Grimgal of Ashes and Illusion - Volume 9 - Chapter 10

10. Someday, With Honest Feelings

I have some problems with what Haru did, but I don’t think he had any choice in that situation, Merry thought. Or rather, he probably didn’t have any choice... so...

There was probably no helping it. Besides, Merry couldn’t see with her own eyes exactly what the two of them were doing. Haruhiro and Shuro Setora walked side by side in front of her, behind them was the golem Enba, and Merry was bringing up the rear.

Enba wasn’t that tall. He was around 170 centimeters, or thereabouts. However, his arms were bizarrely long. His upper body was muscular, with awfully broad shoulders, and, honestly, he was in the way. She couldn’t see up ahead that well.

Haruhiro had had no choice but to accept the conditions Setora had forced on him. If Merry had been in his position, she’d have made the same choice, no matter how gut-wrenching it felt. She understood. She could accept it.

However, this was hardly the time... That was a feeling she just couldn’t keep from bubbling to the surface. They weren’t doing anything all that substantial, but it was irritating, and downright vexing. Setora had ordered him to act like her lover, or something like that, but what was that about? Did she mean, you know...?

It’s not like it’s any of my business, she told herself firmly.

The fact was, Merry didn’t know. She’d never dated a boy, or a girl for that matter. At least, not since coming to Grimgar. She didn’t remember what had come before, so she couldn’t know about that, but she felt like she’d never been in a serious relationship of that sort.

And when she looked at her personality, even if she’d decided she liked someone, she was likely to have thought it over hard before she decided she wanted to spend the rest of her life with them.

She’d probably get cautious. Just feeling, Hey, he’s kind of nice, wouldn’t make her lose her head. She wouldn’t make a fuss. She’d try to maintain her composure.

Considering all that, she must have been timid when it came to love. That still might not have changed, even now.

“Haru.” Setora called his name in a not particularly syrupy tone.

“Uh, yes, ma’am?” Haruhiro responded. He sounded so distant.

“Did you just call me ma’am?”

“Oh, sorry. ...Yeah. What is it?”

“I just wanted to try calling your name. Is that wrong?”

“It’s not wrong... okay?”

“I see.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s nice,” Setora said.

“Huh? What is?”

“To have someone I can casually address by name so close.”

“Ohh. Erm... I guess it is.” Haruhiro gave a hollow laugh.

Enba might be deliberately acting to create a wall between Merry and the two of them, so that Merry wouldn’t get in their way. It looked like they were just talking like that occasionally as they walked, so she had to question what exactly she was supposed to be getting in the way of, though.

Or could Merry just not see it, and they were actually cheek to cheek, hand in hand, with their arms linked? Or maybe they were engaged in some even more intimate kind of physical contact?

Whatever the case, because of Enba, Merry couldn’t see them from her position in the rear. Still, although she couldn’t say anything for certain, that didn’t seem particularly likely. She could more or less tell that from their conversations.

So, what exactly are the two of them doing?

They were supposed to be lovers? Like that...?

It seemed that was how Setora thought lovers acted when they were together. Haruhiro was going along with it. With doubts, probably. Thinking, This is kind of not what I was expecting. After all, when you said the word “lovers,” you expected something more like...

More like... What exactly?

More clingy, and flirty?

What constituted being flirty, exactly?

Merry wasn’t that knowledgeable about it, so she didn’t know, but whatever it was, they weren’t it. They didn’t feel like lovers at all. Or maybe she’d be surprised to learn that most of the lovers out there were like them? Maybe they were like that in front of others? Even if Merry found herself in that sort of relationship, she’d restrain herself in public places, where people were watching.

Restrain herself from what? Well... From flirting? Though, there was the question of whether she wanted to flirt in the first place. Maybe she didn’t really? Or did she just feel that way because she had no one to do it with, and her mindset would change if she did?

But she was sure she’d never be able to.

She didn’t want it, and didn’t need it.

It wasn’t like Merry hadn’t known about Kuzaku’s affection for her. However, she’d also doubted it, thinking she was being overly self-conscious. Besides, Kuzaku had joined the party after everyone, so he had felt uneasy. Her desire to be kind to a comrade, to be useful to him as someone who had been around longer, had been much stronger.

When he’d confessed to her, she’d thought, I knew it. She’d hoped she was wrong, but Kuzaku had been looking at her that way.

She’d readied herself for it, so she gave him a straight answer.

I can’t, she’d said immediately.

Merry couldn’t think of going out with someone. They had been comrades in the same party up until that point, and comrades they would stay. That was how she wanted it. If possible, she wanted Kuzaku to feel that way, too.

I wasn’t that she disliked him. If she were asked whether she liked or disliked him, well, she liked him. He was tall, and his face was probably not bad, either. He got along with people, though she felt some weakness in him, and he wasn’t selfish or pushy like Ranta, so it was fair to say he was a pretty good guy.

She didn’t dislike him. It might not be wholly impossible for her to love him.

But she wouldn’t.

Because he was Kuzaku.

No, that wasn’t the reason.

She wouldn’t fall in love with anyone.

There would be no romance for her.

It was impossible for her to feel love for others.

Merry had something far more important than that. She had comrades, and she had to protect all their lives. She couldn’t let herself get preoccupied with other things. She didn’t have time to waste on silly things like romance and love. That was just how she was.

Even when it came to the members of her party, she had no intention of forcing her views on them. If one of them fell in love with another, she felt that was just fine.

Not that it seems all that likely in our party.

Even when she was with the other girls, Shihoru and Yume, they hardly ever got talking about the topic. No, not even “hardly”... they never did. It was always about cute things, or tasty food. Thanks to that, she felt incredibly comfy, and it made her like Shihoru and Yume all the more.

There was no rule against romance inside the party, but she thought they might as well put one in place. If they did, Merry could feel even more at ease. She wanted to interact with her comrades as fellow humans. Even if she could be their friend, there was no way she could be someone’s girlfriend or wife. She didn’t even want to consider the possibility that she might end up in a relationship like that.

“By the way, Haru,” Setora said in the same, not particularly familiar, tone.

“Uh, yes—Yeah.”

“How many children do you want?”

“Bwuh...!” Haruhiro sputtered, and Merry coughed strangely, too.

“Hm? What’s the matter, Haru?” Setora asked.

“...No. I-It’s just kind of sudden... Erm, w-we’re lovers, right?”

“Yes. You and I are lovers.”

“...Just until you grow bored of it and say otherwise, though.”

“You may be surprised to find that I never grow bored with it.”

“Huh...?” Haruhiro seemed surprised, but Setora’s conditions had stood out to Merry from the very beginning.

“Until I grow bored of it, and tell you to do otherwise.” It wasn’t impossible to read that as, I’ll eventually grow bored of it, so do your best until then. Had Haruhiro been optimistically assuming that? He had a strangely low opinion of himself, so he might have underestimated this in a variety of ways. He must have figured that Setora had to be doing this on a whim, or by some mistake, and so not only would she just grow tired of him soon, she’d get fed up. That had to be what Haruhiro was expecting.

But you never know, right? Merry thought.

It seemed Setora had been interested in Haruhiro to begin with. She might never grow bored, and decide to keep him as her lover.

Haruhiro would deny that, saying it would never happen, but it was entirely possible. Even if he wasn’t the type that was popular with girls, there was already a precedent set by Mimori of the Tokkis. There were women out there who were into Haruhiro. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise Merry if there were a lot of them.

Haruhiro always looked sleepy, but that meant he wasn’t noisy, and while he didn’t have an imposing presence, that meant he was relaxing to have around. He was considerate of his comrades, had a sense of responsibility, and was patient. That, and he said what needed to be said. He seemed timid, but he could be surprisingly courageous.

He didn’t have any abilities that let him excel, or traits that put him ahead of the pack. Yet he was doing his job as a leader properly, and he never tried to abandon it. Who knew how many crises Haruhiro had gotten them through now?

Even if Haruhiro was betrayed, he couldn’t betray others. He was a leader she could be proud of, one she could trust, and who she could respect as a fellow person. She’d never told him that to his face, though. In fact, she probably should have. Even if she praised Haruhiro, he wouldn’t let it go to his head.

“Ha—” Merry had been about to call out to him, but hurriedly coughed to cover it.

—Why now? Even if I’m going to tell him, now isn’t the time. Obviously. What’s my hurry?

“Hm?” Had Setora stopped? Enba, who was right in front of her, came to a stop, and Merry nearly walked into the back of him. “Did you say something, woman?”

“...Not really.” Merry hung her head, and bit her lip slightly. It felt like she was talking to Enba’s back. Setora had been practically ignoring Merry. Why, despite that, had she responded at a time like this? “I didn’t say anything.”

“I see,” Setora said coldly. “It felt to me as if some ill-mannered person was ignoring me, his lover, and referring to Haru as Haru.”

“I’m free to call Haru whatever I want,” Merry snapped.

“That will not do. We are lovers now, and I will be giving birth to Haru’s child. Naturally, I’ll not be letting any other woman lay a hand on him.”

“Child?!” Haruhiro cried out.

Merry said, “Lay a hand on him, you say?” Then she was hit with a relatively minor dizzy spell.

“Erm, y-y-you’re going to have a child?!” Haruhiro yelped. “So suddenly?!”

“Naturally. Is there anything else for a man and women so besotted with one another to do?”

“I...” Haruhiro seemed to be in a daze. “I don’t know about that...”

“Th-There’s an order to these things!” Merry slipped past Enba to the side and moved up to the front. “Y-You have to do things in order, you know! N-Not just suddenly go and make a b-b-b-baby...”

“An order?” Setora furrowed her brow. “You mean like coming together at night, sucking on each another’s faces, and feeling each other’s bodies all over? It hardly seems like a suitable thing to discuss here.”

“Y-Yeah...” Haruhiro stuttered.

“What do you mean, yeah, Haru?!”

“R-Right?! Sorry...”

“Don’t apologize to that woman, Haru!” Setora shouted. “You are my lover. I’ll not allow you to apologize to anyone but me!”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

No, that’s not something you say “Yes, ma’am” to! Swallowing the words that almost came out of her mouth, Merry pressed down on her chest hard. Even now, Setora’s nyaas were spread out over the area, looking for their comrades. Haruhiro couldn’t push back against Setora. Practically speaking, he had no choice but to do as she said. If Setora ordered something, Haruhiro had no choice but to obey. So, basically...

They’re going to meet up at night?

Suck each other’s faces?

Feel each other’s bodies all over?

And then... do something to make a baby?

“Heh...” Merry laughed. Why had she laughed? Merry didn’t know that herself. It was a mystery.

Was it because this was more sudden than she’d expected? You’re going that far all of a sudden? Wow, you’re really going for it, was one thing she certainly felt. So that’s what you’re going with? Really? Wow.

But are you okay with it, Haru? she wanted to ask, but couldn’t. That was something she couldn’t ask.

There was no being okay with it or not. He had no choice. If they were going to do it, he’d have to do it. He’d have to do it. Yeah, that “it.”

No big deal, though? It didn’t break the rule against romance inside the party, after all? Not that any such rule existed. So, it had nothing to do with her? It was no problem?

Yeah. What was she getting so disconcerted about? There was no real problem here, was there? It was something that not just humans, but all beings that reproduced sexually did. Even if Haruhiro did it with Setora, how could that be a problem? At least, it was no business of Merry’s. If Haruhiro didn’t want it, she felt bad for him, though. But it was for their comrades. Haruhiro was the leader, so he’d have to tolerate it. This was Haruhiro, after all, so he’d get through it and do a great job, she was sure.

He might not be so against the idea, anyway. If she looked at Setora with unbiased eyes, she was a cute woman. That, and she looked like her.

That girl.

Choco.

Maybe he wasn’t entirely against it?

So that’s it. That might have been why Merry laughed.

Haruhiro was keeping up appearances by saying, Oh, woe is me, I’m in a real spot of trouble now, but deep down, he thought this was a perk, and maybe he was glad it’d turned out this way. If she recalled, that idiot Ranta had said something about this before. Men got pent up, apparently. For Merry, this was something about the opposite sex, so she didn’t really understand, but it basically meant they wanted to do that sort of thing, right? Haruhiro was a man, too. If he had a good partner for it, of course he’d want to.

That was fine, she figured. In its own way. If they kept it somewhere she didn’t have to watch, she didn’t mind.

There’d been this annoying, Pigyahh, Pigyahhhh, for a while now, but she’d more or less sorted out her feelings.

Merry sighed. “...So, what is that sound anyway?”

“That is the cry of a wyvern,” Setora said, looking up to the sky and squinting as if it was blindingly bright. “Thousand Valley has an inseparable relationship with fog. However, there will be a few days in every year, up to around ten, when the fog fully clears like this. On those days, they fly in from the Kuaron Mountains to the east. The creatures here aren’t adapted to wyverns, after all. For them, this must be a hunting ground with easy prey lying around.”

“Huh? Hold on, wai—” Haruhiro asked in a panic. “Those wyverns, what are they? What kind of...?”

Pigyahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The cry of that wyvern creature echoed through the area again.

It was different from before. Loud enough that Merry flinched despite herself. Did that mean it was close?

“A sort of dragon,” Setora explained nonchalantly. “They have wings, and can fly like birds. A flying dragon, you could say. They come in many colors and sizes, but blue wyverns are said to be the largest, and the most vicious. They’re completely carnivorous. Whether it be humans or orcs, they’ll eat anything.”

Merry looked up at the sky, despite herself. It was splendidly clear. When she thought about it, it had been a pretty long time since she’d seen such a beautiful blue sky.

No, now’s not the time to get sentimental.

“That’s... dangerous, isn’t it...?” she asked.

“Naturally, it’s not safe.” Setora snorted. “The village is in utter chaos now, I’m sure. On clear days, rather than be able to enjoy the precious sunlight, they’re busy preparing for wyverns. There was a time in the past when the village was attacked by a flock consisting of tens of wyverns. After that, they sent an expedition to the Kuaron Mountains to burn their nest, and there hasn’t been such a major disaster since. However, those creatures build their nests at high altitudes, up steep inclines, so it isn’t possible to exterminate them entirely. When the fog clears, they fly in. They feed until they are full, and when the fog comes back, they return home. Those who live here are forced to accept this as a fact of life.”

“We could...” Haruhiro started to say, then covered his mouth with his hands. “...try to run, but it wouldn’t work. Uh, what then? If it comes, it comes, and there’s nothing we can do?”

“Surely not.” Setora poked Haruhiro in the forehead with her index finger. “There.”

“Ow!” Haruhiro held his forehead. “No, it didn’t hurt, but...”

It seemed like they were having fun. Playing around. That was kind of lover-like, maybe? If it had been at any other time, she’d have been all for them doing it, but the situation was what it was.

“So?” Merry demanded. “You got any way to prepare? You do, right?”

“That’s an awfully self-important tone, woman. If it comes to it, I think I’ll choose to abandon you.”

“Setora, um... Merry’s an important comrade to me,” Haruhiro said hesitantly.

“I don’t know if she’s your comrade or what, but a woman is a woman. She could bear your child. That makes her presence unsightly to me. I see. Could this be jealousy, perhaps?”

“I’m...!” Merry couldn’t help but raise her voice. “Haru’s comrade, not anything more, and not anything less! I’m never going to get pregnant with Haru’s child, and you getting jealous is nothing more than a headache for me, so, please, just stop!”

Once she got all of that out, she snapped back to her senses, and glanced to Haruhiro to see his reaction. Haruhiro was looking down, and he had a strained smile on the corners of his mouth.

“If you’re going to say that much, well...” Setora shrugged. “For all you say to the contrary, I had thought you two were close, or had a relationship that was similar to that. It would seem I was mistaken. Or, perhaps, were you harboring a one-sided affection for her, Haru?”

“...No.” Haru rubbed his belly. “That’s not it, okay? I think of Merry as a comrade, too... She’s a precious comrade, and comrades are important, they really are, so... a comrade’s a comrade, you could say.”

“Hmm. I’m not sure I understand, but I’ve taken measures to prepare for wyverns. My nyaas are watching. That, and this isn’t entirely a bad thing. Wyverns may help us, too.”

One of those nyaas jumped out of a nearby bush. It was a stripped yellow nyaa. The nyaa purred and gestured to communicate something to Setora. When Setora nodded, then shook her head, the nyaa let out a single “nyaa” then vanished again.

It’s frustrating to admit, but they’re cute, Merry thought.

“It seems they’ve found them.” Setora quickly covered her face with the cloth wrapped around her neck. “Or rather, a wyvern found them for us. If they haven’t yet been eaten, I’m sure you’ll be able to see them.”

So that was it.

The wyverns had flown here in search of prey. When the sky was clear, the people of the hidden village, and probably the members of Forgan, too, would be on the lookout for wyverns. But those who didn’t know about wyverns would be unguarded, and make for easy targets.

Setora took off running, and Haruhiro, Enba, and Merry followed. They occasionally heard the voices of nyaas. The nyaas seemed to be guiding Setora.

Where were they running through, and where were they trying to get to? Merry had no idea. They went up and down hills, so it was all she could manage just to keep up.

Occasionally, Haruhiro would turn back to look at Merry. He must have been worried for her as one of his precious comrades. But still, why had she gone and said that? That she would never get pregnant with Haru’s child? The fact was, Merry did think that, but it was too blunt a way of saying it.

It was inappropriate. Setora had incited her. It was Setora’s fault. Setora was in the wrong.

Pigyahhhhhhhhh, that cry echoed.

There was something in the sky. It had wings, but it was no bird. It was probably a wyvern. It was swooping down.

Setora seemed to be heading in that direction. That was where the wyvern’s prey was. It might be Shihoru and the others.

The wyvern they had briefly lost sight of rose into the air once more. It came about, and was it preparing for another attack run?

There was someone up ahead. They were running this way.

“Shihoru!” Haruhiro and Merry both called out in unison.

She wasn’t wearing her hat, and she had an unfamiliar gray coat on, but there was no mistaking her.

She was holding her staff.

It was Shihoru.

She was all right.

Merry ran earnestly forward. The corners of her eyes felt hot.

Thank goodness, she thought. Shihoru. You’re alive.

But who was that with her? His hair was short. He had a buzz cut, and he wore a priest’s outfit. It was an unfamiliar man. Where were Yume and Kuzaku?

Haruhiro shouted, “Tsuga-san!” and sped up, breaking away from Setora.

“Haruhiro-kun!”

“Come along, Shihoru!” Haruhiro caught Shihoru in his arms, then immediately had her get behind him.

What was that supposed to be? Merry thought. It was pretty cool.

“Haru! Don’t hug other women!” Setora shouted.

“Shut up!” Haruhiro shouted back without delay. “Merry, watch Shihoru!” He gave directions, then went further forward.

Tsuga. The Rocks’s priest. Tsuga was a good distance behind Shihoru. Haruhiro must have planned to go assist him.

The wyvern had begun another rapid descent. Its target was probably Tsuga. But Tsuga looked fairly exhausted, dripping with sweat as he ran towards them. He couldn’t afford to look up at the sky. Though, that said, would Haruhiro be able to save him even if he went?

Shihoru was winded, too, and she collapsed into Merry’s chest.

“Merry, thank good...ness. I...”

“I wanted to see you!” Merry was overcome with emotion and hugged Shihoru despite herself. She dragged her into the bushes beside them.

Haru...

The wyvern was closing in from above Tsuga’s head.

Haruhiro lowered his posture, tackled Tsuga, and kept going, pushing him over, forward and to the left, diagonally.

It was a close call.

The wyvern’s hooked claws passed right above them.

But Setora and Enba were in the wyvern’s path.

“Enba!” Setora gave the order, and Enba the golem moved up.

The wyvern stuck its right leg out, grabbing Enba, and pressing him to the ground.

Wasn’t that bad? Was he going to get killed?

When Enba bellowed, “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!” in a loud, frightening voice, it happened.

It must have shocked it. The wyvern let out an ear piercing screech, released Enba, and started beating its wings. It was ascending. No way... was it trying to flee?

“Wyverns hate golems!” Setora rushed over to Enba. “They’re built to have that effect! However, it only stops the wyverns from eating them, not from attacking them! We’re running away!”

“Tsuga-san!” Haruhiro helped Tsuga to his feet. “Can you run?!”

“I’ll run! Because I’m probably going to die if I don’t!”

“Shihoru!” Merry held Shihoru’s hand. “I’m here, so it’s going to be okay now!”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you!”

“Setora, everyone will follow you, so give directions!” Haruhiro commanded.

Setora said, “You’re uppity, for a man!” But she still took off running alongside Enba. “Well, I don’t mind that! I want your seed even more now! So this is love, is it?!”

“S-Seed...?!” Shihoru’s eyes went wide.

“We’ve been through a lot!” Merry shouted. Somehow, she was now over it. It made sense to her, you could say.

I mean, Haru was cool just now. I don’t know about wanting his seed, but I could see how someone might fall in love with him.

Setora was a bit extreme, but she was interested in Haruhiro in her own way, and she was presently in love with him. That wasn’t strange at all.

For me... He’s an important comrade, so I don’t feel that way at all, though.

Setora and Enba led the way. Haruhiro had Tsuga go ahead of him, and Merry watched Shihoru, while frequently looking to the sky to confirm the wyvern’s position. During times like this, Haruhiro could be so focused it was scary. Despite that, his eyes would be even sleepier than usual. His nerves were sharpened to the point they couldn’t get any sharper, and he should have been worn down, but he looked almost aloof. He couldn’t have had much left to work with, but it still felt like he could keep going, and that made her feel like he’d manage things somehow.

Hey, Haru, do you realize? she thought silently. You’ve saved us many times like that. If you look at our power levels individually, or as a group, we may not be first rate or even second rate volunteer soldiers, so why do you think we’ve survived up until today?

More than anyone, more than anything, it was thanks to you, Haru. Do you know that?

You probably don’t. I’ll bet you think it’s thanks to everyone. Thanks to the comrades who kindly follow an unreliable leader and support him.

I can’t help but find you strange. I think it’s because you’re that kind of person. The kind that everyone follows, tries to support, and wants to walk forward with together. Haru...

I don’t need to be at your side. I’m fine with walking behind you, but I want there to be a place for me there. For as long as I live, I’m going to do my job. I’ll fulfill my duty.

Setora seemed to be guiding them down a decent path. It might be fair to say it was a highly appropriate one.

The wyvern was circling overhead, as before. It was following them, not willing to let them get away. It had swooped down several times, but it hadn’t gotten anyone. It was narrow on both sides, or sometimes only on one side, and was often dense with trees. There were many obstacles for the wyvern, and Setora was choosing places with spots the party could take shelter in for their route. That, and the nyaas were probably playing a role or two, as well.

There were a variety of nyaas. No, not just nyaas. Shuro Setora.

If she, the necromancer and nyaa tamer, hadn’t been with them, they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere. Merry probably needed to recognize that fact. She had to be grateful to Setora. Maybe because she was from the hidden village, there were some areas where she lacked common sense. But she wasn’t a bad person. Besides, the only reason Merry was here at all was thanks to Setora.

If Haruhiro thought it was a good idea, Merry would cheer him on if he wanted to make a baby with Setora, or in anything else he wanted to do. Maybe because it had been so sudden, there were some parts of it she was finding hard to accept. That would resolve itself with time, though, she was sure. Soon enough, she’d be able to think that was just how things were. The reason her chest ached was from running.

Honestly, she might be nearing her limit.

No, Merry could still push herself a little more, if she had to. However, Shihoru’s face was all screwed up, and she was panting in a weird way. Tsuga, who was up ahead, looked bad, too. He’d tripped over his feet a number of times, and nearly pitched forward. The only reason he hadn’t fallen was that Haruhiro had helped him each of those times.

“Wyvern incoming! Everyone, to the left!” Haruhiro called.

Eventually, Haruhiro started giving out precise orders. Everyone was thoroughly exhausted, their attention was diffused, and their ability to make decisions was lowered. Haruhiro realized that. If they were just doing as told, Shihoru and Tsuga could still manage somehow. But it wouldn’t be long before even that became difficult.

No more. I’m at my limit. Those words were on the tip of Merry’s tongue. But she couldn’t say them. Haruhiro was doing his usual thing, and putting up a furious struggle. The burden was clearly heaviest on Haruhiro, and he must have had it twice as hard as anyone else. Merry couldn’t say she was done.

“Setora, we can’t run anymore!” he called.

Oh, that’s why. Haruhiro had spoken up for them. He was on top of everyone’s condition, so even if Haruhiro could keep running himself, he would realize they were on the verge of not being able to go any further. No matter what the result, he would make a call, ready to bear all of the responsibility himself. Haruhiro could do that. He certainly wasn’t fine with doing it, and it was obviously a burden, but he didn’t try to set down that burden.

Merry had heard about Manato the priest. Him, and Moguzo. Ranta might have betrayed them all, too.

Even after losing comrades, Haruhiro had been able to remain the leader. Through trials and tribulations, he led the way.

Haru, do you know how incredible that is?

When I think of your pain, my heart could easily be torn in two. Just imagining the loneliness you must feel, my whole body feels like it might freeze.

I want to hold you tight, and to warm you up, but it’s fine, I’m sure you’d rebuff me.

You’d say, “You don’t have to do this. I’m fine. We’re comrades, but we’re only comrades.”

I wish I could embrace you, while we both stay precious, irreplaceable comrades to each other.

“Even if we fight, there’s little hope of winning!” Setora counterargued as she came to a halt. “Even just driving it off! There’s little hope of that, too!”

“We’ll do it!” Haruhiro raised his voice and drew his stiletto. “Enba and I will take it as it comes in! Merry, Tsuga-san, be ready to heal us at any time! Shihoru, spread Dark all over the place! Don’t anyone die! I won’t let you die! We’re going to live!”

“Okay!” Merry and Shihoru responded in unison.

Tsuga was holding his club, but he didn’t seem like he had the strength left to wield it and fight.

When Setora gave the order, “Support Haruhiro!” Enba moved next to him. Merry, Shihoru, and Tsuga rolled into the bushes to the right. What would Setora do?

She was diagonally behind Haruhiro and Enba, her eyes fixed on the wyvern in the sky. That meant she didn’t mean to let the two of them risk themselves alone, it seemed. She was respectable.

The blue wyvern started coming down. Naturally, it wasn’t falling. It was swooping down. But it did feel like it was falling headlong to the ground. It was scary. Merry wanted to scream.

Haru, no! Run! It’s too dangerous!

Naturally, she didn’t do it. Now that it had come to this, she could only watch. She had to trust in him.

Shihoru shouted, “Dark!” and called forth her elemental. Merry opened her eyes as wide as she possibly could, and she stopped breathing.

The wyvern cried Pigyahhhh, strongly batting its wings and turning around.

Its legs. Both of its legs were pointed down. Even so, it was unable to break the inertia of its descent. It was about to not so much land as crash feet first into the ground. Did it mean to crush Haruhiro and Enba beneath it?

Haruhiro, Enba, and Setora jumped to the side to avoid it. The first time, that is.

It didn’t end with just once. The Wyvern trod on the ground with its right foot, then left, and jumped.

Pigyahh, pigyahh, pigyahh, it squawked, dancing around as it beat its wings and jumped.

The vibrations were intense. It was like being right above the epicenter of an earthquake. Were Haruhiro, Enba, and Setora all right? There was a cloud of dust rising, making it hard to see.

“Haru! Haru! Haru!” Merry called out his name repeatedly. She couldn’t help herself.

The wyvern. A blue wyvern. What was that monstrosity?

The fire dragon of Darunggar was clearly in another dimension from it, and it was nothing next to the hydra in the Dusk Realm, either, but it definitely had an intimidating aura that could match a white giant, and an eight-meter class one at that. It was much less tall than one of them, but its wingspan, the width of its wings when spread out, was nothing to make light of.

The wyvern cried Piiiigyahhhhhh, and flapped its wings. Was it going to fly?

She saw a humanoid silhouette in the cloud of dust. Who could it be?

“Go!” Shihoru sent Dark forward. “Spread!”

The human-like, or rather doll-like, form of Dark exploded with a bang. But he didn’t just explode. He was spread out. Dark presented a thick, black mist-like form, and enveloped the wyvern’s head with it. The wyvern ran.

Pigyahh, pigyahh, it squawked, moving its wings up and down furiously and gaining altitude. The misty Dark gave chase. He chased, and—couldn’t keep up, huh. When the wyvern had flown up about three meters, the black mist suddenly grew thinner and vanished. Had it shaken him off?

Or...

“Shihoru?!” Merry hurried to catch her comrade. Shihoru had been about to crumple. She was in no state to be using magic. Despite that, she’d summoned Dark.

What can I do?! Isn’t there anything?!

“Haru!” Merry called.

There was an immediate “Yeah!” in reply.

She couldn’t confirm his location, but Haruhiro was alive.

What should I do right now?!

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

A shimmering ring of light appeared, and it surrounded Merry and Shihoru. The light of Lumiaris would heal those inside the circle. She could maintain the circle to a degree. Because I’m a priest.

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

Two hexagrams of different colors appeared on Shihoru’s left wrist. One of the two also appeared on Merry’s own wrist, and on Tsuga’s wrist because he was nearby. It didn’t reach Haruhiro, Setora, or Enba.

At the very least, she should have put Protection on them in advance. She kept repeating the mistake she’d made when they’d lost Moguzo. It was careless, and she felt like a terrible priest, but— I’m still a priest!

“Shihoru, I’m going to protect you! You use all of the strength you have!”

“Merry...” Shihoru gave her an exhausted smile, and then a firm nod. In that moment, there was a sparkle brighter than the light of Lumiaris. “All right. I’m feeling better thanks to you... so I’m going to go until I collapse!”

Though the light of healing could mend wounds, it couldn’t be counted on to recover a person’s stamina or willpower. Assist boosted all kinds of resistances, so it might give some slight boost in vitality, but it was going to be small. Shihoru must have known that, too. There were few things Merry could do. Very few things, but that still wasn’t nothing. Besides, if she was here, she could at least cover Shihoru if the worst should happen.

My existence isn’t meaningless. I’m going to do everything I can!

“Maybe I’ll try praying to God. Not a big fan of it, though.” Tsuga brought his fingers to his forehead, and made the sign of the hexagram. “O Light, may Lumiaris’s divine protection be upon you. Prayer.”

She’d never seen this one before.

Prayer.

A single beam of light shone down from beyond the heavens to illuminate Tsuga. Some sort of supernatural phenomenon had been brought about by the great power of the God of Light, Lumiaris. It wasn’t clear what would happen. It might be that nothing would happen at all. Or, perhaps, even if something happened, it might not necessarily be observable or recognizable by mere humans?

This was said to be one of the ultimate spells of light magic, on par with Sacrament, but it was said few priests attempted to acquire it. The thing was, it wasn’t just unreliable, its effects were uncertain. If it were just without benefit sometimes, that would be one thing, but it might be harmful.

If Tsuga had consulted her beforehand, Merry would have probably objected. But he’d gone and used it. It was too late. All she could do was pray that nothing terrible happened.

Perhaps Merry’s prayers were granted. Or maybe it was the power of Prayer.

The light shining down on Tsuga vanished, and—that was it. It seemed nothing had happened.

Tsuga clicked his tongue. “...What, that’s it?”

“Tsuga...” Shihoru said distastefully, dropping the honorific.

“Huh? Did you just address me without an honorific again?”

“...You imagined it. That, or your hearing is abysmally bad.”

The dust cloud started to clear, and Merry caught sight of Haruhiro and the others. There were still three of them, like there should be.

“It’s coming!” Haruhiro shouted.

The wyvern.

The wyvern turned in midair. Was it trying to get in position for another dive?

“Dark!” Shihoru summoned the elemental.

Merry wrapped her arms tightly around Shihoru’s back, and gritted her teeth. What good was this going to do? She didn’t want to think about that. For now, she was going to stay at her side.

Piiiiigyahhhhhhhiiiiiyahhhhhhhhh!

The wyvern swung its head around as it shrieked. It folded its wings in a little and dropped down. It seemed to be going strangely slowly, but that was her imagination. It was almost right next to them.

Shihoru let out a gasp. Had she hesitated over whether to send Dark or not? She seemed to have stopped short of it. That said, Shihoru had reached an extreme of exhaustion, and there was no guarantee she could use more magic. That had to be why she was betting on her current Dark. Shihoru was trying to do something decisive. In order to accomplish that, she needed to find the perfect chance. Even with it so close, she could be cautious. That was Shihoru’s strength.

Merry thought something was strange, too. What was strange?

The speed and angle of its descent.

It was only a slight difference, but it wasn’t going at as steep an angle as the descent had been until just now. The wyvern was coming in on a bit of a diagonal. It was probably a little slow, too. This time it didn’t have the power it had before. Even so, Haruhiro and the others could only choose to evade it. There was no other option.

Haruhiro threw himself to the right, and Setora and Enba threw themselves to the left to avoid the wyvern. The wyvern then landed on the ground with enough force to crash—or not. It didn’t put out its legs, either.

It had pulled up suddenly just before the surface.

The wyvern didn’t fly up high, either. It pulled a tight turn, then came down again.

“Whoa!” Merry very nearly clung to Shihoru despite herself, but just managed to hold back.

Steep dive, steep climb, steep dive, steep climb. The wyvern repeated that like it was a pendulum.

Though she compared it to a pendulum, it wasn’t like the wyvern was always flying the same course. It changed course in all directions. Its angle and speed were probably different every time. The dust cloud was incredible, but not as bad as when the wyvern jumped up and flew. She could see, faintly.

Someone tripped after getting out of the way of the wyvern’s charge. Was that Setora?

Enba immediately went to scoop Setora up. In that instant, the wyvern shifted from a steep climb to a steep dive, and it assaulted the two of them. This time, its feet were out. It intended to stomp them.

With an “Nnnnnngh!” Enba threw Setora away, and tried to jump out of the way himself.

It was really close. He didn’t make it.

The wyvern’s right foot grazed Enba’s right arm. That was all it took for Enba’s arm to be torn off, and taken away.

“Ennnnnnnbaaaaaaaaa!” Having positioned herself to fall safely, as soon as Setora got up, she tried to rush over to Enba, but Haruhiro snatched her and pulled her away.

The wyvern started its usual ominous, terrifying dance. It beat its wings and jumped.

Enba was—unaccounted for. What had happened to him? That wasn’t just dangerous to Enba, though; it was a threat to Haruhiro and Setora, too.

“Dark! Here’s everything I have!” Shihoru shouted.

Had Shihoru decided it was no longer time to be looking for an opening? The Dark floating over her shoulder finally launched.

Dark charged towards the wyvern, emitting a noise that made it feel like electricity was running through their eardrums and skin. There would be no second shot. Shihoru had put everything into that Dark. That was why Merry had naturally assumed it would get bigger. Her expectations were betrayed. It was the opposite. Dark gradually contracted. The strange sounds got quieter, too.

Partly because of that, the wyvern didn’t attempt to avoid Dark. It might not even have noticed him. After all, even Merry couldn’t see him. She suspected that Dark had hit the wyvern somewhere around its chest. He had become too small to see before that, so Merry had lost sight of him.

But there was no doubt that Dark had hit the wyvern. If not, the wyvern wouldn’t have spread its wings out, thrown its head back, and its entire body wouldn’t have started shuddering like mad.

It worked.

As Shihoru’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, which lolled to one side, Merry held her tight and let out a silent cheer.

Shihoru! That was amazing. You’re great. It was beyond amazing. I’m can’t believe you could use magic like that.

The wyvern pitched forward. Had that taken it out, maybe?

No.

Pyohhhhhhhhhhhhhh... the wyvern cried as it started beating its wings. It was less like it was trying to fly, and more like it was striking the ground with its wings to try to catch its balance. It might look like it was struggling, but it wasn’t out of strength yet. It was coming.

The wyvern was coming their way, even if it was stumbling as it did.

Where were Haruhiro and Setora? Merry didn’t have time to look for them. Tsuga held his club tight, exhaled, and said, “Take care of that girl for me,” in a whisper.

Shihoru had passed out in Merry’s arms. Merry nodded, crouching down with Shihoru still in her arms.

She picked up Shihoru’s staff. If she had a mage’s staff, maybe she could use it for something. It had to be better than going barehanded.

The wyvern was still unsteady on its feet, but it was definitely closing in. Could it be because of Circlet? If the wyvern had discovered Merry and Shihoru because of the ring of light, and that made it target them, what a way to screw up. It was too late for regrets now, but it was frustrating.

I’m just so...

Suddenly, something heavy came from behind her and fell at her feet with a thud. When she looked, it was a tall man she had definitely not expected to see. What was he doing here?

Kuzaku raised his face. “Ha ha! I found you. Things look crazy bad, but... I’m all fired uuuuup!”

He jumped to his feet.

Wounds. Kuzaku looked injured. He was covered in bruises. Were they being healed by the Circlet? You never knew what was going to work in your favor.

Kuzaku shouted, “Let me borrow that!” and snatched Shihoru’s staff out of Merry’s hands. “Even this is better than nothing! Merry-san, take Shihoru-san and run!”

Merry shook her head. She just wanted to get Shihoru out of here. She’d hide Shihoru somewhere, then be right back. There might still be something she could do with light magic. There ought to be. The ring of light was vanishing. Kuzaku and Tsuga moved up to the front. The wyvern came at them with thunderous steps that made the ground shake.

Even if Kuzaku and Tsuga went at it with all they had, they couldn’t possibly bring that monster to a halt. But they might be able to stall it for a few seconds. They could buy some time. That was probably their intention. Naturally, Merry was going to help, too.

But she never imagined there would be a sudden howl of, Awoooooooooooo echoing through the area, with tens of black wolves rushing at the wyvern at once.

If the wyvern had been in top form, it might not have mattered, but it was still suffering from the punishing blow Dark had dealt it. The black wolves tore into the wyvern’s legs, and tore the edges of its wings.

The wyvern writhed about, swinging its wings to keep the black wolves from getting closer. However, the black wolves were quick and persistent. When it kicked one away, there was another, and when it shook that one off, there was yet another. They came at it from all directions, taking turns attacking it. They were used to attacking as a pack to take down creatures that were much larger than them. They were organized. They had an absolute leader, and they were following that leader’s orders.

“Meoooooooooooooooooow!”

This voice wasn’t a wolf. That was a human’s voice.

On the right side in the direction Merry was facing, there was a gradual rise as the ground got higher. That was where she was. It wasn’t just her. There was a big black wolf, too. That, and the goblin beastmaster, too.

Why were those three together?

Yume puffed up her chest and stuck her fist out. “Yume, and Onsan, and Garon’re here to savage the situation! Meooooooow!”

Yume, you probably mean “salvage” the situation. Also, why are you meowing?

Not that it mattered. It was cute, after all. There was something hot welling up inside her chest. Her vision blurred. Merry held it inside. She wasn’t going to cry. No way. The tears went away in no time.

The wyvern. Someone had grabbed the wyvern by the neck. The wyvern, being a sort of dragon, had its body covered in scales, but on closer inspection, it had hair, too. Someone was clinging to that hair, and not just trying not to get thrown off, he was climbing up.

“Haru!” Merry cried.

What was he thinking? When had he gotten there?

Stop. It’s dangerous! she wanted to shout, but her voice wouldn’t come out.

She knew. Haruhiro wouldn’t stop. Because this was where the fight would be decided. Everything had come together. There might never be another chance like this.

Haruhiro was trying to settle it. In order to break out of this situation, he’d gone all-in on this attempt. He wasn’t desperate. Even when Haruhiro was risking his life, he had a solid plan behind it. There was no stopping him now. So Merry had to believe in him and hope. Watch him. And be sure not to miss it.

Haru will pull through.

Like with a bird, the wyvern’s front legs had developed into wings. It had no arms or hands. That was why it couldn’t throw Haruhiro off very well. Knowing Haruhiro, he’d probably taken that into consideration before he’d gone for it. Once he got to the back of its head, the rest was quick. Haruhiro pounced on the wyvern’s face, then stabbed it in the right eye with his stiletto. He went for three thrusts, then moved on to stab its left eye, too. The wyvern emitted a sky rending shriek and writhed in pain.

Haruhiro waited for the wyvern to swing its head down, then jumped away. Even if he seemed death-crazed, he’d still make the choice to live. Naturally. If he died on them, they’d be in trouble.

The wyvern flapped its wings. Was it going to fly? It was trying to. Its eyes had been put out, so it wasn’t going to be safe, even up in the sky. But it had to be better than the ground, which was swarming with enemies that meant it harm. That must have been what the wyvern decided. Yes. That was good.

“Us, too!” She heard Haruhiro’s voice. “Run for it! While we can!”

“Meow!” Yume cried as she rushed down the slope.

The big black wolf and the goblin didn’t move.

Yume said “Meow bye!” to them, and it looked like she waved.

Kuzaku snatched Shihoru from Merry’s arms and carried her himself. “Let’s go, Merry-san!”

“Right!” If she were being honest, Merry wanted to carry Haruhiro. But Haruhiro wouldn’t want that. The thing Haruhiro had most on his mind right now was his comrades. In order to put their leader’s mind at ease, they ought to withdraw as soon as possible. That was for the best.

The wyvern was taking off, and Haruhiro and Yume were both fine.

Merry took Shihoru’s staff back from Kuzaku, and led the way as they fled.

The rear guard, Tsuga, started laughing.

Merry doubted her eyes. Was this really possible?

It was fog. Suddenly, the fog rolled in.

Who’d have thought? She’d believed there hadn’t been a single supernatural phenomenon. Had she been wrong?

Prayer. Could that be what had brought in the fog?

She had heard that the wyverns flew in from the Kuaron Mountains in the east on clear days. There had apparently been a time when tens of them had attacked the hidden village at once, too. That meant the blue wyvern might not be the only one around. Other wyverns might have come to Thousand Valley in search of prey, and they might still have encountered them.

With the fog out like this, though, that was no longer possible.

Had they gotten lucky? Merry thought otherwise. Luck had played into it, no doubt, but there was definitely more to it. Because they had all done their best and not given up, they had been able to make it to this result.

Because of the fog, visibility was rapidly getting worse. Even when she turned back to look into the sky, she couldn’t even make out the shape of the wyvern.

“Yume!”

“Haru-kun!”

The moment she heard those two call each other’s names behind her, she couldn’t hold it back anymore. Merry kept running, not even bothering to wipe the overflowing tears.

Even when Setora cried, “Haru!” and Haruhiro responded, “Thank goodness you’re okay!” Merry didn’t feel anything but relief. She was able to feel glad from the bottom of her heart that Setora was all right.

If Merry stayed like this, she could get along without hating her. Everyone was precious to her, she loved them, and embarrassing as it was to admit it, she wanted to tell them that honestly. She wanted to tell everyone with a smile on her face. Someday, she’d surely be able to.

That was how she felt.