Grimgal of Ashes and Illusion - Volume 16 - Chapter 17

17. Check and Mate

Haruhiro left the volunteer soldier lodging house by himself to head back to the plaza. He meant to return to his comrades, but before he could get to them, he was discovered and waylaid by Neal.

“Where’d you take off to?”

“Went to take a piss.”

“You took your sweet time.”

“My stomach hurt.”

“You eat something that disagreed with you?”

Neal was being openly snide as he questioned him. Haruhiro frowned, and rubbed his belly.

“Yeah... Pretty much every day, you know?”

“You said it.”

Neal laughed and slapped Haruhiro on the shoulder. He wished the guy wouldn’t touch him so casually. But he could put up with this much. It was easy.

“Anyway, I’m gonna head back.”

“Sure.”

Neal didn’t follow him. No, that wasn’t quite true. Though he didn’t stick close to Haruhiro, he did tail him at a distance. When Haruhiro turned around and looked him in the eye, Neal put his hands up. He wasn’t even trying to hide that he was watching them. Nothing had really changed from before.

Kuzaku and the rest of the group had relocated to the edge of the plaza.

“So, some drunk soldiers tried to mess with Setora-san and Merry-san,” Kuzaku told him, sounding indignant. “I sort of went wild on them. I held back, though, obviously.”

“Scum...” Merry sounded more disheartened than angry, while Setora seemed completely unfazed.

“Well?” she asked their leader.

“Yeah...” Haruhiro looked at each of his comrades. “I want you all to listen to me like you’re hearing the most boring story ever.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Now you’ve got me super interest—ow!” Kuzaku was interrupted by a blow to the jaw from Setora, and pouted unhappily. “...No, I get what he means. Even I’m not that dense. I was just kidding.”

“Talk to us like you’re telling the kind of worthless anti-humor that Kuzaku is prone to spouting, Haruhiro.”

“...Gotcha.”

Haruhiro disclosed the plan with the same cadence Kuzaku would use when telling a joke nobody would laugh at. Merry struggled to hide how it affected her when Yume’s name came up. The rest of the group, however, listened like they would have when someone told an unfunny joke.

“It’s not a matter of do or don’t,” Setora said, with a sigh that said she wanted nothing more to do with the nonsense he had just spewed. “It’s whether we end things here or not.”

“I agree,” Merry nodded.

“Ayup,” Kuzaku said, sounding extra goofy.

Kiichi let out a short, silly meow.

In the distance, they heard men exulting Jin Mogis.

“Jin Mogis!”

“To the Frontier Army!”

“We’re not the Expeditionary Force anymore!”

“Frontier Army! Frontier Army!”

“To Commander Mogis!”

“Mo-gis!”

The drunken soldiers chanted his name.

“Mo-gis!”

“Mo-gis!”

“Mo-gis!”

The voices spread outward like a wave through the whole plaza.

Mogis walked at a relaxed pace, with the Black Cloaks in tow.

Right now, there was only a single Black Cloak near the main gate to Tenboro Tower. He was looking in Mogis’s direction, too.

Neal and the scout who worked under him were watching Haruhiro and the rest of the group, as always.

While pretending to watch Mogis like he was in a daze, Haruhiro thought, They’re in.

Ranta and Yume had infiltrated Tenboro Tower. All according to plan. If there wasn’t an uproar by now, they had managed it without being detected by the Black Cloaks.

Mogis was headed to a table that had been specially prepared for him in front of the main gate. Though, it looked like he didn’t intend to sit there. Was it time for him to withdraw to Tenboro Tower? No, not that either. He stood in front of the gate, and turned to look back at the soldiers.

“Welcome to the frontier.”

His sonorous voice made every soldier fall silent.

Mogis arched his back, and spread his arms wide.

“I invite you all to think of what you stand to gain in this brave new land. Everything. Here, you will have everything you desire. The frontier is yours for the taking.”

“Moooooooooooogis!” one solider shouted.

With that catalyst, the fervor filling the plaza erupted.

“Mogis!”

“King Mogis!”

“Take the throne!”

“Mogis!”

“Long live Jin Mogis!”

“Long live Jin Mogis!”

Mogis nodded once, then turned to go.

He entered Tenboro Tower.

Three of the Black Cloaks who had been with him remained at the main entrance.

“Just one, huh?” Setora whispered.

“Ayup,” Kuzaku agreed with a goofy look on his face, and stretched. “Y’know. I’m feeling mighty tired. We’ve got stuff to do tomorrow, too. Besides, I’m already stuffed. Why don’t we get some shut-eye?”

“He has a point.” Merry looked at Haruhiro. “Why don’t we go back to our room?”

“Yeah.”

The party pushed their way through the excited crowd towards Tenboro Tower. Neal and his scout moved to follow them. They hadn’t lost sight of the group, but the crush of drunken soldiers delayed them a bit.

There were four Black Cloaks at the gate, including the one who had been there the whole time. It was questionable whether they were going to let them through easily.

As might have been expected, the Black Cloaks moved to block their way.

“We’re tired, and we want to go to sleep already,” Haruhiro said, maintaining his calm.

The Black Cloaks looked at one another. Kuzaku licked his lips. Even after having come this far, Haruhiro asked himself, Is this okay?

Yeah, this is okay.

“Here’s the thing about making a decision,” Ranta had lectured him in the lodging house. “Basically, you have to rank your priorities, and then accept you’ll have to give up on everything but the top one. Because, most of the time, you only get to choose one thing. You can’t be saying I want this, and I want that.”

He couldn’t force himself to like Ranta. That had probably been true before Haruhiro lost his memory, too.

“Haruhiro, what’s the most important thing to you right now? What should we do?”

Why should I have to do what you tell me to? Haruhiro couldn’t help but let that feeling get in his way.

“You’re the leader, aren’t you?”

But Ranta said this to Haruhiro:

“If you make a decision, whatever it is, we’ll follow it. So don’t be indecisive. Show us the way. You do that, and we’ll carry you to the destination.”

What the hell, man?

How can you sound so reliable?

You’re Ranta, damn it!

One of the Black Cloaks gestured with his chin. They all cleared the way. That apparently meant, Let them through.

The group entered Tenboro Tower through the main gate and headed for their room. Or, they made it look that way, and instead checked the stairs to the second floor. There were no Black Cloaks.

The ones at the main gate were looking outside.

Haruhiro indicated the stairs with his eyes. The others nodded.

What’s most important? My comrades. Obviously. We’re going to save Shihoru. That’s top priority.

Their relationship with Jin Mogis was complicated, and tied to the interests of the Volunteer Soldier Corps, too. On top of that, regardless of whether or not he deserved the title, Haruhiro was a mentor in the thieves’ guild. He needed to refrain from rash actions. If he thought everything through, he was forced to come to that conclusion.

He was being controlled. Mogis had probably seen through him. He knew Haruhiro couldn’t commit to taking action. He couldn’t make decisions. Mogis saw him as weak and indecisive. And, pathetically enough, he was right. Without Ranta to goad him into action, Haruhiro would have been unable to move, only able to take things as they came.

The group climbed the stairs. There was no turning back now. He had no intention of doing so, either.

When they reached the second floor, the masked man was waiting. Yume was, too.

“...!”

When Merry saw Yume, she covered her mouth with both hands. Yume’s eyes sparkled, and she waved both hands at her.

Haruhiro walked up to the masked man and whispered, “Take that thing off.”

“Eat me. ...We searched that guy’s room, but nothing.”

“Where’s Mogis?”

“He definitely didn’t go up to the third floor.”

“The fireplace room, maybe?”

“Wherever he is, we’ve got to do this fast.”

“Yeah.”

Haruhiro tried to proceed. His legs wouldn’t move. Before Haruhiro could say anything, Ranta voiced his concern for him.

“Security’s loose. Does that bother you?”

“...Well, yeah.”

“If we’re gonna back out, now’s the time.”

“We’re... not going to.”

“Can’t you say that more confidently?”

“Oh, shut up.”

With a grin hidden beneath his mask, Ranta jabbed Haruhiro in the shoulder.

They headed down the silent hall towards the fireplace room. There was no one else around. Whenever Mogis was in the fireplace room, a Black Cloak was posted at the door. There wasn’t one now. Just to be sure, he opened the door, and peered inside. The room was empty, like he’d thought.

That had to mean he was in the great hall.

The door to the great hall was wide open. That wasn’t unusual. The doors were even fitted with a contraption that could be used to keep them from closing. But what did it mean that they were open right now?

“He’s inviting us in,” Setora whispered.

That seemed like a safe assumption.

Mogis had probably expected Haruhiro to make a move. The remaining Black Cloaks would be guarding him, no doubt.

“It’s no big deal,” Ranta suggested. “If we take the king, we win.”

Mogis wasn’t supposed to know about Ranta and Yume. As far as he knew, it was just Haruhiro, Kuzaku, Setora, and Kiichi. Haruhiro exhaled.

“Let’s go.”

“O Light, may Lumiaris’s divine protection be upon you...”

Merry cast two light magic support spells, Protection and Assist, in quick succession.

Kuzaku took point as they barged into the great hall. Haruhiro, Ranta, Yume, Setora, Kiichi, and Merry followed.

Mogis was seated on the raised platform against the far wall, in the chair that resembled a throne. He was flanked by two Black Cloaks on each side. That made four of them in total. Less than expected.

“So you’ve come.” Mogis rose from his seat. The Black Cloaks tried to draw their swords. Mogis, however, would not allow it. He raised a hand to make them stop. He was coming down from the platform alone.

“Give Shihoru-san back...!” Kuzaku put his hand on the hilt of his large katana, then charged straight at Mogis. He looked ready to slice the man in two with the same motion he used to draw it.

Setora, Kiichi, and Merry followed Kuzaku.

Haruhiro used Stealth to approach from the left, while Ranta sprang to the right with moves like some sort of grasshopper. Yume was running after Ranta, taking aim with her bow, an arrow already nocked and ready.

Mogis drew his weapon. The same sword he always carried.

Kuzaku drew his large katana and immediately went for a diagonal slash.

“Hah...!”

“Ngh...!”

Mogis tried to dodge, but must have sensed he wouldn’t be able to get out of the way in time. Gripping his sword with both hands, he blocked Kuzaku’s large katana.

His body sank. Mogis dug in his heels as hard as he could, and managed to stop the large katana somehow, but Kuzaku was stronger.

With a “Yahh!” Mogis kicked Kuzaku in the stomach and forced him back.

“Gwah...!”

Kuzaku only retreated two steps. Mogis immediately took a swing at him, but Kuzaku easily parried it.

“That all you got?!”

“Grr...!”

Mogis used the momentum of the deflection to jump backwards.

Mogis had to have more experience. That made him tenacious. Even if Kuzaku could overwhelm him with sheer strength, Mogis might still hold out somehow. And if Kuzaku showed the slightest opening, he’d go on the counterattack. The moment Kuzaku thought he’d won would actually be the most dangerous.

I don’t know how this battle would play out.

If it were one on one.

But it’s not.

Ranta was already trying to get Mogis. Yume had taken a knee. She could fire at any moment. Though it would depend on the situation, Haruhiro might be able to grapple Mogis, too. Merry would back them up with light magic. Even if Mogis took the unusual tactic of targeting Merry, Setora and Kiichi were there to protect her.

They had him cornered. Jin Mogis had nowhere to run. No hope of turning this around. Why had he stopped the Black Cloaks from approaching?

Even if they intervened, the result wouldn’t be all that different. The Black Cloaks were battle-hardened soldiers, but that was all they were. Even if they all ganged up on Kuzaku, he wouldn’t go down in a hurry. Ranta’s moves were kind of bizarre, but he’d probably toy with them easily. There was something abnormal about Yume’s swiftness and wild, beastly flexibility, too. Then they had Merry and Setora, on top of that. Even Kiichi could find unexpected ways to help. If this turned into a chaotic melee, Haruhiro could creep up behind Mogis and grapple him.

The battle was over before it began. Mogis refused to get the Black Cloaks involved because he knew they wouldn’t be able to save him. He hadn’t anticipated Ranta and Yume’s power. He knew there was no winning this. Maybe if he had to go out, he wanted to look cool doing it.

Yeah, no.

Mogis raised his left hand in front of him.

“Nostarem sangui sacrifici.”

What did he say? Haruhiro didn’t know. The words sounded unfamiliar to his ears. Like some sort of spell.

Mogis had the back of his left hand, not its palm, turned towards Kuzaku.

There was a ring on that index finger. It bore a whitish blue jewel, inlaid with a flower-like pattern.

That ring bothered Haruhiro. He probably hadn’t been wearing it at first. He’d gotten it after joining forces with Hiyo and the master of the Forbidden Tower, hadn’t he? Had he borrowed it? Had he asked for it? Was it a gift? If so, was it just an ordinary ring?

“Ahh...” Haruhiro’s voice escaped unbidden. He felt strange. If his body were to suddenly put on an extra ten or twenty kilos, it might have felt like this. But he felt like something had been taken from him, not given to him. It was a little like those times when he had bled too much. His body was lighter, and yet it felt heavier, more sluggish.

Yes. Something had been taken from Haruhiro. And not just him. From all of them.

Ranta almost tripped, and struggled to regain his footing. Yume hung her head and lowered her bow. Merry looked unsteady on her feet. Kiichi looked like a dog told to lie down, his tail flat on the ground. Kuzaku lost his balance, and fell flat on his backside.

Was it not just the party? The Black Cloaks on either side of the throne were leaning and crouching in strange positions.

It wasn’t fully visible, but there was some sort of slight rippling, like a heat haze, hanging in the air. No, it wasn’t so much hanging as flowing.

The haze was headed towards Jin Mogis. Was it flowing into him?

“Mmm...”

It happened in an instant.

Mogis stepped forward, and raised his sword.

Or to be more precise, the way Haruhiro saw it, Mogis lifted his sword from a low posture, then froze in place.

“Wahh...!”

On the floor, Kuzaku was trying to grab his right arm with his left hand. He couldn’t. Because that right arm had been cut off.

“It’s wonderful,” Mogis whispered in a low voice, stretching his knee and swinging his sword like one would to get the blood off it.

“...!” Kuzaku let out a voiceless scream.

This time, it was his left arm.

Mogis had sent Kuzaku’s left arm flying to join his right.

He was fast. But it went beyond anything that words could describe. There was no way he could be so fast.

“Kuzaku...!” Merry tried to rush to his side. Haruhiro wanted to stop her. He didn’t make it in time.

It was like Mogis moved five or six meters in a single step. It should have been impossible, but that was how it looked.

“No...!” Haruhiro strained to speak. Even when he did, only a tiny voice came out.

Mogis’s sword ran through Merry’s abdomen.

“Guh...!”

What had Merry tried to say?

When Mogis effortlessly pulled his sword free, Merry crumpled to the ground. Mogis smiled.

“Incredible!”

Haruhiro had never seen a smile like this before.

What kind of feelings did it express? He couldn’t imagine. His eyes, his eyebrows, his nostrils, and his mouth were all pulled in different directions, then slackened, so that you could barely call it a smile at all. That was the kind of expression it was.

Mogis leaped. No one should have been able to jump like that. It was unbelievable. But Haruhiro had no choice but to believe.

“Augh...?!”

First, Mogis kicked Ranta. It was too fast for Haruhiro to see it very well, but he’d probably landed the blow in between Ranta’s right shoulder and his neck. The mask slipped from his face, and Ranta didn’t so much fall to the ground as he was driven into it.

Then, in the next instant, Mogis planted a roundhouse kick on Yume.

“Nuh...!”

It looked like Yume tried to block it with her arm. If she hadn’t, it would have hit the side of her face. But, wait, had her arm just broken? It made an awful sound. She was also sent flying and tumbled to the floor.

Haruhiro could only look on in dumb amazement.

Setora, however, could do more. She took a jab at Mogis with her spear.

But Mogis was no longer there.

Mogis snapped the spear in his left hand. That Setora was able to release her spear and fall backwards at that very instant showed how impressive her reflexes were.

“...!”

As she tried to escape to the left or right, of all the things he could have done, Mogis stomped on her chest.

Kiichi let out an incredible yowl and pounced at Mogis.

“Do—”

Had Haruhiro ever been more painfully aware of how powerless his words were?

Don’t do it, was what he’d tried to say. You can’t do that. No, don’t. You absolutely can’t.

Without so much as looking at Kiichi, Mogis easily cut him to pieces.

“Ki—”

Setora’s words were powerless, too, and also cut off.

That was Mogis’s doing. He had shifted his sword to a backhand grip. Then, swinging down vertically, he pierced her throat.

“How many of you?”

Mogis turned to face Haruhiro, his foot still on Setora’s chest.

“How many of you do I have to kill before you’ll swear loyalty to me? If you do so now, it will only have been one measly beast. The loss is minimal. With a priest’s intervention, the others may yet survive. If you refuse—”

“...Raaah! Gwahhh...!”

Kuzaku, who had lost both arms, was still trying to rise. What was he going to do if he stood up? What could he possibly do?

Ranta was convulsing. It was that bad after just one kick?

Yume looked like her arms were broken. Both of them.

“O... Light... may Lumiaris’s... divine protection... be upon you...”

Merry was trying to use Cure on herself. If she didn’t heal her own wounds first, she wouldn’t be able to save her comrades.

But if Mogis felt like it, he could kill Merry at any time.

If he did that, none of them would survive.

Haruhiro felt deeply terrified of the man.

It had to be deliberate.

Haruhiro alone was unharmed. Mogis hadn’t done anything to him. Thanks to that, he felt his comrades’ pain all the more keenly.

Honestly, for Haruhiro, this was far worse than if he had been on the brink of death himself.

“I get it.”

Haruhiro shook his head.

It’s hopeless.

We can’t refuse him.

The only option is to submit.

“I’ll swear loyalty, whatever it takes. ...Don’t kill them. Please, don’t kill anyone.”

Mogis tut-tut-tutted. He was making his disappointment clear.

What more does he want?

Haruhiro got down on his knees, and lowered his head to the ground.

“...I pledge my loyalty. Please, don’t kill my comrades. ...I beg of you.”

“This is the last time.”

Jin Mogis finally lifted his boot from Setora’s chest.

“There will not be another.”