Part 4
The day that was next to begin, the 22nd day of the 5th month, was the first with stormy weather for that spring.
Riding the squalls that sprung up at times, large drops of rain furiously thumped against the window. Eugeo halted the hand that was polishing his sword and gazed at the stormy skies that lost the light of Solus, despite it not being long since the end of the lectures.
The black clouds that stretched out in layers squirmed as though they were alive and violet lightning tore through their gaps. The spring storms that washed away the wheat seeds just sowed were detested by everyone in Rulid Village, and it almost always became as bustling as a festival whenever Alice succeeded in weather prediction sacred arts, even though she was a child. But then again, they were only really given that blessing for a mere two years.
Now that Eugeo had practiced sacred arts in the academy, he was now truly aware of Alice's genius. Arts that affect principles of nature, such as weather and terrain, were examples of high ranking sacred arts, possessing procedures reaching over a hundred lines, with Eugeo unable to even predict whether tomorrow would be sunny or rainy as he was now. If it was Alice, who could predict a storm a week before it came, she might even be picking up the arts to manipulate the weather right about now. If that was the case, the current look of the sky might be Alice losing her temper at Eugeo for still not coming for her—
"Haah."
Expelling his incessant thoughts along with his breath, he suddenly started to thoroughly and carefully polish the bluish-silver blade with the oiled leather. He never missed the weekly maintenance on the «Blue Rose Sword», but that was roughly the only time he drew it from its scabbard ever since he was admitted into the academy. He used the wooden sword for daily practice and in official matches, there was a regulation to use swords with the exact same capability to ensure fairness. Compared to the Blue Rose Sword that was classified as a sacred instrument, the sword decreed by the academy was rather light and he felt nervous with how much the blade seemed like it would slip out when he swung it with all his might, but he couldn't simply wave this sword around when it could break a cheap iron sword with a single exchanged blow.
An opponent that he could strike as hard as he liked with this sword was probably restricted to that; with that thought in his mind, Eugeo raised his head and looked at the black long sword his partner was maintaining on the opposing couch.
The «demonic tree» that towered over the forest south of Rulid for over three hundred years, Gigas Cedar. It was what they got a whole year after cutting off a branch from its top, its weight that of a lump of iron, taking much trouble—Kirito went "Let's just plant it over there" countless times—to carry it to the central, talking to Sadore the gold craftsman, an acquaintance from long ago of the old man, Garitta, and getting it refined.
Sadore-shi, the very image of eccentricity, scowled as hard as he could while grumbling, "It even broke three of my black refining whetstones which should have lasted for ten years" but he didn't take any money, saying that it was a once in a lifetime job.
The completed black sword was covered in a deep luster that made it hard to believe it was originally a tree branch. Kirito used that sword to bring a duel with Uolo Levanteinn to a commendable draw two and a half months ago, but he shouldn't have touched it at all since then, leaving it stored in its black leather scabbard except during maintenance time.
Or possibly, we might not have the chance to use these two swords anymore, or at least, not while in school; such a thought now came to Eugeo. It couldn't be used in the academy's official matches and he found it hard to imagine himself fighting other students in a duel with «personal real swords used».
In other words, if he wanted to fight with the Blue Rose Sword in hand, he would have to be selected as the academy representative swordsman this year and participate in the Empire Swordsmanship Tournament. Of course, that was Eugeo's aim, but he had doubts about freely swinging this heavy sword around on a large stage all of a sudden, not to mention in a first strike match.
The participant who he would be going against would likely not be a student, but masters from the Imperial Knight Order or the main families of the various swordsmanship schools, which would mean that the other side would have a magnificent sharp sword made by a skilled craftsman as well. Even if it was a one-strike match, there was obviously the possibility of getting a major injury that would take about one or two months to fully recover from, if he were to receive a bad hit in his vitals, assuming he even managed to keep his life.
Actually, both of the academy's representatives, Uolo Levanteinn and Sortiliena-senpai went up against the representative from the Knight Order and lost, but while Liena-senpai was stopped by having her whip cut and her sword blown away, Uolo got the bones in his left shoulder smashed to pieces. Medical treatment done through the usual sacred arts could seal the wound and stop the decreasing Life, but the bones couldn't be attached together and Uolo should still be under medical care, even now.
According to the newspaper pasted onto the bulletin board at the main school building weekly, it seemed that swordsman who represented the Knight Order was from the Woolsburg family, a first class noble family that was considered renowned even among the renowned empire nobles. There was an article about how the swordsman went to the «Four Empire Unity Tournament» in the fourth month, after the Swordsmanship Tournament, achieved a magnificent victory, and received the honor of an invitation to the Axiom Church's holy garden.
It could be said that it couldn't be helped that Liena-senpai and Uolo Levanteinn lost to such an opponent—but Eugeo had a need to win, no matter how what kind of hero might appear as his opponent. He must continue onto the Unity Tournament next year as the representative of Norlangarth and be the champion, going through the gates of the Central Cathedral. He must.
—I'll be counting on you then, please lend me your power.
He finished polishing even the tip of his beloved sword as he spoke to it in his heart and when he raised his face, Kirito had just slid his sword out from between the two sides of the folded oiled leather with a swoosh sound as well. His eyes were momentarily taken in by the jet-black blade that shone under the lamp's light before he called out.
"Hey, Kirito."
"Nn?"
"Haven't you thought of a proper name for that sword yet?"
This was the fourth time Eugeo had asked that question since the sword was completed, but Kirito still replied with the same answer.
"Um, hmm... not yet..."
"Hurry up and decide already. It's pitiful for the sword, being called that «black one» all the time, isn't it."
"Hmm... from where I came from, swords had their names from the start... or so I think."
The moment he was about to offer more advice to Kirito who was muttering out vague excuses, his partner suddenly reached his own hand out towards Eugeo's eyes and caused him to blink.
"Wh-What is it?"
"Wait a minute, wasn't that the four-thirty bell just now?"
"Eh..."
Upon straining his ears, he certainly could hear the faltering chimes of the bell mixed into the howls of the wind.
"You're right, it's this late already. We missed the four o'clock bell, huh."
Eugeo muttered and when he looked out of the window mostly absent of sunlight, Kirito muttered with a grave expression.
"They're late, huh, Ronye and Tiezé."
Eugeo was taken aback and swallowed his breath. Now that it was mentioned, Tiezé and Ronye have never missed coming to clean up the room before the four o'clock bell even once ever since those two became their valets. Forcing back the unease oozing its way out from his throat, he lightly shrugged his shoulders.
"Well, there's a storm. Aren't they waiting for the rain to stop? It's not like the time to start cleaning was fixed by the academy regulations or anything..."
"I wonder if those two would even be late due to rain..."
Kirito seemed like he was brooding on something as he dropped his sight back to his hand and immediately continued.
"I have a bad feeling about this. I'll go over to the novice trainees' dormitory for a bit. We might miss each other, so Eugeo, please wait for those two over here."
Quickly slotting the black sword that he finished maintaining back into its scabbard, Kirito left it on the table and stood up. Putting on the thin overcoat for protection against the rain, he fastened the clasp with his left hand while opening the window with his right.
"Hey, Kirito, you should go from the front, shouldn't..."
Eugeo tried to say so while scowling at the strong winds that wildly blew in with the rain, but his partner had already nimbly jumped onto a tree branch that hung near the window by then, leaving behind only a rustling noise as he vanished. Geez, he's just so impatient, Eugeo thought with a sigh as he closed the window left open.
With the din of the storm muffled, the sound of the wall lamp burning away felt awfully loud in return.
Returning to the couch while holding onto the unexplained feeling of unease, he picked up the Blue Rose Sword from the table and gently stored it into its scabbard.
There was a way to find the whereabouts of certain people through high ranking sacred arts, but it required a large amount of sacred power in the area, so it couldn't be used without a medium. In the first place, using sacred arts with others as the target within the academy was prohibited, even if the art was harmless. As he was right now, Eugeo could only sit down on the couch and wait for something to happen.
Several remarkably long minutes passed by—finally, a soft knocking sound reverberated within the room.
The instant he heard that, Eugeo let out a deep breath of air. Well, look at that, you missed them all because you left from the window; he got up from the couch with that in mind, quickly crossed the room and opened the door.
"Thank goodness, I was so worried about..."
Reaching that point, Eugeo swallowed his words in mute astonishment. The hair that flew into his field of vision was not the familiar red or dark brown, but a light brown, disheveled by the wind.
It wasn't Ronye or Tiezé, an unknown girl was standing in the corridor. The short hair and grey novice trainee uniform were drenched by the rain, and absolutely no blood seemed to flow in those cheeks with drops of water hanging off them. Opening those large eyes, which reminded one of a young deer, filled with worry, her pale lips trembled haltingly.
Looking up at Eugeo who stood frozen, the girl forced her feeble voice out.
"Erm... are you Elite Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono...?"
"Ah... y-yeah. You are...?"
"I... I am Novice Trainee Frenica Szeski. I apologize for visiting without any prior notification. ...But, I didn't know what I should do..."
"So you're... Frenica, huh."
Eugeo looked back at the petite novice trainee once again. He looked at her delicate build rather unlike that of a swordswoman and those small hands that seemed more suited to knotting flower garlands, feeling his anger at Humbert well up once again, for disgracing a girl like this at his whims.
However, before Eugeo could say anything, Frenica, who had her two hands tightly grasped together in front of her chest, let out a voice blemished with panic.
"Erm... I am truly thankful for you lending your assistance regarding the matter between Humbert Zizek-dono and myself from the depths of my heart, Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono. And... I believe you understood what had happened so far, so I'll omit them, but... Zizek-dono ordered me to, well... perform a certain service that is somewhat difficult for me to explain in this place..."
Likely feeling enough humiliation to set her body aflame through those words alone, Frenica's pallid face stiffened pitifully before she continued.
"I-If I am to continue with such orders, I... I would rather quit the academy; that was what I frankly told Tiezé and Ronye, but upon hearing that, the two said that they would appeal directly to Zizek-dono and left the dormitory..."
"What did you say."
Eugeo muttered in a cracked voice. His fingertips that held onto the white leather scabbard became chilled.
"But those two wouldn't return no matter how much I waited, so I-I don't know what I should do..."
"When did those two leave...?"
"Erm, I believe it was right after the three-thirty bell rang."
Over an hour had already passed. Eugeo swallowed his breath as he stared at the door by the corridor. That would mean that Tiezé and Ronye were always on the third floor of the same swordsmen-in-training's dormitory? They were taking too long if they were there to protest and appeal.
He swiftly turned about and looked at the windows that were getting battered by the wind and rain as always, but there was no sign of Kirito returning. It would take fifteen minutes to simply go to the novice trainees' dormitory and return in this storm. Judging that there certainly was no time to wait, he rapidly talked to Frenica.
"Got it. I'll go take a look, so wait in this room. ...Also, if Kirito gets back, could you tell him to come over to Humbert's and Raios's room?"
Leaving behind Frenica nodding with anxiety, Eugeo left the room. It was after he took several steps across the corridor with parquet flooring that he noticed he brought along the Blue Rose Sword that he had finished maintaining, but time was too precious to return and put it back. Hanging his left hand loose, he rushed east down the curved corridor.
With each step, he felt the lump of worry growing heavier deep in his heart.
The reason why Tiezé and Ronye came up with the plan to appeal directly was clear. Because Eugeo and Kirito failed to achieve anything even when they went to protest, and one other. Those words that Tiezé said in Eugeo's room yesterday—that she would get stronger and say those proper things; the girl was likely putting that into practice.
But that might very well be...
"Was that their plan from the start? Not me, but Tiezé and Ronye...?"
Eugeo spoke as though he was groaning while he ran.
Among fellow trainees or swordsmen-in-training, most remarks wouldn't cause much of a problem. However, it would be a different story if it was a novice trainee protesting against an elite swordsman-in-training. Unless much caution was taken with the words used, it would come under the acts of disrespect decreed by the academy regulations. And in that case, the swordsman-in-training could exercise the «Punishment Authority» as a substitute for an instructor. Like how Kirito had stained Uolo Levanteinn's uniform with dirt in the past.
Eugeo tried his best to flip through the pages of the academy regulations in his mind.
—In the case that the elite swordsman-in-training exercises the punishment authority, one among the three orders noted below is permitted. One, cleaning the academy premises (specifics on the area are recorded in a different paragraph). Two, training using wooden swords (specifics on the details are recorded in a different paragraph). Third, a duel with the swordsman-in-training in question (specifics on the match regulations are recorded in a different paragraph). In addition, provisions from any superior laws will take precedence regarding all of the punishments.
In this case, those superior laws would refer to the Empire Fundamental Law and of course, the Taboo Index. In other words, the taboo of reducing another's Life without a justifiable reason would take precedence over the punishment authority. Even if Humbert were to order Tiezé and Ronye for a duel, request for the first-strike rule rather than stopping before hitting, he could not physically harm them if they reject it. As such, there should not be much need for worry even with Humbert exercising the punishment authority.
But still, the anxiety that felt like it was stabbed into his heart showed no sign of going away.
Coming to a stop in front of the closed door at the eastmost side of the third floor corridor that ran in an circular arc, Eugeo violently knocked on it with his right fist without waiting for his breathing to get under control.
Several seconds later, he could hear Humbert's mumbling voice from inside.
"My my, you're here pretty late, Elite Swordsman Eugeo-dono. Now now, please enter!"
With that manner of speaking that practically said that he has been expected, Eugeo opened the door in one go, feeling rather impatient.
With the extended light from the high quality lamp whittled down, the shared living room was quite a bit dimmer than the previous day. Not to mention a strong smell of the east region burned, causing a dull haze in the room. Frowning at the harsh odor, he quickly swept through the room with his sight.
The forms of Raios and Humbert with the same thin long garments as the previous day were on the couch in the middle. With his back facing Eugeo, Raios had his two feet on the table as expected, holding onto a thin glass with his left hand. The shallow dark red fluid poured into it appeared to be grape wine. Drinking alcohol in the dormitory was allowed with restrictions for elite swordsmen-in-training, but drinking despite it not being a rest day was nothing to be proud of.
Humbert who sat opposite appeared to have partaken in the alcohol as well. A slack smile showed itself on his slightly reddish face and he spoke while looking up at Eugeo.
"No need to keep standing, how about taking a seat, Eugeo-dono. We just happened to open up a fifty year old one from the west empire. It's not quite something a commoner can lay his hands on easily, you know?"
Feeling even more discomfort from Humbert who not only offered a seat, but even wine to him, Eugeo silently surveyed the room in detail. He could see that there wasn't anyone aside from the three of them in the room despite how dim it was.
Did Ronye and Tiezé not come here, or have they already left? If that was the case, why did they not come to Kirito's and Eugeo's room on the same floor— Several questions ran through his mind, but Eugeo first loosened the tension in his shoulders and lightly shook his head.
"No, I don't drink. Rather than that, Swordsman-in-training Zizek-dono..."
Taking a step forward, he asked a question while picking his words with care.
"This may be abrupt, but have the novice trainees, my valet, Tiezé Shtolienen, and Swordsman-in-training Kirito's valet, Ronye Arabel, visited this room this very day?"
The one who responded to Eugeo's cracked voice was not Humbert, but Raios Antinous, who continued facing him with his back. He looked over his shoulder while carrying the glass with his left hand, looking at Eugeo closely with narrowed eyes.
"...Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono, your face appears unwell. How about it, have a glass?"
"Your consideration is unnecessary. Could I have you answer the question?"
"Fufu, what a pity. It truly is the bare minimum level of consideration I should treat a friend with, you know?"
Eugeo noticed the sweat dripping down his left hand as it tightly held the sword's scabbard. Raios looked over Eugeo as though taking his state as an appetizer to go with the wine and licked the glass before returning it to the table.
"Fmm. ...So those two were Eugeo-dono's and Kirito-dono's valets?"
Upon saying so in his viscid tone, he licked up the drops that remained on his lips with the tip of his tongue.
"They certainly were brave novice trainees, to suddenly request for a meeting with the head as well as the second-ranked elite swordsmen-in-training who stand above all of the students. As expected of the valets belonging to the two of you. However, you should take care. That assertiveness could be impolite at times, and disrespectful at others. Don't you think so too, Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono? ...No, I might have spoken out of turn. I suppose it's too much to ask for the etiquette of a noble from Eugeo-dono, isn't it, fufu, fufufu..."
As expected, Tiezé and Ronye did come here.
Holding back the impulse to grab hold of the nape of that long garment Raios was wearing, Eugeo asked in a strained tone.
"Kindly spare me your opinion until another day. Tell me where are Tiezé and Ronye right now."
Upon doing so, it was Humbert's turn to pour the grape wine and speak this time, as though he was annoyed.
"...Eugeo-dono, is the burden not too hard on you? A woodcutter from the outskirts like you guiding the daughter of a noble house, though she may be of the lowest class? Kukuku, that's right... it's due to your lack of guidance that those two treated me, the eldest son of a fourth class noble family, with such lack of respect, Eugeo-dono. As such, I had to fulfill my noble responsibilities despite my complete reluctance to do so. It is the duty of the upper class aristocrats to keep the lower class aristocrats in check, after all."
"Humbert-dono...! Just what..."
-did you do; Eugeo wanted to argue, but he was restrained by Humbert with his left hand, who then drank up what was in the glass in a single gulp and stood up. Following that, Raios got up as well, before the both of them took a few steps to the eastern side of the room.
The sons of upper class nobles stood in a line and exchanged glances with their mouths twisted into the same venomous smile, the resemblance of that making them seem like brothers.
"...Now then, shall we have Eugeo-dono enjoy the finest act of the day, Raios-dono?"
"Yes, Humbert. There is still one lacking in the audience, but I've gotten rather tired of waiting. It's fine, he will probably come running up before long."
"...Act... tired of waiting...?"
At Eugeo showing his surprise once again, Humbert visibly jerked his long and narrow chin. The two fluttered the hems of their long garments, walking towards the bedroom in the west. Eugeo reluctantly chased after them with uncertain steps.
Beyond the door Humbert opened was a dense darkness filled with a suffocating amount of aromatic smoke. Raios first entered and Humbert followed behind, disappearing into the darkness.
Seeing the light purple smoke leaking out as though it was lurking about the bed, Eugeo stopped in his tracks. He felt like that smoke should not exist in this Master Swords Academy—no, in this entire, vast Human World; it was a smoke of pure evil. More so than the smoke from the bonfire built by those abominable residents of darkness—that group of goblins he encountered underground in the mountain range at the edge two years ago.
It was when he was about to involuntarily turn his head away. He thought he could faintly smell a slight, cool and clean scent drifting around. A familiar smell that closely resembled that of solbe leaves.
It was the smell around Tiezé's uniform.
"......Tiezé... Ronye...!"
While calling out the valet trainees' names, the wall lamp lit up the instant he rushed into the bedroom.
What Eugeo saw—were the two girls lying down in a line on a large canopy bed. No, to be more specific, they were rolled there. After all, both of them were bound up with several layers of a bright red rope atop their grey novice trainee uniforms. Perhaps due to the dense aroma drifting in the air, those red and brown eyes stayed still, staring blankly into space, as if half of their consciousness was in disarray.
"Wha... wh-why did..."
As he murmured in astonishment, Eugeo realized he should free the two of their bonds before anything else and ran up to the bed. However-
"Please, do not move!"
Shouting out sharply, Raios extended his palm right in front of Eugeo's eyes. Reluctantly shifting his vision to him, Eugeo wringed his hoarse voice out.
"Wh... What exactly is this, Raios-dono! Why have our valets been subjected to..."
"This treatment was unavoidable, Eugeo-dono."
"Unavoid... able...?"
"Affirmative. Novice Trainees Shtolienen and Arabel visited this evening without even a prior enquiry for a meeting and furthermore, committed an act of excessive disrespect upon us."
"Disrespect... you say......"
With Eugeo surprised yet again, Humbert stepped forward from the wall and answered with a broad grin.
"And it was in an outrageous manner of speech. I wish you could have heard them... of all things, those lower class noble girls had to tell me about how I, a fourth class aristocrat, had been oppressing my own valet without any reason, satisfying my own lust and such. To me, the second-rank elite swordsman-in-training who has been trying to guide Frenica on the right path, you know? —No matter how tolerant I may be, I certainly couldn't overlook an act of disrespect of that level."
"That wasn't all to it, Eugeo-dono. Those two even told me about the responsibility I held for being in the same room as Humbert, and such things that couldn't be further away from the truth. When I answered that I had no idea what they were talking about, it was such a surprise... to think the daughters of sixth class noble families would try to ask the eldest son of a third class noble family like myself, 'Don't you have the pride of a noble?'! Dear me, I didn't know what I was to do."
Raios and Humbert exchanged glances again at that point, stifled laughter escaping from them going, kukuku, or, fufufu. They knew the valet, Frenica, was on good terms with Tiezé and Ronye, then continued the abuse and humiliation due to that. Until Tiezé and Ronye arrived in this room to protest directly.
Of course, they probably picked their words carefully at first. However, they were definitely provoked by Raios's and Humbert's evasive way of speaking before finally letting out some words that could be considered as disrespectful behavior.
——However.
"...But, Raios-dono. Even if that really happened... I do believe that tying them up with a rope and locking them away in your bedroom greatly deviates from the swordsmen-in-training's punishment authority...!"
Restraining his feelings from bursting out as well this time, Eugeo pointed that out.
Tiezé and Ronye seemed to be only bound above their uniform, without any injuries on their bodies. But the academy regulations recognized only three kinds of punishments against trainees with disrespectful behavior; cleaning, practice and a duel. It was clear that binding with a rope went under none of those. In other words, Raios's and Humbert's actions were against the academy regulations—
"Swordsmen-in-training's punishment authority?"
Abruptly muttering so, Raios bended his tall figure and closed in to Eugeo's face.
"Since when did I say that I used a privilege used to deceive little kids like the punishment authority?"
"Wh... What do you mean? The specifics on punishments for acts of disrespect from trainees are strictly noted in the academy regulations..."
"That would be your misunderstanding. Did you forget this note in the academy regulations? —That in addition, provisions from any superior laws will take precedence regarding all of the punishments."
Raios suddenly changed his facial expression then. Excessively raising the two ends of his red lips, a sadistic smile never seen before showed itself.
"Those superior laws would be the Taboo Index and the Empire Fundamental Law. As such, I am unable to reduce the Life of those girls one-sidedly. The rope used is a high-quality item made from the easily stretchable silk of the east region, you see... it's an excellent item that won't cause any injury no matter how hard I tie them."
"B-But! No matter how high-quality the rope might be, the punishment of tying students up with it is..."
"Do you still not understand, Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono? Superior laws will take precedence; in other words... what I, the eldest son of a third class noble family, could exercise on those daughters of sixth class noble families is not the swordsmen-in-training's punishment authority, but the authority to judge of the nobles!"
—Authority to judge, of the nobles.
The instant he heard that phrase, Eugeo recalled Tiezé's words from the time they played at the forest the other day.
The nobles' authority to judge was bestowed upon aristocrats of the fourth class and above, while those from the fifth class and below were the targets of those judgements instead...
As if enjoying Eugeo's dumbfounded facial expression, Raios kept silent for a while but soon swung his two arms apart with a much louder cry, an action like that of a play.
"And that authority to judge is the highest privilege of the upper class nobles! It may only be exercised upon fifth and sixth class aristocrats and their families, as well as those commoners who live on my land, but the specifics of the punishment are mine to decide! Certainly, those may not go against the Taboo Index, but if you turn it around, everything is possible as long as it's not a taboo!"
After hearing that much, Eugeo finally recovered from his shock and opened his mouth.
"But... but still! Even if you say everything is possible, isn't tying up fifteen and sixteen year old girls simply too horrible..."
"Haha... hahaha, hahahahaha!!"
Suddenly, Humbert raised his shrill laughter. Disheveling the hem of his yellow long garment, he continued sneering as his body shivered.
"Hahaha, th-this is a masterpiece, Raios-dono! It looks like Swordsman-in-training Eugeo-dono still believes that our judgement was merely playing with that rope!"
"Ku-kuh, it can't be helped, Humbert. Even if he came to this faraway central from his remote mountain village, he's still a commoner as a swordsman-in-training! Well, today will probably be the day for Eugeo-dono to find out... just what exalted presences we are, as upper class nobles!"
Declaring so, Raios turned about—
Upon walking up to the bed Tiezé and Ronye laid on, he placed his knee onto the sheets without any hesitation. The bedframe creaked and Tiezé, still stuck in a haze, endlessly blinked her eyes.
Those red eyes slowly opened, and caught sight of Raios about to stretch over herself. In that instant, a delicate voice shook the bedroom.
"No... No...!"
Distorting her body, she tried to escape, but could not as both her arms and legs were bound. Raios's moist, naked white hand reached out and caressed Tiezé's cheeks.
At his side, Humbert who followed after him onto the bed was creeping his hand across Ronye's legs. Though being the later to awaken, Ronye understood the situation and a wordless shriek escaped her lips.
Eugeo finally understood the contents of the «judgement» happening a mere three mel ahead of him.
Raios and Humbert were disgracing Tiezé's and Ronye's bodies with their own. They were forcing an act, allowed only between a man and woman who got married under the blessing of Stacia—or so Eugeo believed, under the nobles' authority to judge.
The moment he understood, Eugeo cried out.
"Stop it...!!"
It happened the moment he took a step towards the bed. Raising his face swiftly, Raios had a fiery gleam in his eyes as he shouted.
"Do not move, commoner!!"
With his right hand still teasing Tiezé's face, he pointed at Eugeo's face with his left.
"This is the just and solemn judgement of a noble in accordance to the Empire Fundamental Law as well as the Taboo Index! Also, obstruction of the authority to judge is a serious crime! Move another step from where you are and you'll be branded a criminal who broke the law!"
"Who..."
the heck cares about that!
Get away from Tiezé and Ronye!
Eugeo tried to shout thus. He tried to do so while lunging at Raios. However.
His feet suddenly stopped by themselves as though they were nailed to the floor. The excess momentum made him fall onto his knees. He flustered as he tried to get up, but his legs paid him no heed.
Those words from Raios, "criminal who broke the law", continued echoing endlessly in his mind. Who cares about the law, I have to help Tiezé and Ronye even if I become a criminal. Eugeo indeed thought that, but he could hear a voice that didn't belong to him coming from somewhere.
The Axiom Church was absolute. The Taboo Index was absolute. Going against it was forbidden. Forbidden whoever it was.
"Gu... h...!!"
He gritted his teeth and raised his right foot in defiance of that voice. Those familiar leather boots—even the feet inside of them were heavy as though they've turned to lumps of lead. Taking fleeting glances at Eugeo in that state, Raios jeered in a whisper.
"That's right, just look from over there like a good little boy."
"U... ugh..."
He managed to tread onto the floorboards with his unheeding right foot after all his efforts, but he couldn't lift himself up any further. Even while he tried, Raios's and Humbert's filthy hands were reaching out towards Tizel and Ronye.
"——Senpai."
Hearing that feeble voice, Eugeo merely shifted his sight.
Upon doing so, Tiezé, who was being pressed down by Raios, turned only her head to the side and looked straight at Eugeo. Those cheeks, that were always red like apples, were a deep blue, perhaps due to the overwhelming fear but the gleam of a strong determination had returned to her eyes.
"Senpai, don't move. There's no need to worry about me... this is, a punishment I, should be taking."
Those broken, quivering words were firmly asserted by Tiezé and she returned back to looking straight up after a single nod. After glaring at Raios for an instant, she closed her eyes tightly. Beside her, Ronye was pressing her face into Tiezé's shoulder, but there was no screams coming out of her anymore.
Facing the girls' determination, Raios drew his body back as if he was a little surprised—
Before a toxic smile showed itself on his face and he whispered.
"You got quite a tenacity for the young daughter of a sixth class noble family, don't you. Looks like we can really enjoy seeing how much they can hold out, huh, Humbert."
"Then shall we have a competition to see which cries out first, Raios-dono?"
The faces of those two, from which lines that didn't contain a shred of the pride of nobles came out, were so full of arousal and lust that they practically gleamed.
It was a somewhat familiar expression. While trying his best to get his unmoving foot forward, Eugeo thought with his partially numb mind. That was, right, the face on those goblins he saw in that northern cave two years ago. They were exactly like those residents of the land of darkness that he and Kirito chopped up with machetes.
Raios and Humbert reached their hands out towards Tiezé's and Ronye's faces at the same time and crept their fingertips across their foreheads and cheeks as if to stir up their fear and shame further. The only reason why they deftly avoided the lips was due to the restriction against direct contact on the lips before taking the vows of marriage. However—while establishing that as a taboo, what sort of law was one that allowed a girl to be defiled through brute force before marriage? What significance does a law like that have in its existence?
Twitch.
Suddenly, a sharp pain ran, deep within his right eye. That strange pain that occurred sometimes, when he bore doubts about the law and church.
Normally, he would automatically stop his thoughts whenever he felt this pain. But now, just this one time, Eugeo continued thinking while cowering unsightly on the floor.
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