Prologue | The Assassin Is Invited to the Sanctuary
We were on our way to the royal capital after defeating the beetle demon. Our conveyance was a carriage pulled by a rhinoceros monster, whose strength and stamina far outpaced normal animals.
“I am impressed you were able to tame such a powerful monster, sir,” I said to Marquis Granvallen, who was sitting next to me. I spoke to him politely because he was older and of a higher position than me.
“It was quite a challenge. My domain has been performing research on domesticating monsters for decades, and we only recently achieved actual results.”
It made sense that knowledge on domesticating monsters would be scarce.
Monsters always increased in number when the Demon King appeared, but they never truly vanished. They had mana, making them tougher than regular beasts. There had always been those who wanted to tame them, but their violent nature made progress on that front difficult.
“Have you domesticated other types of monsters as well?” I questioned.
“No, only rhinoceroses. Every monster is different. These are enough for me. They are very useful on the battlefield as well.”
“I can imagine. I would definitely not want to meet such a creature in combat.”
The rhinoceros’s skin was so thick that it wouldn’t even feel an arrow or spear. If multiple of them charged as a group, they would probably break an army’s line of defense.
“I believe the monster manipulation arts of House Granvallen to be every bit as valuable as the medical arts of House Tuatha Dé,” Marquis Granvallen boasted.
“I agree with you,” I answered.
All right, that’s enough small talk. I might need to make some preparations before we reach the royal castle. I need information.
“Marquis Granvallen, you stated earlier that preparations are being carried out at the royal castle to celebrate our victory over the demon. Have specific plans been set in place for after we arrive?”
“That’s right. It was hastily decided that a party should be held as soon as news of your feat reached the castle. The plan is to hold it in four days. That is why my help was requested. The Alam Karla even said she wishes to invite you to the Sanctuary.”
Reaching the palace in four days by horse-drawn carriage was unlikely. That was why Marquis Granvallen’s services were needed.
The thing that worried me was the celebration. There was no way anyone should have so easily believed we defeated a demon.
And what was that he said about the Sanctuary and the Alam Karla?
The Alam Karla was a person of high standing.
“Why did the central government believe my report? I don’t know why they would trust that someone other than the hero was able to defeat a demon,” I asked.
“I know nothing of that. I was only told to transport the Holy Knight to the capital, Sir Lugh,” replied the marquis.
“I see. Then, do you mind my asking if you believe my report?”
“Of course I believe you… We are allies, after all.”
“Allies?”
Marquis Granvallen smiled suggestively and whispered in my ear, “I also endorse Naoise’s ambitions.”
Naoise was a son of one of the four major dukedoms and a classmate of mine. He aspired to change the country. I had known Naoise was gathering allies at the Royal Academy, but I couldn’t believe he was able to win over someone like Marquis Granvallen.
After that, I continued to probe the marquis. I couldn’t be certain of anything, but I gathered a significant amount of intelligence.
The journey would’ve taken five days by horse, but we arrived in a day and a half.
Our carriage passed by the Royal Academy on the outskirts of the capital along the way. The reconstruction was progressing swiftly.
We entered the city and proceeded to the castle.
I was given ceremonial attire and told to change. The clothes were a good deal more elegant than our academy uniforms and designed with a knight motif.
Dia and Tarte were also handed formal garments, although theirs looked different from mine. Because I had been dubbed a Holy Knight, Dia and Tarte were now recognized as my attendants.
“Lord Lugh, you look so handsome in that outfit,” Tarte commented.
“Yeah, it suits you perfectly… I don’t think this looks great on me, though. Classy clothes like this just don’t work on short people,” Dia lamented.
“…I don’t feel very sure of myself in this outfit, either. It’s a little tight on my chest, too. I prefer lighter clothing,” added Tarte. She looked like she was having trouble breathing. I decided it would be best not to ask why. Dia was looking at her resentfully, and I pretended not to notice that as well.
“I think you both look great,” I stated.
It was a nice change seeing them both in masculine clothing.
It would look better on Maha, though.
“Hearing you say that makes me feel better,” responded Dia.
“Yes, I’ll do my best to bear it,” Tarte declared.
“I’m glad. Let’s get going,” I said.
The servants were looking restless. They had probably been told to hurry things along.
Marquis Granvallen informed us that the Alam Karla awaited our arrival in the Sanctuary.
The Alam Karla was not an individual’s name but rather an inherited title belonging to the highest-ranking shrine maiden of Alamism, the national religion.
A servant led Tarte, Dia, and me through a hidden passage in the castle into a chamber with a mystical atmosphere. Stained glass windows had been set into the walls, a rarity in this world, and antique prickets held candles that illuminated them. One thing bothered me about the room, however. There was some manner of power that I could only describe as black light obstructing some sections of the walls.
So this is the Sanctuary.
“Wow, it’s so beautiful,” praised Dia.
“Yes, it’s making me feel a little tense,” Tarte admitted.
Their eyes darted around the chamber in wonder. They hadn’t yet noticed the strangeness of this place. The exquisite furnishings had them spellbound, and rightfully so, for each piece was on par with a national treasure. Before long, a few others joined us. Evidently, we were not the only ones who had been invited.
“Hey, Naoise, Epona, and Ms. Barton. Long time no see,” I greeted.
“Just call me Rachel. You outrank me now that you’re a Holy Knight, so there’s no need to address me formally,” Ms. Barton responded. The woman was tall and beautiful, and she had her hair in a ponytail. She had recently graduated from the Royal Academy at the top of her class, and she was considered the young hope of the Royal Order.
“This is an unexpected assembly,” I remarked.
“I suppose you could call this the hero’s party. You all were personally selected because you are familiar with Epona, close to his age, and extremely skilled. Naoise’s social standing may have played a role in his selection, however,” Rachel explained.
“…Are you insulting me?” responded an offended Naoise.
“I’m only speaking the truth. Personally, I’d rather tie the knot with Lugh. I never could’ve imagined you’d be named a Holy Knight and then immediately slay a demon. You’d be a great husband,” Rachel continued, putting her arm around mine and pressing herself against me.
Dia glared, and Tarte began to tear up. Rachel assured us that it was a joke and released me.
With a strained laugh, Naoise remarked, “Just as popular as ever.”
“Epona, have you heard anything about why we were summoned here so urgently?” I inquired. The hero had been trying to hide behind Rachel despite her status.
“Um, all we know is that the Alam Karla has something important to tell us,” Epona answered, acting timid as usual.
Epona was a boyish girl like Rachel, but she lacked the same dignified aura, so the ceremonial attire didn’t suit her as well in my eyes.
“I see, so you’re in the same boat as us. How have you all been doing since the last time we met?” I asked.
“We’ve been fine. Nothing much has happened,” replied Epona.
Everyone exchanged information and got caught up on recent events. It sounded like the hero and those with her had been charged with defending the royal capital and the surrounding area. They had been spending all of their time training.
A little while later, a girl sporting white hair, dressed in an equally pale-colored tunic, made her entrance. She was a beautiful young woman in her early twenties. She was the Alam Karla, the highest-ranking shrine maiden.
It was my first time laying eyes on her, but I knew at a glance that her look was modeled after the goddess who had sent me to this world. Her hair was not naturally white, and there was no way she had dyed it that color by coincidence.
This meant that the goddess must have, for some reason, shown herself and interfered with this country. Perhaps she had even founded Alamism to make her managing the world easier.
“Thank you for gathering here today, those who will serve as humanity’s shield.” The Alam Karla spoke with a clear, well-projected voice. She had obviously been trained in public speaking to ensure her words reached the hearts of listeners.
Religion was a spiritual matter, but the means for spreading it and fostering belief were based on cold logic. The Alam Karla’s behavior, vocalization, how she filled time, and more were all meticulously calculated.
“You all were invited here today so that I could share with you a secret. Bear witness to the truth, chosen ones,” the Alam Karla stated. At her command, the candles were all extinguished, and darkness filled the room.
Several spots on the wall shone dimly, and the black light surrounding them vanished.
Light was flowing from statues placed at regular intervals along the walls. There were eight in total, each depicting a grotesque combination of man and animal, including a snake, a pig, and a beetle.
The pig and the beetle sculptures were a different shade than the rest. While all the others were green, they were conspicuously red.
“It can’t be a coincidence,” I said to myself.
There was a statue representing each of the three demons I had encountered thus far. That the pig Epona had killed and the beetle I had slain were the only red ones was not chance.
“There are eight demons in total, and two of them have already been felled. Your job is to kill the remaining six and to halt their efforts to revive the Demon King.”
The government must have believed my report because these statues were linked to the lives of the demons. My account had never been necessary. They’d already known of the demon’s demise.
That aside, what’s this about halting the demons’ efforts to revive the Demon King? Does that mean the Demon King can’t return naturally and requires the demons to perform some action to bring them back to life? Why am I being told this now?
Those weren’t the only questions on my mind, either.
Had I known these eight statues existed, I would have been better equipped to identify the demons. Such knowledge would have been invaluable in battle. Why were we only being given this vital information now? Making sense of it all was difficult.
The lights turned back on, and the Alam Karla stood there, smiling. Apparently, she wasn’t going to volunteer anything more on her own.
Turning to face her, I spoke up.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login