Demon Sword Master of the Holy Sword Academy - Volume 6 - Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

THE ENSHRINEMENT RITUAL

The boy first met the man in a back alley in the slums.

“An orphan. I see…”

“…?”

That boy, covered in rags and kneeling in the muck, gazed up at the tall figure. He was handsome with beautiful blond hair. The man inspected the boy’s face. His armor was silver and his cloak, a pure white. A sword adorned with gold decorations hung at his hip.

“…Are you a knight?”

The boy quickly corrected his posture and fell prostrate. Knights were among the highest classes in the Rognas Kingdom, and if a young vagrant like him were to appear disrespectful to the knight, he was within his rights to cut him down where he stood.

But why would such a neat and proper swordsman call out to him…? The boy simply couldn’t understand.

“Your soul has a rare, exceptional color to it. The same color as mine—the soul of a hero.”

“Huh?”

The knight said something terribly strange.

“Oh, I can see the color of one’s soul. It’s one of my unique skills.”

“The color of one’s…soul…?” the boy repeated, dumbfounded.

“What of your family?” the man asked, placing a hand on the boy’s shoulder.

“I don’t have a family. My brother and sister died in the war.”

“—I see. Hearing that saddens me greatly. Our kingdom’s knights have failed you.”

“N-no, milord! Not at all…!” the boy insisted, alarmed.

He had the feeling this knight’s blue eyes could see right through him, down into his very core—and, indeed, his soul.

“How old are you?”

“I’m five… No, probably six.”

“Have you ever wielded a sword before?”

The boy shook his head. He’d never so much as held a real sword.

“Good, it’s better that way.” The man nodded, evidently satisfied. “You haven’t developed any needless habits, then.”

“Hm…?”

The boy’s face clouded over with confusion, but the man reached out to him and finally asked the question.

“Tell me, my boy—would you like to become a hero?”

Beep beep beep beep beep…!

“…Ngh, who dares disturb this Dark Lord’s slumber?!”

Still half asleep, Leonis picked up his terminal, which was ringing, and threw it against the wall.

The device bounced and fell to the floor.

“…”

Leonis massaged his temples and sighed. It was almost dusk outside. Two days had passed since Sakuya had shown him around Old Town, making it the day of the enshrinement ritual. Excalibur Academy students were excused from classes today, so after he’d trained with Riselia this morning, Leonis had taken an afternoon nap.

He sat up in his bed, combing his fingers through his unruly hair.

What an unpleasant dream.

…It had been one of that man, of all things. Leonis’s teacher and the Swordmaster of the Six Heroes. Most of his memories of his days as a hero had faded… Why did he still have to see him in dreams?

Grimacing, Leonis got out of bed. It was almost time. He needed to get changed, pick Tessera up from the orphanage, and then make his way to Old Town.

…I just hope nothing out of the ordinary happens.

Leonis thought back to what Sakuya had told him.

Members of the Kenki Gathering, an elite group from the Sakura Orchid, had visited Sakuya. They had once been charged with protecting royalty, but like the rest of their people, they’d lost their homeland in the Void Stampede nine years ago.

And now, to exact revenge on the Void Lord responsible, they planned to cause another Stampede here in the Seventh Assault Garden. Sakuya had approached the Dark Lord Zol Vadis for help with stopping them.

This is my kingdom. I wasn’t going to let them have their way to begin with.

He currently had Shary and Blackas stationed in Old Town in case anything happened. Additionally, he’d dispatched the Demon Wolf Pack to track the enemy’s movements. They hadn’t found any traces of them yet, though.

I’ll definitely need to strengthen my intelligence organization in the future.

Blackas was an offensive general who exhibited his full strength on the battlefield, and while Shary was talented in espionage, her true role was assassination and not gathering information. Some of the beastmen species were well suited for spying, but none of the ones working under Leonis had the dedicated skills required.

…At some point, I should recruit people skilled in this sort of thing.

A certain black-haired girl with a Holy Sword optimized for data gathering flashed in his mind, but then…

“Leo, are you awake? It’s time to go pick up Tessera.”

“Get ready and dress yourself, kid!”

Riselia and Regina called to him from the other side of the door.

“What do you think? Does this yukata look good on me?”

Regina entered and spun in place, showing off her outfit. It wasn’t her usual uniform, but a traditional Sakura Orchid outfit called a yukata. Hers was made of pale blue-green fabric and decorated with flower and butterfly patterns. Her hair wasn’t done in her usual pigtails. Instead it was tied in a single ponytail.

“H-hm…”

As Regina struck a pose, Leonis hastily averted his gaze. The yukata was very open around the chest and had a sizable slit on its hem. Honestly, it made for a tantalizing sight when a buxom girl like Regina wore it.

“Oh, what are you going red for, kid? Heh heh…  ” Regina smiled after noticing Leonis’s flustered reaction.

She leaned forward and poked Leonis’s cheek with a finger.

“…!” He jumped.

Enduring this kind of teasing wounded his dignity as a Dark Lord. And so he turned around and gazed directly at Regina.

“…Hm? K-kid?”

Regina looked a bit confused now that he was staring at her.

“Yes, it suits you very well,” he muttered. “That hairdo is very cute on you, too.”

“Ah, really? I-it’s…cute?” Regina asked, going red.

“Of course, the way you usually look is very cute, too.”

“…Ahhhhh, y-you shouldn’t tease girls like that, kid.”

“I’m not. It’s how I really feel…”

“Y-you dummy! You big dumb dummy!” Regina shook her head, face scarlet. Her ponytail wagged side to side.

Regina was the kind of girl who couldn’t handle receiving compliments very well.

Leonis had meant every word he said, though. Regina truly did look cute. Reiterating as much would just make her more bashful, however, so Leonis decided not to.

…I dread to think what she might do if I push her too far.

This was Regina, after all, the one who held authority over their dinner menu.

“Lady Selia, it’s terrible! The kid is turning into a Dark Lord of the bedroom again!” In the face of an opponent she could not best, Regina went crying to her mistress.

“Yes, yes, now stop fooling around and get ready, you two,” Riselia replied a bit absently.

“Get ready how?” Regina asked.

“Both Leo and I still need to change into our yukatas. Here’s yours, Leo,” Riselia said, taking a neatly folded garment out of her bag. “I rented it from an apparel shop. It should be your size, Leo.”

“I’m fine going in my uniform,” Leonis protested.

“Out of the question. I want to see you in a—ahem, I mean that’s just how this festival works.”

“…Oh.”

Well, if there were rules, he wasn’t going to argue against them. Leonis accepted the yukata reluctantly.

“Am I supposed to just tie the waist sash however I want?” he questioned, spreading the yukata out and looking at it curiously.

“Don’t worry, kid, I’ll help you,” Regina replied, placing her hands on Leonis’s shoulders.

“Y-you don’t have to. I can put it on by myself.”

“No, no, no. We don’t have that much time.”

“I’ll go get changed, then,” Riselia stated. “Regina, I’m counting on you to help Leo get dressed.”

“Understood, Lady Selia.”

Seeing Regina nod encouragingly, Riselia went to her bedroom. No sooner had the door clicked shut than Regina reached for Leonis’s shirt.

“Come on, kid, take off your uniform. Or do you want me to remove it for you?”

Realizing that resistance was futile in this situation, Leonis obediently did as he was told.

“Your pants, too,” Regina added.

“…I—I know! Just turn around already, Miss Regina!”

Once he was certain Regina wasn’t watching, Leonis swiftly took off his trousers and slipped into his yukata.

“Heh-heh, it looks good on you… Oh, you’ve got the collar on backward. It’s supposed to be like this.  ”

The blond young woman fixed his collar and briskly tied the sash around his waist. Leonis offered no objection until she tightened the sash.

“M-Miss Regina… It’s too taut, I can’t breathe.”

He hadn’t felt this suffocated since the Mountain Devouring Dragon attacked Necrozoa and constricted him one thousand years ago.

“Do you want me to loosen it up a little?” Regina inquired, adjusting the sash. “But if it’s too loose, it might come undone.”

“Leo, are you ready?” The door opened, and Riselia walked in, now clad in her yukata.

“…?!”

Leonis swallowed despite himself. The sight of her in a yukata was quite breathtaking. Hers had black-and-white stripes with flower patterns, and she had her brilliant silver hair done up. This exposed the alluring lines of her neck, giving her usual chaste atmosphere a slightly more enticing feel.

“You look so pretty, Lady Selia!” Regina praised.

“Th-thanks, Regina,” Riselia answered, raising one large sleeve to cover her bashful expression.

“…You really do look pretty.” The words left Leonis’s lips naturally.

“…Boo. You sound more honest than when you complimented me,” Regina grumbled.

“Thank you, Leo. Yours looks great on you, too.” Riselia smiled, examining Leonis and nodding in satisfaction.

And then, she slammed her fist into her palm, like she’d just come up with a good idea.

“Oh, right! Let’s take a picture of Leo in this outfit!”

“Why didn’t I think of that? Wait here, I’ll go get the camera—” Regina made to take off.

“…Let’s just go,” Leonis said with a sigh. “Tessera is waiting for us.”

They took the shuttle bus to the orphanage, met up with Tessera, and then took another bus to Old Town. The evening sun was already dipping below the city walls, and a faint darkness was beginning to dye the sky. Like Leonis, Tessera was dressed in a child’s yukata. Leonis thought it was a rented one, like his, but as it turned out, it was handmade by Phrenia.

They got off at the Sector Two station near Old Town and headed to the gate on foot. It was hard to walk in the wooden clogs, but apparently, they were part of the festival’s atmosphere.

Naturally, there were far more people around than there had been two days ago. And since it was a day off, there were many students. Leonis recognized this because plenty of them were walking around in their uniforms.

“…I thought wearing yukatas was part of the rules here?” Leonis said, casting a suspicious glare in Riselia’s direction.

“I—I wanted to see you in a yukata!” Riselia confessed, unable to look Leonis in the eye.

The main street was lit with mana lanterns, and the sounds of the festival musicians grew gradually louder. Many stalls were set up along the streets, giving the place a very different feel.

“There sure are a lot of people around here,” Riselia remarked quietly.

“Yeah. We should take care not to get separated,” Leonis said, offering Tessera his arm.

“Huh? L-Leo…? Um…” Tessera bashfully took his hand, her face flushing as she lowered her head. “Th-thank you…”

Riselia took his other hand. “Make sure you don’t get lost, either, Leo.”

“I’ll be fine. I have my communication terminal with me.”

“No,” she chided firmly. “Some bad grown-up might decide to snatch you.”

“…I doubt that.”

Tessera giggled as she watched their exchange.

“Look at you, kid, so popular  ,” Regina teased, poking him on the back of his neck.

Leonis frowned. “S-stop that, please.”

“Ah, look at that! It’s so cute…” Riselia had stopped and was looking at one of the stalls.

If anything’s cute here, it’s you, Leonis thought for some reason. His minion’s eyes were fixed on candied apples and mandarins. It was exactly the sort of sweet one might expect a girl to like.

“No, if anything’s cute here, it’s you, Lady Selia,” Regina needled.

“…R-Regina, what are you saying?!”

Arle Kirlesio perused the streets beneath the glow of the mana lanterns.

What a lively festival this is. Even though the world is being overrun by unknown monsters…

The excitement of this bright celebration was something she would never have known in her forest. Elves had their own festivals, of course, but they were much more austere and quiet affairs. Arle felt ill at ease in this crowd.

Why was she there, then? That was quite simple—the Dark Lord Zol Vadis had ordered the Demon Wolf Pack here to keep a watchful eye for terrorists that might attack.

When Lena told her of their mission, Arle had wanted to remind the dark elf that they were terrorists, too, but she managed to stop herself.

“I will admit the food stalls are nice, though…”

As she ate fried noodles she’d bought from one of the vendors, Arle looked around the area. An elf’s sense of hearing was keen enough to pick up on conversations even in places packed with people.

But then, suddenly, her gaze settled on a girl dressed in white. She was strolling through the crowd like a ghost. Her hair was a vivid blue, and her face was concealed behind a mask. Perhaps she’d bought it at one of the stalls? It hardly made her inconspicuous, yet no one seemed aware of her presence.

That blue hair…

Arle immediately recalled the swordswoman she’d encountered at the pier a few days ago. Had her hair been so long, though?

…Why? Something about that girl feels…

Sensing something ominous from the masked young woman, Arle resolved to follow her.

…Huh?

Yet before she had the chance, the girl disappeared into the crowd.

Leonis and his group went around the plaza, enjoying the cotton candy and candy apples they bought.

“Oh, there’s a target shooting stall there. I’m good at that!” Regina said happily, tugging on Leonis’s sleeve.

“I’d imagine you are,” he replied.

“Can I try it, Lady Selia?”

Riselia nodded with a bit of a forced smile. “Go ahead…”

Apparently, this was a game where one was meant to knock down prizes with a toy gun.

“Which one do you want, Tessera?” Regina asked as she stuffed a cork bullet into the barrel.

“Umm. I want that…stuffed bear…”

“The stuffed bear? It’s a bit large, but I’ll get it for you!”

Regina closed an eye and held up the gun. Suddenly, her expression changed from a girl enjoying a festival to that of a sagacious sharpshooter.

“Anti-Large Aerial Beast Extermination Weapon—Dragon Slayer!” With that cry of enthusiasm, she pulled the trigger.

The cork bullet whizzed through the air and hit the stuffed bear right between the eyes—but the bear only wobbled in place.

“…”

“I hit it! I did!”

“Missy, hitting it isn’t enough. You have to knock it down, too,” the person managing the stall said with a grin.

“…Mm. Fine,” Regina replied as she loaded the toy gun again. “How about this, then?!”

Pop! Pop!

She fired two shots, both of which struck the exact same spot seconds apart from each other. But once again, the stuffed toy only wobbled slightly.

“Regina, maybe you should just give up…,” Riselia told her.

“Not yet, Lady Selia! I’ll try to calculate the right angle this time—”

“Let me try,” Leonis interjected, lowering her arms and taking the gun away.

“Kid…”

“Leo?”

The two girls looked at him curiously, but Leonis only nodded and loaded a cork bullet into the barrel. The stall keeper sneered at him.

Devil’s bullet, gouge through fate itself…

He fired a shot charged with a bit of mana, which hit a can sitting on the edge of the shelf. A miss…at least normally. However, the bullet quickly rebounded, hitting a nearby prize. It wobbled, veered sideways, and hit the adjacent prize, and then the prize next to it, and the prize next to that, too. Eventually it hit the stall’s pillar, deflected again, and hit the stuffed bear directly.

Like Regina’s attempts, the bear didn’t fall. The cork dropped to the ground, bounced, and shot toward the bear again. It repeated this twice, thrice, four times, five times, six. The miracle looped over and over, and the single-bullet barrage eventually knocked the bear off the shelf.

“Phew, that was a difficult shot,” Leonis remarked with a shrug as he returned the toy gun.

“L-Leo, that was amazing…!” Tessera said, her eyes wide with respect and awe.

“N-not bad, kid…,” Regina added, obviously amazed.

Riselia did notice he’d used sorcery but only cracked a smile, seemingly content to overlook it.

“Well, that’s that. Now, let’s collect the prize—”

“S-stop screwing with me!” the stall keeper bellowed at them. “That made no sense! You cheated!”

Tessera fearfully hid behind Leonis.

“If anyone’s cheating, it’s you,” Leonis countered, pointing at the prize shelf.

There was a rod where the stuffed bear had been, and the toy had been caught on it, keeping it from falling.

“…Y-you brat!”

Angered at having his fraud exposed, the man grabbed Leonis by his yukata’s collar.

Leonis sneered coldly. “Oho? So you wish to experience the terror of death…”

“Wh-what…?” the man replied, his face contorting in anger.

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut into their exchange.

“What are you doing? I ask that you refrain from resorting to violence.”

Leonis turned around and saw a black-haired girl approaching.

“Miss Finé!” Riselia exclaimed happily.

Elfiné was moving through the crowd. She had the Executive Committee’s band on her arm and was accompanied by two orbs.

“Miss Elfiné, what are you doing here?” Leonis asked.

“The Executive Committee asked me to help manage the festival,” she explained. “I often get called to assist with security during events like this.”

…That makes sense.

Her Eye of the Witch’s power was quite useful for such large-scale celebrations. Long-distance communications, guiding refugees, finding lost children, watching suspicious figures, and…stopping brawls. Elfiné could cover quite the large area with all eight of her orbs active.

Of course, since Elfiné was only one person, she still needed the assistance of others to handle everything.

“So what’s happening here? Why would you raise a hand to a child…?” Elfiné questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

“Ah, well… Hm…” The man hurriedly released Leonis.

“He was trying to cheat people out of their money,” Leonis said, pointing at the shelf.

“…?” Elfiné followed his gaze and quickly realized what had happened.

“No, um, well…,” the man fumbled.

“We’ll hear what you have to say at headquarters. For now, your business is suspended,” Elfiné stated, placing a sticker that declared as much on the stall’s sign. “Thank you for your cooperation, everyone.”

She bowed her head to Leonis and the rest of the group and left with the dejected man.

“Wow, Miss Finé looks busy,” Riselia commented.

Regina nodded and replied, “I’d bet. Let’s stop by headquarters later and bring her a snack from the festival.”

“Here you go, Tessera.” Leonis had picked up the plush bear and was handing it to the girl.

“Th-thank you, Leo!” Although blushing, the nine-year-old accepted it happily and hugged the bear tight.

Leonis looked around, keeping his eyes out for any trouble. He and the others strolled down the main street toward where Sakuya’s dance would be held.

Riselia pointed at a crowd that formed ahead. “Look over there. Did something happen?”

The people were cheering at something.

“It must be a street performance. Let’s check it out,” replied Regina.

“Good idea.” Riselia turned to look at Tessera, who nodded in consent. Set in the middle of the ring of audience members was a large umbrella, with entertainers standing under it.

…Let’s see how these performers match up to my skeleton circus, Leonis thought as he wove through the throng to get a better look.

“…?!”

Immediately, his expression tensed. There were two familiar faces performing.

A girl in a yukata stood under the umbrella, juggling daggers and balls skillfully, with a rather blank expression. And sitting by her side was a large black wolf, balancing a large ball on its nose.

…Shary and Blackas?!

As the audience showered them with applause, Leonis sent a telepathic message their way.

“What in the blasted hells are you two doing?!”

“Ah, my lord—” Shary turned her head, noticing Leonis’s presence. “You look very cute in that outfit, my lord!”

“Grr…forget about me. Just what are you doing here?”

“We’ve concluded that this disguise will be most effective for blending in,” Blackas replied while keeping the ball balanced on his nose.

“No, I’d say you stand out quite a bit.”

“That is fine. We are, as they say, hiding in plain sight.”

“…Hm. I see.”

Blackas had a point. Rather than suspiciously clinging to the dark corners of the festival, operating where one wouldn’t suspect could be more effective.

“And we get so many sweets, too!” Shary happily appended.

Set beneath them was a box, filled to the brim with assorted treats that onlookers had thrown in.

“…So that’s what you were after.”

“N-not at all, my lord! This is all in the name of camouflage—”

“Very well. Just report in if anything happens.”

“W-we will…!”

Even as she communicated with Leonis, Shary didn’t drop what she was juggling.

“That girl’s amazing,” Riselia praised as she clapped.

“Don’t you think she looks kind of familiar, though, Lady Selia?” Regina asked.

“Now that you mention it, I feel like I’ve seen her somewhere before…,” Riselia responded pensively.

“Y-you must be imagining things. Let’s go!” Leonis insisted, pulling on the sleeve of Riselia’s yukata.

“W-wait, Leo!”

They crossed a bridge over the river through the city, when suddenly—

Pop! Pop! Pop!

—Small explosions shook the air.

“…Get down!” Leonis turned around and called out sharply.

“Leo?” Riselia questioned as a few more blasts sounded in the sky.

“…That’s…the sixth-order spell, Guren Zo?!”

“Leo, Leo…!” As he shielded the three girls with his back, Riselia rested a hand on his shoulder. “Those are fireworks.”

“…” Leonis fell silent for a long moment, processing what she had just told him.

“Sakura Orchid fireworks are so pretty!” Regina cheered.

Pop, pop, pop pop pop.

The fireworks whistled as they took off, painting the sky with brilliant, flowerlike patterns of light.

“…I—I know what fireworks are, of course,” Leonis stated, clearing his throat.

“Heh-heh, you were trying to protect us, weren’t you, Leo?” Riselia giggled.

“N-no!”

“I think there’s a better view over there, Lady Selia!” Regina pointed at a spot with fewer people.

Standing under an artificial tree meant to purify the water supply, Leonis gazed at the fireworks blooming across the sky for a bit. He’d relinquished the top of the tree to Tessera, so that she’d have a better view. It was tough to view much from where he was standing, though, even on his tiptoes.

“You can’t see from there, can you, Leo?” Riselia said, placing her hands under his arms and picking him up.

“M-Miss Selia?! P-put me down!” Leonis protested, his face flushed and his limbs struggling in midair.

“Stop thrashing around, Leo.  ”

Nearby people looked on, smiling and laughing at the heartwarming sight.

The wavering flames of a campfire lit up the darkness. Sakuya sat in a silent room of the shrine. She had just finished purifying her body at the spring and donned her priestess garb. Before her was a wooden box containing an ancestral sword, a sacred treasure passed down in the Sakura Orchid’s royal house.

“You look quite beautiful, Princess Sakuya,” said Eika, who stood behind and was aiding with the preparations.

“I’m sure Setsura would be much prettier,” Sakuya replied.

“It’s almost time for the ritual. Make sure you’re ready.”

“All right.”

Sakuya picked up the wooden box containing the sword and moved to the altar. This was a hallowed custom that none were permitted to intrude upon. Doing so was an unforgivable taboo.

The ritual was meant to offer the blood of a priestess to Raijinki, who slumbered within the city’s Mana Furnace. The dance Sakuya would perform before the people was to be done after that.

She hadn’t heard from the Kenki Gathering since the afternoon she’d spent with Leonis. But they were undoubtedly hidden somewhere in the city, biding their time. They couldn’t have much time left. The power of emptiness consumed the souls of those who wielded Demon Swords.

…The Kenki Gathering. They seek a place to die as warriors…

There was a good chance they’d try something during the climax of the ritual. Sakuya didn’t know how they’d accomplish it, but their aim was to awaken Raijinki and use the god to lure out the Void Lord who had destroyed the Sakura Orchid.

Only a priestess—only I can release Raijinki, though.

Sakuya slowed to a stop. Sitting on ground covered with white sand was a large rock, severed in two. This was the divine rock—the altar—that had been taken from the Sakura Orchid’s ruined capital.

The young woman placed the wooden crate containing the sacred treasure before the altar. She then opened the crate and retrieved the sword. After pricking herself with it, she would drip blood on the stone.

However, right as she picked up the blade…

“…?!”

Sakuya froze up, sensing a faint presence. Looking around, she spotted a ghostly figure amid the sea of white sand. It was a masked girl, clad in white Sakura Orchid attire. Her long blue hair trailed in the breeze, faintly illuminated by the flames of the bonfire.

“…Who are you?” Sakuya demanded sharply.

No normal girl could enter this place. Raiou had Murakumo operatives set up a perimeter around the shrine. Not even an ant could get here undetected.

The figure didn’t answer, but stepped forward and summoned a katana to her hand.

A moment later, steel flashed in the dark.

Countless beautiful lights illuminated the sky, casting shadows on the ground below. The Kenki Gathering stood unseen, clad in their anti-Void protection suits, patiently awaiting the appointed time.

“The hour is upon us. We will have our revenge.”

All thirty-seven Demon Swordsmen glared into the emptiness, each one willing to lay down their life if it meant vanquishing the Void Lord who had destroyed their homeland.

Sacrificing the innocents of the Seventh Assault Garden to see their wish fulfilled didn’t trouble them in the slightest. They’d already steeled their resolve the moment they corrupted the Holy Swords granted to them by the planet and turned them into Demon Swords.

I do regret that we couldn’t bring Princess Sakuya over to our side.

She had rejected the hand Uzan had extended to her and would suffer the consequences.

Just then…

“—Hello, Uzan. The operation is going smoothly, I hope?”

“…?”

Hearing an odd, out-of-place voice come from his communication terminal, Uzan frowned beneath his vision. It was Finzel Phillet, the Kenki Gathering’s employer.

“Oh, it’s you. We’re on an important operation. Keep communications to a mini—”

“Now, now, just hear me out. Think of this as my farewell to you.”

“What do you want?”

As their sponsor, Finzel was the one who’d provided them with the anti-Void protection suits, an infiltration plan into the Seventh Assault Garden, a hiding place…and even their Demon Swords. Finzel was a true blessing for the Kenki Gathering.

Of course, there were some within the group who regarded this overly generous benefactor with suspicion, but they quickly rescinded all criticism when he brought a certain girl to them. It was Princess Setsura. Their sovereign, who had died the same day as their homeland.

“Look, we’re grateful to you for granting us a place to die and a chance at revenge.”

“Hmm, I see. Sorry, but I have to ask you to repay that debt of gratitude to me now.”

“You can be sure that we will. Although we may not be fighting for your… What was it called again? Your…Demon Sword Project? It needs our combat data. And we promise we will go all out today to provide for you.”

“That’s very encouraging to hear. But see, I’m something of a perfectionist, so I set up a little trick to make sure you put forth your best effort, gentlemen.”

“…What?”

The next moment, the information terminal in Uzan’s suit lit up, and a small, winged fairy, small enough to sit in the palm of one’s hand, flew out of it. The glowing fairy flapped its wings, as black as those of a swallowtail butterfly, as it darted through the air.

“Lord Phillet, what is this…?”

“The Artificial Elemental Seraphim. A messenger capable of conveying the goddess’s voice with its whispers. I used the Astral Garden’s network to sneak it into the protector suits you’re all wearing.”

“What…? What is the meaning of this?!”

“You’ll have to forgive me. Your Demon Swords will be a sacrifice for the second coming of the goddess.”

And then, the fairy, the goddess’s oracle, whispered words of the future—

“…A-ahhhh… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

The Kenki Gathering’s protection suits all shattered…

And from their wreckage emerged thirty-seven Void monsters.