Demon Sword Master of the Holy Sword Academy - Volume 3 - Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

THIRD ASSAULT GARDEN

13:00 Imperial Standard Time.

Having received an emergency request, Riselia and the eighteenth platoon hurriedly changed into their uniforms and arrived at the entrance to Excalibur Academy’s Anti-Void Tactical Conference Room.

“Riselia Crystalia, here at your urgent summons,” the argent-haired girl stated at the door.

“Come in.”

Riselia opened the door. Inside, she saw the eighteenth platoon’s instructor, Diglassê, along with Elfiné and a female information analysis officer clad in a knight’s uniform. All three were already seated. Elfiné raised her head and nodded gently at the rest of her group’s arrival. Diglassê, meanwhile, jerked her chin, gesturing for them to take a seat quickly.

What has happened? Have more Voids appeared? Sensing the unusual air in the room, Leonis took a seat between Riselia and Regina. The eighteenth platoon’s girls exchanged puzzled, unsure glances.

“Firstly, there’s something I’d like for you all to see,” Diglassê stated quietly.

The information analysis officer nodded and fiddled with a device. A large, poor-quality image was projected on the broad meeting table. It depicted some part of the ocean covered with thick, gray fog.

“This is footage taken this morning by an observation unit deployed at the isle of Hakura.”

“Hakura? The base there is meant to gather information on the nearby Void territory, right?” questioned Riselia.

That’s the first I’ve heard of that, Leonis thought. “Void territory?” he asked.

“An area filled with a high density of Void reefs,” Riselia explained. “They’re cursed places that humans can’t enter. There’s constantly a thick layer of miasma over a Void territory, so ships and tactical fighter planes can’t enter or observe what goes on in them.”

“While we don’t know what occurs within them, we do monitor their outer circumference. The Integrated Empire has set up observation bases on the islands surrounding this Void territory, and they continually monitor that portion of the sea.”

I understand. So the Void reef the Hyperion encountered the other day was like a small, localized version of a Void territory.

“Today at zero four zero four hours, the observation unit caught signs of a large structure…,” Diglassê said, pointing at the image and tapping it with her finger.

When she did, something came into view in the footage. A giant shadow was drifting on the ocean’s surface. The sun rose in the recording, revealing the full form of the thing bobbing on the water. A group of artificial islands linked by bridges—but they were dilapidated and lined with the ruins of countless buildings.

“…Is that…?!” Riselia swallowed nervously.

Regina, Sakuya and Elfiné’s eyes widened in shocked disbelief.

“It’s hard to see clearly because of the miasma, but…,” Diglassê began grimly, “after disappearing into a Void territory six years ago, it seems that the Third Assault Garden has returned.”

“…?!”

An eerie silence settled over the meeting room.

The Third Assault Garden? If Leonis recalled correctly, that was Riselia’s birthplace, a city destroyed in a Void Stampede.

“The Third Assault Garden’s mana furnace should have completely shut down,” Riselia said, her voice shaking. “And the whole city had to be abandoned. So how…?”

“The cause is still unknown,” the information analysis officer replied. “Excalibur Academy speculates that the deactivated mana furnace was driven to an uncontrollable state via some unidentified factor.”

“An uncontrollable state…? Is that even possible?” Riselia muttered.

“We haven’t seen any cases of this in the past, but that’s not to say it’s impossible,” Diglassê replied. “The fact of the matter is that the Third Assault Garden is currently moving at fourth combat speed.”

“Where is it heading?” Elfiné inquired.

“We don’t know for certain, but it’s been moving steadily south…” Another image appeared over the table at the information officer’s command. This time, it was a map showing the portions of the seas under humanity’s control. “Which means it will come into contact with the Seventh Assault Garden.”

“…!” The girls of the eighteenth platoon exchanged startled looks.

“It’s moving slowly, and this is just an approximation, but it should reach us within fourteen days,” the information analysis officer concluded.

“Why here?” Elfiné wondered again.

“That is still in the dark, I’m afraid. However…” The officer hesitated for a moment. “Soon after the Third Assault Garden emerged from within the Void territory, it sent two distress signals to the Seventh Assault Garden.”

“What?!”

“I-it can’t be…,” Riselia whispered, an expression of utter shock on her face. “I mean, there shouldn’t be anyone there… No one else survived.”

“Officially, yes. The only ones who lived through that Stampede were a small group of people who took cover in the underground shelters, including the two of you. But even if there were any undiscovered survivors, they couldn’t possibly have endured six years in the Void territory. Yet, something sent those distress signals. There’s the possibility of a mechanical malfunction, but…”

“…”

While everyone else was listening to Diglassê’s explanation, Leonis’s eyes were glued to the image of the ruined city projected on the table. No one but him seemed to notice. More specifically, Leonis was the only one who could have recognized the oddity.

What he saw was…

How? How did that get there? As Leonis pondered a question he could not find the answer to, Diglassê rose from her seat silently and glanced around the room, eyeing everyone present.

“So, with this being the situation, I’m sure you understand the reason I’ve called you here.”

“You want us to investigate the Third Assault Garden,” Riselia reasoned.

“Precisely. Eighteenth platoon, I am hereby ordering you to inspect this ruined city.”

This didn’t come as a surprise. Riselia and the other girls’ expressions didn’t waver at all. Teens though they were, these young women were students of Excalibur Academy and full-fledged military knights. As bearers of Holy Swords, they accepted their duty and were willing to lay down their lives to protect their home.

“In the event that you encounter a critical situation, you have the approval to retreat at your platoon captain’s judgment. Based upon your report as the advance force, the academy will send a larger search party at a later date.”

“Have any Voids been sighted in the Third Assault Garden?” Sakuya inquired, speaking for the first time in this meeting. “Considering the city emerged from a Void territory, isn’t there a high possibility that it serves as a Void nest?”

“At present, no Void outbreaks have been detected around the target area. But keep in mind that we haven’t been able to observe the Assault Garden in detail.”

“Excuse me, I have a question,” Riselia interjected as she gingerly raised her hand.

“You have permission to speak.”

“Serving as an advance force in this situation is an important duty. Why give it to us?”

So far, the eighteenth platoon had been entrusted with refugee rescue and site investigation missions. More important assignments were always given to higher-ranked groups.

Diglassê hesitated before at last replying, “It was the administration bureau’s idea. I’m sure a girl as bright as you can understand the meaning behind the choice.”

“…It’s because I’m Duke Crystalia’s daughter, isn’t it?”

“Lady Selia…” Regina bit her lips.

Leonis quickly picked up on the situation. They’re saying they want a hero. Humans never change, do they? he thought bitterly.

Riselia was a tragic girl whose Holy Sword awakened after a long period of dormancy. Bound by the duty of a Holy Swordswoman, she would return to her birthplace, a city destroyed by Voids. Such a beautiful story was bound to grip one’s heart no matter what era it was.

One thousand years ago, there was a boy who served as a certain kingdom’s hero—Leonis Shealto. His battles brought hope to the people but threw him into despair as he lost agency over his own life.

The current exchange reminded him of that trifling story.

“I won’t deny there is political significance to this. However, I do greatly value your strength as a group. Your victory in the practice match this morning was quite impressive.”

“Thank you very much, ma’am.” Riselia nodded with a resolved expression and looked around, examining her friends’ faces.

Regina, Sakuya, and Elfiné each bobbed their own heads in assent.

“Leo…” Riselia’s expression wavered when her eyes settled on Leonis’s face.

“Yes, he’s only ten years old and hasn’t been in the academy for long. It’s fine if you exclude him from the—,” Diglassê started, but Leonis cut her off.

“There’s no need to worry about me, ma’am,” he said.

“Leo…”

“Miss Selia, I’m part of the eighteenth platoon, too,” Leonis reminded, gazing straight into her eyes.

“…Understood. I’ll make sure to keep Leo safe,” Riselia declared.

Leonis cracked a wry smile. Riselia had witnessed a sliver of his power as a Dark Lord. Even still, she could only see him as a child. That hadn’t changed since the day she’d saved him in the mausoleum.

“The eighteenth platoon acknowledges and accepts your orders, ma’am. We will return with results in hand.”

Riselia raised a fist over her chest and saluted the instructor.

They were set to sortie four hours later, at seventeen hundred Imperial Standard Time. It was very short notice, but considering the squad’s target was on the move, the faster they investigated, the better.

“Make sure to check your equipment thoroughly and individually. Your gear can save your life.”

Riselia was in her room in the Hræsvelgr dorm, stuffing her bag with things for the mission.

“Oh, these rations aren’t expired yet. We should probably eat them as soon as we can…”

Leonis shrugged as he watched her go about her tasks in a fidgety manner. The entire capital of the Realm of Shadows resided within Leonis’s shadow. Shary watched over his treasury and the bones he used to make his skeleton soldiers. He didn’t need to bother putting his things into his bag. Thus, Leonis simply sat on the edge of the bed, watching Riselia work.

“And a canteen and a hair dryer… Ah, wait, that won’t fit inside, will it?”

She’s shaken up. Well, it’s easy to see why. After a small sigh, Leonis said, “That city—the Third Assault Garden—that’s your birthplace, right?”

“…Yeah.” Riselia nodded, her hands stopping. A short silence hung between the two. “…I had a dream this morning,” Riselia whispered abruptly.

“A dream?”

“Yeah. About what happened six years ago. It’d been a long time since I last had that dream…” Riselia closed her bag’s zipper and turned to face Leonis. “The Stampede that destroyed the Third Assault Garden happened six years ago. I was still only nine, and all I could do was sit in the shelter with Regina and cower. My father was fighting the Voids outside, and I just listened and trembled.”

Riselia’s shoulders shook as she thought back to that nightmarish day.

“After that, we were lucky enough to be saved by the Seventh Assault Garden’s refugee search party, but everyone else had been lost. We couldn’t even bury our loved ones.” Riselia’s words felt distant, and they were tinged with pain.

I see. Survivor’s guilt. Riselia was bogged down by a regret she shouldn’t have to carry, but that irrational emotion was one Leonis was familiar with. “I escaped again.” That’s what you’re thinking, right?

“I have a duty to go back to that place. Honestly, I’m anxious about it, and I don’t know what might happen, but…”

“…I know.” Leonis nodded.

Suddenly, the communication terminal rang out.

“Elfiné…”

“Selia, I analyzed the route to our destination. Could you give it a look?”

“Ah, yes, of course. I’ll be right over,” Riselia replied seriously. “I’ll be going out for a bit, Leo. Pack up the rest, okay?” With that, the argent-haired young woman hurried out of the room.

“…”

After seeing the door close and confirming that Riselia’s footsteps were growing distant…

“Blackas, Shary,” Leonis said.

“Did you call, my friend?”

“D-did… Cough, cough… Did you call for me, my lord?”

Leonis’s shadow rippled, and a large ebon wolf surfaced from within it. A few seconds later, an adorable girl dressed in a maid’s uniform appeared after the beast. The black-haired maid was holding a half-eaten doughnut and had her white cheeks stuffed like a squirrel. Her face was dirty with crumbs.

“What is this, Shary?” inquired Leonis.

“Sticky doughnuts. I bought quite a few of them.”

“…” Leonis stared at Shary, his eyes narrowed.

“I’ve got a few for you, too, my lord.”

“…Mm.”

Shary pulled out a doughnut from one of her sleeves. Leonis took it and bit into it, glaring at the girl all the while.

“Hmm, this is…”

It did have a sticky, unusual texture dissimilar to any other sweet Leonis had eaten so far. The scent of cinnamon made it quite delicious.

“Hmm, this texture… Human civilization truly has come far,” Leonis praised.

“Shall I brew you some tea, my lord?” Shary offered.

“Why, yes… Wait, no, there’s no need. You really have gotten used to this world, haven’t you?” the Dark Lord observed, half-impressed and half-amazed.

“Yes, I’ve taken up a part-time job in the interest of gathering intelligence.”

“Of what sort, exactly?”

“Work involving making sweets,” Shary answered, holding a hand up to her chest reverently.

“You are my minion. I don’t recall approving anything of the sort,” Leonis stated, pressing a palm to his forehead in exasperation.

“But I can’t use the Dark Lords’ Armies’ funds…”

“Ugh. No, I suppose you can’t…”

Leonis’s army was critically lacking in funds. His treasure vault in the Realm of Shadows contained many coins that were virtually worthless in this era. They could perhaps be sold as antiquities, but if Leonis were to peddle any mythology-class artifacts from millennia ago, their authenticity could be called into question, which ran the risk of exposing his identity.

“Hmph. Very well,” Leonis decided after a few moments, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief Shary offered him. “I want you two to see this.”

Holding up the Staff of Sealed Sins, Leonis used his sorcery. The gemstone sitting on the staff’s tip, the Dragon’s Eye, flashed blue and began replaying images on its pearly surface—namely, the footage of the Third Assault Garden sailing along the ocean.

“What is this?” Blackas asked.

“I’m projecting my memory. This is a massive fortress of the same model as this city. Six years ago, it was destroyed by those despicable Void monsters.”

“Hmm. And?”

“Look at this.” Leonis held the staff over Blackas’s nose. “There, in the plaza near the city’s center. Can you see it?”

“…Is that…?!” Blackas’s golden eyes widened.

This was what Leonis had noticed earlier in the meeting room, what everyone else had overlooked. It was only natural that they would have, of course, because none among them knew its importance.

However, Leonis had been immediately drawn to it. Red symbols were scrawled on the ground around the plaza. One was a star and the other, a burning eye.

“The Holy Sect’s symbol…” Blackas growled.

The Holy Sect was a religious organization that worshipped the Luminous Powers and possessed powerful influence over the human nations one thousand years ago. Much like the gods, the Dark Lords, and the Six Heroes, knowledge of them should have been long forgotten.

So why was their symbol drawn in the ruins of a destroyed city?

The markings couldn’t have been made before the Assault Garden was destroyed, because they were clearly etched over the rubble.

“How puzzling. It feels strange that only their symbol would survive the many years,” Blackas remarked.

“Indeed. Which makes this our sole clue regarding all that lost history. Perhaps it could even lead us to something connected to Roselia’s vessel. To that end…” Leonis brandished his staff, dismissing the image displayed on the jewel. “I will investigate the ruined city. Blackas, my apologies, but…”

“Yes, I understand.” Leonis’s lupine comrade nodded composedly, as if to imply that no further word was needed. “I shall watch over your kingdom in your absence.”

“Please. You’re the only one I can trust with this.”

Dáinsleif had designated the Seventh Assault Garden as Leonis’s domain. As such, he couldn’t callously depart it without leaving protection. The remnants of the Sovereign Wolves had only just been inducted into the Dark Lords’ Armies and still needed to be carefully monitored before they could be trusted not to do anything untoward.

“My lord, what of—?”

“Shary, you come with me.”

“By your will, my lord.” Shary bowed her head respectfully.

“Do be careful, Lord Magnus,” Blackas said.

“Yes. By the way…” Leonis furrowed his brow, his gaze fixed on Blackas’s neck. “I’ve meant to ask. What’s that?”

Clasped around Blackas’s neck was a collar with a blue ribbon tied to it.

“A gift from the swordswoman,” declared Blackas, showing off the ribbon under his throat.

“Swordswoman…? You mean Sakuya Sieglinde?”

“Yes, her. She said that if I was to walk through the woods on the academy’s premises, the humans might mistake me for a stray and make an attempt to hunt me down. Wearing this collar would dispel that suspicion, it seems.”

“I see…”

Blackas displayed the accessory with a hint of pride. Leonis felt inclined to ask if it was the sort of thing a royal ought to be wearing, but he held his tongue.

I am certainly in no position to judge. Recalling the incident in the bathhouse, Leonis heaved a small sigh.

“There’s no doubting it. She’s here…”

There stood a girl.

She gazed down at the ruined cityscape from atop the roof of a dilapidated house. Her verdant hair, tied back in a ponytail, wavered slightly in the sea breeze. Excepting her shorts, the young woman’s attire appeared wholly foreign. Her blue eyes were as clear as a lake’s surface, and the blade of the sword she gripped glinted sharply.

Her petite build spoke to an age of twelve, or perhaps thirteen. However, because of her half-elf heritage, she was actually over twenty years old.

Arle Kirlesio was an apprentice to Shardark Ignis, renowned as a Dark Lord Slayer, and the Swordmaster of the Six Heroes.

The Sanctuary’s Elder Tree foretold the Goddess of Rebellion’s resurrection.

Arle’s slender, elongated ears twitched gently. This city had no signs of life, to say nothing of human activity. It was a place of metal and concrete, a forest all too different from her homeland.

What reduced this place to such a state? the girl wondered to herself.

Was it the Dark Lords, who had brought ruin and devastation to the world one thousand years ago? No, it couldn’t have been them. The eight who served the Goddess of Rebellion had already perished.

That meant it had to have been those distorted monsters that appeared from tears in space. The invaders from the hollow darkness that hadn’t existed in Arle’s time, those so-called Voids. What were those horrible, disfigured creatures? This world had changed too much for Arle.

In the thousand years I’ve spent slumbering, everything has changed…

The half-elf took in her surroundings as she tightened her grip on her weapon. Arle’s blade was the Demon Smiting Sword, Crozax, one of the Arc Seven, the Dark Lord-slaying weapons granted by the Sanctuary’s Elder Tree. A weapon made to destroy the Goddess of Rebellion’s vessel, which had incarnated in this era.

Suddenly, Arle’s ears shivered, picking up on some unnerving presence.

“Ah. I wondered who it might be, but if it isn’t the little elf hero.”

“…?!”

Swiftly turning around, Arle found that a young man clad in priestly attire had appeared out of thin air. He was slender and looked to be in his twenties. He stood atop the ruins, his blue eyes smiling and alabaster locks wavering in the open air.

He knows who I am? Arle glared at the man. No one in this era should’ve known she had awakened. Arle felt herself breaking into a cold sweat. I couldn’t even sense his presence. This is no ordinary human… Her grip on the sword’s hilt tightened.

“…Are you the guardian of the Goddess’s vessel?” Arle asked, holding up her sword.

The man’s lips curled up into a sardonic smile. “‘Guardian’? Yes, I suppose that title befits me well enough. Let us assume that I am. What would you do?”

“I will cut you down!” Kicking hard off the ground, Arle leaped into the air and swung down her Demon Smiting Sword mid-jump. However…

“…?!”

Her breakneck slash caught nothing but air. The slender man’s visage wavered like a mirage.

“An illusion…!”

“It pains me to turn down a guest, but I’m afraid Dark Lords and heroes have no place in a world filled with Voids.” The man’s voice echoed on the wind. “I ask that you relinquish the stage.”

And the next moment…

Crack… Crack… Crack…!

Accompanied by the sounds of shattering glass, large fissures ran through the air around Arle.

“This is…!”

It was the phenomenon that heralded the appearance of those distorted monsters.

“You…summoned those creatures? Who are you…?!” the half-elf demanded.

“I am Nefakess. Nefakess Void Lord.” The introduction’s words quickly faded away, and the arm of a large angel crept from the cracks in the air.

Just as the sun was setting over the horizon, the eighteenth platoon boarded the tactical fighter Lindwyrm Mk.III, which launched from Excalibur Academy’s third military port. The Lindwyrm Mk.III was one generation older than the Knight Dragons Leonis had destroyed aboard the Hyperion.

This wasn’t to imply the academy made light of the eighteenth platoon’s mission. Rather, it was that the royal family’s private vessel was outfitted with cutting-edge prototypes that hadn’t been made available for everyday military use yet.

“How do you like sitting in a fighter jet?” Elfiné, who was piloting the plane, asked.

Floating around her were orbs that displayed various glowing symbols. They were Elfiné’s Holy Sword, the Eye of the Witch. She used it for support when piloting.

“It’s convenient. More spacious than I thought,” Leonis replied, looking around the vehicle’s undecorated interior. He wasn’t wrong. For an aircraft, it was quite spacious.

“Boys all love fighter jets, don’t they?” Regina remarked from her spot next to Leonis.

“Oh, that’s not true. Girls like them, too.” Elfiné chuckled. She had a penchant for weapons, as well as magical apparatuses, terminals, and everything mechanical. Leonis noted that Elfiné might get along well with Linze, the younger of two siblings from the orphanage.

My skull dragon is far more dashing and exciting than this bucket of bolts, Leonis thought to himself as he comfortably settled into his seat, his heart burning with an odd sense of rivalry.

The seats were made in rows of three. Leonis, Riselia, and Regina occupied one row. Apparently, Sakuya didn’t handle flying very well. She was sitting in a different set of seats while wearing an eye mask and headphones.

That said, the trip is supposed to last ten hours. Sitting for that long is a bit harsh.

Feeling the vibrations under his feet, Leonis sighed. Back when he’d been the Undead King, he never knew fatigue, and in that regard, this human body was quite incorrigible. Leonis’s gaze wandered to the landscape beyond the window, and a question popped into his mind.

“Would have thought the Voids maintained control of the skies.” The comment was directed at Riselia, who was seated next to him. There were Void reefs all across the ocean. Crossing above them should have been quite perilous.

“Certain Voids, like the wyvern-class ones, could attack, but there are no records of anything like a reef ever manifesting in the air,” Riselia explained, holding up an index finger. “Of course, that’s not to say the skies are absolutely secure, so we only use aircraft during missions when a Holy Sword capable of long-range attacks like Regina’s is available. The plane is equipped with minimal armaments, but honestly, they’re only good for peace of mind.”

“I see,” replied Leonis.

Simply put, the Voids had usurped control of the sea and skies from humanity. In the past, the eight Dark Lords who had plunged the world into terror had held dominion over not only the oceans and air, but also the mountains where the dragons roosted and the illusory village where the spirits were born. Even the land of death had been under their thumb.

Rivaiz Deep Sea had ruled the oceans, and the sky had belonged to Leonis’s worthy rival, Veira Greater Dragon.

When the Dark Lords’ Armies again arise, I shall retake air and sea from those twisted beings.

Leonis spent some time staring out the window. Sakuya, who had her back leaned against a chair, soon fell asleep. Watching her slumber proved infectious, as Leonis began to feel drowsy as well.

I have been staying up late working on my castle’s design.

Leonis had discarded the need to rest when he’d become the Undead King, but now he had a growing boy’s body, and it demanded sleep. Ignoring that siren call was difficult; slumber did have a way of being quite pleasant.

“Heh-heh-heh, you feeling tired, kid?” Regina asked, noticing that Leonis was beginning to nod off.

“We’ve got a while until we reach our objective, so you can go ahead and rest,” Elfiné stated from her spot in the pilot’s seat.

“Don’t you need to sleep, too, Miss Finé?”

“Once we get on a stable course, I’ll leave the steering and patrol to my Eye of the Witch and rest for a bit,” she explained.

“You can rest your head right here, kiddo,” Regina said, tapping on her lap.

“N-no, thank you!”

“No need to be shy. Come hither.”

Regina gently cradled Leonis’s head and pushed it down onto her thighs.

“M-Miss Regin—!” Leonis felt his cheeks flush. He tried to sit up immediately, but his head was pressed between Regina’s soft lap and her breasts, leaving him unable to move.

“…R-Regina, stop that!” Riselia knitted her brow indignantly.

“Hee-hee. Just relax and be at ease,” Regina cooed, her breathing tickling into his ear.

A shiver ran through Leonis’s body.

“I’ll clean your ears. You’ll be asleep before you know it.”

Regina took a large cotton swab out of her pocket.

“Th-that’s not fair. I want to clean Leo’s ears, too…,” Riselia complained sullenly.

“First come, first serve, Lady Selia,” Regina replied nonchalantly, and she inserted the thing into Leonis’s ear.

“Ah… Kuh… Nn…” All the tension drained from Leonis’s body. Despite himself, a feminine moan escaped his lips.

“Hee-hee. Don’t move around too much, kid.” Regina’s slender fingers held Leonis’s chin in place. The golden tips of her pigtailed hair teased the Dark Lord’s cheek.

Kuh…! How is this so…so pleasant…?!

The prideful Leonis wished sincerely to protest, but his young body wasn’t capable of resisting the pleasure. Resting on a pretty maid’s lap, Leonis could only powerlessly writhe amid sublime delight.