Demon Sword Master of the Holy Sword Academy - Volume 5 - Chapter Ep

EPILOGUE

The young woman’s black hair fluttered in the wind, the ebony locks vanishing as they blended with the dark, starry sky.

“So? How does it feel to have gained an undead body?”

From her seat before the temple’s altar, she offered a hand out to the boy who had just risen from death. The boy who, just a few months ago, had been called a hero.

“It doesn’t quite seem real yet, I suppose.” The boy shook his head and gazed at his hand.

“Yes, I imagine it’d feel that way at first,” she remarked.

“So I’m a Dark Lord now…,” the boy said, cracking an ironic smile that didn’t fit his young age.

He’d defeated the Dark Lords of the old world and became a hero of humanity, but the very kingdom he’d protected betrayed him. They took everything from the boy, even killing him.

It was then that he met her, the Goddess of Rebellion, Roselia Ishtaris.

“Yes, a Dark Lord. You are now an enemy to this world,” Roselia stated, patting his head affectionately. “But remember this, no matter what or when, I am always by your side, Leo.”

“Nn… Mm…”

Leonis awoke from pleasant slumber.

“Miss…Selia?”

Rousing from sleep, Leonis found a pair of clear ice-blue eyes gazing down on him.

Riselia gave him a gentle smile. “Ah, Leo. You’re finally awake.”

Her slender fingertips gently tickled Leonis’s cheek. Leonis felt like his head was resting on something soft, so he finally realized he was lying on her lap.

“O-oh, I’m sorry…”

Leonis quickly sat up and looked around. It was early morning. He was inside a military vehicle that was speeding down a road. Dawn was on its way, and through the window he could see the sun rising over the dark wilderness. Apparently, Elfiné was at the wheel.

“You can keep sleeping if you want, Leo,” she called out to him from the driver’s seat.

“You get to enjoy Lady Selia’s lap, after all,” Regina teased.

I was still awake when we left the forest.

The eighteenth platoon was on its way back to the Seventh Assault Garden. The main Hive in the center of the forest had been annihilated by a mysterious earthquake. Riselia and the others had eliminated any stray Voids that had survived.

Not being able to take Zemein captive was a rather painful loss, Leonis thought, recalling the blue-haired girl that had killed the transformed old man. Who was she?

She wasn’t a former officer of the Dark Lords’ Armies, like Nefakess and Zemein. Leonis thought her white garb curiously reminiscent of Sakuya’s traditional Sakura Orchid attire.

Sakuya was currently asleep, her head resting on Regina’s shoulder. She had gone off on her own, slaying Voids and destroying crystals.

“Your face is cute when you’re asleep, kid,” Regina said, showing him a photo she had taken with her terminal.

In the image, Leonis’s head was resting on Riselia’s lap. His mouth was hanging half open, and he appeared rather ridiculous.

“H-hand that over!” Leonis demanded.

“Nope. This is for my personal enjoyment,” Regina refused impishly.

“Send it to me later, Regina.”

“You got it, Lady Selia.  ”

Glancing at the girls messing around with Leonis through the rearview mirror, Elfiné heaved a small sigh.

We all came back from a Void Hive alive.

The injured members of the fifth and twenty-first platoons, including Liat Guinness, had all been evacuated back to the Seventh Assault Garden via military aircraft. After he recovered, Liat would have to stand trial for his actions.

He may have been in a state of temporary insanity because of the Demon Sword, but his punishment won’t be lenient.

Those two members of the fifth platoon who’d had their Holy Swords consumed still lived. Perhaps, even in madness, that had been a step too far for one who sought power to keep his friends safe.

He was strong. Stronger than I ever was…

Yet even Liat had succumbed to the might of a Demon Sword. Elfiné bit her lip as she tightened her hold on the steering wheel. The Demon Sword Project—forcing Holy Swords to evolve. Someone had started it up again after it had been placed on indefinite hold. And there was still a chance Elfiné’s father was involved.

What is the Phillet family hoping to achieve…? Elfiné pondered. And why did Clauvia share so much with me? Is she hoping I’ll do something for her?

Whatever the case, something big seemed to be taking place in the capital, and Clauvia was likely intent on involving Elfiné in it.

No, this isn’t about Clauvia. This is a battle I want to be part of…

Elfiné looked to the back seat through the rearview mirror again. Riselia and Regina were arguing over whose lap Leonis would sleep on.

I won’t let them get tangled in this, but… Maybe getting his help could work, Elfiné thought as she leveled her intense gaze at the ten-year-old boy sitting between the girls.

Upon returning to his room in the Hræsvelgr dorm, Leonis found a gigantic black wolf lying on his bed.

“…Mm. You’ve returned sooner than expected, my friend,” Blackas greeted, rising and stepping down to the floor.

“I don’t mind you resting on my bed, Blackas, but do clean away your fur; Riselia might find it,” Leonis told him.

“Yes, understood.” Blackas swept Leonis’s bed with his fluffy tail. “Did you find anything valuable in Necrozoa?”

“Regrettably, no. Nothing of worth,” Leonis replied before producing a large bone from the shadow at his feet.

“Is that a giant’s femur?” Blackas inquired.

“A present for you. You like these, don’t you?”

“Much appreciated, old friend.”

Leonis tossed the bone over, and Blackas skillfully caught it between his jaws in midair.

“I suppose it wasn’t a completely wasted trip…,” Leonis muttered, sitting on his bed. He then appraised Blackas of the events in Necrozoa.

“Hmm. Zemein. A detestable lout, that one.” Blackas scoffed at the mention of the name. “To think he’d return in this era, too…”

“I couldn’t confirm he was working for Azra-Ael, but a yet unknown leader appears to be using the Dark Lords’ Armies officers to do their bidding. Zemein mentioned something curious, as well. Apparently, they’re laboring to fulfill a prophecy left behind by the goddess…”

“A prophecy?”

“Yes. But as far as I can tell, no such prediction exists,” Leonis said, shaking his head. “According to it, I should still be sealed in Necrozoa.”

“Hmm. So as far as our enemies are concerned, your revival is an irregularity.”

“…So it would seem.”

Perhaps Riselia’s finding him ahead of time had altered the prophecy.

If I’d have awakened even a few days later…

Arakael Degradios would have likely triggered a Stampede and destroyed the Seventh Assault Garden, Tearis Resurrectia would have become the vessel for the Goddess of Rebellion, and the Dragon Lord Veira would have been consumed by the Voids.

“Regardless…” Leonis smiled fearlessly. “If they dare oppose me, I need only trample and crush them underfoot.”

Just then, Leonis heard a gentle knock on his door.

“Leo, can we talk for a minute?” came Riselia’s voice.

“Huh? Oh, erm, yes… Give me a second!” Leonis replied hurriedly.

Blackas dove into Leonis’s shadow and disappeared, taking the bone with him.

“All right, come in.”

The door opened, and Riselia stepped inside. She was likely fresh out of the shower, because her hair was visibly damp.

“We filed our report to the academy. The official report is that a massive earthquake destroyed the Hive,” Riselia stated, taking a seat on the bed. “You were the one who destroyed it, though, right, Leo?”

“…” Leonis took a deep breath. “Yes. That was me.”

Riselia had already seen him use Dáinsleif. Realizing that there was no point playing coy about it, he simply confessed to the truth.

“I see…” Riselia nodded, as if resolving to do something. Her ice-blue eyes gazed fixedly at Leonis. “Actually, I was…able to decipher part of the inscription on that statue we found in the lake.”

Stupefied, Leonis could only get out, “…Huh? You did? How?”

“I found a book in my father’s study and there was a note folded into it. It explained how to translate part of that odd language. And the book used the same characters as the carvings, so…” Riselia paused ominously before pulling out a piece of paper and reading it aloud. “‘The Great King…of the Undead Kingdom…Leonis Death Magnus.’”

“…?!”

Riselia drew near Leonis’s face and whispered into his ear, “Leo… Who are you?”