Part 1 Before the dragon came to a stop, Dark Knight Lipia Zankehl jumped down from its back and ran with full strength across the takeoff pad into the footbridge that connected to the Imperial Palace.
Quickly feeling difficulty breathing, she used her right hand to remove the helmet that covered her face.
Gray-blue long hair billowed out with a flourish. Adjusting it with her left hand and tossing it behind her back, Lipia further quickened her pace. She really wanted to take off her stuffy cloak and armor, but did not want the consuls crawling about the Imperial Palace to see one inch of her skin.
After she sprinted through the winding corridor, between the round columns on her right, a colossal black city erected under the backdrop of the red sky appeared in sight.
Imperial Palace Obsidia was the tallest structure of all in the boundless Land of Darkness — Of course, this did not include the tabooed «Mountain Range at the End» — carved out of the rocky mountains and constructed over a hundred years.
From the throne on the highest floor, it was said to be just possible to glimpse the Mountain Range at the End standing far away in the east, and the great gate embedded in the mountain.
But, there has been no one to confirm the veracity of this rumor for hundreds of years.
After the First Emperor, also the God of Darkness Vector, returned to the underground darkness in ancient times, the Throne of the Land of Darkness had always been empty. The great gate on the highest floor was sealed by a lock with infinite Life, left eternally unopened.
Lipia turned her eyes away from the peak of the pitch-black castle and called to the ogre guards at the castle gate straight ahead:
“In the name of the Eleventh Dark Knight Zankehl! Open the gate!!”
The wolf-headed guards were quite well-built, but turned their heads very slowly; by the time they turned the lever of the opening mechanism, Lipia had arrived at the cast iron gate.
The door made deep “gu, gung” sounds as it opened a sliver; Zankehl slipped sideways through the gap.
She had not seen the castle for three months, yet what welcomed Lipia was the same cold air.
The [Kobolds] doggedly scrubbed the corridors every day, making them spotless. As she ran, her armor clanking on the obsidian slabs, two flirtatiously dressed women showing skin here and there glided over soundlessly.
On top of their shiny, wavy hair, they wore large, pointy hats announcing their statuses as Dark Sorceresses. Lipia intended to ignore them and brush past, but one of the women sharply raised her voice in an exaggerated manner:
“Uwa, how noisy! Is an orc or something running?!”
Then, the other responded with a slight laugh:
“It caaan’t beee, these tremors have to be those of a Giant!”
— If combat were not prohibited within the city, she would have sliced off their tongues long ago.
Lipia thought. She snorted and raced on.
The Human females born in the Land of Darkness usually entered the Dark Sorcery Guild after graduating from Training Schools. The Guild was an organization of extreme indulgence, teaching debauchery instead of rules. As a result, it produced people interested only in decorating themselves, just like the two who walked by.
Even so, they held great antagonism towards women who chose to become Knights. When she was a youngster in the Training Schools, Lipia had been cursed with poisonous insects by a Sorceress who did not get along with her. Things settled down after she drew her sword and sliced off the Sorceress’s proudly tied hair.
In any case, there were only idiots with no ambition in this country.
Often competing, no matter if it were organizations or individuals, basing every decision on the degree of power, the Land of Darkness had no future.
Although danger could be balanced due to the «Ten Feudal Lords Meetings», it was unable to hold for much longer. If, in the imminent battle with the Human World — termed the «Ium Country» by Orcs and Goblins, a few of the Ten Feudal Lords were to die, the balance would be broken, and everything would become a chaos of bloodlust once more.
The one who told of this future to Lipia, was one of the Ten Feudal Lords, the Commander of the Dark Knights whom she directly reported to, and also her loved one.
And now, Lipia had confidential intelligence that he was anticipating.
Therefore, she would not waste a second to curb the Sorceress’ taunts.
Cutting straight through the empty lobby and flying up the wide staircase two steps at a time. Even with plenty of exercise, she was panting and drenched in sweat once she arrived on the right floor.
With the Land of Darkness divided by negotiation between them, among the Ten Feudal Lords, five were Humans, two were Goblins, and the rest were vanguards of the Orcs, Ogres, and Giants. After nearly a hundred years of civil war, they finally agreed on a document similar to a treaty, and ended up with regulations keeping the Five Races in equal standing.
Because of this, on the 18th floor, near the top floor of Obsidia, there were private rooms for each of the Ten Feudal Lords. Lipia dampened her footsteps in the round corridor, and gently knocked three times with her right hand on the door of the innermost room.
“Come in.”
A deep voice replied immediately.
Lipia glanced left and right in the corridor; after confirming that there was no one, she quickly opened the door and slipped inside.
The decorations within the room were as low profile as possible. Breathing in the manly smell floating in the air, Lipia genuflected and bowed her head.
“Knight Lipia Zankehl; I have returned.”
“Good work. Come, sit.”
Suppressing her excitement, Lipia raised her head and looked towards the owner of the strong voice.
On the other side of the round table, there was a man sitting in a long armchair with his feet propped high: the Dark Knight Commander — Biksul Ul Shasta, also known as the «Dark General».
As a Human, he possessed an outstanding figure. Although his shoulders were not as broad as those of an Ogre, he did not seem to lose in terms of height. His head of jet-black hair was trimmed very short, and his moustache was very neat.
His bulging muscles nearly popped the buttons off of his plain linen shirt, yet there was not a hint of fat on his waist. Although he maintained a perfect body that looked not a day older than 40, since he had ascended to the topmost throne of the Knights, not many people knew that he continued to undergo a harsh exercise routine every day.
Seeing her lover for the first time in three months, Lipia had to resist the urge to fly into his embrace, instead sitting in the sofa opposite Shasta.
Shasta raised his upper body and handed one of the crystal glasses on the table to Lipia, then broke the seal on what appeared to be aged wine.
“I really wanted to have a glass with you, so I swiped a bottle from the Treasury yesterday.”
Winking, he poured the fragrant, crimson liquid into his glass. His expression was that of a mischievous child, completely the same as his former self.
“Th…Thank you, Your Excellency.”
“How many times have I told you not to call me that when we’re alone?”
“But… I’m still on a mission.”
Shasta shrugged helplessly and they clinked glasses politely. Lipia sipped the expensive wine and felt the Life she had expended on her long journey slowly recovering.
“…Okay, so.”
After downing a glass himself, he poured himself another one and changed to a serious expression, asking in a low voice:
“The [Matter of Importance] that you sent a familiar for: what is it?”
“It’s…”
Lipia looked to her left and right, then leaned forward. Although Shasta was often candid, he was quite vigilant. This room had many heavy protection spells cast upon it; even the Witch, leader of the Sorcery Guild, would be unable to listen in. Even though she knew this, the intel she had brought was so important that she couldn’t resist lowering her voice.
Staring straight into Shasta’s black pupils, Lipia said simply:
“The Highest Minister of the Axiom Church of the Human World… is dead.”
In an instant, even the Dark General widened his eyes in shock.
A long, deep sigh broke the silence.
“Is this… real…? I know it’s discourteous to ask like this, and I’m not suspicious of your intel… but… that undead…”
“Yes… I completely understand your feelings. I was unable to believe it myself, but after a week of confirmation, there is no error. I made sure by planting «Earworms» in the Central Cathedral.”
“What? That was very reckless. If you were traced, you would’ve been unable to leave the capital, and dismembered by now.”
“Yes. But, since a spell of this caliber has not been detected, it proves that this intel is accurate.”
“…Mm…”
Filling his second glass of wine, Shasta’s strong-willed face lowered slightly.
“—When, did that happen? Also, what was the cause of death?”
“About half a year ago…”
“Half a year. Indeed, their guard on the Mountain Range had probably been slightly loose at that time.”
“Yes. About the cause of death of the Highest Minister… This is quite unbelievable, but they are said to be [slaughtered by a sword]…”
“By a sword. —You mean that someone cut that undead?”
“Impossible.”
Lipia shook her head at the slack-jawed Shasta.
“I’m afraid, even if it’s the undead, they have finally depleted their Life. But it was probably to save the spirit of the Highest Minister known as a God, to say some empty words like that…”
“Mm… My guess as well. But… Dead, the Highest Minister Administrator…”
Shasta closed his eyes, crossed his arms, and leaned back into the armchair.
After thinking deeply for a while like this, he opened his eyes with a short mutter.
“Opportunity.”
Lipia instantly held her breath and replied in a small voice:
“What opportunity?”
She immediately got an answer.
“Obviously… One of peace.”
As a word too dangerous to utter in this city, it quickly melted in the air of the room and dissipated.
“Do you consider it… possible, Your Excellency?”
Facing the softly questioning Lipia, Shasta fixed his gaze on the red liquid within his glass, and slowly, but deeply, nodded.
“No matter if it’s possible or not, we must achieve it regardless.”
Downing the wine with a gulp, he continued:
“The Life of the «Great Gate» that has divided the Human World and the Land of Darkness since the world was created is about to be depleted. A large-scale invasion of the sun and land-nourished Human World awaited by the Army of Five Dark Races, you can say is the arrow poised on the bow. In the last Ten Feudal Lords Meeting, there was a large quarrel just about dividing the land, riches, and slaves of the Human World. They are really… an incurable bunch of gluttons.”
At Shasta’s direct and unrestricted speech, Lipia recoiled slightly.
Different from the Human World that had the «Taboo Index», a thick book of law, to rule the nation, there was only one law in the Land of Darkness. That was — seize by force.
In a certain sense, compared with the other nine Feudal Lords whose thirst for power could not be quenched even if they obtained the highest authority, it could be said that Shasta’s consideration of peace with the Human World was heresy.
However, Lipia was deeply fascinated with this man because of his unique thoughts. Besides, unlike the servant women attending to their master, Lipia was not taken by force. Shasta had presented a bouquet on bended knee and convinced Lipia with his truthful words.
Oblivious of his lover wandering in such thoughts, Shasta continued with added gravity:
“… But, they underestimate the Humans too much. Especially, the «Integrity Knights» that have protected the Human World for three hundred years.”
Hearing this name, Lipia nodded, her head growing cold.
”Sure… They are skillful to a frightening extent.”
“They have, quite literally, the strength of a thousand in one. In the long history of the Dark Knights, countless have been slain by the Integrity Knights, but it has never happened the other way around. Their swordsmanship is so excellent, and the Divine Instruments that they carry are powerful beyond measure… Even I have only brought one to an impasse a few times, but I couldn’t manage to kill them. Of course, my defeats definitely number many.”
“That is… due to their usage of mystifying techniques, such as releasing fire or blinding beams from their swords…”
“«Armament Full Control Art». Even though we’ve had our Technique Research Department study it for a long time, we’re still unable to break it down. Just to go up against that skill, even a hundred Goblin Soldiers wouldn’t be enough.”
“Even though you say that… Our army numbers 50,000 while the Integrity Knights number only about thirty. Can we not suppress them with sheer volume…?”
At Lipia’s words, Shasta scratched his moustache with a sarcastic air.
“Didn’t I just say that they have the strength of a thousand in one? If you calculate it, we will lose 30,000 from our army.”
“Why would… It can’t be that many.”
“Hm, yeah. Even though this method of calculation is disheartening, we’ll be pushing forward in the battle with our Knights, Ogres, and Giants, the Dark Sorcerers would be using long-range explosive attacks at the rear, and we’d eventually exhaust the Integrity Knights. But after their last Knight falls, it’s hard to imagine how much we would have lost. Perhaps not 30,000, but losing half is certainly possible.”
The crystal glass was set onto the table with a hard sound.
Shasta extended a hand to stop Lipia, who was about to refill his glass, and sunk his back into his armchair.
“…And the result, would of course be an imbalance in power between the Five Races of Darkness. The Ten Feudal Lords Meeting would become meaningless, and the treaty of equality between the Five Races would leave only its name. If it goes down like that, the «Age of Iron and Blood» that ended a hundred years ago would return. No, it would be worse. Because this time, the everlasting honeyed sea of the Humans would be in front of us. Deciding how to divide that piece of land would take more than a hundred years of war…”
This was the worst future scenario that Shasta often feared and mentioned repeatedly to Lipia. What was worse, the nine other Feudal Lords apart from Shasta did not think that this was the worst future at all — on the contrary, they were looking forward to it.
Lipia lowered her head, gazing at the gleaming light exuded by her pitch-black full body armor, which had been her partner ever since her entrance into Knighthood.
Twice as short as other kids when she was young, Lipia could never become a Knight if she had been born in the «Age of Iron and Blood»; she would have been sold to human traffickers, or abandoned outside the city, ending her short life there.
Although it was shady, she was still thankful for that peace treaty, as she had not been sold into slavery but instead entered the Youth School, benefited from a late-blooming talent in swordsmanship, and ascended to a nearly unattainably high position for a Human female.
Ever since she had become a Knight, Lipia had been gathering children who were abandoned by their parents from remote places rife with human trafficking, and took care of them until they were able to enter school. She used nearly all of her income to run a childcare center like this.
She kept this a secret not only from her colleagues, but even from Shasta. She was unable to explain it herself; why would she do such a thing.
It was just that—
Lipia could not help feeling odd about this country, in which power dominates all. Although she had not the wisdom of Shasta, to be able to turn her thoughts into clear words, she felt that there should be a better, more appropriate form of this country — no, the entire Underworld, including the Human World.
Lipia hazily understood that this so-called new world, is far beyond the peace that Shasta proposed. At the same time, as a woman she was desperate to help the man she loved in order to realize his dream.
But.
“…But, how do you plan to convince the other Feudal Lords, Your Excellency? Not to mention… Would the Integrity Knights accept a negotiation for peace?”
Lipia inquired in a small voice.
“…Hm…”
Shasta closed his eyes, his right hand playing with his elaborate moustache. Eventually, he murmured bitterly:
“About the Integrity Knights, there is still a turn for the better. As the Highest Minister is now dead, the main commander should now be that old man Bercouli. Although he’s a sly old fox, he’s still a reasonable man. The problem… still lies with the Ten Feudal Lords Meeting. On this side… although it may seem to conflict with our goal…”
Deep within his raised eyelids, two sharply gleaming eyes stared at the ceiling.
“— Seems like we have to slash a few. At least four.”
Lipia gasped in shock and leaned forward:
“Four, you say, Your Excellency…? If my assumption is right, it can only be the two Goblin chiefs, the Orc chief, and…”
“The Leader of the Dark Sorcery Guild. That woman has always been filled with wild desire for Administrator’s secret to immortality, and the day that she ascends to the Emperor’s Throne. She would definitely not accept the proposition of peace.”
“B-but!”
Lipia objected in a strained voice.
“That’s too reckless, Your Excellency! Even though the Goblin and Orc elders may not stand against your sword… We do not know what kind of despicable trick the Dark Sorceress would use!”
Even after Lipia finished, Shasta was silent.
But what he said completely took her by surprise.
“Hey, Lipia. How long have you been coming here to me?”
“Hah? It’s… A-about… Ever since I turned 21… Four years.”
“It’s been that long, huh. … I apologize for always keeping you in a shadow of doubt. How about… It’s time, uh, well….”
Rotating his eyes and scratching his head with a rustle, the Dark Knight Commander opened his mouth roughly:
“…Would you, officially, marry me? If you don’t mind me as a middle-aged man.”
“E…Excellency…”
Lipia opened her eyes, unable to speak.
She felt a heat slowly seeping out from deep within her heart, and just as she was about to unhesitantly fly into her lover’s embrace…
From the other side of the thick great door, a clear, loud voice as sharp as a whip pierced right through the wide room.
“Big news!! This is some BIG news!! AAHH, what on earth is happening!! Feudal Lords, come with me, quickly, QUICKLY!!”
She faintly remembered this voice: it belonged to one of the Feudal Lords, the head of the Commerce and Industry Guild.
Uncharacteristic of the huge, burly figure in Lipia’s memory, the scream continued completely unexpectedly:
“It’s THE MOST important event EVER!! — In-inside the Throne Room! The sealing lock! It’s SHAKIIIING!!”
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