Chapter 10 : Incidents(1)

The warm Armonian sunlight streamed through the window of the mansion. The sunlight was so bright it was dazzling, and the silver-haired girl woke up from a pleasant sleep.

“Are you awake, Miss?”

A well-dressed old gentleman with white hair approached her with a meal.

“I had a good dream yesterday, Fred.”

“Is that so? I’m glad.”

Yuri Freesia. She, who turned 11 this year, was a person with such great passion that she would often skip meals to study magic.

She tidied up her silver hair, which reached her waist, and adjusted her clothes.

“Come to think of it, I brought news of Sir Windgart.”

“Sir Windgart… What happened?”

“He has been recognized for his achievements in eradicating a criminal gang in the Luden dispatched area and will receive a commendation.”

Windgart Luares.

He was a man who was active among the currently renowned spirit masters.

Someday, I hope to have a chance to compete with him.

Yuri Freesia silently looked out the window, dreaming of the day when she would compete with him as a spirit master.

[Armonia Chronicles] Chapter 1

A narrow slope next to the Luden Forest.

A carriage full of slaves suddenly stopped.

The startled horses neighed and couldn’t keep their hooves still.

“Why did you stop so suddenly, idiot!?”

“There’s someone in front…!”

“What?”

A muscular beastwoman with copper skin contrasting with her white hair pricked up her ears and looked at the coachman.

When she gave the signal, the black-clad beastmen who were hiding clung to the carriage.

The panicked s*ave trader sent out guards, but humans without magic were just easy prey for well-trained beastmen.

In about five minutes, the situation was over, and the s*ave trader came out on his own and prostrated himself.

“P-please spare me…!”

“Spare you? Hahaha, you’re a funny one.”

With cold eyes, she looked down at him as if he were trash.

“Did you spare even one of the beastmen who begged you to spare them?”

“T-that’s…”

“I don’t even want to dirty my hands. Throw him in the forest.”

As if disgusted, she shook off the blood on her dagger and turned around.

At that moment, something shone under the prostrate man’s sleeve.

“You beastmen… You think you’re something!”

The moment the pattern drawn on the man’s hand was about to shine, a dagger pierced his wrist.

“Aaaaargh!”

“That’s because you’re trying something stupid, Mister.”

The girl who stabbed the dagger spoke indifferently, pulling the dagger out again.

Baekmyo, who understood the situation, gave her thanks.

“Well done, Saya.”

On the way back to base, I kept fiddling with my earrings.

I had taken off my necklace a while ago and tried wearing it as an earring, but I couldn’t get used to it.

At that moment, Captain Baekmyo suddenly stopped walking.

“Saya, how old are you this year?”

“Um… I’m 11 years old.”

If I don’t think about it once in a while, I forget how old I am.

“I see.”

What’s wrong with the captain?

She’s unusually restless.

“Um… It might be different between humans and beastmen. Hmm…”

Yes?

“If you’re worried about any changes in your body, feel free to talk to me anytime.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“You know. Around your age, everyone gets…”

“…!”

Captain, seriously…?

“I don’t have that yet!”

“Is that so? Humans around your age all get a mark on their hands. Are you a little late?”

“…Huh?”

Mark?

Oh, right. Mark.

Humans in Armonia get a mark on their hands around the age of 10.

Usually, it appears as early as 9 years old and as late as 11 years old, but I’m already 11, and it hasn’t appeared.

Occasionally, among special constitutions, there are cases where the mark does not appear, but…

No way.

I put aside useless thoughts and returned to the base.

As soon as I got back, I checked the contents of my bag and unfolded the [Armonia Empire Chronological Table] that I had received as a quest reward.

I underlined that part and closed the book.

Recently, the number of times s*ave traders have been arrested has increased, and that’s because I’ve been checking the chronological table.

If a festival or a big event is scheduled to be held in the country, the black market naturally becomes active, so if you aim for that time, you can catch s*ave traders.

Of course, the captain always interrogates me about how I know, but I’ve been getting away with saying it’s my intuition.

“Saya, you’re a little late today?”

It’s Gillian.

Gillian, who turned 10, tied his hair in a ponytail and walked around with a crutch in one hand.

“The resistance was a little strong today. I don’t know why they struggle so much when they’re going to get caught anyway…”

“Saya, you’ve changed a bit lately. It’s like you have a venomous aura.”

Is that so?

I’ve often heard that my eyes are dirty.

Hmm?

Something sparkled on the back of Gillian’s hand as he scratched his head.

When our eyes met, Gillian quickly hid his hand behind his back.

“Hey. Bring your hand here.”

“W-why…!?”

“Stop talking and hurry!”

He tried to run away, but because of the speed difference, he was quickly caught and subdued.

I laid Gillian down facing the floor and checked the back of his hand.

Mark…!

It, shining green, was unmistakably a mark.

“When did it appear?”

“…Around my birthday this year…”

“…”

Out of spite, I sent Gillian outside.

“Get out. We’ll sleep in separate rooms from now on.”

“Huh!? So suddenly…!?”

I closed the door and opened the book again.

Why am I like this lately?

I get angry or annoyed even at trivial things.

Am I sensitive because I’m tired?

“…Huh?”

While examining the chronological table, I found an unusual passage.

Spirit Master dispatch…?

It’s in two weeks.

I marked it with a pen and decided to report it to the captain.

“If that’s true, we’ll have to switch to constant combat readiness for the next two weeks.”

The children and the elderly were evacuated to a deep part of the cave, and those who could fight were constantly armed and on standby.

The patrol group also doubled.

“During that time, production activities are completely impossible. It’s too much of a burden to go into armed readiness just because of a rumor.”

“…I guess so.”

“Still, let’s prepare. You’ve never lied.”

“Captain…”

Every time I gave a hint, the s*ave traders were caught like ghosts, so the captain fortunately trusted me completely.

“Usually, dispatching a spirit master means they’re going to purge thoroughly.”

From the perspective of the beastmen, the Black Dog Bandits may be a grateful group that eradicates s*ave trade, but it was different for humans.

They’re just a group of bandits that attack humans every year and cause dozens of casualties.

“How many will come?”

“One.”

“…Yes?”

Even so, a person who is a spirit master comes alone?

“It was the same when the first leader was around. He came alone and annihilated half of the organization. I still shudder when I think of that time.”

That much…

A spirit master is a person who pursues the greatest strength among humans who use magic.

Usually, they forcibly pull out the spirit that is sleeping in their body by some method and materialize it to fight.

As strong as it is, the price was terrifying.

It’s a way of sharing half of your lifespan with the spirit.

“You know that they were originally created to deal with Sarkas, right?”

“Yes.”

“So, if they send such talent to crack down on crime, it won’t end lightly. Anyway…”

Baekmyo scratched her head and said.

“Lately, haven’t you been a little sensitive? Is it puberty or something…?”

“No!?”

“See. You’re sensitive. Puhaha!”

Why is everyone so eager to tease me these days?

Anyway, it was half-confirmed that the spirit master was coming, so the bandits decided to start preparing accordingly.

Food was rationed as much as possible, and supplies needed for battle were poured in without sparing to strengthen security.

While carrying supplies, I overheard the conversation of the members.

“Isn’t the captain too lenient with that black-haired kid?”

“That’s right. To go through all this trouble for one spirit master who may or may not come. Geez.”

“…”

There are definitely members who don’t like me.

I can’t please everyone.

After that, a week passed, and more days passed, and today was exactly the second week.

It’s strangely unsettling, it’s too peaceful…

The members, who were very nervous on the first day, are yawning one after another because they are bored.

The captain seems to know that I’m worried, so she sat down next to me.

“Are you anxious? That nothing will happen?”

“…I guess so.”

“It’s okay. Nothing happening is the best thing.”

The captain has also changed a lot compared to the beginning when she was always self-centered.

“Well, if it was wrong information, shouldn’t we just cut off your tongue? Hahaha.”

That’s why I’m anxious.

At that moment, one of the patrol group returned from outside.

“Captain, I found this outside.”

“Bring it here.”

What the member held out was a red, opaque shining piece of stone. I had never seen it in person, but I could tell what it was at a glance.

Bloodstone…!

It was a dark red substance left behind when a Sarkas was killed.

“Where did you find this?”

“I found it near the entrance to the Luden Forest. There’s not just one; there are dozens lying on the ground…”

“…He’s here.”

Sarkas can only be defeated with weapons made of special materials.

One might be able to catch one by luck, but if there are traces of dozens of them being defeated, it was certain.

“A spirit master.”

At her command, the members moved in perfect order. They checked the traps they had set up and replaced the blades of their weapons.

“He uses magic. Be especially careful of the summons he creates. Our weapons don’t work on those summons.”

Only a Sarkas’s attack can kill a spirit, that is, a summon that a spirit master summons. Or, only by using the special material weapons that the spirit master uses.

There’s no way we have such weapons, so the best way is to tie his feet before he takes out his spirit and deal with him in an instant.

“Captain, someone is coming this way!”

“Everyone, hide!”

What was coming has come.

From afar, someone armed in white armor all over his body walked towards us with a longsword.

He was a blonde man who looked about 30 years old.

He walks straight towards the trap we set up.

Is he stepping on it…?

He took his first step towards the trap and stepped on it.

“Now, fire!”

At the same time as the ground he stepped on collapsed, countless arrows flew towards him at the same time.

Nets, logs, and all the traps to kill people rained down simultaneously.

“Your welcome is fierce.”

At his gesture, a strong wind blew out from around his body.

It was momentary, but due to the overwhelming pressure, the arrows and activated traps were scattered in all directions.

The aftermath of the wind extended to the members.

“Ugh…!?”

I almost flew away…!

With one wind magic, the surprise attack operation that we had been preparing for all day failed.

“How cowardly. To gang up on one person!”

A neatly parted hair.

Green eyes burning with a sense of justice.

He shouted at us who were hiding.

“Attack before he takes out his spirit!”

Baekmyo drew her sword first and rushed, and members from all sides also headed towards him.

“I heard that there were bandits attacking carriages near the forest recently. Is that you guys!”

His strength was truly overwhelming.

With a light swing, the members were thrown away as if a sword energy had been released, and he rushed at the beastmen who managed to hold on with terrifying speed and swung his sword.

With a couple of horizontal slashes, the beastmen are ruthlessly cut down.

This, is a spirit master…?

To think that such a terrifying monster is what I aim to be.

While I was sticking a dagger into the ground to keep from flying away, I felt a presence behind me.

“Are you… a human?”

“…!?”

He grabbed the end of my hood and lifted me up.

It’s over.

Am I going to die like this…?

“You seem to have been captured as a s*ave. How pitiful…”

s*ave…?

He doesn’t see me as an enemy.

I made my eyes well up with tears as much as possible and said.

“I’ve been trapped for a long time…. Please save me…!”

He looked at me silently.

Did he see through me…?

“…Ah.”

He suddenly wiped his tears.

“Ah… How delicate this girl is. She must have been captured by these beasts and forced to hold a sword. Such cruel ones…!”

Looking like a young girl is really helpful at times like this.

His mark shone brightly, and the wind intensified.

“I’ll cut you all down.”

…Huh?

It went beyond getting the lie; he awakened something.

“I’ll get you out of this hell as soon as possible. Hold on a little longer!”

Whether he was really misunderstanding, he put me on his shoulder and fought with one hand.

What strength is this…!?

It’s not as much as the captain, but it’s great strength.

I tried my best to pull out my arm that was tightly held by him, but it didn’t even budge.

I finally got a chance.

Even though I have a dagger in my hand, I can’t do anything.

Even though he was one-handed, he was not pushed back, but rather, his fighting power increased because he was burning with a sense of justice, and he did not allow our members to approach.

“Answer my summons, Clania!”

When he shouted, his body shone for a moment, and something manifested.

A summon with a transparent body covered in armor, shaped like a ghost wearing armor, roared with a tremendous wind.

It was hard enough to deal with one, but when there were two, we started to be pushed back helplessly.

Even while everyone was being helplessly defeated, there was a person who endured the wind.

Baekmyo jumped, aiming for the blind spot where his gaze did not reach.

Frankly, this guy’s reflexes are equal to or better than the captain’s.

Even if the captain’s attack works, it was obvious that he would somehow avoid a vital point.

If so…

Let’s aim for a sure-kill, one-shot.

Sorry, Captain…!

I, being carried on his shoulder, shouted loudly.

“Spirit Master, behind you!”

“…!”

The spirit master, who hurriedly looked back, swung his sword and knocked her away.

“Clania, grab that one!”

At the man’s command, the summon appeared behind Baekmyo as if blinking and restrained her body.

Her eyes, full of doubt and anger, glared at me.

“Saya, what is the meaning of this…!”

I did not answer her question and said to the spirit master.

“…Spirit Master. Would you please put me down for a moment?”

The spirit master looked at her and me alternately for a moment, then put me down from his shoulder.

“That person, she said she wanted to be a spirit master, and she made me live as a s*ave for 5 years…”

“What…?”

A moment of silence.

The other members were already incapacitated or had lost the will to fight.

Only the chopped-up corpses rolled around in my vision.

“I heard that you, maiden, wish to become a spirit master?”

He asked me.

“…That’s right. Since I was a child, I’ve always dreamed of becoming a spirit master like you. Can someone of my humble status become a spirit master like you…?”

“Of course. There is no high or low status in pursuing the path of justice. If you follow me to the capital, I will guarantee your admission.”

…Wait.

Guarantee, admission?

“…Really?”

“Of course. I don’t go back on my word.”

If I follow this man, admission to the Spirit Academy is guaranteed.

11 years of reincarnation.

It’s a very attractive offer for me, who has endured life just looking at that place.

“No matter what path you’ve walked until now, as long as you have the will to change, I won’t ask about it. You seem to have talent.”

From me, talent…

“Then, first, let’s eliminate these evil groups.”

The man walked slowly towards Baekmyo, who was restrained.

And, he held the longsword and took a ready stance.

“Any last words, beastman?”

He raised his blade towards her.

“…”

Baekmyo is silent, just closing her eyes.

“Not only did you kill humans, but you also kidnapped children and used them as slaves.

I will judge you in the name of the spirit master, Windgart!”

A gust of wind was the only sound.

Both the spirit master and Baekmyo stopped breathing.

The bright red blood flowing down the neck flowed down the blade and dripped.

“…Wh-why…?”

The one with the blade stuck in them was not Baekmyo, but the spirit master.

A dagger was deeply embedded near the spirit master’s neck.

“…I’m sorry.”

“…Why… would you side with… a beastman…?”

Hot blood flows down my wrist holding the dagger.

With years of assassination experience, I could tell at once.

If this part is targeted, a person dies.

With a lot of blood flowing from his mouth, he said while trembling.

“…You were… not… trapped by them… were you…?”

“…”

Without saying anything, I put strength into the embedded dagger and cut his throat.

He grabbed his neck and fell to his knees, and the summon that was holding Baekmyo scattered into smoke.

“…I guess… not…”

Before he collapsed, he squeezed out his last words.

“But… your wish… to become… a Spirit master… was not… a lie… was it…?”

“…”

With his eyes open, his breathing stopped.

A white marble fell on the spot where the summon disappeared.

What killed him was his unnecessarily strong sense of justice.

His narrow-minded thinking that a human would never side with a beastman ultimately led him to his death.

Even after he died, I couldn’t stand up for a while.

Was he… a villain?

After joining the bandits, I took the lives of countless people.

Each time, in order to suppress the guilt that came in, I firmly believed that I had killed a villain and endured.

But this man,

Is he a villain?

Although it was my lie, he was a man who believed it completely and tried to save a girl like me even in a one-on-many battle.

“We will retrieve the body. Rest enough, Saya.”

“…”

I dropped the dagger stained with his blood from my hand.

“…I was conflicted.”

The dagger is gradually submerged in the pool of blood on the floor.

“…When this man made me an offer, I was conflicted…”

Even though the captain’s life was at stake, I can’t say that I didn’t hesitate until just before he raised the longsword.

I was, in the end, such a human.

“I see.”

The captain’s hand was placed on my shoulder as I knelt.

“…Thank you, once again, for choosing us.”

I wish she would rather resent me.

For some reason, the captain’s face was more compassionate than ever.

After the battle, the damage was checked.

Out of 37 combatants, 12 died, and all the rest were injured. If he hadn’t died by my hand, we could have expected annihilation.

One of the members retrieved something from his body.

“It seems to be an identification tag. Captain.”

“Really? What does it say?”

“Spirit Master, Windgart Luares.”

Windgart… Luares?

My expression contorted.

“What’s wrong, Saya?”

“…..”

I knew that name.

…He is

The person who will be respected by many at the academy in 6 years and will train spirit masters.