Mark.
The origin of all this.
If she had any regret, wasn't it that she hadn't become stronger? Rosemary suddenly realized why Zahard had come to mind.
The time she'd spent with him had been short. But to Rosemary, it had been longer than anything else.
She had forgotten vanity, arrogance, and disgust. It had been a time focused solely on defeating him.
Was that why?
"Because it was fun..."
When she'd first become a paladin. When she'd first held a sword.
That time, forgotten for decades amid countless missions, came back to her.
The time when she'd swung her sword purely. The days when saving people had been a given.
Compared to then, what was she now? Had she grown stronger? Was she far stronger than back then?
Rosemary asked. The answer came from the weapon she held.
「You can do it, Rosemary.」
"I didn't want... to admit it..."
Rosemary's eyes were wreathed in flame. Her whole body began to fill as if ablaze.
"I really am... a paladin to the bone...!"
Sword and axe.
A world where she had devoted herself to martial arts in constant motion.
Light swirled around the dying Sacred Mark. Her narrowed vision gradually widened.
Why had she only realized it now? Why had she only noticed it now?
"Ra... has spoken..."
The half-shattered axe moved. The flames covering it slowly settled and began to take shape.
A passage she'd read in Ra's scripture. A world that sparkled endlessly.
「Let's go joyfully. Joyfully.」
The laughter that escaped carried the wish of those days when she'd done nothing but dream. Straighten her shoulders and face forward. Relax her body and move slowly.
Into that small change, Rosemary stepped forward.
The forgotten miracle settled upon the shattered blade.
"Uproot... the rotten..."
The flame.
"And save... the innocent...!"
The flame began to blaze.
"...Good heavens... sister...!"
"Just how many talents does the Church of Ra have...!"
Lucas and Marcus groaned at the same time.
Rosemary reached out. She grasped it.
A blade made of flame. A long haft and a saw-toothed edge swaying unsteadily at the tip.
"Shape Transformation...!"
"Th-That's not a place a mere paladin can reach...!"
Noah, who had been pinned to the floor, opened his mouth. Pablo trembled.
Rosemary's Sacred Mark shone. The tip of the flame-wreathed weapon began to stabilize. The half-shattered weapon was completely dyed in flame.
Settling breath. A world sinking into stillness.
The noise stopped. No one could speak. They simply watched in silence as the god's majesty suddenly descended.
Flame caught at the corners of Rosemary's eyes.
"Pray... to Ra."
She'd learned it late, but she could still make amends.
Ian's eyes widened slightly. His mana blade heated up once more.
"...So you were hiding your fangs."
"Wrong."
The flames clinging to her body righted her broken form. The remnants of the flame fully receded, and Rosemary's revealed Shape Transformation began to spin violently.
"I only just realized that I had fangs too."
The saw-toothed axe rotated fiercely. Flames burst forth and dyed the surroundings red.
Rosemary's Sacred Mark was dyed red. It spread as if expanding and enveloped her entire body.
The time that had seemed stopped also began to move again. The paladins, priests, and mercenaries who had witnessed the inquisitor's miracle raised their weapons once more.
Ian Pamel clicked his tongue.
"Your lifespan has merely been extended a little."
"Bullshit."
Her mouth had gotten foul lately. It's all because of you.
So get ready to take responsibility for every last bit of it. Zahard.
"Ra whispered to me. Ian Pamel."
"And what did a dead god say?"
"To grind away the sinful."
The flames surged.
"I won't leave a single scrap of flesh. Fallen knight."