65
Chapter 65
What is a knight?
It's a question that piques my interest, but unfortunately, I don't know the answer. I am not a being meant to solve questions.
Nor am I a being meant to pose them.
If I had to define it, I'd say I'm a being who uses questions. Just like right now.
"Does it not matter to you that I am a descendant of Lucifer?"
"No."
"I thought you said you hated Lucifer."
"Your name is Oscar, my Lord. You are different from Lucifer."
It seems Beatrice has steadied her heart.
"What is it that you want from me?"
"A knight desires only one thing. As the Lord's sword, to annihilate more of the Lord's enemies than anyone else."
"In short, you just want to fight?"
"...I wish to bring blood-stained glory to my Lord. If possible, the Lord's sword hopes to stand at the forefront of the battlefield."
I've confirmed Beatrice's resolve and will. Her determination wasn't something that would be overturned by a mere secret of birth. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle a leak of laughter.
"Why don't you just be honest? You want to use me as an excuse to head to the battlefield and intoxicate yourself with the superiority of a victor."
"...Yes, there is no reason to hide it now. As a warrior, I want to feel the superiority of a victor, and as a knight, I want to serve my Lord. However, I hate the thought of another situation where my Lord dies because of me. That is why I serve you, Oscar, as my Lord."
I shouldn't be laughing at such a solemn moment, but I can't help it.
I feel like I might miss something important if I keep laughing. I can't let that happen. I quickly change the subject.
"Fine, then let's start by making a contract."
"A contract... you say?"
"Yes. I want Dame Beatrice to live a very long time and assist me. A hundred years is far too short, don't you think?"
"If that is your will, my Lord, as much as you wish. What must this servant do?"
"Stick out your tongue. I don't really know how to make simple verbal contracts like Lucifer does."
"I obey your command."
Beatrice followed my order obediently. She tilted her smooth chin and presented it to me. I used my finger to open her mouth. Then, I shouted toward Aru, who was waiting behind.
"Aru! Come here!"
"Bark? Bark bark bark!"
Aru came bounding over on four paws.
"That beastman is...."
"Ahaha, since we're now comrades, let me introduce her properly. This is my pet wolf, Aru. She's born of the Bloodline of the Wolf King. She's also my assistant."
"T-the bloodline of the Wolf King...?"
"Don't feel too pressured. At the end of the day, this one is a wolf and you are my knight, Dame Beatrice. In terms of rank, there's no comparison. Even if our Aru has been with me for a hundred years longer."
"Bark bark! I'm not a pet wolf!"
"That's right, you brat. Why are you denying it?"
"Grrrrr...!"
"Ssh, this brat is baring her teeth again. Enough, just bite my finger."
I waved my finger teasingly in front of Aru, who was growling with a fierce expression. Aru's eyes went wide.
"Bark? Bite? The Young Demon's finger?"
"Yeah, just enough to draw a little blood."
"Tell me if it hurts, bark."
Crunch-.
"Aargh! S-stop!"
Aru, you damn brat, I told you to bite just enough to get some blood, why the hell are you biting so hard!
Aru's bite force seems to be increasing to an uncontrollable level. Knowing how much she's still growing, it's entirely possible that she'll be chewing through Beatrice's greatsword before long.
"Ouch... her strength is ridiculously high. Anyway, Dame Beatrice? This might taste a bit bitter, so please bear with it."
"Bitter...? What do you— mmmph...!"
I pressed the wound Aru made against Beatrice's open mouth. The fluid from my body flowed steadily into her.
While human blood tastes of metallic iron, demon blood is thick and bitter. Beatrice's brow furrowed.
"Drink it all. Every last drop."
"Mmph... mmgh... ."
Perhaps it was hard to breathe, as teardrops gathered at the corners of Beatrice's eyes. I didn't budge and continued to pour my blood into her.
Demon blood possesses the power of conquest in itself. In this contract, I am the master and Beatrice is the servant. That is why I am injecting my blood into her.
Gulp-.
"There, good job. It's over now."
"Cough! Hack! Ugh... is it... is it finished? I haven't even said I would contract with you, my Lord..."
As I pulled my finger out of her mouth, she let out a series of hacking coughs.
"It's fine. Lucifer is the one who makes verbal contracts; I look at the heart. Since you have the will to contract with me in your heart, the deal is done."
Beatrice cleared her throat several times, seemingly unfamiliar with the sensation of my blood sliding down her throat. Leaving her behind, I headed toward my final task.
Archangel Uriel.
Or rather, Baby Angel Uriel.
She was a wild card I'd ended up taking charge of by chance, but she might turn out to be an unexpected blessing.
Uriel's feelings toward me couldn't possibly be good. I had opened a new world for her, but that new world was one that burned and collapsed. Uriel had lost everything because of me.
However, I couldn't let her be driven to death. If she died, the retaliation from the other archangels would follow.
Ultimately, there was only one stance I could take. I had to win Uriel over, regardless of whether she eventually became an archangel again or not.
"Hey, Ms. Uriel from the Heavenly Realm. Wake up."
"Mm, mmgh... ."
"If you don't wake up, I'm just going to leave you here. Hurry up and get up."
"Who... are you... ."
"I can't actually leave you behind, but you're making this tedious. Don't you remember me? It's me, Oscar! The one who brought about your downfall! The masked demon!"
The moment I shouted that, Uriel's golden eyes snapped open.
Coming to her senses, Uriel recognized me and recoiled in horror.
"D-a demon!"
"I see you're awake. Shall we settle on how to address each other first? I'll call you Ms. Uriel, so what will you call me?"
"That a demon like you is still alive... Mi-Michael! Gabriel and Raphael! What happened to them all!"
As expected of an angel, the first thing she did upon waking was look for the other angels.
I recalled the memories of the previous day. Come to think of it, Uriel had been unconscious while Michael and I were talking, woke up briefly to say she wanted to become an archangel again and reach the Truth, and then passed out again.
She probably doesn't even know why Michael entrusted her to me. I'm not entirely sure of the reason myself.
Still, I should explain. Uriel likely trusts and follows Michael, their leader, implicitly.
"Whoa, calm down. Why is it that the women are so unstable today?"
"Answer me! What did you do to Michael!"
"What could I possibly do to Mr. Michael? He's incredibly strong. Those three left of their own accord. You know the law between the Demon Realm and the Heavenly Realm; demons cannot enter the Heavenly Realm, and angels cannot stay in the Demon Realm for long."
"Then... you mean they left me here? I suppose it was an inevitable choice for them... ."
"Well... it's hard to say they just abandoned you. I asked them who they would entrust you to, between Lucifer and me. At first, the angels wanted to leave you with Lucifer. But that's when you woke up. With the wings of a baby angel on your back."
As I spoke, I pointed to the wings on Uriel's back. Only then did Uriel realize she had wings; she reached behind her, looking quite shocked.
"You remember what you said, right? You said you wanted to become an archangel again and reach the Truth. Upon hearing that, Mr. Michael thought for a moment and then said that if you followed Lucifer, you might survive, but you would never become an archangel. That's why he entrusted you to me."
"Yes... I remember... Michael asking me several times if I was sincere... ."
"Exactly. Mr. Michael said that by staying by my side and watching me, you would eventually reach the Truth. I'm not entirely sure why, though."
"...Did Michael really say that?"
I guess she believes Michael, but she can't believe me.
No problem, because I have a witness.
"Aru! Tell her! What I just said is true, right?"
"Bark? Bark bark! I remember everything! It's true!"
"I knew our Aru was smart!"
With Aru's testimony added, Uriel bowed her head as if resigning herself.
"I see... Then I must follow you from now on."
"Oh? You're just going to obey Mr. Michael's words?"
"Because you said Michael told you so. Michael must have had a reason."
"The trust between comrades is truly strong. But will you be okay? Don't you hate me? I'm the one who did this to your wings."
Pinch-.
I tugged at Uriel's wing as if pinching it. Uriel recoiled, violently slapping my hand away. Her rejection of me was intense.
"Really, will you be alright?"
"...."
To dismiss it as mere faith in Michael, her resentment and silent grudge toward me seemed far too great.
I had to clear this up. I'm not interested in some nightmare scenario where I get stabbed in my sleep.
"I was not originally the Angel of Destruction of Evil."
"What?"
Out of nowhere?
"I was the Angel of Unyielding. No matter what great evil assailed me, even if I were pushed to the final chapter of life. I was the angel who would not turn away, would not retreat from evil, and would not collapse beneath waves accompanied by storms. That was me. However, as I became obsessed with judgment, I became synonymous with the destruction of evil."
"Is that so?"
"Lucifer was in a similar position to me. His thoughts were similar. And on the day corruption took root in Lucifer, the moment his wings were torn to shreds, Lucifer knelt before evil. He fully embraced corruption and donned the black wing-clothes."
"Hoh, our ancestor had such a past."
"But I will not do the same. Though my archangel wings have been shattered without a trace, I will not back down. I will not collapse. Even if arduous training and a difficult path await, I will walk the path given to me. So that I do not bring shame to the name Angel of Unyielding, which Michael first gave me. To do that, I must be with you. Michael judged that there was something to see and learn from you, so he entrusted me to you. Is it not the ideal Good to reflect and correct oneself after committing a wrong?"
Wow, she really knows how to speak eloquently. Seeing her noble spirit makes me feel good.
How beautiful is the sight of someone who acknowledges their mistakes, repents, and moves forward again.
She's so admirable that I almost want to pat her head. Though if I actually did, I'd have to endure a resistance far more violent than Aru's biting.
"Fine, then let's decide. What will you call me? I don't know when you'll realize the Truth, Ms. Uriel, but since we'll be together, let's set the titles clearly."
"...Michael has made you my teacher."
"Excuse me?"
"Leader. I shall call you that. Is that acceptable?"
One who leads from the front; a Leader.
I don't always stand at the front, but it's a title I quite like.
"Sure. That works for me."
"Very well. Leader."
Perhaps because I heard the words 'Angel of Unyielding,' a certain memory comes to mind.
I know someone too. A human who wore the title of 'Unyielding.'
One of those who came for a visitation in Tartarus, known as the weakest hero of all time.
A human who went from being Unyielding to being subservient.
The hero of 400 years later, Frey de Siegfried.
That young girl who envied and was jealous of the Saint vaguely drifts into my mind.
*****
The Divine Realm.
A place where gods dwell, neither angels nor devils.
The Divine Realm offers various amusements. Since most gods, who live for eternity, grow bored of watching human affairs, they spend their time holding grand banquets.
Of course, gods also have their rivals, and they interfere in human affairs by granting oracles or providing aid in response to human wishes.
The "gods" referred to here are not the "Lord" served by the Holy Church, but rather deities born from the faith of humans.
Typical examples include gods from the Nordic or Olympos lineages. Cronos, the god of time, is a god of the Olympos lineage.
Step-.
Those who are not angels cannot set foot in the Heavenly Realm, and those who are not devils cannot set foot in the Demon Realm. The Divine Realm is the same. Only gods may enter.
The only place they can meet without violating the laws is on the continent.
Step-.
However, here stands a being who transcends those laws.
Demon King Kanos. The one who reached the pinnacle of all existence. No, the one who surpassed the peak to become a new summit.
Step-.
A figure wearing black sunglasses walks confidently through the Divine Realm. The gods recognize him, but none dare speak.
Step-.
The Demon King's stride is without hesitation. He walked and walked until he entered a massive circular building.
The "Colosseum," one of the three great amusements of the gods. The gatekeeper tried to stop the unplanned intruder's visit, but upon realizing the intruder was the Demon King, he quickly stepped aside. The Demon King entered the Colosseum in silence.
Step-.
Searing heat and thick air. Through it all, the cheers of the fighting pit seep in.
A delicate intersection of ecstasy and despair. Some laugh, some weep, some rejoice, and some cannot hide their wrath.
The Colosseum is a colossal gambling den. Gods bring their own summons or monsters to fight in the Colosseum, wagering precious items like ancient artifacts.
Though the Demon King is merely a spectator.
"Hey, Demon King. You've come."
"...."
"Quiet as always. Oh, the match for that child you introduced is about to start; stay and watch."
Cronos, the god of time, spoke from the spectator seats as he recognized the Demon King. All seats in the arena, including where Cronos sat, were packed with gods. They watched the match in their own ways, some cheering, others snickering.
"Truly, she is a remarkable child. I suppose a hero is a hero, even the weakest one. In the last hundred years, she hasn't lost a single time. Thanks to that, she's known as the undefeated champion these days."
"...."
"It's not as if her opponents were weak, either. The only flaw is that she has absolutely no showmanship... but that's fine. Her emotionless, machine-like appearance stimulates the gods' interests more. Thanks to that, I've made a tidy profit."
Listening to Cronos's boasting explanation, the Demon King stared with expressionless eyes at the center of the arena. A vast arena covered in sand. In the middle, a girl with pale blonde hair was performing human swordsmanship.
She did not look to be in good condition. Dust stains were scattered poorly across her whole body. No sign of vitality could be found on the girl's face.
Nevertheless, the girl swings her sword. Gripping the great Holy Sword, Excalibur, with both hands, she swings it endlessly toward the swarming evil spirits.
She fights, fights, and fights again. She survives bloody battles, crushing flesh and scattering blood. But the girl is not happy. For once she wins this fight, the next one is already prepared.
The glory and ecstasy of victory do not belong to the girl. They belong to Cronos. The girl is merely a chess piece. A wretched chess piece used for the entertainment of gods.
Neither wealth nor honor follows. The superiority or pleasure a typical winner feels in nature does not exist here. Rather, the more she wins, the more she survives, the more she must endure a continuous cycle of hellish battles. Her mind is gradually worn down and eroded, and her body, which is nothing but a soul, screams in agony.
Yet, the girl does not bend her knees. Standing firmly on the earth, she raises the Holy Sword, from which golden light grew abundantly, then slams it down into the ground.
Between the chapped lips of the girl who grits her teeth, a song leaks out, barely audible. It was a song no one else could hear. The girl sings as if talking to herself, delivering blood-and-sweat-soaked slashes toward the endless march of enemies. Her faded gold hair becomes messily tangled, mixed with sweat and blood.
"The Lord is coming-."
"My glorious Lord is coming-."
"The blessed horns that welcome the Lord resound-."
"The day the Lord's grace descends upon the earth, thread by thread-."
"That day, my Lord walks the path of love-."
"The Lord is coming- to save all creation-."