Wortenia Senki (LN) - Volume 5 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the Flight 

Tachibana couldn’t believe the sight that just unfolded before his eyes. Tachibana was a hard-faced detective who once worked under the Organized Crime Division. He’d faced off against professional criminals more times than he cared for. He’d even caught and arrested some criminals red-handed. 

But when he looked at Kouichirou now, he felt something fundamentally different. 

What the hell... Why is he so calm...? 

Assuming she wasn’t going to suddenly exhibit some capacity for living without her head attached, there could be no doubting that the woman who called herself Misha Fontaine was lying dead now. Of course, having been their attacker, she wasn’t a normal person. She and her men didn’t show any reaction to Tachibana and Kusuda identifying themselves as police officers. 

Normally, one would show some kind of reaction in that situation, be it surprise or enmity... And given the outfit she was wearing, she probably wasn’t a normal person. 

Both of the detectives could no longer assume that the people pinning them down were normal civilians anymore. But even if it was committed against a group of suspicious criminals, even an officer like Tachibana couldn’t imagine someone killing another person so readily. Despite all the things he saw in his career, this was still hard to digest. 

Especially considering the man who committed this atrocity was someone who had sat across from him and held a conversation just minutes ago. His shock couldn’t be adequately described with words. 

But I guess he did save us... 

In truth, having seen the man’s capacity for murder, he’d grown to fear Kouichirou Mikoshiba. But at the same time, he acknowledged that there was likely more chance for negotiation and understanding with him. At least, compared to the armored men pinning him down. 

The problem was whether Tachibana could, as an officer, tolerate the murder he just saw Kouichirou commit. 

Would that really be right...? 

Relief, guilt, and the sense of professional duty years of police work had cultivated struggled within Tachibana’s heart. He may not have understood the situation they’d found themselves in, but he was no fool. He understood vaguely that they weren’t in Japan anymore. 

The fact that those people didn’t react to Tachibana’s status as a police officer proved that much. If this was Japan, those people would react in some way to the presence of a cop, no matter what kind of professional criminals they were. Even if they didn’t know Japanese, very few people wouldn’t understand the meaning of the words ‘Japanese Policeman.’ This was an age where one had access to internet chats and blogs even on the battlefield, after all. 

That left two options. The first was that they knew they were up against the police, but were part of a crime organization so vast and powerful that they knew they had nothing to fear. The other was that this was some kind of other country, where the Japanese police force had no influence. 

If it was the former, they would have to be members of some South American drug cartel or a Russian mafia like the Bratva. Those groups employed submarines to smuggle drugs and used the profits to buy enough arms from other countries to keep a small army supplied. They had tens of thousands of operatives spread out across the globe. 

To them, the police may have been a nuisance, but not a threat. At worst they could kill any policeman that got in their way and be done with it. In the end, the police needed firepower to back its authority, which was something Tachibana knew all too well from his time in the Organized Crime Division. 

But this did raise a question. Assuming a crime organization of that caliber were to expand to Japan, would they really wear these old suits of armor and arm themselves with swords and spears? 

The Chinese Mafia does use swords and katanas during internal feuds... I suppose it isn’t entirely impossible... 

But Tachibana had to deny that option. Any such crime organization would use small automatic firearms and submachine guns. True, firearms were hard to come by in Japan, but that was just a circumstantial factor, and they’d likely still choose to use them. 

So they might use knives, but suits of armor, swords and spears were still out of the question. That made the possibility of this not being Japan all the more plausible. 

Absurd... This isn’t a cartoon or a comic... There’s no way that’s possible. 

Stories of being spirited away or even the trend of otherworld stories which had grown in popularity recently surfaced in Tachibana’s mind. He could only scoff at his imagination choosing to be overactive in a situation as strained as this. It may have been the most fitting explanation to this situation, but it did make a certain problem rear its head. 

Well, no, that wasn’t apt. It wasn’t so much a problem as it was that Tachibana simply didn’t want to believe it. The chains of the common sense that dictated his life up to this day kept his thoughts tightly shackled, as they naturally would. 

Tachibana could hear the knights whispering among themselves. Sadly, he couldn’t understand the language they spoke, but given the situation, he could imagine what they might be saying. 

It feels like they’re debating if they should run or fight... 

Even Tachibana could tell that the dead woman held some kind of high position, which meant those knights were guards meant to protect her. 

And this isn’t a decision to make lightly... They still have us to consider. 

The person they were meant to protect was killed so easily right in front of their eyes, which meant they would definitely be persecuted for their failure. True, they were ordered to keep the officers pinned down, which left the woman with fewer men to protect her. Even without understanding their language, Tachibana did realize she verbally gave them the order to keep them pinned down. But sadly, this excuse simply wouldn’t hold any water. Not with the person they were meant to protect lying dead... 

I guess that’s the same no matter what organization you’re in... 

For a moment, Tachibana thought back to his own superior, and how he kept pressing his subordinates for achievements. What superiors like him said wasn’t entirely unreasonable in most cases. Their ways of dealing with a situation were often apt and fitting. 

But that was only logical in hindsight. A countermeasure pieced together after the fact, with all the results lined up and clear to see, was different from a countermeasure that one had to think of on the spot when faced with a situation. It was only natural, but most people wouldn’t forgive the discrepancy. They’d simply cut down those responsible with the blade of sound judgment, with no consideration for the situation or environment. 

Anyway, I should watch things play out for the time being... 

He wasn’t pinned down as tightly as before, but the knights were still larger than he was, so trying to face both of them would’ve been reckless. He sent an eye signal to Kusuda, who was being pressed on the floor next to him. Kusuda wasn’t his partner for nothing, and a single glance was all it took to convey his intentions to Kusuda, who mouthed the words “roger that” silently in response. 

All right, all that’s left is... 

As a human being, Tachibana couldn’t accept the murder that took place before his eyes. But his sense of justice and morals could only be maintained assuming his life wasn’t in danger. Biting his lips, Tachibana cast a sharp glance in Kouichirou’s direction. 

“Now, then...” Kouichirou curled his lips up into a smile as he helped Asuka to her feet. 

“Grandpa?” Asuka furrowed her brows at that smile. 

Few people would smile in such an unusual situation. Perhaps things were different for madmen without distinctions of good and evil, but as far as Asuka knew, Kouichirou’s personality was that of a rational, if a bit unconventional, old man. He might have something of a mocking smile every now and then, and was idiosyncratic enough to tease people at times. But generally speaking, he was a good person who loathed injustice. 

Right now, however, he was being overly suspicious. Glances of doubt and reproach were being turned toward him, but his smile didn’t diminish in the slightest. 

“I’ve kept up my training, but it’s been some time since I drew Ouka last... It’s a relief to see my skill hadn’t dwindled.” 

Those words made Asuka realize what sword was gripped in his hand. 

“Isn’t that one of the swords in the alcove...? The ones you wouldn’t let Ryoma touch?” 

It was still dripping with blood, but it was definitely one of Kouichirou’s beloved swords. She’d never seen it drawn, but having visited the estate many times to help with the cleaning and cooking, she’d seen this sword plenty of times. She wouldn’t mistake it. 

“But... Why?” 

What was his personal, beloved katana doing here? The obvious answer was that Kouichirou brought it over, but that wasn’t what Asuka was doubting. 

Why? Why did he bring a sword sitting in the alcove? And two of them, at that... 

True, Asuka did scream when everything started, so it wouldn’t be surprising if her scream reached Kouichirou’s ears. He may have realized something was wrong and grabbed a nearby katana as he sprung up to help her. But if that’s the case, why choose to bring two heavy, unwieldy swords? 

It’s like he knew we’d end up here from the start... 

In Asuka’s mind, the realistic scenario would be that he’d been confused by Asuka’s scream and grabbed whatever was at arm’s reach. But the less believable scenario was that he already knew this would happen ahead of time. 

“Take this... Keep it for now, for self-defense.” Kouichirou handed Ouka over to Asuka. 

“Huh? Wait just a second... What is this?” Asuka reacted with confusion as she took the sword with both hands. 

“Don’t worry, I just need to deal with the other people here.” Kouichirou shrugged. “And if I use Ouka all the time, this one might become moody.” 

With that said, Kouichirou picked up Kikka, which lay on the floor, and gently stroked its scabbard with his finger. 

“My apologies, dear. Asuka was in danger so I had to... All right?” He whispered like a man trying to calm down a disgruntled woman, and drew Kikka from its scabbard. “There’s still four left. That’s twice as many as Ouka cut. Let that encourage you, yes?” 

Kikka’s blade seemed to shiver slightly, as if to deny Kouichirou’s words... 

“Oh... So twice as many won’t satisfy you... I understand, dear... But things won’t end just by cutting our way out of this place... You’ll have your share later on.” 

Kikka’s blade stopped shivering at those words. 

“Then let us begin.” 

With those words leaving his lips, Kouichirou stepped forward. His hands hung down in a relaxed manner as he walked in a natural, calm stride. Kikka was gripped lightly in his right hand, its tip turned down toward the floor. 

It was like he was taking a walk near the estate. 

“H-Huh? Grandpa!” Asuka couldn’t help but raise her voice in surprise. 

She knew very well how skilled he was, but he was still up against four knights, clad in armor and twice his size. Perhaps things would be different if this were a surprise attack, but the knights would hold the advantage in a straight-on fight. 

The knights, on the other hand, had an entirely different impression of the situation. 

“S-Stay back! Don’t come any closer!” 

Perhaps losing his nerve at the atmosphere, one of the knights holding Kusuda down grabbed his spear and got to his feet. 

“You monster!” 

Perhaps taking after his comrade, one of the knights holding Tachibana down drew his sword in fear. His sword was held in a middle-level posture, but its tip shook nervously. Kouichirou sneered as he watched them get up. 

“Are you this terrified of a decrepit old man?” 

“Stop screwing around... No one’s afraid of you!” 

But of course they were. They already saw for themselves how transcendent his skill was. The man cut a knight in half through his armor. But they couldn’t afford to admit their fear, even if they knew how obvious their bluffing was. 

“There’s plenty of men of your level in our country!” 

“Oh, is that so...? My, my...” Kouichirou nodded grandly. “You must be extremely skilled, then... I’m looking forward to this.” 

The way he nodded and spoke seemed to imply the opposite of what his words were saying, though. The way he spoke could only be described as provocative and irritating. 

“You dare look down on us?!” 

Their hearts, shivering with terror, were now also filled with scorn. That stirred the knights’ emotions, which were already far from calm. Still, they had some intelligence. The two exchanged nods and moved in two different directions. 

“Oh...” 

Watching the knights spread out so as to close in on him from both directions, Kouichirou raised his brows as if pleasantly surprised. It was a tactic that made utmost use of their two on one advantage. It was an orthodox, inflexible sort of tactic, but it was the most optimal answer they could employ in this situation. 

But against Kouichirou and his experience of many battles, it was an extremely bad idea. 

““Die!”” 

The tip of the spear thrust forward, aiming at Kouichirou’s throat, while the other knight slashed horizontally toward him. At that moment, Kouichirou turned his body toward the knight with the spear as his free, loose right hand moved like thunder. It was like a leaf fluttering through a stream. He easily avoided the powerful spear thrust and slashed his opponent in one go, from his left leg up to his right shoulder. 

He cut through the knight’s arm even as he held the spear aloft, after which Kouichirou switched Kikka to an upward stance in one fluid motion. The following moment, the loud sound of metal clashing rang out and red sparks filled Asuka’s field of vision. The other knight crumbled to the floor with an animalistic howl. 

“Hmph. You’ve at least put a bit of thought into your tactics, but that was still child’s play... All you people seem to talk a big game, but are amateurs when it comes to real combat... I suppose that would work on the average person since you can use martial thaumaturgy... I suppose that’s that, though...” 

A splitting blow from the top of the knight’s head down to his chest, while he still had his helmet on. Having completed this astounding feat, Kouichirou scoffed with displeasure. 

“Shit! He’s making fools of us!” 

Losing his nerve at the fact that his allies were falling one after the other, the knight holding Tachibana down panicked and changed his position to draw his sword. The knight’s hold on Tachibana slackened as he made to get to his feet. 

That was the golden opportunity Tachibana had been waiting for. 

Now! 

Tachibana swiftly turned his body and grabbed the knight’s arm with all his might. At the same time, he kicked his left knee, which was propped against the floor, forward and coiled both legs around the knight’s neck. 

A forward triangle choke hold. Before the war, the education system in high schools, universities, and technical schools had judo lessons that focused on pinning techniques. This became known as ‘technical school judo,’ and this technique was one variant of the triangle hold used in the consummate art of judo. 

If this technique was performed perfectly, the victim couldn’t escape it. Regardless of any attempts to escape, they would soon faint due to the blood to their brain being cut off. For Tachibana, this technique was something of his own ultimate attack, which he had developed through years of training and mastered with much sweat and blood. 

However, Tachibana made one critical miscalculation. He didn’t account for what his opponent was wearing. 

Damnit! His helmet’s in the way! 

Normally, Tachibana would have won the moment he forced the opponent into this position. But right now, he was facing a knight clad in full armor, and his coiled legs did nothing to constrict the knight with his helmet on. 

Still, his counterattack wasn’t in vain. 

“Ugh, you slippery bastard, what are you doing?!” 

The knight cussed angrily, sinking his gauntleted fist into Tachibana’s face. It was a fist delivered from a man with his body augmented by martial thaumaturgy and wearing heavy gauntlets. Had it been delivered from a proper stance, the punch would have packed the same force as an iron hammer being swung at full force. 

Had he taken such an attack straight on, Tachibana’s head would have been crushed like a pomegranate. But since he extended his hand with his body bent, even with martial thaumaturgy augmenting his fist, the blow wouldn’t be enough to kill Tachibana outright. With the intense sound of the blow ringing out in the room, a red flower of blood bloomed over Tachibana’s face. 

Damnit! I don’t care if I have to use an arm lock. I have to lock his joints somehow... I’m not letting go, no matter what! 

Blood dripped down freely from Tachibana’s split forehead, seeping into his eyes and dyeing his vision red. With his eyelids adhering to each other and his consciousness gradually fading, Tachibana used every bit of force he could muster to keep his opponent’s elbow joint locked. He knew the moment he let go would also be the one when the candle of his life would be blown out all too easily. 

He didn’t know how long it took, but Tachibana eventually felt the knight’s body go limp. 

Wait, what? Did he just go limp...? 

The next moment, his suspicious thoughts were disturbed by the sensation of a warm fluid spreading out against his stomach. 

“You can’t see because of all the blood, can you...?” Kouichirou said calmly, as Tachibana scrambled to get the knight’s body off of him. 

“Y-You...! That voice, you’re Mr. Mikoshiba!” 

“Mr. Tachibana... Sorry, but would you mind staying down just like that for a bit longer? It’d get troublesome if you started thrashing around in that position. Don’t worry, I’m just going to save your young friend who’s struggling over there. It won’t take long.” 

Mere seconds later, Tachibana heard the last remaining knight scream in pain. 

“I sprayed some perfume on it, so it might sting. I’m sorry I can’t do any more... Just try to bear with it.” 

Asuka took her personal face sheet out of her pocket and applied it to Tachibana’s face. It was the kind one could find in any convenience store, and Asuka carried it with her at all times in case she didn’t have time to shower after morning practice at school. 

“Ugh...” 

“I’m sorry... Does it sting?” 

She tried to wipe around the wound without touching it, but noticing him wince despite that, Asuka lowered her head apologetically. She wanted to ensure she got the same refreshing feeling one has after wiping their sweat away, so she got a skincare sheet that was particularly thick with menthol. 

That wouldn’t normally matter much, but that did make it ill-suited for wiping around an open wound. The usually pleasant stimulus of the menthol made the wound burn with pain regardless of whether it made direct contact. 

But of course, expecting a more reliable method of treatment given the situation was asking for the moon. There wasn’t a drop of water to be found in the room, and still, they couldn’t leave Tachibana as he was. He’d have to at least be capable of protecting himself. 

“It doesn’t look like you took any damage to your bones...” Asuka whispered with concern in her voice as she tied her handkerchief to his head as a makeshift bandage. “Still, we need to stitch it as far as possible... And you should probably get a CT scan of your head...” 

For the time being, the only visible problem was that his wound was still open and bleeding. Still, it was a blow to the head, so it would obviously be best for him to go get checked at a hospital. 

However... 

“Believe me, there’s nothing I’d want more right now...” Tachibana said, regarding Asuka with a wry smirk. 

“Yeah...” Kusuda returned after looking around the area and heaved a heavy sigh. “I’d love to take Mr. Tachibana to the hospital too, but... We don’t even know where we are right now.” 

“Any luck with your cell phone?” 

“Nada. I’ve tried walking around, but I’m still not getting any bars. I don’t think this place has any reception at all.” 

“Tch. Figures...” 

He’d suspected as much, but Tachibana couldn’t help but click his tongue at Kusuda’s answer. Not getting reception was a fatal blow in a society where mobile phones were indispensable. They were even used for navigation in extreme situations like mountain climbing. Even in a place like Mt. Fuji, which was registered as a world heritage site, cell phone reception was available in all but the remotest of routes. 

Of course, nature could interfere with things, and depending on the situation, there might not be reception atop mountains. But compared to the time before cell phones became commonplace appliances, it was a night and day difference. 

Phones enabled one to relay messages to others regardless of time and place, making it an undoubtedly wonderful invention. Still, it was hard to deny that modern people were constantly bound to their cell phones. 

Regardless of the pros and cons, though, a functional cell phone would very much help save them from this particular predicament. 

“How’s your wound looking?” 

While Tachibana was trying to think of a way out of this situation, Kouichirou spoke up. That made Tachibana jolt up. The man standing before him was a murderer, and Tachibana couldn’t help but fear him. 

He understood, of course, that given the situation, Kouichirou had saved his life. But speaking to a man who slew six human beings with a katana before his very eyes still strained his nerves. Even Asuka, who was related to him, seemed to clearly fear him. 

It’s like she’s torn between relief at being saved and guilt at seeing him kill six people... I can’t blame her. 

What would have happened if Kouichirou hadn’t shown up when he did? There was no way of knowing for certain, but it wasn’t hard to imagine that it wouldn’t be anything good. But at what cost did they avoid that tragic future? They were people of the modern age and members of a developed society, where the value of life was treasured above all else. This situation weighed on them heavily. 

“I gave him some first aid, but... Grandpa, what were you doing just now?” Asuka replied faintly, her gaze falling on the objects gripped in his hands. 

“Oh, not much... Just gathering some things we’ll need going forward...” 

With that said, Kouichirou threw the two swords he was holding over to Tachibana and Kusuda. 

“Mr. Mikoshiba, are these...?” 

The weight of the weapons felt real in their arms. The reality of it all filled Tachibana with doubt. 

“Don’t worry, they probably won’t sell for much, but they’ll do for self-defense. At worst, you can use it as a staff to help you walk around.” 

“A staff...?” 

Kouichirou shrugged his shoulders in a tired fashion at Tachibana’s confusion. 

“Don’t tell me you’re planning on just sitting here and waiting for someone to rescue you, Mr. Tachibana. Your cell phones aren’t working, after all.” 

Tachibana fell silent. He couldn’t come up with a response to that. 

He’s right... We have to run away from here... 

They were long past the stage where they could expect to negotiate. Wherever they were, there were six people lying dead here. True, it was Kouichirou who did the deed, but they had no way of proving it. And even if they did, who was to say the comrades of these six dead people would believe them? No one would easily believe the excuses of someone who potentially killed a friend of theirs. Young Kusuda, however, hadn’t quite realized it, though. 

“No, first we need to have Mr. Tachibana treated. This situation is really bad, yes, but there must be someone outside that door. We can ask them for details and for directions to a hospital.” 

“No, Kusuda!” Tachibana forbade Kusuda from acting on his intentions to negotiate with the nearby people, his tone rough. 

“But... Mr. Tachibana...” 

Kusuda’s idea was valid, if one were to consider the situation rationally. Tachibana’s bleeding was only barely treated, and the wound wasn’t stitched. A blow to the head could cause epidural hematoma. Just because Tachibana was all right now didn’t mean he wasn’t in dire need of treatment. 

But all of that was assuming they were in Japan, or in any country they knew, for that matter. 

I always thought this kid was only pushing for promotion, but I guess I misjudged him... 

Tachibana could tell from the expression in Kusuda’s eyes that the man was seriously worried for him. Tachibana could only smile, half honestly at seeing this unexpected side of his partner, and half bitterly at his own lack of judgment. 

A colder, more rational person would leave Tachibana behind, deeming him a burden. But Kusuda’s kindness only made Tachibana more hesitant to have him face danger. 

“You understand it now too, don’t you? This isn’t Japan.” 

Tachibana’s words made Kusuda hold his breath for a moment, before putting on a fake smile on his lips. 

“What are you saying, Mr. Tachibana? If this isn’t Japan, then where are we? I know those people weren’t Japanese, but that doesn’t mean we’re somewhere else. I hear we’ve had a lot of people overstaying their visas, so they’re probably from some dangerous country in Europe.” 

“You think someone in the mafia would use swords and spears?” Tachibana shook his head wearily. 

“W-Well... I mean, firearms are heavily regulated... Plus, I hear the Chinese mafia uses swords during internal feuds, and...” 

“Yes, but do they prance around in medieval armor?” Tachibana bitterly laughed off his explanation. “Wake up and smell the coffee, Kusuda... We have to. I don’t really know what’s going on, either. But...” 

“Mr. Tachibana... Don’t...” Realizing what his partner was about to say, Kusuda shook his head in childish denial. His eyes were welling up with bitter tears. 

He understands... But his reasoning and common sense are getting in the way... And he’s willfully ignoring the fact that there’s only one person who really knows what’s going on... 

This was an answer anyone would come to after giving it enough thought. The answer to all of their questions was in one man’s hands. And so Tachibana steeled his resolve and turned to face Kouichirou. 

“Still, I’ll have to just accept it... This isn’t Japan. And you’re the only one who can explain what’s really going on here, Mr. Kouichirou Mikoshiba.” 

The moment his words echoed in the room, Asuka’s and Kusuda’s gazes focused on Kouichirou. 

“Oooh, am I?” Kouichirou said, shrugging his soldiers in an exaggeratedly surprised manner. 

But Tachibana didn’t say that without any basis. 

“Yes, you are.” 

The two locked gazes. It felt like a defendant awaiting the judge to sentence them to death. But still, the eyes of the three were full of suspicion and doubt. Kouichirou knew that as long as the issue wasn’t addressed, Asuka wouldn’t trust him. Their doubts were natural, after all. 

“Well, of course...” Kouichirou sighed after a long silence. “But we haven’t much time at the moment. Sit down, you three.” 

He then sat down on the floor, prompting the others to sit in a circle with him. 

“So, what do you want to know first?” 

“There’s a lot I’d like to ask, but... First, where are we?” Tachibana gathered his courage to mouth that question. “I can tell that this isn’t Japan, but...” 

Seeing that Tachibana was struggling to finish the question, Kouichirou did so for him. 

“There’s also the question of why we’ve found ourselves here, right?” 

“Y-Yes... That’s right.” 

This was the question on everyone else’s minds. But his initial response went on to betray everyone’s expectations. 

“If you’ll let me deny something, I’d like to say I didn’t know where we were at first.” 

That left everyone slightly confused. 

At first? So does that mean that now he knows where we are? 

From a context standpoint Tachibana’s interpretation was correct, but the problem was the meaning behind those words. 

“Just... What do you mean by that?” 

“I can indeed tell you where we are, but that doesn’t mean I was the one who brought you here.” 

“Stop screwing around...” Tachibana’s expression changed, feeling his initial suspicion being popped like a balloon. 

He did indeed suspect that possibility. If Kouichirou took them here, it could explain things. If anything, this was the easiest explanation to swallow. But its biggest problem was that it was extremely unlikely that this was the case. Still, he couldn’t help but feel guilty at having the person he suspected point out the fact he doubted them. That was simple human nature. 

“To answer your first question, this is a country called the Kingdom of Beldzevia, located in a world called Earth,” Kouichirou said, eyeing Tachibana with a sidelong glance as the man tried to come up with an excuse. 

The words rang vividly in their ears. 

“Beldzevia...” Tachibana repeated the name blankly, to which Kouichirou nodded. 

“Assuming my memory isn’t betraying me. It’s on the south end of the western continent... A kingdom belonging to a cluster of small nations collectively called the Southern Countries.” 

Honestly, everything he said sounded like rambling to them. Neither of the detectives had ever heard of a country by that name. Plus, “a world called Earth” and “Southern Countries” all rang oddly in their ears. While Tachibana now knew he wasn’t in Japan, that didn’t mean he could swallow this story so easily. 

“But... Why are we in this Kingdom of Beldzevia? We were in Japan at least until we visited your estate, right?” Tachibana asked. 

“Of course.” Kouichirou affirmed his claim. 

“Then why? How?” 

Kouichirou dropped his gaze to Misha Fontaine’s severed head, which was lying on the floor. 

“This woman who called herself Misha called us here.” 

“Called us?” Tachibana tilted his head at that word. 

“Perhaps that was a bit hard to understand... Right, then perhaps saying that we were summoned into another world be more clear?” 

It was hard to believe that sentence had left the lips of an adult man. It would feel apt to tease him for what he’d just said, but Tachibana didn’t feel inclined to laugh him off. He instinctively knew that this was the undeniable truth. 

A long silence fell over them. The words they wanted to hear, and the truth they demanded be shared with them. Those were about to wash away the notions of common sense Tachibana cultivated throughout the entirety of his life. 

“Wait a second! Assuming... Assuming this really is where you say we are, why did it have to be us? Why are we here?” 

“Why they summoned you, eh...? In a word, they wanted slaves. And as for why it was you they summoned... Well, to put it bluntly, you were unlucky.” 

That was a precise way of putting it. Putting aside Kouichirou, who was supposedly the cause of this incident, and Asuka who shouldered his fate, Tachibana and Kusuda were simply unlucky. After all, the chance of being summoned to this Earth from their world was effectively six billion to one or two. It was astronomically slimmer than the thousand to one chance of winning the lottery. Put more poetically, the goddess of fate must have truly hated these men. 

But as precise a description as it was, it didn’t mean it was any easier for them to accept. When faced with misfortune, people reacted badly to being told they were simply unlucky. As the three of them couldn’t digest what Kouichirou said, Kusuda’s face turned visibly red. 

“Bullshit! You really expect me to believe that?!” 

His suppressed emotions burst out. Red flames of anger burned in Kusuda’s eyes. It was his rage at the inexplicable situation that befell him, and his anger at Kouichirou who explained it all too calmly. In truth, he was just venting his anger, but it was hard to fault him for it. No one could simply accept that they were in this situation out of bad luck and nothing else. 

“Sit down. Mr. Mikoshiba isn’t finished yet.” Tachibana stopped Kusuda, who looked to be on the verge of lunging at Kouichirou. 

“But!” Kusuda tried to argue. 

“Sit down!” Tachibana cut him off, repeating himself. 

Tachibana wasn’t going to take Kouichirou’s claims at face value either, but there was something he had to ask the man at all costs. And that took priority over everything else. 

“I apologize.” 

“I don’t mind.” 

This was of course only a token apology, but Kouichirou didn’t intend to rile up the situation any further. 

“So, was that all you wanted to ask?” Kouichirou asked. 

“There’s one last thing I want to ask...” Tachibana remarked. “Can we go back to Japan?” 

That was the single most important question. They were obviously anxious to return to Japan. Kouichirou, however, shook his head slowly. 

“Hmm... It will be difficult.” 

“Do you mean it’ll take time to do that?” 

Kouichirou shook his head again. 

“That’s part of it, of course, but even if you resolve all the problems perfectly, and sacrifice much to do so, whether you’ll be able to go home is still dependent on luck.” 

His answer was very much a death sentence, and what Tachibana hoped he wouldn’t have to hear. But on the other hand, they did contain a sliver of hope. 

“Grandpa, there’s something else I need to ask.” Asuka, who held her tongue so far, whispered. “How... How do you know so much about this?” 

“Asuka...” 

And this was the one question Kouichirou wanted to hear the least. 

“Tell me, Grandpa... Why?” 

Asuka was torn between desire to believe her family on one hand and overwhelming doubts on the other. Crushed between those two conflicting emotions, large tears gathered in her eyes. 

Asuka and Kouichirou looked at each other, their gazes locked. He didn’t want to tell her, but he knew she had a right to know. 

I have no choice... 

Kouichirou steeled his resolve, but in the end he never did bring himself to speak. He was cut off by the sudden sound of the room’s door being battered violently. 

“Blast, they’re on to us!” 

It seemed Beldzevia’s people had finally realized something was wrong. Kouichirou clicked his tongue, taking out a small leather rucksack and pushing it into Asuka’s arms. 

“You have Ouka, right? Good. Keep it for self-defense. The money in this sack should help you stay fed for a time. And remember! This isn’t Japan, or our world. Don’t trust others too easily, and never beg your enemies for mercy!” 

“Huh? Wait, what do you mean?!” 

Asuka couldn’t keep up with the changing situation, but Kouichirou spurred her forward. 

“I’d love to explain, but we’re out of time. The people out there know something’s wrong, and they’ll be breaking through the door soon... I’ll keep them occupied, so you run off with Mr. Tachibana and Mr. Kusuda.” 

Kouichirou drew Kikka from its scabbard. His expression looked resolved to defend them to the death. Even with his skill, fighting in the middle of enemy territory while protecting Asuka was a tall order. The plan with the highest chance of all of them leaving alive would be for the other three to run to safety while he kept their pursuers occupied. 

I thought I might be better off getting rid of them at first, but I suppose I’ll end up leaving Asuka in their care... That young one, Kusuda, doesn’t seem to understand the situation quite yet, but Tachibana’s coming around... It’s better than sending Asuka out into this world alone... 

He’d considered cutting the detectives down, but upon seeing Asuka interact with them, he changed his mind. 

Asuka was shocked to see him kill people in cold blood, even if it was to keep her safe, and hearing his explanation only made her suspicious as to how he knew so much about this place. Perhaps he would eventually be able to explain everything and clear her suspicions, but now wasn’t the time. 

Had he slain Tachibana and Kusuda in that situation, deeming them to be obstacles, Asuka would have forever lost her trust in him. She would oppose his instructions and at worst run off on her own. And that would defeat the whole purpose of him returning to this world to protect her. 

“But... But!” Asuka said, her words clinging to him. 

“Enough, just be quiet and do as I say!” Kouichirou cut her off. 

True enough, time was against them. 

“Mr. Tachibana, Mr. Kusuda! Keep Asuka safe!” 

Confirming the two nodded in agreement, Kouichirou held his sword up, facing the stone wall opposite the door. 

“Forgive me, Kikka, but I must borrow your power.” 

The moment that whisper left Kouichirou’s lips, Kikka’s blade lit up with an odd, purplish glow. Feeling his prana surge up, Kouichirou opened all seven of his body’s chakras. 

The next moment, a shout rose up from the bottom of his stomach, echoing through the room. 

“Hurry, over here!” 

Having spoken, Kouichirou rammed himself against the wall. 

“Huh? No way... How is this...?” 

The wall caved in against his body. Where once was rock, there now remained a square hole, large enough for a person to fit into. Kouichirou’s slash, delivered from the stance of eight directions, tore through the stone wall as if it were made of paper. The cross-section was as smooth as a mirror’s surface, making it clear that his slash was delivered with perfect precision. 

Asuka was rendered speechless by the sight before her eyes. Indeed, merely describing what had just happened as the work of a master swordsman wouldn’t be enough to explain this. True, some ancient sword masters were said to be capable of cutting not just through armor and splitting helmets, but even to slash through thick Go boards made of wood from the nutmeg tree. But what Kouichirou just did exceeded even those legends. 

Perhaps the truly frightening thing here wasn’t just his own skill, but rather the sharpness of Kikka’s blade. It slashed through a stone wall that was several centimeters thick without so much as chipping in the process. 

“Miss Kiryuu! We have to hurry!” Kusuda swiftly stooped by the hole in the wall, a sword in hand. 

He looked outside, and then motioned with his hand for them to come. 

“It’s all right. The coast is clear!” 

“Mr. Tachibana, go ahead.” Asuka said. 

“Miss Kiryuu... I’m sorry.” Tachibana apologized. 

In this situation, it would make sense to let Asuka go first, but right now, Tachibana was injured. They couldn’t let him go at the back of the line. He likely sensed her consideration and went into the hole without any further argument. 

“Grandpa...” 

Asuka looked at Kouichirou’s face. There was so much she wanted to say, and plenty she needed to ask. And she wanted to apologize for suspecting him... 

“Do not let it torment you. It is my fault for not telling you anything.” 

“But...” 

“It is fine. Ouka and Kikka are drawn to one another. So long as you hold onto that sword, we will meet again. I will catch up to you... Aah, do not look so concerned, child. No knight that shuts themselves in the castle with their king, never knowing the field of battle, shall match me.” 

Kouichirou cracked a smile and placed a hand over Asuka’s head, patting it gently. 

“Listen to me. Once you leave this country, head north. Head for the company of a country called Helnesgoula. That place should be relatively safer than the other countries.” 

“All right. I will...” Asuka nodded weakly. 

“Good... In that case... Go!” Kouichirou gently pushed her back. “It will be alright. I will find you later on. We will regroup.” 

So much was still left unsaid. But right now there was no time to exchange words with Kouichirou anymore.

“Now... This is for the best.” 

Kouichirou stood still silently, watching Asuka disappear into the hole. But soon enough, the door flew open with a heavy sound and a group of fully armed knights rushed into the room. 

“What is this?! Is Lady Fontaine all right?!” 

“No good, they’re all dead!” 

Screams echoed through the room. 

“You! Did you do this?!” 

Before long, the knights surrounded Kouichirou, who stood in place composedly, and one of the men stepped forward. His voice implied he was in his mid thirties. He must have been a fairly high-ranking knight, since his armor and appearance were a bit more extravagant than the others’. 

He stepped forward with a flourish of his white cloak and pointed at Kouichirou as he raised his voice. 

“I ask you, in the name of Beldzevia! Did you commit this atrocity?!” 

Most people would shrink at his shout. But Kouichirou didn’t see much value in his words. In his eyes, cutting Misha down was as trivial and carried as much meaning as cutting a radish. All the lives in this Earth were equally meaningless to his eyes. 

The only thing that mattered was which of them could be exploited and used, and which of them were simply to be removed. 

“Indeed. What of it?” he said composedly, as calm as a breeze. 

“I see... Then you’re the one who slew my wife!” The knight exclaimed and drew his sword, holding it in a middle-level stance. “You won’t get away with this, otherworlder. You shall feel just how heavy of a sin it is to trifle with House Fontaine. You shall feel it upon your flesh!” 

This was the justified anger of a man who lost his wife. A bereaved family sentencing an assailant. But upon hearing those words, Kouichirou could only sneer. 

“I see... So you’re that woman’s family... Well, isn’t that nice. She did die a bit too easily.” 

His voice was that of an infernal demon. 

The killing intent emanating from Kouichirou’s body filled the room. 

“This is the price for dragging poor Asuka into this world... And you’ll pay it with your life.” 

Kikka’s blade shined, as if to support his words. And at that moment, everyone in the room swallowed nervously. They could tell the meaning behind the way the blade shined... 

“Impossible... that’s the shine of a Thaumaturgical Sword! And that energy... Is it some kind of cursed blade?!” 

The knights around Kouichirou stirred nervously, faced with something that shouldn’t have been there. 

“Just who are you?! An otherworlder who only just arrived in this world can’t have something like this!” Words of stunned shock escaped Count Fontaine’s lips. 

But the answer to that question would never reach his ears. 

“You don’t need to know... Die.” 

As he said those words, Kouichirou’s right hand mercilessly swept sideways. 

On that day, a great incident took place in the Kingdom of Beldzevia, located in the south of the continent. Misha Fontaine, court thaumaturgist, was found slain at the hands of an otherworlder she summoned. In addition, a host of knights, led by Misha’s husband and a knight of the kingdom, Count Fontaine, was also slain. 

And to make things worse, the otherworlder who committed those atrocities managed to flee into the kingdom and break out of the castle, with its heavy security of several hundreds of knights unable to contain him. 

The King of Beldzevia viewed the situation gravely, and immediately issued a royal decree, gathering his most skilled knights to strike down the otherworlder. But it all ended in failure, with only more losses. And worse yet, the affair was discovered by spies of their neighboring countries, and soon spread to the other Southern Countries, namely the ones that held powerful armies. It tarnished Beldzevia’s name, gradually weakening its national power.