When Tigre finally spotted something looking like Zagan in the far distance, the sun was already approaching the western horizon. A few days had already passed since he’d left the village of David and the others.
Standing atop a hill thinly dotted with patches of grass, he quietly observed his destination that lay three or four belsta ahead. This area had nothing you could call the remains of a town except for Zagan. So he doubted that he was wrong.
──That’s Zagan. Ganelon is over there…
Tigre tightly grasped the Black Bow affixed to his saddle. He pulled the bowstring several times, carefully listening to its trembling by straining his ears.
It’s alright. It’ll be able to shoot many arrows.
He shifted his eyes to his quiver. It contained 22 arrows. The condition of the arrow feathers would pose no problem either. He had checked them many times over while traveling all the way up to this place.
They might not be sufficient when taking on that man. No, isn’t it the opposite? Will I actually have the leeway to shoot my arrows until I run out? Won’t it spell my loss if I don’t take him down with my first shot?
Shaking his head, Tigre wiped away the idle thoughts gnawing at him. He knew that it’d be pointless to now think about this.
I’m going to give it my all to protect those dear to me. That’s all I can do.
While gazing at the town rising in the distance, Tigre spurred his horse on.
◆◇◆
When he arrived, he could see that the town had apparently fallen into ruin a long time ago. The wall surrounding the town had crumbled away at many places, unable to perform its duty by now. The gate couldn’t be found anywhere, probably having been completely destroyed or looted.
Not being able to sense even the faintest presence of life like rats or insects crept out Tigre.
Getting off his horse, he stepped inside the town. What spread out in front of him was a townscape as decayed as the wall surrounding it. He didn’t have the slightest idea just how many centuries ago this place might have functioned as a town. The stone paving, which probably had covered the entire ground in the past, had come off, only allowing him to guess its existence through the traces left behind.
“──Ganelon!” Tigre shouted at the top of his lungs towards empty space. “I’ve come just as you desired! Show yourself!”
There was no verbal reply. Instead, black fog suddenly gushed out of the ground several dozen steps ahead of Tigre. Swaying despite the absence of wind, it adopted the shape of a human. The fog started to move as if to guide Tigre.
The youth grimaced lightly, but followed it silently. While walking, he let his eyes wander to the left and right. All he could see were rubble and ruins laying atop each other without any apparent order. He could only tell that those must have been buildings in the past. The debris was black or gray after having lost its colors, and the designs, which possibly adorned walls in the past, were now faded and partly gone.
Tigre felt that something was out of place, and immediately identified the cause for it. With the townscape having decayed to such an extent, weeds and other plants should have grown all over the place, and yet he couldn’t find anything resembling vegetation. As if all living beings, no matter what kind they might be, were being rejected by this place.
The black fog disappeared into a temple-like building located in the town’s center. The temple itself had lost its roof, and many cracks ran through its stone walls and pillars.
Tigre readjusted his hold of the Black Bow, and stepped into the temple ruin.
Its interior was darker than he’d expected. After heading down a straight corridor, he soon came out in an open space. A single man stood there, looking down at Tigre from a somewhat elevated location.
Even as he stopped and readied his bow, Tigre couldn’t help but to ask, “Are you Ganelon…?”
The Ganelon reflected in Tigre’s eyes could as well be described as grotesque being going well beyond abnormal. His small build and facial features certainly agreed with what Tigre remembered of the man. However, his skin was so pale that Tigre felt like he was looking at a corpse, and green specks were scattered across Ganelon’s cheeks and jaw. His thinly-opened eyes were as crimson as blood.
He wore a jet black robe looking as if the blackness had been cut out of darkness and woven into the fabric. The hands extending out of the sleeves were so thin that anyone would consider them to be bones-only. Tigre suspected that the something appearing like black fog that swirled around him had to be miasma.
“The last time we met was at Brune’s royal palace. It pleases me to see you healthy.” Ganelon spread his arms as if to welcome Tigre.
On the other hand, the youth nocked an arrow on his Black Bow.
“For what reason did you call me to a place like this?”
“Spare me with boring questions you can very likely answer yourself.” Ganelon calmly let his gaze wander across the temple’s interior. “In the past Tir Na Fal descended upon this temple. ──Let me just ask in case, but you know what kind of goddess Tir Na Fal is, don’t you?”
“I suppose you mean her being a goddess who combines three goddesses into one.”
Ganelon nodded in satisfaction at Tigre’s reply.
“Indeed. The goddesses were extremely devoted to their believers. The human Tir Na Fal to the humans, and the demonic Tir Na Fal to the demons. They were truly annoying.” Ganelon’s voice was filled with unrestrained anger.
Tigre narrowed his eyes inquisitively.
Going by the way he’s talking about them he seems to be awfully well-informed. Where did this man learn of what we only managed to find out after tediously investigating the documents in the royal palaces of Brune and Zhcted.
Pushing that question back into the deepest part of his mind, Tigre asked something that interested him much more, “Haven’t you joined up with the demons in an attempt to allow the Tir Na Fal, who cooperates with them, to descend upon the surface? For the sake of remodeling this world, that is.”
Ganelon’s eyes faintly opened beneath his hood, and a deep laughter escaped his lips, “You’re half-right, I guess. I cooperated with them to allow the demonic Tir Na Fal to descend. However, my goal has never been to remake the world. Though I wouldn’t particularly mind if monsters, fairies, and apparitions were to roam the lands either.”
“…What is your objective then?”
“To obtain the goddess’s power.” Ganelon raised his hands high into the air, like a priest who was offering a prayer to his god. “Don’t you think that it’d make anyone’s heart throb, even if it’s terrifying? Becoming capable of doing what no human would ever be able to pull off. For example, yes, being able to resurrect the dead.”
Tigre stopped moving upon Ganelon’s words. Ganelon smiled as he didn’t miss the faint trace of agitation revealing itself on the youth’s face.
“You lost your father and mother to illness, didn’t you? In addition you’ve been running from one battlefield to another, despite your young age. I’m sure you must have people you’d want to resurrect. So, what if that would become possible once Tir Na Fal descended?”
Tigre was unable to answer back right away. The faces of his parents crossed his mind as he recalled the time when both died. His mother lost her life to illness when Tigre was still little, and his father followed her four years ago, likewise to illness.
When his mother died, he didn’t understand what was going on. It was only after he grew up that he fully realized her death. It was similar when his father died. He couldn’t come to terms with that reality right away. He was only able to face that fact while being supported by Bertrand, Mashas, and Titta. Even while stumbling here and there, he managed to to move forward as Alsace’s lord. Bertrand lost his life when he saved Tigre in Saint-Groel.
It wasn’t just his parents and Bertrand either. The people of Alsace he couldn’t save from rampant diseases and disasters. The soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefields while following his orders.
Being able to revive all of them was a sweet temptation that excelled anything else.
“──No.”
But Tigre rejected Ganelon’s words while gritting his teeth.
“I shed tears for them, buried them, and prayed to the gods to let their souls rest in peace. I’m not the only one to have done that either. Everyone…everyone has done the same.”
He’d mourned Bertrand’s death together with Titta. He’d seen faint gloom cross the faces of Augre and Mashas when they were talking about his father. Tigre clearly remembered Elen’s profile when she talked about Sasha and Vissarion. The eyes of Lim, Mila, Sofy, Liza, and Olga were also blurred by complicated feelings of sadness and loneliness whenever they talked about dear people who had passed away. The faces of his people when their friends and family of the same village or town had died had burned themselves into a part of his mind. Rurick, Aram, and the soldiers of Leitmeritz would mourn for the souls of the dead while drinking together. Even though Valentina pretended to be calm as commander, she also wasn’t indifferent towards the casualties and wounded of her own army. Tigre was sure that the same had to apply to the enemy generals he had fought and defeated so far.
I’m sure all of them have seen a lot of death, and they must have also seen those mourning those deaths.
“There exists a plethora of people I’d love to resurrect. So many that I couldn’t even begin to count them. But, despite that, I can’t go along with your proposal.”
“Why…?”
“Because of my obstinacy.” Tigre bluntly and curtly declared.
Would I be face my fief’s population after reviving them at the cost of making many people suffer by throwing the world into chaos thanks to letting the goddess descend? It’d give them the fear that they’d eventually die again.
Would I be able to look into the eyes of those who have come to terms with the deaths of their loved ones even while grieving and mourning? Would I be able to forsake my own self who accepted the deaths of many so far?
“I’m certain the dead must be yearning to come back to life if only they had the opportunity to do so.”
“Don’t belittle the feelings of those who died.”
Ganelon’s expression warped slightly upon Tigre’s rebuttal.
“I’m the lord of Alsace.”
Tigre’s words were unexpected for Ganelon. With fighting spirit dwelling in his black eyes, the youth directly stared at Ganelon as he continued his words. Even if Tigrevurmud Vorn might have been the commander of the allied forces or a patriotic hero devoted to his country, he was first and foremost the noble lord of his birthplace.
“It is my duty to protect the people living in Alsace. That doesn’t include reviving the dead.”
“…What a noble stance.” Ganelon muttered with a serious expression, erasing his smile.
The bizarre aura released from his small build gained in intensity, causing Tigre to swallow his breath. Even when facing the demons, he’d never felt such a mighty pressure.
“But, I want to obtain the power of Tir Na Fal. For that sake, I must allow Tir Na Fal to descend into your body.” Ganelon moved his right hand, pointing at the Black Bow, “That bow is the proof. The one mastering it can become the goddess’s vessel.”
The flow of miasma circling around Ganelon sped up drastically.
“I guess I should test your current strength before beginning the ceremony. Assuming you have a frail body that cannot endure the goddess’s advent, I must adjust the procedure a bit. Don’t disappoint me by saying something along the lines that I wouldn’t have all these troubles if I had killed you at Brune’s royal palace or Saint-Groel.”
“Saint-Groel?” Tigre furrowed his eyebrows.
He could understand Ganelon mentioning Brune’s royal palace. After all, it was the place where Tigre fought Ganelon for the first time. But, he couldn’t tell the meaning behind bringing up Saint-Groel here.
Ganelon answered without a care, “It was two years ago, I think. Back when you stepped into that place, the ceiling collapsed, didn’t it?”
Don’t tell me…, Tigre gasped. Thinking back on it now, Elen had some doubts about the whole incident, but is he saying that it was no accident?
“It was you…?”
Bertrand’s face surfaced in Tigre’s mind as Ganelon replied, “I had a hand in it. Back then, I didn’t care whether you died or not…”
Ganelon’s answer was interrupted at that point. Tigre had unleashed a remarkably powerful blow. Without even trying to block it, Ganelon dodged by swiftly tilting his body. Next he kicked off the ground, and closed the distance between them in a breath thanks to his terrifying jumping power, swooping down on Tigre from above.
However, Tigre had already nocked the next arrow into his Black Bow. Drawing the bowstring back to its limit, he poured a miniscule amount of 『Power』 into the arrowhead before releasing the arrow.
Ganelon swiped the arrow away with a wave of his arm, and swung down a hand strike, aiming for Tigre’s head, while nosediving.
Tigre avoided the dreadful attack by rolling across the ground, taking some distance from Ganelon. As he raised his body, Tigre had already drawn the next arrow, and placed it on the bowstring. But, maybe because he was hurrying too much, the arrow flew off almost right overhead.
Although Ganelon started to move in order to not miss the opening shown by Tigre, he stopped himself after half a step. At the same time, Tigre shot a second arrow at him. Ganelon grasped the arrow, which had been flying straight for his eye, with his bare hand, and crushed it.
Tigre glared at Ganelon while letting his rage freely burn within his eyes, but having seen the spectacle just now, he instructed himself to calm down. Just now he had found his reason why he’d never be able to forgive this man, but he was no opponent he would be able to beat by allowing his anger to dominate his actions.
Ganelon lifted both corners of his mouth into a cheerful smile.
“That was quite the interesting trick. Let’s see. I guess I’ll show you one of my tricks.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a tongue extended from Ganelon’s mouth. It rose up to around 20 chet, just to pulverize the arrow that came flying down, targeting the crown of his head.
Tigre stared at Ganelon with shock written all over his face, unable to speak up. Showing an opening by making Ganelon believe that he’d misfired the first arrow, he’d fired his second arrow. Just as the opponent would be preoccupied with the second shot, the first shot would be coming back down. But, Ganelon had completely seen through Tigre’s aim.
The shock suffered by the youth wasn’t limited to that either. The oddly extended tongue of Ganelon had reminded him of the frog demon Vodyanoy. As if having read Tigre’s mind, Ganelon revealed scorn on his face.
“I think you’ve realized by now, but I’ve devoured Vodyanoy.”
Come to think of it, Valentina had mentioned something like that.
Shudders and fear assailed Tigre all over his body. He realized once more that this man was far more atrocious than the demons he had fought so far. With a sheen of sweat covering his forehead, his breathing was about to become irregular. Gritting his teeth, Tigre glared at Ganelon.
“This is something you’ve seen before, isn’t it?”
A fireball with the size of a human head manifested in Ganelon’s right hand. It was a spell of Witch Baba Yaga. The cluster of crimson flames flew straight at Tigre whose eyes had widened.
Without a moment’s delay, Tigre poured 『Power』 into an arrow and released it. The fireball, which had been approaching right in front of the youth, scattered with a thunderous roar after getting hit by the arrow. Countless sparks danced through the air, and a blast and heat wave struck Tigre’s face. And then a small figure attacked him from within the violently blowing blast – Ganelon. He had used the fireball as a smoke screen.
However, in the next instant, Ganelon’s body was blown away into the air, accompanied by a powerful impact that caused the atmosphere to tremble. Tigre had shot an arrow at Ganelon, but instead of cladding the arrow in 『Power』, he had created an arrow out of 『Power』.
Ganelon’s small body fell to the ground with him facing upwards. Tigre panted heavily, not even having the leeway to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Creating an arrow out of nothing but 『Power』 consumed a lot more stamina than adding 『Power』 to an arrowhead.
──But I was able to hit him from the front.
While striving to put his breathing in order, Tigre reached for his quiver, and drew out a new arrow. His expression was as stiff as a rock.
While dusting off his robe, Ganelon had stood up as if he’d never been hit by the previous attack. His hood had come off, revealing his bald head.
“You have my admiration for the attack just now. Not only did you see through my aim, but even firing arrows with only a small amount of power up until now was all for the sake of not letting me notice this, wasn’t it?” Ganelon pointed with a finger at his chest.
A big hole was remaining there after him getting hit by Tigre’s arrow. Something eerie with a darkish red color was squirming within that hole. Tigre felt like throwing up, but he somehow managed to push the urge back with his fighting spirit.
“I guess being able to wound me means that you can also serve as a vessel for the goddess.”
Tigre felt relieved that a certain extent of composure still remained within him while being insulted so terribly. Not to mention his chances for victory being slim, even him not losing was on the verge of hopelessness, but he couldn’t afford to give up.
Ganelon revealed a faint smile, “Even if I fail at adjusting my power, resulting in your arm being torn off, it doesn’t matter. After all, I can simply stick a new arm on you.”
Tigre frowned at Ganelon’s comment.
“It might be faster for me to show you what I mean.”
As soon as the last word left his mouth, Ganelon’s left eye began to transform. The eyeball swelled up greatly, poking out of its socket as if being pushed out from within. Five protrusions came into existence on its surface, stretching out like feelers. Those were fingers. They had wrinkles at their joints, and were equipped with nails at their tips.
While Tigre was watching with a bated breath, Ganelon’s eyeball continued changing into the shape of a left arm. Confronted with the strange spectacle of an arm growing out of an eyeball, Tigre had become speechless.
As if playing the fool, Ganelon showed the palm of his new left arm with a “Baah!” An eye was visible in the center of that palm.
“This is just a little sideshow.” With those words, Ganelon grabbed the left arm which used to be his left eye, carelessly pulled it out, and tossed it on the ground.
The empty eye socket was immediately closed up by a new eyeball which had been pushed out from within the hole. While adjusting the positioning of the eyeball by tampering with the outer corner of his left eye, Ganelon continued to speak, “A part of my body has become demonic. It’s easy for me to create an arm or leg out of a thumb-sized piece of flesh. Those new limbs are a lot sturdier than those of humans. Having said that, your body is quite superb. There’d be nothing better than it being capable of housing the goddess without me having to fiddle around with it in any way. ──Hmm, I suppose I’ll check it out a bit more.”
Ganelon held up his right hand high into the air. Its wrist was torn up by something from within – a blade with the radiance of steel. A greatsword was in the process of appearing by pushing its way out from within Ganelon’s thin arm.
Ganelon mocked Tigre who was lost for words in light of this abnormal scenery.
“You really don’t need to get surprised by something of this level this late in the game, do you?”
However, when Tigre realized the true identity of the sword that had appeared from within Ganelon’s body, he was assailed by a new pang of surprise. That sword with its guard and hilt being adorned by golden ornaments was doubtlessly Brune’s treasured sword Durandal.
“Why do you have Durandal…!?”
Talking up to this point, Tigre swallowed the rest. It was unnecessary to even think about it. It simply meant Ganelon had stolen it.
“I needed it for a little something, so I borrowed it for a bit.” Ganelon grabbed the sword, which was as big as he was tall, with just his right hand, and raised it overhead.
Tigre immediately fired an arrow with 『Power』, but Ganelon easily crushed it with a single swing of Durandal. Shivers wrapped up Tigre. He fully knew the dreadful power possessed by the Sword of Invincibility. This sword had even endured an attack combining the Black Bow’s 『Power』 with the powers of Sofy and Elen’s draconic tools. He knew that he wouldn’t be even able to scratch the blade’s surface with a half-assed attack.
Kicking off the floor, Ganelon approached Tigre. The youth barely managed to evade the ridiculously fast flash coming at him from above. A red line ran across his forehead, and several strands of his hair fluttered through the air.
──This is bad.
A single streak of sweat ran down from his forehead, along his cheek. Ganelon’s range had tremendously widened by him holding Durandal. At this rate he’d really lose at least one arm or leg. Just imagining the idea of having demon flesh implanted caused a chill to travel down his spine.
──But, assuming I focus my mind and shoot a powerful arrow, I don’t know whether it’ll reach him.
Just penetrating Durandal’s tough defense required a substantial amount of 『Power』. Ganelon was ultimately trying to test Tigre. If he judged the youth to be unmanageable, he’d likely blow away Tigre’s arm without mercy.
“Being aware of his own, disadvantageous position, and yet not losing his fighting spirit, huh?” Ganelon mumbled.
Despite it being his impression after having watched Tigre, his voice carried a tone as if he was addressing some distant place. But, Ganelon immediately scowled at Tigre, revealing a fiendish smile.
“It’d be troublesome if you were to put up a resistance during the goddess’s advent. I guess I should cut off an arm just in case.”
Ganelon charged at Tigre, shouldering Durandal. Tigre shot an arrow, but Ganelon blocked it by using Durandal as a shield without speeding down. With a screech, the arrow snapped and fell to the ground.
Tigre perceived that he wouldn’t be able to ward off Ganelon’s blow any longer. Staring at the half-man-half-demon, he fetched a new arrow. He intended to deliver a blow against his foe from close distance, even if it’d cost him an arm.
“──Wing Flight TrinityTrikrilo.”
The dispassionate voice of a girl reached Tigre’s ears, followed by the sound of the wind being loudly torn apart. Ganelon stopped.
Raising a short yell, he repelled the huge something, which had been flying at him, with Durandal. A metallic clank, so loud that it hurt Tigre’s ears, reverberated, and the something that had assailed Ganelon flew off while drawing an irregular arc. And then settled down in the hand of a girl whom Tigre noticed standing within the darkness only now.
Tigre looked at her, and couldn’t help but yelp in surprise, “Olga…!”
The one standing there was Olga Tamm, her body wrapped up in the attire of the equestrian tribes. Her small hand held her draconic tool, Muma. She had rescued Tigre by throwing the ax at Ganelon. Olga walked over, and planted herself in front of Tigre, protecting him while glaring at Ganelon.
“Great, in time.”
That was all she said with her back facing Tigre.
◆◇◆
——————- End of Part 3 ——————-
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login