Madan no Ou to Vanadis - Volume 17 - Chapter 1.1

Chapter 1 – Emotions Ablaze

The Boroszló Plain was located in the northeast of Legnica. Snow had started to fall onto this land after the battle had begun. The sun, hidden behind thick clouds, would need another koku to reach its zenith.

The ones fighting were two armies affiliated to the Zhcted Kingdom. One hailed from Leitmeritz and was led by 『Wind Princess of the Silver Flash』 Eleonora Viltaria, and the other was Legnica’s army, following 『Hidden Princess of the Luminous Flame』 Figneria Alshavin. Both forces clashed, brandishing their swords and holding up their spears.

The Black Dragon flags of Zhcted fluttered in the wind as gusts of wind trifled with them. And at the same time, the battle flags of Leitmeritz – a slanting, silver sword on black ground – and Legnica – two blades crossing on yellow ground – did their utmost to not lose out to Zhcted’s flags.

Both sides fielded roughly 4,000 soldiers. While ferociously driving away winter’s chill with angry roars and heated passion, they hacked their axes and bashed their shields at the enemies in front of them. Snow fluttered down, continuing to bury the corpses strewn on the cold soil, as the silent streams of blood were frozen solid.

It was for the sake of their lords that they stood on the battlefield while smeared in blood and mud. Elen and Figneria had understandably advocated their causes to be just when addressing their soldiers. But, it was more than correct to say that only a few soldiers followed them into battle because they believed in some righteousness.

I want to bring victory to my lord, that was the very emotion driving them to fight. And thus both side’s fighting spirits collided, with it not being clear which would take the upper hand in the end.

In the middle of that battlefield a crooked circular space had formed. The two Vanadis and a single knight were in there – Elen, Figneria, and Elen’s adjutant, Lim.

A fierce exchange of blows had unfolded between the two Vanadis as they brandished their draconic tools. Each time the blades clashed, sparks flew off into the vicinity, coloring the snow in rainbow colors. The wind howled, embers whirled about, and a smell of burned atmosphere assailed their noses.

If it had been a normal battle, the supreme commanders of both armies would have never duked it out in a one-on-one like this. But, things were different when it came to a battle between fellow Vanadis. After all, an army would suffer tremendous losses if you left an enemy Vanadis to her own devices. Excluding a very few exceptions, only a Vanadis could directly counter a Vanadis. On top of that, a fateful bond existed between Elen and Figneria: Figneria had slain Vissarion, Elen’s foster father.

All of these reasons became the grounding for this battle between the two.

Elen was 18 years old. Her silver hair, reaching down all the way to her waist, was dirty with mud, and a deep wound gaped on her left flank. The blood flowing out of it dyed the skirt of her blue uniform dark red. She had other cuts and gashes across her body, but the will to fight to the bitter end dwelt in her ruby eyes as she straightly glared at her foe. Like this novel? Then support it by reading it on the translator’s blog.

Figneria was seven years older than Elen. Long, black hair, black eyes filled with serenity, and black clothes with a falcon garment sewed into them. She calmly took on Elen’s glare, which would likely make even brave people flinch, without a single change on her expression.

The third one, Lim, stood several steps away from the other two. She was 21 years old. Her dull, blond hair was bound on the left side of her head, and her tall figure was covered by a blue uniform. She was tightly grasping a longsword, faint nervousness visible in her blue eyes as she looked at Figneria.

It was planned for Lim to take command of Leitmeritz’ army in Elen’s stead during this battle. But, she had entrusted that task to Rurick right before the battle started, and hurried over to Elen’s side. If not for that resolute action of Lim, the battle between the two Vanadis might have ended with Figneria’s victory by now.

After a long rally of blows, Elen and Figneria jumped back to gain some distance from each other. They were examining their opponent’s state while catching some breath.

“We walk together, and win together, huh…?” Figneria mumbled.

Those were the words Elen had used earlier. Her eyes, gleaming with a cold indifference, shifted from Elen, who was in front of her, to Lim. Figneria evaluated Lim’s strength as a warrior to be fairly decent. She wasn’t weak by any means. But, Figneria was certain that Lim was no match for her. She believed that she’d be able to win even if Lim were to challenge her together with Elen.

──No, overestimating myself is a bad idea.

Figneria had also heard stories of warriors dominating their opponents with superb skill just to lose their life because they had the bad luck of a drop of rain blinding them for an instant. She herself had more than once clung to life because of sheer luck. She couldn’t afford to be careless here.

──I’ll steadily take them down, one after the other.

Figneria’s eyes returned to Elen. The small swords in her hands let flames lick across their blades in response to the fighting spirit they had sensed from their owner. 『Twin Blades of Demon Slayer』 Bargren. Its golden and vermilion blades, which possessed the power to manipulate fire, formed Figneria’s draconic tool as a pair.

Elen clad herself in wind with the longsword in her hands. 『Brilliant Fallen Spirit Slayer』 Arifar. Equipped with the power to manipulate wind, it was Elen’s partner.

Elen and Figneria kicked off the ground at the same time. Making their blades ring, the two Vanadis ferociously chopped away at each other from the front. Arifar’s wind whirled up both women’s hair while the flames unleashed by Bargren caused their faces to glow red. Flames and wind raged as they preyed upon each other.

As one exchange of blows followed the next, Figneria noticed that Elen’s way of fighting differed from before. The violent force behind her sword, which was inhabited by the spirit to defeat the enemy even at the expense of her own life, had lessened somewhat. The number of moves, where she tried to lure Figneria, and solid attacks aiming at Figneria’s legs and arms were increasing.

──I thought she might be covering for the wound at her side, but…

It wasn’t like that. Figneria sent a glance at Lim who was visible at the corner of her eyes. Elen had decided her role to be the creation of an opening against Figneria. Despite being a Vanadis, it didn’t change the fact that Figneria was a human made out of blood and flesh. If she was cut down or stabbed, she’d die.

──Certainly, if we’re talking about Lim, she’ll probably come at me without any fear.

She had been able to leap in to save Elen, albeit mounted on a horse, with the resolve to be slain by Figneria. Figneria suspected that Lim wouldn’t falter from a bit of intimidation.

Both Vanadis separated without it being clear who moved first while dodging their opponent’s draconic tool. Figneria pretended to be nonchalant, shifting her position a few steps to the right. Elen readied her sword, and took a step forward. After fixing the hold on her small swords, Figneria confronted Elen. The two kept carefully inching closer to each other, just to start dashing all of a sudden.

In contrast to Figneria who plunged in straight ahead with both her swords at the ready, Elen jumped up high into the air, reaching a place above Figneria’s head thanks to Arifar’s powers. Then she assaulted Figneria from above alongside a yell of fighting spirit.

Figneria calmly released flames in a radial shape from her two blades. Of course she didn’t think that something like this would be capable of repelling her opponent, but it’d do as restraint.

In the next instant, a whirlwind arose between the two, and before the crimson flames could reach Elen, they were torn apart and dispersed by wind blades. Countless embers rained down on Figneria.

While Figneria protected her head with the left arm, she readied the sword in her right to counter Elen who might be swooping down on her. But, she couldn’t see Elen anywhere.

──Behind.

Figneria perceived the slight fluctuations in the wind with her cheeks and ears. She tore the sword in her left diagonally through the air, burning everything in its wake, and at the same time turned around by twisting her body.

A sharp stab by a silver sword point grazed Figneria’s nape, and lightly cut through her left shoulder. If Figneria hadn’t covered her head with her left arm or were a moment slower in her movements, the longsword’s blade might have penetrated the back of her head, and made its way out of her mouth.

The wind stirred faster than Figneria could counterattack, and a shadow passed above her head. Elen landed outside the range of Figneria’s swords.

“That was a good attack.” Figneria praised Elen honestly.

Elen had scattered the flames with a whirlwind, changed her direction in the air within an instant, while making it seem as though she would plunge down just like that, and moved into Figneria’s back. And while dodging Figneria’s flames and slash, she had unleashed one stab, and quickly separated.

“Are you trying to be sarcastic?” Elen spat out while smiling fiendishly.

She used this expression to hide the pain coming from her left side. In her mind, Elen cursed.

──She noticed our aim, huh?

Moments before their clash, Figneria had moved sideways, adjusting her positioning so that all three of them would stand in a straight line. With Lim standing behind Elen, she would have no choice but to go around on the right or left, if she were to try slashing away at Figneria.

Leaving aside if it was someone else, but with Figneria as opponent, Lim would have definitely been dealt with if her attack took so much time. For this reason, Lim remained where she was.

──But her adopting such a measure is proof of her vigilance towards Lim. If we can get her to split her attention between Lim and me, it’ll probably become easier to find an opening as well.

Elen took a deep breath, rallying her spirit. As she drew a gentle arc with her longsword, the wind followed the trajectory.

“──Wind ShadowVuelni.”

Elen’s whole body was engulfed by wind. Her hair floated up, and the hem of her uniform fluttered vehemently. She headed for Figneria by sliding across the ground rather than running normally.

“──Heat HazeAutresque.” Figneria crossed the golden and vermilion blades in front of her chest without moving from the spot.

The flames dancing around the blades heated up the surrounding temperature, and Figneria’s figure became oddly flickery and blurry.

Elen struck a mighty blow of wind at Figneria’s feet while jumping. The soil was gouged out alongside a hard thud, earth and pebbles were sent flying. Watching those, Elen grasped Figneria’s precise location. Brandishing her blade, Elen leaped at Figneria.

But, the black-haired Vanadis warded off the slash with the golden blade on her right.

Without stubbornly pursuing, Elen quickly pulled away, and this time lowered her stance as she assaulted Figneria again while moving as if she was trying to take Figneria’s left side.

Figneria hindered Elen by restraining her with flames released from her swords, but Elen jumped over those flames, closing the distance from above. No sooner than Figneria believed that Elen would slash at her just like that, Elen forcefully threw some dirt in her left hand. It was the mud she had picked up when she had lowered her stance.

Figneria covered her face with her left hand, and while letting the dirt fly past, she jumped widely to the side, evading the slash coming at her immediately following the dirt.

“Just like a little, pesky fly. How annoying.”

“I’d prefer if you at least called me a bee. I do have a stinger with me.”

As Elen retorted with a cynical provocation, she tapped her shoulder with her sword. Her eyes were alertly trying to read Figneria in an attempt to grasp how to attack and what would create an opening.

Suddenly, Figneria dashed forward. She tightly grasped her two swords with her arms outstretched while she approached Elen from the front. Her movements were so fast and nimble that it seemed as though the falcon sewn onto her clothes had come to live. Elen tightened her expression, and met the black-haired Vanadis square from the front.

First the fighting spirits of both fighters clashed, and immediately following, sparks were scattered from three blades. Figneria raised both hands overhead, and fully smashed down the two small swords at Elen. Elen blocked that blow, filled with terrifying bloodlust, by holding Arifar horizontally.

Figneria’s way of fighting qualified to be described as wild onslaught of a beast. She closed the distance more than necessary, and continuously hacked and stabbed away with her swords. It was a reckless style as if not sparing a single thought to defense. She didn’t use her flames at all.

Elen answered in kind, opposing Figneria using only sword techniques and martial arts without relying on her wind. She warded the slashes off with her longsword, repelled them, and twisted her body only in order to avoid a fatal wound, thrusting and cutting back at any opportunity. As blade ringing overlapped blade ringing, her uniform got torn open, and cuts ran down along her arms and legs.

With each instant passing, small wounds kept accumulating on the bodies of both Vanadis.

Elen had grasped that Figneria was likely refraining from using her own flames as she was wary of Elen’s wind. If she unleashed flames at such a close range which then got distorted by wind, it’d block her line of sight. It was also possible that she’d suffer burns. After all, even though the flames would be created by Figneria herself, the power of Elen’s would fan the fire.

──But, what’s her aim? Does she plan to prevent Lim from taking action?

With both Vanadis in such close combat, Lim wouldn’t be able to attack Figneria, even if a chance presented itself. She’d fear to hit Elen by mistake, and Figneria and Elen might switch places in this volatile exchange of attacks and defenses.

“Do you remember the ironclad rule of the battlefield?” Figneria hissed while pushing out her two swords with all her might.

As she blocked the two blades, Elen looked into Figneria’s face with a puzzled expression.

The black-clothed warrior, who was once called Fine of the Rebellion, continued, “You first kill the weaker enemy.”

At the same time as she finished speaking, Figneria withdrew her swords, and leaped backwards. Elen immediately swung her sword sideways while almost losing her balance, but the blade only cut empty air.

And Figneria, who had distanced herself from Elen, started to run towards Lim with her black clothes fluttering. Elen widened her eyes, and became pale as all blood drained from her face.

The reason why Figneria had been determinedly attacking Elen was to hide her true objective. There was no way that someone who wasn’t a Vanadis could honestly fight and win against a Vanadis. Even if Lim were able to block one or two slashes, she’d be helpless against the flames.

“Lim!” Just as she screamed, Elen clad herself in wind and started to run.

Being hot on Figneria’s heels with an astonishing speed, she raised Arifar overhead. It was exactly at this moment that Figneria stopped running by powerfully planting her feet against the ground, and turned around in Elen’s direction. Her eyes were those of a huntress who saw how her prey got caught in her trap.

Elen struck her sword down, but Figneria repelled that blow with the sword in her left, and while tilting her body, she vigorously swung her leg upwards, delivering a kick against Elen.

Elen attempted to dodge Figneria’s kick by twisting her body, but as the momentum of her pursuit was too big, it was impossible for her to completely evade it. The tip of Figneria’s boot grazed the wound at Elen’s left flank. Elen groaned in pain, and lost her balance.

“──Piercing Fire Lance ColumnPlamoak.”

Figneria swung the sword in her right upwards, all the way from below. The golden blade released a gleam, and several pillars of fire viciously burst out of the ground, enveloping Elen’s body.

“Eleonora-sama!” Lim raised a heartbreaking scream.

However, as soon as she tried to run over, she was glared down by Figneria, causing her feet to stop. She felt very nervous when thinking about Elen’s situation, but it was obvious that she’d merely get herself killed if she jumped in without a plan. She had to come up with some kind of tactic.

When the pillars vanished, Elen fell to the ground, face-up. Her body was riddled with burns all over. Her not having suffered any fatal wounds despite getting burned across her whole body was probably owed to Arifar having protected her with its wind. Elen hadn’t let go of her sword, but while gasping painfully, her eyes hollowly stared up into the sky in a daze. Her body screamed at her, and especially the wound on her left side was a gnawing tumor of pain.

Elen had lost all willpower and stamina to get up.

“The part about the weaker enemy was about you.”

Elen could hear Figneria’s cold voice from far away. From the very start, Figneria had always targeted Elen. By making Elen believe that she was aiming for Lim, she robbed Elen of her calm, and fully lured her in. And Elen had completely fallen for this.

──I lost.

She had been crushingly and thoroughly defeated, as a warrior and as a Vanadis. A voice was scolding her in a corner of her mind. Asking her whether she’d abandon the soldiers believing in her. Asking her whether she’d let her best friend, who went through thick and thin with her, die just like that. Asking whether her words from before were all just big talk. Asking whether it wasn’t her who had spoken about walking together and winning together. Asking whether it’d be fine with her to sadden her lover and comrade-in-arms who was currently not here. Asking whether it was okay to let her dream end in a place like this. And asking what kind of face she wanted to show to those who had passed on first.

I know, she answered to that voice. But, there’s no strength left in my body anymore.

The voice further argued, asking whether she didn’t want to get her revenge anymore.

A blurry figure of her foster father surfaced in her mind. Vissarion – the leader of the mercenary band 『Silver Gale Mercenaries』 and the man who had picked her up and raised her. Five years ago he lost his life on the battlefield after getting cut down by Figneria.

──Sorry, Vissarion.

The nation building would come to an end here. She didn’t manage to fulfill her foster father’s dream. She didn’t manage to avenge him either. Still, no matter how trifling, she wanted to tell him something that would delight him.

──No…

Elen remembered. There should have been something. Something Vissarion desired for himself. She felt pathetic for not being able to even remember something so important.

She wondered what her last conversation with Vissarion was about. Even though Elen knew that it never took place, her thinking couldn’t move on from there.

The battlefield on that day was rowdy from the very beginning since there was vigor in the enemy forces. They didn’t have the spare time to exchange more words than necessary. Given that it was a lost battle, Vissarion was busy to his bitter end while commanding the 『Silver Gale Mercenaries』. It was the same even at the time when he was cut down during the battle against Figneria. After she had left, Elen and Lim had lifted Vissarion up in their arms as he still lay on the ground, but he was already dead at that time.

The sight of that time revived in Elen’s head. Figneria, who had turned on them and was leaving, was tightly gripping dazzling flames in her hands for some reason.

──Bargren. Why did you choose Figneria after Sasha?

She one-sidedly complained towards a draconic tool that wasn’t her partner in the first place.

Sasha – Alexandra Alshavin – was Elen’s close friend and the previous Hidden Princess of the Luminous Flame who lost her life to illness. Her black eyes that harbored gentleness and power, and her ephemeral smile; Elen still could vividly recall both. Elen had been entrusted by Sasha with the dream she had secretly embraced.

The voice asked whether she really couldn’t stand up any longer. It appealed that she had likely not given her all yet.

Sasha and Vissarion stood next to each other, staring her way, in the depths of her mind. Both showed gentle smiles filled with deep trust.

At that moment, footsteps approached, suddenly pulling Elen back to reality.

——————— End of Part 1 ———————