In the Land of Leadale - Volume 8 - Chapter Pr1

Prologue

“Sigh. Never would’ve guessed you were the one secretly behind this last incident.”

“Any Skill Master could have done the same, right? I simply beat everyone to the punch.”

A lone island floated in the sky, and on it presided an old single-story samurai house. Hedges surrounded the residence, and there was a small vegetable garden in the courtyard. Several flowerpots sat under the eaves, morning glories bloomed in profusion, and bright crimson berries dangled from Chinese lantern plants. An eye-catching cherry blossom tree flourished by the front entrance, while out back there stood an impressive persimmon tree full of ripe fruit. An abundance of summer vegetables like cucumbers and tomatoes grew in the garden. It was anyone’s guess as to what the current season was.

Opus was sharing a drink with an old dwarf on the mansion’s veranda. This dwarf was merely old at heart, however; in dwarf years, he was a real whippersnapper. All the same, he had a stocky build and a shaggy beard, and his stern features made it difficult to discern his true age.

This was Hidden Ogre, the Twelfth Skill Master who oversaw the Guardian Tower on this floating island garden.

The isle was compact and didn’t extend much farther than the cozy mansion and small yard. The hedges sat on a perimeter that dropped off like a steep cliff.

A white cat with a red collar was sprawled out on the sunlit veranda where the men sat. It stretched lazily and let out a big yawn.

This cat was the Guardian of the aerial garden tower. This tiny, lovable creature happened to speak human languages and was completely invincible within its domain. Anyone careless enough to steal from the vegetable garden would be jettisoned off the island with a single swipe of the feline’s paw.

Two women joined Opus and Hidden Ogre. The first was a demon who was watering the garden. Peeking from her reddish brown hair was a pair of small horns characteristic of demonkind. Clad in long brown robes, she paused every once in a while to glance over at Opus and Hidden Ogre. She looked away whenever their eyes almost met, although Opus didn’t really mind.

The second woman was a kimono-clad elf who flitted between the house and the veranda with appetizers to pair with the men’s sake. Pale silver hair complemented her light blue kimono; her demeanor was like a cool, refreshing spring.

“Please enjoy these at your leisure, Sir Opus,” she said, setting down the tray of food and bowing elegantly.

“Thanks,” said Opus. “Will do.”

The elf demonstrated impeccable hospitality without a shred of ill will toward Opus. He smiled in satisfaction, and Hidden Ogre shot him a boastful look.

“So, what do you think of my little sister?” Hidden Ogre asked. “Radiant, ain’t she? Bet you’re already captivated, ain’tcha?”

“Oh my. You are too much, Big Brother.” The elf woman’s voice tinkled like a bell. She hid a smile behind her kimono sleeve.

She was indeed Hidden Ogre’s younger sister. Or at least one of the Foster Children he’d created. The demon woman tending the garden was another little sister/Foster Child. Her feverish nods alongside Hidden Ogre seemed to demonstrate sisterly pride.

Opus, meanwhile, appeared disenchanted. He silently narrowed his eyes before eventually muttering, “…The world may have changed, but you’re as constant as they come.”

Hidden Ogre broke into a huge grin and gave a thumbs-up. “What better way to stay young than to be surrounded by pretty girls, right?”

“That wasn’t a compliment…”

Hidden Ogre was the only Skill Master who could exasperate Opus like this. Just then, a concerned frown came over the relaxed dwarf’s face.

“Do we gotta?” Hidden Ogre asked as he took another sip.

“If nothing is done, a destructive legacy will bite through that barrier and come crawling out.”

Although usually passive, Opus wore a grave expression. All jokes aside, this wasn’t a situation they could simply ignore.

“We’ve got a rough idea of how many players are left. The question now is how many will join the fight,” Hidden Ogre replied.

“Hmph. There’s no coming back if you die in this world, so most hold their lives dear.”

“If worse comes to worst, I guess the three of us will just have to use whatever we can summon.”

“That might be more terrifying than anything else…”

Hidden Ogre called to his one sister who had turned to leave, since their discussion was clearly an important one.

“Lu Peixi.”

The elf woman turned around. “Yes, Big Brother?”

“How long d’you think it’ll take to rally everyone?”

“‘Everyone’? Forgive my forwardness, but do you intend to start a war somewhere?”

“Not exactly… You might say we’re gatherin’ reinforcements. Like a rearguard. It’ll really help us out if you can join the front in a pinch.”

Hidden Ogre glanced over at Opus, and his eyes pleaded for the demon to back him up. However, Opus only nodded as if to say Do as you please.

The two were good friends alike in both skill level and mindset, and they could communicate easily without exchanging a single word. Granted, there were a few slight differences between them.

Hidden Ogre didn’t yet have a clear picture of the situation and was hesitant to involve his sisters in an uncertain battle.

The demon woman who overheard this conversation left the vegetable garden and trotted over to them.

“Are we gonna go to war, Elder Brother?” she asked, eyes shimmering.

“Like I said, everyone will be backup. You sure look excited, Yunio.”

Amid Yunio’s childlike demeanor was plenty of anticipation.

“It’s been ages since I used Attack Magic to make things go BAM and KABOOM!” she squealed.

“Sounds a bit like Cayna,” Opus muttered. This exchange was giving him déjà vu.

Suddenly, Yunio locked her eyes on him, sending a slight chill down Opus’s spine. He flinched; that sweet, innocent gaze harbored a borderline insane fervor.

“Lady Cayna’s here? Where? Can I see her? I wanna see Lady Cayna! Let me see her!”

Yunio got right up in his face. There was something terrifying about her vacant golden eyes. Opus had his suspicions about this obsession. He fixed Hidden Ogre with a pointed glare.

“…Hey, Hidden Ogre. What’s this foster kid’s backstory?”

“Ah, my apologies, Sir Opus,” Lu Peixi replied. “She’s quite fond of Lady Cayna.”

“…Huh.” He nodded.

Lu Peixi then proceeded to grab Yunio by the nape with a practiced hand and drag her away from Opus.

“Now, Big Brother,” she began, “I believe it will take at least ten days for everyone to properly assemble.”

“Right. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

“Very well.”

Once Lu Peixi calmed the madly grinning Yunio, they held hands and approached the white cat on the veranda. In only a few short words, the Guardian sent the pair outside.

Hidden Ogre bade them farewell with a satisfied nod, but Opus looked exhausted.

“You put something like ‘Admires Cayna’ for that girl’s flavor text, didn’t you? There’s no way she’d be so obsessed otherwise.”

“Sorry ’bout that. There was a minimum character requirement, so I couldn’t just leave it blank. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

“Eh, I suppose it’s not my problem.”

Had Cayna been there, she definitely would have begged Opus to ask more questions.

Since neither got the sense they’d be in trouble later, Opus and Hidden Ogre decided to sweep the issue under the rug. In any case, their focus was elsewhere entirely.

“So we’ll have at least twenty-three people on our side. Better than nothing, right?” Hidden Ogre said.

“I appreciate the help. I suppose that means you’ve still got twenty little sisters left…”

“I only regret not including more long-lived races.”

Hidden Ogre let out a hearty guffaw, and Opus grimaced.