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Assassins Pride - Volume 12 - Chapter 4




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Assassin Pride Volume 12 Chapter 4
LESSON: IV ~The nameless one’s pursue~

(Unedited)

Dawn came──Although saying that, in this land there was absolutely no white light.

Anyhow just before the alarm clock bell rang, Melida opened her eyelids with a click. Speaking about a little being a little unable to sleep well, that goes without saying, because on the bed, there were three other little girls sleeping.

Although Elise and Mule put on outer clothes, Freesia was still in the state of wearing one piece of lingerie only. Everyone was letting out sleeping breaths of a good sleep…….. While Melida was careful not to shake the bed, she dropped to the floor.

She boiled hot water in the kitchen and used two paper cups.

There was also something tasteful like café au lait​ fine powder. Just before the kettle shouted she turned off the heat, then she poured an equal amount of hot water into each cup. Fine bubbles swelled up and steam rose.

The outside might be cold. She put on another coat and carried a reserved blanket.

While she was being mindful not to fell over, she went up the stair inside the caravan………

It led to a watch tower on top of the roof. In the space enough for one adult, Salacha was covering herself with the blanket. Melida closely settled next to her and passed one of the cup.

「Morning, Sala」

Salacha responded with a smile that reminded people of spring.

「Good morning, Lita-san」

Then the two divided the space then warmed themselves with the café au lait and futons.

It was quiet……. It was like in this world there was no one but the two alone.

The uncertain darkness ahead furthermore encouraged that illusion.

Even though being the sole watchman was a little lonely, Salacha worried about the one on her side.

「Since it’s my turn right now, why don’t you just sleep a little more?」

「I suddenly felt unable to sleep」

Other than Freesia, they had decided to sleep and take watch in turn between the four of them.

Finally today, they had to steer the ship toward Tindarian’s ruins.

Just what kind of hardship would be waiting for them on the way……….

There might not be much time for resting, though, she didn’t want to think about it.

Melida placed her head on Salacha’s shoulder, “kotsu”.

「Nee Sala. Although I’m not Freesia──Fiz-san, I want to hear about it」

「What do you want to hear?」

「Why did you nominate yourself for the time travel? I didn’t think you were that enthusiastic about history」

Since Salacha slightly moved, Melida raised her head and turned back.

The three people on the bed were still letting out wheezing sound of sleeping………

Melida faced forward. While she was rubbing the paper cup she waited.

At last, in a voice which seemed to be vanishing, she told her.

「Although I know……the time travel is, one chance only……」

「Yeah」

「……That’s something which can’t be helped, I know that, however」

Salacha cast her eyes down and leaked out the words.

「It’s unease──」

「Unease?」

「I……can’t become something like《duke Shicksal》. Without father-san and mother-san, I can’t do it as well like nii-san. Since right now Kushana-nee-san is here everyone accepted it……but that nee-san and nii-san are being far away from me!」

It was the unavoidable curse befell the Shicksal house.

A curse left by a mighty Lycanthrope in exchange for their lives. Serge group almost had their own selves ruined and transformed into monsters standing at the space between human and Lycanthrope, the Loups Garous. Everyone of the Shicksal house except Salacha was decided by that fate.

The bitter enemy’s name was Bandar Decken ── The former head of the Shicksal house, Jenron and Delita fell into the realm of dead in exchange for the honor of killing him. And then, in order to cut through the fate of ruin, Serge tried to revolt, taking responsibility for that error he became a criminal……….

Right now, the only reason for him to keep on living『I’ll die soon anyway』was very big.

Kushana too was the same as the prisoner of that curse……….

Finally the only one remained was Salacha.

Melida hugged her knees. She couldn’t help but feel sad with imagining alone.

After Salacha checked behind her once again, she turned back forward.

「I can’t say these thing in Flandre. I regret it. If I had stopped my father and mother from the battle five years ago──if nii-san didn’t revolt or the likes──If I had noticed a lot of things much quicker──…………」

Melida couldn’t find any knowledge or the likes that could respond to her sorrows.

Because her knowledge was so tiny. She couldn’t give the girl any consultation.

She desperately and desperately worked her head.

……If I couldn’t rely on my own knowledge, then how about from someone close?

Melida started to speak while still thinking. In other to not let the silent stretch out.

「……Kufa-sensei too, you know? Lately, he’s also seemed to be in distress」

「Kufa-sensei too?」

「Recently, he keeps telling us『it’s hard but please bear with it』 right? When thinking about why he keeps on saying that……it’s because he himself is in pain!」

Salacha “Ha”, took a breath.

She muttered with a trembling voice.

「Kufa-sensei too……is feeling unease……────」

Melida stared back at her pupils and nodded.

「Sensei too is the same as Sala, he thinks dearly of《the living way until now》. In the residence in Cardinals Academy district, working together with Emy and Gleys, Maira and Nietzsche, going to school with Ely and Rozetti-sama. Everyone in class, headmaster Blamange, Lakra-sensei, everyone accepted him……」

“Gusu”, she snorted. Her voice gradually became gloomy.

「We could meet up with Sala and Mule on break days too. We could also go to the festival or on vacation. Then Serge-sama would always meddle with us, and might be Almedia-aunt-sama and Felgus-otou-sama would look at us in amaze then laugh. ──Surely Kufa-sensei too greatly loves that everyday, he was happy you know」

Suddenly tears escaped out. However, since he didn’t cry, Melida also withheld it.

“Gyu”, after she bit her lips to endure, her breathing calmed down.

「Even right now, Kufa sensei is also desperately fighting in unease. Was it right to leave Cardinal Academy district──Was it right to betray the Knight Regimen (Guild)── Was it right to oppose Almedia-obaa-sama──Was it right to lead us outside──He was in so much pain he couldn’t sleep at night, even so in the end , in order to welcome the『This is right』future, he keeps on fighting」

Salacha put down the cup and held her cheeks with a slap.

Her voice became teary and her eyes were red.

「I’m……ashamed of myself. Being protected by Kufa-sensei like this……」

Melida leaned her body much more and entwined her fingers with the girl’s.

「If──the time travel chance is only one, it shouldn’t be used to fix up the past, but to better the future. Don’t you think so?」

Tears accumulated in Salacha’s eyes, many, many times, she made small nodes.

Melida blew out the sorrow in her chest in a big breath “fuu”.

She raised her face to get over it a little and said.

「Because he didn’t say anything, I had no chance to tell him」

「About what?」

「Only this is certain.──Right now I’m happy」

Melida placed her cheek on Salacha’s shoulder tip and hid her last tear.

Salacha circled her right and left hands around her back, “gyuu”, hugged her close.

Even if no light could be seen, this was warm enough……….

Since Salacha’s shoulder shook with giggle, Melida blankly raised her face.

「Whaat?」

At the distance their nose was close to sticking, Salacha laughed.

「I think that I finaaally understood Miu-chan’s feelings」

Anyhow when it came to Salacha, she kissed Melida’s cheek like that! It might be possible for Elise or Mule ── This was very bold far from her normal way. Receiving the first kiss from Salacha, Melida became bright red.

All the more, wouldn’t she be conscious of the body temperature?

Salacha showed a little devil smile like that of Mule.

「Ehehe……If everyone from the institute saw this, they would raise a commotion right?」

「That, that’s forbidden? Sala. Because I’m an honor student」

However, Melida’s heart was highly sounding continuously.

The night world without any visible《light》was cold as expected……..The two of them made that excuse and opened each other’s futon. While being wrapped inside two sheet they directly hugged tightly.

If being seen by the classmates they would certainly misunderstand.

While sharing such a sense of immorality, the two nuzzled their noses together and embarrassedly smiled.

──A loud bell sound appeared.

Melida group was surprised in two ways. First of all their shoulders jumped because of the volume of the bell, secondly they let out a scream at the human figure flew out from the bed without warning「Kyaa!?」.

It was Freesia. Even though she was soundly sleeping just now, right after she heard the bell she jumped up like a spring. She took up position in front of the communicating device without hesitation and put on the headset, she turned up a number of levers ── while still in lingerie.

Because of that commotion, Mule and Elise rubbed their eyes while getting up.

「Wha, what is ith?……The alarm clock sound?」

「No, it’s a transmission」

Was Freesia still half asleep, she tinkered the dial with puffy eyes.

She pulled out the headset plug…….However, other than buzzing there was nothing to hear.

「There is only one who could connect to this night caravan」

「Ye, yes! Sensei group and the Black Sky Machine Regiment (Guild Ordyne)’s personnel……」

The girls’ waking faces finally perceived the current situation. Melida and Salacha quickly went down from the observation tower, Mule and Elise got down from the bed. While each of them put on the stockings and spats they had taken off, they headed to in front of the communication device.

Melida put coat on Freesia’s naked shoulders.

While that Freesia was pitching forward, she carefully turned the dial……..

Suddenly, the noise stopped.

From the speaker voice could be heard. But in pieces.

『……Lacha……Salach……are you?』

「Nii-san!?」

『Salacha……Salacha……!』

(illu)

The somewhat urgent voice was surely from Serge Shicksal.

Salacha leaned her body. However, it seemed the mike wasn’t connected.

Freesia turned it on and once again Salacha pulled the mike close.

「Nii-san, are you alright!? Is any injured!?」

『……Lach,a……Sala……you?』

The voice from the speaker was very buzzing. But it seemed their voice reach the other side.

Serge’s voice was repeated as much as he could.

『Where are you……? Where are you?』

Melida group immediately looked around the inner vehicle. Serge was eager to know their caravan’s current position. Something, was there something that could be a clue?

Aimlessly they turned circle to look around, then Melida put her hand inside the pocket.

「There’s nothing but this」

She took out the interstellar compass before everyone. On the board, many layers of gradations were engraved. Although Melida group couldn’t read it, but for Serge group of adult, couldn’t they check the night world map and deduce their location?

They had no choice but to bet on that possibility. Salacha received the compass and brought the mike close.

「Nii-san, I’ll read out the gradations of the interstellar compass? From outside in eighty nine, forty, sixty three……are you copy? Eighty nine, forty, sixty three!」

『……Wait a minute』

At that moment.

Suddenly a hand extended from behind controlled the interstellar compass from Salacha’s hand.

「Miu-chan?」

The childhood friend didn’t even respond at her shout, it was Mule. What happened? As she was staring at the speaker in silent, the other faces were simply dumbfounded.

Finally Mule leaned her body next to Salacha and closed her face on the mike.

「──I’m sorry, onii-sama. It seems we had read the gradations in reverse. The correct reading is sixty three, forty, eighty nine. Sixty three, forty, eighty nine! Please don’t be mistaken」

「Eh!?」

Melida unconsciously restrained Salacha who raised a voice.

Mule once again asked at the mike.

「Furthermore, is my follower there? Since okaa-sama is very angry, quickly come and get us or the important collection auction will be called off, please tell him that」

『…………』

For short while, there was no response.

A few second of silent passed.

『I’ll go right away』

After leaving just that, the transmission was cut off.

It seemed the other side turned off the device. Since they didn’t even call nor ask again to be sure, Freesia lowered the levers with opposite procedures to before and cut the power.

Melida removed her hand from Salacha and threw out the question she was keeping in.

「What, what is that just now? Miu……」

Before answering Mule turned her body.

She pulled the backpack used for going out and checked the inside. She took a number of drinking water can and mobile food, after packing them inside the empty space she fitted the clasp.

Then, as if saying「dammit」she opened the lit again.

With impatient hands, this time she pushed in the nectar fuel cans………

「Fiz-onee-sama. Please dress up. Everyone please get ready too」

Melida, Elise and Salacha were simply darting eyes around.

「Rea, ready for what?」

She removed unnecessary things from the backpack, in turn she packed in fuel can. While leaving some blank space, this time she tightly close the lids and fitted the clasp ──

Mule turned back with a tense expression.

「Hurry up!」

 

† † †

 

The engine’s roar was like that of a beast.

The intensely rotated tier shook the ground as the bugs inside the forest trembled.

The headlight minced up the darkness ──

One caravan was running through the gap of the tree with terrifying speed. Even though if they took one step wrong they would turn over in car accident, they ferociously charged without giving a side glance. Where were they heading?

Behind them, and furthermore with faster speed a figure was closing on them.

In any case, it was because they were advancing on the air. On the sky with no obstacle they were freely spreading their wings and easily surpassed the caravan. Then they swooped down. As the caravan sharply turned left, while gliding on the rear wheel they hit the brake. The ground was greatly gouged as the metal vehicle let out screams.

The caravan suddenly stopped, in front of it, the winged monster alighted.

Using its right and left claws, it kicked the ground as it liked.

There was no──Face.

It was the monster from the legend, Jabberwocky.

From its back, a human figure lightly jumped down.

It was the pure white hair and younger like skin Theodoa the vampire. While first of all he quickly looked forward the driver seat, he approached the caravan with fast step. He pulled open the door.

Without even putting up his guard, he broke into the vehicle.

Dark………

Including the small room inside, there was no human presence anywhere. The driver seat was already vacant too. Their action was fast……….. The driver must have had escaped from the beginning.

Theodoa gestured the Jabberwocky from the window frame.

It was a gesture of knocking the throat.

Right then, the Jabberwocky coughed dully two, three times like that of a sewer.

From its hollow mouth a voice came out.

『……Lacha. Salacha. Where are you?』

The sound would make the ones who knew Serge Shicksal feel unpleasant.

The voice quality was extremely close to his, furthermore the words were anxiously shouted to his sister by him when taking the attack back at Carna Navel ── It was so alike even to the short break.

The Jabberwocky revived his beautiful voice with its smooth faceless head.

『Where are you? I’ll come right away. Wait for me……』

For a while Theodoa strained his ears and examined around.

However, not only the inside of the caravan, the dark forest gave no respond.

“Tch”, he clicked his tongue.

「Did they notice」

As he raised his right palm, bluish white freezing air (anima) gathered.

The pressure, together with the glitters were rising endlessly ──

 

An explosion sound appeared.

 

At the roar came from the far away direction, Melida group of four sisters “ha”, turned back.

In the light appearances of travel outfits and backpack, they were holding the lantern.

They were inside the forest not so far from the explosion ──

Mule lighted the cold sweats on her cheeks.

「As I thought it was a trap」

She was the quickest to feel something strange about the voice from the speaker. To see if they were faking Serge, she asked a misleading question they couldn’t answer.

……Just as she thought, it seemed the one who came was not Serge group.

Having understood that, Melida group of four daughters held the lantern and quick-footedly walked away from the explosion sound.

There were four lantern lights. They belonged to Melida, Elise, Salacha and Mule alone.

Melida couldn’t help but speak out.

「Will Fiz-san be alright?」

「Although she promised to run away without fighting……」

Salacha couldn’t hide her worry either.

Someone needed to stay, although that duty couldn’t be done by no one but Freesia who could operate the caravan………. They were unable stand not to worry about the girl sent out as a distraction.

In any case the pursuers were the vampire clan and the lengendary Jabberwocky. What had happened to Kufa group. What about the Black Sky Machine Regiment (Guild Ordyne)’s damage? Where had everybody gone?……..No matter how much they thought no answer would come out. They were simply, awkwardly walking.

In either case, Melida group soon had to worry about themselves.

From the treetops above their heads, with speed that couldn’t be compared to the caravan, something flew by.

It was a giant silhouette that reminded of a dragon. The total number was three. When thinking they were going pass them, the creatures turned and drew back at Melida group’s direction.

They raised ear splitting roar.

Melida group stood still in fear and looked up at those ominous shapes.

「Jabberwocky……!」

「Why!? Even though the caravan went to the other way……!」

It seemed that the monsters had certainly noticed Melida group’s whereabouts. They cut the air with their wings and descended with great speed. Melida group immediately ran.

If they blankly stopped they might found them.

Nonetheless when it came to the Jabberwocky, they charged at the ground surface with the descending speed. To be precise they slammed the ground with their right and left claws, the landing impact changed into flying dust.


There were three, heavy impact sounds.

At the same time dust swelled up like cloud, Melida group jumped to the shade of a tree. They escaped from the dangerous enemies’ eyes. The Jabberwocky poked their heads out of the dust cloud and started to sniff around.

Melida group pressed their backs against the tree trunk as much as they could and held their breaths.

The monsters’ breaths continued to resound awfully vivid.

Why did they know where we are? Melida couldn’t help but think so.

With utmost care, she peeked her face from the tree shade.

Once again she saw with her own eyes in close distance, the hideous figures of the monster……… And even three of them!

As if one of them felt Melida’s gaze, its face jumped up. It breathed in with its nose. Sharp and big, it sniffed the air many times while drawing its neck over here.

Melida immediately withdrew her face and threw away the lantern on her hand to the opposite direction.

After it drew a gentle arc, it rolled on the ground. It seemed cause of the bounce the lid was opened. The nectar scattered and live coals fell out, a fierce flame spread to the bushes.

Right at that moment, the three Jabberwocky let out delight roar.

They strived to gather at the burning bushes and started to indulge in the fire as if it were grass. Taking that chance, Melida group of four flew out from the tree shade. They left the monsters behind and ran.

「Just as I thought!」

Melida who had become lighter only turned back once.

「Since that is their food, they know the scene of nectar!」

Hearing that, the remaining three people immediately squeezed out an amount of light from the lanterns. For the human exploring the night world, they were certainly the most dangerous monster……..Jabberwocky!

They couldn’t let go of the light. In that case it would just be the matter of time before they were found. Somewhere, they had to find somewhere to hide themselves. The three people with the lanterns did their best to look around while running.

And then Elise noticed something.

「Look, a tunnel」

The light on her hand moved from the road, the other three were also influenced and followed.

Cutting off the forest, a sharp cliff was towering. A mountain……was it? Anyway, at its foot, there was a man made gate opened.

At the other side of the gate, there was a gentle way down, it seemed it was connected to a basement.

Obviously, they couldn’t see through the inside.

They arrived just before the door, the four people once again stood still and looked at each other.

Certainly inside the grotto it would be too narrow for the monster that could fly on the sky.

Mule meekly insisted her opinion.

「Although at time like this, I don’t want to go into cram place……」

At that moment, from behind, many loud roars resounded. Unconsciously they turned back.

The monsters which had eaten up the feast still complained about their empty stomachs?

Mule shrugged her shoulders.

「No choice then」

The girl raised the lanterns and dashed inside the grotto. Elise and Salacha killed the light of their own lanterns and continued, at the end Melida carefully stared behind and went pass the door.

When they advanced for ten feet, everything went silent right away………

It seemed it was considerably wide. Rather than calling it a grotto, its aspect was that of an underground cave.

After going down for a while, Mule who was holding the light turned back.

「They aren’t chasing, right?」

As expected they could no longer trace the smell anymore, couldn’t they?…….They couldn’t do nothing but hope so.

Finally Melida’s breath calmed down a little, she could look around now.

「……Why did the ancient people make a grotto like this?」

Suddenly, because the one walking in front, Salacha stopped, Melida almost slammed into her.

The one walking at the head, Mule, raised one hand to hold everyone.

「Be careful. The road is becoming narrow」

The girl raised the lantern and illuminated the vaguely alarmed sight just now.

On the ground there was a large hole. Its depth seemed intimidating……. or rather, the bottom couldn’t be seen. For a test, Melida threw a small pebble at her feet into the hole.

Together with a faint air cutting sound, the pebble was swallowed into the abyss……

The echo couldn’t be heard no matter how long passed.

Mule nodded to brace herself.

「If you slipped it’s the end of the line」

The narrow place that couldn’t be called a bridge stretched out in mid air. There was no handrail. Elise and also Salacha lighted the lanterns, while they carefully illuminated the ground they advanced.

Salacha let Melida grasp her coat as she walked while gliding her feet.

「If we’re attacked by a lyncathrope like this we’ll stand no chance」

Fortunately, there was no presence around them at all though…….

Was this place a tunnel. Or some kind of mine. They only wished that there was an exit up ahead.

After passing through that lone bridge, they all checked each other’s presence and “ho” caught their breaths.

There, it seemed Salacha noticed something.

「There’s a room」

The girl’s lantern illuminated a corner of the wall.

Certainly, there was a rotted wooden door…….. half opened.

Starting from no one, they all carefully approached the door. Though not as brave as Freesia, Melida who didn’t have a lantern took the lead and leaned her body, she peeped inside the room through the gap.

Mule highly brought lantern up to give her light.

As they had guess, there was no one here……….

There was neither living person nor dead ones.

「Is this, a break room?」

Since they had confirmed it to be safe, they opened the door and walked inside the room.

It was impossible to know how much time had pass since the day it was cleaned. The wooden table was rotted so much that it seemed a little force could break it. Salacha turned the lantern around to illuminate the room’s equipment, she muttered quietly.

「It looks like……an office」

In olden time, the people working in this mine had exchanged their opinions here.

Mule spoke a little fast.

「Nee, everybody noticed?」

「What?」

「Kufa-sense and Serge-onii-sama said,『the ancient ruins are all transformed into rock salt』. However, this place wasn’t」

Everyone suddenly turned back at the door.

The wooden door……the wooden table……finally, the bookshelves still made of wood.

On the shelves, the dirty bunch of reports was crammed.

When they pulled them out to see, a great amount of dust immediately fell down. Everyone carefully wiped the mine dust and spread the difficultly taken out parchment.

Something was written with black ink.

「Does it seem readable?」

「Everything deteriorated badly」

It seemed it would break apart by just holding with the fingers. The parts which the ink was blurred were also many.

However, fortunately the words were the same as Flandre’s official language. Mule picked up one piece and put the lantern on the table.

「I can only read some of this.『Day 107 of mining』──looks like a journal」

Everyone pricked their ears at her voice.

Mule read it out loud while trying not to mix emotion as much as possible.

「『On day 107 of mining we have arrived at the《Furthest ends of the rock layer》. Any further the bedrock is too hard to dig. Now we have no choice but to abandon the mine……Just where is the exit of this place. We are now the same as the prisoners. There is no place to go in this shut in world』」

Melida group looked at each other’s faces.

Meekly they stated their opinions.

「This cave is……closed off?」

「But」

Elise pointed at the wall with innocent face.

「The entrance is……not that far though?」

「What does this mean……」

Salacha muttered and stayed quiet.

Mule said「There’s still some more」.

「『Our despair swallowed friends one by one threw themselves into the abyss. There’s no choice, we can’t do nothing but continue digging with the remaining people, However, I noticed something strange. No matter how many of my friends died, the mining team doesn’t shorten by one』……」

Mule gulped loudly.

It couldn’t be helped that her voice was trembling.

「……『I overlooked it. My friend that should have fallen into the abyss came back since who knows when, they lined up in the row of the mining team. However, they were already someone I don’t know. The thing that lost its soul and moved the body was……the《Fear of Death》that had taken over them, if I had to put it that way. Since they didn’t response at the time of roll-call, I could tell them apart』」

──Should we just stop reading around here.

Everyone thought so. However, it seemed there were only few sentences left.

Mule read out in one breath.

「『The roll-call response becomes shorter and shorter by day, at day 107 of mining there was not even once response. Finally, the only remaining human is me. They must have been continuously ushering me. I couldn’t go against them. Because I had fallen in despair long ago』」

Her pink lips trembled.

「『There was no place to run』」

Mule heaved a deep breath and put the report down.

Melida embrace that girl close. Mule’s right and left hand circled around her back.

「Let’s get out」

Melida stroked her back, Elise and Salacha also exchanged looks.

「There’s no point in staying a place like this any longer」

It was at that moment.

From outside the room a strange voice roared. Melida group turned to the door with a jump.

「Wha……What?」

──Freesia had said. There were also those that froze their legs unable to move.

Right now, they could painfully understand that feeling. If they somehow hadn’t entered this small room and just kept walking it would have been great. While that faint regret traversed across her heart, Melida fearfully sidled to the door, she peeked her face at the gap carefully.

Speaking about what she saw………

Alas, this was like a dream! In the vast cave just now, numerous ghost like figures were flying around. Although they looked like human silhouette, their clothes were tattered and everyone was covered in hood, the inside was black, misty and unable to see through.

What are those things?

Lycanthrope?

The worse was that those things seemed to have noticed Melida group’s presences. While they were dancing in the air like whirling vortex, they rushed to the door of the office room from the nearest one.

It had come to this, Melida greatly flung the door open.

「Run!!」

She released golden flame (mana) from her whole body. The mysterious ghosts let out fierce battle cries.

Their voice was so shrill that their heads might be split……….!

Mule, Elise, Salacha, three people held the lanterns and flew out of the office room. To misstep on the narrow bridge, or to be cursed to death by the ghosts──There was no time to think which was better, they line a row and whole heartedly dashed on the bridge.

The mysterious ghosts were like tsunami, while they were covering above the girls they chased after.

「Jabberwocky!?」

Melida denied the question she asked herself. The only resembling thing was the《blackness》.

In that case, being at the end of the row, she glided her feet and bent her body, she gripped the phantom blade placed at her waist.

「《Phantom Sword Second Model……────」

Mana exploded.

「《Wind Fang》!!」

She fiercely swung out her right hand, continuously she swung up the left scabbard gripped in her opposite hand. Sword and scabbard, both were Melida’s imagined product. However, the constricted mana blades as she wished flew out, the first attack swollen with air and grew giant as it crashed into the group of ghosts.

Following it, with a time lag the second attack connected──

From the golden cross radiant exploded, it burst open the tsunami like silhouette. However, it didn’t reach more than one part of the giant group. Immediately the following wave blew their allies’ back off the way and swooped down. We won’t make it like this!

She somehow bought two or three seconds. Melida turned her body at once.

The group of close friends having crossed the bridge stood in speechless.

「What happened!?」

Elise group of three restlessly moved the lanterns about in confusion.

「The way splits……」

「Any way we can escape to! 」

「Yes, but we can’t go that way 」

Salacha pointed at the split road with grim face.

The road was split into three. The left one was a great downhill and seemed much like a cliff. And the right one was the opposite, an uphill, however the road crumbled and broke off here and there. However if they hit a complete dead end, there would be no place to run in the end.

In that case, wasn’t the smooth road from the frontage the safest one?

However, that itself was a trap. That was the reason why Salacha pointed while trembling. Behind the pillars of the smooth road, as if they were trying to hide themselves, the appearing and disappearing figures of the ghosts could be seen. They must have schemed to gulp down their preys the moment they passed.

The steep slope at the left, or the crumbled right, they had to choose one.

……And what if it were also a trap?

Melida determinedly took a step.

To the frontage road.

「……With that small amount, we can break through with brute force. Let’s go!」

Elise, Mule and Salacha nodded in determination, each put strength in their own fist.

“Gou”, three color flames (mana) gushed up.

The white color of Holy Knight (Paladin), the pitch black Demon Knight (Diablos) and the sakura color of the Dragon Knight (Dragoon) ──

Melida let golden sparks scattered from her whole body, she was about to kick off into the front ground.

It was at that moment.

「──Don’t go there!」

Melida stumbled.

Someone held her off just before it. Unconsciously she darted her eyes around.

It was none of the four sisters, an unfamiliar voice.

「Here! Over here! Up the cliff!」

Surely, they could see someone was waving their hand on the uphill in the right road. Furthermore it was not only one. Although it was too dark to see, the slender silhouete were at least four, five people…….

Their voice was innocent.

Melida group of four looked at each other. This was also the ghost’s trap?

However, right after, a resolute voice dropped as if a whip hitting.

「What are you absent minded for!? Quickly!」

Melida group of four dashed as if being pulled. They went toward the right road uphill. As a matter of fact, the group of ghost was already at their back. Furthermore, their ear splitting shrieks echoed. Even the ghosts ambushing at the frontage road came out to attack the caught and injured rabbits.

At the top of the hill, the slender silhouettes turned their bodies one step quicker.

Where are they leading us!? At this rate, rather than rabbits, they were rats in a trap.

In one breathe Melida group finished going up the cliff.

However, on it there was no human’s figures.

As expected, the road crumbled beyond this and there was no way to advance……….

「Where to go now!?」

「Over here!」

The mysterious voice had yet to forsake Melida’s group. They called out from the left side. Over there, a large pillar was standing, the foot had crumbled and opened a small hole.

The inside of the hole became a cave and the owners of the voice were beckoning them.

The crack was just big enough for children to barely crawl in………

Melida pushed her close friends’ backs. The front Salacha, next Elise, followed with Mule and finally Melida withdrew her face into the hole, right at that moment the ghost’ figures crossed their eyes.

They should have been seen.

The swaying golden hair was certainly eye catching………

The ghosts carefully loiter around the descending place where their preys disappeared. They were leaking out painful breaths. As they flew into the hole at most dangerous timing, Melida grasped Mule’s stiffened hand right next to her.

A voice came from their backs.

「It’s all right. Those thing rarely notice this《secret stair》」

It was a voice of a boy. Next, a tottering young girl voice continued.

「Even if they saw it, they pretend they didn’t」

「It’s still fine if I wave my hand like this──」

「Idiot, that’s dangerous so I told you to stop」

The darkness suddenly became lively. Melida group of four calmed down their breaths as much as they could.

The young girl’s voice stopped the children’s chatter with a snap.

「Everyone, don’t lose focus. Let’s go home」

The little shadows were very reasonable. Being told that, they quietly started to move while keeping pace with each other. Since inside this pillar was a spiral stair, they single mindedly continued upward and upward. Although the narrowness only available to children.

Melida group of four from the back of the line had no choice but to follow behind for now.

Naturally Elise, Salacha, Mule, the three were having question marks.

「Just who are these kids……?」

Here was the night world far from the human world (Flandre).

It was the land ruled by Lycanthrope. Although there shouldn’t be any friends here………

Those mysterious children climbed up the narrow stair with familiar footwork, their preceding figures disappeared. As Melida group chased after in a hurry, they noticed there was a door made at the middle of the stair.

They strongly opened the still half opened door.

When they did that, there was the sound of water──

Different from the giant cave just now, the space changed completely into a bright one. And furthermore it was wide. Looking up, around the ceiling there were numerous light tubes, they were raining down blue light like nemesis.

There were a water pond like a pool and a calmly turning water wheel. The clean moisture could was felt. Was this a water supply station…….This equipment was still running.

Finally, it was as Melida group had guessed.

Over there, the human children were standing in wait……. they totaled nine.

Although their figures were dirty, their eyes were full of life.

「Look here, see what I said. It’s our guess-sama!」

「Onee-chan group is so pretty~」

「We led them here you know!」

That was extremely noisy. Their age should be around less than ten years old. The boys and girls were fifty-fifty. Their hair colors and eye colors were also different, and since their face features were also different it didn’t seem they were related.

The group’s oldest kid who appeared to be a little younger than Melida group was a girl.

She was carrying a worn-out rifle on her back……..

Different than the other eight, only the oldest girl glared at Melida group with serious gaze.

Salacha and Mule couldn’t do nothing but dart their eyes around.

「Why, why are you here in such a place……?」

Melida moved her stiffened mouth with difficulty.

「Surely, I think you’re here against your wills」

The three close friends directed their eyes.

The small children naturally stopped their chatters.

To none but only one, the oldest girl who didn’t say anything and still staring at them ──

Melida frowned and stared back, having determined she said.

「You guys are the refugees who couldn’t return to Flandre right」





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