FSFSLU 39

Opal Land is a continent made up of large and small cities and villages that serve as stepping stones between those cities.

Unlike cities that carry the archaic suffix “-tina,” meaning a great village, villages can’t use that suffix and each has its own name.

“There’s nothing left to haggle on…”
“I don’t know, I feel like there’s still more.”

The day Isabel and Liz left for Tetina.

In a small, quiet village located between the coastal city Grangtina and the city of art, Atina, a woman with long white hair was bargaining.

The fruit shop owner, who had vowed repeatedly that he absolutely would not give in this time, ended up folding again.

The woman left humming a tune, having obtained eight different kinds of fruit for only ten sonnack. The fruit seller went home and, to his wife’s scolding—“Did you get bewitched by that woman again?”—he hung his head and took a beating in silence.

“You don’t get it — it’s strange, I always end up yielding. You wouldn’t understand unless you’d been through it.”

The woman could hear the wife lamenting about having such a foolish husband.

She had many talents. For instance, she could turn her body into a shadow and move without anyone noticing.

Silently, without anyone in the village knowing, she slipped out and walked up into the nearby mountain.

Soon after, the woman stood before a small cave.

Strictly speaking, the hollow was more like a blind alley than a cave. It ended after only a short distance, blocked by a rock face.

She stepped into the hollow and stood in front of the rock wall.

Then, beneath her feet, a magic circle glowed red.

She always found this moment tedious — the instant when the magic circle, suffused with mana, opened a tiny seam in the barrier allowing passage.

Yet whenever the break in the barrier opened and through that seam a solemn, gigantic mansion revealed itself, she felt a certain pleasure.

She tidied her hair, smoothed her clothes, climbed the steps, and stood before the mansion door. Then she knocked.

As always, the door opened of its own accord.

When she walked into the dark interior and set the basket of fruit down in the first-floor kitchen—

“Tio.”

A voice called from above the stairs. Tio looked up.

“You called?”

Leaning on the second-floor railing, a pair of eyes hidden within a robe peered down at him, and Tio smiled.

“I brought something for you to eat while I was out. I don’t really know what you like, though.”

“What are you saying? I made you so I could taste you.”

“Excuse the misunderstanding. But it’s true I don’t know what flavor I am. Don’t humans call that being ‘not hungry’?”

“If you want a word that fits your intention better, ‘not to one’s taste’ is closer. You have much left to learn.”

The robed figure descended the stairs slowly. Tio followed up.

“You should’ve called me sooner, Dorothea.”

“I couldn’t.”

Dorothea removed her robe and embraced Tio. Tio always liked this ritual — Dorothea checking his condition.

Dorothea touched the nape of Tio’s neck, felt the pulse behind his ear, and muttered.

“The warmth like a living person, the warm breath, the beating heart… perfect. Hardly undead at all.”

“Of course, Dorothea. I am your finest creation, aren’t I?”

Tio, the finest creature wrought by Dorothea’s hand, smiled perfectly toward his maker.

Undead are, originally, revived corpses. Few of them possessed intelligence. Many of their outward forms were skeletons or rotting, stinking flesh. Thus it was never difficult to tell humans and undead apart.

But Tio was different. Not only did his appearance resemble a human’s, his body structure was similar as well, and yet—like other undead—he did not die if he neither ate nor drank. Unlike undead with a weakness to holy power, exposure to holiness only caused him pain; it did not kill him.

If an arrow struck his head, if a sword pierced his heart, he only experienced inconvenience in movement rather than death. Even Dorothea could not find a way to instantly kill him.

There was no doubt that Tio had overcome death and reached an ultimate state — the masterpiece among masterpieces.

“I’m surprised you called for me, Dorothea. Shall we have some tea since it’s been a while?”

“Now is not the time.”

Disappointment flickered across Tio’s face. Dorothea, however, showed an excitement that left no room for such trivialities.

Tio’s curiosity stirred.

“Why did you call me, then?”

“The owner of the magic sword has been born.”

“Ah, so the time has finally come. The owner of the magic sword must be that Daik, right?”

According to the Maou Army’s prophet, Eliya’s prophecy, the owner of the magic sword would be a man named Daik, broad-shouldered with powerful arms.

At that moment, Tio felt a chill run down his spine.

That animalistic sense — to feel such things perfectly — was yet another proof that Tio was an undead who had surpassed the undead: ultimate.

Dorothea glared at him with livid eyes.

“…That was a foolish thing to say, Dorothea.”

Tio hurriedly adopted a humble stance. Dorothea seemed pleased with that cutting attitude.

“Yes. You shouldn’t speak so of the one who will become the Maou Army’s legion commander. Daik will surely be the vanguard who leads the resurrection of the Maou-sama.”

“Then what should I do?”

“Daik is probably bewildered right now. Guide him to me. Fortunately, the spy we planted in Lettina sent telepathic word. His position is known, and you should be able to get there in no time.”

“Just tell me where, Dorothea. I’ll bring him.”

“Do not be careless. Eliya says that the one who drew the magic sword, Daik, has monstrous strength even among humans.”

“You worry needlessly. You know I never die.”

“Yes, you don’t die. Never.”

Dorothea waved a hand at Tio.

“Eat what I bought and go. Make sure you do well.”

“Yes.”

The Maou Army’s most trusted prophet, Eliya, had foretold:

The magic sword and the holy sword would both appear to the world at the same time, and the name of the one who would draw the magic sword would be Daik.

Eliya’s prophecies had never once been wrong.

Tio smiled. He murmured “Daik” once, then descended the mountain with light steps.

He was excited. How reliable, strong, and fearsome would this man be? Could he fulfill Dorothea’s wish?

If, as Dorothea hoped, the owner of the magic sword and the resurrected Maou together could rule the world and bring everything to completion—

Would Tio then spend joyful days with Dorothea?

He dearly wished that would be so.

Eliya, the Maou Army’s prophet, set down his pen and rose at movement behind him.

A small cocoon that had been fixed to the wall and ceiling by threads split open, and a voice flowed out.

“It feels strange, Eliya.”

“Why is that?”

In answer to Eliya’s question, two thin antennae suddenly popped out from inside the split cocoon.

But bashfully, the face did not show.

“My antennae tingle. Something’s calling me.”

“Accurate, Aurora. As expected of you who sense the world’s shifts so acutely.”

“What has happened?”

“The magic sword has surfaced.”

The two antennae trembled. Eliya smiled at the sight.

“But if the magic sword has appeared, the holy sword likely has too, right? That means a reset to square one.”

“No matter how powerful the holy sword is, it cannot beat the magic sword. The magic sword is overlaid with the Maou-sama’s power. The difference in strength will be clear. But what I worry about isn’t that. If the balance of power is broken, others will take action.”

At Eliya’s words the two antennae retreated back into the cocoon.

“Elves…”

“Yes. The ones you must wipe out. The race that annihilated your people, the insect-people. Those elves arrogantly call themselves the world’s watchers. Now that the magic and holy swords have appeared, they will surely seek to check our Maou Army.”

Eliya thrust his head into the cocoon.

Inside was Aurora, curled up on her side. Two antennae sprouted from her forehead and her hair and skin were wrapped in clothes made from torn translucent sheddings.

Aurora, whose hollow eyes had been staring at the cocoon wall, slowly turned her face and met Eliya’s gaze.

“I… must have revenge.”

“That’s right, Aurora. The time has come.”

Eliya smiled and bowed his waist into the cocoon.

When he kissed Aurora’s forehead, her antennae trembled faintly.

“We will help. As a legion commander of the Maou Army, destroy the elves.”

Aurora nodded.

Then the cocoon closed again.

Until she had the power Eliya desired, and until Dorothea’s subordinate made contact with the owner of the magic sword, Aurora would hold her strength inside that cocoon.

Eliya would count the days, eagerly waiting for that moment to come.

Huff, huff.

Drops of sweat dotted my skin. My whole body felt many times heavier than usual.

Still, I had to keep moving. Otherwise—

“Angel, you’re not there yet.”

That damned magic sword was chewing at my endurance.

I gritted my teeth and, trembling, forced myself up again.

That made thirty push-ups.

What made these push-ups different from ordinary ones was that I had a prison placed on my back that contained a yuga.

This was Yuga’s training method.

“For you, Angel, ordinary exercise won’t do much. The movement you do here isn’t for you, it’s to give everything to the master, right?”

Yuga spoke in a bored tone.

“Just as this space changes following your thoughts, you, Angel, can change according to your thoughts. But changing your form entirely like I can is impossible. You think ‘I’ll change!’ — but you’re thinking as a human.”

“If, then, I broaden my thinking…”

“It still wouldn’t work. Personal self-awareness doesn’t change just because you decide it should.”

It was a little hard, but I understood what he meant.

I am an angel, an abstract existence. Yet up to now I had been thinking in such a “human” way that I’d almost forgotten I was an abstract being.

Wanting a floor to walk on and walls to lean against were proofs of that. If I were truly an angel, I should be able to walk in midair without a floor and lean without walls.

Yuga was pointing at precisely that.

“So first I’m trying to break your ‘human’ aspects. That’s why I have you do things humans can’t do — to make you do impossible things. Understood? I’m not doing this just to torment you.”

Comfortably lying in the prison on my back, Yuga again prodded at my resolve. I bent my quivering arms and pushed myself up once more.

That was push-up number thirty-one. I had to reach a hundred, so the road ahead was long.

And yet Yuga didn’t seem ready to leave me alone.

“All right, Angel. From now on, speak while you exercise.”

“Ugh…!”

“Don’t be angry. Thinking you can’t speak while doing this movement is itself a ‘human’ way of thinking.”

How could I do push-ups with what felt like a house on my back and talk at the same time? I had asked him to teach swordsmanship — why was this necessary?

“Is merely learning how to kill enough?”

That question from Yuga struck my mind like a blow.

“Whenever my foolish master faces danger, are you going to stab me into the cause of that danger? You must be able to subdue, injure, and even torture. Yet you are not thorough, Angel. Every time you descend to the master you seem confused by sensations.”

“……”

“If you let yourself be swayed by every tiny variable like that, you’ll accomplish nothing. You should not be compared to weak humans in body or mind. So say anything to me.”

“Ugh…”

“No moans — words. Be clear.”

Ah, infuriating. That sly tone of his.

Still — he was useful.

If Yuga was right, I could control this space and myself.

This prison on my back as I do push-ups proved that.

Then, as he said, I should be able to talk while doing hard exercise. It’s not forced. Think of it as natural.

Thinking that tiredness would make my voice weak is “human.” Angels do not think that way. An angel can speak serenely in any situation.

It’s possible. It’s possible! It’s just natural!

Speak!

“Yuga.”

Done.

Push-ups were still painfully difficult, but my voice came out naturally.

“Yes, Angel~”

Was that congratulatory or mocking? I didn’t know. Okay — I’d opened my mouth, but didn’t know what to say next.

Yuga kept tapping the prison floor, urging me to continue speaking. Each thud transmitted jolts through my body, making things many times harder.

Instead of snapping at me, I decided to ask something else I was curious about.

“What is Isabel doing?”

“The master? Hmm, she looks sullen?”

“What?”

Isabel looked sullen? Why?

“You’ll get the reason if you do one more push-up.”

I bent my arms again and pushed roughly. The prison’s occupant slammed his head against the bars.

“Argh!”

“Now… tell me.”

“You really are playful, Angel. Also your voice dropped again!”

Yuga smacked the prison floor with a hollow sound. My arms trembled.

As soon as these push-ups are over, I’m going to lock this brat inside a very airtight box. That’ll make me feel better.

I thought I heard Yuga’s snickering.

“It’s natural the master is melancholy. We couldn’t find the location of an elf named Erika.”

Ah, I see.

When Isabel and Liz arrived in Tetina, they visited the Tetina church first and told them the holy sword had been found in Lettina. Priests’ astonished faces were a sight to behold. Then they went to the Tetina branch of the Adventurers’ Guild to try to find Erika’s location.

But it seems they had no luck.

Adventurers don’t always report their destinations to the guild, so it’s not surprising no information was found.

“Then… we should head to Grangtina.”

“Why?”

“When we asked in Sestina about Erika’s location, they said she was in Grangtina. She’s probably not far from there.”

“But Angel, why do you want to meet Erika the elf?”

Those words caught me speechless for a moment.

Why meet Erika?

Getting Marcel to draw the holy sword and hastening his training — that was the first goal Isabel and I set after returning to the past.

The second goal was to meet Erika, who had been a member of the hero party.

Erika was an elf who couldn’t stand living with other elves, so she left the forest and became an adventurer.

That was why she had survived. She had endured the mass slaughter of elves — one of the three great catastrophes that destroyed Opal Land.

Elves live in the forests. A colossal forest covering the northwest of Opal Land, centered around the sacred tree they call the God Tree, is home to thousands of elves.

But they all died in a single morning.

It was the act of one of the Maou Army’s four legion commanders — the Queen of Sheddings, Aurora.

“……”

This time, our goal is not only to hasten Erika’s strengthening.

We must bring the elves, who could become a powerful allied army against the Maou, to our side and stop the elf genocide. But there are only two ways to do that.

Either find and eliminate Aurora in advance, or make the elves relinquish the forest of their own accord.

Neither is easy, so with Isabel as she is now, meeting Erika is the only option.

At least we know how to awaken Erika.