Prelude of the Endangered
May There Be World Peace
In the far ancient era, humanity was enslaved by higher beings. Because of the incredible power the Outer Ones and their followers possessed—magic—the people were forced to concede against their will. They eked out miserable lives as slaves, then died.
That was, until history finally ceased to repeat itself, and a savior appeared before them.
His name was Varvatos, the first mortal mage. He had created a magic language specifically for humanity and shared his knowledge with the world. That was how the oppressed started launching a counterattack.
Varvatos told them that humanity could regain its sovereignty, and the masses gathered under him to form the first rebel army. From then on, he and his forces pressed forward with incredible might, which sparked interest in the creation of second and third rebel armies. The world had plunged into full-on war.
…After many months and years, humanity still hadn’t managed to fulfill its dearest wish. There were two primary reasons for this.
First, not every person was united in their desire to transform the world. A portion of humanity had accepted the Outer Ones as the superior race and climbed the ladder to decent roles in society. They sneered at the rebel armies that threatened the status quo. The revolution was obstructed by the Outer Ones’ powers and the lack of human capital.
The biggest contributor, however, was that the savior of humankind, the catalyst behind this plan, had betrayed them for the enemy.
Varvatos was the traitor who started it all.
And now he was nothing more than the Outer Ones’ dog.
Central Elmenera was a region under the Outer Ones’ control. It served as the heart of the economy and maintained a large distribution network. If Elmenera was taken over by some chance, it would spell financial devastation for the entire continent.
This was precisely why the area was constantly targeted by rebel armies and forever burning with the flames of war. The Outer Ones themselves didn’t have a stake in the economy, but their followers and supporters would find an attack on the economy disastrous.
A delay in the circulation of goods would have a major impact on food supplies. It didn’t matter if the humans were followers of the Outer Ones or not; neither could do anything if they were starving. Since weakening the enemy was vital in war, the rebel army focused their resources on attacking the region.
The army’s goal, however, was yet to be realized. And it likely never would be achieved.
That was because the one defending every strategic position was a mage, a first among humankind and the strongest one of all, Varvatos himself.
He was currently in the midst of commanding his army.
Their camp was set up in the middle of a vast plain. It was built to look like a small-scale fortress. From the inside, a host of voices bellowed angrily.
The wounded were being transported from the front lines with teleportation magic as they shrieked in pain. Medical teams raced around in a frantic effort to save them.
As he watched all this play out, Varvatos remained in the camp and dealt with reports on the battle situation. The front lines kept him up-to-date via telepathic communication. He filtered through all their messages simultaneously and issued the best course of action.
“Unit Two will attack the left flank. The enemy has to be getting exhausted by now. Tear through their defenses and don’t let up. Unit Six will remain on standby. Wait on my orders and resist the urge to charge in… Hey, Roxanne, how many times do I have to warn you not to get ahead of yourself? Contain yourself.”
Upon wrapping up his responses, Varvatos shifted back in his legless chair and let out a heavy sigh. A single knight approached him.
“Your Majesty, I’ve brought some herb tea and pastries for you.”
The man wheeling in a tray was named Rivelg. He was one of Varvatos’s close aides and his right-hand man. When the commander saw this handsome figure—lovingly called “the knight of roses” by the masses—he exhaled an audible breath of relief.
“You know me well. That’s exactly what I was in the mood for.”
“I am delighted by your response,” Rivelg replied, blushing as he bowed.
Varvatos began scarfing down the tea and pastries.
“Yep. Sugar is the best fix for the tired mind.”
Mouth full of treats, Varvatos visibly relaxed his strained expression. There were no traces of his nervousness from earlier. He looked almost as lovely as a maiden.
His natural beauty and innocent smile healed the heart of the knight of roses. It even touched the injured soldiers and medics on the front line.
“His Majesty is smiling…!”
“What a marvelous sight…!”
“I’d die for him any day…!”
The tiniest pieces of their hearts melted.
At that moment, Varvatos heard a new telepathic voice.
“Var…! Can you hear me…?!”
It was his big sister of sorts, the knight Olivia. He could detect a hint of pain in her voice, and a second later…a massive explosion rumbled in the far distance.
“It—it can’t be!”
“It’s them! They’re coming!”
Amid the chaos, Varvatos rose from his chair and gazed westward. There was no question that the intermittent blasts were heading closer toward them.
“I’m sorry…! They got past me again…!” Olivia exclaimed, voice tortured.
“Aaaaaaaaargh!”
As soon as the savage scream boomed close to them, the small wall separating the camp from the outside was obliterated.
A swarm of soldiers rushed into the main camp.
“Th-they’re here!”
“They breached the front lines again!”
“R-run! We’ll get in His Majesty’s way if we stay here!”
The medics hauled off the injured, retreating at full speed. Not a single person engaged the invading army. They had realized during previous battles that they’d be nothing more than a nuisance if they tried to fight.
One person, however—the close aide and knight of roses, Rivelg—unsheathed the sword at Varvatos’s side.
“I’ll deal with the followers. Your Majesty—go take care of that woman.”
“…I’ll leave this to you.”
For the second time in his life, Varvatos faced her—a beautiful elven woman with flowing silver hair, scowling at him.
Lydia Beginsgate. The core of the rebel forces.
There was fury in her heavenly features. Gripping her silver blade, she went straight for him. Varvatos faced his approaching foe and summoned his custom weapon, a magic sword of his own making known as Wyrm Tepes.
As soon as he was armed with his ominous dark blade, the distance between them closed, and their swords clashed violently.
“You again, sickly Powderpuff?!”
“…Get out of my way, you chalky idiot,” I snarled.
The two locked weapons and glared at each other, the friction causing sparks.
“I’m winning this time!”
Lydia focused her power on both legs and unleashed an impossible amount of power, which sent Varvatos’s delicate frame flying. This was when the real battle began.
“Come at me, dimwit.”
“Who are you calling dimwit?!”
The two pale fighters went at it hard.
Meanwhile, their subordinates were battling, dipping into the last of their energy reserves.
“The knight of roses…! I can see why he’s the right-hand man of that monster…!”
“C’mon! We gotta protect Lydie!”
Rivelg took on several enemies by himself at once. A jack-of-all-trades, he was both a master swordfighter and a skilled mage who served as a cornerstone for the Heavenly Kings, who were at the top of the chain of command. His powers were not of this world. The enemy soldiers who fought him were mighty in their own right, but Rivelg was a beast who could defeat them by himself.
“My goal for today is taking one or two of you down, bare minimum.”
As Rivelg pushed forward with his attacks…Varvatos was locked in a defensive stance.
“Take thaaaaaaaat!”
Blows rained down on him like a storm, which he deftly blocked. During their fight, he observed his opponent and searched for an opportunity.
…Normally, it was standard practice to keep your distance from any opponent skilled in close combat. Varvatos was well aware of this. In these types of battles, it was best to maintain a fixed space and attack with long-range magic.
When up against Lydia, however, that course of action turned into one’s worst nightmare.
And so—
“Ngh! Now! Take this, Lydia!”
Rivelg had let an enemy solider sneak past him, and the combatant had cast attack magic. Sharp ice arrows went ripping through the air.
But they weren’t aimed at Varvatos.
The target was the enemy commander Lydia.
This absurd maneuver would stun anyone who had never witnessed this before. Even Varvatos had squinted at it in scrutiny, but now that he realized what was going on—
“Tch! You think I’d let that happen?!”
He tried to divert it and foil his opponent’s plans, but…
“Hah! Actually, I’m pretty sure you will!”
Lydia jumped back and sneered before shouting her chant.
“Cell Vidias. Become a Source of Fear!”
An instant later, the sword in her hand radiated a dazzling light—and the rush of ice arrows were absorbed into the blade. Then…
“Aw yeah! Let’s get this party started!”
Lydia launched forward in a ferocious fervor. Her foot dug into the ground, and clods of earth flew past them. The enemies closed in on each another once again, blades clashing.
“The Holy Sword. So you’ve brought out a real weapon…!”
A Holy Sword.
The name of the silver blade in Lydia’s hand was Vald-Galgulus. Created in the far ancient era, it was a weapon powerful enough to bring down gods and was known as the Mage Destroyer. This Vald-Galgulus could absorb magic attacks and convert them into power for the sword’s wielder.
That’s what made it the Mage Destroyer. It was counterproductive to use magic against someone brandishing the Holy Sword. Not only that, but your spells would also become part of your opponent’s powers.
During their first fight, Varvatos had been unaware of this, so he had employed bold moves from the start—and it nearly led to his downfall.
However…
“That moment was your first and last opportunity. Allow me to prove it to you.”
Varvatos slowly bent his knees while enduring Lydia’s relentless assault—
“Graaaaaah!”
Just as she waved the sword above her head…
“HAH!” Varvatos rushed in on her.
Lydia’s Holy Sword cleaved down into his shoulder…but the blade did not slice through him.
If the center of the blade had struck him, Varvatos’s delicate frame would have been split clean in half. But with Lydia and Varvatos so close, only the base of the blade, the part with the most volatile power, had cut through his skin.
Therefore, the Holy Sword cut into his shoulder only the slightest bit—and stopped.
Only for an instant. The merest fraction of an instant. It wasn’t even enough time for a full blink, and yet…
It was more than enough for Varvatos.
“Nngh!”
As the two separated once more, he struck his foe in the solar plexus with the hilt of his sword.
“Gragh?!”
Lydia coughed up blood from the impressive hit, and she went soaring through the air. The strength in Varvatos’s arms was far greater than his slender frame suggested. Lydia’s innards had erupted with that last attack, and the impact had shattered her ribs.
As proof, Lydia continued to vomit blood as she fell to her hands and knees on the bare earth.
Lose the battle to win the war.
Varvatos had put these ancient words into action. He pointed the tip of his black blade at Lydia.
“You’re an amateur with the sword. A skirmish—especially one that’s as simple and clumsy as this—can’t kill me.”
After he explained the reason for her defeat, Varvatos slowly stepped forward.
To claim the prized head of his enemy.
However…a young girl materialized next to Lydia, who kept coughing up blood.
She must have used teleportation magic. She glared at Varvatos for the barest of seconds, and without launching a single attack…
“…Let’s go,” she murmured.
The girl, Lydia, and the soldiers Rivelg had been fighting instantly disappeared.
“…Guess they got away this time.”
Varvatos looked at the pool of Lydia’s blood and sighed. Rivelg spoke in muted tones.
“Perhaps it would be more accurate to say you let them get away.”
The knight’s eyes seemed to be testing him in some way. Varvatos purposefully ignored him and stared up at the azure sky.
He let out another sigh.
Lydia Beginsgate was the central figure that united the rebel armies spread across the world. At present, she was leading her forces in an effort to overtake the most vital of cities under the Outer Ones’ control. They would essentially gain control of the continent’s entire economic network if successful. If that happened, the scales would tip in the rebel armies’ favor, and Lydia would get a boost in popularity for leading them. People might be inspired by her story and join the revolution…which would pose some problems for the Outer Ones and their followers.
Varvatos didn’t feel a shred of pride that he was successful in shielding his overlords from the inconvenience of dealing with the rebellion. He had simply completed an unpleasant order. Nothing more, nothing less.
…After Lydia withdrew, the rest of the rebel army began to flee, and Varvatos’s army emerged victorious. With the situation resolved, there was no reason to tarry any longer. After a bit of preparation, they departed for home.
Under the orange sky, the group of soldiers traversed the quiet plain. By their cheerful demeanor, no one could have ever guessed they’d just engaged in a bloody battle.
“Hell, Lydia’s army sure is strong.”
“But they’re no match for us. After all, we’ve got His Majesty in all his glory.”
The soldiers were making small talk, and Varvatos gazed down at them from his horse. On both sides of him, Olivia and Rivelg were also on horseback, doing the same exact thing.
“Honestly, what was the enemy even thinking?” Rivelg wondered with a deep sigh. It felt bone-deep, and Varvatos could relate.
“…They must believe that they would never cut down their fellow man. A conviction. Or something like that.”
There had been more injuries than could be counted in the previous battle. However, there wasn’t a single fatality.
Plenty had experienced death firsthand, but nothing had eliminated their spirits, which meant they could all be revived without issue. This resulted in a strange absence of war casualties, and the soldiers’ faces on the way home showed hints of no tragic heroism that you might otherwise see in returning troops.
“To me, a conviction is the force that pushes us toward a goal. But it seems like accomplishing their goal is a burden for that woman and her forces. They’re only hurting themselves.”
Rivelg was a realist and hated those beyond his own understanding. It was unlikely he’d ever warm up to a woman like Lydia.
On the other hand, Olivia seemed to hold a different opinion.
“Conviction, huh? …Maybe that’s why I lost twice,” she whispered as she stared at the sword at her side. She then turned to Varvatos. “Hey. Should we really keep this up?”
Varvatos said nothing. A shadow fell over his beautiful face. Olivia was about to press him further, but…
“Enough,” Rivelg interjected. “Lady Olivia. I’m aware you and His Majesty share a long history, but you are nothing more than his sword and vassal at present. You must maintain that distinction. Our duty is to obey His Majesty. Any attempt to interfere with his intentions is your own arrogance getting out of line.”
Rivelg shot her a death glare, which Olivia returned with a fiery look of her own…but she finally swallowed her words back down.
Varvatos remained silent as he watched their exchange. The hazy outline of home came into view.
“…Look, Olivia. On the other side of that wall are the people we should be protecting. We have a utopia we made ourselves.”
His voice was heavy somehow. It was like he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.
“We’ve fulfilled our greatest desire. So…isn’t that enough?”
This world was once ruled by beings known as the Old Gods and their human followers. There were hardly any wars in those days, and this era of peace lasted for many, many years.
Everything, however, changed one day.
Invaders known as the Outer Ones came from another world, quickly rushing in and declaring war. They launched a large-scale assault. To fight against the Outer Ones’ devastatingly high proficiency for war, the Old Gods created god-smiting weapons such as the Holy Swords…but the outcome was a tragic one.
From then on, the world was ruled by the Outer Ones and their followers, and humanity was enslaved. Robbed of their dignity and basic rights, people were forced to live like cattle, given no choice but to accept the situation for what it was.
The world, however, shifted once again with the appearance of Varvatos. He spread magic especially created for humankind across the world and raised a host of rebel armies. Under his guidance, the people slowly inched closer to regaining autonomy.
…And from such a world rose an exceptional land.
A small nation known as Megatholium. It was the size of a large city and the only territory that the Outer Ones had accepted as independently governed by mortals.
Varvatos, the king of this very special country, silently looked at documents all alone in his office.
The king’s office was inorganic and sparse. Mountains of parchment were piled on the work desk set in the center. He glanced over each sheet with a strained expression.
“Hmm. The budget for the sewer construction is too low. That’ll lower their morale. It’s the budget for maintaining public order that’s too high. Maybe we should allocate the excess to construction efforts.”
These tedious matters took up a majority of the king’s days. It was incredibly boring, but Varvatos didn’t mind. As he looked over the documents, he thought about the lives of the citizens under his protection.
He imagined they were enjoying full lives despite the many ups and downs. There were no higher beings, no existences that were unreasonable and absurd. Megatholium was the ideal society they had fought so hard for.
…That’s why Varvatos thought he’d made the right decision.
At least, that was what he wanted to think.
However, many others were of conflicting opinion. The next document he picked up was evidence enough of this.
“…A written petition from my subordinates, huh?”
The contents urged reform. Namely—a desire to rebel against the Outer Ones once again.
“……Do these idiots have a death wish? Why can’t they understand where I’m coming from?”
With a bitter expression, Varvatos scrunched up the paper and tossed it in the trash can. He felt a little guilty about that.
“…I made the right decision. This is for the best. As long as I keep things the way they are, no one will leave me. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
This was only meant to convince himself.
“Indeed. Your Majesty’s judgment is infallible. You have not erred once.”
Varvatos gasped as he heard his aide, Rivelg, the knight of roses. He hadn’t realized anyone else was in the room. If Rivelg had been an assassin, he could have taken the king down in a single strike. Varvatos turned red with shame, mentally scolding himself for letting his guard down.
The aide smiled at him. “It seems you’ve been called to review more paperwork than usual. You must be exhausted, Your Majesty.”
“…Yeah. You’re right.”
“You’re a picture-perfect ruler, engaging in a steady stream of government affairs even when you’re tired. However, even someone as transcendent as yourself requires rest.”
“…You have a point.”
Varvatos slowly stood. He left the remaining duties to Rivelg and retired to the nap room. It was as inorganic as the office, and the space was furnished with nothing more than a simple bed.
He went to lie down, sunk his face into the soft pillow, and closed his eyes—
Even if he wanted to forget things. Even if he tried to look away.
As long as he was himself, his past would never disappear.
A scene from Varvatos’s childhood flashed through his mind’s eye.
He’d always been alone since the day he was born. Abandoned as a child, he was picked up by the head of an orphanage and raised there. Most of the other children had very similar histories. No one accepted Varvatos, the first human mage, however. They were petrified of him, labeling the boy a demon.
Under these circumstances, the lonely boy would ask himself questions in his mind.
Why was I born?
What am I living for?
Why do I have to live in this twisted, hopeless world?
All of his days were spent in isolation as he fruitlessly searched for answers.
The one who put an end to that emptiness was his big sister of sorts, Olivia.
“I refuse to put up with this intolerable life. That’s our fuel. Don’t you feel the same way?”
This girl was the first person to not fear him. To treat him with decency.
Varvatos told himself he would live for Olivia. He would help spark the revolution she envisioned, take back the dignity of humankind, and create a world where everyone could smile and live happily ever after. He told himself doing so would give his life meaning.
…At this point, Varvatos lacked the confidence to be a leader. He was the definition of a war machine whose sole purpose was to fulfill Olivia’s greatest wish.
One boy changed all that for Varvatos.
He was Varvatos’s second friend after Olivia, and he was the one who taught the orphan how to live not only as an instrument of war, but also as a person.
It was this boy’s death that helped him realize his full humanity.
“Hey, Var…do you like this world…? I personally hate it…”
During a certain incident, his friend had incited the demons’ wrath, been sentenced to the death penalty, and fallen to a merciless death. After coming to grips with this tragedy, Varvatos had an epiphany, which remained intense in his mind.
Olivia’s hopes and dreams were no longer hers alone. They had become his, too.
He would change the world.
To avenge my friend’s death, I’ll do my best to…no, I will create change, he vowed.
With this fire burning within him, he formed a rebel army with Olivia. His natural beauty and breathtaking presence gave him an irresistible charisma, and together with his title as humanity’s first mage, he had amassed forces in the blink of an eye.
Yes, those were the halcyon days of humanity. Regardless of age or gender, everyone revered Varvatos and flocked to him. To meet their expectations, he made great strides as both a soldier and a person, continuing to march forever forward. At the time, he believed he could carry on like this until the very end. He thought himself invincible and concluded everything he desired would come to be.
However—
“You’re strong. The strongest, no doubt. But even if you can destroy the enemy and protect yourself with that power, you can’t protect anyone else.”
It was their fault it all came crashing down. Their fault the dream ended.
“I bet you’ll keep on winning from here on out. But you’ll lose friends with every victory. In the end, you’ll be the last one standing. You’ll have no one. Be my guest; be a lonely king in your lonely country. I’ll be watching and laughing at you.”
The prophecy came true. Varvatos wasn’t able to stop it.
His friends died. A steady stream of victories brought him ever closer to his heart’s desire, and his friends kept passing on.
His irreplaceable friends. The people he was supposed to protect.
They all fell victim to a merciless reality.
…At this rate, Varvatos would fulfill the vow he made to his departed friend, but if the end of that road was nothing more than an empty horizon…
If not a single person would be around to share it with him…
What would keeping this promise accomplish?
As Varvatos agonized over this, the entity offered an alternative.
“Be my dog. If you do, you won’t lose anything else. Far from it, in fact. I’ll grant your every wish.”
Varvatos understood the dark temptation he was dealing with, but…he made his decision.
To protect others. To protect himself.
Varvatos decided that he was going to—
Varvatos opened his eyes feeling nauseated, like he’d broken through the water’s surface too quickly after exploring the bottom of the sea.
“…That dream again.”
Ever since that fated day, he’d been plagued by nightmares. His first encounter with Lydia Beginsgate had awakened past traumas that haunted him in his sleep.
What could the reason be?
Varvatos knew the answer but chose not to think about it.
“…Shit, my clothes are soaked in sweat. Gross.”
Wiping the perspiration dripping from his forehead, he sighed, looking irritated, and sat up.
“Hey, honey. Seeing you all sweaty really turns me on.”
An elegant voice called out to him from a corner of the room. The androgynous tone was as crisp as a clear blue sky, and anyone who didn’t know better would find it hypnotizing.
However, Varvatos knew its true nature, and it made his skin crawl.
“…What do you want, Mephisto Yuu Phegor?”
The room was lit by lamplight, yet the figure stood in a corner of darkness. Varvatos glared, twisting his beauty.
“Come on now. Don’t give me that look. What’d I ever do to you?”
With a brazen smile, the figure took one, then two steps forward.
Mephisto Yuu Phegor. He was one of the Outer Ones, if not their leader. He had the sweet visage of a young angel… Though his appearance was heavenly, he was a devil inside.
He approached Varvatos, cloaked in a dark flowing garment, his silky black hair trailing after him. Mephisto’s glimmering golden eyes narrowed.
“You’ve failed to defeat my daughter for the second time. She’s brilliant, isn’t she?” Mephisto asked with an alluring grin.
Varvatos instinctively clenched his fists.
Lydia Beginsgate was a half-elf born of an elven woman and Mephisto Yuu Phegor.
How could someone like her even exist? Varvatos had no way of knowing and no desire to find out. All he had to do was obey orders as this man’s dog. He just had to carry out the repulsive mission to kill Mephisto’s own daughter.
“…We’ve only tried twice. Isn’t it too soon for you to yell at me to pick up the pace?”
“Hmm? No, no, I’m not here to do that. I just wanted to see my sweet honey’s face while he’s sleeping.”
The smile on his radiant, angelic face deepened, and Mephisto reached out his hand. Just as those soft, slim fingers were about to touch Varvatos’s pale cheek—
“Quit messing around, perv.” Varvatos smacked his hand away with unhidden fury.
“Oh dear, as cold as ever, I see. That’s why I like you so much.” The corners of Mephisto’s mouth turned upward as he looked at Varvatos like one would admire an unfriendly dog. “I’d love to hang around with you forever, but I’m actually quite busy. This was a quick rendezvous, but I’m afraid I must be going.”
“…Never come back, sicko.”
Mephisto seemed amused by these scathing words and smiled.
“Well, my honey. I expect you to be a good little pet. Otherwise—things will really start getting interesting.”
A terrible wickedness peeked through his grin, and he vanished out of sight.
“………”
Varvatos stared at the empty air for some time, then finally let out a deep sigh.
“Ugh, I really do feel sick.”
He didn’t want to go back to sleep but didn’t think he could deal with more government matters, either. He wouldn’t be able to get work done if he felt this awful.
“…Guess I’ll go take my mind off things.”
Varvatos gloomily peeled himself out of bed.
Even if he couldn’t ask for a better environment to live in, Varvatos’s situation was still far from ideal.
He continued to suffer daily in his master-servant relationship with Mephisto and his repulsive affections. It was a constant weight on his heart, and the accumulated stress was substantial. Varvatos occasionally took this out on his subordinates, which made him fall into a cycle of self-loathing.
That said, he almost always managed to get his work done, and his mind remained sane. The nightmares took their toll on Varvatos, however, and the mental strain would stretch him to his limits.
When it got too bad, he headed to the castle town. Of course, this was only after he magically transformed his appearance. Varvatos’s beauty was praised as the work of the gods, and the weak-hearted fainted at the very sight of him. Many had fallen victim the last time he strolled into town with only minor modifications. The whole place practically broke out into a mass panic.
This time, he transformed himself into a different person entirely. He was now a completely average-looking young man with no unique features to speak of.
With his newfound sense of freedom, Varvatos set out to enjoy the town nightlife. The magic stone devices intermittently placed along the paved street illuminated the downtown district, and the people were as loud at night as they were during the day.
“You there, young man! How about taking a break at our place?”
“Huh? I heard your joint’s a total rip-off. You aren’t fooling me.” A man snubbed someone beckoning him into his shop.
“Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha! The world’s spinning!”
“Y-you’ve had way too much to drink! Get it together, boss!”
A young man was looking after a drunk woman.
The night brought out people’s true natures. That was why Varvatos was so fascinated by it. After all, it was impossible to find this view elsewhere—people revealing their genuine selves, living freely, laughing and smiling openly.
Such pleasures often taken for granted were precious in this era. In the lands controlled by the Outer Ones and the demons, everyone was frightened of encountering a higher being and spent their lives cowering in fear. If they acted of their own volition and invoked the displeasure of the powers…a cruel death awaited them.
On the other hand, much like this city of Megatholium, cities controlled by the rebels were governed by humanity. That said, one couldn’t necessarily call their situation a good one. The townspeople lived in constant fear of attack by the higher beings…and the local rebel soldiers stirred up their own brand of chaos.
That was why this city was so unique. Only Megatholium served as a utopia for humanity. It was a society where everyone could smile and look forward to the next day. There was none other like it.
“…I knew I wasn’t wrong.”
The energy and smiles of these people were proof of this. Being Mephisto’s dog disgusted Varvatos, but he’d gotten a lot out of it. The citizens had a place of rest where they could live in peace. He wouldn’t lose anyone else. This assured Varvatos that he had made the right choice.
“…I guess I should head back.”
His heart had stabilized to a degree. He would return to the castle and finish the rest of his governmental affairs. Just as he thought this…
“Get back here, you hag!” a man threatened, voice echoing from a back alley nearby.
“Okay! I’m coming!”
He heard a familiar voice.
No, wait. That’s impossible. She can’t be here.
As soon as this crossed his mind, a woman carrying a younger girl jumped out from the alleyway. Her beautiful silver hair fluttered down her waist, and she stopped right in the middle of the street.
“You watch from that wall over there, okay?”
“O-okay.”
The woman put the girl down, gave a warlike smile, and turned around to face the back alley. Soon enough, a group of men who looked like bad news appeared in droves to surround her.
“Finally ready to give in, you witch…?!”
“Time to pay for messing with our business.”
“You really think we’d back off because we’re in public? Please.”
“You aren’t getting away…!”
The town delinquents glowered. Any normal person would burst into tears and beg for their life in this situation, but this woman was different. She thrust her chest out proudly as she spoke.
“Hah! You twerps got it all wrong. I’m not running. I was looking for a spot. One perfect for a fight!” The woman revealed a vicious smile that was more like a snarl. “A fight is better with a nice, big audience! And now we’ve got all the eyes we could ask for!” she said before shouting “I’m ready! Come at me, guys!!”
The delinquents wouldn’t just let her provoke them.
“““Bring it on, wench!”””
Bellowing angrily, each whipped out an array of dangerous weapons from their pockets. The most powerful ones on the market in this era were equipped with magic, but even if they were the most violent people in the world, these guys weren’t dumb enough to shoot off spells in the middle of town. So they’d equipped themselves with knives and fisticuffs as they approached her.
The woman greeted the brutes cheerfully—
“Aaargh!” She pummeled them mercilessly. It was a spectacular example of an underdog beating the odds. Observers were nervous initially, but her skills soon won them over. The crowd started to clap and cheer.
Mixed in the crowd was Varvatos, who stared at the proceedings with his jaw slack.
“…What is she?”
There was no mistaking the beautiful woman who took down rogues like she was having the time of her life.
It was Lydia Beginsgate.
“…That’s not some body double, right? Her magic is almost an exact match.”
All methods of verification led to the same answer. That elf woman was Lydia. There was no doubt.
This was precisely why Varvatos felt like he was going crazy.
“Why…? Why is she here…?”
He couldn’t wrap his head around it. Even Lydia had to have known that Megatholium was enemy territory. Their main commander couldn’t have possibly sneaked in by herself, right?
Now that she was right in front of him, he had no choice but to accept that she could have done it. The main priority at the moment was to figure out what Lydia was up to.
If Varvatos was in enemy territory, he would cause chaos in town to try to destroy them from the inside out, but…
“Nice! Go get ’em, Miss!”
“Amazing! Can people move that fast?!”
…Well, it was true she was causing a scene. But there was something bothering him.
She wasn’t anything like he’d expected. Lydia’s only concern was putting on a good show for the crowd. She didn’t seem the least bit intent on starting a massacre.
“…Seriously, what is she?”
Just as Varvatos felt more confused than ever…
One of the delinquents in front of Lydia dashed elsewhere. He was aiming for the child watching them by the wall. A glint in his eye, he approached the girl Lydia had been carrying; the man must have been planning to take her hostage.
Lydia was so busy dealing with the swarm in front of her that she didn’t notice what he was planning.
At this rate, that defenseless girl will be in danger. Varvatos began to move.
“If you’re a man—”
The words poured out of him as he raced toward her.
“—then fight with honor.”
Varvatos unleashed an open-palm strike and hit the man square in the jaw. His opponent fell to the ground, but Varvatos felt no sense of satisfaction. If anything, he regretted getting involved.
He had snapped with the best of intentions. For as long as he could remember, a part of his nature couldn’t ignore a person in distress.
“Who the hell are you?!”
“Y-you think you can get away with hitting our big bro?!”
…That was why things turned out this way. The delinquents now turned their attention not only to Lydia, but to him as well. Escape…would be difficult. They had surrounded him in an instant.
“Ugh, damn. I don’t even care anymore…!”
Clicking his tongue, Varvatos stepped toward the group and joined the fray with Lydia. He enchanted the spectators just as much as she did…or maybe more.
“He’s really doing a number on them, huh?!”
“His moves are so fluid…!”
“It’s like he’s dancing…!”
Upon witnessing Varvatos’s elegant techniques adapted from martial arts, everyone sighed with admiration. Lydia puffed out her cheeks at the attention he was getting.
“Hey, you! Quit stealing the show!” she snapped as she threw a guy.
“I wasn’t trying to…! More importantly…,” Varvatos began after finishing off the flying man by kneeing him in the solar plexus. He then picked up a stone off the ground and threw it in Lydia’s direction.
Its sharp edge grazed her cheek—and it struck the man about to stab her from behind square in the forehead.
“Your back was exposed, rookie.”
“Who are you calling a rookie?!”
“I don’t see anyone else around. Besides, your moves have been a mess from the beginning. It’s hard to watch.”
“Shut your trap and get off that high horse! You make me wanna hurl! Stupid! Idiot! Moron!”
“Sigh. You should take a look in the mirror once this fight is over. I believe you’ll find a humanoid face lacking in both intelligence and vocabulary.”
As they sparred in this verbal war, they cooperated like they were siblings. Each had the other’s back, and the two beat down one ruffian after the other.
Then the last one finally hit the ground. The enemy hadn’t landed a single blow.
“Phew. Not a bad fight.”
Lydia had on an invigorating smile that said I worked up a good sweat. She then rushed over to the girl who had been watching them by the wall.
“It’s all over now, Miss. There’s nothing to fear anymore.”
Her pompous tone was completely different from the one moments earlier. Her chivalrous demeanor, paired with her ethereal beauty, really was quite captivating. From Varvatos’s perspective, repulsiveness was her only outstanding quality.
The girl, on the other hand, blushed red and expressed her gratitude.
“Th-thank you very much. If you hadn’t been here, I would have…”
“No need to thank me. I just did what anybody else would do,” Lydia replied, flashing a pearly smile. She then wrapped her arms around the girl’s shoulders. “Even a safe town like this one has kidnappers. It’s impossible to enjoy the nightlife in peace… But you’ll be safe as long as you’re by my side.”
As she wrapped up this little speech, Lydia looked at the girl straight on with a glint in her eye. “What do you say, Miss? Shall we paint the town red?”
“…Huh?”
Everyone else present, the girl included, must have thought the following: What is she talking about?
Varvatos was on the same page. No, seriously, what’s she going on about?
The audience who had viewed her as a hero only moments before suddenly were staring at her like a sad piece of trash. They walked away disenchanted.
Lydia was apathetic to the crowd’s reaction, and she descended upon the girl.
“With a lovely catch like you, Miss, I’m sure we’ll have the greatest night of our lives. There’s a nice little inn nearby. Let’s pop in, and—”
“A-ah, well, I’m not really into…”
“What? You’ve been missing out. Let’s explore new worlds. I’m sure you’ll have a great time. To the inn! Don’t worry, the tab’s on me. C’mon, let’s get going. The inn awaits!”
How could one describe her?
She was like a gross old man creeping on a young girl. A beauty with a garbage center.
Unsurprisingly, the girl didn’t appreciate her advances.
“P-please stop! You’re a perv!”
Lydia had tried to touch her butt, and the girl pushed back, full force, before running away in fear.
“Huh?! W-wait, Miss! Hey! Hold on! Wait, you little brat! I saved you! At least let me have one round!”
She’s the scum of humankind, Varvatos thought from the very bottom of his heart.
The living trash continued to kick the ground in frustration for some time. Then, she looked at him and stared.
“Hey. What’s your name?”
There was absolutely no way he’d ever give his real name. Varvatos used a fake one he’d been using for this identity he created.
“Daniel. Daniel Wilaski.”
“I’m Lydia Beginsgate. So, Daniel. How ’bout a drink?”
“…What?”
A drink? Her and me?
He couldn’t possibly—
“It’ll be great! C’mon! Let’s go!”
Lydia grabbed his arm and started yanking him along. It should have been easy to shake her off, but for whatever reason, Varvatos didn’t. Even he didn’t know why.
What will sharing a drink together accomplish? There’s no point. After all, this woman and I are enemies.
…Even as he thought that, he failed to turn her down and ended up in a bar on the outskirts of town.
“The girls in this town don’t know a good thing when they see it!”
“Huh.”
“I was shot down twenty times today! Twenty! Can you believe it?!”
“Huh.”
“Guess I got no choice! Starting tomorrow, I’m going for some hot guys!”
“Huh.”
“Speaking of hot guys, the king of Megatholium is totally my type.”
“…Um.”
“Those looks could kill. Like, I wanna screw him real bad.”
“………”
“He’s pretty and all, but on the inside, he’s kinda…”
“…A pervert like you shouldn’t comment on character.”
“Huh? You say somethin’?”
“Nothing.”
Listening to the ramblings of a drunk enemy commander felt surreal. Why was he even here? He had no idea.
“Aaaah! Okay, Daniel! Drinking challenge! If you can drink more than me, the tab’s on me! If I win, it’s on you!”
“…Why would I do something like that?”
He normally wasn’t one to change his mind once it was made up, but…
“Hmm. Afraid you’ll lose, huh?” Lydia asked.
“…Excuse me?”
“I can’t believe a guy like you doesn’t have the guts to take on a woman in a drinking contest.”
“…Fine, but don’t complain if you die from alcohol poisoning.”
I never take the bait this easily. For some reason, his competitive spirit burned…
“What’s wrong, perv? Had enough?”
“Heh, heh-heh. Notta shance. Imma just gettin’ started.”
“You’ll hurt yourself if you push yourself. Why not just accept an honorable defeat?”
“A-ain’t your faysh red, too? Anyways, yer swayin’ all over the place. Fink maybe ya had enough?”
“If I appear to be swaying, that just proves your own drunkenness. I’m perfectly fine. I could finish off two more casks.”
“Heh-hehhh. Not bad. But ah can shtill drink three.”
“Okay. By the way, it appears I’ve made a slight miscalculation. Accounting for my empty stomach and bladder, I can finish off at least four more casks.”
“Oh yeaaah? Well, I made ah mishtake, too. I can shtill do five. Yep, no problem.”
“Really? Well, I’ve just remembered I have a fatal disease where I’ll die unless I drink six casks. So six would be better.”
“Oh yeah, I got dis disease where mah boobies will explode if I don’t down seven.”
Varvatos was well aware how ridiculous they sounded.
Why am I being so stupid? he thought. And yet, he didn’t stop.
“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Look, Daniel! A pink dragon is flyin’ around over ’der!”
“Pull it together, idiot. There’s no such thing as pink dragons. That’s a giant kitty. Ohhh, look at those little toe beans. I wanna get buried in ’em and suffocate…”
That night, Varvatos got drunk for the first time ever, and with the enemy he was supposed to kill—
How long had it been since he’d blacked out from drinking? Varvatos opened his eyes to a dull headache.
“Where am I…?”
An unfamiliar field of flowers was spread out before him. Why was he here? What did he do? He had no idea.
“…I guess she’s gone.”
Lydia wasn’t next to him. Did she run off elsewhere, or did her rebel army comrades come pick her up?
At any rate—his behavior had been foolish.
“Spending all night out here… What am I doing…?”
Rivelg and his other subordinates were no doubt panicking over his absence at that very same moment. What excuse could he possibly come up with?
He had a terrible hangover, and his head was killing him. But strangely enough…he didn’t regret any of it. In fact…
“…Pull it together. What are you even thinking?”
Suppressing the feelings rising up within him, Varvatos stood. He soon returned to the routine he’d always followed prior to the day before. Returned to committing to protect this utopia he created. Carried out his duties as king and engaged the rebel army whenever they came calling.
…That woman was always on the battlefield.
“I’m going to take the win today, Powderpuff!”
She didn’t win even once. Although they always put up a good fight, Lydia and her army always suffered defeat and escaped. Over and over again.
At nighttime, Varvatos came across Lydia whenever he journeyed into town to unwind. Sometimes he’d stare at her in exasperation when she got into yet another fight or sigh when she took out her rage on a wall after a failed pickup line or feel disgusted when she got hammered and threw up everywhere.
This time, one of many already, was no different. Still plagued by nightmares, Varvatos left the castle that night, headed downtown as Daniel Wilaski…and met up with her.
It wasn’t planned, of course. Some sort of magnetism always seemed to bring them together.
“Hey, Daniel. Let’s go get a drink.”
“…Okay.”
This was their routine.
I know I’m being stupid, but it’s so strange… I feel good for some reason. Maybe it’s Lydia’s personality… I like hanging around her.
“Hey, check out that sexy lady. You ever see such a huge rack?”
“…Bigger isn’t necessarily better.”
“Heh. Guess you’re not a boob man, Daniel.”
“I never said that.”
He’d never had a dirty conversation before. Being with her made him act dumb.
And it felt good. In recent days, Varvatos looked forward to this time spent forgetting his role and living like a normal person.
…But that was also what made this so painful. The two were destined to kill each other, even if he tried to defy fate. There was no question he would succeed someday… His friends would die otherwise. And he didn’t want that. Ever.
And yet…he couldn’t kill Lydia as commanded.
“Aaaargh… I mighta hadda li’l too much to drink again…”
Lydia staggered in front of him down a street in the dark city. Her back was exposed. If Varvatos had wanted to, he could have taken her life right then and there.
…When he considered his position, he knew it was what he should do. Yet he couldn’t make a single move to carry it out.
They finally arrived at the inn Lydia was staying at.
“Later, Daniel. Let’s go drinkin’ again.”
“…Yeah.”
They exchanged their usual good-byes and parted. Varvatos walked through the night alone.
“What am I even doing…?”
He was hanging his head in self-condemnation when…
“Yeah. What are you doing?” asked a familiar voice, and Varvatos’s surroundings shifted. The illuminated cityscape disintegrated, leaving only a heavy darkness behind. This was the work of his space magic.
Yes… Mephisto Yuu Phegor had created a world solely for them.
“Hey there, honey. I’m delighted to see you in a fine mood. But you could say I’m feeling a bit sour. I don’t need to tell you the reason, do I?” he asked with a tilt of his head and a dazzling smile. This was more effective than any threat.
“…Unlike those of us with a finite life span, you can live into eternity. Don’t you think pestering me this much makes you look impatient?”
“I’m quite even-tempered. If I wasn’t, you would have lost everything by now.”
The radiant smile on his youthful features slowly transformed into something far more sinister. Mephisto stared at Varvatos with an all-seeing gaze as he spoke.
“You’ll never kill my daughter without outside help. I’m here because you’ve made that perfectly clear to me, honey.”
Varvatos began to object, but…
“No, it’s useless. You can’t kill my daughter. After all, she’s grown on you. It’s not romantic, though. You envy and admire her. That’s why you’ll never make the logical decision, even if I give you all the time in the world.”
Envy and admire. That summed up Varvatos’s feelings succinctly.
“You realized her true nature the moment you two first met. You’re both the same at heart. The truth is: You’re reflections of each other. It makes sense. After all, I made her that way. However, just like how a mirror image of yourself is inverted, her way of life is the polar opposite of yours.”
Mephisto continued to talk as he walked around Varvatos.
“Unlike you who have yielded to my threats, she never stops moving. She never compromises and always sticks to her beliefs. You envy and admire people like her. You’ve never felt this way before. That’s why she’s special to you. And it’s those emotions that are stopping you from crossing a certain line.”
Mephisto stood in front of Varvatos and shrugged.
“Seeing you in pain was my greatest joy. That was because I never knew what you were going to do next. Now that you’re an open book, there’s nothing for me to savor. Therefore—”
Mephisto’s next words were delivered with a cruel smile, and he said the last thing Varvatos ever wanted to hear.
“This is my final warning. If you fail to kill my daughter in the next battle… Hmm. I know! I’ll kill Olivia vel Vine instead.”
“ !!”
As soon as Varvatos heard this, all the blood rushed to his head. Before he knew it, he had grabbed Mephisto by the collar. He glared at his longtime enemy with loathing and bloodlust.
Mephisto cackled like a child.
“Be my guest. A little murder doesn’t bother me. If it’ll help you feel better, then by all means. Death at the hands of my beloved will bring me supreme pleasure.”
Go ahead.
That was the message in Mephisto’s eyes, and Varvatos clicked his tongue. There was no point in killing him here. After all, this was just one detached part of him.
It was pointless. Resistance was futile. Didn’t he become this man’s dog because he realized anything else would only result in more loss?
“Come on; it’s so simple. You just have to send a single soldier off to the other world. Nothing more. Do that, and your big sister can live. You won’t lose a thing.”
Were these the unholy whispers of a devil?
Mephisto gave a sinful smile. “Later, honey. I trust you’ll make the right decision.
After planting a kiss on Varvatos’s forehead, he disappeared. Their surroundings instantaneously returned to normal.
“…What…?”
Alone in the city, Varvatos look up at the sky, and like the darkness all around him, his heart was somber.
“…What should I do?”
A few days had passed since Mephisto’s final warning, and Varvatos enjoyed a rather peaceful period. There were no major incidents, and the rebel army remained quiet.
He knew that moment was inevitably approaching. He would have to fight the renegade forces again. And he would have to confront Lydia. What was he supposed to do then? The more Varvatos considered the future, the more trapped he felt.
“…Olivia, do you have some free time tonight?” he asked as he oversaw more government affairs.
Something must have set off her big-sister senses, because she immediately detected the pain haunting him.
“Yeah. You can come to my room any time later tonight. I’ll make some tea.”
A few hours later…
As the sky began to darken, Varvatos got up from his work and headed to Olivia’s room. As promised, she had set up black tea for two on the table and was waiting for him.
“Sorry to bother you. I know you’re busy, too.”
“Don’t worry about it… Come on, sit down.”
Accepting her invitation, Varvatos sat down and took a sip of tea.
“…How long have we known each other? Two hundred, three hundred years? Time certainly does fly.”
He always beat around the bush whenever something needed to be said. However, Olivia forgave this bad habit and continued to observe him quietly.
“Time changes people, doesn’t it, Olivia? When I first met you, I was nothing more than a puppet. And I was fine with that. After all, I considered myself a war machine whose sole purpose was to fulfill your wish. But…”
It was here Varvatos took another sip of tea with slightly trembling fingers.
“Everything I’ve gained has sparked a change in me,” he said. “I couldn’t help it… Sometimes I think life would have been much easier if I had only stayed the way I was. If only I’d remained a tool meant to carry out your dreams.”
Then I wouldn’t have felt so miserable.
…He knew that was misplaced frustration, so he purposefully omitted it.
However, his big sister wasn’t oblivious. Perfectly aware that he was lashing out at her unreasonably, Olivia simply looked at Varvatos with an air of calm. She sighed.
“You’ve grown incredibly as a person and a king. I’ve been rooting for you from the sidelines. But…it’s also worried me that such progress has actually been hurting you… Bad premonitions are annoyingly accurate, huh?”
Olivia looked somewhat heartbroken as she faced her little brother.
“We used to hold hands and walk forward side by side. But now…it’s different. I’m amazed by your progress… I can’t keep up anymore. I don’t have the skill to meet you at your level. I know you see me as a big sister, but I have no choice but to serve as your vassal.”
Her face, beautiful and sorrowful, showed hints of self-condemnation. She understood her little brother was hurting, but there was nothing she could do to comfort him. After all, she no longer walked by his side.
“Var. Forgive your worthless big sister. No matter how much you’re hurting, all I can say is this—I’ll believe in you and follow you. No matter what lies on the road ahead, I won’t regret it… In the end, I’m forced to put everything on you. It kills me inside.”
Varvatos’s lips trembled as Olivia bowed her head. He had come to her hoping she could point him in the right direction, but this was all she could do. His big sister wouldn’t offer any answers. She was pushing him away and telling him to figure things out on his own.
As this reality weighed on him, Olivia suddenly murmured, “If only there was someone who could understand your pain and stand by your side…”
The moment she said this, it hit him. Her image crossed Varvatos’s mind. That rude, crass, unfeminine headache.
…The moment the face of this affable bad influence came to mind…he was flooded with a desire to see her.
“…I’m going out. Watch the place for me.”
Varvatos stood from his seat and quickly left the castle, transforming into Daniel Wilaski and strolling into the nightlife.
Right on cue…
“Hey, Daniel.”
They met again as if drawn toward each other. They had managed to see each other again.
As soon as their eyes met, Varvatos gave Lydia a soft smile. Even he wasn’t sure why.
“Not feeling it tonight, huh? You don’t look like you’re in a drinkin’ mood.”
“…Yeah. I’d like you to come somewhere with me… Are you busy?”
“Nope. I’ll go anywhere. So stop looking like you’re about to cry, okay?”
About to cry? Was that the face he was making? Embarrassed, Varvatos hurried them along in an attempt to hide it.
They arrived at their destination—a low hill outside of town with an observation deck set on top.
“Hey, this is a pretty sweet view. You can see the city and the stars at the same time. It’s the perfect spot for charming a lady… But you didn’t bring me all the way here for that, huh?”
“No.”
Even he had no idea what he was doing. Everything was on pure impulse. That was why Varvatos didn’t give much thought to his next words. He just said whatever came to mind.
“Lydia, what do you think of Megatholium?”
“Hmm, good question.” Putting both hands on the railing, she stared out at the city shining in the darkness and smiled. “First off, the girls here are on another level. The prostitutes treat you right, too. Plus, the food’s awesome. I’m especially a fan of the seafood. That said, this place can’t hold a candle to my hometown.”
“…How do I put this? Someone only cares about instant gratification.”
“Hee-hee. Isn’t that only human? …But all of those things are a bonus.”
“A bonus?”
“Yeah. I can satisfy my desires, eat till I’m stuffed, and sleep in a soft bed, but it’s not like other towns don’t have those things, too. There’s something only this place has. And that’s—”
Unlike moments before, Lydia’s smile was now honest and pure. Varvatos had never seen someone who looked so innocent. She continued.
“Dignity for humankind. Here, people can live as people. And that’s what I love most.”
“…You think so, too?”
Lydia nodded once, slowly. “Yeah, this city is a utopia. It’s perfect… Though from what I can tell, it’s got plenty of crooked types.”
She looked at Varvatos earnestly.
“And it’s all thanks to you, Powderpuff.”
Varvatos’s eyes opened wide at the nickname. “…You knew?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“…Why did you pretend not to know me?”
“I was curious. I wanted to know who you are. Always have,” Lydia said as she looked up at the stars. “I’ve been terrified of my dad—Mephisto—since I was a little kid. I wanted to fight him, but I got too scared…and couldn’t do anything. You’re the one who gave me courage.”
“………”
“As soon as I heard someone out there was fighting him and waving a flag of rebellion for humanity, my heart screamed That’s amazing! I felt an intense urge to be and live like that. And before I knew it…I was commanding a rebel army. You granted me courage. That’s why I was able to step forward, and it’s why I can still keep going. I was able to take this path because you walked it first.”
But such reasoning was also why Lydia now looked at Varvatos with disappointment, eyes narrowing.
“I used to admire you. I’ve wanted answers to a lot of questions, like why you ended up his dog and what you’re even thinking… And it’s also why I gave you my earlier answer. Your mortal weakness is the source of the deceit overrunning this town.”
Varvatos said nothing. He couldn’t. He could only stare back at her and listen.
“This town is the best. It’s a utopia where people can be themselves. But that only happens here. No matter who’s calling the shots, everyone elsewhere lives an unpleasant reality… I wouldn’t care if you were the type who could tolerate a world like that. I’d understand you gotta protect your own little slice of heaven. It’d be the right thing to do, but…”
Lydia grimaced as she clenched her fists. Her expression shifted from disappointment to anger as she put her feelings into words.
“You’re lost, aren’t you? You don’t know what to do. Beneath that calm exterior, you’re always on the verge of tears and about to shout I don’t want to do this. But I’m scared to lose everything, so I have no choice! …That weakness of yours is woven all throughout town.”
Lydia stared directly into Varvatos’s eyes.
“Words alone won’t cut it from here on out. We’re both soldiers, aren’t we? We have emotions that can only be expressed in battle. That’s why—”
As if understanding the entire scope of Varvatos’s situation, Lydia made a declaration of war.
“Let this next fight be our last.”
She then left without ever giving Varvatos the solution he sought. Lydia had pushed him away to fend for himself. Her basic message was Fight me and find your own answer.
“…Yeah, you’re right. We’ll finish this next time,” he murmured alone in the darkness.
For the first time in his life, Varvatos felt no fear of battle. Then—
The day finally came.
Upon receiving word that a rebel army led by Lydia was approaching a certain city, Varvatos gathered his forces and set out. After a bit of travel, they confronted the enemy in the middle of a vast open field. Normally, Varvatos would map out their strategic formations from the rear and focus on issuing commands from there. At least, that had been the pattern thus far.
However…this fight was not like the others. Taking a path carved out by his soldiers, Varvatos made his way toward the front lines and the enemy.
His forces watched, visibly nervous.
This battle will be a major turning point.
The premonition was written across their grave expressions.
Then…Varvatos and Lydia faced their armies behind them.
Unsurprisingly, Lydia’s eyes didn’t show a shadow of a doubt. His, on the other hand, were hesitant. Nevertheless, it was too late to turn back now.
Varvatos took a deep breath. “Everyone! Listen to me! From here on, this will be a battle between the two commanders! If I suffer defeat, our forces will unite with the enemy! We shall obey their will!”
Both armies stirred at Varvatos’s declaration. Lydia followed with a statement of her own.
“Listen up, you weasels! If I lose, we’ll go quietly! We ain’t spillin’ more blood than we have to!”
This battle was between the two of them, and neither wanted their subordinates getting involved. Both agreed their final confrontation would be a duel. Of course, leaders on both sides were less than thrilled. More than a few average soldiers were bound to be unhappy as well.
However, no one voiced a single complaint.
“Looks like we’ve both got some pretty loyal followers.”
“…Yeah.”
That was why he didn’t want to lose them. He didn’t want anyone else to die. For Varvatos, defeat was not an option.
Lydia, on the other hand, didn’t show the slightest hint of zeal.
“Well, guess we should get started,” she said coolly. She raised her right hand to the blue sky.
A sound like thunder soon rang out, and the space around her swayed wildly. Seconds later, the silvery white blade Vald-Galgulus was in her right hand, and she chanted a spell she’d never exhibited before.
“Arstella. Glisten, O Soul! Fotoblis. Become my Light… Tenneblicke. And Dispel the Darkness!”
A blue pattern carved into the Holy Sword flickered—and Lydia was suddenly outfitted from head to toe in white-silver armor.
Confronted with a power completely foreign to him, Varvatos urgently summoned his own weapon, the magical black sword Wyrm Tepes.
They both gripped their hilts, readied themselves, and looked each other in the eyes.
““HAH!””
They rushed forward at the same time. Their strength gouged holes in the ground, and enormous clumps of dirt cut through the air. The two had already locked swords before gravity could send any masses falling back to earth.
The rumbling carried on, and the resulting shock waves blasted toward both armies. No average soldier could keep their balance against such unbelievable power. Moreover, they couldn’t even tell how their own commanders were faring. On top of the shock waves, wind pressure, and thunderous noise forcing their eyes shut, both combatants were moving faster than the eye could follow. It was a battle beyond mortal understanding.
Only the higher-ups caught everything. Unlike the average soldiers, their feet remained firmly planted on the ground, and each side closely observed the duel without missing a single beat.
In the midst of battle, Rivelg and Olivia murmured to each other with furrowed brows.
“…His Majesty is hesitating, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. His sword is dull.”
The leaders of Lydia’s army took notice of this, and they rooted for their commander.
Not a single voice, however, reached the pair. Varvatos saw only Lydia, and Lydia saw only Varvatos. Every time the black and white swords sliced the air, collided, and created more thunder and shock waves, Lydia’s fervor intensified, while Varvatos could feel his own sword growing duller.
Be that as it may, an advantage in strength and experience is not easily overcome. He was already several hundred years old. Even if his movements were sluggish, a swordfighter like Varvatos with countless hours of study under his belt still had the advantage. He instinctively answered his opponent’s every move with absolute accuracy.
Whether it was thanks to Lydia’s unforeseen power—or an effect of her silver armor— her physical capabilities had become phenomenal. Not only that, but her sword was also far more powerful than ever before.
However, this did not change the fact that her techniques were amateur, and Varvatos’s swordplay deflected her simple, straightforward swings with ease—
Lydia’s balance was thrown off, and he swept her legs out from under her.
“Gah!”
Unable to avoid the attack or brace herself, Lydia fell to the ground. She was completely defenseless.
Varvatos held his magic sword above her, and—
What should I do…?!
Doubt ran through his mind and obstructed his movements. If he swung down on her, everything would be over. Lydia would die, and he would fulfill his mission without losing anything or anyone else.
…Was that the right answer? His true desire? The path he should take?
…He remembered what Rivelg had said earlier. That Varvatos had let Lydia go. That he had purposefully looked the other way.
Those suspicions were correct.
If he’d really been serious, Varvatos could have killed Lydia during their first fight. But he didn’t. After all, Lydia was an ideal version of himself. He couldn’t crush someone like her, and those feelings were wreaking havoc on his heart, even now.
…If not for this, everything would have been settled already. However, his reluctance held him back. In the end, no final blade came down.
“I knew it— You’ve got no guts!!”
With an explosion of red-hot feelings, Lydia executed a sharp front kick. It was a singular attack he could normally avoid with ease. However, perhaps due to his state of mind, Varvatos’s entire body felt as heavy as lead.
And so he took a direct hit. A barrage of kicks sunk into Varvatos’s abdomen, and he gave a cry of agony as he was forced back. Both feet scraped along the ground, and when he finally came to a stop, Varvatos coughed and splattered blood everywhere.
However, Lydia was relentless. Charging at him ferociously, she swung her sword without hesitation. Varvatos caught this at the last second, and as fresh blood gushed from his mouth, he thought to himself. Her sword is so heavy…
This also crossed his mind back during their first confrontation. Her blade was dense, while his own was light. And for some unknown reason, he knew why.
It was conviction. Conviction determined the strength of their blades.
Lydia’s confident, unshakable sword overwhelmed opponents through sheer willpower, while Varvatos’s was shallow elegance that held no passion to speak of. If anything…what he expressed with his sword was nothing more than feeble complaints.
“Your power is all physical! You’ve got no damn heart!”
Lydia’s onslaught was fierce. Varvatos, on the other hand, fought a defensive battle. In the end, the two locked swords as they pushed against each other. Both braced themselves, put every ounce of strength into their arms, and stared each other down.
Varvatos’s mind raced. He looked into Lydia’s eyes and formulated another thought.
Why is she so certain…?!
Before he knew it, he was putting these emotions into words.
“Aren’t you scared?! Aren’t you terrified of losing everything precious to you?!”
Lydia answered him with a cloudless gaze. “Sure, I’m scared. Why wouldn’t I be? I don’t want any of my friends to die.”
“Then how…?! How can you keep walking ahead…?! How can you never stop moving…?!”
His sword reflected his heart. Slowly but surely, Varvatos’s black blade began to yield to Lydia’s, and the odds shifted in her favor.
She continued to reply effortlessly. “How many have died? How many have we killed? …It’s anyone’s guess at this point. All those victims are the reason we’re both still standing. You must know that we can’t stop for a second. We don’t…have the right to do that!”
A staggering amount of strength poured into the silver holy blade. Unable to withstand the blow, Varvatos was thrown backward. His slender body flew through the air, and Lydia went into pursuit—
Another sword fight ensued. As they exchanged deadly blows, Lydia shouted at him.
“All of my friends who died gave their lives for me! It’s like I killed them! I took their futures just as selfishly as I did the enemy! You feel the same way, right?! Both me and you are hopeless monsters! Until our bodies burn in eternal hellfire, we don’t have the right to stop!”
Varvatos was once again on the defensive, and his spirit was slowly withering. As if to reflect this…a crack ran through his blade.
“If we sit around and do nothing! If we toss away our desires, our lost friends will never rest in peace! Their lives will have been for nothing! You thought so, too! That’s what kept you going!”
He could make no argument. She was absolutely right.
For those who died. For the lives he’d taken. To make sure their sacrifice wasn’t all for nothing, they had to keep moving forward. This had been the constant driving force behind Varvatos’s actions. Without it, his spirit would have broken with the loss of his second friend.
If Varvatos was so fearful of losing those precious to him, shouldn’t he have forsaken this path after his friends died?
Back then, he had steeled himself. No matter how much he gained, he knew he’d lose it all again one day; but to actualize the wishes of the deceased and prove their sacrifice wasn’t in vain, he vowed to continue forward.
—That vow was not Varvatos’s alone. He had Olivia next to him, who felt the same way. They had walked side by side, and this kept him going. He had someone with him. Someone there to hold his hand. This allowed him to take the thornier path.
But now…he had no one. Olivia had let go of his hand and become one of the many followers who trailed him from behind. Before he knew it, he was being forced to walk a lonely road…
This had made him weak. His fear of loss was rooted in loneliness and the empty space beside him.
Lydia must have perceived all this. She shouted as she clashed viciously with Varvatos’s sword.
“You’re spineless! You can’t do anything on your own! You sit around and cower in the darkness!”
Mirroring Varvatos’s heart, the crack in his magic sword widened. Still taking the brunt of his opponent’s blows, he was forced to step back.
“You’re pathetic! I was stupid for ever respecting you! Even so—”
At that moment, Lydia’s rage disappeared as if it had never existed. She let out a murmured sigh.
“I guess we’re just buds now.”
Varvatos’s eyes widened. It was what he always wanted. It was the strength that fueled him.
“If you can’t do anything by yourself and are too scared to walk alone, I’ll stay by your side. Till the day I die.”
Then—Lydia’s Holy Sword broke Varvatos’s weapon into a million pieces. The dark blade faded to dust, and as he watched the particles dance through the air, Varvatos lost all strength. The hilt fell from his hand and dropped to the ground. He looked up at the sky and sighed.
“…I’ve always been like this. I can never find my own answers.”
Just like his younger self who questioned his purpose in life, Varvatos had once again failed to make any of his own decisions. He stayed forever lost and frozen until a trustworthy source showed him the way.
“I’m weak. Hopelessly so.”
The words were self-deprecating, but they weren’t woeful. In fact, the tone was so gentle that one might have thought he’d been possessed. Varvatos looked at Lydia, and just as he was about to reach for the answer that he’d wanted to hear—
“I knew it would end this way.”
His voice echoed. Varvatos’s greatest foe and eternal adversary, Mephisto.
An instant later, Lydia’s body went flying sideways right before Varvatos’s eyes as if she’d been struck by some invisible force. She crashed back into the earth, and there looking down on her…was Mephisto with a beaming smile on his youthful, radiant face.
“Hey there, daughter of mine. You’re looking as lovely as ever, just like my honey. You really are the apple of my eye.”
The smile on his innocent face was gentle; there wasn’t even the slightest hint of malice. He adored his daughter. And it was thanks to this realization—that everyone knew he was an absolute monster.
“You’re the same as ever…! You pervert…!”
Mephisto had only unleashed a single attack, yet Lydia was already cut up from head to toe. Even so, she glared at him savagely, and his smile deepened.
“‘Pervert’ stings coming from you. We’re father and daughter. Two peas in a pod. That’s why I love you so much,” Mephisto replied with a kind look. Nonsense continued to flow from his lips. “Before you, I thought my heart couldn’t hold a shred of love for my own child. But I was talking about it with a friend one day, and he said maybe there really is a doting side to me. I figured I’d give it a try and planted my seed in a suitable woman. Soon enough, you were born…but my, I was blown away. To think I’d love my own child this much. It’s more than I ever imagined. Not only that, I fell in love with the woman who gave birth to you. I’d say that was also a first. I’d never loved someone of the opposite sex so deeply before. And yet—I wanted to brutally kill her more than anyone else.”
Mephisto seemed to stare off in spellbound reminiscence, and his whole body trembled.
Lydia shivered as well, and she scowled at him with pure loathing.
“I’ll kill you…! I swear it…! Your life is mine…!”
Mephisto smiled flippantly even though she looked ready to pounce at any second.
“I’m afraid that’s quite impossible. After all, you’re fated to die by my hand.”
Mephisto raised his left hand in front of him. Lydia’s neck instantly constricted as her body rose in the air. Everyone watched with bated breath as the invisible hand held her captive. They were all fully aware the worst would come to pass if they stood by and did nothing. However, no one could lift a finger. The aura Mephisto now radiated as a supreme being petrified the weak and the strong.
The angel-faced demon gazed at Lydia lovingly.
“How would I feel if my beloved honey killed my dear child? That was all I wanted to know, but I suppose this is the way things have to be. How will I feel after killing one of my own? I’ll dirty my own hands to find out,” Mephisto said with a smile as he spouted incomprehensible logic. He then began to cry.
The monster mercilessly suffocated Lydia as he sobbed with a smile—and just as he was about to break her…
“You’re not taking anyone’s life. Not on my watch,” someone cried out, resolute.
Mephisto’s raised left arm flew through the air as it was sliced off. The invisible power holding Lydia disappeared, and she dropped to the ground. Seconds later, Varvatos pierced the puppet master in the chest.
“Oh dear. Disrupting our daddy-daughter bonding time? How naughty you are.”
Although his heart had been pierced, and fresh blood now dripped from his mouth, Mephisto broke into a sweet smile and looked around him.
“Everyone else is waiting ever so patiently. Sometimes I’d appreciate it if you read the room a bit more, honey.”
“Shut up, you twisted fool.”
Varvatos didn’t want to look at him for a second more. He poured all his magic into his sword—
“Our deal is off. Get lost. You’ve plagued me long enough.”
A moment later, Mephisto exploded from the inside out. Chunks of his corpse flew high into the sky.
Normally, this would spell anyone’s end. But Mephisto was an Outer One, which was why a torn section of his head smiled and answered with glee.
“Ha-ha. This is how it should be between us. Perhaps I should commemorate our healed relationship with a parting gift.”
Moments later, the chunks of gore dissolved into black particles and began to pour like rain over both armies.
““Like I’d let you!””
At the same time, Varvatos and Lydia cast protective magic on each other’s forces. He constructed a golden wall over her comrades, while she formed a silver one over his. In the end, Mephisto’s black rain disappeared without killing anyone.
Upon confirming this, Varvatos healed Lydia’s wounds with magic. She looked at him as he did so.
“Not bad.”
“I could say the same for you.”
They smiled at each other, and Varvatos thought:
If this person is with me…if she’s by my side…I can probably hold on until the very end.
No more wavering. No more caving under my fear of loss. We could keep walking forward, no matter how far.
Varvatos pressed on, because he was sure of this.
“Now that I’ve betrayed him, I can’t guarantee my own safety. That’s why…I’ll need friends. Ones I can trust above all else.”
Varvatos looked at Lydia and made an offer.
“You appear to be in the market for an ally… Would you be willing to join forces with someone as weak as me?”
Lydia gave a good-natured smile and nodded. “That’s always been the plan. It’s the whole reason I fought you… There were a few twists and turns, but I’d say everything worked out in the end.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” Varvatos agreed. He took a step toward Lydia.
They shook hands to illustrate this new relationship to the vassals and soldiers.
The reactions were mixed. Some were confused. Some were relieved. Others were agitated. As he listened to them, Varvatos gave Lydia a soft smile.
“Nice working with you, comrade.”
And with this, the matter would come to a close and leave a tale to be told for generations.
However, Lydia scowled at this and had more to say.
“Huh? ‘Comrade’? What? Show some respect and call me Big Sis Lydie or something.”
“…What?”
“Big Bro Lydie works, too.”
“…Come again?”
A dark cloud slowly descended upon their peaceful comradery, and Varvatos fought back.
“Why would I ever call you that?”
“Ain’t it obvious? You’re weaker. Why should a wimp who needs his hand held every step of the way talk to me like an equal? Besides, ain’t this ‘comrade’ stuff kinda weird? We just agreed that the loser’s army would merge with the winner’s, and we both know how that’ll turn out, right? Which means you’re not an ally but a hench— Gwagh?!”
Her words were cut off as Varvatos sunk a punch to her solar plexus. He stared down at her and smiled as she struggled to catch her breath. It was rather warlike.
“Oh? Can you not dodge even a simple surprise attack, Big Sis Lydie?”
“…Ha-ha. It’s your funeral.”
Then…
“You’re going down!”
“I’ll carve my true power right into your body!”
The two began fighting like children.
“Big Sis Lydie? Yeah, right! Big Bro is way better for a sick, horny demoness like you!”
“What’d you say?! Who’s the real pervert here?! Ain’t you the one hitting on every older chick in town?!”
“D-dammit! You don’t have to share it with the world!”
“Heeeey! Listen up! This guy goes into town every night and flirts with the middle-aged ladies! He always gets rejected and throws himself a pity party! Could someone pleaaaase help a poor virgin out and introduce him to a sexy lady?”
“Agh, shut up! Shut up, shut up! I didn’t wanna flirt with anyone! I only did it ’cause you made me drink and egged me on!”
“Hmm, I woooonder! Are you sure you weren’t into it?! How else could you use those pickup lines?! I still can’t believe you’d tell a girl you just met ‘Your nip—’”
“SHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT UPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!”
Varvatos put Lydia in a headlock and covered her mouth. As the shameful squabble continued, the vassals representing each side gave wry smiles.
“Lydie really doesn’t know how to grow up.”
“Yeah, but that’s part of her charm.”
Lydia’s entire army shrugged in exasperation.
“That woman certainly has transformed His Majesty. I will welcome her if such change is for the better, but I will revisit the matter if it is not.”
“…I haven’t seen him this relaxed in a long time anyway. I’d say it’s a good thing for now.”
Rivelg was cautious, and Olivia had on a somewhat lonely smile.
And thus, the two met and united their armies.
The man who would one day be called the Demon Lord and be fearfully revered by all…and the woman who would one day be called the Champion and be loved by all…joined hands and set off down the right path.
This is yet a prelude of two former nobodies.
A prelude to their destruction—
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