Sword Art Online - Volume 9 - Chapter Pr1.2

Part 3
An Integrity Knight, the ultimate embodiment of law and order, and also the symbol of goodness, killed the white dragon, which was also the protector of the Human World. That kind of story was, in the eleven years that Eugeo had lived, never thought of, so he didn’t think he could accept it easily. After suffering from the question he couldn’t swallow or chew for a while, he sent a glance beside him, requesting an answer from his partner.
“……I don’t understand.”
However, Kirito’s mutter was also painted in great confusion.
“Maybe…… it’s possible that the Land of darkness also has a very strong knight, and that knight killed the white dragon…… But, if that’s true, it’s odd that until now there’s not even once that the forces of darkness had crossed past the Mountain range at the Edge. ——At least, this isn’t the act of a thief though……”
After he finished speaking, Kirito stepped toward the dragon’s remains and gently put the talon back on the mountain of bones. Next, he dragged something long out of the bottom of the bone mountain.
“Uo…… so absurdly heavy……”
He showed it to Eugeo and Alice after he staggered as he dragged it for about a mel.
It was a long sword, with a silver grip and a scabbard made of white leather. Its rain guard was decorated by an inlaid delicate blue rose, with just a glance, they understood that it had a much higher value than any sword in the village.
“Ah…… this, probably……”
Alice said as she looked at it, Kirito nodded to her,
“Yeah. The «Blue Rose Sword» that Bercouli tried to steal from the bosom of the sleeping white dragon. I wonder why the guy who killed the dragon didn’t take it……”
He bowed while talking, and lifted the grip off the ground with both of his hands, however, even with his utmost strength, he only managed to lift it up a mere ten cens off the floor.
“……Too heavy!”
Kirito separated his hands as he yelled, the long sword dropped to the ice floor again with a heavy sound. A small crack could be seen on the thick ice, the sword seemed to have an unimaginable weight despite its delicate appearance.
“……What do we do with this?”
“Can’t, can’t, even with the two of us together, it’s not possible to bring it back to the village. Even though we deal with that woodcutting axe everyday. ……Besides, there seems to be more treasure under the bones though……”
“……Yeah, but don’t think about taking anything……”
The two nodded at Alice’s serious tone.
Even though taking a small trophy back and boasting to the other boys that they did it without waking the dragon would be a great adventure story, the act of taking treasure from this place was clearly grave robbery. Although the Taboo Index’ regulation about «Thievery» against humans wouldn’t apply to this situation, it didn’t mean they could do anything they wanted as long as it wasn’t prohibited.
Eugeo looked at Kirito and Alice again before nodding.
“Let’s follow our plan, only taking the ice. If it’s just ice, even if the dragon was still alive, it would forgive us, surely.”
After he said that, Eugeo walked closer to the icicles, and kicked a small ice crystal which stretched up from the base of the big icicle like a newly grown bud. Pakin, with a good sound, he picked up the broken lump before holding it out to Alice, who opened the lid of the empty wicker basket and placed the ice inside.
The three concentrated on working to pack the ice fragments into the wicker basket without talking for a while. When the base of the icicle was cleared, they moved to the next column and repeated their actions. In just a few minutes, the big wicker basket was full of crystals which looked like transparent blue jewels.
“Yoi……sho-tto”
Alice exerted her strength to pull up the wicker basket while looking at the group of lights between her arms,
“……So beautiful. Somehow, it’s such a waste to bring these back and let them all melt.”
“Aren’t we bringing these back to prolong our boxed lunch?”
Kirito said matter-of-factly while making a frown, Alice suddenly held out the basket to the black haired boy.
“Eh? I have to carry it all the way back too?”
“Isn’t it obvious? These are too heavy for me anyway.”
Trying to keep them from starting their usual bickering, Eugeo hurriedly said,
“I’ll help, we can take turns to carry it. ——Well, if we don’t go back now, we won’t reach the village before evening. Haven’t we already been in this cave for nearly an hour?”
“Ah…… as I can’t see Solus, I don’t know the exact time. Is there something in the sacred arts that can tell what time it is now?”
“Nope!”
Alice quickly averted her face, a small exit could be seen from one side of the wide lake of ice.
Next, looking around, on the opposite side was another exit.
Then, she drooped her shoulders before speaking,
“——Hey, which way did we come from?”
Eugeo and Kirito immediately pointed to the direction they were very confident of. Of course, they pointed at different exits.
There must be footprints - unfortunately, there was not a single depression on the smooth ice surface; the side where water from the lake flowed to must be the exit - unfortunately, it flowed out of both sides; the direction the skull was looking at was the exit - unfortunately, it didn’t look at either side; after all options were exhausted in vain, finally Alice started to explain something likely to be a pointer.
“Look, isn’t there a frozen puddle that Eugeo stepped on and broke? If we go closer to the exit and see it, that would be the correct one.”
I see, it’s as she said. As if to hide his embarrassment because he couldn’t think of it himself, Eugeo coughed, before nodding.
“Alright, it’s decided, let’s go check on the nearer side.”
“I think that way is correct though……”
While Kirito was still grumbling in reluctance, Eugeo used his left hand to push his back while holding the ear of grass in his right hand high, and stepped into the waterway in front of him.
When the ice columns that reflected the light had disappeared from their surroundings, what had been a reliable sacred light now felt very unreliable. The three increased their pace.
“……Hmm, we don’t know the road back, just like the Berin brothers in the old tale. It’d be great if we had scattered nuts on the way in, as there are no birds to eat them anyway.”
Kirito’s silly talk felt somewhat feigned, So this carefree partner can feel uneasy too huh? Eugeo became slightly amused in contrast.
“What are you talking about? We don’t have nuts in the first place. If you want to utilize what you have learned, how about putting your cloth at each fork we’ll run into?”
“Stop it, I’ll catch a cold like that.”
As Kirito imitated intentional sneezing, Alice slapped his back.
“Stop talking nonsense and look at the ground carefully. If we overlook it, it’ll be troublesome…… or rather……”
As she cut her speech off, she frowned before continuing,
“Hey, we have walked for a while now but still can’t see the broken ice puddle…… So, it’s actually the other path?”
“No, let’s go a bit more…… Ah, listen.”
As Kirito suddenly put his finger to his lips, Eugeo and Alice stopped talking. They listened carefully.
Certainly, there was another sound mixed in with the flow of the groundwater stream. It sounded like a melancholic whistle that raised and lowered in pitch.
“Ah…… the sound of wind?”
Alice murmured. Certainly, Eugeo also realized it was a sound similar to the treetops playing in the wind.
“The exit is nearby! It’s great we picked this path, let’s hurry!”
As he called out in relief, he started jogging to resume advancing.
“Hey, you’ll slip if you run in a place like this.”
But even though she said so, Alice also increased her pace. Following them from behind was Kirito, who made a doubtful expression.
“But…… does summer wind sound like this? Somehow…… it sounds like cold winter wind……”
“The strong valley winds blow like that. Anyway, let’s get out of here quickly.”
The light in Eugeo’s right hand swung violently as he approached the cave exit. My heart has already overflowed with the feeling of quickly going back to the village, to my home. I’m sure my family would be surprised once I show them the fragment of ice I got from Alice.
But, the ice will melt quickly. Maybe it’d be better if I took an old silver coin back there…… As he thought that, he saw a small light in the darkness up ahead.
“The exit!”
He shouted with a smiling face, then frowned. The light became faintly reddish. They had entered the cave just around lunch, the time they spent inside was at most an hour or a little more, it seemed they had been in the underground world longer than they realized. If Solus had already started sinking to the west, and they didn’t hurriedly go back, they wouldn’t reach the village in time for dinner.
Eugeo quickened his pace. The high-pitched sound of the wind echoing into the cave had already dominated the sound of the river.
“Hey Eugeo, stop for a bit! This is weird, it has just been two hours at most but……”
Alice who ran behind him raised her voice in anxiety. However, Eugeo didn’t stop. I’ve had had enough of this adventure. Right now, I want to be home even a moment sooner——
Turning to the right, turning to the left, and turning to the right again, finally the light fully spread in his vision. The exit was just a few mels ahead. He narrowed his eyes which had been accustomed to the dark while gradually loosening his running pace, before completely stopping.
The cave ended just there.
However, in front of Eugeo’s eyes wasn’t the world he knew.
The whole sky was deep red. But it wasn’t the color of the setting sun. First of all, Solus couldn’t be found anywhere in the sky. Like the juice from the hanging mountain grapes that were too ripe —— or the sheep’s blood which was thrown out, only a dull, depressing red spread across his eyes.
The ground was black. On the other side was the strangely steep mountain range which was dotted in front by strangely shaped rocky mountains, the water surface which could be seen here and there were stained in black with something reminiscent of ash. The skin of twisted dead trees was white like polished bone.
The wind, which blew violently as if to tear everything in pieces, shook the dead treetops, causing long melancholic cries. It was without a doubt, the sound of the wind they had heard inside the cave.
A place like this, a world which was forsook by gods, wasn’t the Human World Eugeo lived in. Then —— what the three were looking at, this scene was——
“Dark…… Territory……”
Kirito’s hoarse voice was immediately carried off by the sound of the wind.
The place where the authority of the Axiom Church couldn’t extend its reach to, the land of the devil tribes serving under the god of darkness Vector, the world which they had thought only existed inside the tales told by the village elders, was just a few steps ahead. As he thought that, the center of Eugeo’s head became freezing cold, he couldn’t do anything but to stand still. As if having touched that information for the first time in his life, the large amount of it flew into a section of his mind which had never been used before, he was no longer able to even handle thoughts of his own.
Inside his head, which was stained in pure white, was a single sentence written at the beginning of the Taboo Index, shining clearly and brightly. The first chapter, third passage, eleventh paragraph which should have been forgotten after talking to Alice the day before.?Not anyone is to go beyond the Mountain range enclosing the edge of the Human World?.
“No…… don’t go any further……”
Eugeo recklessly moved his stiff mouth and squeezed the words out. He spread his arms as if to prevent Kirito and Alice, who were behind him, from falling.
At that time. A solid metal striking sound echoed from above, Eugeo’s body trembled in surprise. He looked up at the red sky reflexively.
In the blood red background, he could see something white intertwined with something black.
As they were flying at frightening heights, they were tiny little specks. It seemed their real size would be far beyond humans. While the two flying bodies were intensely switching places, they separated before approaching each other again, the moment they blended together, an intermittent metallic sound echoed.
“The dragon knights……”
Kirito, who was looking up at the sky beside Eugeo, whispered in a husky voice.
It was as his partner said, the two fighting each other had long necks and tails, they were huge flying dragons, each with a pair of triangular wings. The body of the riders could be seen on their backs, armed with swords and shields. The one riding the white dragon was in a white silver armor, on the black dragon was a knight in jet black armor. Their swords were like that too, the beam of dazzling light from the white knight’s sword was stagnated by the miasma released from the black knight’s sword.
As the two dragon knights struck each other with their swords, the sound of thunderous impact reverberated, as large amount of tiny fire particles danced in the air.
“I wonder if the white one is…… the Church’s Integrity Knight……”
To Alice’s mutter, Kirito nodded slightly.
“Right…… The black one is the knight of the darkness’ forces, I guess…… With strength on par to the Integrity Knight’s.”
“It can’t be……”
Eugeo shook his head inadvertently.
“The Integrity Knights are the world’s strongest. He can’t be defeated by the likes of a knight of darkness.”
“I wonder about that. From the look of it, there isn’t much difference in their sword skills. Both can’t penetrate the other’s defense.”
Immediately after Kirito said that. As if hearing his voice, the white knight pulled his dragon’s bridle and gained a large gap. The black dragon flapped its wings violently to shorten the distance.
However, before the distance could be reduced, the white dragon turned its head sharply by bending its neck, along with an action which seemed to be gathering power. Immediately after that, while still swinging its neck, its jaws opened wide. A colorless flame gushed out in a straight line from between its fangs, and wrapped the black dragon knight entirely.
The roar which dominated the sound of the wind struck Eugeo’s ears. The black dragon twisted its body in pain, shaking violently in mid air and descended. Without missing that chance, the Integrity Knight had replaced his sword with a reddish brown great bow and drew it to the limit, before releasing a long arrow.
The arrow drew a faint trace of flame in the mid air, without missing, it pierced through the black knight’s chest.
“Ah……”
Alice raised a small voice which sounded like a shriek.
As the skin of both its wings had been burnt completely, the black dragon lost its ability to fly and wriggled violently in mid air. The black knight separated from its back, and with a trail of blood, started falling straight toward the cave entrance where the three of them stood.
First, the black sword stabbed upright into the gravel mixed ground, producing a dry sound. Next, at a place about ten mels away from the three of them, the knight crashed. Lastly, the black dragon crashed into the considerably far rocky mountain, it moved its long tail while crying in agony, before it stopped moving altoghether.
In front of the three children who were staring wordlessly, the black knight was struggling in pain, trying to raise his upper body. On the dully shining metal armor’s breastplate, the deep hole from the pierce wound could be seen. The knight’s face, which was hidden behind the thick visor, was directed straight at the three.
His slightly trembling right hand stretched out as if asking for help. But immediately after that, a large amount of fresh blood gushed out of the neck of the armor, the knight then collapsed onto the ground. The red liquid spread wide from the body which no longer moved, soaking into the gaps of the black gravel.
“Ah…… ah……”
A thin voice leaked from Alice on Eugeo’s right side. Moving as if she was sucked toward, staggering forward —— to the outside of the cave.
Eugeo didn’t have any reaction. However, Kirito on his left made a low and sharp shout “Nooo!!” Alice heard that voice, her body trembled, trying to stop. But her feet were tangled, her body inclined forward. This time Eugeo also stretched his hand along with Kirito in reflex, trying to grab Alice’s clothes.
However, their fingertips only sliced air.
Alice collapsed on the ground of the cave and let out a small gasp, followed by the trail of her long golden hair.
It’s just falling. Even if I checked the «Window», Life would be reduced by just one or two points. However, the problem wasn’t that. The moment Alice fell, her right hand stretched forward, and went about twenty cens past the strangely clear boundary between the bluish grey cave floor and the ash colored ground ahead. The pure white palm touched the pure black gravel. The Land of darkness, Dark Territory’s ground.
“Alice?……!”
Kirito and Eugeo unanimously called, they stretched out both hands and grabbed Alice’s body tightly. Normally, doing something like this would get them yelled at until they regretted it, but this time, she just stood firm as if in a trance, and was pulled back into the cave.
Alice, who was held up by Eugeo’s and Kirito’s hands, had her eyes wide opened at the defeated black knight, before long, her gaze dropped to her right hand. The fluffy palm still had sand and small stones stuck to it, every single grain pitch black.
“…………I…… I……”
Alice murmured in a grave tone, as Eugeo mindlessly stretched his hands out to her right hand. He rubbed her palm, wiping out all the grains of sand, and said earnestly,
“I-It’s alright, Alice. You didn’t go out of the cave. Your hand just touched it. That, surely, isn’t forbidden, right? Right, Kirito?!”
Eugeo lifted his face and looked at his partner’s face as if to rely on him. But Kirito wasn’t looking at Eugeo nor Alice. While standing on his knees, his gaze was sharply running through the surroundings.
“W-What’s the matter, Kirito?”
“…………Don’t you feel it, Eugeo? It’s like…… someone…… something……”
He frowned and started looking around again after speaking, however, in the cave there wasn’t even a bug, let alone a human. The only thing that entered his vision was at the place ten mels away, the dead black knight. The figure of the Integrity Knight who had won the battle had already disappeared from the sky.
“It’s just your imagination, rather than that……”
Let’s get Alice to the other side of the cave quickly.
As Eugeo was about to say that, Kirito grabbed his shoulder at full force. While frowning, Eugeo followed his partner’s gaze, immediately after that, his body became intensely rigid.
Near the ceiling of the cave, there was something strange.
A violet circle shook like the surface of water. With a diameter of about fifty cens, vaguely looking out of it, was —— a human face. It was hard to tell if it were male or female, young or old from its plain features. Its skin was pale, its head didn’t have a single strand of hair. Both of its eyes which opened in a perfect circle were also void of emotions. However, Eugeo could instinctively guess. Those eyes weren’t looking at him or Kirito, but at the person who was sitting absentmindedly on the ground, Alice.
The stranger’s mouth started moving, through the violet membrane, strange words could be heard,
“????????????????????????????????……”
Both its eyes, which looked like balls of grass blinked briefly, then once again, the mysterious voice said,
“?????????????????????????”
Then, the violet window suddenly vanished. Once Eugeo belatedly noticed that the stranger’s words might be some kind of the sacred arts’ ritual phrase, he hurriedly looked at Alice, Kirito, then finally himself, but he didn’t feel that anything had changed.
Even so, the event was too strange to ignore. Eugeo exchanged glances with his partner, the two helped to lift Alice up, as if to carry their childhood friend who was still trembling, back into the cave ——and started trotting in the original direction they had come from.

Eugeo couldn’t remember how they returned to Rulid village.
Going back across the lake where the white dragon lay, and continuing to run after they jumped into the opposite exit. They slipped many times as they were running on wet stones, but they went through the long cave with just a fraction of the time when they came, when they jumped into the white light they finally saw, the afternoon sunlight was still brightly pouring onto the forest.
However, Eugeo’s anxiety of getting captured hadn’t disappeared easily. Even at this moment, he still had the feeling that the violet window would open right behind them, with that strangely pale face appearing again, so he didn’t let himself rest.
Under the trees where small birds sang, passing the bank of the small river where a group of small fish moved here and there, the three hastily walked in silence. Crossing the hill which was supposed to be the Northern pass, going past the twin ponds, before finally arrived at the north Rulid bridge.
With additional walking, they had returned and rested at the base of the old tree, which had been their meeting place at dawn, but still didn’t talk much. The three exchanged glances before smiling slightly.
“Hey, Alice, here.”
Kirito said and thrusted the heavy looking wicker basket forward. Inside it was packed with the fruit of today’s adventure, the «Summer Ice»; Eugeo now realized the existence of the basket which he had completely forgotten. To hide his embarrassment, he said with a calm face,
“When you get back home, you’d better bring them to the cellar quickly. That way, it should be able to hold out until tomorrow, right?”
“……Yeah, alright.”
The unusually obedient Alice nodded, after taking the basket, she looked at two boys’ faces in turn; finally, her usual clear smile floated to her face.
“You can look forward to tomorrow’s boxed lunch. As the reward for your hard work, I’ll do my best.”
You mean Sadina-obasan will do her best, don’t you?, which of course, Eugeo and Kirito didn’t say out loud. The two exchanged glances for a moment before nodding at the same time.
“……Hey, what were you thinking?”
Alice asked while wearing a perplexed expression, the two boys slapped Alice’s shoulders, before saying in unison——
“It’s nothing! Well, let’s go back to the village!”
By the time they walked to the village square, the place where they parted, the real sunset sky hovered above them. Kirito lived in the church, Alice went back to the village chief’s residence. Eugeo arrived at his house on the west side of the village just a few seconds before the six o’clock bell rang.
Eugeo stayed silent throughout the dinner he arrived at, barely on time. Even though he was confident that his brothers and sisters, and even his father and grandfather never had an adventure like him today, he was somehow unable to bring himself to boast about it.
It seemed he couldn’t speak about the fact that he had seen the Land of darkness with his own eyes —— the fierce battle between the Integrity Knight and the black knight, and then the strange face which appeared at the end; because once he talked about that, it wasn’t hard to guess what the reaction from his family might be, and it made him scared.
That night, Eugeo who went to bed early thought he would be able to forget everything he saw at the end of the adventure. But he wasn’t able to, as the Axiom Church and the Integrity Knight which he had been holding in admiration and respect up until this point had turned out to be something completely different.


Part 4
Solus had set, then arisen —— and then, it was daily life as usual, without any changes.
Normally, on the day after the rest day, Eugeo would go to the workplace slightly depressed, however, today he somehow felt relieved. I’ve had enough adventure, I’m a woodcutter after all. As he was thinking this as he walked out of the village’s south gate, Kirito joined him on the border between the fields and the forest.
Eugeo noticed a slight sense of relief on the face of the partner he had known for a long time. The other also noticed the same expression on Eugeo’s face. For a short while, the two exchanged grins to hide their embarrassment.

They walked along the narrow forest path for a short while before obtaining the Dragon Bone Axe from the storage hut, then after walking several more minutes, reached the base of the Gigas Cedar. Eugeo was grateful when he thought of continuing to cut the tree trunk like nothing had changed.
“Alright, make sure you get in a few good hits and treat me to Siral water today.”
“Isn’t that what you have always had to do until recently, Kirito?”
As they jabbed at each other, Eugeo set up the axe. The first strike produced a Gon high-pitched sound. I’m in a good condition today. Eugeo thought.
As the morning went on, the two continued making good strikes on the tree trunk. The reason was, as they were swinging the axe, if they lost concentration, their minds would return to the scene they saw yesterday —— it wasn’t something that could be denied.
After striking nine sets of the fifty strikes per set requirement, Eugeo’s stomach started rumbling.
Eugeo looked up into the sky as he wiped his sweat, Solus was already reaching the middle of the sky. Like always, after one more strike, Alice would bring the awaited lunch. But today we can slowly eat pie with cold milk. His empty stomach hurt just by imagining it.
“Otto……”
Just thinking about lunch made Eugeo’s grip slip. After wiping both his wet palms, he cautiously held the axe in a tighter grip.
Suddenly, the sunlight became dim.
Sudden rain? That’s annoying. Eugeo thought while looking up.
A shadow could be seen flying across the blue sky above Gigas Cedar’s branches at a high speed. Eugeo’s heart flinched.
“The flying dragon……!?”
Eugeo unintentionally shouted,
“Oi…… Kirito, just now!!”
“Aa, it’s the Integrity Knight from yesterday!!”
His partner’s voice was also frozen in fear.
The flying dragon along with the silvery white knight sitting on its back swept over the treetops and disappeared from their eyes in the direction of Rulid village.
Why would he comes to a place like this?
In the complete silence, as if the birds and bugs were in fear, Eugeo thought in confusion.
The Integrity Knights fight against the Axiom Church’s enemies and keep the order in place. In the current Human World where the four empires divided and ruled, there are no rebel groups anymore, so aside from the forces of darkness, the Integrity Knights’ enemies don’t exist. What I heard about the knights’ endless fights outside the Mountain range at the Edge, I actually saw it with my own eyes yesterday.
It is the first time I have seen a real Integrity Knight. Since I was born, the knight had never come to the village. And yet, why now——
“It can’t be…… It can’t be, Alice……”
Kirito murmured beside him.
The moment he heard that, the strange voice he heard back then returned vividly to Eugeo’s ears. Beyond the violet window, blurting out mysterious phrases from the human with strange facial features. He felt chill down his spine as if he was suspended in freezing water.
“It’s a lie…… it can’t be true, just that…… with just that……”
He looked at Kirito’s face while he talked, as if to seek agreement, but his partner was wearing a rare solemn expression while staring in the direction the knight flew. A few moments later, Kirito looked straight into Eugeo’s eyes before giving a short call,
“Let’s go!”
He took the Dragon Bone Axe off Eugeo’s hand before running toward the north in a straight line.
“O……Oi!”
Something bad is happening. While he was thinking that, Eugeo also kicked the ground and quickly chased after Kirito.
They ran through the familiar small path of the forest at full speed while avoiding roots and rocks, as the path merged with the main road which went through the field. They couldn’t see the shadow of the flying dragon in the sky over the village. Kirito loosened his feet slightly, and loudly asked the farmer among the ears of wheat, who wore a blue outfit and was looking up at the sky.
“Ridack-ojisan! Where did the dragon knight go!?”
The farmer looked like he had just woke up from a dream, after blinking many times, he finally replied,
“A…… Ah…… hello, it looked like it dropped at the village square……”
“Thanks!!”
After thanking him in irritation, the two continued running at full speed.
On various places along the main road and fields, were groups of villagers standing still. Probably, even among the elders, there might be no one who had actually seen the Integrity Knight before. Everyone just stared at the village with an expression of not knowing what to do. Eugeo and Kirito just ran past them desperately.
Passing through the village’s south gate, running through the short shopping street, and, after crossing the small stone bridge, the two finally saw it. They caught their breath without their feet ever stopping.
The long arching neck and tail of the flying dragon occupied the northern half of the square in front of the church.
Its big wings folded to its sides, almost completely blocking the church from view. Its grey scales and the steel armor on various parts of its body reflected the light of Solus, which made it look like an ice sculpture. Its bloodshot eyes, void of emotion, were looking down at the village square.
In front of the dragon, shining even more dazzlingly, was the figure of the knight.
His frame was larger than anyone in the village. The heavy armor polished until it was like a mirror covered his entire body, without a single trace of cloth, as all the joints were covered by finely knit silver chains. The headpiece which mimicked a dragon’s head had its forehead protruding out, on its sides were long decorated horns stretched backward, the knight’s face was hidden behind the huge visor which was pulled down.
There was a long sword which had a silver grip hanging from his left waist. On his back, with a length of about a mel, was a reddish brown bow. It was without a doubt, the Integrity Knight who shot and killed the black knight that Eugeo had seen at the exit of the cave yesterday.
From the cross shaped opening of the visor, the knight stared wordlessly to the south of the square, and the dozens of villagers who had gathered lowered their heads in unison. On the last row, the figure of a young girl who had just lowered the wicker basket in her hand could be seen, Eugeo released the tension from his shoulders slightly. Alice, who was wearing her usual blue dress and white pinafore, stared at the figure of the Integrity Knight from between the gap of the adults.
Eugeo elbowed Kirito’s sides as a signal, they bent their bodies and moved, after they arrived behind Alice, Kirito whispered,
“Alice……”
Their childhood friend turned around, as her golden hair swung sideways, her surprised face looked as if she was about to say something. Kirito quickly put his finger to his mouth, before quietly whispering,
“Alice, be quiet. I think we need to get out of here right now.”
“Eh…… why?”
Alice replied in a similarly low whisper, she seemed not to know the danger which currently drew near her. Eugeo thought she wouldn’t notice the possibility without Kirito saying it.
“No…… that Integrity Knight is probably……”
How should we explain from there. As Eugeo was lost in thought for a moment. At that time.
A few low voices came from within the crowd. Looking up, walking to the square from the village hall, a tall man came into view.
“Ah…… father.”
Alice muttered. The man was the girl’s father and at the same time, the current village chief of Rulid, Gasupht Schuberg. The firm body was dressed in a simple vest, his black hair and beard were tidily trimmed. Even though he had inherited this Sacred Task from the previous village chief for just four years, his piercing discernment quickly gained him the respect of all villagers.
Gasupht approached the Integrity Knight alone without any trace of hesitation, before setting his hands in front of the body according to the Axiom Church’s etiquette, then bowed. After raising his face, he addressed himself,
“I serve as the village chief of Rulid, Schuberg is my name.”
The Integrity Knight lifted up his fists in front of his body in return to Gasupht, the armor made a faint sound when he nodded, before starting to speak,
“Overseeing the Norlangarth North Castle, Integrity Knight of the Axiom Church, Deusolbert Synthesis Seven.”
It was hard to believe that it came from the throat of a living person, as it reverberated in a discordant intonation. The voice which had a steely feel to it echoed throughout the square, causing every villager in the area to become silent. Eugeo frowned as the sound felt as if it pierced directly through his forehead rather than come through the ears, even though he was more than twenty mels away. Even the village chief Gasupht was pushed half a step backward due to the pressure.
However, as expected from his courage, Gasupht corrected his posture, before issuing his impressive speech once again,
“It is an honor to have Sir Integrity Knight, who keeps the order of the vast Human World, visit our small village in this remote region. If I had known of your approach in advance I would have prepared a welcoming banquet.”
“I can not accept that during the fulfillment of my official duties.”
The knight’s reverberating voice said, and with an ice-like glare under the visor —— he continued,
“Due to Gasupht Schuberg’s child, Alice Schuberg’s offense to the Taboo clause, I have come to arrest her for interrogation, followed by her execution.”
A trembling could be seen on Alice’s back who stood nearby. However, Eugeo and Kirito couldn’t do anything, let alone speak. In their heads, the knight’s words repeatedly echoed.
The village chief’s strong body also shook for a moment. A short but clear curve could be seen slightly from the side of his face.
After a long silence, Gasupht said in a voice which had lost its luster,
“……Sir Knight, what was the sin that my daughter committed?”
“The Taboo Index, first chapter, third passage, eleventh paragraph, trespassing the Dark Territory.”
At that moment, a big commotion began among the villagers who were holding their breath, listening to the exchange up until this point. The children widened their eyes, as every adult murmured the church’s sacred phrase while tracing the curse protection symbol.
Then, Eugeo and Kirito finally acted, partly due to instinct. They thrust themselves in front of Alice, stuck together at their shoulders, hiding the girl from the villagers eyes behind their backs. However, they couldn’t perform any further actions, as sudden movements would attract attention from the adults in front of them.
Inside Eugeo’s head, What should we do, what should we do, was the only thought there, continuously repeating itself. Even without the depression which had welled up in his chest at this moment, he still wouldn’t know what he could do.
All he did was stand upright, watching the scene up ahead, at the village chief Gasupht who was hanging his head deeply without making any actions.
It’s alright, if it’s that person. Eugeo thought. Even though he had never spoke to the village chief Gasupht much, he should have the most respect from the adults after Old Garitta.
However——
“……In that case, I will call my daughter, I think we should hear the reason from the mouth of the person herself.”
The village chief who lifted his face said just that.
No, we can’t let Alice come out in front of the knight. During the brief period Eugeo thought that, the Integrity Knight lifted his right hand up as his armor made a small sound. Seeing his fingertip pointed directly at him, Eugeo’s heart squirmed uncomfortably.
“That is not necessary. Alice Schuberg is right there. You, and you……”
The knight moved his hand and pointed to the adults among the crowd in turn.
“Take the chief’s daughter here.”
The row of villagers in front of Eugeo quickly split. What stood between the Integrity Knight and Alice were just Kirito and Eugeo.
On the vacant road, two village acquaintances slowly approached. Their skin had lost the color of blood, but there were odd lights floating in their eyes.
The men forcefully tore Eugeo and Kirito, who were blocking them, off Alice, and pushed them to the side before grabbing Alice’s arms.
“Ah……”
Alice raised a small voice, before clenching her lips tightly. As her rose colored cheeks faded, a faint smile floated to her face, It’s alright. She nodded to the two like that.
“Alice……”
When Kirito called out in a small voice, the wicker basket in her right hand fell down due to the rough pulling. The lid opened, and its contents rolled out onto the stone pavement.
The two villagers pulled Alice, without letting her pick it up, toward the Integrity Knight.
Eugeo’s stare was fixed on the wicker basket which was lying on its side.
Pie and hard bread were wrapped in a white cloth, small ice firmly filled the gaps. A piece of ice which had spilled out reflected the sunlight and shone brilliantly. In just a moment, the ice on the stone’s surface, which was heated by the sunlight, immediately melted, turning into a small black spot.
Beside him, Kirito inhaled sharply.
As expected, he lifted his face and chased Alice’s back, which was being pulled away. Eugeo also clenched his teeth, forcing his stiff legs to follow his partner.
The two men released Alice’s arms beside the village chief, then moved a few steps backward before kneeling. Both their hands were clasped as they bowed down deeply, showing obedience to the knight.
Alice, who had been released, looked at her father with a pale face. Gasupht glanced at his beloved daughter briefly before turning away and looking downward once more.
The Integrity Knight nodded lightly before pulling an odd tool out from the back of his armor. It was a thick iron chain with three leather belts attached to it in parallel, there was a big loop at the tip of the chain.
The knight handed the tool to Gasupht.
“An order to the village chief. Bind the criminal.”
“…………”
As the village chief received the restraining tool as his confused gaze lowered, before Kirito and Eugeo finally arrived in front of the knight. The knight’s headpiece moved slowly, before facing straight at them.
Eugeo was unable to see anything inside the cross shaped cut on the shiny visor, as it was wrapped in deep darkness, but the pressure from the gaze caused him to feel pain. He looked down reflexively, wanting to say something to Alice who stood in front of him, but unable to do so, as his throat felt like it was burning.
Kirito also faced downwards, like Eugeo, while taking shallow breaths repeatedly, then suddenly he lifted his face and shouted in a clear voice while he was still trembling.
“Knight-sama!!”
He inhaled deeply once, and continued,
“A……Alice didn’t enter the Dark Territory! One of her hands merely touched the ground briefly! It was just that!”
However, the answer from the knight was simple,
“Is there any need of further acts?”
Along with those words, he waved his hand to the two kneeling men. The villagers stood up and grabbed the back of Kirito and Yujio necks, before starting to pull them away. While opposing them, Kirito shouted again,
“Th……Then, we also commited the same sin!! We were at the same place! If you’re going to take her, then take us too!!”
However, the Integrity Knight no longer looked at them.
That’s right…… If Alice committed the Taboo, then I should receive the same punishment. Eugeo thought so. He thought that from the bottom of his heart.
Then why won’t my voice come out? I want to shout like Kirito, but my mouth feels like it has forgotten how to move, all it can do is spit out husky breaths.
Alice glanced and turned to look at them, It’s alright. She smiled like that, and nodded.
Her father, who had lost his facial expression, turned the threatening restraint tool behind her slim body. He tightened the three leather belts at her shoulder, abdomen, and waist. Alice’s face distorted just slightly. After he finished tightening the metal fixtures, he staggered a few steps backward, and looked down once more. The knight walked toward Alice, before grabbing the end of the chain dangling behind her back.
Eugeo and Kirito were pulled back to the center of the square, then forcefully pushed down on their knees.
Kirito put his mouth near Eugeo’s ear while he pretended to stagger, and quickly whispered,
“Eugeo…… listen, I’ll use this axe to attack the Integrity Knight. I should be able to buy a few seconds, you use that chance to take Alice and run away. Run to the wheat fields in the south, blend into the gap in the fields and go into the forest, you won’t be easily seen that way.
After Eugeo glanced at the Dragon Bone Axe Kirito held, he was somehow able to squeeze out his voice,
“……Ki…… Kirito…… but…”
Yesterday, haven’t you already seen the Integrity Knight’s terrifying sword and bow skills? If you do something like that, he’ll kill you immediately…… just like that black knight.
As if he could read Eugeo’s thoughts, who was unable to speak, Kirito continued,
“It’s alright, that knight didn’t execute Alice right here. Probably, without an interrogation first, he can’t just kill me. I’ll find a chance to escape too. Also……”
Kirito’s burning gaze was directed at the Integrity Knight, who was confirming the tightness of the restraint tool. Each time he pulled the leather belts, Alice face became distorted in pain.
“……Also, it’s fine even if we fail. As long as we are taken along with Alice, there must be a chance for us to escape. But right now, if Alice is taken alone on the flying dragon, there is no more hope.”
“That’s……”
That’s probably right.
But —— such a reckless idea which can’t even be considered a plan, isn’t it «Treason against the Church»? The Taboo Index, first clause, first passage, first paragraph, defined it as, the greatest sin——
“Eugeo…… is there any need for hesitation!? Who cares if it’s Taboo!? Is that more important than Alice’s life!?”
Kirito’s low but tense voice hit Eugeo’s earlobe.
Right. It’s just as he said.
Inside Eugeo’s heart, he shouted to himself,
——We three had decided that we would be together from birth till death. Working together, so that one could live for the sake of the other two, we did vow that.
Then, there’s no reason to hesitate. The Axiom Church and Alice, which is more important? That answer is already decided. It’s already decided. That is —— that is ——
“Eugeo…… what are you thinking, Eugeo!!”
A voice which now sounded like a shriek tore out from Kirito.
Alice was watching at the two. She shook her head with a worried face.
“That is…… that…… is……”
A hoarse voice came from his throat, as if it wasn’t his own.
However, he couldn’t finish his words. Even inside his head, he couldn’t form the rest of the words. Zukin, a sharp pain ran up his right eye. The continuous throbbing pain interfered with his thinking. Zukin, zukin, a blood-like color spread in his vision, covered everything altogether, as the senses from his limbs faded.
At this time, the village chief had noticed the unusual event occurring, caused by the two of them. He slowly moved his arm, and ordered the two villagers standing behind the two,
“Take those children out of the square.”
Immediately after that, Eugeo and Kirito’s napes were grabbed and dragged backward.
“Damn…… let go!! ——Village chief!! Gasupht-ojisan! Is this alright!? Is it alright to let Alice be taken away like this!!?”
Kirito struggled as if he went insane, shook off the man’s hands, readied the axe in his hand, preparing to charge in.
However, his feet, which wore simple leather boots, couldn’t even make a single step forward. Before he could start running, something surprising had occurred.
The moment the Integrity Knight, who had finished confirming the leather belts on Alice, glanced at Kirito, the Dragon Bone Axe which was held in a tight grip made a sharp metallic sound before flipping out of his hands. The knight touched neither the sword on his waist nor the bow on his back. He didn’t move even a single finger. It was as if his intention itself formed a real blade and hit Kirito’s axe, sending it flying to the edge of the square.
Kirito who had received the aftereffects from the unusual impact also had his body suppressed as he collapsed. Immediately, several men joined in and completely sealed his movements.
His right cheek was pressed against the stone pavement, while he gave off an expression of pain, Kirito desperately shouted,
“Eugeo! Please, go!!”
“A……u, a……”
Eugeo’s whole body trembled.
Go. I have to go. I have to take Alice back from the knight’s hand, then escape to the southern forest.
A faint voice echoed from a corner of his mind. But immediately, a sharp pain attacked his right eye as if it was stabbed, blowing off all his intentions. Together with the pulsing red light, another voice noisily reverberated like a cracked bell.
The Axiom Church is absolute. The Taboo Index is absolute. Disobeying it isn’t allowed. No one is allowed to do so.
“Eugeo, at least get these guys off me!! Then I can……!!”
The Integrity Knight paid no more attention to the commotion at the square, he set the end of the chain to the saddle on the back of the flying dragon. As the dragon lowered its neck, the knight effortlessly climbed into the saddle. The silver armor gleamed brightly.
“Eugeo————!!”
Kirito screamed as he was vomiting blood.
The white flying dragon raised its body, and spread open its wings. The loud sound rang twice, thrice.
Alice, who was bound to the dragon’s saddle, looked straight at Eugeo. She was smiling. As if she was saying ‘Goodbye,’ with those blue pupils of hers. Her long golden hair shook from the wind caused by the flapping wings, glittering as brilliantly as the knight’s armor.
However, Eugeo couldn’t move. He couldn’t make a sound.
As if his legs were rooted to the ground, he couldn’t move even slightly.