Prologue: The Cursed Man

“Woo! Home at last!”

We had returned to the imperial capital of Zebrudia. Finally, I was back in my private quarters at the clan house, somewhere I could relax. I spun around and fell onto the beloved mattress I had missed so dearly. This thing was custom-made to have just the right degree of springiness for me.

The Supreme Warrior Festival was supposed to have been just a little excursion, but it ended up turning into a real ordeal. I had endured Franz’s constant spite, helped train the imperial princess, and somehow managed to keep Little Sister Fox under control (normally, a phantom like her leaving her vault would mean all sorts of chaos).

Then I got dragged into the Fox Mask Fan Club, became acquainted with Krahi and co., and to cap it all off, I managed to restrain Key of the Land (never mind that it was almost entirely my fault it activated in the first place).

My friends did most of the work with the imperial princess, Sitri took care of Fox, I didn’t actually do anything with Krahi’s group, and the Key of the Land thing was largely possible thanks to everyone’s help. When I thought about it, I hadn’t really done much of anything, but that didn’t stop me from telling myself that I had earned some rest.

Lying on my bed, I made up my mind: no matter what happened, I absolutely would not leave my quarters for the foreseeable future. Luckily, I didn’t need to leave this room, because it had everything, even a bathtub. If I needed food, I could have it brought to me. I had plenty of Relics to polish, so I wasn’t lacking for ways to keep myself busy.

I had recently learned that the empire was about to begin talking with other nations in order to coordinate an effort to eliminate Fox. Per the emperor’s orders, he was also enlisting the help of treasure hunters, including me. I flat out refused. Gark and many other people didn’t appreciate that, but to heck with them. I had other things to do.

“Eva! For the time being, I’m not accepting any visitors!” I told her resolutely. She had been watching me from the entrance with a look of exasperation. “Even if it’s Gark, a merchant, or someone from the government, send them away! I don’t care what they want! I’m busy!”

“Um, may I ask what you’re busy with?”

“I’m busy doing nothing.”

“Are you being philosophical?”

I wasn’t. I just needed to rest my brain. Whether I had really used it enough to tire it out was pretty debatable. I twisted my lazy body around on my bed, then gave a long stretch. As a clan master and as a Level 8, I wasn’t supposed to let people see me like this, but it was fine if it was just Eva. My body was reacting too strongly to the events of the Supreme Warrior Festival. I wanted to become one with the bed.

Watching me make myself look as pathetic as possible, Eva let out a deep sigh. “Very well. I’ll turn away all visitors for the time being. Oh, but what if it’s one of your friends visiting?”

“One of them? They can come on in.”

Honestly, they’d barge in either way. Even if I wanted to, I wasn’t sure I had a means to keep them away. It was because I couldn’t say no to them that I was still in the dangerous occupation of treasure hunting! Being swept up in their flow was just part of life for me.

I rolled around on my bed in the hope of revitalizing myself when I noticed a note on my nightstand. I reached over and plucked it between my fingers. It was an old scrap, folded in two. I was fairly sure this hadn’t been here before I departed for Kreat.

I read it, then furrowed my brow. “What’s this? ‘Can’t find Cae’?”

Startled, Eva darted up to me. “Is that a letter? Did someone enter while we were gone?”

I set down the simple note and rolled over. “No, this is fine. Hmm.”

“What is it?”

This note was from none other than Eliza. Cae was a sort of nickname she had for me.

Eliza Beck, the Vagabond was a Desert Noble who was trained as a Thief. She was our party’s most free-spirited member and the only one not originally from our group of friends. She was undeniably talented and was so affable that it was easy to forget she was a Noble Spirit (though you could just as easily call her thoughtless). However, just as her title suggested, she had a tendency to wander here and there, aimless as the wind. I was the leader of our party and the one who recommended her for membership, yet even I had only met with her a number of times.

What made her wanderlust truly frustrating was that she didn’t seem to be aware of her own tendencies. Despite what the poorly phrased letter might suggest, I can say with certainty that I never excluded Eliza. It wasn’t that I was nowhere to be found; it was that she kept disappearing on her own. Though, in all fairness, you could argue this sort of heedlessness was necessary to roll with a party like Grieving Souls.

But where was she and what was she doing? It sounded like the other Grievers ran into her fairly regularly, but for me, Eliza encounters were a rare occurrence. I didn’t get the impression she was hiding from me, nor did I think she disliked me; it seemed like the timing just never aligned. According to Liz, I didn’t see the Vagabond often because she knew how to see danger coming from a mile away. I wasn’t sure what to make of that.

As brief as the letter was, I still had a good idea why Eliza had come while I was out. I sat up and looked around the room, where I found a wooden box at the base of my nightstand. It was a heavy thing, and it took a bit of effort to get the lid open. Inside, I found a pile of garbage.

There was an old worn boot, a rusted coin, a knife without a blade, and a simple gold ring. These seemingly worthless items were all Relics recovered from treasure vaults, most likely items Eliza had found during her wanderings. It was possible some of these were things she had bought at some shop, but it didn’t really matter.

As I understood it, all Desert Nobles were predisposed to traveling the world. Their counterparts in the forests were known for rarely leaving their homes, but the Noble Spirits of the deserts were travelers, though maybe not to the same extent as Eliza.

Desert Nobles were natural treasure hunters. Their exceptional affinities for magic and elementals, as well as their flexible bodies and sharp senses, allowed them to tread many dangerous realms. There were many corners of the natural world still untouched by people, but Desert Nobles could reach those, as well as many treasure vaults.

I first met Eliza at a treasure vault in the desert. She was talented and didn’t fuss over small things, just like a hunter should be. She was also devoid of avarice. Though she went around searching vaults and other perilous destinations, it seemed she was after something besides treasure, as she would show almost no interest in Relics and drops from phantoms.

Of course, her wanderings required money, so she would pick up anything that seemed valuable, but she left just about everything else. The one who put a stop to that was me. I thought it was a terrible waste for her to venture into those dangerous vaults only to then leave the Relics behind. Most Relics were scrap items that were worth next to nothing, but selling them could add up over time.

So we formed a little arrangement. Eliza would bring back Relics, then I would sell them and give her the proceeds. I didn’t charge a fee, but I was allowed to take a Relic for myself if it caught my eye. It was a winning contract for both parties. Sitri managed the spoils during group efforts, so Eliza only brought me what she obtained during her solo operations, but that still amounted to a fair sum.

The incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival was a very beneficial experience for me. Until then, I had no idea that there were Relics powerful enough to cause tremors just by being stabbed into the ground. As a Relic collector, I was compelled to accumulate as much knowledge as I could. While Key of the Land might have been destroyed, I couldn’t write off the possibility of a similar item existing.

I began to think that I should practice so I could properly suppress Key of the Land should something like that happen again. I continued to sift through the items in the chest as I thought about this, when I found something thin and wrapped in a black cloth. I immediately lifted it up and removed the oddly patterned cloth.

Ooh. A sword-type Relic! Don’t see that every day.

“This! This is what I was looking for!”

I gleefully drew it from its sheath and looked it over. The jet-black blade and onyx-like gem adorning the hilt gave it the impression that this was an item of some significance. However, unlike Key of the Land, it didn’t strike me as a ceremonial tool. That it was in the sheath and carefully wrapped in a cloth suggested that Eliza had also treated it diligently. I’d have to have Lucia charge it for me.

I smiled, for my normal life had finally returned to me.

“Please, just make sure to exercise moderation,” Eva said with an exasperated sigh.

***

“Huh?! The underworld has a bounty on my brother?!” Lucia cried.

“It seems he’s attracted some attention,” Sitri replied, perplexed. “With Fox in disarray and preparing for war with the empire, I don’t think they’ll try anything too reckless.”

“I mean, look what he did.” Liz shrugged. “And that’s beside the fact that he’s also the leader of Grieving Souls.”

Skilled treasure hunters were popular targets for bandits. That held true for those who stuck to raiding treasure vaults and applied all the more so to Grieving Souls, which had annihilated a number of criminal entities.

On the surface, the waves caused by the incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival had calmed down. The removal of the ruined arena was proceeding smoothly, and normality appeared to be restored. However, only the surface was truly calm. To some degree or another, the exposure of such a terrifying organization reverberated all over.

So far, Grieving Souls hadn’t fretted over the bounties placed on them. After all, this new one was practically a drop in the bucket. One reason they hadn’t encountered many bounty hunters was that the payouts were generally considered not worth the risk. The Grievers, for their part, took these bounties as proof that their name was getting around.

“They’re really interested in Krai. One, ten, one hundred, one thousand...” Luke said while scrutinizing the list Sitri had obtained. “How do you even get a bounty like this? I could cut a hundred guys and not get something like this. Is there some special trick to it?”

Ansem grunted in contemplation.

“With a bit more effort, it’ll be enough to pay off his debt,” Sitri muttered.

The sum being offered was extraordinary. Unlike normal bounties, the reward offered by those of the underworld was proportional to the number of people who hated the target or wanted them to disappear.

Most people with high prices on their heads were dignitaries of major nations, hunters from renowned lines, the sort of people whose death would be felt around the world. This was very likely the first time a hunter not of notable birth and not guilty of any murders had accrued such a bounty.

Liz stared at the list, agog. “He’s outshining Ark with this.”

“I certainly can’t imagine a smaller organization being able to throw down so much money. Not to mention they have a reputation to maintain,” Sitri said. “Well, it seems Fox doesn’t have many resources to spare at the moment, which I hear has spurred them to pull their members out of Zebrudia.”

According to her investigations, Fox was growing unstable. She didn’t know many details, but it seemed there was infighting going on. The use of Key of the Land had probably surprised them as much as anyone else. Similarly, they probably hadn’t realized that it wasn’t their member who had activated it.

What was important here, though, wasn’t the actual state of Fox, but rather how they looked from the outside. What people had seen was Fox being outplayed in broad daylight. If they let this stand, they’d lose respect. Offering money for their foe’s head was a natural course of action, hence the enormous bounty. Of course, many of the people who would be chasing this bounty already had it out for the Thousand Tricks.

One silver lining was that this list was only circulating in the underworld; no upstanding hunters would be coming after Krai.

“Lucky him,” Luke said. “Think any tough Swordsmen will come?”

“I can’t imagine that without total confidence in themselves they would chase a bounty this large,” Sitri remarked. “If anyone does strike, it will be after making thorough preparations. And no, I don’t think any Swordsmen will come.”

“This wouldn’t happen if he just behaved like a normal person,” Lucia groaned.

There was an abundance of rumors concerning the Thousand Tricks, but there was one thing that could be said for certain: many times, he had escaped the jaws of death without taking so much as a scratch.

Sitri stood up and clapped her hands. “I hear Krai has no intentions of leaving his room for the time being, but I think we should stay by his side, just as a precaution. We’re all quite busy with our own lives, so I suggest we take turns!”

“Yeah, and you’re the busiest of any of us, aren’t you?” Liz responded. “You don’t look so good.”

Sitri brought her hand to her forehead.

Luke made a face like he just remembered something and stood up reluctantly. “Yeah, I’ve got people calling on me. I skip one little dragon slaying, and they hop down my throat over it. That’s life, I guess. I’ll show ’em the Voltaic Deicide I’ve been working on.”

“I missed an important exam,” Lucia added, “so now I’m at a loss as to what to say to the professor who vouched for me.”

Ansem grunted in agreement.

Liz looked up at her brother with envy. “Lucky you, Anssy. Your superiors don’t stick their necks in your business.”

He replied with a vigorous nod.

Chapter One: Defending the Thousand Tricks

The lounge of the First Steps clan house was famous throughout the imperial capital. Treasure hunting could be a lucrative job, especially for the very best. In a single hunt, a first-rate hunter could make as much as an ordinary civilian made in their entire life.

The First Steps clan house was a cutting-edge structure funded by some of the best upcoming hunters in the capital. It was also a common source of admiration among those in the treasure-hunting business. Pair that with a clan name that sounded like it was meant for newcomers, and you could get a good idea of why First Steps inspired fanciful daydreams in so many fledgling hunters.

Treasure hunters occupied a powerful position in the imperial capital, and this stark white building, built in a prime area, did a lot to reinforce that notion. The clan master of First Steps probably had that in mind when he chose the location of his clan house.

How strange it was that the man who opted for such visibility picked someone heretofore unknown for his vice clan master.

“The clan master is currently preoccupied with another matter, so I’m not at liberty to arrange any meetings with him,” Vice Clan Master Eva Renfied said in her clerical tone. “I’m aware of the circumstances, but I must nonetheless ask you to withdraw.”

Across from her was Gark, who was seated at a large table in the center of the sprawling lounge. Gark was in charge of the Explorers’ Association’s branch in the imperial capital. Though he had retired from hunting, the War Demon still commanded respect within the trade. Very few people were brave enough to stand up to him, all the more so among civilians bereft of mana material. You could search the whole capital and only find a handful of such people.

It was well known that an exceptional woman served as the right hand of the deft Thousand Tricks and played a key role in building First Steps into a behemoth. However, Gark knew that she also had to chastise Krai from time to time and that she supported him in matters both personal and private.

Another thing Gark knew was that when she made up her mind, there was no point in trying to make her budge. At times, she would work with him to sway Krai, but if she said she wasn’t going to arrange a meeting, then no amount of money or intimidation would have any effect. What’s more, unlike Krai, she was logical and familiar with imperial law and the regulations of the Explorers’ Association. She knew that as a civilian, the Association had no authority over her.

Gark would never consider resorting to violence in a place like this. The lounge was filled with hunters from First Steps, none of them the sort to back down even in the face of the Association branch manager. Of course, even without them, using violence against civilians was out of the question. Meanwhile, the other Association employees with him had already given up on getting a meeting.

“If the Thousand Tricks worked just a bit harder, Zebrudia would be twice as grand,” Gark joked.

“If the Thousand Tricks worked just a bit harder, I’d collapse from exhaustion,” Eva replied curtly.

Gark sighed. He had come all this way so he could tell Krai about their progress since the Supreme Warrior Festival and get his confirmation on some matters.

A simple description of recent events was enough to make it clear that history was being made. There had been a major turf war, which was then followed by the leader of a major organization giving a declaration of war during a famous tournament. After that, Key of the Land had very nearly unleashed enough force to demolish multiple nations. Luckily, they had managed to hold the Relic back.

Two weeks had passed since that incident, which had put so many people on edge. The empire and their allies were moving to erase Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox from existence, and their plan was proceeding smoother than expected.

Fox was thoroughly dedicated to secrecy and had a long history of dark deeds. The empire and the Association had both conducted covert investigations but gleaned next to nothing. They may have succeeded in uniting a number of nations to fight Fox, but they couldn’t strike as long as the names and whereabouts of the organization’s members remained unknown.

They had been preparing for a protracted battle when something unexpected happened—a Fox turned traitor and offered Zebrudia information. This person wasn’t from the organization’s top levels, and their info was scant and insignificant, but a defector from such an elusive entity was a major development.

Meanwhile, though Gark had been apprehensive about it, the anti-Fox team was starting to take shape. He had certainly been surprised when Murina stepped out of the shadows to participate.

Given the subject matter, Gark had wanted to talk to Krai in person, but he could leave a message. In his experience, if the Thousand Tricks didn’t want to meet, that meant he had deemed it unnecessary. If it were any normal hunter, Gark would have done whatever was necessary to talk with him, but this man was known for his preterhuman artifice, his almost abnormal intuition, and his foresight that approached divination. It was a track record even the empire was forced to take note of.

“In retrospect, the way he resolved that incident at the tournament wasn’t like him,” Gark said, conflicted.

Eva didn’t say anything. So far, the Thousand Tricks had obstructed organizations, bandits, phantoms, and more with tactics that were almost aberrant. When Krai had faced the man in the fox mask, nobody had interfered because he appeared to be in control of the situation. That had caused them to pause, which had given the Fox his chance to escape.

It was strange. If Krai hadn’t wanted the man to escape, he could have just positioned people along any possible escape route. With personnel like Luke and Liz available, he had access to an abundance of strength, not to mention that the barrier around the arena had limited the potential paths of retreat.

None of this could have possibly escaped Krai’s notice. Gark was certain that even if he had complete confidence in his plan, the normal Krai would have set his friends on standby, enough to just barely stop the man from escaping. So why hadn’t Krai sealed the exits? Was it because he had been counting on the hundreds of hunters present at the tournament?

Letting that man go was an error uncharacteristic of Krai. Then there was the fact that the empire’s investigations were getting results despite this escape. Gark could only see one possible conclusion—could this all be according to plan? What if the escape of the man in the mask and the appearance of the defector were part of Krai’s calculations?

Under typical circumstances, allowing the escape of someone so vital to the enemy would be unthinkable. But what if Krai had determined that letting him go was to his and the empire’s benefit?

What Gark knew for sure was that the incident at the tournament had rattled a previously unshakable foe. Surely even some Foxes hadn’t expected their organization to activate a Relic with apocalyptic capabilities. As a result, some had decided to cut ties and flee.

Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox was powerful, but they weren’t capable of simultaneously fighting multiple nations, especially given that Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia seemed willing to purge any nobles unwilling to cooperate with his cause. Gark, the empire, even the man in the mask, they were all uncertain of what truly happened at the Supreme Warrior Festival. There was only one who knew the truth.

One reason for Gark’s visit was so he could drop something off. He removed the item from his pocket, and Eva’s eyes bulged when she saw what it was. These black rocks covered in a strange pattern were one of the most famous varieties of Relics out there.

“This is a Sounding Stone from Sir Franz. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that he prefers to keep things under wraps. I need you to give this to Krai. The empire and their allies are still discussing the best way to go after Fox, but if something happens, Sir Franz will want to know about it.”

Relying too much on hunters was a bad look for a nation, but there was no point ignoring a useful asset. Most nobles would balk at the idea of giving a hunter a means to contact them directly. However, in the name of the empire, Sir Franz proved willing to put aside his personal feelings and accepted the task. Krai risked being charged with slander if he said the wrong thing, but he was always playing with fire.

Eva spent a brief moment staring at the Sounding Stone before nodding. “Understood. I’ll see that Krai accepts it.”

“We’ve got hectic days ahead of us,” Gark said.

He was in part referring to the enormous bounty placed on the Thousand Tricks. That man was no stranger to fighting off scoundrels, but this sum was high enough to inspire some people to risk it all against a Level 8.

Of course, Gark didn’t think he would be done in easily. Krai Andrey was no longer the young man who had come to the capital in hopes of becoming a hunter. He had become stronger. He may not have looked any different, but he had built up a clan, tempered his allies, and earned the trust of many. Now that he had declared war on Fox, failure was no longer an option for him, for that would be a blow to morale.

Gark crossed his arms. “Eva, it’s possible that anyone after the Thousand Tricks could be a danger to you and any other employees of First Steps. Watch yourself.”

“I’ve been aware of that for a long time now. Remember, Gark, this is a building teeming with hunters, and per the clan master’s orders, the upper levels were built to withstand an attack. We’re to retreat up there while the hunters on the first and second floors buy us time. Fortunately, we’ve never had to resort to such measures.”

“Hmm. So you’ve been ready from the start? It’s a natural precaution if you’re going to hire noncombatants, but I’m impressed.”

It’s harder than it might sound for someone who can fight to put themselves in the shoes of those who can’t. Even at the Explorers’ Association, Gark couldn’t say that his employees were completely safe from harm.

Investing money in the safety of the employees had no doubt elicited backlash from the hunters who had helped fund the clan house. It appeared that seemingly thoughtless man wasn’t doing a bad job as clan master, making the right calls when it really counted.

“We’re perfectly safe,” Eva told him. “While the third floor and above are fortified, the first and second are comparatively weak. Krai says that’s because if those floors become battlegrounds, no amount of reinforcing will make a difference.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Gark felt a moment of doubt. As he recalled, in this clan, the clan master didn’t have much authority over his hunters. Was it okay to assume the hunters would help fend off an attack? Gark brushed his concern aside and told himself it was fine. It might have been an inappropriate thought for an Association branch manager, but he’d rather have a hunter put their life on the line than see a civilian get hurt. One of the Association’s objectives was to ensure that the strong were there to protect the weak.

“As usual, if anything happens,” he said, “contact the Explorers’ Association, and we’ll do what we can.”

“I’ll be counting on you,” Eva replied.

Free time was something Gark was short on. He ended the conversation here and got up.

First on his list was discovering if Fox had any spies hidden among the employees and hunters of the Association. Just thinking about it made his head hurt. Investigations weren’t his strong suit, a problem compounded by the fact that two traitors had already been uncovered in the form of Telm and Kechachakka, both of which had managed to infiltrate the emperor’s entourage.

Fortunately, Krai had managed to stop them before they did any serious damage, but now Gark couldn’t easily accept any investigations that turned up empty-handed. Thinking about the work ahead drew a sigh from him. The next moment, he heard a familiar voice.

“Oh, there you are, Eva. About today’s visitor— Agh! Gark?!”

“Krai?!” Eva blurted.

Popping his head into the lounge was Krai Andrey, the Thousand Tricks and clan master of First Steps. He was also the man who had just declined to see Gark. The two made eye contact, and the lounge fell silent. The other Association employees looked agog at the hunter with the lopsided smile.

Wasn’t he preoccupied with another matter? Wasn’t Eva not at liberty to arrange any meetings? And what was that agh? Eva looked at Gark tentatively. Now that the man she had said was unable to take any visitors had suddenly appeared, even someone as deft as her couldn’t hide her dismay.

Krai furrowed his brow and approached Gark, glancing around warily as he did so. “Were you chatting with Eva? Listen, I’m sorry, but I’ve got an important guest on the way...”

Chatting with Eva?! I came here to talk to you!

Before Gark could say this out loud, a window shattered in spectacular fashion sending a rain of shimmering fragments. Gark may have retired from hunting, but his vision was still sharp enough to clearly see what had burst through the glass—a single arrow.

He immediately began to move. The large golden projectile had broken the window like it was nothing and headed straight for Krai’s head as though pulled by some force. And like always, the projectile bounced off as if it had hit a wall.

“Wh-What was that?!” Krai said, sounding entirely unperturbed.

While he stood in place, the sudden interruption had spurred the other hunters to prepare for a potential battle.

“What?! Was that Liz?! Or Luke?!”

“It was an assailant!”

Since he was a known Relic collector, it wasn’t surprising that Krai Andrey owned multiple Safety Rings. However, his attacker had likely accounted for this tactic, this “Absolute Barrier” as some people referred to it.

Krai picked up the arrow and looked around wildly. It had a razor-sharp tip and was large enough to rip the head off a mythical beast—and tied to it was a small black box.

Because Safety Rings were powerful devices, countermeasures had been developed against them. Striking twice had become a fundamental part of assassinations, meaning it wasn’t hard to guess what might be in the box.

Gark jumped in front of his subordinates and yelled, “KRAI, THAT’S A BOMB!”

“Wha?! Gark, catch!” Krai said as he raised the arrow, then hurled it at the branch manager.

“Huh?!”

To Gark’s bewilderment, the projectile twirled through the air before sliding across the ground and stopping in front of him. With a movement so smooth it seemed preordained, Krai moved to cover Eva, who let out a cry of surprise.

Was this the guest Krai said he was expecting?! Gark shielded his face with his arms. The next moment, the world went white as a searing blast rocked his body. He was flying back and collided with the wall. The intense pain kept him conscious, but he felt hazy, as though he had hit his head.

Damnit! How?!

Lately, because Liz had been giving him shit, Gark had started regularly absorbing mana material. If not for that, his injuries would have been much worse. This was a poor attempt at assassination if Krai was the intended target. If even a retired hunter like Gark could come out alive, then of course so would one young and top of their class.

Gark’s knees protested as he forced himself to stand up. He surveyed the damage, ignoring the blood dripping from his head. It seemed he had taken the worst of it. His subordinates must have reacted quickly, as they were mostly unharmed.

Something was tossed through the broken glass. It was a hook, followed by a few more, all attached to ropes. Was the assassin trying to take advantage of the chaos caused by the explosion?

Just as Gark was about to say something, several large monsters stomped in through the door. They had gray skin and long hair. For a moment, Gark thought they might be some derivative of Killiam, the magical creature Sitri had made. That wasn’t it. These were the strange Sapien creatures he had recently started seeing.

They moved about the capital as though it was perfectly natural for them to be there, which had at first incited a surge of questions. However, their friendly nature, intelligence, and advanced construction techniques made the locals quick to accept them.

“Ryuu!” cried the small Sapien at the front of the pack.

Did Krai mean her when he mentioned a guest? Thinking about it, Gark did recall hearing rumors that these creatures had been brought to the capital by Grieving Souls. The large Sapiens poured into the room, then charged at the intruders entering via the ropes. Krai got up and watched with amazement.

Gark’s knees gave out. He collapsed to the ground as hellish mayhem took hold.

***

When she heard what had happened, Tino dashed to the clan house, where a wretched sight awaited her.

“Oh my goodness,” she muttered.

The beloved lounge was a complete mess. The large windows were shattered, and the once orderly chairs and tables were strewn about. The floor was polished regularly, but now it was filled with cracks and the occasional scorch mark.

The cleanup had already begun, but so much remained to be done. It was clear the attack had been a ruthless one, entirely unconcerned by the possibility of collateral damage. Hunters and employees had gotten to work on clearing the rubble, but it would be a while before the lounge was returned to its previous splendor.

Tino walked to the center of the lounge, where the damage was exceptionally bad, and crouched down. This was likely where the bomb had exploded. There were no chairs or tables left nearby, only a large crater and some burn marks. She noticed a person’s outline, suggesting someone had dived to the ground.

But it was something else that had grabbed her attention. Near the center of the blast, there was one spot that remained unburned. It was a fan-shaped area, making it seem like the flames had hit a thick wall. Without any signs of scorching or even soot, the patch was an anomaly.

A high-level hunter with ample mana material could endure things no civilian possibly could. There were some attacks that could instantly kill an ordinary person, yet many hunters would be able to brush off. Even Tino was much more durable than the average person on the street.

When it came to fortitude, the most famous hunter was Ansem the Immutable, who had allotted just about every bit of his mana material to this attribute. These marks were a sign that whoever had been standing here was as sturdy as any Level 8.

While moving some rubble, Lyle noticed Tino and walked over to her. “Awful, isn’t it? What sort of grudge spurs someone to make a full-on attack like this in the middle of the day?”

“Is Krai all right?” Tino asked.

“Do you need to ask? He’s just fine. The only people hurt were those unlucky enough to be in the lounge at the same time as he was. Gark had it the worst, ’cause Krai shoved the bomb off onto him. Man, Gark must be some sort of freak. A bomb went off in his face, and he’s still standing.”

“Krai shoved the bomb onto him?”

Lyle shrugged. “Yeah. He said, ‘Gark, catch!’ I guess even a bomb is no big deal to Krai.”

Tino couldn’t help but sigh. Her master was the same around everyone, even a branch manager for the Explorers’ Association. The Level 8 hunter truly was a beast to be feared if they could get away with doing something as insane as throwing a bomb at a branch manager. But if he could take an explosion at close range, what was the purpose in tossing it? Tino decided it must be her own foolishness that prevented her from being able to answer that question.

“Were the attackers caught?” she asked.

“Yeah, the ones that attacked after the explosion were,” Lyle answered. “I wish you could’ve seen it. They were caught by those Troglodytes, the ones that occasionally pass through here. You know about them, don’t you?”

Tino didn’t say anything.

“Those guys are really something. They’re tough as nails, and there are tons of ’em. Before any of us could get moving, they just barrelled in. I don’t want to ever find myself up against something like that.”

Lyle had a grin on his lips, but his eyes didn’t have the same mirth.

Troglodytes were those terrifying Sapiens they had encountered during their vacation. The women were small and slender, while the men were large and bulky. They made a distinct “ryu-ryu” sound and fought with long hair that they could manipulate like tendrils.

They were so loyal to their queen (according to Siddy, the queen they had met in Suls was named Ryuulan) that they wouldn’t hesitate to throw down their lives for her. Not long ago, they had rampaged through a hot spring town on her orders. They apparently had a whole empire underground, though Tino hadn’t seen it in person.

What astounded her the most was that her master was on good terms with them. She had even started seeing them around the imperial capital. She heard Siddy had negotiated a partnership and now they were working on construction projects. Siddy was truly formidable if she was willing to work with a group that had once tried to kill her.

And to think it wasn’t just humans that her master was capable of subjugating! He truly was beyond mere mortals!

“Too bad we didn’t get anything useful from the captives. They turned out to be nothing but grunts,” Lyle continued. “This was definitely the work of a pro. What’s more, this probably wasn’t actually an attempt to off Krai. The arrow and the bomb were too half-hearted for an attempt on a guy known for his impenetrable defenses, and the same goes for those troops. I bet this was just a test, one to probe his weaknesses.”

That had a certain logic to it. Level 8 was a status granted only to those fierce enough to survive a number of demonic battles. A simple arrow and explosive wouldn’t be enough, nor would a shoddy ambush. After all, this was the lounge of one of the best clans in the imperial capital. Even if the Troglodytes hadn’t been present, there was Drink, who regarded humans as nothing more than a potential meal.

To carry out an attack on the First Steps clan house without doing any scouting was asking to die. Though even scouting a place like this was a terrifying prospect. Besides, Tino’s master didn’t have any weaknesses.

She clenched her fist and asked, “Have they looked into who was behind this?”

If Lyle was right, there would be another attack. It would have to be a vicious one if its planner was confident it could bring down a Level 8. Tino’s master was without equal, but that was no reason to sit around and wait for some assassins to come knocking.

Lyle said they hadn’t learned anything, but there couldn’t have been many killers reckless enough to target a high-level hunter. Tino was certain they could find the culprit if they looked hard enough.

However, Lyle wasn’t so sure. He scratched his head and told Tino, “Krai said he’s busy and he doesn’t have time to deal with the assassin.”

“Hm?!”

“He said some stuff about how he expected the attack, griped about how he was too busy for this, called them audacious, and I think he said there were too many potential suspects. Give me a break.”

“I see,” Tino said eventually.

Lyle looked conflicted as he clicked his tongue. It was an expression Tino found painfully relatable.

Nobles and criminals had to maintain appearances, but it went even further for treasure hunters. If nobody took them seriously, that would be the end of their career. Hunters were often rugged people, and most treasure vaults were located in secluded places, meaning spoils of raids were on occasion taken by force, and there were bandits who specialized in fighting hunters.

Sometimes, hunters had to take fights they didn’t have much of a shot at winning, and sometimes they had to seek revenge. It was part of the job, and Grieving Souls was no exception. To not bite back after being attacked in their very own clan house could be devastating to their reputation.

Grieving Souls had a long list of enemies. The only reason they hadn’t been assailed as much lately was because their nemeses had lost the will to fight. But word was getting around that the Thousand Tricks had, for the first time, let his prey escape and that there was a bounty out for him.

Showing weakness under such circumstances could be enough to embolden any thugs who had a bone to pick with Tino’s master. However, she had no idea just how many people that might actually be.

“From what I hear, the Troglodytes being nearby was a total coincidence. What the hell’s the CM thinking?”

That sent a shock through Tino’s body. She reflexively shook her head. Lyle had it wrong. It was the other way around. The Tino of before wouldn’t have realized it, but the current Tino had learned from her experiences and was just slightly more capable of understanding her master. She was able to put some of the pieces together.

The ambiguous response to the attack, the unexpected aid of the Troglodytes, the decision to abstain from vengeance, all of it could all mean only one thing. Her master was intentionally showing a weak front in order to lure in more thugs so he could wipe them all out in one fell swoop.

When it came to assassinations, the party doing the killing had the advantage as they could decide the timing and methods. It was hard to remain constantly on alert for a strike that might come at any moment, and you couldn’t hide in a safe place forever.

Still, luring in attackers was hardly a normal solution. This display of weakness was going to bring assailants in droves. Destroying them in bulk would be far harder and more demanding than fighting them one at a time.

However, if you were willing to disregard the risk factor, enticing the assassins to strike was the fastest way to be rid of them. It was probably the only way to bring out the more furtive enemies. It was nearly impossible to search out threats that hadn’t yet revealed themselves, and rooting out entire organizations was the only way to ensure stragglers didn’t resurface someday.

The Thousand Tricks wasn’t a target to be taken down solo. If this initial incursion was done just for gathering intel, the real attack would be a massive joint effort. Any hitmen willing to target a high-level hunter were probably too powerful for Tino and maybe even most First Steps.

She had doubts in her mind—this was another of the Thousand Trials. It would be a war, for no other word could capture a conflict between First Steps and a coordinated band of assassins.

“Tino?! What’s the matter? You started quaking all of a sudden.”

“I’m fine. I’m just shaking with...anticipation.”

She swiftly checked her surroundings. Keeping a low profile, she positioned her back so it was against a wall. She didn’t have any weapons on her, but she could hold her own without them.

She knew how her master worked. The thugs would appear the moment she let her guard down or told herself she would be fine for the time being. If the Troglodyte reinforcements had been unanticipated, that meant the plan was being deviated from. That was probably the only flaw in Krai’s scheme.

“Tino, what are you doing?” Lyle asked, taken aback by her sudden caution. This was proof that he lacked the experience she had. She had to be prepared for an attack at any moment.

Then she had an idea! She could show her master how well she had read his moves. If she proved able to comprehend his plans, he might tone down the Trial.

“I’m going to see Master,” she said.

“O-Okay. Give him my regards.”

Tino gulped, then dashed up the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible.

***

“Hey, why not? Let’s kill ’em. We gotta wipe them out, or they might come back for us. Why can’t we go after them?!”

It was the day after the assault on the lounge. I was sitting on my bed, clutching my head. I sighed and just ignored Liz’s saccharine voice and clinging arms.

As you go up in the world, you gain both friends and enemies. Treasure hunters were no exception to this rule. Taking down bandits bred grudges. Selling Relics and materials harvested from monsters to one trading company could earn you the ire of another company. Many hunters were the rivalrous sort who would undermine you the moment they got the chance.

Then there were, of course, all the times clients had become ticked off at my childhood friends, not through any misunderstanding, but for good reason. That was one of the many sources of stress during my time as a hunter. Lately, they had been mellowing out, but things had started to shift after the incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival.

By the sound of it, a little misunderstanding with the bad Foxes had incited them to place a bounty on my head. Stuff like this happened to hunters all the time, myself included, so I wasn’t too worked up. These would always get retracted after a bit, so I was sure this would blow over soon enough.

One of the reasons I had a private room without windows and only accessible by a hidden door in my office was to be a safe zone at times like these. It was only natural to consider the safety of myself and the clan employees. In the early days of First Steps, we had endured one assailant after another.

Fortunately, until now, nobody had ever managed to breach the perimeter of the clan house. So what had gone wrong? Was it because I had gone to the lounge even though I had said I wasn’t leaving my room?

When I closed my eyes, I could see the arrow with its explosive package closing in on me. Thankfully, my Safety Rings had done their job and kept me safe. Eva, whom I had been covering, was also unharmed, and Gark had survived as well. However, I didn’t know where to go from here. All I could say for sure was that I wouldn’t be going outside anytime soon.

I didn’t care who was behind the attacks. Nobody in particular came to mind, and it could’ve been just about anyone. It was possible some lingering bandits wanted vengeance. It was also possible that Franz or someone had reached the limits of their patience and hired a squad of hitmen. I just hoped this was something that would solve itself over time. And why were those Cave People there? That scared me more than anything else.

Still, my biggest problem of all was my friends. Liz kicked her legs against the bed as she leaned into me, arms around my torso.

“Let’s make an example of every one of them, and their families too,” she whispered into my ear. “We need to catch every last one of them. Right? Isn’t that how it’s done?”

“No,” I told her.

“How come? Everyone’s gonna think we’ve gone all soft. I’ll totally make sure they regret coming after you. I’ll butcher them, then hang them from the gates of the imperial capital.”

She was trying to hide her rage but doing an imperfect job. I wasn’t ignorant of the way the treasure-hunting world worked, but she had a tendency to go overboard. It’d be fine if she only went after the people who had tried to kill me, but exercising that sort of restraint wasn’t in her nature.

If she was planning to also slaughter their friends and families, I wasn’t really sure who was the criminal here. Besides, I was pretty sure whoever was out to get me was already plenty scared. Watching those Troglodytes swarm the attackers had left me scared. It brought back memories of Suls.

“You know, it’s not like I’m pissed because they attacked you,” Liz said, rubbing herself against me. I decided to assume this was just her way of blowing off steam. “A little explosion won’t kill you, but it’s just, if you get hit, you gotta hit back. That’s how hunters are. You know that.”

“Mmm.”

She was definitely pissed. Then there was Sitri, who had spent the previous night going on about how if someone attacks a person important to you, you should kill someone important to them. If I hadn’t stopped her, she definitely would’ve become a criminal. She said it was fine as long as she didn’t get caught, but I disagreed. Honestly, how was I supposed to explain to the Smart parents what had become of their daughters?

Liz’s touchy-feely-ness was worse than usual, probably because of her pent-up stress. Her arms and legs were tangled around me, her body heat causing me to sweat. I let out a yelp as she lightly bit the back of my neck.

Quit acting like a wild animal!

I shook her off, grabbed her arms, and pinned her down. She looked shocked for a brief moment before letting herself relax. I had been a hunter for some time, but I hadn’t gotten any better at making excuses at times like these.

“It’s fine,” I told her. “I’m busy, so let it be. Everything’s going according to plan!”

I had arranged for Matthis to come over and appraise the Relic from Eliza, but now that plan was shot. Though I had been looking forward to doing nothing but fiddling with my Relics, nothing was going to make me start going after people’s families. I had endured all sorts of tribulations! I was tribulation-resilient!

Liz looked at me apprehensively, something she didn’t often do. “Reeeally? Are you going to get revenge, like you’re supposed to?”

“It would be a waste of my time. Don’t worry. After a mess like that, I don’t think anyone will be attacking again for the time being. The Troglodytes captured some of them, and some knights are looking into it.”

“Hmm.”

Honestly, what I found really odd was that my friends seemed to think there might still be more threats on the horizon. Those guys who burst into the lounge hadn’t been just any old lackeys, though they lost to the raw might of the Troglodytes. It could’ve been my imagination, but they seemed to coordinate even better if I was involved.

Liz’s pouting suggested she still wasn’t satisfied by my reassurances, but I knew that this was just because she was stressed. I reached out and stroked the back of her neck. Just like when we were kids, her skin was smooth and supple with a slight warmth to it.

Liz, a big fan of physical contact, was always embracing me and giving me other uncomfortable reminders of her sense of distance, but it seemed she preferred to be the one getting touched. She used to get jealous when I’d tie Lucia’s hair, and I’d recently found that brushing her hair was effective. I had picked up a trick or two during our long friendship, including many methods of calming her down.

“Are you stressed out?” she asked me, her voice now a bit softer. “Or are you in the mood? Should I strip?”

“Maybe I should also keep Lucia or Sitri around when you’re on guard duty.”

“Exactly, even if it’s part of the plan, it’s hard to resist getting revenge.” Liz’s cheeks flushed. “It’s fine. Release your stress on me.”

I think she had the wrong idea. What sort of person did she think I was? When had I ever asked her to do anything like that? I sighed and reminded myself that most hunters were people with strong urges.

I wasn’t sure if she was joking, but I was much more exasperated than embarrassed. I didn’t say anything as I tugged on her soft cheek, to which she responded with a brilliant smile. My pulling didn’t seem to have any effect on her, so I let go.

“I’m not sure I like having you, of all people, worry about my stress,” I said and sighed deeply.

“Really? You’re always going out of your way for me, I can do the same for you every now and again.”

My friends were busy, but they had made room in their schedules to take turns guarding me. I was grateful and looking forward to it, but could I really endure it? The first day suggested otherwise. At least she seemed to have forgotten about the whole revenge thing. That I was grateful for.

“It’s not stress, but I do have to recharge after everything that happened at the Supreme Warrior Festival,” I told her. “You should take some time to rest. I bet that was exhausting for you too. It won’t be long before we’re busy again.”

“I don’t really need to rest since I didn’t get to fight in the tournament and all. Oh, that’s right! My mentor wants to meet you.”

“And I’d love to, but I just don’t have the time. I know I’m holed up here resting, but I just don’t have the time.”

Whenever I met any of my friends’ mentors, I’d get a hail of boasts and grumbling. Did they think I was my friends’ legal guardian or something? I always wondered what sort of exaggerated stories Liz and the others told about me, but I was always too afraid to ask.

The next moment, I heard a clunk from outside the door. Liz’s smile vanished. She listlessly got up and swung the door open, revealing Tino on the other side. She had fallen on her bottom, her pale face angled up at Liz.

“I kept thinking there was something out there. Krai Baby, what do I do with this?”

There was nothing secret about my secret room, but I suppose that had been true for a long time at this point.

Tino looked at me timidly. “Recharging. Luring out attackers. Killing them and their families?”

If you’re going to eavesdrop, at least do a better job of it!

Had she only picked up on the most startling phrases? And I didn’t recall saying anything about luring out attackers. Was it Liz’s threatening presence distorting her memories? Nothing put Liz in a bad mood worse than having one of her good moods interrupted.

Liz grabbed Tino by the neck and casually flung her my way. She let out a small shriek as she landed in front of me, unable to manage a breakfall.

“Have I been a bad mentor?” Liz said. “Now she knows the plan. She should’ve taken the hint when I told her there were no lessons today.”

Now, now, calm down.

I was surprised to see Tino here, but a good kid like her was probably just worried about me. Liz’s rough treatment was entirely unwarranted.

I smiled at Tino and spoke in a gentle tone so as not to make her panic any further. “There’s no plan. We’re not going to slaughter or butcher anyone or do anything of the sort. I’m just storing up energy for the future.”

Tino tensed up. “Y-You’re storing up energy?!” she repeated in a small voice.

Just what sort of person do you take me for?

I heard a sudden knocking noise behind me, but I didn’t get up; I just craned my neck towards the window. Outside, tapping on the pane with its beak was a familiar pigeon made of chains. For safety reasons, I had chosen to put the clan house in an area without many other tall buildings. My office was on the top floor, which made it hard to fire into, unlike the lounge.

After Liz broke one of the windows, I had the panes replaced with a variety of glass that was both sturdy and expensive (it was a special product enhanced with mana material). That still wasn’t enough to stop a high-level hunter, but I didn’t think any criminals would be brazen enough to break through when a major street was nearby. Except the ones that had just recently tossed an explosive into the lounge.

I turned the latch, opened the window a tad, and the Pigeon Chain frantically flapped its wings to get inside. This was a piece from Matthis’s collection. Of the many chain-type Relics, ones capable of flight were rare; even I didn’t have one. Pigeon Chains were smart enough to protect themselves from threats and could serve in place of messenger pigeons, not to mention their small size made them mana-efficient. All in all, they were one of the most handy chain-types out there.

I wasted no time undoing the tube on its leg and removing the letter from Matthis. I looked it over and learned that he wouldn’t be able to do any more in-home appraisals for a while. I supposed this meant even an appraiser with an infinite well of love for Relics couldn’t win against the toll taken by time. Well, it was for the best that he didn’t risk getting wrapped up in the chaos over here. He may have been my mentor in Relic-related matters, but he was just as ill-suited to combat as I was.

I grimaced as I read the rest of the letter, a chaotic mess of complaints that his son and wife got angry when he tried to do an in-home appraisal, adoring tales about his granddaughter, and miscellaneous gossip.

Next to me, Luke, my guard for the day, was polishing a new wooden sword. “So, Krai, when are we going to spill some blood?”

“Hm?”

“I don’t really get it, but when my mentor heard about the attack, he told me not to start cutting. He really emphasized it. So what he was really getting at was that they should get cut, right?”

“Hmm?”

“I won’t do the cutting; they’ll get cut on their own. A first-rate Swordsman lets his foes come to his blade, not the other way around.”

I didn’t know what he was saying or trying to say, but he sure was zealous about it. Luke didn’t snap the way Liz would, but he was just as much, if not more, violent than she was. This might have actually made him the harder of the two to handle.

“I’ve discovered a secondary effect of Voltaic Deicide. It scorches the gashes it leaves, reducing the chances of them dying of blood loss. So basically, I can cut someone over and over again, forever, really. Oh! I can cut through the others’ share as well!”

It was my understanding that a lightning strike would inflict major damage on you and your target, but maybe Luke had other ideas on the matter. I thought I had told him I had put a stop to Liz’s plans for revenge, but I guess I hadn’t gotten through to him.

The Pigeon Chain paced in front of me, as though urging me to hurry up and write my reply. I looked between it and Luke, and decided to just tell him whatever. “Hold it. It’s not time yet. I’m busy and we need to lay low for a bit. We can expect good things if we show a bit of patience.”

So far, there hadn’t been any follow-up attacks, and it was possible it would stay that way. Perhaps the thugs captured by Ryuulan’s forces were the ringleaders of the attack. If not, well, I realized our assailants had made a major mistake—they had gotten Gark, a branch manager for the Explorers’ Association, involved.

Contrary to his brutish appearance, he was a man with authority. In our golden age of treasure hunting, the Association was not something you wanted to make an enemy of. At that very moment, Gark was probably searching for the culprits. Waiting was the only option available to me.

“Damn, you still want me to hold off? Krai, I gotta say, I don’t like the way you put on airs sometimes. My devil sword, it’s demanding blood.”

I didn’t “still” want him to hold off, I perpetually wanted him to hold off. As for that devil sword of his, it had recently been remade after being scorched, so I doubted it was “thirsting for blood.”

“Just one cut won’t make the cut,” he mumbled.

All right, you’ve got too much free time on your hands. I guess I can keep you busy for a bit.

Just like I knew Liz’s nature, I knew Luke’s as well. Distracting him would be simple, I just couldn’t expect it to last very long. Just as I got up, there was a knock at the door. I stopped Luke’s hand as it reached for the sword.

“It’s Eva,” I said.

“Yeah, I know.”

That was the danger—he might still take a swing, knowing full well that it was her.

I told her it was okay, and she came in, looking just like she had before the attack, her usual pristine and orderly self. Most people would need some time to recover from the shock of witnessing a bomb detonating nearby, but it had taken less than a day for Eva to return to normal. I envied how even-keeled she could be. But it was precisely because they were unshakable that I couldn’t let any harm come to her or the rest of the clan administration.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

“Thanks to you, I’m unharmed and have experienced no difficulties getting back to work. The lounge won’t be fully repaired for some time, but the Troglodytes are offering their aid.”

I didn’t realize they were our friends. Wait, if we don’t speak the same language, then how—

I sealed off the questions forming in the back of my mind and put on a smile. “You can take a break. Things are dangerous right now, and Luke can handle the administrative duties.”

“You bet I can! Leave it to me, Eva! My blood is boiling!”

He was incredibly confident for someone who I couldn’t recall ever doing desk work.

A look of displeasure flashed across Eva’s face before she cleared her throat. “There’s no need to worry. I’ve absorbed a modicum of mana material for times like these, and besides, I intend to take up residence in the clan house for the time being. I don’t know anywhere safer than here.”

When did she get time to absorb mana material? Did this mean she was stronger than me? It wasn’t hard to imagine, given how life isn’t exactly known for being fair. I had to admit, staying at the clan house wasn’t a bad idea; it was built like a fortress, and there were plenty of people able to defend it.

“Wanna have a slumber party?” I asked.

“I do not,” she replied after a brief pause. “After hearing of the attempt on your life, we’ve received a number of letters and gifts wishing you well. What shall I do with them? I know you aren’t accepting visits, but...”

“I sure am popular.”

“I imagine they saw this as a good opportunity, given how rare the chance to see you in person is. After all, you’re a popular topic of conversation at the moment.”

I couldn’t think of anything to say while under Eva’s intense gaze. It’s not like I had wanted people talking about me.

Eva really wasn’t letting herself be shaken by the recent attack, but that actually had me concerned. She may have absorbed some mana material, but that didn’t change the fact that she was a noncombatant. She needed protection. I pulled a Safety Ring off my right hand and tossed it to her. I had enough that one less wasn’t going to make a difference.

Eva caught the ring and looked at me apprehensively. “Umm, is this...”

“It’s a Safety Ring, and I’m giving it to you. I apologize that it’s secondhand, but you should have it.”

“A Safety Ring! Those aren’t cheap! No, never mind that! Why are you suddenly giving me this?”

Then, out of the blue, I had an idea.

“Hold on,” I muttered.

I folded my arms and looked at the Pigeon Chain. It was in front of me, poking my desk with its beak. If Matthis couldn’t come to me to do an appraisal, why not just send the Relic to him? He surely wouldn’t be able to refuse if I had Tino do the delivery. She was a member of First Steps and regularly visited the clan house, so there was nothing suspicious about having her do it.

Man, I’m on fire today. If anything, I can’t believe I didn’t think of this sooner.

I pointed to the window. The Pigeon Chain took this as a sign that I wouldn’t be writing a reply, then flew off. Eva’s eyes darted back and forth between me and the flying Relic.

“Thanks to you, I came up with something great,” I said with a chuckle.

“Huh?! What? That was Pigeon Chain, wasn’t it? Are you planning something again? Did something occur to you?!”

A bit of an overreaction, though it was amusing to see her flustered when she was usually so composed. It was sort of rejuvenating.

“It’s nothing. It’s all fine. All fine.”

“Is it fine that Tino’s going around telling people that you’re going to ‘kill them, their friends, and their families’?”

That’s not fine at all.

Even a high-level hunter couldn’t get away with that, and they certainly couldn’t get away with hanging corpses from the gates of the capital. I just had to put a stop to those rumors, but I was more concerned about Tino’s apparent declining faith in me. It was time to do something about that.

“It seems,” Eva continued, “there are some in the clan who are preparing to go on the offensive before something tragic happens to us.”

I hadn’t even said anything, but the situation was developing anyway. It was true that we had been attacked, and I was fine with the clan members doing what they wanted; I just didn’t want to be held responsible for whatever happened.

“It’s a wild world out there,” I said.

“Don’t tell me that’s all you plan to say,” Eva replied.

I let out a big yawn. Lately, the slightest movements on my part had resulted in all sorts of unforeseen consequences, so I had decided that sitting still was the right decision.

Luke was holding his sword above him and examining it when he suddenly seemed to remember something. “Right, Krai, my mentor says you should pay him a visit if you’ve got nothing better to do. I think he wants to consult you on something.”

“The Sword Saint does?” Eva said. “I was under the impression he was busy since he had been recruited to help counter Fox. Krai, I have to say, you really have a long list of connections.”

Connections felt like a funny word, considering he most likely wanted to complain to me. That was generally how it went every time I saw my friends’ mentors, especially those of Luke and Liz. I never wanted to consult with these people because what they really wanted to do was gripe at me. But if they really did want my advice, that’d be bad too.

“Any idea what it might be about?” I asked.

“Mmm, I got nothing.”

Yeah, of course you don’t. Think! Don’t be so...content that you can’t remember.

Luke hummed and furrowed his brow. “Ah, I think I got it. My mentor uses two swords, but the other day I was wondering which one was stronger, so I asked him about it.”

Luke’s mentor was Soln Rowell, the Sword Saint. He was one of the best in his field, and unlike Luke, he trained his mind as well as his body and techniques. Not only was he revered by Swordsmen for being both strong and integrous, but he was also a sword collector with more than a few famous works in his possession.

Though he was prohibited from carrying one around, Luke was also a sword enthusiast. I could recall the shine in his eye when he first met the Sword Saint and saw the blade in his hand.

“He told me he didn’t know, so I tested it out behind his back,” Luke continued. “They both got busted.”

“Huh?!”

“I guess this means Crimson Heaven and Azure Spirit are equally strong. I mean, they’re the same length and make a good combo.”

Yeah. Uh-huh.

Breaking two of your mentor’s prized swords sounded like the sort of screwup that could get you expelled or maybe even killed, but Luke didn’t look like he had any regrets. Was this another sign of how terrifying a high-level hunter could be? Relics were generally sturdy, and even non-Relic weapons weren’t easily broken, but it seemed things were different when someone like Luke was involved.

But wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around? Like, a talented Swordsman should be able to use a weapon that would otherwise break in the hands of an amateur, or something like that?

Luke folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. “No, wait a minute. Maybe it’s because I broke one of his swords while practicing Voltaic Deicide. I used one of his because the wooden ones kept breaking.”

How many swords are you going to break?! Didn’t you just start on Voltaic Deicide?! That’s definitely what this is about!

Armaments weren’t cheap. In those days, anything that couldn’t be made with casting could fetch an astronomical price. This naturally went for Relics, but even a handcrafted sword could sell for hundreds of millions. I struggled to imagine how much someone might be willing to shell out for something from the Sword Saint’s collection. The thing was, though, to a Swordsman, their blade was practically their soul.

I still didn’t understand how Luke hadn’t been booted from his dojo. Eva seemed equally exasperated. What would happen if I just agreed and showed up in front of the Sword Saint? He was a person of exceptional humanity, but he wasn’t the mellow sort. I already tried to meet him as rarely as possible; showing myself in front of him when he was angry was unthinkable.

I wondered if there might be some way to make him forgive Luke’s barbarism. Perhaps if I gave him something to replace the broken swords? That was when my eyes fell on the box at my feet, the one containing all the items Eliza had dropped off. I took a deep breath and removed the most interesting of the bunch, the sword wrapped in the black cloth.

I removed the cloth, revealing a jet-black straight sword. It had a subtle glimmer, like it had been crafted from the night itself. The lack of resemblance to any modern metal made it clear that this was from a civilization long gone.

“Ooh?! What’s that?!” Luke exclaimed.

Though I had tried consulting my Relic encyclopedia, I still hadn’t identified this blade. Research into sword-type Relics had come a long way, so this must have been something fairly rare if it wasn’t in the encyclopedia.

I had planned to commission Matthis for an appraisal, but now that wasn’t an option. I didn’t know for sure that this sword would make up for the ones Luke had broken, but I felt like fate had played its hand here. My recent experience with Key of Land also left me a bit distrustful of swords.

I took a deep breath, steeling my resolve. Then I rewrapped the sword and put it on my desk.

“I can’t go, but you can take this to your mentor. It’s a rare piece.”

I didn’t know how much practical value it had, but it sure was beautiful. I hoped this would improve the Sword Saint’s mood just a bit. If he did figure out its powers, I just hoped he’d share his findings with me.

***

Treasure hunters kept their ears close to the ground. Once, when the Thousand Tricks was merely considering buying a Relic, word spread in an instant. Now, it was happening again. This time, the rumors claimed that the preterhuman artificer was storing up his power.

The details were scattered. Some people said this was a reaction to the attack on the clan house, others claimed that the Thousand Tricks had anticipated the attack. The one point everyone agreed on was that his revenge would be thorough.

Doing so would, of course, be running afoul of the law. Not even high-level hunters—no, high-level hunters especially couldn’t be allowed to flout the rules. Still, the infamy of Grieving Souls made those rumors all too easy to believe. If someone struck at Grieving Souls, they’d be hunted to the end of the world.

Within the imperial capital was the decaying district, a melting pot where all of the city’s darkness coalesced. Tucked in one corner was a shop that looked almost abandoned, its roof ready to collapse at any minute. Past the decrepit doors and down the staircase was the Red Ring.

This was a place made for those on the fringes of society to share information. It was like an underground version of the Explorers’ Association, a place to facilitate dirty work. The interior was small, but only members of powerful organizations or those capable enough to earn introductions were allowed in.

The tables were placed haphazardly, and there were only a few people present besides the gruff proprietor. The clientele varied in age and gender, but they all shared the same cold glint in their eyes and exuded an aura of bloodthirst.

In one gloomy corner, a man and a woman sat around a small table. The man was short and melancholy, with black hair that hung over his eyes. The woman was blonde and had a hawkish gaze. They didn’t appear as threatening as the other patrons, but their presence here was proof that they were skilled ghost hunters.

The Pacifist and the Golden were their monikers, and they were hitmen who chased high-value targets. Though they normally operated in other lands, they had come to Zebrudia to chase an immense bounty.

The Thousand Tricks was a treasure hunter known for his work guarding the emperor and taking down many foes, namely the elusive Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox. The sum offered for his head was inordinately high for a single person. He must have really incurred the wrath of Fox. Nothing weird about that, given that their encounter with him had spurred the organization to withdraw from the empire.

The money on offer here was more than enough to hire a good number of top-class assassins or a large mercenary corps. If this went well, these two would never have to work again for the rest of their lives, not to mention the glory that would come with killing a man who had brought down so many organizations. This was the job of a lifetime, but the two assassins appeared to be in poor spirits.

The blonde woman, the Golden, was an Archer who had a long list of kills thanks to her infallible accuracy and excellent planning skills. She slammed her fist on the table and looked imposingly at the man across from her.

“You’re telling me you’re getting cold feet?! Did you forget we’ve already tried to off him once?!”

For the Golden, assassination was a simple matter. She had never once missed, not even when her target was a seasoned treasure hunter. Taking down targets far stronger than her was no problem because hunters tended to allot their absorbed mana material to bolstering their attack power. The reasoning was that armor could compensate for low defense, but there was nothing you could do against a tough phantom if your strength was lacking.

Similarly, the Golden had dedicated all her mana material to stealth and offensive power. Nobody had ever recovered from a critical blow inflicted by her.

Further ensuring her success was her partner, the Pacifist, a man meek and distrustful. By skillfully utilizing bombs and poisons, he could eliminate targets without ever confronting them. It was a sort of power incomparable to raw strength.

By combining their different talents, there was nobody the Golden and the Pacifist couldn’t kill. However, though the Pacifist was always quaking with trepidation while still doing his job, this time he was completely cowed.

“Th-This is impossible,” he said. “W-We can’t win. That man, he’s a freak.”

“Like we didn’t already fuckin’ know that?! He’s a Level 8!”

Going after such a high-level hunter was far too risky for most assassins. Levels were raised through one accomplishment after another, and there were even tests involved. Level 8 implied that someone was among the strongest humans alive. It meant they had overcome gauntlets and absorbed large amounts of mana material. The quality and sum of their effort was extraordinary, and most importantly, so was their talent.

There were hunters who specialized in specific fields and others who took a more rounded approach, but a Level 8 could blow any of them out of the water. A good indicator of their unique status was that even in Zebrudia, the holy land of hunters, there were only four people Level 8 or higher.

Yet these two had decided to go after the Thousand Tricks, under the impression they were aware of what they were getting themselves into. The Golden was a hunter; she would never pull out now that she had concocted a plan and tested the waters. She had even enlisted troops to help her.

She folded her arms and glared at her partner, but he argued his point, shaking all the while. “Y-You’re right. We hadn’t expected that t-to work. B-But it’s just not just that he’s strong. He took my custom explosive and threw it at Gark. He’s d-definitely got a few screws loose!”

The Golden maintained her silent glare.

“H-He also used monsters to capture our troops! How are two people as w-weak as us supposed to kill someone even less sane than we are?!”

The place was silent. Nobody spoke, not the black-clad proprietor, not any of the other patrons. However, the Pacifist had hit the nail on the head.

One advantage assassins had was that they knew from the start they were doing something wrong. Therefore, the Golden had no need to be picky about her methods. As long as the target was someone upstanding, she would have the upper hand, no matter how powerful they may have been.

But what if the target was someone equally pragmatic?

“H-He fights on our level! Our level! He w-wasn’t scared! Of the monsters! Any ordinary person wouldn’t even think of using m-monsters! D-Do you realize what he’s g-going to do? What we can’t! Our friends and f-families are going to be k-killed and hanged as an example! They’re not afraid to get their hands dirty.”

The Golden looked conflicted. “I don’t have any friends. Besides you. My family bit the dust long ago.”

“W-Well I do.” The Pacifist rocked the table as he got up on unsteady feet and waved his arms around. The temperature in the room seemed to drop as he began to yell passionately. “L-Look! Almost everyone who came here with the same confidence as us has already f-fled! I heard the Association is afraid that Grieving Souls might go overboard!”

“Sucks, doesn’t it?”

No denying it, things couldn’t get much worse. The Golden had no trouble understanding the fear in her partner’s eyes. Grieving Souls belonged to the Explorers’ Association, but it was the Association that was afraid of what the party might do. If information like that started going around, of course most assassins would want to get out of dodge.

If even Grieving Souls’s allies were afraid, then how could their enemies not be? For anyone who valued their life, this man was a genuine fiend not worth pursuing, no matter how much money was up for grabs.

The Golden and the Pacifist were both willing to team up with other assassins if the situation called for it, but all their potential accomplices had fled. By firing the first shots, they had made themselves enemies of Grieving Souls. Withdrawing under such circumstances would normally be incredibly dangerous, but this time, it might be the safer option.

Neither the arrow nor the bomb had had any effect, and it was possible that poison wouldn’t fare any better. Most of all, it was rare for the sharp-witted Pacifist to put his foot down like this. They had done so much, but so far it was all for nothing. Frustrated, the Golden couldn’t help but sigh.

She clicked her tongue. “Sure looks bad giving up on a target we had set our sights on, but if you insist, then that’s that, I guess. With that settled, let’s pack our bags and get out of this land.”

“Yeah. Hunting fiends isn’t what we do.”

The Thousand Tricks could probably tell that their first attack was just to test for weaknesses and was waiting for the follow-up. Even the preterhuman artificer wouldn’t expect them to immediately flee after making such an obvious preliminary strike.

But just as this crossed the Golden’s mind, the entire shop trembled. She heard the sound of something hitting the metal door. The proprietor sprang up, and the other patrons also braced themselves. The Pacifist went pale as he groaned and pressed his back against the wall.

The air shook. Again and again, they heard the heavy thud of something slamming against the door. It was a sturdy door, but nobody had anticipated someone making a head-on assault on a den of assassins. But more than that, this place was supposedly known to only a handful of people. Where had the leak occurred? The Golden looked at the proprietor, but he shook his head.

There was yelling on the other side of the door. It was a young woman, she sounded desperate. “I won’t let you turn Master into a criminal!”

Was she by herself? Was she part of Grieving Souls? Could they handle her if she were alone? They should be able to handle a single hunter. These questions were just the Golden’s attempt at escapism, an act disrupted by an uncouth male voice.

“We know you’re in here! Give up, we’ve got fifty people and then some! We’re not gonna hang you from the gates or make an example of you!”

“Ryu-ryuu-ryu-ryu-ryuuu!”

Fifty?! It couldn’t be that many. That would be insane. Only large clans had that many people. For a moment, she thought it was a bluff, but she could confidently detect dozens of presences beyond that door. No, there was more than that. That man had said “fifty people and then some.” In other words, they had more than just people. And judging by the other voices she had heard... The Golden felt a chill down her spine. Nobody here was even armed for combat. They wouldn’t stand a chance.

“There’s a back entrance,” the proprietor said before disappearing behind the counter.

The door contorted, its hinges grinding. They were brute-forcing it, and it wouldn’t be long before they succeeded.

“Let’s get the hell out of here!” the Golden cried and grabbed the Pacifist’s arm. They went behind the counter, and at nearly the exact same moment, the heavy door was flung open.

***

The imperial capital of Zebrudia was a grand city, even when compared to the municipalities of neighboring nations. Nestled in a corner not far from the city’s center was a shop. It was two stories, the top serving as a living space. Its endearing exterior made it fit right in with the other buildings, not far off the main thoroughfare.

Though it was indeed a shop, it hadn’t actually started selling anything yet. There was nothing written on the sign outside, and looking in from the outside, the interior appeared mostly empty. Perhaps it would be a little longer before it was open for business.

This was a shop run by Foxes. Or rather, former Foxes, who were now on the run from the organization. Sora had spent the last week or so thrilled by the splendor of the imperial capital; the rumors hadn’t done it justice.

Now she was on the second floor, reading the newspaper that had just arrived. “Oh?! Galf! Galf! Please, take a look at this!”

Hearing her voice, Galf Shenfelder, a former top-level member of Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox, came up from the first floor, where he had been getting the place ready. “Hm? Ahhh. Saw that coming,” he replied in a weary voice.

It had been over ten days since circumstances had brought them to the imperial capital. They hadn’t encountered any pursuers from the organization. Their current building had no connection to the organization and had been obtained with the aid of the Thousand Tricks. What’s more, the aftermath of the Supreme Warrior Festival left the organization without the resources to spare on people like Galf and Sora. These two wouldn’t be found easily.

Galf was always gathering information, so he had a decent grasp of the organization’s current status. It seemed the events at the tournament had inflicted a severe wound on Fox, and the infighting between bosses was heating up. Even if Galf and Sora had stuck with the organization, nothing good would have come of it. Like Galf, Sora was a loyal person, but cutting ties was their only option. All she could do was be grateful that the fox god’s blessings had kept her safe thus far.

A massive city like the imperial capital was unlike anything the lifelong priestess had ever seen. There was one incredible sight after another. Kreat had also kept her eyes darting from one thing to another, but back then, she was on a mission. Now she had no directive. She had much more freedom than she knew what to do with. She was so idle that in the end, she decided to make fried tofu.

The article in the newspaper was about the attack on the Thousand Tricks, the False Fox that had brought them to this city. The preterhuman artifice he had displayed in Kreat had washed away everything Sora had worked for, and it seemed he got up to the same business in the imperial capital.

“He picked a fight with the organization, so of course they sent people after him,” Galf said. “It doesn’t sound like they sent someone who was directly part of the organization, but I hear there’s a hefty bounty in the underworld. Back when I was a Fox, we would’ve gone further than this, but I guess the organization did just take a heavy blow. Honestly, what’s that man’s deal?”

As he had gone from a candidate for the top brass only to become a traitor just as quickly, Sora couldn’t blame him for sounding bitter. She was in a similar position, having gone from priestess to turncoat.

But the past was the past. They had been brought to the imperial capital and given a helping hand. Depending on your perspective, you could argue they had simply changed who was looking out for them. Not to mention, the Thousand Tricks was the acquaintance of the progeny of the true fox god.

Sora cleared her throat and half-closed her eyes. “Galf,” she said, thinking back on past events. “The holy fox mandates that we do something about this bounty.”

“Like hell a god would say that, you moron!”

“I’m a Holy Fox Maiden, my word is the word of my god. Do you doubt the word of my god?”

“What even is this god of yours? I’ve never heard of a Maiden like you! I knew I should’ve requested a different one!”

As a Maiden, Sora walked a path ordained by the transcendental fox god she worshipped. While it was true that she could make errors on extremely rare occasions, those, too, were the god’s will. She had come to this conclusion because she couldn’t live her life believing anything else.

“Can you do something about this?” she said with a cough.

Galf gave her that same look of subtle but total confidence he always had. “I’m a White Fox, y’know? I have the mask to prove it. I just don’t wear it because it gets in the way.”

Sora cleared her throat and said in a voice carrying divine weight, “Then, if you would. I have no desire to lose our protection.”

“You’re not half bad, Sora.”

“With Krai’s blessing, I’ve received money from Sitri and am making inarizushi in dedication to the fox god. She’s also considering establishing chain locations.”

“But we’re doing all the work...”

Shoulders slumped, Galf headed outside. Somehow, he hadn’t gotten rusty. Sora was sure the bounty would disappear soon enough. With a sigh, she looked out the window to the cloudless sky and offered a prayer.

O Holy Fox, please watch over me. I’m doing my best to make fried tofu.

***

“What are you doing?! Goodness, it’s eleven o’clock, yet you’re still in bed!”

“Mrmm?”

Tranquility is always shattered abruptly. My awakening was accompanied by fierce shaking. Being jostled about, I was left with no choice but to stick my head out from the covers. Through my blurry vision, I could see Lucia’s dour face. I couldn’t think of anyone else who might try to wake me like this.

She had always had fine features, but had recently started to look even more attractive, making her foul moods even more intimidating. We had been siblings for a long time now, and back home, it had been her job to wake me.

Though she used to go about it more gently.

Oh, that’s right. Today, it’s Lucia’s turn to guard me.

“One more hour...” I said.

“Augh! Why are you such a sloth?!”

“It’s not like I’ve got anything to be doing.”

“Really now?! N-Never mind that. Here, look at this! Look!”

The covers were ripped away, and a newspaper was slammed down next to my pillow. Why was she hard on her older brother when she was so cordial to everyone else?

What in the world happened to the girl who used to follow me?

“Look, I also brought you breakfast, even though it’s the middle of the day!”

Surrendering, I moved my head just slightly, opened my eyes just slightly, and looked at the newspaper. What I saw was something startling to read just after waking up. I snapped my eyes shut and rolled over. I didn’t know anything. I was ignorant and unaware, I told myself.

“Good night.”

“Brother! Don’t go back to sleep! Get up!”

Lucia grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me from side to side. Shaking was one of the few types of attacks against which Safety Rings weren’t effective.

As my eyes rolled about, I decided I may as well offer an excuse. “I might be their clan master, but I’m not their parent.”

“Actually read it! It says they attacked on your orders!”

Covering the front page was an article titled “Major Clan First Steps Behind Attack in Decaying District.” Apparently, a bunch of our clan members had gotten together and attacked some places in the decaying district. The article included a photo of a decrepit townscape falling apart.

“I didn’t tell them to do anything like that.”

“Nonetheless, it says they were retaliating for the attack on our clan house!”

“What a mess. I thought I told them they didn’t need to do that.”

Since when were these guys the loyal type? Or is this a matter of pride?

Lucia leaned over my bed, slid her arms past my sides, then forced me up. So I had my clan members to blame for this rude awakening.

“Why’d they go to the decaying district in the first place?” I asked.

“About that. Siddy let it slip to T that she knew a place where the assassins might be. She said it was a special place, one unknown to regular people.”

Sitri was very...thoughtful and hardworking. She usually listened to me. It was probably just that revealing the location of potential assassins didn’t count as “doing anything” in her book. She was also pretty ticked about what had happened to the lounge.

“But the decaying district is mostly derelict buildings anyway,” I said. “I’m sure a little chaos won’t—”

“I heard five buildings were destroyed. The Troglodytes ran rampant! All because of you!”

That sure sounded like them. If they had constructed that hot spring palace in Suls in a matter of hours, they were probably just as good at demolition. What a bunch of maniacs. If they kept this up, people would get the wrong idea about our clan. Our party already had a pretty bad reputation. What would happen if the clan did too?

Somebody, stop these Cave People.

“I’m done with Fox,” I said. “The empire said they’re working on it and there’s nothing more I can do. I’m sure this bounty will get taken down soon enough, just like they always do.”

Give me a break. Did I not say to watch and see what happens?

It wasn’t that I cared if they went off and caused a bunch of mayhem; I just didn’t want it to become my problem. What a thing to wake up to.

Lucia flashed me a suspicious look before placing some neatly folded clothes next to me. “Here, brothe—leader, a change of clothes. Look, the press hasn’t wasted time converging on us. Eva’s dealing with them, but she’s got a busy schedule.”

“Right, thanks. I don’t have time for the press, though. I haven’t even eaten.”

I had finally gotten back to the imperial capital and decided not to go outside, yet here I was, bombarded with one thing after another.

“I’ve also brought you something to eat.”

“I’m in your eternal debt.”

“I’ll be your guard today, so don’t worry.”

“That’s, uh, reassuring. Hmm.”

I didn’t want to think about what might happen if I had the press on me while having Luke or Liz as a guard. Sitri was a bit more rational, but she had a tendency to say things better kept to herself. Hence, my reassurance that Lucia would be with me. Too bad that reassurance didn’t make me any more enthusiastic about talking to the press.

Then I had a great idea. I reached out and grabbed the black stone on my nightstand. It was a Sounding Stone, the Relic that Gark had handed me the other day. I had my doubts, but I felt like it wasn’t a coincidence that he had given me this right before the attack.

I took a deep breath and braced myself. Then I used my hotline to Franz.

***

Within the imperial castle was the safest place in all of Zebrudia, a room fortified against every known means of espionage. Gathered there were the most powerful people in the empire. There was the supreme commander of the imperial army, the head of the Arcane Institute, the chief of the intelligence agency, the old nobles known as the swords of the empire, and more.

Alongside this grand amalgamation was the emperor’s right hand, the man entrusted with leading the effort to hunt down Fox—the captain of the Zero Order, the emperor’s personal guard, Franz Argman.

Their foe was a major organization whose outline still eluded them. Fox’s numbers and might were a cut above other organizations. Information here had to be handled with utmost caution. Franz Argman was of a respected bloodline and had proven his loyalty with Tears of Truth, a Relic feared not only by the other nations but also by members of the imperial administration. He was perfect for spearheading this effort.

The operation was proceeding smoothly, in part thanks to the preparations they had already made. They were wrangling a budget together, and coordination with other nations was going well. Nobody was willing to oppose Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia, not with that vicious glint in his eyes.

After the incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival and the emperor’s declaration against Fox, several people had disappeared from Zebrudia. The investigations weren’t over yet, but they were most likely Foxes. There were people who had been trusted for years, people of prolific status, people who had held important positions. The devious fangs of Fox had sunk unbelievably deep, and it sounded like the neighboring nations hadn’t been spared either.

Sending a spy into enemy ranks is no simple matter. If so many were disappearing at once, there must have been a major shift within the organization. Had they been ordered to pull out, or had they been erased? The incident at the Supreme Warrior Festival must have affected Fox more than the empire had initially suspected.

The most important thing was that former members of the organization had come forth with information. They had to be cautious about which information they chose to believe, but the appearance of turncoats was in itself an opening that could be taken advantage of.

One of the members at the table furrowed their brow and exhaled deeply. “I have to say, they’ve structured their organization in a very frustrating way. They’re practically obsessed with managing their information.”

With the cooperation of other nations secured and informants coming forward, the operation was going smoothly, but they still hadn’t learned anything valuable. They hadn’t found out, for instance, anything regarding Fox’s headquarters, the names of their bosses and upper brass, or how the organization was run. Using information from a defector, the team had been able to uncover a safe house, only to find it empty.

Previous incidents involving Fox had offered clues, but nothing that could be of use for the empire’s operation. Fox’s obsessive intel coordination made use of code signs, and nobody was told about any operations besides their own. They weren’t even given the name of the boss they worked directly under.

Fox was built so that revealed identities and captured members wouldn’t pose the slightest problem to the organization. There was nothing Tears of Truth could do when the subject didn’t know anything. The organization was driven by such thorough dedication to secrecy that it was mystifying. The exceptional quality of Fox’s members must have been the only reason it was able to function.

This wouldn’t be resolved quickly, but everyone on the team was anticipating that. Truth be told, there was no proof everyone here truly was on the same side. Franz sighed internally as he watched the team members passionately debate.

The only people he could truly trust were that man who had undergone Tears of Truth just as Franz had, and Princess Murina, who had grown fearless after overcoming the Thousand Trials. It had been apparent from the beginning, but Franz was forced to recognize that that man’s means of proving his innocence had been effective, albeit eccentric.

The imperial princess couldn’t always be present at these meetings, and Franz would never risk exposing her to danger. Perhaps at least one person here would be daring enough to face Tears of Truth, just like that man had.

Franz was shocked by this sudden thought. Even if that man was unbelievably talented, being forced to rely on such a clown was humiliating for a member of the distinguished Argman line. His powerlessness was about to drive him to bite his lip when the secretary behind him spoke up.

“Captain Franz, the Sounding Stone. I needn’t tell you who it is.”

“Hmm. I suppose he has figured out our approach, then?”

“That can’t be. Every possible step has been taken to insulate this room from potential espionage, not to mention very few people have been informed of your schedule.”

The anti-Fox force was a secret. The location and times of their meetings, as well as the truth of their activities, were known only to those involved. They took special care to protect against leaks, using every means available to them, but even Franz had to put aside his antagonism towards the Thousand Tricks and recognize his talents. Preterhuman artifice indeed.

“Reassess our counterintelligence methods. Conduct a thorough search to ensure the schedule hasn’t been leaked! I can’t allow a hunter to simply do as he pleases!” Franz barked as he answered the Sounding Stone. The vibrating Relic became still, then from it he heard that lackadaisical voice that haunted his nightmares.

“Ahh. Ahh. Ahh. Franz? Yoohoo, it’s me. Me, y’know?”

“I’ll kill you. I’m not your friend!”

Does he have no respect for the nobility?!

House Argman was renowned and went back generations. Had any of them ever been greeted with a “yoohoo”? Franz had a vague recollection of feeling something akin to fear when he first met this man, but that must have been his imagination. After all, that man had been wearing that gaudy shirt.

Franz had indeed given this man a Sounding Stone so he could contact him, but Franz hadn’t expected something so soon. Hearing from him this early was a good thing, but it irked him all the same.

“Do you have information regarding Fox?” he asked, unable to keep the growl out of his voice. “I don’t have much time, so be upfront about it.”

“Huh? Oh, no. I don’t have time to deal with Fox. Do you have a newspaper?”

Franz paused. “Someone get me a newspaper.”

He took deep breaths to soothe his irritation while an underling fetched a paper. Ever since escorting the emperor to Toweyezant, Franz had become infinitely more patient. No matter how much disrespect an underling showed him, Franz could just tell himself it was still better than dealing with the Thousand Tricks, and this allowed him to be much kinder.

Franz made sure to stay up-to-date on information and was broadly aware of what occurred in the imperial capital. That included checking the newspaper. He knew that the Thousand Tricks had been attacked, that he had foisted the bomb off onto Gark, that mysterious beings had captured some of the culprits, and that members of First Steps had conducted a raid in the decaying district.

But a man who didn’t have time to deal with Fox couldn’t possibly want to talk about something so trivial as that.

“And?” Franz said, waiting for the man to say something.

The Thousand Tricks stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking in an overly bright voice. “I told them not to. I clearly told them not to, but...” Another pause. “Could you help me out?”

“Huh?”

“It’s, well, I know we caused an incident, but this sort of attention, it’s a bit troubling. This article is fine, but it’s bringing lots of unwanted attention from the press.”

“Wait. You’re asking me, a noble of the empire, to apply some pressure. Is that correct?”

Damn him.

Even if it was just a favor, there were steps you had to take. Besides, something this minor was not for the hands of an esteemed noble. Being viewed so lightly actually allowed Franz to remain calm. He cast a glare at the others in the room, all pretending not to be listening.

“No, not quite,” the man said hastily. “I’m not telling you to go that far! But, you see, I’m busy. I’m busy, so...”

His voice gradually grew quiet as it trailed off.

Busy? Busy, you say? That’s what happens when you reach Level 8. Does he think I’m not busy?

There were benefits to making it clear that he and the Thousand Tricks were acquainted, but his pride wouldn’t permit him to even pretend that he was on good terms with this man.

Franz took a deep breath and bellowed into the Sounding Stone. It had been some time since he had yelled so loudly. “Damn it, don’t ever contact me for something so trivial ever again! I gave you that Sounding Stone so you could alert me if you learned anything about Fox! What do you think we are?! Do you think we’re casual pals?! Say it!”

Possibly cowed by Franz’s yelling, the Thousand Tricks didn’t say anything immediately.

“Comrades who protected the emperor together?” he eventually said.

Without saying anything, Franz turned off the Sounding Stone and slammed the table as hard as he could. “Contact the newspapers and silence them!”

“Wh-What reason should I offer them?”

“Tell them it’s for the safety of the empire. Contact the Third Order. It’s in the decaying district. They should be careful when they head out. We just need to keep the papers quiet.”

It didn’t sit right with him. Not at all. His pride as a noble didn’t allow him to be used by a mere hunter, no matter how high his level was. However, the emperor had ordered him to do everything he could.

No matter how trivial it may have seemed, as long as that flippant man wouldn’t cough up his reasoning or objectives, Franz had no choice but to follow along. For instance, though it seemed impossible, there was a nonzero chance that people talking about the incident in the paper could affect his plans to eliminate Fox.

What bothered Franz the most was that man, the skills befitting someone of his Level. If he were only somewhat talented, Franz would’ve been free to get rid of him, but now that he had stopped an attempt on the emperor’s life and prevented Key of the Land from being used, it wasn’t Franz’s place to decide how that man was handled.

Clutching his head and breathing heavily, Franz calmed himself. Taking that strange man too seriously would only give him a stomach ulcer. He just needed to make sure that man worked to his benefit. A noble of the empire couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by the work of those beneath him and lose sight of what really mattered.

Being the extraordinarily cautious man he was, Franz had people keeping an eye on the Thousand Tricks. He made sure the hunter was under twenty-four-hour surveillance so that he might learn how that man got his information and so he would be able to respond the moment something happened.

However, the only information Franz had obtained was that the clan house had been attacked. There had been no other major reports, not even word of the Thousand Tricks leaving his clan house. The other members of Grieving Souls were visiting the house one at a time, which likely meant that he was giving orders from his office on the top floor. There was also the Pigeon Chain that had arrived with a letter.

Everything about it bothered Franz. The fact that that man was issuing orders and never going outside, the way he insisted he was busy, and that Franz had to borrow his skills while enduring his mockery.

He didn’t have time to deal with Fox? He didn’t have time for an organization that multiple nations were coordinating to chase down? How could he possibly have anything bigger to worry about?! And why did he bring it up while the anti-Fox team was in a meeting?!

Augh! What’s wrong with that man?!

Franz nearly went on an internal tirade about that man, but one of his underlings burst into the meeting room. Everyone’s gaze turned towards the pale-faced knight.

“Captain Franz, we’ve just received a prophecy from the Astral Divinarium. They’re predicting a disaster!”

The Astral Divinarium, also known as just the Divinarium, was one of the empire’s public institutions—and its oldest. Zebrudia had a number of institutes, including the Vault Investigation Bureau, which researched phantoms, treasure vaults, and other mana material related matters. There was also the Arcane Institute, which brought together magic and the technology that utilized it, and the list went on.

However, the Astral Divinarium differed from its peers in matters of authority. They were the black sheep of the bunch because their domain was the mystical phenomena that fell outside the scope of the other institutions.

The Divinarium was in charge of phenomena not yet understood and magic that defied concrete classification. This included curses and supernatural powers, as well as powers that varied wildly from person to person. Their name, however, hinted at their biggest focus—divination, the ability to know beforehand what fate and future held in store.

Across the land and throughout time, efforts had been made to learn how to foretell incoming disasters. Yet most of the skills involved were largely dependent on an individual’s natural disposition, and no clear theories had been established the way there had been for magic.

Unlike magic, most forms of divination didn’t consume mana. Many who called themselves astrologians predicted the future using powers and senses unique to them; some foretold what the future had in store, but there were also many fraudsters. To this day, many people proclaim that it is impossible to see into the future.

Despite its long history, the Divinarium was a small institution, likely because their research and work concerned something incredibly difficult to evaluate. However, because their field was one the empire couldn’t afford to discard, the Divinarium continued to exist despite their small size and many doubters.

“A prophecy of disaster?” Franz said. “All while we’re busy dealing with Fox.”

“The Divinarium isn’t known for missing the mark,” the knight captain said with a shrug. He was in charge of the Third Order, which was responsible for peacekeeping in the empire. “We can hardly ignore a warning from the institute that manages Tears of Truth.”

The prophecies of the Divinarium held a special place within the empire. Astrology was a finicky thing, and the Divinarium rarely issued predictions. They hadn’t foreseen the recent attempt on the emperor’s life, nor the war between Akashic Tower and the Abyssal Inferno, nor the activation of Key of the Land.

On the other hand, however, everything they predicted was certain to happen. Whenever the Divinarium announced a prophecy, the nobles all came together to respond to the incoming situation.

Franz furrowed his brow and sighed. “But ‘a black shadow will fall over the imperial capital’ doesn’t tell us much.”

“It doesn’t sound like a natural disaster.”

The Divinarium’s prophecies weren’t necessarily specific. Most astrologians couldn’t visualize what they were predicting and based their predictions on abstract visions. That said, this prophecy was exceptionally vague. Franz agreed with the Third Order captain’s assessment.

“A natural disaster wouldn’t restrict itself to the capital,” Franz said. “An epidemic is also unlikely.”

The prophecy told them next to nothing, but they did know the area under threat—the imperial capital. This meant the disaster couldn’t be something that would also affect the environs, such as an earthquake, and there would be indicators in advance if it was something like an epidemic.

What’s more, the Thousand Tricks was making a move. There was something big enough to make him disregard Fox, even after the attack on his clan house. It was definitely fair to assume this had to do something with the prophecy, but even that man couldn’t do anything about a natural disaster on his own.

The Third Order captain groaned and said, ignorant of Franz’s thoughts, “Is it possible it’s referring to some act of destruction by that organization?”

“No, it couldn’t,” Franz replied. “The Divinarium’s never foreseen the work of criminal organizations, and the scale is off. Besides, if our collaborators are to be believed, Fox has pulled out of the imperial capital.”

“I see.”

Not to mention the Thousand Tricks had said he didn’t have time to deal with Fox. That man was erratic, but as frustrating as it was, even someone who despised him as much as Franz did was still forced to recognize his exceptional intuition. But to rely on him too much would be a dereliction of his duty as a noble.

It was his job to keep the empire safe. If Franz alone wasn’t a match for that man’s preterhuman artifice, he would just have to play to his strengths, which included coordination. He couldn’t allow himself to be caught off guard at every twist.

If that man had learned of the prophecy before Franz had, did he have some connection to the Divinarium? Perhaps his powers were similar to those of an astrologian. Looking back, that man’s puzzling behavior did have a lot in common with the excessive pompousness he saw in astrologians.

“We’ll bolster our patrols in the capital, but we’re already shorthanded as is. If only we knew more about when and what to expect,” the captain of the Third Order said bitterly.

From the war between Akashic Tower and Hidden Curse, to the assault by the crimson dragon, the last few months had been hectic. The Third Order was already on high alert; being told to prepare for a disaster of unknown nature and timing was a recipe for a headache. This wasn’t something they could fight off. Any strikes would mean the knights had already made a mistake.

The captain of the Third Order was a burly man known for his skills in combat, but even he was showing signs of exhaustion. It could’ve been Franz’s imagination, but the captain looked like he had gained more gray hairs.

“We’ve got no choice. We’ll have to borrow people from the Sword Saint,” Franz said. “Our formal units aren’t going to be enough, and we can’t call knights from other regions in order to protect the capital.”

The empire had a good relationship with its strongest Swordsman, Soln Rowell, the Sword Saint. He often sent people to help train the empire’s knights, and some of his students went on to join imperial knight orders. He had once been a man of some infamy, but he had grown as a person and was now acknowledged even by the nobility.

There was a knock at the door, and in came a subordinate returning from their investigation. “Captain, I’ve gathered all relevant records from the Divinarium and the Imperial Library.”

“Well done. We wouldn’t have to bother with this if they could be a bit more precise with their prophecies. Good grief.”

Though the Divinarium’s visions were generally vague, the Imperial Library kept a record of every prophecy and what had followed in reality. If there were a precedent of similar predictions, they might be able to surmise what this new one would involve. And if they didn’t know, they’d have to adjust accordingly. This was one advantage not even the Thousand Tricks could claim.

At Franz’s prompting, the subordinate gave their report. “I can compile the details later, but for now, it appears that a prophecy regarding a ‘black shadow’ has appeared not in Zebrudia, but in another land. The prophecy was followed by a malevolent curse descending upon a wide area and resulting in tens of thousands of casualties.”

Curse. Tens of thousands of casualties. Franz’s eyes bulged. He kept repeating the words in his head. Looking closely, he could catch a hint of apprehension in the subordinate’s expression.

The captain of the Third Order furrowed his brow and eventually said, “We’ve got an emergency. Really, it’s hard to believe. A curse. I didn’t think curses were capable of such large-scale murder.”

Curses were a variety of arcane arts born from powerful emotions. They were mainly known for being used on people and other living beings, and feared for their utility as a means of assassination. However, they weren’t suited for killing people in large numbers.

Intense spite was vital for attempting to harm someone with a curse. To kill thousands of people would require an appropriate degree of animus, and even a slightly above-average Shaman wouldn’t be able to command such a curse. Besides, there were more efficient ways of carrying out murder on such a large scale.

“What did that land do wrong?” Franz asked.

“It seems they defiled the grave of a powerful Magus,” the subordinate answered.

“The ire of an ancient Magus, huh? That’ll do it, I guess.”

In the old days, there was no shortage of tales of people being killed by curses after carelessly wrecking a gravesite. The feelings of the living softened with time, but the curses left by the deceased didn’t fade, making them very dangerous.

Still, it was hard to imagine that was happening here. The hazards of defiling graves were common knowledge, and there shouldn’t have been any space for such a powerful curse to develop in the empire. The most likely possibility was Kechachakka’s curse that summoned dragons, but the Relic that made that possible had been confiscated and tightly sealed away within the castle’s vault.

The captain of the Third Order stood up. “Just in case, I’m going to order an investigation to check for signs of this curse. Start looking into other causes to make sure it’s not something else causing a similar phenomenon. It’ll take time, but we’re going to go through every possibility one at a time.”

“If anything turns up, contact us. We can send our people to help, and I’m sure His Imperial Majesty will want to know of it.”

The two knight captains shook hands. They had a lot to think about. Though it didn’t seem possible, if a curse capable of killing tens of thousands really was forming, then that would take priority over Fox.

They would have to consult the Arcane Institute for countermeasures, urge the Divinarium to hurry up with their analysis, report to His Imperial Majesty, and request the cooperation of the specialists at the Church of the Radiant Spirit. The media would have to be contacted as well. A harsh warning so they didn’t scare the people of the capital with careless information.

And of course, they also needed to check with the Thousand Tricks. He might just beat around the bush, but they would cross that bridge when they came to it. For the sake of the empire, Franz was resolved to smile and endure it.

The door was flung open, and a subordinate entered the room. They looked much more strained than they had when they came to report the prophecy.

“Captain Franz, we’ve received word that one of the Sword Saint’s students has become possessed by a Devil Sword and is going on a rampage.”

“What was that?”

***

There’s really nothing better than tranquility. It occurred to me that it had been a while since I had been able to relax with my sister. I might have had plenty of time on my hands, but my competent sister was sort of busy.

I stopped eating my breakfast (lunch?) and smiled at her. “I’ve got a feeling something good will happen today.”

Lucia looked at me with her usual dour expression and asked coldly, “Brother, has anything good ever happened when you say that?”

Chapter Two: Cursed Objects

Spinning around in my chair, I checked the newspaper. Thanks to the request I had brought to Franz, the paper was conspicuously devoid of any mention of the events in the decaying district that had dominated yesterday’s front page.

It hadn’t even been a day since I had called him on the Sounding Stone, but he had already done a fantastic job altering the flow of information. The lesson here was that the influence of a noble was more powerful than the connections Eva had spent years building up.

After checking for any other interesting articles, I closed the paper and nodded with satisfaction. Because of his efforts, today looked like the day I’d finally be able to relax and do nothing.

I let out a yawn, which seemed to be a breaking point for my sister, who was nearby on the sofa. She got up and said, “What do you plan to do today?”

“Mmm? Today. Right. Today I’ll recover my strength.”

“That’s what you did yesterday!”

I evaded her humorless glare with my usual methods.

“Well, patience is a virtue—”

“Please don’t tell me you’re trying to justify doing nothing.”

Lucia was a diligent person. She used to smile a bit more when we were kids, but her personality hadn’t changed. She had always had her act together and never missed an appointment. Unlike some of our friends, she generally never broke the rules and made sure to study daily. One day off a week was enough for her. If anyone had changed, it was me.

Her constant look of displeasure was probably just because she was in a rebellious phase, and perhaps because she thought I was such a good-for-nothing. If anything, it was commendable that she hadn’t gotten rid of me. I can’t say I would have been able to do the same in her position.

“I bet all my talents and diligence were siphoned off by you,” I said, stifling a yawn and sitting in my usual spot.

Her gaze became a few degrees colder. “We’re not even related by blood!”

No, listen, when you’ve got such a competent younger sister, it’s only natural that you regress. It’s a matter of balance.

Having a Grand Magus in my family also gave me unrealistic standards for Magi. Lucia was at least in part to blame for the way Kris, the Abyssal Inferno, and many other Magi were always upset with me.

“It’s not often you guard me two days in a row,” I remarked.

“Nobody else was available today,” she grumbled. “We’re busy people, I’ll remind you. It’ll be someone else tomorrow.”

I didn’t have any complaints. With Lucia around, I could use my Relics as much as I wanted, and I was glad we were getting a chance to spend some time as siblings together. That had become a rare thing lately.

Before leaving our hometown, my parents told me to protect Lucia, even if it meant putting myself in danger. Not to brag, but I didn’t think there was a single person better than me when it came to getting hit first.

At odds with his immense stature, Ansem had reflexes and speed. Both of which had, in a sense, been tempered by me. He would always protect me in any situation, making him the most reliable man in our party.

Despite finally having some sibling time, Lucia was in an awfully foul mood. But just as this thought crossed my mind, I hit upon an idea.

“Here,” I said, clapping my hands, “since you’re around, why don’t we make a new spellbook, like we used to?”

When she was just starting out as a Magus, I often badgered her into making spellbooks. The thought brought a nostalgic smile to my face.

“A-And,” she said frantically, “we don’t know what the attackers might try, and I’m the most versatile! And mother told me to look after you.”

“Hmm, where are my pens and notebooks?”

“Th-That’s right! My instructor keeps telling me to bring you over! Could you come with me sometime soon? She’s quite upset because I suddenly canceled my exam because of the Supreme Warrior Festival—”

“I’ve got it! How about a spell that turns your instructor into a frog?”

“Huh?! No! Stop this!”

Red in the face, Lucia tried to snatch the pen away from me. I flicked my arm out of the way, evading her grasp. As a Magus, she wasn’t a bodybuilder like Luke and Liz, but she was still stronger than I. She had me beat in talent, training, and mana material.

However, she was at that age, so unlike, say, Liz or Sitri, she was doing everything she could do to avoid making physical contact. This made it easy for me to dodge around her. What’s more, unlike Liz, she couldn’t move faster than I could blink.

“I’ll do it,” I said, “I’ll turn her into a frog. Your instructor must have a bad eye for people.”

“Huh?! Stop saying nonsense!”

Unlike the mentors of some of my other friends, Lucia’s instructor was a bookish and rational person, but that was exactly what made her a person you didn’t want to anger. It wasn’t that she would make a scary expression or get violent; she just emitted a suffocating pressure, and I didn’t know many other people capable of that. The only survival method I knew of was becoming perfectly comfortable.

That, however, was something I wanted to avoid. She was someone who had done a lot for Lucia, so I tried to be as genial with her as I could. Lucia missing her exam ended up helping resolve the incident with Key of the Land, so I didn’t think her instructor had any reason to be too upset. A lot of destruction had been mitigated thanks to Lucia.

“I’ve got it.”

“Quit dodging! What? What is it? Hey! Brother! Hey!”

Maybe I could rely on Franz to resolve this as well. Not even one of the empire’s leading Magi could talk back to a powerful noble. And it’s not like Franz could like me even less at this point.

Man, I’m on fire today. Everyone should have a noble among their acquaintances.

Lucia tried sneaking behind me, so I turned my back to her and held the pen away. There was no real purpose in taking the pen from me, and if she really wanted it, she could have just used magic, but she wasn’t going to go that far.

Right, we used to play around like this all the time, I thought. The next moment, I made eye contact with a Pigeon Chain (not that it actually had eyes) outside my window. Another letter from Matthis. This meant I had to stop playing with Lucia.

“Here, one moment,” I said, handing her the pen and opening the window.

“Huh?! Oh. Right.”

Matthis had just told me he couldn’t come over to do an appraisal, so what could he want? I opened the letter and gave it a serious look. Lucia was still agog at the pen. I read the letter once, again, a third time, and once more for good measure. I took a moment to think, then nodded.

“All right, Lucia, get ready to go out. We’re headed to the Sword Saint’s place right now!”

“Huh? Wha? What happened to not going out?! What’s in that letter?!”

“That was the plan, but things have changed. I don’t think anything’s wrong, but I’m going to get ready.”

“Understood.”

Matthis’s letter was shocking. Apparently, the previous evening, a powerful Devil Sword had caused an incident at the Sword Saint’s dojo. A Swordsman had become possessed by the sword and went on a rampage, resulting in a dozen or so apprentices getting cut.

Relics were a fairly common source of trouble in the imperial capital. Normally, I’d just say, “Darn, that sucks,” but this incident was ringing a few too many bells. The bad news was that the dojo’s owner, the Sword Saint, hadn’t been present last evening. The good news was that when he returned in the morning, he was able to subdue the rampant Swordsman, and nobody was killed.

Matthis was contacting me because the Sword Saint had brought him the Relic for examination. Apparently, this blade had the same distinguishing features as the one I had asked him to appraise.

I hadn’t even imagined that thing was a Devil Sword. I hadn’t felt a thing when I touched it, but maybe that was because it was of the sort that chooses its wielder? Or maybe it only activated at night or something?

If nothing else, I could be certain I shouldn’t have handed it off to Luke. He was by no means a bad guy, but his love for swords was abnormal. He had been bewitched by Devil Swords before, and I could easily imagine him gleefully cutting away at his peers.

But was that really any different from his usual self?

Whatever the case, this was no time to say I didn’t want to go out. The Sword Saint wasn’t just a master of his craft, he was also someone who valued courtesy. Though I hadn’t meant any harm, my present had done just that, meaning I had better apologize as soon as possible.

The newspaper hadn’t mentioned anything resembling this incident, so I assumed nothing too terrible had happened. But if I tried to act like this wasn’t my fault, I’d definitely find myself getting sliced. The Sword Saint might forgive me, but his apprentices were a vicious bunch. The Abyssal Inferno had the might of a legion, but the Sword Saint’s apprentices had even more. There would be no place for me in the imperial capital if I made them angry.

“It’s a dangerous situation, and we’re in a hurry, so let’s go by air. We’ll have to take the Flying Carpet or your broom.”

I still didn’t have total control over the Flying Carpet. However, because Lucia’s broom wasn’t a Relic, I had to ride behind her. She didn’t let me do that very often as she found it embarrassing.

Lucia hesitated when she heard my suggestion. “V-Very well,” she said in a small voice. “You can ride behind me. That Carpet is no good. But I won’t do this again.”

“Thanks. Let’s get to it. I’ve gotta change, so could you get the broom ready?”

The Sword Saint was a kind man, but he was still Luke’s mentor. There was no telling what might happen.

I have to get my Relics ready. I have to ask Franz to mediate. I have to keep the damage to a minimum. We can’t change what’s already happened, but I have to at least make sure the Sword Saint doesn’t look bad. Yeah.

The Sword Saint liked warriors, so he would definitely forgive me if I showed no hesitation when I apologized! I wanted to believe this would work out!

I took a deep breath and, with the Sounding Stone connected to Franz in one hand, I scampered to my private quarters.

***

Nadoli and the other apprentices had studied under the imperial capital’s greatest Swordsman and seen many famous weapons. But even for them, this sword had an enchanting glow that was utterly unique.

In Zebrudia, powerful swords didn’t often end up in the hands of pure Swordsmen, but more often in those who were hunters. In this holy land of treasure hunting, Relics flowed in at all hours of the day, but only a small number of those were sword-types, and only a handful of those were anything powerful. On top of this, swords were one of the most popular weapon types among hunters, so most quality swords ended up being used by their finder.

On the very rare occasion a powerful sword-type went on the market, there was no telling how much it might sell for. There were many rivalries among covetous hunters and nobles. Even for an apprentice of the Sword Saint, obtaining such a Relic was a distant dream.

Of course, there were masterpieces among those produced by the modern smiths. These were more than sufficient to do battle with phantoms and monsters. These days, swords were fairly affordable, and Nadoli and the other apprentices all had their own. Still, a Relic weapon was nonetheless something all Swordsmen in the imperial capital longed for. If anything, learning from the Sword Saint gave them many chances to look upon such works, making their desire stronger than that of their peers.

The apprentice who had brought this sword in was an eccentric man, the most troublesome of all the apprentices. He was Luke Sykol, the Protean Blade. More than any man in the imperial capital, he loved and was loved by swords. His application for apprenticeship had come out of the blue, and he had almost instantly become one of the strongest in the dojo.

Despite the many ridiculous anecdotes about him, such as how his real sword had been confiscated because of his inclination towards cutting people indiscriminately, he was a member of one of the best treasure-hunting parties in the imperial capital.

Every one of the Sword Saint’s apprentices had been admitted because they had potential. However, it took more than skill with a blade to eliminate the phantoms that dwelt in treasure vaults. Clearing vaults required luck, skill, and reliable comrades, all the more so in high-level vaults, where Relics appeared with greater frequency.

However, though he had nearly killed many of his fellow apprentices while sparring, and was flawed as both a person and a Swordsman, he was undoubtedly a first-rate hunter. For someone who had cleared many vaults beyond normal hunters, even a sword-type Relic likely wasn’t worth fussing over.

Over time, Nadoli had learned that Luke’s party leader, the Thousand Tricks, was a Relic collector and had a number of sword-types in his possession. There wasn’t anything surprising about that. Nadoli’s mentor, Soln Rowell, wasn’t a hunter, but his skills surpassed many high-level hunters. More than a few great hunters were former students of his, and some had brought him Relic swords as a gesture of gratitude.

“Our leader, Krai, said this was a good opportunity and that I should bring this over,” Luke said.

Their mentor was somewhere else. Normally, it was unthinkable for apprentices to see a gift before their master. Yet Luke didn’t hesitate when he removed the black cloth, then removed the sword from its scabbard. When he did, time came to a halt. The moment they saw it, all the apprentices, with the exception of Luke, gasped.

The vast majority of sword-type Relics had their origins in the era of advanced magical weaponry. The weapons of that era were not only powerful but also bore artistic beauty. This one, however, was different from any they knew.

The ominous blade had a red glimmer to it, its edge was without a single nick, and it shone with a strange luster. Just looking at it made them restless. It was no wonder the apprentices were all looking at it with bloodshot eyes—this was something devilish.

If this showed up at an auction, nobles, merchants, and hunters alike would all be bidding with rabid intensity. Their mentor’s swords were all beautiful works, but none of them demanded absolute attention the way this piece before them did. It was humbling to think that a high-level hunter was capable of simply giving something like this away as a gift.

“Huh?” Luke whispered apprehensively. “That’s funny, I coulda sworn this thing was black.”

Luke’s words didn’t reach Nadoli’s ears. His heart pounded, his hands shook, and his mouth felt dry. It took all his strength, but he managed to pry his gaze from the sword and look at Luke. “Hey, for someone who likes swords so much, how can you give this away?”

Luke was never someone bound by common sense. If Nadoli found himself in Luke’s position, he would never consider giving the sword to someone else.

Luke looked at him blankly, then simply said, “I know what you mean, but Krai told me to give this to my mentor. Besides, think about it. If I owned this thing, then I can’t cut its wielder, right?”

“I see.”

He really didn’t. What Luke said was incomprehensible to Nadoli, but he had responded without thinking. That was fine. He could forget about Luke for now. The problem was what to do with this sword.

This was a gift to his mentor. Nadoli and the other apprentices were all proud of him. They respected him. Snatching up a sword meant for him would be unforgivable, but Nadoli’s Swordsman soul whispered to him. It was a silent voice, but he could hear it all the same.

“If you never take up this blade, can you truly carry on as a Swordsman?”

“All right,” Nadoli said. “But this sword is a Relic. There’s no guarantee it isn’t a Devil Sword, or some other sort of cursed item that harms its wielder. We can’t give our mentor something dangerous.”

His vision was foggy. He was surprised at the force behind his own voice. What he said was impossible. He knew that there were swords that affected their wielder in negative ways, but those were extremely rare, and this had come from the Thousand Tricks. This couldn’t possibly be something dangerous.

Even if he didn’t know the results, Nadoli was confident they had already tested this blade to figure out its powers. Nobody was so careless as to give an unknown Relic as a gift, even if the recipient was a mighty Swordsman.

While Nadoli’s words sounded like an excuse, even to his own ears, Luke didn’t seem particularly upset.

“Hmm,” he said. “Yeah, I guess you’re right about that.”

An unidentifiable sense of pleasure overtook Nadoli. Luke had given him his word. But this was Luke; perhaps he was just being nice? It didn’t matter. Nadoli wasn’t planning to steal the sword. He just wanted to hold the sword, to swing it, just once. Just once. Probably thinking the same thing, the other apprentices swarmed around the sword and gulped.

Before anyone could beat him to it, Nadoli spoke up in the same overpowering voice he used when training with the other apprentices. “If that’s the case, allow me to test it out before it’s handed to our mentor. Why don’t we make sure that this sword isn’t cursed?”

***

Flight magic wasn’t exactly safe. There were a number of ways to fly, such as by manipulating gravity or the wind, but maintaining balance was difficult no matter the method. Just making oneself float was manageable, but trying to move was where it got difficult. Failure meant crashing to the ground, so even the best Magi often struggled with flight magic. For this reason, aviary Relics and rideable winged creatures were expensive.

Since allowing just oneself to fly was difficult, there was exponentially more trouble involved in flying multiple people. It was enough to drive many nations to raise Magi who specialized in just flying magic.

Meanwhile, Lucia knew a number of spells for flying.

Staying upright and steady midair depended directly on the caster’s motor skills. However, Lucia Rogier, the Avatar of Creation, had worked herself to the bone to match the spellbook I had made with skyward dreams in mind. I was sure nothing was impossible for her. Probably.

“Listen, you need to hold on tight,” she said sternly. “I might’ve gotten the gist of it while using Kuuton, but staying balanced is really difficult.”

“Oh, that spell with the kite? You sure come up with some funny ideas.”

“Hm?! Goodness!”

I could vaguely recall some story we read a long time ago that had a scene with a kite. Perhaps she had taken inspiration from that and developed a spell?

Heh. I guess she is the younger sibling after all.

Once Lucia had mounted the staff—I mean, broom—I got on behind her. I couldn’t believe she could comfortably ride on something so narrow. I had only been on the broom a few times, but each time had left me with a sore bottom.

“Maybe the kite would be better,” I said.

“Just hurry up and grab on!”

If she was going to bark at me like that, then I saw no choice and wrapped my arms around her. When she finished her incantation, the broom slowly began to rise. I felt my body wobble. With such a narrow surface, it was hard to keep my center of gravity stable even while holding on to Lucia.

I could feel her inhale deeply. Then the broom instantly accelerated. The next moment, we had flown through the window of my office. All I could do was try and hold on. While escorting the emperor, holding on to Kris while atop the iron mustang had been a trial, and that wasn’t nearly as fast as Lucia’s broom.

Magi who could fly through the air at will were so powerful that some nations built military units around them. The broom approached a building at breakneck speed, only to change direction right before colliding. We began to climb, the intense G-forces causing me to make a noise like a frog being crushed.

Now that I think about it, this is the first time I’ve ridden the broom in a city.

“Urkh. I can’t...”

“Don’t make those weird noises!” Lucia yelled as I desperately hung on to her. “I can do this! It’s your fault I can’t control it as precisely!”

“You’re going too fast.”

My vision spun, and I thought I might vomit. My Safety Rings weren’t helping me, which suggested that G-forces didn’t meet the conditions necessary to activate them. They probably just barely didn’t make the cut. Not that I thought it would do me any good if they did activate.

My world turned and twisted. I quickly looked down and saw dozens of tiny people chattering and pointing at the sudden appearance of Lucia the witch flying on her broom. We were over the main thoroughfare, which was usually busy with carriages coming and going, but now they were almost all stopped, their attention on us.

Even in a place as populous as the imperial capital, it wasn’t every day you saw people flying through the sky. The broom’s speed increased even further, leaving the onlookers behind.

“We can’t remain stable if I drop our speed!” Lucia shouted over the roaring wind. “Do you understand?! How hard it is?! To stay upright?! Like this?!”

The wind was overpowering. I struggled to breathe. I felt like she hadn’t always flown at such high speeds. Or was it just that I had gotten weaker? Like with the broom, I felt the air pressure when using Night Hiker, but I guess that Relic came with some sort of countermeasure to soften the impact.

“Lucia,” I said, absolutely bewildered, “you’ve gotten good— Wha?!”

For a moment, Lucia disappeared. No. I was the one who disappeared.

My body tilted. My arms went slack. By the time I had noticed any of this, I was already plummeting. Now it wasn’t the wind pulling on me, but instead the ground. I was helpless. That, however, did not stop me from being at ease. I was used to falling, and I had my Safety Rings.

Lucia cried out when she noticed I had fallen off, her screams echoing throughout the imperial capital.

“WHY?! BROTHEEER!”

Lucia was usually calm, but now she was pale as a ghost and shouting between ragged breaths. “I don’t understand!”

“Nice catch!”

“Brother, please don’t joke about this!”

I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t trying to make jokes. What did she expect? I even fell off the iron mustang, so of course my hands would slip if we went as fast as we did. Good thing Lucia was so reliable. Kris was also reliable, but not as much as my sister. Even if we weren’t related by blood, I was proud to be her older brother.

“I can’t believe you managed to drop down and catch me,” I said. “You can really fly this thing.”

I guess it was a sort of acrobatics? When I was free-falling, she caught up to me, screaming all the while, and reached out and caught me with her right arm. It was the sort of stuff that got turned into legends.

Now I had gotten used to the broom’s speed. The cityscape seen from above was so beautiful that I almost forgot to keep my grip on Lucia.

“Once again,” she said, “I’ve learned a completely useless skill.”

“Well, learning is all about building experiences,” I replied.

“Huh?! Just apologize!”

Maybe she had a point. Perhaps I was a little too used to outrunning the jaws of death. Well, outrunning wasn’t quite the right word.

Making sure not to tug on her hair, I tightened my embrace so I wouldn’t fall off again.

“You really pulled through for me back there,” I said.

“Next time, I won’t bother.”

Everyone should have a competent Magus for a little sister. She charged my Relic, and if not for her, I would’ve fallen apart a long time ago. Well, even without Luke and the others, I would’ve fallen apart.

Or maybe if not for them, I would be retired and living a peaceful life? The moment this crossed my mind, I stopped thinking. The future is what’s important, not the past.

Changing my tempo, I endured the wind and looked forward, where I saw something unbelievable. I couldn’t help but rub my eyes and look again. We were headed towards the place where the Sword Saint’s dojo should have been.

“That’s funny,” I said. “Wasn’t there a large building here?”

Lucia didn’t reply.

Soln Rowell, the Sword Saint, was considered the imperial capital’s strongest Swordsman. Though he wasn’t a treasure hunter, the skills he had devoted his life to honing were surpassed by only a few high-level hunters, and he was believed to be one of the best Swordsmen of all time.

In a land such as Zebrudia, where martial skills were lionized, he was naturally a man of renown, with authority comparable to the most powerful nobles. If you counted the branch locations, he had dozens of dojos in the imperial capital alone.

If memory served, the building here was a gift donated as a show of respect by an apprentice who was also of the nobility. It was the main dojo, and it was supposed to be here. I could recall the excitement I felt, the cries of joy Luke and I had both let out when we first saw it. Now there wasn’t a hint or trace left.

Wait, no. Maybe there’s that much left.

“Did they demolish it?” I wondered. “It was pretty new.”

Lucia didn’t say anything.

There was now a mountain of rubble where a massive training ground had once been. Surrounding it was a buzzing crowd of rubberneckers and knights here to keep the peace. There was a sporadic wall or pillar still standing, but this would obviously take some time to repair.

Yet what caught my eye was the dojo’s defining feature. It was a tall spire in the center of the building. It was now gone. Well, it wasn’t gone. It was there, it was just about a third shorter. I wasn’t imagining it. I could tell, with the roof gone and all. All I could do was laugh.

“Are they remodeling? Lucia, does that look shorter than usual? Ha ha ha.”

She stayed silent. My dry laughter disappeared with the wind.

This can’t be real! How? How do you shorten a spire like that? Huh?

Why wasn’t something this big in the papers? This was definitely the result of a disaster. What was strange was that the other buildings were all right. It probably wasn’t visible from the ground, but the surface of the tower suggested it had been...

I tightened my arms around Lucia, who was still not saying anything.

“Look, Lucia. It looks almost like it’s been cut with a sword. But that can’t be! You’d need a massive blade! Hey, say something. Lucia?”

Finally, she responded. “Brother, you idiot,” she murmured.

This looked bad. It was possible this was my fault. Had anyone been hurt? Who did this? Was it Luke? Could I solve this with money and grovelling? Could I just say I had never imagined something like this would happen? And how had a sword torn apart a building? Wasn’t that odd?

I-I want to run. But I can’t.

Maybe if I were on my own, but I was here with my little sister. She had already seen my bad side plenty of times, but I still had my pride.

“It looks like there are people gathered in the dojo,” she said. “I think I see Luke as well. I’ll bring us down there.”

Keeping a tight hold on Lucia, I moved my head so I could see the center of the wrecked building. She was right, I could see a few figures amid the rubble.

“You’re awfully brave, Lucia.”

The Sword Saint was supposedly very proud of this building. Even if I was only indirectly related, I had no idea what he might say to me now that it had been destroyed. It didn’t help that Luke was always causing trouble for him. Luke was serious when it came to matters like strength and swords, but he didn’t know any manners and showed no regard for money and authority.

Considering that some of them were nobles, I’m sure some of Luke’s fellow apprentices already disliked him. This just poured oil on the fire.

“Whose fault is this? Whose?!”

“H-Hold on. Just a moment. I didn’t think, uh, right! I didn’t think someone as stalwart as the man considered Zebrudia’s strongest Swordsman would lose to a Devil Sword.”

She didn’t say anything.

Besides, I hadn’t even known that thing was a Devil Sword. Sure, it had looked plenty ominous, but Luke and I had both been with it. Damn that Eliza. She always stared off into the distance, yet she had somehow managed to find a real nightmare of an item.

As I tried to think up a new excuse, Lucia silently changed course and accelerated.

***

Nadoli had failed. For a direct apprentice of the Sword Saint, this was a disgrace. He was willing to cut open his stomach to repent. His severed right arm, the pain wracking his body, none of it bothered him as much as the shock of what had happened.

There was only one reason he had stopped himself from taking his own life.

“Maaan, that was one great night. I knew Devil Swords make people really strong, but damn, I hadn’t expected that. Krai, you mad genius!”

“Urgh. What about that was genius?!”

It was because of the grinning, dust-coated man in front of him. Even though he was the one who had brought the source of all this, Luke Sykol not only appeared devoid of malice, but he was in fine spirits. In front of this man, Nadoli couldn’t possibly slit his stomach.

A renowned dojo that had produced countless great Swordsmen was now in ruins. The intimidating gate, outer walls, and ceiling were all ruined. It was hard to think anyone would look at this and imagine it had all been caused by a single sword.

Even after being cleaned up, the scent of blood still lingered on. It would normally be unlikely for a single sword to cause so much destruction, but that was no ordinary sword that the Thousand Tricks had sent in.

Devil Swords came in a number of varieties. Some granted power in exchange for something in return, some changed functions depending on their wielders’ talents, while some chose their wielders and raised them into first-rate Swordsmen. Not all swords of the Era of Advanced Magical Weaponry could be comprehended through modern sensibilities.

It wasn’t until after it was all over that Nadoli realized that this blade was hazardous even by Devil Sword standards. The moment he had gripped that bewitching sword, he felt an irresistible urge to swing the blade, and a sense of omnipotence, like all the world was his for the taking.

All Swordsmen felt a strange sense of elation when holding a sword for the first time, but it was something several thousand times stronger than that which had exiled every other emotion from Nadoli.

Swordsmen were generally expected to not just know how to swing a blade, but also have good character. This was so they could put their acquired skills to proper use. It was in part because Luke poured all his passion solely into swordsmanship that he still wasn’t regarded as one of the best.

Nadoli should have noticed it earlier. He should have been on his guard the moment he felt those eerie pangs, the moment he laid eyes on the sword. He should have resisted his impulses and exercised self-restraint. He should have been a role model for his fellow apprentices.

A desire for strength. Envy. Animus. Conceit. Devil Swords could latch on to the weakness of human hearts. Many of these blades were capable of inspiring fear, but they were also powerful, with beautiful forms to match. A simple swing of this could cut the world. It was light as a feather. It could cut everything, even the air, unimpeded. In terms of pure power, this Devil Sword probably had few rivals.

It had taken to Nadoli’s hand almost like it had become part of him, like it had always been there. No, that wasn’t it. When Nadoli grabbed it, he felt like he was a part of it, as if cutting creatures was his reason for being.

Luke was a maniac who was not only unfazed by the attacks of a fellow apprentice but actually started swinging back. Though if not for him, Nadoli might have killed all the other apprentices. Of course, if Luke hadn’t brought that sword, then none of this would have happened in the first place.

Luke Sykol was a problem child. He had a straightforward passion for swinging and had cut many people, including fellow apprentices. However, he hadn’t destroyed many buildings. Wrecking the dojo and causing such a stir that outsiders heard about it was a first. Knights had already arrived to ask what had happened. There would be no hiding this, nor would it be forgiven.

Nadoli could clearly recall what had happened while he had been at the mercy of the Devil Sword. Burned into the back of his eyelids was the sight of his mentor’s blank face when he came to find the dojo in ruins, the apprentices collapsed, one of his apprentices possessed by a Devil Sword, and Luke eagerly swinging back.

Poor showing from his apprentices affected the reputation of the Sword Saint himself. This incident was Nadoli’s responsibility. Though his mentor might forgive him, that was beside the point.

“Ahhh. That was great,” Luke said. “Super strong. Leave it to Krai to really understand me. That was what I wanted! Only problem was that I couldn’t duke it out with our mentor, since he wasn’t here and all.”

“Y-You dolt!” Nadoli said. “Our mentor would never give in to a Devil Sword!”

The piles of collapsed apprentices had all been carried off so their wounds could be treated. The only people left were those who had arrived after the fact. The pools of blood had been cleaned up, and the severed body parts removed.

Last night, the only ones in the dojo were those who showed exceptional dedication. But many of these victims hadn’t been cut by Nadoli. He glared at Luke, who had been all too glad to fight him.

Nadoli wasn’t the only one who had lost to the allure of the Devil Sword. When he could no longer move, another apprentice had been pulled in by the sword, and when they could no longer move, another apprentice had been pulled in and attacked Luke, the one person not affected by the sword.

Even a Devil Sword was still dependent on the strength of its wielder. After taking down Nadoli, Luke should have been able to get the other apprentices to a safe distance before any of them could reach the sword.

Yet this man...

The source of this tragedy was now gone. It had been returned to its scabbard and wrapped in the cloth Luke had brought it in before being taken away by their mentor. Once it had been examined by an expert, it would become clear how dangerous that sword was. It should also help them understand what the Thousand Tricks had been thinking when he sent it.

While Nadoli sat, fuming, Luke crossed his arms and looked down at him.

“No need to look so glum,” he said brightly. “Ansem can replace a missing arm! That sort of stuff’s his specialty! We’ve got a few people who need his help, so this will be good practice for him.”

Luke had a number of wounds himself, but he didn’t look like he was in any pain.

“Th-That’s not the problem!”

He was so casual. You’d never think he had just cut so many people. You’d never think he had nearly killed so many people. Even after being chastised by Nadoli, he didn’t even flinch. The gathered apprentices were looking gravely at the two of them. They didn’t say anything, partially because they were leaving judgment to their mentor, but also because Luke occupied a unique position among them.

Words had no effect on Luke. Despite this, he was brimming with talent, loved swords more than anyone, and didn’t have any qualms about cutting and being cut. He didn’t cave to authority, and he ambitiously pursued strength, earning him many friends and foes.

His biggest issue, though, was that he was so unrestrained that it wasn’t hard to imagine him cutting down fellow apprentices and destroying the dojo even without the involvement of some Devil Sword. If Nadoli hadn’t been directly involved and had only heard about this afterward, he likely would have just brushed this off as more wild behavior from Luke. After all these years, Nadoli knew him well.

Why was he still so deeply upset at someone impervious to words? Even their mentor had stopped talking to Luke himself and instead started going to his party leader, the Thousand Tricks.

It was Nadoli’s inexperience that had allowed him to be drawn in by that sword. He couldn’t show his face around family, friends, or his mentor. At the same time, however, he still had objections he felt the need to raise, no matter how pathetic they might have been.

“I’m not talking to you anymore!” Nadoli said to Luke. “Let me talk to the Thousand Tricks! I want to talk with your leader! I need to know what he was thinking when he sent that sword to us! Do you understand? You might not know this, Luke, but in this land, to send someone a Devil Sword without warning is a violation of the law! I refuse to believe he was ignorant! I don’t buy it! I don’t care what our mentor says, I want to talk with the Thousand Tricks!”

“What? Chill out, Nadoli. Krai didn’t do anything wrong. I asked him if he had someone I could cut. Then he gave it to me.”

Who the hell would respond to a request like that by giving out a sword that eroded people’s hearts? Even a Level 8 wasn’t supposed to do things like that. Was it not just Luke? Did nobody in Grieving Souls have any regard for the law? And never mind that. Why was Luke asking for someone he could cut?!

Nadoli resisted the dull pain he felt in his abdomen. Perhaps in his excitement, he had accidentally reopened his wounds. He began to feel faint, but he had to hold out. He wouldn’t even let himself visit a doctor until he had seen this through. He had to at least hang in there until his mentor returned.

Luke abruptly looked upwards and began waving his hand. “Ah, it’s Krai! Over here!” he yelled.

“Wh-What?!”

Nadoli ignored his body’s protests and forced himself onto his feet, where he then got hit by a strong gust. Having been driven by sheer willpower, his knees gave out and he tumbled backwards. Feeling pins and needles throughout his body, he let out a voiceless cry. The other apprentices cleared a spot.

Then, descending in front of him was a black-haired girl. She was riding atop a broom and was uncannily beautiful. Her straight hair extended to her waist, and her pale skin was without a single flaw. Though lacking warmth, she was pretty and carried an aura of intelligence. Her pure-black Magus garb was subdued in style, but its mystic impression suited her perfectly.

Nobody rode on brooms. Not outside of fairy tales. Nadoli forgot to breathe. He forgot his pain, he forgot his anger. Perhaps the other apprentices felt the same way, as nobody said anything about the sudden appearance of this mysterious fable-esque Magus.

Amid the abrupt silence, only Luke was unaffected. “Krai! You came!” he said, sounding oddly pleased. “That was the best. I’d cut one down, and another would grab the sword and come at me. That thing had quite an edge too.”

“L-Luke?!” Nadoli cried. “What are you talking about? The Thousand Tricks is a man.”

This couldn’t be right. Nadoli had seen the Thousand Tricks before. He was there when Luke joined the dojo, and he had visited a number of times after that. He was a man with black hair and black eyes, with a face that could be politely described as gentle or rudely described as unremarkable.

But there was the matter of gender. The Thousand Tricks was a man! Not some beautiful girl. The only thing they had in common was their hair and eye colors, and saying that was an insult to the girl.

The apprentices had supposedly tempered their minds and hearts under the Sword Saint, yet they were shrinking back. Some of them weren’t even hiding their scrutinizing looks.

Strength came in many forms. Very few of the Sword Saint’s apprentices were female, and most of them had powerful physiques comparable to Nadoli and the others. For many Swordsmen, though they would never admit it under any duress, it was their dream to protect a frail, tragic, adorable Magus.

While all the other apprentices were left breathless, Luke blinked, then furrowed his brow. “Huh? Oh. Lucia is Krai’s younger sister. Though I don’t often see her on a broom. What’s up, Lucia? Training?”

“Indeed,” she said after a pause. Her voice carried a pleasant ring.

Nadoli doubted his ears. Krai’s sister?! That couldn’t be.

Then, from the back of the broom descended the source of all this madness.

***

“Krai’s here,” Luke, soaked in blood, whispered fervently. “That hasn’t happened in a long time!”

He seemed in a good mood, though I had absolutely no idea why.

The damage looked bad from above, but it seemed even worse when viewed up close. I had absolutely no idea what had happened, but the sight of the broken spire, the gates that were now rubble, and the deep cracks that scarred the ground all made my stomach churn.

I had absolutely no idea what had happened, but I felt a number of glares directed at me. The students of the esteemed Sword Saint pulled themselves up from the ground like zombies. I had absolutely no idea what had happened, but Luke was drenched in blood and inexplicably cheerful.

I have absolutely no idea what happened! Absolutely none!

Lucia clutched her head and let out a sigh. She was probably thinking she had another mess she had to take care of. She wasn’t wrong; we’d just have another catastrophe if we let Luke clean up.

Parties are all about mutual assistance, I thought as I patted her on the back.

“Not many people want to spar with me these days, and my blade was getting thirsty for blood. Thank you, Krai! Para siempre!”

“No gracias, para siempre, yay!”

Luke held out his hand for a high five, so I went along with it and obliged him. I was just glad he was enjoying himself. But as I suspected, that wasn’t his own blood he was coated in. We made him use a wooden sword to prevent him from indiscriminately cutting people, but there was no point if he kept doing it anyway!

But this was hardly the first time I had wanted to tell him that. This was also hardly the first time he had caused trouble for the Sword Saint. Most people would die if they got cut by Luke, but a Swordsman with mana material was made of stern stuff. Their vitality surpassed what was normal for a human. If anyone had died, he’d be in a lot more trouble, so he had once again narrowly avoided that. Luke’s violent rampages had once been a big source of anxiety for me, but now I was used to them.

“Are you all right?” I asked. I figured I may as well, since I was his friend and all.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I managed to dodge most of them. If I had to say, this is my only huge wound.”

Luke rolled up his sleeve, revealing a muscular arm with a deep horizontal wound. It was obviously a deep cut. I would’ve died from something like that, but Luke didn’t look like he was in any pain at all.

What’s going on with your body?

While I struggled for words, Luke calmly replaced his sleeve, then looked at Lucia.

“Right, Lucia,” he said. “Could you call Ansem? We’ve got several guys with missing arms.”

I could hear those guys saying something.

I figured I could leave the wounded in Lucia’s care and just not think too hard about any of this, but the glares were getting unbearably intense. The people at this dojo treated me like I was responsible for Luke’s behavior. Or maybe it was more accurate to say Luke didn’t listen to people, so all complaints ended up directed at me.

What a mess he had caused this time around. Luke loved cutting people, but if he had nearly destroyed the dojo, perhaps he was testing a new technique or something?

I pretended not to notice the countless gazes on me, and tried to improve the mood. “M-Man, I haven’t been here in a while. Did something about this place change?”

Silence.

“I dunno, it just feels more open,” I went on. “B-But I’d say this has its own appeal.”

Crickets.

I quickly caved and apologized.

“S-Sorry. I never imagined this would happen. Soln’s apprentices are all first-rate, after all. Not even the preterhuman artificer could have foreseen this. Here, you can send an invoice to First Steps...”

I know it sounded like I was making excuses, but this was all Luke’s fault. Luke’s.

I gave the grounds another look. Rubble could be cleared with magic, but not even Lucia had yet learned a spell that could fix things that had been broken. I was particularly concerned by the bent spire. This looked like it would cost money, meaning this wasn’t a job for Lucia, but rather for Sitri or Eva.

I’ve got it! We can get Ryuulan’s help! Even though we still can’t communicate!

It was then that I realized that I wasn’t hearing any of the gripes that the apprentices would normally be sending my way. After constantly avoiding looking at them, I timidly glanced in their direction. They were looking my way—but not at me. They were looking behind me, at my dour sister.

It occurred to me that this might be the first time Lucia had ever come to the dojo. It was in the opposite direction from the academy she studied at. The only Grievers who came here were myself, or Ansem if there were people to be healed.

What’s this all about?

For some reason, the apprentices were all still, as if frozen by ice magic.

“Freezing at the sight of someone’s sister is awfully rude,” I said.

“F-Forgive us,” the one at the front stammered awkwardly. “It’s just, she’s quite beautiful...”

Wha?

“Huh? What are you talking about, Nadoli?” Luke said.

I couldn’t stop myself from looking at Lucia, who was blinking, mystified. This was a first. I didn’t really know what to do, but I made an attempt.

“Just because it’s true doesn’t make it a compliment,” I said hesitantly.

“B-Brother?!”

The apprentices began to chatter among each other.

Oh?

Perhaps these guys were weak to Lucia in the same way Matthis was weak to Tino. Despite their rugged exteriors, these guys actually had a cute side to them.

“You gotta train your spirit more, my friend,” I said, giving the one in front a jovial pat on the back.

“Urgh. S-Sorry...”

“See, this is why you got cut by Luke.”

“Hm?! I-I don’t think it has anything to—”

Right. Next time they want to complain, I’ll bring Lucia along. I wonder if this will also work on the Sword Saint.

These guys must have been really soft if they were stunned by just a girl. I thought they said training the mind, body, and technique was central to the Soln school of swordsmanship, but these guys were coming up awfully short. On the other hand, Luke was stupidly strong, while lacking in one very key aspect, so maybe I shouldn’t say anything.

Unlike Tino, Lucia didn’t seem to care at all that I was using her to my benefit. She gathered her wits, loudly cleared her throat, and began yelling at me. “Never mind that! What do you plan to do? This happened because you carelessly gave that thing to Luke! Magic can’t fix this, and even if it could, this is a dojo with a deep history—”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

“Listen to me!”

Now, now, calm down, Lucia.

Nothing in this world can be taken back. There’s no returning to the past. It’s one of the few things I learned from my time as a hunter. All we could do was live proudly while holding on to our memories of the dojo. Feeling like I had attained enlightenment, I stood and let Lucia talk my ear off.

Then, the older apprentice suddenly yelled, his loud voice harsh on my ears. “It’s no problem. Sir. Our ineptitude is to blame. Miss Lucia, there’s no need for you to worry. Ma’am.”

He was looking intently at Lucia, not me. Just as I had hoped. Though I was thrown for a loop by how he talked like Kris.

“You don’t have to feel bad about the ruined dojo! Ma’am!” he continued. “Through our intense training, we’re always doing things like making holes in the walls. I’ll talk to our mentor! Ma’am!”

“You heard him, Lucia,” I said. “He says there’s no need to worry. What a nice bunch of people.”

“Oh goodness!”

I was fairly confident everything would be fine. You see, even the guys missing arms were fixated on Lucia. Did all Swordsmen have some specific taste in common or something?

With everything solved, there was no reason for us to stick around any longer. We needed to get out before anyone unsavory approached my dear sister. She looked both exasperated and uncomfortable. I grabbed her arm, then heard a scathing voice from beyond the rubble-filled training ground.

“You half-wit apprentices! Call yourselves Swordsmen, yet you let a girl throw you off-balance?!”

It wasn’t at all a loud voice, but it was sharp, like a drawn blade. It forced me to stand up straight. The apprentices all spun around at once. Walking over the debris was an old man in a kimono. He wasn’t a large man, but he had a sleek build trimmed of any unnecessary fat. His old hands and legs were bony, but still boasted immense strength on par with an active hunter, and retained much of the skill he had at his peak.

With a plethora of accolades, he still came up first when discussing who the empire’s greatest Swordsman might be. He was Soln Rowell, the Sword Saint. He was the mentor Luke had gotten when he came to Zebrudia. He was also the man who made our already talented friend even more dangerous.

“B-B-But sir!” the older apprentice said in a trembling voice. “It really was our own incompetence that let the Devil Sword—”

“If that was how you saw it from the start, then I’ll accept that explanation. How about it?”

The Sword Saint glared at the apprentice. He was supposed to be in his eighties, but the glint in his eyes showed no signs of frailty. Between people like him and the Abyssal Inferno, this nation was filled with vigorous geezers. Eh, I guess that was a good thing.

The apprentices weren’t sure how to respond to their mentor’s question that wasn’t really a question, but eventually, the older one spoke up.

“I’m ashamed to admit that I lost my presence of mind, even if the sight of something I admire, a black-haired Magus, is to blame,” he said in a strained voice. “Between both that and giving in to the temptation posed by a Devil Sword, I’m deeply ashamed by the lack of willpower I’ve demonstrated.”

Yeah, that’s pretty shameful. Honestly.

There were plenty of black-haired Magi going around. Like Krahi Andrihee!

Wait a moment. I realized that the apprentice had said something interesting. I was certain Luke had been taken by the Devil Sword, thus resulting in all the wounded people. But maybe that wasn’t it? When I actually thought about it, if someone like Luke started swinging a Devil Sword, most of these apprentices would be dead.

So I had worried for nothing.

All right. Let’s go home.

“Well then,” I said, “if that’s all, I’ll leave the rest to you...”

I turned on my heel and passed by the Sword Saint. Then I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was light, but I was still firmly being held in place. I turned around and made eye contact. In a reversal from earlier, Soln was giving me a meaningful smile. Then he walked off, still holding on to me.

“Do you Grievers think my apprentices are disposable or somethin’?”

Soln Rowell, the Sword Saint, was famous for being a levelheaded Swordsman. Not only was he talented, but he had also made considerable contributions to the art of swordsmanship. He had taken the techniques taught to him and evolved them into his own style, the Soln school of swordsmanship. It was known throughout the empire and abroad.

Students of the Soln school were much more powerful than those of other schools, and were even said to be a match for mana material-enhanced hunters. Soln and his apprentices were trusted by the nobility and regarded as one of the forces that kept Zebrudia safe. In other words, they were given a level of respect similar to that of knights.

Not too long ago, they had sent Luke to help with security at the Gathering of the White Blade. Or to rephrase that, he had the authority to send a cutting fiend to an important gathering and didn’t panic when that fiend went wild. Isn’t that incredible?!

Basically, what I’m getting at here is that having learned from the Soln school of swordsmanship and rapidly absorbing mana material, Luke was the most hazardous of our entire party. I couldn’t keep taking responsibility for him.

Soln continued to chew me out while dragging me along. Lucia sighed and followed behind us, but didn’t help me out.

“Y’know, I was just thinking I needed to have a chat with you. Do you have any idea how many complaints come my way because of Luke? Do you? I’m eighty years old and I still can’t comfortably let my successors take over!”

“I’m very sorry for everything he’s done.”

But wasn’t he in part to blame? He was the one who allowed Luke to train his body and techniques without training his mind.

“I sent him to the Gathering of the White Blade because he said he’d listen to the guards, but then he ignored them. He didn’t do the job he said he’d do in exchange for being allowed to participate in the Supreme Warrior Festival. He tests strange new techniques on the younger apprentices, he tests strange new techniques on the new apprentices, he tests strange new techniques on me.”

Man, he’s always testing strange new techniques. At least this means he’s keeping busy!

“In order to temper his spirit, I’ve made him meditate, read books, sit under waterfalls, instruct younger apprentices, learn nonlethal techniques, take on jobs brought to us, do guard duty, but nothing changes! After all that, he still just does what he wants! He takes the other apprentices to raid treasure vaults, assault bandit lairs, and challenge other dojos while using our name without permission! Do you understand what it’s like trying to get that man to think about anything besides swords?!”

Soln sounded pretty fed up. I guess his irritation had been building up since I hadn’t stopped by lately. I wanted to run for it, but he wasn’t letting go. He dragged me into his estate.

“I think this is, uh, something you should say to Luke himself,” I said. I felt like cattle about to be sold off.

“Oh? You think I haven’t?”

“I don’t think this is something you should say to me,” I said without thinking.

“Brother?!”

Soln made no response. He really was a great man. Franz would’ve blown his stack by now.

I mustered a smile straight from my heart and said brightly, “Luke’s happy having you as a mentor. I can’t think of anyone else I can—no, I’d want to entrust him to!”

“Did you really think that would work on me?! I thought he might calm down if he got married, but when I introduced him to a potential partner, he cut her!”

Huh?! I never heard about that.

He tried to get Luke a wife. This guy was more daring than I thought. I was Luke’s childhood friend, and even I wasn’t brave enough to do that. That would require extreme finesse. Luke tended to talk about just about anything, and—now, this is just my supposition—if he hadn’t told me about this, then it was possible he hadn’t realized the girl was meant to be a potential partner.

“I think,” I said, “he sees everyone as one of two types: those he can cut and those he shouldn’t. What a troublesome guy. Is it possible that person was a Swordsman?”

“So Luke will cut anyone, so long as they’re a Swordsman? Is that it?”

“Well, as long as they’re somewhat strong, yeah. That’s why we make him carry that wooden sword.”

I don’t know if the mana material or Soln’s training was to blame, but Luke’s power knew no restraint. Let fortune smile upon Luke the maverick!

“Luke was the one who said he’d agree to meet her if she was a strong Swordsman!”

“Let’s stop talking about this. It’s not getting us anywhere, and there’s no point bringing it up with me. I’m certain this will take care of itself if we give it time.”

I didn’t really believe that. For one thing, I heard that Soln himself used to be a real loose cannon. But my prediction might come true. I wanted to believe it was possible.

“Still,” I said, “I’m teaching him not to aim for vitals! Not even Ansem can bring them back if they’re dead.”

Soln didn’t say anything.

With this awkward air hanging over us, he dragged me against my will into his estate, only letting me go once we had reached a fine room with tatami flooring. Soln’s mansion was built in a style distinct from the rest of the imperial capital. If I had to compare it to something, I’d say it was like the hot spring resorts in Suls.

I took off my shoes and let him show me to a room. Then, before he could say anything to me, I sat atop my legs and planted my hands and head on the floor, all as if it were completely natural. You were meant to wear your shoes in most buildings in the capital, so most people weren’t used to sitting with their legs folded beneath them. But I was different. If anything, the comfort of proper flooring left me unsatisfied.

Soln didn’t show any particular reaction to my grovelling. Perhaps he was, to borrow the wording of the Soln school of swordsmanship, calm as the surface of a still lake. Even Lucia was showing more of a reaction—she was baffled.

Soln sat across from me and said, “I heard about the report from Sir Franz. ‘Disaster will fall upon Zebrudia,’ it said. He thinks this disaster will come as some sort of curse.”

Huh? What’s that? This is news to me. I just talked to Franz about mediating with this guy for me, but he didn’t mention anything like this...

Soln folded his legs and crossed his arms, then looked at me with a piercing gaze.

“It’s...” I said, “like a disaster discount sale. How many is that in one season?”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re used to this, Thousand Tricks?”

No, that’s not quite what I wanted to say. Even if it’s not hard for me to think of a few recent examples.

It’s anyone’s guess how the imperial capital stayed peaceful with so much going on. Was it possible that the abnormal treasure vaults and Fox and everything else weren’t as major as I thought? If people like Ark were always gone when I needed them, was it because they were actually stopping disasters without my knowledge?

I’ll have to ask him next time I get the chance.

“What I don’t understand,” Soln said, “is why you had that Devil Sword brought over. Luke might have stopped it, and maybe nothing would have happened if my students were better trained, but if it hadn’t been brought to us in the first place, then none of this would have happened. Or is there something I’m not understanding?”

There was no anger in his eyes, but that was absolutely terrifying.

I need a good excuse. No, maybe I should just be honest? Maybe he would be more likely to forgive me that way? It doesn’t look like I’ll be getting any help from Lucia...

“Th-That sword was cursed?” I was picking my words carefully so as not to worsen his mood. “Well, setting aside the results, I gave that to Luke, intending to show my gratitude for all you’ve done for my friend. I never thought for a moment that something like this would happen.”

“Hmm. A show of gratitude, you say?”

Sure, it was a rash decision on my part. That sword was pretty ominous. But if he had a problem, I would’ve preferred he take it up with Eliza, who had given me the sword in the first place. Though she probably just gave it to me without thinking.

“Luke and I both drew it, but neither of us got possessed or anything like that. So, how could I imagine that it would possess your apprentices?! I couldn’t! Not even the preterhuman artificer could foresee that!”

“Brother, you’re changing your story. You should have at least talked to him beforehand.”

Lucia, whose side are you on?

Soln remained expressionless. His quiet gaze was scary, but in a different way from the pyromaniac lady’s. I thought I could push my way past this, but that didn’t seem likely.

“A-Also,” I quickly added, “I didn’t know your apprentices would be so weak in Lucia’s presence.”

Hearing this, Soln’s eyes twitched for the first time. The idea that the capital’s top school of swordsmanship had a weakness like that was...amusing. But I also felt like I sort of had an idea of why they couldn’t beat Luke. Being around people like Liz and Krahi had taught me that everyone with exceptional strength had to give up some of their humanity in exchange—wait, no. Ark existed. Sorry. Not everyone relinquished their humanity.

Unfortunately for the apprentices, I’m not going to hand over Lucia.

Not unless they can beat me.

Of course, earning the right to challenge me required first defeating everyone in First Steps. It’s a rule of life that if you want to challenge the person on the top floor, you have to first beat everyone on the lower floors.

While I thought about these useless matters, a few dozen seconds passed in silence until Soln opened his dry lips. He seemed calm, but he could’ve just been the type to appear expressionless when angry. Sort of like Lucia.

“Ah, what a pain,” Soln said, sounding aggravated. “A real headache. To think that was a present.”

“Well, I wouldn’t call it— Indeed, that’s a fine blade. Probably.” I was frantically trying to talk my way out of this. “If you have the strength to wield it, it will no doubt be of use to you. Probably!”

“Well then,” Soln let out a small sigh, “this means I have to give you something in return. Wait here for a minute.”

Hm? Maybe he’s not that mad after all?

Soln left the room. Not even I was willing to risk escaping out the bathroom.

Sitting next to me with equally good posture, Lucia said, “You need to exercise some restraint! That’s Luke’s mentor you were talking to!”

“S-Sorry. But everything I said was true. I won’t hand you over to any of these apprentices.”

“Wh-What? Nobody said anything about that!”

“Anyone who wants you will have to first defeat Luke.”

Of course, I didn’t say I would necessarily hand her over even if they did defeat Luke. Lucia’s feelings on the matter were what mattered most. Despite everything, when we left our hometown, our parents had told me to look after—no. They hadn’t told me anything like that. In fact, sadly enough, it was the other way around.

I kept my posture rigid the entire time, until Soln returned shortly after. He glanced at me before setting something rod-shaped wrapped in cloth upon the table.

“Thanks for waiting,” he said. “Not even my vault has much that can compare to that sword. This is a rare piece I got my hands on a long time ago.”

Soln removed the cloth. I thought he might be giving me a sword or something like that, but underneath that cloth was a staff. It was an onyx black staff about two meters long and looked as though it was wrapped in dense vines. At the top was a large gem, making it somewhat resemble my translation staff, Round World.

It certainly looked expensive, but I had to wonder why it was in the Sword Saint’s storehouse. I gave Soln a questioning look.

“This,” he said with a grin, “ended up in my hands long ago. I’m a Swordsman, so I don’t know much about these things, but I’ve been told it can amplify mana like nothing else out there. I figured the Thousand Tricks might be able to use this. I think this will sell for a nifty sum, but I hope you won’t do that.”

“Ohh. This is really something.”

I’ll take it.

Some saints offer their blessing, this one gave me a staff. I didn’t use staves, but I was glad to have one more item in my collection. Lucia looked at it, her eyes wide with shock.

I took the staff and tried lifting it up. Round World was heavy, but this one was light enough that even I could swing it around with ease.

“What’s its name?” I asked.

“Don’t know. Remember, this thing’s been sleeping in my storehouse for a long time.”

Hmm.

Figuring out its name sounded like it could be difficult, but with so many distinct points, I figured I could manage something.

“Well, I don’t quite understand what happened, but I’m glad that got resolved. I knew the Sword Saint was a magnanimous person.”

“For goodness’ sake. Stop getting people worked up every time something happens!”

Walking next to me, Lucia let out a long sigh that seemed to take her soul with it. I didn’t mean to get anyone worked up. Whether I offered compliments, spoke humbly, or was honest, people seemed to think I was trying to get them worked up. I thought I was just being genuine.

“Man, I still can’t believe I got a gift after causing all that trouble,” I said while giving the staff a swing.

Staves tended to be among the more expensive weapon-type Relics. In particular, one could fetch an astronomical price if it had exceptional mana amplification capabilities or some special power that couldn’t be emulated with modern technology. All Magi longed for something like Telm’s bracelet-type staff or Krahi’s staff.

In my hands wasn’t just a staff, but one from the vault of the famous Sword Saint. That heightened my expectations even more. Sure, I wouldn’t be able to use it regardless of its nature, but you see, staves were even more likely than swords to pick their wielders. If this were the sort of Relic that chose who could use it, discerning its powers could be a very lengthy process.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lucia watched me gleefully swing the staff around. “Every time you cause an uproar, my instructors and colleagues tease me,” she grumbled. “They say, ‘Oh, your brother, he went and did it again!’”

“Oh, they do?” I replied. “How about you punch them?”

“Please make it easier to know when you’re joking.”

I never did anything; it was just that trouble came to me. Our world was a dangerous one. I couldn’t feel safe walking outside with Lucia at my side.

My sister cleared her throat and looked directly at me. “So, when are you going to visit my instructor?”

“Hm? What for?”

“I just told you back at the clan house! I had to cancel some plans at the last moment because of the Supreme Warrior Festival, and that made her angry. She said to bring you over.”

Oh, you were serious about that. Your instructor really doesn’t have an eye for people.

Unlike Luke, Lucia was a diligent person. That’s why her instructor didn’t think highly of the way I was always dragging my talented younger sister into trouble. For different reasons, I was destined to be flooded with complaints from both of their mentors. I even got complaints from Ark’s family, House Rodin! I was one of the foremost complaint collectors. If you gathered up everyone who had ever sent me a complaint, you’d have most of the imperial capital. If you could sell complaints, I’d be a billionaire.

I made an effort to put on a gentle smile. “Lucia,” I said in a gentle voice, “bringing me over would be the ruder option.”

“I was sort of thinking the same thing. However, she told me to bring you, even if I had to drag you!”

Glaring at me, she gripped my sleeve. She was serious about this. I was, after all, her brother. Her older brother. That title was starting to lose its weight, but I still felt I was in charge of her well-being, even if nobody else likely saw it that way. If someone wanted to talk with her parents or something, then I, her great Level 8 brother, could jump to the occasion. If there was something I could do for her (such as be a guarantor), then I’d do it. But it was a bit sad when that meant fielding complaints.

Lucia’s instructor was a professor at the imperial capital’s foremost institute of magic, Zebrudia Academy of Magic. Also known as ZAM, the Zebrudia Academy of Magic was a renowned school of the arcane arts. It was an honored institute, with the Abyssal Inferno among its alumni. It employed Magi who were different from the hunters who specialized in practical spellcasting. This was a genuine den of the unknowable, where research was conducted daily.

On an individual level, none of its professors were as famous as the Sword Saint, but their organization dwarfed his. Appearing before Lucia’s instructor was stressful, but in a different way than with the Sword Saint. For one thing, unlike Swordsmen, you never knew what a Magus might do to you. If I were going to see Lucia’s instructor, then I wanted to have something to butter them up with.

That’s right!

I looked at the staff I had just obtained. While we still didn’t know what it did, it must’ve been fairly powerful if it was in the Sword Saint’s vault. I was a little sad to part with it, but Eliza had given me that sword for free, and I couldn’t think of a better way to improve a Magus’s mood. Maybe the Sword Saint anticipated Lucia’s instructor being angry?!

Man, I’m on fire today. It’s my lucky day.

“Lucia, how about we give this to your professor? Didn’t you mention something about her searching for a staff?”

It was fair to assume her anger would subside if we gave her a valuable staff. I know it’d work on me.

Lucia blinked when she heard my sudden proposal. She looked at me dubiously. “Hm? Yes, she was indeed searching for a staff. But when did I tell you about that? And we only just obtained this one.”

Hmph. Do I have to say it? I was just making stuff up.

While we had been told not to sell this thing, nothing had been said about handing it to someone else. I still hadn’t gotten attached to it, and if it managed to put the professor in a good mood, I’d call that a bargain. Besides, it was more natural for the professor to have this than it was for me. Things should be put where they belong.

“I’m sure your instructor will be satisfied with this. So go on, take it. Just be sure to tell her it’s a gift from me. That should ease her anger.”

“I-I see. Are you sure you want to give this away?”

I shoved the staff off onto her, and she looked at it with uncharacteristic concern. I couldn’t blame her; it was uncommon to see a staff that was black from tip to end. Black was evocative of refinement, but in the Relic world, it was also the color of curses.

“Ha ha ha, it’s fine. You worry too much, Lucia.”

“And you don’t worry enough.”

The Sword Saint hadn’t mentioned anything about dangers, and I had trouble believing someone as magnanimous as him would give us something hazardous. Besides, we’d be giving this to a pro. She might have known more about staff-type Relics than most appraisers did. And Lucia wasn’t the type to do things carelessly.

“Who knows,” I said, “the professor might also recognize this staff.”

“Well, she is very knowledgeable, and...” Lucia looked at me gravely. “Hey. If you know something, then say—”

Just then, the Sounding Stone from Franz began to vibrate. What could he possibly want? I didn’t want to answer the stone, but I did owe him after he had mediated with the Sword Saint. Since he answered my calls, it’d be a breach of etiquette not to answer his. It’s not like we were meeting face-to-face or anything.

I took a deep breath and activated the Sounding Stone. I tried to sound as cheerful as I could, so as not to anger him. “Hello, Franz? Yoohoo, it’s me.”

“Do you always act like this?! I’ve already told you, I’m not your friend!”

“I just thought I’d try to help you relax...”

“And you thought I would need that from you?!”

Same old Franz. I try to be considerate, but, well, I guess this was how nobles were.

Lucia pressed her lips together and looked up at me discontentedly. She never liked being interrupted. But I didn’t know the staff’s identity, and even if I told her that, she wouldn’t believe me.

“That reminds me, thanks for the help this morning! I don’t know how you did it, but Soln was in a good mood. That was your doing, wasn’t it? He even gave me something in return. If only things always worked out like this.”

All I had asked Franz to do was make sure there weren’t any odd newspaper articles about what had happened at the lounge, but that couldn’t explain why things were going this smoothly. Franz and his people must have gone out of their way on my behalf. I suppose you could do things like this if you had authority, though I still felt a little bad for constantly asking favors of him.

Hey, Franz, wanna join Grieving Souls?

I tried to sound cheery, but Franz’s response was a roar even stronger than before.

“About that! What the hell are you after?! The incident with the Devil Sword is resolved, but the prophecy hasn’t gone away!”

“Pardon?”

The sudden screaming from the Sounding Stone caused some people passing by to stop for a moment, then hurry away. Lucia looked at the Sounding Stone, then at the staff in her hands. Then she gave me a skeptical glare.

***

“Damn him! Again with the rosy attitude!”

Franz Argman slammed the Sounding Stone on the table.

Within the imperial capital of Zebrudia, situated near the imperial castle, was the immense Argman Manor. For generations, it had also served as a gathering spot for the Zero Order. The Zero Order was entrusted with protecting the emperor, while also undertaking a wider range of missions when His Imperial Majesty ordered it. Though they were small in numbers compared to the other orders, they were elites with the authority to order their counterparts if the need arose.

The search for Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox and the prophecy indicating calamity were each more than enough to justify the Zero Order’s mobilization. With their orders coming straight from the emperor himself, they had no reason to be dissatisfied, and yet...

Franz held a hand to his aching stomach. The other knights watched, completely accustomed to displays of rage from their captain.

“What in blazes is he thinking?! He definitely knows that the Divinarium can be trusted! Even after his reticence led to Key of the Land being activated, he hasn’t changed his ways! If anything, he’s getting worse! I didn’t give him the Sounding Stone so he could get to know me better!”

Just thinking about it ticked him off. Nobody had ever greeted Franz, the current head of House Argman and captain of the Zero Order, with a “yoohoo.” Not even the most undisciplined hunter would do such a thing. Whether that man was doing it genuinely or just to tease him, Franz found him impossible to deal with. Perhaps he had been given that personality as compensation for his near-divine powers of manipulation and artifice.

Entertaining Krai’s request, Franz had pressured the papers not to mention the Devil Sword incident, because he thought the prophecy was referring to the sword, or its curse, or something related. So if Krai had requested the Sword Saint’s aid in dealing with it, then Franz was willing to accept that there might be bloodshed; he was even willing to cooperate. But he hadn’t for a second imagined that the prophecy might remain unchanged even after the incident had been resolved.

“You’re quite right, Captain,” said a nearby young knight with a faint smile on his face. “Honestly, a mere hunter should know better than to act so arrogantly. Is there really any need to listen to him? The empire has an excellent intelligence corps of its own, doesn’t it?”

This man had just recently joined the order. His eyes were blue, and he had blond hair with a slight wave. Handsome features and a slender build like his were rare among the Zero Order, whose members mostly had larger frames. Having just graduated from the academy for knights, he was on the young side to be joining the imperial guard. Someone must have high expectations for him.

If Franz recalled correctly, his name was Hugh Regland. He was from one of the lower noble houses, but he had graduated top of his class at the academy. A few knights tried to stop the recruit from offering his unsolicited opinion, but Franz gave them a chastising glare. He hadn’t spent much time in the imperial capital lately, leaving him with few opportunities to meet new recruits. This would be a good opportunity to talk with him.

“The orders come from His Imperial Majesty,” Franz answered with a glare. He crossed his arms. “Which is to say, we’re supposed to stay in contact.”

Franz had considered handing the Sounding Stone off to someone else, perhaps a civil servant or the captain of another order, one charged with keeping the peace. However, Krai Andrey’s inscrutable nature would no doubt be too much for any of Zebrudia’s other nobles to handle. That could lead to a gap in the sharing of information. In the end, the soundest option was for Franz to bear the stone himself. Even if that man talked to him like they were chums or something.

Not my subordinates, not my friends, nobody says “Yoohoo” to me!

At his age, he never thought someone, not even among his friends or family, could cause him so much mental anguish. He had an excess of anger and nowhere he could direct it.

“What troubles our intelligence corps,” the young knight said with a shrug, “is that they can’t be worth much if they’re being outdone by a single hunter.”

“I see our new member is a bold one,” Franz replied. “Keep such thoughts to yourself, Hugh.”

Young people these days. Didn’t this man just refer to the intelligence corps as excellent?

The intelligence corps supported Zebrudia from the shadows. The nature of their work meant they rarely ever took to the stage, but their competency was undeniable, and they had on a number of occasions stopped trouble before it could happen. Zebrudia wouldn’t be where it was if not for them.

“But Captain, after multiple days of keeping the Thousand Tricks under constant surveillance, the intelligence corps hasn’t learned anything, correct? If you send me, I’ll find something of value.”

“Hmph. I appreciate your confidence, but I’m not convinced. I’ve seen many hunters before, but none like him. Damn it all...”

Though the Thousand Tricks could obtain information faster than the intelligence corps, that did not mean they were incompetent. In the past, Franz might have agreed with Hugh, but that man had demonstrated a level of awareness that couldn’t be explained merely by a good information network.

Still, what were they supposed to do now? At the moment, they weren’t aware of anything, besides the sword incident, ostensibly related to the prophecy. Just like last time, all they could do was gather personnel and make preparations so they could respond to any potential situation. However, just dealing with Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox had already put them on high alert and short on manpower.

In other words, they were in the same position as last time. At this rate, they would once again be at the mercy of the Thousand Tricks. It was certainly possible.

“If only the Divinarium’s prophecy were a bit more specific,” Hugh remarked, ignorant of Franz’s concerns. “Besides, the imperial capital’s defenses are solid. Most hexes cast from outside won’t have any effect, and we have measures to prevent cursed items from being brought inside. As for the matter of Soln the Sword Saint, that was smaller in scope than we had envisioned. Are you sure we’re not overthinking this?”

Hugh spoke fluently, with a confident bearing.

Indeed, the Divinarium’s prophecy had led Franz to anticipate casualties in the tens of thousands. Even if Krai hadn’t made his move, the Devil Sword incident probably wouldn’t have caused so much destruction.

To begin with, hexes weren’t the sort of spells that could cause physical destruction the way most other offensive spells could. What’s more, taking countermeasures against hexes was easy. While they could be deadly to someone not taking the necessary measures to protect themselves, such measures were simple and a fundamental part of the art of curses.

The storied imperial capital had airtight defenses; it was fair to assume it was impossible for anyone to kill someone with a hex cast outside the perimeters. The one exception was, as Hugh had mentioned, a scenario like the Devil Sword case, in which someone brought a cursed item into the city. But the sort of item capable of killing thousands of people wouldn’t just be lying around wherever.

But they were all well aware of this. Their problem was that despite their stalwart defenses, the prophecy hadn’t faded.

“You’re all letting your nerves get the best of you,” Hugh said. “Captain, don’t look so grave. Relax a bit. Don’t you think the renowned Zero Order should show a bit more confidence?”

Franz narrowed his eyes. The other knights looked at Hugh with exasperation. Infallible discipline was what the Zero Order was expected to show. They were assumed to be competent and frequently served at the emperor’s side, meaning they had a duty to thoroughly fulfill any orders given to them.

In this regard, Hugh was far too flippant. Having graduated valedictorian suggested he was talented. He was slender but had a good figure and a dashing appearance. Franz had heard he tended to be just a bit extravagant when it came to women. He was probably used to being showered in praise, with few failures to call his own.

In some ways, the audaciousness he was displaying before his captain was commendable. Unfortunately for him, Franz got his fill of audacity just through the Thousand Tricks.

For a moment, Franz let his scrutinous gaze rest on this rude junior knight before eventually giving him a slow nod. “Hmph. I see. Well then, Hugh, I’ve got a job for you. On your pride as a noble, head over to the Thousand Tricks and wrench what information you can from him. Hang around him for a bit, and cooperate with him. Don’t try to tell me it’s impossible.”

A moment’s thought suggested this wouldn’t go well. In terms of age, Hugh and the Thousand Tricks were similar, but they were vastly different in terms of skills and experience. Accolades like graduating top of his class wouldn’t do Hugh any good here.

When it came to audacity, the one who wore a floral shirt when escorting the emperor easily won out. Hell, when it came to being extravagant with women, it was hard to beat the guy who allegedly owed his childhood friend massive amounts of money. What insanity. If there was one thing Hugh had going for him, it was probably his bravery. Considering how he had just talked to his captain, it was hard to think he would be intimidated by a Level 8.

Having one more novice knight around wouldn’t make things any easier for the rest of the order. In which case, they may as well give Hugh an early opportunity to learn some humility. It would benefit them in the long run.

Hugh was briefly taken aback by Franz’s acquiescence, but a faint smile quickly formed on his lips. That smile, however, did not reach his eyes. He had strength and spirit, and burning in the depths of his eyes was ambition. Perhaps this was just how youth were meant to be?

“Your wish is my command, Captain,” Hugh said with a bow that was deferential, but perhaps exaggerated. “I, Hugh Regland, will do everything in my power to ensure your peace of mind.”

“Get going.”

Standing straight as a rod, Hugh left the room. Franz watched him with a bitter gaze before turning his attention back to his other subordinates. As captain of the Zero Order, it was his duty to carry out the emperor’s orders. He had arranged for the aid of the Sword Saint. However, if the prophecy persisted, they would follow the next lead. They would eliminate each possibility, one at a time. That was how knights operated.

“If it’s not an issue of pure might,” Franz said, “it might be magic. I guess we have no choice. Contact specialists at every institution and inform them of our work. And be discreet about it.”

***

Captain Franz worried far too much. No, Hugh thought to himself, perhaps I should be glad to have an opportunity so early in my career.

Hugh kept his excitement from rising to the surface, making his way to the First Steps clan house. The Zero Order was the only one of Zebrudia’s orders that answered directly to the emperor. They could be considered one of the more popular orders, and through good performance, their members could earn the attention of the emperor himself.

Hugh came from one of the lower noble houses. It was hardly anything grand, but with two older brothers, Hugh had no chance of inheriting his father’s title. For someone like him, the imperial guard was an ideal opportunity. In this order, a major accomplishment could very likely be rewarded with a noble title, or perhaps an offer to marry into a noble family that lacked a male heir.

Hugh was young. He didn’t have any capital to his name, but he was attractive and had received a good education at the academy. His ability to absorb mana material wasn’t bad either. What’s more, he was lucky.

Zebrudia was a true meritocracy. It’s why someone like Hugh, whose house was closer to the bottom of the hierarchy, was able to graduate as valedictorian. Making good use of a fine opportunity obtained so early after joining the order would make him stand out. He might be able to aim for the rank of vice captain before turning thirty.

Good or bad, there was no shortage of rumors about this Level 8 hunter, the Thousand Tricks, the preterhuman artificer. Even Captain Franz had been thrown for a loop by this man, but that just made it all the more worthwhile for Hugh to outsmart him.

Hugh’s rude remarks from earlier had all been a performance on his part. He knew the Thousand Tricks wasn’t to be underestimated. The Explorers’ Association was strict in its assignment of levels, and this was the treasure-hunting holy land. How could Hugh possibly belittle the man who had reached Level 8 at a younger age than anyone before?

Reaching such a high level without even being from an esteemed bloodline gave him something in common with Hugh. However, the young knight had a secret weapon that no noble would be likely to resort to.

When the clan house came into view, he slowed his pace, steadied his breath, and put on a serious expression. He could see reflected in the shiny glass windows a handsome young man clad in the armor of the Zero Order.

The captain had told him to wrench information out of the Thousand Tricks, then come back. Of course, if it were as simple as that, the captain wouldn’t have been so vexed. But he had something no other noble had. No, it was more accurate to say nobles had something that he didn’t: pride.

They were dealing with a man who couldn’t be moved by authority, money, or might. Misunderstanding that was why Captain Franz had been unable to glean anything, despite knowing that this man had information.

Hugh was different. He would temporarily cast aside his pride and take control of his future. If this task made him acquainted with a high-level hunter, that, too, would be a useful asset in the future. He proceeded onward. Though he wore a calm facade, he had the mentality of someone going to battle.

Suddenly, the door opened and out came a girl with pink hair and tan skin. Hugh’s eyes flew open. The long hair tied back, the healthy tan, the slender limbs that still showed a graceful strength. With all that and the skimpy gear of a Thief, there was no doubt in his mind—she was from the same party as the Thousand Tricks. This was Liz Smart, the Stifled Shadow, the one feared for her mercilessness.

It appeared luck really was on Hugh’s side. He would be much closer to accomplishing his goal if he earned the trust of one of the Thousand Tricks’s childhood friends and party members. It helped that Hugh had a bit of confidence when it came to dealing with women. There was, of course, his intellect and strength, but his handsome face was another of the advantages he had inherited from his parents. Most hunters were rugged men, so he figured a sweeter complexion would be a powerful weapon.

He could do this. He would be humble in the extreme, talk to her like a gentleman would. She was known for her intensity, but offering some excessive flattery for the Thousand Tricks should solve that problem. He put on a perfect smile and approached her. Liz came to a halt, then slowly turned his way.

Then Hugh abruptly lost consciousness.

He felt a strong impact, then slowly came to. When his brain was working again, he didn’t shout or open his eyes. He kept his eyes closed and tried to disguise the fact that he was awake. As elites, the knights of the Zero Order were trained in all sorts of skills. Hugh believed he could adapt to emergencies as well as any capable hunter.

He steadied his breath and tried to get a grasp of the situation. He could move his hands and legs, so he probably hadn’t been bound or anything. The dull pain at the base of his neck was probably from whatever had knocked him out. He hadn’t let his guard down, yet he hadn’t even been able to fight back.

It didn’t require any deduction to figure out who had done this. There were only so many people who would freely attack a knight on such a busy street. He had heard that that girl was fierce and quick to strike, but this exceeded his expectations. He had underestimated Grieving Souls.

Fortunately, the wound was a light one. It seemed not even the Stifled Shadow would abruptly kill someone after he’d approached her with a smile. He didn’t think he was in a bad situation. That sort of attack would enrage most knights, but Hugh could endure it. Seeing as no noble had managed to get along with the Thousand Tricks so far, this was about what he had expected. Hugh believed in himself. He told himself he could do it.

Then he heard some chatter. There was the harsh voice of Liz Smart, a relaxed male voice, and a befuddled female voice.

“This guy here, Krai Baby, he was looking at me with evil in his eyes! He’s definitely our enemy! Right?”

“Huh?! He was? He was looking at you?”

“Ps-Pseudo handsome dude number two...”

A swift kick sent Hugh to the floor, which was followed by the cold metal of her Relic boots trampling him. His armor, unique to his order and made of a special alloy, groaned. For someone so thin, she was incredibly strong. Even in the Zero Order, very few people were capable of bending this armor with sheer brute force.

As he endured the pain and went in and out of consciousness, Hugh heard a heated voice.

“Hey, he’s got the armor of the imperial guard, so he’s probably someone special, right? I don’t think he wants to kill us, but I saw the odd look in his eyes. He’s totally our enemy.”

“C-Calm down, Lizzy.”

What are these people talking about?

All Hugh did was look at her. Sure, he had hidden intentions, but he hadn’t even shown any hostility, much less any sort of intent to kill. She said he had an odd look in his eyes? He thought there might have been a reason he had been attacked, but this defied comprehension. Surely people looked at her all the time. Did she always respond like this? And he was wearing the armor of the imperial guard, so what else could he possibly be?!

Hugh had to stop worrying. He quickly suppressed his well of doubts. He was here to get results, no matter what. He was certain Captain Franz didn’t expect anything from him, but that just made it all the more important that he succeed here. He had to think, not come up with excuses.

I have to find a way past this berserker.

“Shaddup, T! C’mon, Krai Baby, I did a good thing, right? Look! He’s awake, yet he’s pretending to be knocked out! He’s one hundred percent up to no good!”

She can tell?!

The boot pressed into him with increased force, and Hugh opened his eyes. He quickly tried to move, but the boot held him like a vise, preventing even the slightest movement. He struggled to breathe. A ragged breath escaped his lips. He could see Liz, a shine in her eyes, the black-haired girl said to be her apprentice, and there, lounging on the couch, was a black-haired young man with a vaguely doltish look on his face.

For a moment, Hugh forgot about the pain. This unremarkable man didn’t strike him as anyone powerful. This man matched the description given by Captain Franz, but that knowledge didn’t make it any easier to believe he was a Level 8. Hugh failed to understand it.

He couldn’t flatter this man! Even after coming all this way with the intention of buttering him up, even after having lavished praise on idiots of all varieties, he couldn’t find anything worth praising! This man had no power. He had no drive. He didn’t even have the same vitality exuded by the Stifled Shadow, nor her cunning. It was a perfect disguise.

But was it really a disguise?

Compared to other high-level hunters, there was very little easily available information about the Thousand Tricks. Descriptions of his appearance were particularly scant, but Hugh now knew why: there was nothing worth saying. If you said a Level 8 hunter was a man with nondescript black hair and black eyes, not many people would believe you. They would doubt your judgment.

The Thousand Tricks looked in Hugh’s direction, but not at him. It was a content expression, or to put it rudely, an empty-headed one, that made Hugh uneasy. This man’s overwhelmingly unremarkable face would be impervious to flattery. It made Hugh break out in a cold sweat.

What do I do? What should I do?

How could he get on this man’s good side in order to accomplish his task? And why didn’t he say anything, even though one of his party members was stepping on an innocent knight?!

Hugh somehow managed to move his fingers just enough so he could tap the floor. Then, the Thousand Tricks finally did something. He gave a witless smile and looked at Liz.

“G-Good girl. You did great, Liz. Super.”

“I did? I really did?”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

Hugh had seen all sorts of parties, but never one like this. Hunters had a reputation for being brutes, but that changed when it came to the higher-level ones. The levels allotted by the Explorers’ Association were proof of a hunter’s prowess, making these levels a pillar of the Association. They generally didn’t give high levels to members who exhibited a lack of humanity. While many hunters worked solo, just about anyone who led a party showed strong leadership informed by excellent charisma.

But this man just said “Super” and “Yeah-huh.” That could hardly be described as leadership.

“Good, good, good job. You’re great, Liz. There, there.”

“Hehe. I just knew you’d want me to bring him here,” Liz preened wolfishly.

“There, there,” the Thousand Tricks muttered. “Good girl. Good job. Now let him go.”

“Then will you give me something cursed, like you did with Luke and Lucy?”

“Good girl. Bad girl. There, there.”

The pressure disappeared. Holding his chest, Hugh pulled himself up and saw Krai, rubbing Liz’s head with a vacant look in his eyes. Hugh felt like he had been struck by lightning. Whereas Krai had a forced smile and was moving his hands in an automated motion, Liz’s eyes had a vigorous shine. There was no way someone who could read Hugh’s intentions just through his glance (whether her reading was correct, however, was doubtful) could fail to notice Krai’s attitude.

Yet this was her response! What power this man must have if he could have such an effect on a maniac willing to knock out a man clad in the regalia of the imperial guard!

Hugh had worn a number of masks to get where he was. So he understood that while it was hard to manipulate people by acting, it was even harder to manipulate while being genuine. If he could keep her under control with such half-hearted replies, he must have gone to great lengths to discipline the Stifled Shadow!

Hugh began to feel like he understood why the Thousand Tricks was considered so confounding and called things like “the preterhuman artificer.” So far, every time Hugh had successfully flattered someone, it was because he had understood their talents. But how was he supposed to get on this man’s good side?! What did the Stifled Shadow like about him?

“Y’know,” Liz said, “my mentor keeps telling me to bring you over. So will you come with me sometime?”

“Good girl. Good girl. You’re great, Liz.”

“Master, nothing she’s done is good.”

Hugh saw the way he ignored the recoiling girl with the black hair. He noticed his mellow smile and dry voice. He was certain that this man, Krai Andrey, wasn’t listening to them! Every detail of his behavior made it clear he wasn’t paying any attention. Not even the shrewdest of nobles or merchants could afford to act this way. They had no need to in the first place.

Perhaps he could do this because of his high level? His languid, accustomed attitude, and the way Liz was unfazed by it. That couldn’t have sprung up overnight. Hugh wanted to understand this power. It was unlike any sort of leadership he had ever heard of. If he had these skills, then he, too, would be able to rise to great heights.

He no longer cared about his mission to get information. There was something he had to know. He had to learn the secrets behind this man’s power! If Hugh stayed by his side, would he learn the true nature of his power? Would he be able to make it his own?

He watched intently so as not to miss the slightest detail. The sight of him absentmindedly rubbing Liz’s head began to appear majestic in Hugh’s eyes.

Then, for the first time, Krai looked at Hugh. He slowly blinked and stared for a moment. Eventually, he nodded and said to Liz, “Good girl, Liz. Now, go back where you belong.”

“Huh? What about my cursed item?”

“That’s a good girl...”

“And my mentor?”

“That’s a good girl!”

Even though he was completely shutting her out, Liz took her arms off Krai and gave him some space. With a nihilistic smile, Krai crossed his legs in an oddly exalted fashion. A sense of deep respect overtook Hugh. He straightened his posture, put his hands to the floor, and lowered his head.

“Krai, please, take me as your apprentice.”

Hugh cast aside his honor. He even forgot to introduce himself, something he rarely did.

“Ah. Apprentice, huh? Yeah, uh-huh. Wait. Huh?” the Thousand Tricks replied in his dullest voice thus far.

***

How in the world did this happen?

Looking down at the young knight bowing before me, I sat in a daze, trying not to think too hard about the situation. Since coming to the imperial capital, several people had requested to be my apprentice, but this was the first time a knight I didn’t even know the name of bowed before me. What’s more, I hadn’t even done anything this time around.

I was struggling to hide my confusion when suddenly, I met Tino’s gaze. She had come here with Liz.

“Incredible as always, M-Master,” she stammered, just as bewildered as I was. “Without doing anything, you’ve managed to make a proud knight of the Zero Order bow before you. That’s, uh, something only a Level 8 could do...”

If I was right, it sounded like she wasn’t praising me so much as she was questioning this guy’s sanity. Maybe Liz had hit his head a bit too hard when she brought him in. She was oddly proud of herself. She was still sharp as ever if she had knocked out a knight for no good reason.

I set aside the groveling knight and focused on Liz for the time being.

“I already told you, the thing with Luke was a coincidence. Lucia getting that staff was also because things just happened to play out that way. You can say ‘I want one too’ all you want, but there’s nothing I can do. It’s not a matter of accomplishments; I can’t give you what I don’t have.”

Liz had apparently heard about what happened with Luke and thought it was incredibly unfair.

Liz, how old are you again? Calm down. Everything you’re saying is wrong. Luke got a Devil Sword because that’s just how things went. It wasn’t a reward, the staff I gave to Lucia isn’t cursed, and suddenly bringing me an unconscious knight isn’t something to be rewarded!

I had too many objections I wanted to raise, and I was tired. Why was she so hungry for trouble? We had just gone through a number of ordeals at the Supreme Warrior Festival, so how did she still have so much energy? If Liz got violent here, Franz would be the one with a headache, but I didn’t think she understood that.

Liz remained unfazed by my explanation, her finely shaped eyes shimmering with expectation. She believed I would bring more trouble. I didn’t like being trusted in that way. The case with Luke had definitely increased her expectations, and now there would be no getting through to her.

I casually reached out and ruffled her hair in an attempt to rub out those memories. “There, Liz. Good girl.”

“Mmm.”

Tino’s cheeks flushed as she watched my lazy attempt to placate her mentor. Then, the knight at the center of all this got up on unsteady feet. His eyes were as wide as they could open.

“M-Magnificent,” he said in amazement. “This is the sort of control a Level 8 commands.”

“I dunno why, I keep finding myself surrounded by weirdos.”

“P-Please keep such thoughts to yourself, Master.”

In what way did it look like I had anything under control? If there was a way to rein in Liz, I wanted to know it.

The young knight straightened his posture as though the thought had just occurred to him. With a dignified expression that would win the heart of any woman, he bowed.

“Please forgive the delayed introduction. I’m Hugh Regland, knight of the Zero Order. On the orders of Captain Franz, I’m to serve under your command for the time being. Please, don’t hesitate to put me to work!”

That’s funny. Nobody told me about this.

I could understand if they had sent someone to cooperate in investigations, but having a knight to order around struck me as strange. This guy could try to act all prim and proper, but it wouldn’t make up for his earlier behavior. Though, that might have been a result of getting walloped by Liz, so I didn’t say anything.

Hugh was undeterred by my suspicious gaze. If I were in his place, I would’ve broken under the pressure and looked away, but this guy was one of the elites.

Hm. So I guess this means Franz plans to put me to work?

He didn’t know who he was dealing with. Nobody had told him there was nothing more obnoxious than an incompetent busybody. I didn’t expect anyone to understand it, but my laziness was driven by ironclad principles!

I crossed my arms and tapped my elbows. I gave him a hard-boiled smile and said, “All right, I understand. Here, for starters, you can go look for a cursed item I can give to Liz.”

Chapter Three: Successive Disasters

“I’ll be protecting you today, Krai! Please, let yourself relax and know that you’re in good hands!”

“Kill, kill?”

Grinning from ear to ear, Sitri held her hands together. Killiam, still slender from his forced diet, tilted his head. I was in my usual spot in my office, polishing my Relics, when the deranged duo struck a pose in front of me.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in a while, Sitri,” I said.

“And I’m overjoyed to see you as well!”

That was good and all, but I hadn’t said I was overjoyed. But I was!

Warm sunlight filtered in through the window behind me. It was a peaceful day, entirely unlike the mess with the Devil Sword. As I understood it, that matter had been forced under the rug by some powerful people.

Sitri shuffled behind my desk like it was a perfectly natural thing to do and said to me, “Krai, I heard all about it from Lizzy! You had another fascinating day, it seems.”

Every inch of her suggested she was in a good mood. If she had a tail, it definitely would’ve been wagging.

I sighed very deeply and looked down at the crown-type Relic in my hand. “Liz wasn’t happy about that.”

And I wouldn’t exactly call it fascinating.

The thought that I was about to be dragged into something bizarre had me feeling pretty down, but Sitri was bubbling with excitement.

“Lizzy was very unhappy that she didn’t have guard duty today,” Sitri said with a giggle. “You see, she had to delay her shift. Apparently, she had a matter she couldn’t afford to neglect. But I’ll have you know I was also very busy yesterday!”

“I see, I see.”

I don’t get it, but I see. Well, as long as you’re having fun! I’m tired.

But if Sitri thought I was going to be simply dragged into any messes, she was mistaken.

According to Franz, curses had something to do with the current situation. Unfortunately, Relics and curses were inextricably linked. Relics were re-creations of things that existed in the past, their appearance rates believed to be proportional to how common or widely known they once were. Cursed items were formed by powerful emotions, and as such, were almost always without duplicates. Therefore, they couldn’t be described as “common,” a condition for becoming a Relic.

So what this all means is that in the extraordinarily rare case a cursed item manifested as a Relic, it did so because even though there had only been one, it was most likely an item so terrifying it was known far and wide. Of course, just about every Relic I owned was safe. Not one of them was cursed, but on the off chance one of my items did cause something to happen, that would be a very bad day for me.

I had confirmed the powers of every Relic in my collection, but I couldn’t say without certainty that my friends wouldn’t do something like add a piece they stumbled across and then forget to tell me about it. As part of my maintenance, I started checking their powers while polishing them.

With a small wave of my hand, I beckoned Sitri to come over. She grinned as I placed the freshly polished crown-type Relic on her head.

Her eyes went wide, and she said, slightly flustered, “C-Could this be my cursed item?”

“I don’t have anything cursed. That crown makes your hair grow a little bit faster. It’s worth thousands. Not this. Not this either...”

I put a pendant-type set with a red gem around her neck, then a necklace-type, another necklace-type, and another necklace-type while I was at it. Some people might wonder why I had so many, but Sitri, the mannequin’s cheeks were flushed, and she seemed quite happy.

I’m not giving you these, you know?

But if she really insisted, I would’ve been willing to share a few with her. After all, some of these had been bought with money I still owed her.

“Honestly, I can’t just handle every little thing,” I said. “I just dealt with one big mess, now this. Everyone’s too dependent on me because of my level. Sitri, hold your finger out.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around why everyone put so much faith in a Level 8 in name only, who had been in all sorts of messes and never solved any of them. With even a little bit of thought, it would be clearer than glass that I hadn’t done anything. With these gripes on my mind, I placed one ring after another on her lithe fingers.

“K-Krai! What’s the meaning of this?!”

“What? There’s no real meaning. Does it bother you?”

My friends didn’t really go for accessories, hence my question. But Sitri vigorously shook her head in response.

Perhaps it was tickling her or something, as she began to squirm. “Is this perhaps,” she whispered, cheeks red, “a proposal?”

“Kill, kill...”

Seeing his master so unsettled, Killiam sounded uneasy.

Proposal? I just said there’s no real meaning!

“How much do you think we can trust this prophecy Franz has been talking about?” I said.

“The Astral Divinarium’s prophecies are known for coming true,” Sitri replied. “Imperial law even permits the military to use the Divinarium’s prophecies as a basis for mobilizing.”

Would it come true? After witnessing Sora and her divine revelations, I didn’t trust this stuff at all. She was awful at it. I hadn’t seen her since she first arrived in the imperial capital. I wondered how she was doing.

I was pretty sure that if a hex or whatever was cast on the imperial capital, it would be subdued before it could cause significant damage. I know I said this and that about the capital, but it was still safe enough that I was willing to stick around.

“But if it was enough to inspire such a prophecy, it must be something fairly inauspicious. That’s not something even a skilled Shaman could cast. So I think it’s reasonable that Captain Franz is being wary of Relics. There’s been no reports of major damage in the area, and Zebrudia is on the lax side when it comes to Relics. Which reminds me, my brother’s also been put on alert. The church specializes in curses, after all.”

“You couldn’t ask for better protection.”

Hexes were spells driven by powerful emotions. Compared to magic, which operated on clear principles, hexes were unstable, their efficacy being massively influenced by the caster’s condition.

Powerful curses were generally something you couldn’t cast even if you tried. The most dangerous ones weren’t those put forth by Shamans, but those created when someone died while bearing a grudge. Those curses were exceptionally powerful, often indiscriminate, and were almost a sort of natural disaster.

Most unstable curses faded quickly, but that changed when that spite was contained within something. Those curses were stable and remained deadly for a long time. The Devil Sword that had caused so much trouble for the Sword Saint was one example of an item bearing a powerful curse.

Being the holy land of treasure hunting, Relics were constantly flowing into the capital at all hours of the day. With that in mind, it didn’t seem too ridiculous that Franz had contacted me. Or did it? No. There were definitely better people he could’ve called up!

I put a pair of Relic glasses on Sitri, then a Relic stole on her shoulders, and I didn’t quite know the best spot for a Relic chain, so I wrapped it around her body for the time being. Relic-clad Sitri was complete.

Yep, there’s nothing I don’t recognize. This time, I’ve done nothing wrong.

“I’ve been dyed in your shade,” Sitri said, hands pressed to her cheeks. “I can no longer get married. Would you be so kind as to take me?”

That’s not true. I’m sure plenty of people would jump at the opportunity.

It occurred to me that if we knew the incident was set to occur within the imperial capital, perhaps we could just leave? But I had to shoot that idea down. That would definitely invite questions and needless misunderstandings. It seemed my best option was to sit quietly. If I did nothing, then surely nothing would happen.

***

The Zebrudia Academy of Magic had been founded a few centuries prior. The emperor at the time wanted to advance the arcane arts, as he felt that Zebrudia was falling behind in this field. It had since become a famous school, and for good reason; it was easily one of the best out there.

Powerful Magi were key to tackling high-level treasure vaults. In the northern district of the imperial capital, the institute had a sprawling campus and a school building that resembled a castle. It was a place admired by Magi and hunters alike, and it was said that as much as eighty percent of all the capital’s famous Magi were alumni of ZAM.

Twelve towers dotted the perimeter of the castle. Each housed a laboratory run by a professor, and in one, Anna Nodin was receiving harsh orders from her junior Magus, Lucia Rogier.

“Remember, be very careful with that! Make sure you don’t accidentally channel mana into it or something!”

“Hehe, I know, I know. Still, Lucia, you’ve got a very courteous brother. I can’t believe he got a gift from the Sword Saint’s vault. First, that lightning staff, now this. I guess that’s what you can expect from a Level 8 Relic collector; even his sources are first-rate.”

Lucia screwed up her face in a look of displeasure, temporarily marring her visage. A Level 6 Magus, Lucia Rogier, the Avatar of Creation, was famous for her wide repertoire of spells, but it was fair to say she was better known among the researchers for her older brother.

Lucia’s older brother, the Thousand Tricks, was one of the top hunters in the imperial capital and was the youngest person to reach Level 8. He was also known for being a Relic collector. Among the researchers at ZAM, a group mostly female due to their genetic inclination to magic, he had become something of an idol. Every time he visited, they came out in droves to see him.

Lucia’s brother wasn’t the only famous young hunter; there was also Ark Rodin. However, Ark didn’t have any relatives at ZAM, nor any other connection to the academy, so he rarely came by. So perhaps it was only natural that the Thousand Tricks had ended up the target of so much attention.

Anna looked down at the black staff Lucia had brought in. The shaft looked like it had been made by several vines tangling together, and a shiny gem sat at the top. It was a simple design, but she was surprised by its lightness, even when wrapped in cloth. They still hadn’t discerned the item’s powers, but compared to other weapons, staff Relics frequently sold for high sums. Selling at the right venue could easily bring in eight figures. As Magi tended to lack physical strength, many would be delighted to get a staff that weighed very little.

Even if it was for his sister’s instructor, someone would have to be awfully generous to just give such a thing away. He was powerful, rich, and had status. The rumors said he was a bit of an oddball, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Lucia was quite extraordinary, and perhaps he had something to do with that.

“That’s absurd,” Lucia said, “he’s just got an unhealthy obsession with Relics! And there’s no guarantee this staff isn’t—”

“I get it, I get it. No need to hide your embarrassment, I won’t take your brother or—”

“Hiding my embarrassment?!”

Receiving a death glare from Lucia, Anna examined the staff while making sure it didn’t come into contact with her skin. Lucia wasn’t the sort of person who would lie to hide her embarrassment, and listening to her would help Anna leave a good impression on her brother.

“While we’re at it, Anna, do you have any ideas as to the identity of this staff?”

“I’m not really interested in staves. But I am interested in your brother...”

Lucia didn’t respond to that.

Relic staves were a diverse bunch. There were those that simply offered high mana-amplification, those specialized for lighting spells, like the one Lucia had just brought in recently, and there was also Hydrogod’s Grace, which had been taken from that traitor, the Counter Cascade. And unless it was something fairly famous, you never knew what a Relic staff did until you gave it a test run.

“I can’t imagine there are many other people out there secretly holding on to a Relic staff like the Sword Saint was. And I don’t think there are too many people he’d give it to after holding on to it for decades.”

“Our leader’s always been known for his good finds.”

This was a Relic the Sword Saint had kept to himself and hadn’t even told anyone of its existence. It was possible he valued it more than any of his swords. It seemed there was truth to those rumors that said the Thousand Tricks was as good a negotiator as the most cunning merchants.

Reaching Level 6 at such a young age meant Lucia was a real genius, but her brother was no doubt something beyond that. They said he had made the spellbooks that led to Lucia earning the title Avatar of Creation. No wonder she had such a brother complex.

“So if I win the heart of your brother, I’ll get a cute little sister on top of everything else.”

“You couldn’t possibly handle our party leader. Don’t come crying to me if you start to approach your limits.”

Lucia’s expression caused Anna to withdraw that statement. It seemed if she wanted to conquer the older brother, she’d first have to befriend the younger sister.

“I’m just joking, that’s all. And of course, the staff will be in safekeeping until the professor can examine it. Even if it is cursed, we should be safe that way, right?”

Anna had been called a genius at times, but she definitely didn’t possess the same level of talent as the girl before her. Anna would likely be unfavorably compared to her, not to mention the youngest Level 8 hunter was probably fairly popular with the ladies. Just being his sister’s older colleague wouldn’t give the slightest advantage.

She had to take this chance to win some points, no matter how few. Her chance would come one day, she was sure of it.

“Anna,” Lucia said, interrupting her delusions, “you’ve been here a long time, haven’t you? Do you think the professor might be holding on to something in secret?”

“Something secret? I mean, she’s a Magus, and I’m sure anyone who becomes a professor here would have a thing or two they’d rather keep hidden. Oh. I think I might have an idea!”

Lucia’s eyes went wide. She was an exceptional young Magus, but she had a tendency not to see what was around her. She was so absorbed in her research and hunting that she missed all the academy gossip.

Anna glanced around furtively in an attempt to get Lucia excited; this girl was always so calm. “It’s just a rumor,” Anna said in a hushed voice, “but they say going all the way back to the first headmaster, there’s something special that’s been secretly passed down from one headmaster to the next. Supposedly, it’s something legendary. The professors will just laugh you off when you ask about it, but they do so with a serious look in their eyes. So, what do you suppose this thing is?”

“Maybe a potion or a magic creature?” Lucia said. She sounded weary, but there was still a hint of conviction.

“Wait, so you know about it?”

“No. This is the first I’ve heard of it. It’s just, starting today, Siddy, the Alchemist, will be on guard duty.”

Anna blinked in confusion. Guard duty? Alchemist? What’s she talking about?

“This time, I know what he’s up to,” Lucia said. She was clutching her fist and appeared to be talking to herself. “I won’t let him get away with it like he always does. This time, I’ll stop him.”

Suspended in the air by a magic device was a black staff. Surrounding it were Magi from all over the academy. Broadly speaking, there were two types of Magi: the researchers who secluded themselves in their labs and worked to establish theories of magic, and the implementers who didn’t care about theory and just wanted to learn to harness arcane powers.

Most fell into the latter, the best becoming knights and treasure hunters. However, those who remained at the academy for a long duration generally belonged to their former category. Hearing of the mysterious staff Lucia had brought in, they gathered around, whispering to each other.

“Oh, so this was in the Sword Saint’s vault? I’ve never seen it before.”

“I understand that during his training, Soln Rowell traveled the world and conquered multiple treasure vaults. If we could confirm where he obtained this, then maybe we could do the same for its powers.”

“Could it be some sort of vegetal Devil Staff? However, its color, its shape...”

“Who else but Lucia’s brother could take a treasured staff from that hardhead Sword Saint?”

One of them had a word of complaint for Lucia, who was standing with her arms crossed and a glimmer in her eyes.

“Do we really need to refrain from touching it? Can’t we just use gloves?”

“We can’t. There’s no telling what might happen, so don’t take any unnecessary risks!”

Amid this crowd of Magi who loved research more than life itself, the staff remained untouched because Lucia knocked back any troublemakers who tried to lay their hands on it. Researchers tended to lack the magical prowess of implementers. Absorbing high amounts of mana material daily and regularly dealing with trouble caused by her party members meant nobody could get past Lucia.

Once she was sure there were no more ruffians, Lucia turned her attention to Anna. “Anna, what about this is safekeeping?!”

“Well, what can you do?” Anna replied with a hearty laugh. “There’s no way the Magi here wouldn’t come to see something from the Sword Saint’s vault. Even normal Relic staves don’t make their way to us.”

Relic staves were both valuable research materials and powerful weapons. On the very rare occasion that one was recovered from a treasure vault, they rarely ended up at the academy due to financial reasons. A new Relic being brought in was big news, enough to draw in researchers from the other towers.

“Besides, if we hid it, that would just attract the wrong sorts,” Anna continued. “Isn’t it safer to keep it out here in plain sight until the professor returns?”

“Oh, perhaps you’re right.”

Just because they were more interested in theories than the grand power of magic didn’t mean researchers could be underestimated. Not only were they always pouring their hearts into their own work, but they were also enamored with the research of their colleagues. Some people could be very ruthless when they wanted. If anything, keeping the staff hidden was the more dangerous option.

“Especially since you’re a hunter, Lucia. And then there’s the fact that your beloved brother is famous for collecting Relics.”

Lucia’s eyebrows twitched, and she let out a sigh of resignation. “Mmm.”

It seemed Lucia wasn’t too fond of hearing her brother receiving compliments. He was supposedly a tad strange, but having a Level 8 for a sibling was something to be proud of. What was it she didn’t like? Was she actually worried that someone might take him from her?

Frankly, Anna thought there was no use worrying. Even if his face wasn’t widely known, being a Level 8 was enough to make someone famous. In a nation where hunters had high status, reaching such a high level could bring in marriage proposals from powerful nobles.

Still, Lucia was too nervous when it came to her brother. Her usual rational self wouldn’t worry about something from the Sword Saint’s vault being cursed, or think that her brother was after the academy’s treasure.

“If anything, I think it’s more likely that your brother is offering the Relic staff as an apology for making you miss your exam and angering the professor.”

Anna had been surprised when Lucia didn’t show up for her advanced compound spirit staff certification exam. Requiring both research experience at an academy and a recommendation from a professor, it was one of the most difficult magic certifications one could acquire. Apparently, she had her reasons for missing the exam, but while showing up and failing would have been one thing, not showing up at all besmirched her professor.

“M-My brother isn’t the type to do something so normal!”

“Still,” Anna said with a smile, “I’m pretty sure the professor’s mood will improve if she gets a staff from the vault of the Sword Saint. She recently started looking for a staff, so the timing couldn’t be better.”

Magic research was almost always accompanied by a degree of danger. Just like there had been with the lightning-specialized staff Lucia had recently brought in, there was always a bit of risk involved.

“Oh, forget it!” Lucia said with an uncharacteristic pout.

Anna thought she had put in another all-nighter working on a spell, but it turned out Lucia had an endearing side to her. It didn’t require a personality like Anna’s to be tempted into teasing this young Magus.

Probably having arrived late and missed her chance to see the staff up close, a girl from another tower approached Lucia. “Hey, Lucia, is your brother coming?”

“He’s not. He’s busy. I’ll remind you he’s a Level 8!”

“Wha? But he came with you last time!”

“He won’t be here!”

Lucia directed an icy glare at the dissatisfied girl. It was well known among the researchers that Lucia had brought her brother with her to her initiation. Even now, some people hadn’t yet forgotten about it. With Lucia’s frigid voice and imposing aura, the Magi began to lose interest in the untouchable staff and direct their attention to her.

Then, there was a brief scream. Lucia spun around to the direction it came from. One of the vines that composed the jet-black staff had extended outward and was grabbing at someone.

“I-I told you not to touch it! What did you do?!”

“Nothing. I didn’t touch—”

Their voice was cut off. The ensnaring vines continued from their arm to their upper torso. Stiff with shock, the blood drained from their face. The staff swelled. The vines grew longer and thicker to the point that they hardly resembled the staff as it had first appeared.

Amid the clamor, a vine went for another nearby Magus frozen in place. It moved swiftly, like a snake snatching up its prey. The first Magus was cast aside. Lucia dashed over and examined them. There were no conspicuous wounds on them, and their heart was beating. However, their complexion was pale, they were completely unconscious, and sweating profusely.

These were the symptoms of mana depletion.

“Is it absorbing mana?! Wh-What is this thing?!”

The bottom half of the staff forked in two and used them like legs to climb down from the display stand. The animallike movements caused the previously enraptured Magi to recoil. The vines continued to grow longer and thicker. It looked less like a staff and more like a vegetal monster.

With a scream, one of the Magi began to attack. Others followed suit, and soon billows of flame, blades of wind, and chunks of ice were slamming the thing from all sides. But then, the staff began to shake violently. The wounds left by the spells were instantly sealed, and the vines grew even larger. It was as if the vines had absorbed the attack’s energy.

Realizing this, Anna took a step back. “Could it be an anti-magical creature? What’s going on?!”

“See? What did I say?!” Lucia yelled. “Ah, my stupid brother! I’m not like Luke! I didn’t want this! I didn’t even touch it!”

“Is now the time for that?!”

The Magi scattered like ants. The former staff tossed aside the Magi it had been draining, almost as though to say they were of no further use to it. Then it looked at both Lucia and Anna, before settling on Lucia. She pressed her lips together and rubbed the bracelets on her wrists.

“Have it your way,” she said, sticking out her finger. “Come forth. I won’t let my brother get away with this!”

“Lucia! Not even you can take something immune to magic!”

After a moment of staring at Lucia (not that it actually had eyes), the former staff changed its posture. It turned around and skillfully used its new legs to dart off. With two outstretched arms, it grabbed some Magi who had been slow in their escape. Lucia didn’t want to imagine how big this mysterious staff could get from drinking up mana. They were in the greatest arcane academy in the empire, a place that had nurtured hundreds of fledgling Magi into experts.

Having outgrown the doorway, the former staff destroyed the frame as it moved into the hallway.

“Hey! Where are you going?!”

With a fierce look on her face, Lucia chased after it. Showing no hesitation to chase down a monstrosity. Just what you might expect from a Level 6 hunter.

Anna looked around at the demolished storage room and at her colleagues, all collapsed from mana depletion. Thinking about what would happen when the professor got back, she clutched her head.

“What am I gonna do...”

***

The Smart sisters were polar opposites in their personalities. Liz was simple, unaffected, earnest, and occasionally acted maturely. Sitri, meanwhile, was rational, composed, organized, and occasionally acted childishly. In addition, Sitri liked giving more than she liked being given to. This was probably part of why she was so successful as an Alchemist.

I liked the way Liz would drag my lazy self along with her, but I found healing the way Sitri accelerated my descent into indolence (By the way, the person I found most reassuring was, naturally, Ansem. I suppose having two lively younger sisters had shaped him).

Decorated with Relics and incredibly cheerful, Sitri cooked me a meal. I ate it as I idly watched Killiam exercise. Sitri maintained her grin all the while. Since I didn’t plan on leaving my room, having a guard didn’t really feel necessary, but I guess she was enjoying herself.

As I let out a yawn, Sitri eagerly approached me.

“Oh, Krai, I just remembered. Take a look! In light of our conversation yesterday, I brought some research materials!”

“Research materials? What kind?”

“It’s the Curse Compendium. It’s a special compilation of every known dangerous phenomenon and cursed item, so it’s not up for sale. I went through a lot of trouble steal—getting my hands on this for you!”

That’s an unsettling name. I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I never asked you to do this!

Sitri placed in front of me a dense text with an ominous design, then leaned against me from behind. The cold feeling of the jingling Relics mixed with her body heat and the soft sensation pressing against me.

“If I tell you which one I want, will you give it to me?” she whispered in my ear.

I won’t.

It seemed that odd rumors had once again begun to propagate.

“The majority of cursed items are kept hidden,” she told me. “It’s because simply knowing about them can be dangerous. This is a very precious book. I got it for you. For you.”

She really emphasized that last point, but even though I collected Relics, I wasn’t interested in cursed stuff. There was nothing I could have done about the Devil Sword brought in by Eliza because I hadn’t realized what it was. And did this thing have to have an alliterative name?

Given Sitri’s general diligence, I was curious as to what she might want, but there was no way something like that would just be sitting around somewhere in the imperial capital. Weren’t things like that outlawed? Maybe just possession was okay? Anything with a downside tended to have enough power to make up for it.

Sitri rubbed herself against the back of my neck. I leaned on an elbow and flipped to a random page near the end. There was a picture of an unsettling tree that was black from its trunk all the way to the tips of its branches. I read the accompanying text.

“What’s this? ‘The Black World Tree.’ It was made by a magic civilization as a stand-in for the World Tree, a mystic tree that is completely unique. Unlike the original tree, which draws power from the ley lines and circulates mana throughout the world, the Black World Tree attacks living creatures and steals their mana. It is said a full-grown Black World Tree will spread its roots in every direction and create a magic wasteland.”

“Civilization certainly would change if people couldn’t use magic anymore,” Sitri said.

“I see. I guess that’s no big deal. I mean, I don’t need magic.”

I couldn’t use it after all. Sure, not being able to charge my Relics would be less than ideal, but curses were things I expected to maim and kill. I guess that wasn’t always the case.

The World Tree was a mystic tree of legend. It was said to be one of the best possible materials to make a staff with, boasting extreme mana-amplification that surpassed even Relics. However, it was uncertain if this was actually true. I had heard that there was only one, and it was deep in a forest managed by Noble Spirits, who worshipped the tree. But I found that pretty dubious; even the members of Starlight had never seen it before.

But I wonder if they’d be enraged by this drawing of a Black World Tree. Would they take it as an insult?

So, which one did Sitri have her eye on? Seeing the glimmer in her eyes, I figured my best option was to ask her. But that got cut off by the door flying open. With a look of panic, Eva dashed in. At just about the exact same moment, the Sounding Stone from Franz began to vibrate.

“Krai, bad news! The Zebrudia Academy of Magic has been destroyed by an immense, unknown monster!”

“What? What’s this?”

The Zebrudia Academy of Magic was the empire’s top magic-oriented school. It was the academy to which the professor Lucia was apprenticed to belonged. Its campus was enormous, and the school building was sturdy. With multiple barrier spells in place, it was one of the safest places in the capital. It couldn’t be destroyed by a monster. I heard that place could withstand a dragon attack.

This had to be bad info. An immense monster shouldn’t have been able to get in there in the first place. Sitri and Killiam were both wide-eyed. Short of breath, Eva came up and slammed her hand on the desk. She was about to say something when she saw the book open in front of me.

“Th-This is it!” she cried. “This looks just like it!”

Well, that’s no good. She’s not making any sense. What’s she so worked up about?

All the while, the Sounding Stone continued to vibrate irritatingly. What did Franz want? I was busy.

I calmed myself with a deep breath and tried to look serious. “Eva, this isn’t a monster. It’s something cursed.”

“That hardly matters! Look, there!”

Eva walked around behind me and pointed out the window. I obligingly got up and looked, as did Sitri. Off in the distance, beyond many buildings, I could see a giant dark something that hadn’t been there before. It must’ve been pretty large if I could see it over these buildings.

I rubbed my eyes.

“No big deal, right, Krai?” Sitri said while poking my shoulder.

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

It was no big deal and it had nothing to do with me.

Hm? What’s that? I have to go? Well, Lucia might be there. And I’ll have Sitri with me, so I guess I can go take a look.

With the Sounding Stone in one hand, Sitri and I headed out. Since it was dangerous, Eva stayed behind to hold down the fort. It would’ve been very bad for us if she had come along and gotten injured. If possible, I also would’ve liked to hold down the fort, but I was in no position to raise any objections.

“What’s going on, Thousand Tricks?! Successive disasters aren’t normal in the imperial capital!”

“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do.”

“You think I’m stupid?! I looked into it! I know your sister is enrolled at ZAM!”

“Yes, that’s true. But that’s not enough to make this my fault...”

Franz’s ceaseless booming voice made it clear he had decided I was responsible for this. True, I was unlucky and a Level 8, but I didn’t like the way he pushed every problem onto me. There were two other Level 8s in this city; what were they doing?

“What the hell is that thing?! You have an idea, don’t you?!”

“Wha? Don’t just assume I know everything,” I replied. “That thing, though, it’s probably the Black World Tree.”

“Hm?! Oh, you son of a bitch!”

Something dark writhed in the distant sky, and constant screams rang out across the main thoroughfare. If I could see it from where we were, it must’ve been hundreds of meters tall. It was definitely bigger than a dragon. How had something like this gotten into the imperial capital? I thought the city was supposed to be on alert because of some prophecy or something.

What am I supposed to do once I get there? All I can really do is send Sitri that way. Am I necessary?

“My, look at the size of it! This is easily a Class A threat, wouldn’t you say, Krai?”

Oh god, she looks so pleased.

With a shine in her eyes, Sitri held one hand over her mouth and held my hand with the other. In her grip, I couldn’t run away.

Calm down. Calm down, Krai Andrey.

With something that large, I was sure the city’s strongest people would converge on that thing and beat it to a pulp. I was doubtful physical attacks could do anything to it, but if that really was the Black World Tree, then as a tree, it should be weak to fire.

Burn it! Burn it!

“If I’m right,” I said, “that thing is weak to fire. We need Hidden Curse. We need the Abyssal Inferno’s power.”

“Understood,” Franz replied with a grunt. “We’ll request their cooperation, so you should head there immediately! That academy is a pillar of the empire; losing it would be a major blow.”

With those alarming words, the Sounding Stone was cut off. He should’ve just called the old lady before contacting me. We were dealing with a magic academy and all. Wasn’t that place her old stomping grounds? I furrowed my brow at the Sounding Stone in my hand, which Sitri watched with confusion.

“Umm, Krai. Forgive me if I’m speaking out of turn here, but if what the Curse Compendium says is true, then that tree is capable of absorbing mana. Wouldn’t attacking with magic be a bad idea?”

“Ahhh. W-Well, I’m willing to admit it’s not entirely impossible to potentially think of it that way. I-I’m sure it’s fine.”

We had just looked at the book not too long ago, yet I had already forgotten what it said. No wonder I was always screwing up. But even if it could absorb mana and whatnot, it was a tree all the same. Shouldn’t that mean the old lady’s flames would be able to do something about it?

And if she can’t. Well. Uh. You’re a Level 8, please figure something out.

Lucia had very likely been wrapped up in this, and not only was she much stronger than I, last I checked, she had plenty of friends at the academy. Perhaps I could sit this one out.

People were fleeing in terror. The chaos had spread further than I had anticipated. A siren rang out as if the world were approaching its last days. I realized I had underestimated the size of the Black World Tree. Peacekeeping knights called out, guiding people to safety. I wished I could’ve been guided to safety.

“Wow, look how big it is!”

Even while trying not to be too harsh, I still thought Sitri’s IQ had dropped considerably when I saw her hopping up and down excitedly. Wasn’t she scared?

With Killiam by our side, the fleeing people kept a wide berth from us, creating a gap in the crowd.

“Hey,” I said to Sitri as we continued to walk, “I was just thinking, isn’t there something incredibly hard-boiled about walking in the opposite direction of a fleeing crowd?”

“There is!” she shrieked. “Krai, you’re incredible!”

I, too, wanted to shriek, and not out of glee or embarrassment. It had been a while since I wanted to vomit like this.

A knight with a large shield was unperturbed by Killiam and ran up to us. “You two! It’s dangerous here! Can’t you see that thing?! Get out of here!”

I’d love to get out of here.

“Worry not,” Sitri said, “we’re going to take care of that thing. Are you unaware of the Level 8 hunter, the Thousand Tricks?”

Man, I’d love to get out of here.

Taken aback by Sitri’s words, the kind knight left us. It seemed that though high-level hunters often got preferential treatment, when needed to, they were expected to put their lives on the line even more than the knights were.

Walking down that road I had walked with Lucia long ago, the school building came into view. It appeared the Zebrudia Academy of Magic was in unprecedented danger. They conducted things like risky magic examinations, and the academy grounds were expansive. The large building was designed like a castle, six of its spires hosting a professor’s office. They were now wrapped in large black vines.

The tree. It’s moving. Did trees always do that? What were the people who made this thinking?

The swiftly wriggling vines grabbed people and tossed them about like garbage. Dozens of Magi, probably academy students, were gathered around the castle and firing spells at it, but the tree didn’t stop.

Sitri looked intently at the tree, our walk having probably let her calm down a bit. “There were phantoms like that in Prism Garden.”

“Hmm. I don’t recall.”

Unfortunately, I was unconscious at the time!

Was there really anything we could do about this thing? Thankfully, the barriers were keeping the damage from spreading beyond the campus, but they wouldn’t last forever against something of this size.

Then the sky grew dark, and a tornado filled with chunks of ice formed at the center of the school grounds. It was a wide-area offensive spell.

“That must be Lucy’s Hailstorm.”

The tornado grew increasingly bigger before colliding with the Black World Tree. The sound of something hard grinding mingled with the roaring wind. The Magi on the ground hung on so as not to be blown away by the shock waves. Being hit by an advanced offensive spell had shorn off a part of the tree. But then it just got bigger.

“It’s growing?!”

The deep wounds closed back up, and the tree expanded. Even at this distance, I could see it swelling.

I guess it wasn’t always this big. What is that thing? Uhhh...

“Ahh, damn it, Lucia. You went and gave the plant water.”

Fire’s the key. Fire. Plants are weak to fire, it makes sense. But I get it, Lucia’s specialty is water.

The tree was wrapped around one of the towers. Even after hitting it so many times, the Magi dug in and prepared to attack again. The swath of vines tightened, and a cracking sound came from the tower. I guess the tree was determined to topple someone’s laboratory. Maybe there was something in there?

The next moment, immense balls of flame burst through the dark clouds above.

“Oh hell, why is this happening?” said a raspy voice.

A shiver ran down my spine. It was the pyromaniac lady. She was here to save us!

Shrouded in flames, the Abyssal Inferno appeared. Following behind her were a number of Magi, all bearing the logo of Hidden Curse. Looking closer, I noticed that Kris and her party were also there for some reason.

The members of the capital’s top Magi clan didn’t hesitate as they walked onto the campus, raised their staves in unison, and began casting. Flames, lights, and gusts all filled the leaden sky and struck at the Black World Tree. Needless to say, leading the effort was the old lady, laughing maniacally.

She’s a hundred times scarier than the tree. She’s the stuff of nightmares.

“HA HA HA HA! BURN! BURN! RETURN TO ASHES!”

Afraid that I might be turned to ash, I instinctively hid in the shadow of the building.

Balls of flame rained down like meteors. I failed to understand why that old lady had ever decided to learn such a dangerous spell. Even from a few hundred meters away, I could feel the burning wind. Still, there was something reassuring about knowing that if the tree turned my way, I would have the world’s scariest old lady on my side.

This should be enough to turn that obnoxious tree into—

“Krai, is the tree getting bigger?”

I silently rubbed my eyes. Just like Sitri had said, cloaked in raging flames of crimson, the Black World Tree wasn’t turning to ash, but instead getting bigger. Noticing something was wrong, the Abyssal Inferno smiled grandly.

“Look at that...”

The falling flames increased in intensity, but to no effect. Though I thought I might end up a pile of ashes. I could barely believe there was something in our world that the old lady’s magic couldn’t burn to the ground.

“Uhhh, maybe, uh,” I said, “this is photosynthesis?”

“Um. Photosynthesis,” Sitri replied. “I-I see?”

To grow well, a plant requires light, water, and a warm climate. But I shouldn’t have been surprised to see that a world tree didn’t go down easily. But if the Abyssal Inferno’s flames weren’t enough, then what was? The trunk had gotten so big that I was willing to bet it was taller than any other building in the imperial capital. It was here that I remembered hearing that the real World Tree was so big it reached the heavens.

Once again, Kris was shouting slanderous remarks.

“Auuugh! Human liar! Just like with the frigid dragons, you lied to us! Sir! This thing definitely isn’t weak to fire! Sir!”

It’s photosynthesis. The tree is photosynthesizing. We just don’t have enough firepower. I’m sure of it. We can do this if we really try!

I silently cheered them on from the shadows.

“Calm down, Kris!” the Abyssal Inferno boomed. “Maybe we just don’t have enough firepower. We’ll use a ritual spell!”

After shooting flames to your heart’s content, you’re still not satisfied? Maybe fire isn’t its weakness! Listen to Kris!

The members of Hidden Curse quickly spread out. To put it simply, a ritual spell was a powerful spell cast by multiple casters working in tandem. The Abyssal Inferno could already command the might of an entire army; I struggled to imagine what would happen if she worked with a group. If they weren’t careful, they could blow the entire school away.

“The blood’s gone to her head,” Sitri remarked. “Entirely to her head. If I recall correctly, she once said she can’t bear the thought of there being something she can’t burn down.”

“I see. Now I know why she has it out for me.”

I was genuinely terrified that she might one day burn through all my Safety Rings. Weren’t you supposed to mellow out with age?!

I could hear the old lady laughing. Lucia’s spells put out any wandering flames. Lightning flashed across the dark sky. The tree grew bigger. Large cracks formed in the tower. I had no clue how that building was still upright.

The Magi of Hidden Curse stood around a large magic circle that had formed in the ground. Perhaps sensing danger, the tree’s vines all twisted and turned as they let go of the tower, then simultaneously struck at the Magi.

Just as the old lady was about to raise her staff, the tree suddenly stopped expanding. It began to shake slightly, then purple flowers bloomed from the tips of its vines. The vines directed at the magic circle remained in place, showing no signs that they might move another inch.

Huh. So the tree produces flowers. The book didn’t mention that.

“Is that it?! Is that what you’re giving me?!” Sitri gleefully caught me in a flying embrace. “I don’t know what it is, but I’m sure I can make an incredible potion with it!”

“BEGONE! INCANDESCENT PURGATION!”

“Ah.”

The Abyssal Inferno swung her stuff down without pause. Countless blades of flame flew from the magic circle and impaled the Black World Tree, setting it ablaze. The violet flames enveloped the tree. Then what had previously been unharmed by the attacking spells was nothing more than ash.

“I’m not going. I absolutely refuse!”

“Now, now, don’t say that. We need to hurry and gather what we can!”

I don’t understand what you’re saying. This has no more to do with you than it does with me, right?

With Sitri prodding my back, we headed to the school building, where the central tower was still intact. The burnt remains of the Black World Tree blanketed the campus like snow. The Magi had all collapsed from exhaustion. Perhaps because of the spell cast by the Abyssal Inferno, the air was fairly warm, enough that a little walking made me sweat.

This counts as environmental destruction, doesn’t it?

Sure, I had just been cheering at our victory, but I was really terrified to think that that old lady had burned down that tree in one blow. Not even the combined attacks of dozens of other Magi had managed that.

If not for Sitri being with me, I would’ve played dumb and returned to the clan house. Why was it that whenever the other Grievers were around, I found myself (as a direct result of them being around) acting properly?

With absolutely no motivation, I let Sitri push me along when my Sounding Stone suddenly started vibrating.

Oh, Franz, you’re so much trouble.

But at least this incident should’ve made it clear to him that the pyromaniac old lady was much more powerful and useful than I was.

“Heya, Franz. The Black World Tree has been successfully taken care of.”

“I-It has?!” he said between heavy breaths. “G-Good!”

I thought it was pretty swell news, but he was as gruff as ever.

“I don’t really get it, but I guess we’re going to the scorched tower to collect something.”

“Huh?! Collect?! What are you going to collect?!”

I didn’t know. I said “something,” didn’t I?!

I casually glanced up at the partially destroyed tower, then turned around when I heard a delayed victory cheer. The old lady was ordering her underlings of Hidden Curse to gather up the ashes.

“Don’t relax yet! The tree might have been burned down, but the mana it absorbed is still here! That thing, that was no mere monster. Now, collect the ashes!”

With the zealous glint in her eyes, she had the fearsome demeanor of a witch from days long past. Her words were oddly forceful, hard to disobey. I guess she wouldn’t have gotten to Level 8 if all she could do was set stuff on fire.

For the time being, I thought I’d report my new info to Franz.

“It appears that that was no mere monster,” I told him.

“I could tell that much! ‘Mere monsters’ don’t suddenly appear and break through multiple barriers to get to a magic academy!”

Franz sure was a tense guy. His order was the best of the best, idolized by civilians, but Franz made me think maybe they didn’t quite deserve all the reverence.

“It can’t be easy being a knight. You have to respond to stuff that isn’t your fault, you have so many people you need to protect, it’s a lot.”

“You. Rat. Bastard. Damn it. Th-The prophecy. It hasn’t gone away!”

He didn’t sound like he was doing too well. And why was that prophecy still there? Was there a time lag or something? It was hard to imagine something more major than the partial demolition of the imperial capital’s top magic academy.

My thoughts were cut off by a mountain of ash being blown away, followed by Lucia popping up. When had she gotten buried like that? Blackened with ash, she instantly turned my way, almost like magic, then angrily walked up to me.

What do you want me to say?

“Sorry, Lucia’s coming, so I gotta cut this here.”

“H-Hey! We’re not done—”

“Krai, let’s make a break for it while Killiam buys us time!”

Why?!

Hearing Sitri’s words, Killiam followed her orders and quickly put himself between us and Lucia. My sister was briefly caught off guard, but then her expression darkened considerably.

“Brother! Siddy!”

“Come now, Krai!”

Uhhh. But, uh, I want to talk to her!

Lucia called for us to stop. The Abyssal Inferno gave orders. Killiam roared. Sitri jabbed my back with unusual force as I allowed myself to be taken into the tower.

Perhaps because of the rampaging monstrosity, there was almost nobody inside the tower. They must have all gone out to help fight the thing.

“The Zebrudia Academy of Magic is a treasure trove!” Sitri gleefully told me, still pushing my back. “After all, it’s one of the oldest institutions in Zebrudia, and doubles as both a research institute and an academy! There are rumors that their vault houses a Relic that would startle even a hunter. It’s definitely worth collecting!”

“Oh, I see.”

What’s this about collecting?

We walked down a hall that was quite old, or to put it in polite terms, exuded history. Then up a spiral staircase that went to the upper portion of the tower. As all the Magi at the academy could fly, this staircase was famous for going largely unused.

It had been a while since I was last here, but I could still vividly remember how it felt to accompany Lucia to her initiation. The portraits of famous alumni on the walls and the intricate statues of dragons placed here and there were both tasteful and wonderous. The atmosphere inside the tower was noticeably different from the outside, which was apparently a result of the dense mana given off by the students and professors.

As we walked along, I reflected on old memories. Lucia was normally quite composed, but that had been one of the few occasions I saw her somewhat nervous. Still, I’ll admit I had been a hundred times more nervous than she.

Suddenly, I didn’t feel Sitri pressing against my back.

“Oh? Nobody’s here?” she said in a voice quiet but clearly excited. “Maybe we’ll take not just one Relic, but the whole vault? Is that our plan?!”

“That’s not our plan...”

What an absurd idea. Taking the whole vault would just make us robbers. Maybe this wasn’t really Sitri, but a post-haircut Liz? No, not even I could mistake the two with such good lighting. Besides, despite being a Thief, Liz wasn’t greedy.

Sitri made a very disappointed face. I was afraid she might snatch something if I took my eyes off her. Before she could think of any other devious ideas, I grabbed her hand and dragged her up the stairs with me.

“Ah.”

“C’mon, we gotta hurry up and go see Lucia’s instructor.”

Huh? By the way, why were we going up this tower? It’s not like we have business with Lucia’s instructor.

This was bad. I couldn’t stop myself from getting swept up in Sitri’s flow. I had found myself using the word “collect” without thinking anything of it. I don’t know, maybe my head wasn’t operating right.

“I see,” Sitri said. “So we’re going to go collect it directly from Lucy’s mentor!”

“In some ways, I think your good intuition works against you.”

It was so good, I couldn’t even understand what she was talking about. Or maybe my intuition was just really bad.

I want to go home.

The moment I let out a deep sigh, a glowing magic circle formed at our feet. Strange letters packed together circled us.

“What’s this?!” Sitri said as she frantically looked around.

“Oh, we’re just being called.”

There had been a similar magic circle when I first visited with Lucia. They could only be used within the academy, but these teleportation circles, as they were called, could be used to forcibly bring someone to you. I had panicked when I first saw one, but this was my second time around, so I was used to it.

I was about to explain this to Sitri when my body gave out and I fell to my knees. My limbs felt weak. Likely in the same situation, Sitri collapsed against me.

Huh? I thought this was the same one as last time?

Unable to even cry out, I felt faint. Then everything faded.

When I came to, I was sitting on a crimson carpet that looked very expensive. The first thing I felt was something tickling my cheek. I tilted my neck and looked to my side, where I saw a familiar shade of pink. It appeared Sitri was leaning against me. I then tried to move my arms and legs, making me realize they were bound with chains.

Man, what the heck happened? Whoa, it’s not often I recover before Sitri.

Everything was too sudden. I couldn’t manage more than idle thoughts.

“You’re awake at last, Lucia’s brother,” said a somewhat cold female voice. It sounded vaguely familiar.

I looked up, and my head finally began to work as it started to process the scenery before me. I recognized this room. It had a high ceiling, and sunlight came in through the otherworldly stained glass. The room was cylindrical, its walls lined with bookshelves that almost reached the ceiling. Between the shelves were windows, from which all I could see was the sky.

We were surrounded by numerous stakes driven into the ground. They were probably enchanted or something. Beyond the stakes were Magi, men and women of all ages, standing around us in a circle. Directly in front of us was Lucia’s instructor, an indecipherable smile on her face.

A foremost professor at the empire’s greatest castle of the arcane, the Zebrudia Academy of Magic, Lucia’s instructor wasn’t a pure human. She looked a few years younger than Lucia. She had long silver hair, which she kept tied back to stay out of her way, and golden eyes. She wore a bulky robe that hid her body’s outline. Even someone who knew nothing about her would still feel like something was off.

I wasn’t sure if it was true, but they said she was one of the few people to have the blood of both a human and a Noble Spirit. Her body had the distinguishing features of both races; while she was about as tall as Liz, unless I was hallucinating, the upper part of her ears were pointed. There were very few Noble Spirits in the capital, yet I never heard them talk about the person before us.

Zebrudia’s miraculous flower, a Magus said to have been handpicked by the emperor, Rodrick Atolm Zebrudia himself. She was a human, yet not a human. She was Seyge Claster, the Undying.

I guess you could say she had an overwhelming presence. She wasn’t glaring at me or anything, but I still felt intimidated. I quickly looked around before offering a greeting.

“Hey. G-Good morning?”

What in the world is happening?

Lucia’s instructor ignored my panicking and said, “Sitri, I’d suggest you quit feigning slumber. It seems Lucia’s descriptions of you were quite accurate.”

“Urmmmm,” Sitri groaned as her arms constricted around me.

I understood. I accepted. I sighed.

“I get it now...”

Though she had been talking like a Thief, this really wasn’t Liz. It was just Bad Sitri. It appeared that today’s Sitri was Bad Sitri.

Lucia! I should’ve let Lucia catch us before we got into the tower!

But it was too late for regrets. With nothing else to do, I put on a half-hearted smile.

“We will now commence the trial, Lucia’s brother,” Seyge said in a chilling voice. “You’ve been charged with nearly destroying this lauded academy. What do you have to say in your defense?”

Numerous stabbing gazes were directed at Sitri, who was still pretending to sleep, and me. I felt like our best starting point would be, as it always was, to assess the situation. But once again, I was clueless as to what was going on.

What basis did Lucia’s instructor—Seyge, that is—have for suspecting me of wrecking the academy? All that damage had been caused by that tree. I know I had terrible luck, but I didn’t appreciate the assumption that I had called that fiend over. If anything, wasn’t it much more likely that a Magus at a certain institute had conducted some strange experiment or something? From what I had heard, the academy wasn’t as bad as Sitri’s Primus Institute. But from my perspective, that of a harmless bystander, neither could be called good.

The looks I was getting were much craggier than when I had first come here with Lucia. Back then, my sister had just turned fifteen, meaning she had just become an adult, and the gazes were more curious than anything else.

Hmmm.

I stayed silent, uncertain what to do.

“According to our investigations,” Professor Seyge said, maintaining her flat tone, “the Level 8 hunter, Krai Andrey, the Thousand Tricks, sent the source of a dangerous creature, one of extraordinary mana absorption capabilities—a dire threat to a school of Magi—into our midsts. As a result, of this academy’s fabled 127 barriers, 115 were completely destroyed. A quick reading of imperial law will find that this may well constitute three crimes and one of the ten capital crimes. That would be ‘Municipal Destruction-Class Possession of a Magical Creature.’”

Oh. I see. By “Krai” maybe you don’t mean the Thousand Tricks, but instead the Thousandfold Theurgics?

Even after hearing it in such austere terms, it wasn’t ringing any bells. I decided it would be best to sit still and listen. And when was Sitri going to stop making sleepy noises and return to her usual self? Was the magic circle doing this to her?

“Of the 127 barriers,” Professor Seyge continued, “some of them have never been broken, and some of them utilized methods now lost to time. Those barriers have now been destroyed.”

“Like frail glass,” a Magus next to her added sternly.

The other Magi were all quite old, making Seyge look like she was someone’s grandchild or something. I knew Noble Spirits aged slowly, but just how old was this professor?

Seyge nodded in agreement. “Indeed, like frail glass. Some of the barriers were outdated, but they had scholarly significance. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Abyssal Inferno and our Magi, the magical creature has been turned to ash. However, our faculty, of course, and many of our students have been forcefully drained of their mana, and some are yet to recover from the deprivation. This was a clear act of animosity. Even if perpetrated by a Level 8, we cannot overlook what happened here.”

Ah, I get it.

Let’s say I was guilty of this crime. Were they going to forgive the Abyssal Inferno? That old lady scorched a good chunk of the castle, and while I was playing with a hot spring dragon while on vacation, hadn’t she been trading fire with Akasha in the streets? Shouldn’t she have been prosecuted first?

What was weird was that these people seemingly had no uncertainty regarding my guilt. I don’t know what investigations they had done, but calling this a trial was ridiculous.

Seyge’s voice was cold, and her face was almost devoid of expression. She was never very hospitable to me.

“And despite all this, Lucia’s brother, I hear you want something in exchange. There’s no telling how great the chaos may have been if the Abyssal Inferno hadn’t arrived and stopped that fearsome magical creature before it could get through all the barriers. If that had happened, it’s possible it may have escaped the grounds of the academy and brought ruin to the imperial capital.”

I looked around at the dozens of Magi surrounding us. If they had been granted a seat here, they must have been among the best in the capital, though I didn’t know any of their names. It’s anyone’s guess how so much wisdom could be gathered in one room, yet nobody came to my defense. And I didn’t want anything in exchange; Sitri did.

At least I had Franz. Franz would help me. Unlike Sitri, he never became Bad Franz. I decided to ask for his help over the Sounding Stone once I got the chance.

“Why don’t you say anything?” Lucia’s instructor asked suspiciously. “If you have any objections, then we’ll at least hear you out. If not, in accordance with imperial law, you’ll be prosecuted under the rules of the academy.”

So the academy has extraterritoriality?

I recalled hearing something about this from Lucia. In case any Magi ever lost control and caused an incident, the academy was allowed self-governance.

I had ended up here out of sheer coincidence, and look at the trouble it had gotten me in. She said I could object, but when had anyone listened to my claims of innocence? I wanted this to get resolved smoothly, but would that happen?

One of the surrounding Magi raised a hand, then spoke.

“However, Professor Seyge, he is Lucia’s brother. Would it not pose a problem to prosecute him without Lucia’s permission?”

He looked quite serious about this.

The other Magi began to speak as well.

“The Avatar of Creation’s talents are comparable to those of the Abyssal Inferno. And while Rosemary is feared for making oceans of fire, Lucia conducts herself quite properly. She’s even developed a number of new spells.”

“It would be a problem if prosecuting the Thousand Tricks had some deep effect on Lucia. We might face backlash from all the students who adore her.”

Hearing this from her fellow professors, Seyge furrowed her brow. It appeared my younger sister was very popular.

Lucia, your brother’s so happy to see what a wonderful person you’ve become. Keep at it! Really, keep at it, I thought while pinching Sitri’s knees as she continued to hug me and catch fake Zs.

All the while, the debate intensified before my eyes.

“For one thing, the Thousand Tricks was previously selected to guard the emperor. Even if we’re permitted to run our own courts, we shouldn’t be too hasty to do so. Prosecuting this man is too risky.”

“There’s no questioning this man’s guilt. We repay both kindness and antagonism in kind. That’s the way of the Magus.”

“It was Lucia who brought the item in. It would defy all logic to only punish the Thousand Tricks and not her as well.”

“If that’s the case, then Anna’s careless handling of the staff is also worth noting.”

“And one could hardly blame us for considering the poor management of Professor Seyge’s tower?”

“Perhaps this was done out of spite for Lucia missing the advanced compound spirit staff qualification exam for which she had received a recommendation?”

The advanced compound spirit staff qualification examination. If I recalled correctly, that was the thing Lucia had needed to skip because of the Supreme Warrior Festival. The thing with the tree wasn’t my fault, but I felt very bad about the exam!

With more and more pointed words directed her way, Professor Seyge glared at her colleagues. “Don’t be stupid! I’m merely using the privileges afforded to me. Do I need to remind you that many of the fabled barriers of our abode were destroyed?!”

“You may call them ‘fabled,’ but they’ve been left alone for the past ten years despite your constant reminders that they should one day be redone. Shouldn’t you instead be glad that they were destroyed?”

“You’re speaking entirely with the benefit of hindsight! What sort of dunce would express gratitude to someone who destroyed their barriers without permission?!”

The “Lucia’s brother” buff was too powerful. If nothing else, I agreed with Professor Seyge more than anyone else. If there was one thing I thought she was wrong about, it was that she seemed to think I had done anything wrong at all. She glared at me, even though I wasn’t the one raising objections.

The Magus beside her, a lady who looked about three times her age, lectured Seyge in a shrill voice. “Yes, but please think about this in a rational light, Professor Seyge. This man is Lucia’s brother!”

Hmph. That’s right. I’m Lucia Rogier’s brother. Sure, it’s tempting to say, “So what?” And, yeah, we’re not even related by blood...

From what I could tell, there were two factions: those who said the Thousand Tricks should be forgiven because he’s Lucia’s brother, and those who didn’t care about that and wanted to punish him. I was waiting for the faction that would insist the Thousand Tricks was innocent.

Unsure when would be a good time to speak up, I sat there and smiled. Seyge gave me a frigid look, one a lot like those I’d get from Lucia.

“Lucia’s brother, the Thousand Tricks, why are you so quiet? Why don’t you speak? Despite what the needless chatter might suggest, Lucia is under my tutelage, so I have the final say in what happens to her. Unlike my colleagues, I won’t bend to earn your favor. Even if you’re the older brother of my beloved pupil, I’ll offer you no special treatment. Your sister told me all about your methods. Under that barrier, you can’t move, nor can you use magic or those Relics you love so much.”

I hadn’t tried to move, so I hadn’t even noticed I couldn’t. The next moment, my eyes flew open as something occurred to me.

“Awfully late to be making that face,” Professor Seyge said with a snort. “Crime warrants punishment, and destroying the barriers of the Zebrudia Academy of Magic is one without precedent. The details of your punishment will be decided after a discussion between the heads of the academy’s various departments, but I’m sure it’ll reflect the scale of this destruction. Brace yourself for the consequences.”

I can’t use Relics or magic. Does this mean Sitri is one of my Relics?

Perhaps bothered by the expression I was making, Seyge’s cheek twitched as she banged the ground with her staff.

“Hey! What are you thinking?! Listen to me! Anna said you wanted the academy’s hidden treasure, but that’s nothing more than a rumor! Do you think a Magus would let word of something like that slip out?! Because everyone bought into that nonsense, we’re being forced to reveal the extent of the damage. Until a formal verdict can be reached, you’re to be confined there! You should reflect on what you’ve done. If rumors start spreading, it’ll affect Lucia as well!”

I wondered if Lucia got her mannerisms from her instructor. Or maybe the reverse?

“Excuse me,” I said, speaking for the first time. I realized that I needed to get home. “I’ll be very inconvenienced if you don’t let me go.”

Back home, I’ve got some cake that’s about to go bad.

“Be as inconvenienced as you like. We’ve got it worse.”

I knew she was having a bad day and all, but that was still cold. I never would have come here if I had known this would happen. I had a bad habit of giving in to pressure, even though I was never any help in resolving problems.

“Goodness, to think we already had our hands full with that prophecy from the Divinarium. Stirring something up at a time like this is one hell of a form of harassment.”

“Oh, you too? What a coincidence.”

“Quiet. I might be Lucia’s mentor, but I’m nothing of the sort to you! You probably already know this, but Noble Spirits aren’t just adept with mana; we also handle curses well. It’s because our wills are stronger. The majority of curses grand enough to qualify as catastrophes were caused by Noble Spirits. Even still, I’m not fond of the bizarre questions I’ve been getting bombarded with.”

Seyge ran a hand through her bangs and gave a slightly overblown sigh. I guess even a Magus handpicked by the emperor and bearer of a title like “Undying” still had no shortage of worries. I empathized with her.

With a shrug, the professor headed off towards the door. I tried to stop her, but found I couldn’t stand up. It felt less like my body couldn’t move and more like it was ignoring the commands from my brain. Though I had enough freedom to move my mouth and pinch Sitri’s knee. These new barriers were really something.

Oh no. This isn’t good. Hey, Sitri, how long are you going to stay like that?

Unable to rely on Sitri, I was close to giving up when the door was flung open. Contrary to my expectations, it wasn’t Lucia.

“What’s this?” Seyge said, her brow furrowed.

“We’ve finished evaluating the damage. There’s something you should hear.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a newly arrived Magus walk up to the professor and whisper into her ear. Seyge looked at me like I had wronged her family, but she muttered under her breath.

“Hmmm. Indeed. I see...”

“Sure, but that’s speaking with hindsight...”

It sounded like something unexpected had happened. She started looking at me differently than before. I saw her eyes widen, then her face contorted.

“It was originally the Sword Saint’s? What was that brat thinking?”

“Yes, that’s true. I don’t like the idea of missing out on it...”

“Hold on, there’s clearly something wrong there. How did it come to that?”

Then she fell silent.

What could have caused her to sound so intense? After a bit of waiting in ignorance, the Magus left, and Seyge solemnly approached us. She looked down at us for a moment before giving an exaggerated tsk. She stuck her staff into the magic circle, causing it to fade and disappear.

I blinked in confusion. Sitri was still holding on to me.

“Damn it. You’re free to go, Lucia’s brother. The situation’s changed.”

“Free? What the heck happened?”

Seyge directed a spiteful glare at the other professors before very reluctantly saying to me, “I don’t at all abide by this decision. However, it’s been found that there is a possibility that the ashes of that fiend might make for a very valuable catalyst. Again, I do not abide by this decision, but most of the professors do, and it’s the headmaster’s call. If we were to punish you, it would weaken our claim to those ashes. The scales would be off-balance. By your human standards.”

“Would you share some with me?” Sitri said, finally returning to normal.

Seyge briefly looked at her like she was insane. I couldn’t really blame the professor. What happened to the girl who used to be even frailer than I was?

“Lucia’s waiting below,” Seyge said in a frigid voice, ignoring Sitri’s request. “You shouldn’t give your sister one more thing to worry about.”

***

What occurred had been nothing short of a nightmare for that man. At first, he had thought it was an earthquake. With the constant screaming and violent shaking, he learned there was an emergency. When he realized that the massive black tree was aiming for his laboratory, he thought it was all over.

Indeed, while stealing mana from various Magi, the tree was no doubt targeting his workplace. This was a laboratory that had existed for nearly one hundred years. This man’s research was considered quite dull, even compared to that of his counterparts. But it was obvious to him why that fiend went after his lab—it was the magic potion he secretly possessed.

It was a legendary thing, something anyone somewhat educated would have heard of. The sheer danger of it led to its inventors being erased, and research and possession of the potion being forbidden.

It was simple fortune that had brought such an item into the hands of this Magus, a man who was slightly talented, but still within the bounds of mediocrity. All he had done was unearth the potion when digging a hole meant to be a garbage dump. He could still clearly recall the shock he felt when he first tested the potion’s capabilities, confirming its identity.

If word of this potion’s existence were to get out, it would send shock waves throughout the imperial capital. If he handed it over to the empire, his name would instantly become known to many. It would become known, and nothing more. He would just be the guy who happened to stumble across it.

What drove him could only be described as dark impulses. For this man fed up with his own lack of talent, this coincidentally found magic potion would be his rosy future. He could get whatever he desired if he used this potion correctly. Though it had been erased hundreds of years ago and hadn’t been re-created since, he might learn how to mass-produce the potion if he looked into it. To give up such possibilities and bend to authority would be to fail in the pursuit of knowledge.

But then everything changed. No matter what happened, the thought of the potion had been enough to wash away his feelings of discontent. Ultimately, he hadn’t used it, as it wasn’t often you had a chance to use a potion of which you only had one vial. So he couldn’t possibly have been found out. He hadn’t told anyone about the potion, not his colleagues, friends, or family.

Still, it was clear he had screwed up.

By the sound of it, that fiendish tree had ended up here because of Lucia’s brother. The man had heard rumors of him. The Thousand Tricks, a Level 8 hunter and brother of the prodigy Lucia Rogier. They said he knew things he shouldn’t possibly know, and had the skills to guide the future.

The immense black tree had suddenly appeared in the Zebrudia Academy of Magic, a place long protected by barriers and in one of the safest regions of the imperial capital. It had been unhindered by coordinated attacks from the academy’s Magi and crushed the magically protected castle as though it had been constructed from building blocks. There was nothing that man could have done to it.

Good luck was what had kept the potion safe. Thanks to luck, coincidentally, nobody but the man had been present in the laboratory when the fiend had attacked. The fiend’s attention had been momentarily diverted. The Abyssal Inferno had appeared. The falling rubble hadn’t impaled the man. The tree had been defeated before it could return to its objective. The man had been able to flee before the arrival of anyone curious as to why the tree had been so focused on his laboratory. It was all thanks to luck.

Looking out over the broad campus, he let out a sigh of relief as he watched the Magi flock to the mounds of ashes. A single wrong step would have killed him. It was only because of a series of coincidences that he was still standing.

However, the die was already cast. If the Thousand Tricks learned of the man’s survival, the hunter would once again resort to forceful measures. Even if he didn’t, the tree’s behavior must have tipped him off that something was in the man’s laboratory. Surely the man himself would also be thoroughly investigated. He wasn’t so foolish as to think otherwise.

The man removed the bottle from his pocket and stared at it gravely. His heart was nervously pounding like a drum. He thought this day might come. You had to fight to live as you see fit in this world. A Level 8 hunter was a more than satisfactory opponent.

He looked at Professor Seyge’s tower, where the Thousand Tricks had gone. With the mentality of someone headed to their final battle, the man started walking.

***

Departing the room at the top of the tower, we headed down the spiral staircase. Our sudden abduction and censure had left me exhausted. This was too much for one day. I wanted peace.

Walking next to me, Sitri, now recovered, made a face almost like she was a victim here. “My, what a terrible ordeal that was, wouldn’t you say, Krai?”

All you did was catch fake Zs.

It was a sort of uselessness I rarely saw in her. But at this point, it would take a bit more to lower my opinion of her. I looked at her reproachfully, but all she did was make a quizzical face. I couldn’t match her stalwart mentality.

And why did we head towards Seyge’s tower in the first place? We didn’t have any business there or anything. Right. We went because Sitri said so. And Lucia didn’t come with us because Sitri used Killiam to hold her off. Was this whole misadventure Sitri’s fault?

“She sent us home empty-handed,” Sitri complained. “What a cheapskate. You’d think a long lifespan would help a Noble Spirit let go of their greed. We should’ve taken some in secret. Because of Lucia’s stories, I was blinded by my presumption that the professor would share with us. You too, Krai, you should’ve said something.”

I couldn’t tell if she was joking or not.

In the end, I never learned why those professors were so certain I was guilty.

“Before judging me, they should’ve looked into their own first,” I said.

I was certain that the disaster had been caused by some Magus running dangerous experiments.

“Exactly!” Sitri added gleefully.

Well, all’s well that ends well. Let’s go home and have some cake.

Just as this thought crossed my mind, the door next to us flew open, and a figure cloaked in a brown robe darted in front of me.

“I was wrong. I realize that now. I didn’t think you’d send such a fiend! H-Here, take this and forgive me!”

As I stood there, the figure shoved a metal water bottle at me, then climbed over the stair railing and jumped down. I froze for a moment, then frantically peered over the railing. The figure was already gone.

Was that some sort of aberration? This place is scary. I’m never coming here again.

“What is that?” Sitri asked.

“Beats me,” I said.

If Liz were here, she totally would’ve caught that person, though whether or not that would have been a good thing was a different matter.

Seeing the glimmer in her eyes, I handed Sitri the water bottle. Cautiously, she opened the lid. I waited a few moments. She didn’t say anything, and it didn’t seem like it was dangerous, so I peeked inside.

Sifting around inside was an opaque liquid the color of strawberry milk. In fact, the smell suggested that it was strawberry milk. I liked strawberry milk. I drank it regularly and always had some in my refrigerator. But this guy had just suddenly appeared and handed me a bottle of it before running off. Maybe he really was an aberration?

Even my sense of caution was developed enough to tell me not to drink milk received from a stranger. I was at a total loss when suddenly I noticed Sitri was still holding the bottle silently. I poked her shoulder, which seemed to bring her back to her senses.

“This color, this scent,” she said, her cheeks flushed, voice intense. “Could this be the legendary potion, sealed away for its power and the danger it poses? Could this be Strawberry Blaze? I can’t believe it. Supposedly, it was all destroyed? To think some still existed!”

“Ohhh. So it’s something special?”

It has “strawberry” in the name, so this is just strawberry milk, right?

It was unexpected, but it wasn’t impossible for a talented Alchemist to make jokes regarding potions. Taking even more care than usual, Sitri gingerly replaced the cap. I didn’t really get it, but it was nice that we got something valuable. However, that naive thought was followed by some bewildering info.

“It is special!” Sitri told me in a trembling voice. “It’s a peerless, extraordinary thrall potion! One drop is enough to entrap a person’s body and heart. It’s brought three nations to ruin. The Alchemist who made it, their family, and the production method were all supposedly wiped from existence, but despite all odds, some still exist.”

“So it’s something special?”

“If it’s real. If we reconstruct the production methods, world domination might be feasible. Until now, nobody’s managed to replicate such a confounding effect, but if we have a sample—”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

Out of excitement, Sitri spoke in quieter tones than usual, but her face was brimming with joy. I took the bottle from her embrace, eliciting a look of momentary shock from her.

“Krai,” she said in a sweet voice, “I’ll get my reward this time, right?”

“Yeah, uh-huh. Later.”

“Yay!”

Sitri clung to my arm and rubbed her cheek against me. I nodded along and patted her head.

I definitely can’t give this to her. I’ll get rid of it later.

Apparently, while Lucia was being detained by Killiam, Seyge had passed by and ordered her to wait at the bottom. When we got there, we found Killiam sitting with his legs folded beneath him, and Lucia standing around in a bad mood.

Outside, dozens of Magi were gathering up the fallen ashes. Sitri looked like she might wander off in their direction, so I grabbed her by the arm. It seemed she hadn’t fully recovered from the magic circle.

No. Looking at me with upturned eyes won’t change anything.

As we walked, Lucia told me about the situation. She told me new things while looking like she expected me to already know them.

“Honestly, what a godforsaken mess. The imperial capital isn’t your toybox, you know?! Everyone keeps asking me—”

“W-Well, everything’s resolved smoothly enough, so I think it’s fine.”

“Augh!”

I was breaking out in a cold sweat, but maybe it was a little late for that. It sounded like the source of the Black World Tree was the staff from the Sword Saint. It hadn’t even been activated, yet it started absorbing mana and grew into something massive.

In other words, what Seyge had said was right.

But this wasn’t my fault. It was the Sword Saint’s. Sure, I felt bad about all the headaches Luke caused him, but that didn’t mean this was an okay way to get revenge. Honestly, that guy really was something else.

Sitri was supposed to be as ignorant of the situation as I was, yet she clapped her hands with a knowing look on her face.

“I see,” she said. “That explains why Professor Seyge pulled back. Even this academy wouldn’t want to start a fight with the Sword Saint and his cohorts.”

“Hmm, so one monster saved us from another?”

“Goodness, would you two stop acting like this has nothing to do with you?!”

It just didn’t feel at all real. Looking back on it, this had been an incredibly strange series of events. I had planned to take it easy in the imperial capital for a bit, but then it turned out the sword from Eliza was a Devil Sword? And I gave that away, then got a staff in exchange, which then turned out to be something dangerous? And now, for some reason, a dangerous potion had ended up in my hands.

“That reminds me,” I said, “was there some reason that tree was so focused on that one tower?”

“Unlikely,” Lucia replied. “That tree was just drawn to powerful mana, and a cursory search didn’t find anything. But all laboratories have secrets, and as I understand it, it’s possible something could’ve been smuggled out.”

“Oh. See, Krai, sometimes mysterious things happen,” Sitri said with a broad grin.

It looks like you have something to say.

“Huh?!” Lucia also looked like she had something to say. “Brother?”

There was nothing I could say. The only thing I had gained today was knowledge that Lucia was a popular girl.

My Sounding Stone vibrated. As always, it had terrible timing. Did Franz know this mess was my fault? Well, it wasn’t my fault, it was, if anyone’s, the Sword Saint’s. But everything had been resolved smoothly. There wouldn’t be any more curse troubles. Even I wouldn’t step on a land mine once I knew they were ahead of me! And what even was a “thrall potion”?!

With a small sigh, I activated the Sounding Stone. The first thing I heard was Franz’s yelling.

“Thousand Tricks! I heard what happened!”

“Oh. You know about that? Don’t worry, we won’t have any more curses or whatever giving us trouble.”

“Hey, one mome—”

“I’m busy now, so I’m cutting it here. Later.”

I looked down at the Sounding Stone. I waited for a moment, but it didn’t vibrate again. I guess he gave up.

I’m sorry, Franz. I’m just a bit tired. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure there’s no more trouble.

“Sitri, you’re in an awfully good mood,” I said.

“Well, of course I am,” she replied. “It’s my turn next!”

Even from a sideways glance, I could tell how high her spirits were. She was twirling around with each step.

I’m afraid you won’t get a turn. You’re my best friend, I owe you lots of money, and I don’t want to make you sad, so there’s nothing I can do.

“You’re going to come with me to apologize later!” Lucia said.

“Yeah, I know. You’ve done a lot for me, and as your brother, I need to have my act together! I’m your brother and all!”

“That’s right.”

After all, being her brother had pulled me out of the fire.

But at the moment, I had to worry about Sitri. If I didn’t deal with this potion matter very carefully, I’d have to do a lot more than just kowtow. Forgetting to do things I had meant to do was a very bad habit of mine.

I walked into my office. Even though it was off-limits to hunters, Lucia and Sitri followed me in as though it was perfectly natural.

Without actually saying anything, Sitri implored me to hand over the potion. Lucia had probably followed us with a malcontent look because she had sensed something was up with Sitri. Our Alchemist was intent on badgering me until I gave her the bottle. Normally, I wouldn’t be able to win in a battle of wills against her. I’d figure that I could trust my dear friend and hand her the potion.

But I still hadn’t forgotten how she had clung to me while pretending to sleep.

“Wait here a moment,” I said.

Let’s deal with this before I forget.

I made them wait in my office while I pressed the mechanism and headed for my private quarters. This was a space designed so I could live in comfortable seclusion. There was, of course, my Relic collection and my bed, but there was also a refrigerator, toilet, bathtub, and sink, all hooked up to plumbing.

With a long stretch, I entered my private space and placed the potion on the desk. Then my eyes fell on the fridge next to my bed. I opened it and pulled out a bottle of strawberry milk. The almost-expired cake had been given to me, but the milk was something I had bought covertly, because my sweet tooth was a secret.

I poured a glass of it and returned the bottle, then compared it with the eerily named potion on the desk. As expected, the two hues were identical, and so were their scents. Could this really be such a dangerous potion? I found it pretty hard to believe. This thing was apparently called “Strawberry Blaze,” which I guess was because it smelled like strawberries. There sure were a bunch of odd potions out there.

Experimentally, I brought the water bottle close to my lips, but then one of the rings I was wearing started to heat up. It was Red Alert, a ring that could detect approaching danger. It couldn’t have been reacting to the milk, which meant the potion was clearly hazardous.

I didn’t think Sitri would use it for evil, but it still was a dreadful potion that had destroyed a few nations. It was too risky to give it to Bad Sitri.

Sorry, but the Thousand Tricks is going to learn from those who came before and ditch this potion.

Without hesitating, I dumped it down the sink. The liquid that looked and smelled just like strawberry milk swirled around as it went down the drain. Just to be sure the potion would never come into contact with my skin, I filled the bottle with water and rinsed it thoroughly.

What a relief. Zebrudia had been saved. All I had to do was apologize to Sitri. The only thing I had done was dispose of a potion, but I had the sense of a job complete.

I stared at the metal water bottle. I thought for a moment. My eyes darted between the strawberry milk on the table and the water bottle. Nonchalantly, I picked up the cup and carefully poured its contents into the freshly washed metal bottle.

I did a double-check and saw that the liquid rocking around the bottle was indistinguishable from the stuff I had just gotten rid of. The only difference was that the Relic on my finger wasn’t giving me any warnings. What sort of potion was identical to strawberry milk?

As I stood there, Lucia and Sitri came down, probably tired of waiting for me.

“Krai, are you not done yet? Hm?! Wh-What are you doing?!”

“Ah, this is, uhhh—”

Sitri dashed up to me when she saw the cup and water bottle in my hands. When she noticed the contents of the water bottle and the traces of strawberry milk in the cup, she looked at me with horror.

“There’s a bit less. D-Don’t tell me. Did you drink some?!”

“No—”

“This is bad. We need to make an antidote, and quickly. You drank so much of it undiluted. Worst-case scenario, you could end up a puppet of flesh, only capable of taking orders—”

“Huh?! Siddy, what was that?!”

Sitri was losing control. The blood had drained from her already pale skin, and tears were welling up in her eyes. Panicking, she was almost cross-eyed. If someone as calm and composed as she was losing it, the potion must have been crazier than I had realized.

Sitri grabbed the water bottle from my hands and said to Lucia in a fretful voice, “I-I’m going out! I’ll do whatever I can to make an antidote! Lucy, look after Krai!”

“Ah, wai—”

Before anyone could stop her, Sitri flew up the stairs. I didn’t even get the chance to say anything. All I had been able to say was “Ah, this is uhhh” and “No.” In those days, Sitri was organized, but you’d be surprised how scatterbrained she had once been. I guess that part of her hadn’t actually been fixed, just subdued.

Lucia was looking around wildly. With her lack of information, I couldn’t blame her for finding this incomprehensible.

“I told her I didn’t drink it.”

“Mm-mmm. Brother, do you feel all right?”

Now that you mention it, I feel a little weary. So yeah, nothing out of the ordinary.

I went to the refrigerator and poured myself a cold glass of strawberry milk. I gave my ring a cursory check to make sure it was safe, then took a drink. The sweet scent of strawberries mingled with the aroma of the rich milk. This was it. This was strawberry milk. But how had a pro like Sitri been fooled?

“She’s off to make an antidote for strawberry milk,” I said.

For a moment, Lucia looked at me silently, her gaze turning just as icy as her professor’s.

“Perhaps we should go after her?” she said.

***

On the outskirts of the imperial capital was the decaying district, Zebrudia’s most crime-ridden sector. On the border between there and the central district, there was a shady shop, and inside, Hugh Regland of the Zero Order was arguing with the shopkeeper. The interior was filled with a varied assortment of items, including armor, firearms, and even dubious medicines.

Zebrudia was the most prosperous of its neighbors, and wares of all sorts gathered in its capital. Taking a look through any of the shops near the decaying district was bound to reveal an item or two of contraband. Though there were crackdowns, it was hard to prevent the circulation entirely.

“This shop doesn’t deal in things like cursed items! As you’re aware, sir knight, it’s illegal to knowingly sell such malign baubles.”

“Indeed, but you must have a few items hidden under the counter, no? If you show me immediately, I’ll show lenience. I’m allowed to turn this shop upside down, you know? Hm. I’m sure there are plenty of violations just waiting to be found.”

Seeing the knight brazenly lean over the counter caused the gruff shopkeeper and some of the shady customers to grow pale. In Zebrudia, the knights had plenty of authority to crack down on criminals, treasure hunters, and dangerous Relics. Though they rarely did, they were permitted to investigate shops, even without solid evidence. On top of this, there was the justification of the Divinarium’s prophecy.

But the shopkeeper just rapidly shook his head in response to Hugh’s intimidation.

“I-I’m not lying, sir. If we handled cursed items, I might end up getting hexed myself. I’d have to be insane to deal with something like that, or even let it into my shop. The other shops are the same.” The shopkeeper chuckled to himself. “Well, it’s possible one might end up here without me knowing—”

Detecting a hint of truth in the man’s coaxing gaze, Hugh clicked his tongue.

“Tsk.”

This was the problem. Cursed items were generally indiscriminate. The Devil Sword found by the Thousand Tricks had been able to eat into even the disciples of the Sword Saint. While none of them had died, that was because they were excellent Swordsmen. Most people couldn’t endure being used by a cursed item. Once a cursed item lost a bearer, the next would likely be someone who didn’t know any better.

Hugh had already been to five shops, and they had all given him the same response. He didn’t know how that Devil Sword had reached the hands of the Thousand Tricks, but this request was quite a burden.

Exiting the shop, Hugh saw another with a gloomy atmosphere. He furrowed his brow. The proper shops had already been checked by other knights. The ones that skirted the law had also been looked into. This meant that any further searching would require contact with the sorts of scoundrels that were avoided even in the decaying district.

The decaying district was effectively becoming a land of its own laws, a wellspring of evil. The Third Order had repeatedly tried and failed to overwhelm the chaos-ridden pit. Former high-level ghost hunters, criminal organizations, and magic syndicates all had bases of operations in the district, and the labyrinthine streets remained unmapped. Not only did the criminals have the surface, but it was said they also controlled the sewers.

Hugh didn’t think of himself as incompetent, but neither did he think he would get anywhere by directly barging in. This investigation was going to require him to shed that armor he was so proud of.

Captain Franz probably hadn’t anticipated this when he ordered Hugh to cooperate with the Thousand Tricks in the name of obtaining information. However, this was most likely what it would take to grab the hunter’s attention.

Hugh found it hard to believe the Thousand Tricks would make him his apprentice either way, but he figured he might be able to see something interesting. He might glimpse the depths of the power that a Level 8 commanded, that which Hugh coveted.

He smiled. Even with adversity further down the road, Hugh Regland pressed onward.

***

A core tenet of Alchemy was that if the conditions were the same, the results would be too, no matter the Alchemist.

The right disposition was necessary to become a good Magus; the quality and quantity of their mana affected which spells they could use, as well as their power. Alchemy was different. Considered to be a melding of science and magic, the unending trial and error by legions of average Alchemists and a handful of geniuses had slowly but surely developed the field.

Lacking the high adaptability and power to break out of danger, Alchemy was a bad choice for hunters, causing Alchemists to be gravely overlooked. But its history stretched back far, and it was no stretch to say that Alchemy had built the foundations of modern society.

With such a long history, it was natural there were some results that had been erased. For instance, the thrall potion, Strawberry Blaze. Named for its strawberry scent, this potion was one “result” that had been scratched out.

The potion acted on the brains of living beings, a single drop being enough to rewrite any creature’s mind. Due to its powers that defied the known rules of potions and the many nations that had been driven to conflict by Strawberry Blaze, the potion’s recipe, inventor, and the inventor’s family had all been wiped from existence.

All that was remembered was its name and its distinguishing traits. Rumors of its re-creation regularly popped up, but they were never accompanied by genuine proof. If Strawberry Blaze remained unreplicated even after hundreds of years, it was fair to assume it had been made with fairly rare ingredients, or its inventor had been a real genius.

Imperial law prohibited even attempting to re-create it, but within the empire’s chief alchemical institution, the Primus Institute, there probably wasn’t a single Alchemist who hadn’t considered giving it a try. Though not all of them necessarily intended to use said potion, for most Alchemists, the process was more important than the results. Their true desire was to pioneer greater understanding and obtain the truth.

Chief Nickolaf Smoky of the Primus Institute looked at the potion brought in by a panicking former apprentice. If this were the real thing, it would shake the world. Just like in the tales, the liquid in this metal water bottle was an opaque pink and smelled of strawberries.

“Impossible.” Peering into the bottle, he gulped. “I didn’t think any of it was left. I don’t believe it.”

“A Magus at the Zebrudia Academy of Magic was keeping it in secret.”

“A Magus, huh? I don’t know about creating it, but I suppose storing it would be feasible for one of them...”

With how unique Strawberry Blaze’s effects were, the potion was believed to have been brought about through a combination of magic and alchemy. Looking at the metal bottle, he could tell that it, too, was specially made, with an interior enchanted to preserve quality. If nothing else, this wasn’t some cheap thing you’d use for a joke.

Then, above all else, there was his panicking former apprentice, Sitri Smart. A former member of the Primus Institute and prodigy who had been involved in a number of projects, she was also a known treasure hunter who had established her own laboratory in just a few years.

A certain incident had earned her the loathsome title “Ignoble” and caused her expulsion from the Primus Institute. However, she visited the institute from time to time, staying in touch with the various laboratories.

Her hair and clothes were disheveled, suggesting she had run as fast as she could. Her face was pale, like she might pass out any moment. Nickolaf knew she was a dedicated Alchemist who could carry out morally objectionable experiments without batting an eye. He had never seen her like this. That, however, only increased the potion’s credibility.

“I need an antidote! Krai accidentally drank it undiluted!”

I see. Her affections still cause her to lose her cool.

Nickolaf kept these thoughts from showing on his face as he let out a deep breath. Even if this was her old stomping grounds, he had found it strange that she wouldn’t keep such a legendary potion to herself. But if love was involved, then that would explain it.

It was the singular, and fatal, flaw of the otherwise perfect Sitri Smart. If not for that fault, her place as the Prodigy would have been unshakable. While it may not have happened too often, one could hardly be a good Alchemist if calls from their lover repeatedly caused them to shove important experiments onto others and dash off somewhere.

The normal Sitri’s top priority would be replication, not an antidote. No, that went for any Alchemist. Even for a mythic item that had gone hundreds of years without being replicated, an analysis of a sample was bound to reveal a hint or two about how it might be replicated.

If Sitri had brought the potion without hesitation, producing an antidote would have likely been more difficult than replicating it. It would require time, facilities, and manpower, thus leaving her nowhere else to turn. She did this regardless of the fact that reproducing the potion would make her name a legend. She was willing to throw away a chance at glory.

“You’re an Alchemist, you can’t let your composure slip!” Nickolaf shouted at her. She was trying to stay calm, but she couldn’t conceal her unease. “Get a hold of yourself, Sitri!”

“But...”

In her state of panic, Sitri was forgetting something important. If she had her usual presence of mind, she definitely would have noticed it. Seeing her acting so disgracefully, Nickolaf felt compelled to chide her.

Strawberry Blaze had a unique trait found in no other potion. According to the legends, you could fully control anyone you gave a thrall potion to. This, however, raised one problem: how did the potion tell someone whom they were to obey? It didn’t just choose whoever happened to be standing nearby. Something so unreliable wouldn’t have been able to bring about so much tragedy.

All sorts of researchers had struggled with this conundrum. All information regarding the potion had been erased, but consulting history books allowed them to form and exchange theories. They reached an inevitable conclusion—the potion must have been made with techniques beyond just those of alchemy.

To be precise about its powers: the potion made one subservient to whoever gave it to them. This was how it had caused so much grief. This was the defining trait of thrall potions, the reason Strawberry Blaze hadn’t been re-created in hundreds of years, and the cause for so many Alchemists attempting to understand these potions in the hope of producing their own. Determining how to imbue such a trait would alter the history of Alchemy. With its irrational nature, it was less akin to the logical art of magic and closer to the not-so-logical art of curses.

The existence of Strawberry Blaze became known and targeted for extermination after a user passed away, allowing one of their thralls to regain their sanity and escape. This incident also made it clear that the potion could recognize who was meant to be obeyed and couldn’t be fooled. Therefore, if you gave the potion to yourself, there would be no effect.

The Thousand Tricks had probably tested it with this in mind. It was an incredibly risky thing to do, but, and Nickolaf had thought this for a long time, the Thousand Tricks would have made a very good Alchemist.

“An antidote?” he groaned after a moment’s delay. “I can’t turn down a request if it’s from a former apprentice. I’ll get a team ready immediately. And I’ll be discreet about it.”

The Primus Institute was not a monolith. Nickolaf might have been the chief, but he had enemies around every corner. With their varying sets of ethics and objectives, attempting to unify Alchemists was a fool’s errand. While the Primus Institute wasn’t as fiercely competitive as the Zebrudia Academy of Magic, it wasn’t unheard of for someone to be killed over valuable ingredients.

This was an ideal opportunity. They would produce an antidote, but Nickolaf would also attempt to replicate the potion. If he could successfully do that and discover the principles behind the potion, it would open the door to greater knowledge. It might also light the fuse of war, but how knowledge was applied was none of Nickolaf’s concern.

He ordered his trusted assistant to begin preparations. They departed with a tense look on their face.

Once they were done, Sitri steadied her breath and dipped her head. “Thank you for your assistance.”

She was an excellent student. Excellent, but with flaws. As her mentor, he found her competent and easy to deal with.

If the Thousand Tricks were a Level 8 hunter, he should have exceptional mana material absorption. The imperial capital had spots dense in mana material, just below the threshold where phantoms might start appearing, and this man had supposedly taken on a number of high-level treasure vaults. Even if Strawberry Blaze had brought nations to ruin, it was possible it wouldn’t have any effect on a man like him.

The powers of treasure hunters from hundreds of years ago were nothing like those of the current era. With each generation, humans became better suited to taking in mana material. In this aspect, mankind had only improved, never declined.

When that man proved capable of conversation despite having supposedly drunk the potion, Sitri should have been able to surmise that it hadn’t had any effect, even if she didn’t understand why. Was this love-induced blindness? Nickolaf had long ago lost that emotion, but failure was the basis of success. Perhaps this incident would cause Sitri to take a good look at herself.

But then, Nickolaf found himself hit by an intense wave of dizziness. The bell in the corner of his desk started ringing loudly. It took him only a moment to understand what was happening. He placed his hands on his desk and looked around, then up at the vent near the ceiling.

The bell was a device that detected gas, a necessary tool for any Alchemical lab. This was an attack. He didn’t know if it was paralyzing, sleep-inducing, or toxic, but he knew it was meant to bring him down.

As part of his work, he used mana material to bolster his resilience, so this was something extraordinary if it was able to make him dizzy. Only so many people could have unleashed a gas attack this deep within the institute. Sitri, being a hunter, seemed unhurt by the unexpected assault.

The purpose of the attack was all too clear. Nickolaf tightly sealed the bottle before activating every one of the guard golems lined up against the wall. The slim, custom-built golems lined up at his orders.

“Shit, they already caught on to us! I’m the chief, damn it! My golems, kill any would-be thieves who come for the potion! I will not, I repeat, will not hand it over! Sitri’s my former apprentice! This potion is material for my experiments!”

Had his assistant betrayed him? Or had someone from another laboratory seen Sitri looking panicked and decided to follow her? Either way, they were all going to die. Nickolaf would never give up on such a precious asset. He grabbed his self-made omniantidote (still in the test phase) and downed it, relieving him of his dizziness.

“Ummm,” Sitri said hesitantly, noticing Nickolaf’s strained expression, “I’d like to begin working on an antidote with all possible haste—”

“Sitri, get moving! There’ll be no antidote if they steal the potion from us! They’ll do whatever they can to take it from us. This gas is a lethal variety!”

The golems kicked open the door and moved out. At the same moment, a fierce explosion rocked the building. Burning wind and fragments of golems blew into the room. These people were ready to kill. They were intent on taking the potion, even if they had to murder Nickolaf. He couldn’t let the word spread any further. He had to take them all out.

“Let’s go, Sitri. We’re at war!”

The Ignoble watched vacantly as Nickolaf stood determined, a glimmer in his eyes.

Chapter Four: The Strongest Curse

Another day, another yawn let out as I did my daily Relic polishing. The imperial capital had seen a series of incidents over the past few days, but this day, like the previous one, was just fine. Lazily basking in the sun shining through my specially made windows, I became acutely aware of how nice peace was.

As I savored the serenity, there was a knock at my door, followed by Eva entering with a newspaper in one hand. Delivering a newspaper and giving her morning (except it was already noon) report was part of her daily routine. I had told her she didn’t need to bother with it, but someone as diligent as her would never neglect reporting to her boss.

So she concisely informed me on the state of the capital.

“It appears the empire is taking the Divinarium’s prophecy very seriously,” she said. “For starters, they’re taking a rather forceful approach to gathering information.”

“Hmm. That doesn’t sound good. There’s been too much going on around here lately.”

Eva didn’t say anything.

Yes, I had made a number of mistakes, but if the Sword Saint hadn’t given me that strange staff, the incident at ZAM wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Let’s just ignore the fact that Eliza was the starting point of all this. If I pointed this out to her, she might stop bringing me Relics, which would’ve made me sad. Besides, when she brought me so many items, there was nothing odd about a cursed item or two getting mixed in.

After nearly a full day, Sitri still hadn’t come back. I figured she would have immediately noticed that the contents of the water bottle had been swapped out, so she must have been busy with some other matter. Generally speaking, I was the only member of Grieving Souls with excess time on their hands.

While I entered energy conservation mode, one of the busy people, Eva, said to me, “By the sound of it, the church has something major.”

“I didn’t do anything!”

“Is that the truth?”

I didn’t respond.

Eva looked at me suspiciously. I guess she had already found out that I was the cause of the trouble over at the Academy of Magic.

I didn’t do it. I’ve done nothing.

I had almost nothing to do with the church. About the only thing we had in common was that Ansem was a member of the church.

There were several figures that were referred to as gods. Ansem’s church revered the Omnilucent God as the supreme deity. One of the most recognized deities in the world, they were the source of holy magic, which is to say, healing spells.

The term “Cleric” generally referred to people who worshipped this god and borrowed their power. Similarly, many hunters could be counted among the devout, including just about every Paladin out there. In Obsidian Cross, a party where everyone had some form of healing capabilities, only their Magus, Marietta, wasn’t a devotee.

Since the imperial capital was such an immense city, the Church of the Radiant Spirit had a large presence to match. But at the same time, the church tended not to interact too much with outsiders. You could join if you wanted, but they weren’t proactive about recruiting.

According to Ansem, this was because the Omnilucent God’s powers were finite. Something about how if the number of believers increased, then so would the people drawing upon the god’s powers, which would reduce the power an individual could receive. Technically, that was supposed to be one of the church’s most closely guarded secrets. It’s a miserly world.

Despite their passive approach to recruiting, the church had followers all around the world, a testament to the utility of the Omnilucent God’s powers. In fact, when I went to see Ansem once, they seemed to get the wrong idea and made a point of visibly scowling at me. I was Ansem’s best friend! His best friend! And, uh, Lucia’s brother.

I thought for a moment, wrinkles forming on my brow.

“Is it possible I did do something?” I said.

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to answer that,” Eva replied. “Does anything come to mind?”

“No, nothing. But you could say the same about the thing with the Sword Saint and the thing with the Black World Tree.”

Eva looked at me silently.

Nope. I tried thinking, but nothing came up. Besides, since Ansem wasn’t like Luke or Liz in that he didn’t go dragging me around, I hadn’t even come close to a church lately. I nodded to myself, satisfied with my own slothfulness.

“Well,” Eva said with a small sigh, “the Church of the Radiant Spirit does specialize in matters pertaining to curses. I believe they’re even involved in the safeguarding of the imperial capital.”

“I understand that Ansem’s busy, but,” I checked the clock, “he should be here soon.”

It was about that time of day when my guard would change, and today Ansem would be on duty. To be fair, he was one of the most popular Paladins within the church. In terms of admirers, he probably even surpassed Lucia. Remember, the church liked him so much that they granted him that Relic armor.

Perhaps he couldn’t get away when so much buzz about that prophecy was causing so many headaches. Lately, I hadn’t had many chances to chat with Ansem and was in the mood to talk with him.

I think once he gets here, I’ll just tell him there’s nowhere I have to go today, so he doesn’t need to bother.

The newspaper talked about the attack on the magic academy, but said almost nothing regarding the cause. I guess Professor Seyge was keeping the truth a secret. Noticing a line that said nobody had died in the incident, I let out a sigh of relief. Then the Sounding Stone on my desk began to vibrate.

I felt like this thing was going off every day. I didn’t want to answer it, but I didn’t have much choice with Eva right there. Leaving it on the desk, I activated it. The stone went still, and a brief silence ensued.

“I’ll kill you,” said a strained voice.

“You’ve got the wrong man,” I replied.

“I’ll kill you! I didn’t tell you to stop the curses, then stir up something else! I told you not to cause any problems! A curse would be better than this!”

He sounded as if he were right in front of me. It hurt my ears. Good thing I had left the stone on the desk. He sounded like his voltage was pretty high, but I couldn’t help him if he didn’t tell me what had happened.

“Despite it all, I am...Lucia’s brother, you know?”

“I assume you’re aware that at this very moment, chaos is breaking out at the Primus Institute over a certain potion.”

“Franz, does your order deal with every bit of trouble that pops up in the capital?”

I groaned internally. And you keep coming to me over every little thing? Did you become one of my fans or something?

“I’ll kill you,” Franz said in a tense, rapid-fire voice. “There was a leak from one of the institute’s Alchemists. We wouldn’t have found out otherwise! It was your Alchemist who brought the potion in! Thirteen knights were lost when the Third Order tried to quell the mayhem! A paralyzing gas instantly took them out! I’m not cleaning another one of your damn messes! Get over here right now! This time, this goddamn time, you’re going to listen to me!”

I see. Oh, how do I put this?

I calmed myself with a deep breath, then hesitantly said, “But, the thing is, that potion is probably strawberry milk.”

“HUH?!”

That potion our Alchemist brought in...

I wasn’t sure what to say. I could even tell him the name of the manufacturer. It boggled my mind to think that strawberry milk was causing such a fuss. Going off of what Franz had said, Sitri hadn’t realized it was milk and brought it over to her old haunt.

Sitri, try to pay attention!

“I don’t want your nonsense! In front of the academy of magic. Now!”

“Hey, it’s not nonsense. I put it in the metal bottle, and she took it away.”

“Hm?!”

I heard the sound of something falling, then the Sounding Stone was silent.

I looked up and saw Eva. She stared at me, her cheek twitching, her body trembling.

They had it wrong. All wrong. For once, I wasn’t at fault. If anything, I thought I deserved a pat on the back. If the fake stuff had caused so much uproar, who knows what might have happened if that was the actual potion?

“He said a curse would be better than this. Ha ha. Then let’s make the next one a curse.”

“Please stop it!”

What did these people want from me? All I did was throw away a potion and put some strawberry milk in a bottle.

Yeah, uh-huh. I had done something unnecessary—I had given in to the impulse to compare the two side by side. I didn’t think Sitri would barge in at that exact moment.

But there was still time. If she realized this was all a misunderstanding, our oddball Alchemist would surely calm down. Even if the potion really were something dangerous, all this madness struck me as a little unnecessary, but I thought it better to stay out of this mess. Proper people don’t go to improper places.

Sitting in my chair, I crossed my arms and gave Eva, who was still frozen, a hard-boiled smile. “Eva, the rest is in your hands.”

“Wh-What’s in my hands?! Please, don’t leave this to me!”

Oh, I’ve never heard Eva ask that. That’s a rare drop.

I heard heavy footfalls, followed by a pounding on the door. I gave a response, and the door opened. Ansem scrunched his shoulders and slipped in.

“Ah, Ansem. It’s been a while. You took your time showing up.”

“Mmm. Apologies,” said a voice muffled by a helmet visor.

Oh, haven’t heard him talk in a while. Another rare drop.

Eva looked equally surprised. Ansem had always been a reticent man. He was also a very polite man. Ansem’s stature far surpassed what was normal for people, but his increasing size was taken into account during the construction of the clan master’s office. He couldn’t fit into my personal quarters, but he’d just have to deal with that. If he wanted to enter, he would just have to shrink himself with his armor.

With the calm but weighty movements of a large monster, he came up to my desk. As I understood it, harsh movements from him were liable to break things, which was why he made such slow and cautious movements. His presence was imposing as always. Though she had known him for a long time, even Eva shrank back before his towering form.

“I imagine the church has its hands full with the curse business?” I said, leaning back in my chair. Despite being so busy, my old friend was kind enough to be with me. “I hate to say this after you’ve come all this way, but I don’t plan to go out today, so if you’re busy, then you don’t need to stay.”

Heck, I wouldn’t go out there even if I had you with me!

“No.”

With that simple reply, he sat down on the floor. Even that was enough to shake the ground slightly. He didn’t have a weapon or shield, but his fists were enough to take down most foes. He would probably be the last one standing in a Grieving Souls battle royale. If he entered the Supreme Warrior Festival, I wouldn’t be surprised if he won.

“Make yourself at home.”

“Mmm.”

Ansem nodded, then became still. When he stopped moving, he looked less like a person and more like an art installation.

Is he really relaxing? Well, if he’s fine with it, then I’m fine with it.

Eva seemed unsure of what to do with our unusual visitor. Her earlier bewilderment had entirely vanished, a result of Ansem’s great character. He was powerful and gentle. The world would’ve been a much worse place if he were as confrontational as Luke and Liz were. Our world held together where it counted.

I got up, took out a metal-polishing spray and a mop, then went up to Ansem. I had just finished polishing my Relics and had nothing else to do, so I could give him a polish.

I sprayed his bulwark of a back, when he tilted his head my way.

“No.”

“No need to be so reserved.”

“Nooo.”

Relic armor didn’t get dirty easily, and polishing it didn’t do much, but it was still better than no polishing at all. Once I started vigorously mopping his scratched armor, Ansem seemed to give in and became still again.

By the time I had finished polishing every inch of his armor, the sun had begun to set, and my body groaned in pain. My collection was fairly large, but Ansem’s armor was the only Relic that I could get a workout just by maintaining (though to be precise, his armor wasn’t part of my collection).

“Marin’s Lament, huh? And it’s a cursed item the church sealed off?”

Ansem grunted and nodded solemnly. It seemed there was truth in those rumors Eva had heard about the church having something big. Ansem didn’t say much, but he wasn’t at all averse to communication. As we chatted while I polished his armor, I had gotten a good grasp of the situation. It seemed the church was preparing to purify a cursed item in their possession, and Ansem was going to be part of the operation.

The Omnilucent God granted more than just healing powers. They also enabled barriers and sealing. The Church of the Radiant Spirit in the imperial capital had for a long time possessed a number of hazards whose curses had been sealed off.

The reasons for these seals varied. Some were sealed because the church didn’t think they would be able to handle the curse and had no other options, and some were set aside because there was a good chance the curse would weaken with time. The one thing they had in common was that no seal would last forever. Cracks would form over time, and though it was rare, seals could sometimes break without warning, a fact that had been learned the hard way.

After talks between the empire and the heads of the church, it was decided that one of the most powerful items they had sealed away, Marin’s Lament, was to be purified. As they saw it, rather than risk the seal breaking unexpectedly and wreaking havoc, it would be better to undo the seal and purify it while taking all possible caution. A sort of reverse approach.

It sounded like the seal was about ready to be renewed anyway, but the church was taking the decisive route.

“Is that gonna work?” I asked.

“Mmm?”

Purifying curses was great and all, but I just hoped the church didn’t forget that Ansem was a member of our party. He was tough and mellow, but that didn’t mean he didn’t feel anything.

“Should I lend a hand?” I offered in a hard-boiled voice before I knew what I was doing.

“No.”

He shot me down. Even though Luke or Liz would’ve gladly accepted. But that was just fine! I was sure Ansem would be a-okay. If he needed someone, he could bring Ark or Sven, or maybe Lucia. The church might not be too thrilled to accept help from outsiders, but safety first.

“By the way, what sort of item is Marin’s Lament?”

Ansem didn’t respond.

My collection had a number of Relics that seemed like they might be useful during a purification, but I thought it would be better to stay out.

We were dealing with a curse that was being purified because if it happened to break out, it might destroy the imperial capital. Sealing was a method generally saved for curses too strong to handle in any other way. The Church of the Radiant Spirit was one of the best when it came to purifications, so the scent of danger was thick in the air. If I screwed something up here, I might never recover from it. Though with all the trouble I constantly caused Ansem, I wanted to help him somehow.

Ansem then nodded his head and said in one breath, “Marin’s Lament is a high-ranked cursed item that the church has kept sealed off for a long time. Using the spirit of Marin, a woman who met an early death, a dark Magus created a hexen weapon. This has long been a source of headaches for the church, so much so that it immediately came to mind when we heard about the prophecy. We were all too happy to accept the empire’s suggestion. With the support of the empire, there’s no better opportunity to conduct the purification. You have no reason to worry, Krai.”

I see. Sounds wild.

Nothing like finding out the nearby church was holding on to something that dangerous to make you rethink living in a big city.

“How much damage has that weapon caused?” I asked.

Ansem simply grunted.

“And wait, that’s definitely what the Divinarium’s prophecy is about, isn’t it? They said it was something that might destroy the empire or whatever. There can’t be any curses stronger than this, can there?”

How terrifying was this thing if it immediately came to mind when there was a prophecy about the empire’s destruction? Scary. I would’ve been tempted to run away if it were possible, but I couldn’t leave Ansem behind.

After a brief silence, Ansem slowly shook his head, then held up two fingers. “It’s number two, I guess. I believe there’s one greater.”

“Mmm.”

Good thing I didn’t become a Paladin. Okay, maybe couldn’t was more accurate.

“Let’s look on the bright side,” I said. “Let’s be glad it’s not number one.”

“Mmm.”

I made an effort to put on a smile and patted Ansem on the shoulder, to which he sighed deeply and nodded.

Then the door flew open, and Sitri came in. It was immediately clear she had been through some rough ordeal. Stumbling into the room, her hair and clothes were disheveled, and I couldn’t tell what had happened, but her right hand was pressed against her left arm.

“Kraaai!” she said in a pouty, needy voice. “Oh, and Anssy.”

“Mmm.”

Seeing her brother, Sitri’s frail expression stiffened.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“N-Nothing.”

Correcting herself, she stood up straight and cleared her throat. She removed her hand from her arm and brushed off her robe. Embarrassed, she was red to her ears. Well, that she was hearty and hale was what mattered. As far as I could tell, she wasn’t injured, and she seemed fine in the head. I mean, even if she wasn’t, Ansem could’ve fixed her as long as she was still alive.

But why had she been pretending to be hurt in the first place?

While glancing at her brother, she approached me, looking up at me with eyes meant to inspire guilt. “Because of your conniving, the Primus Institute has been shut down for the time being. Most of the top-level staff have been arrested. My credibility has been shredded. The only thing left for me is to be your wi—by your side! For the time being!”

“O-Okay...”

I wasn’t conniving or anything, and while it sounded like something crazy had happened, I got the distinct impression the capital was a safer place now. It must’ve been hell, and I was sorry her credibility was gone, but she didn’t look that put out. I know I said it’s good to find fun in everything, but I thought this was going a bit far.

Despite his sister’s predicament, Ansem showed no particular reaction. Both Liz and Sitri had strong personalities, and after having spent so much time around them, Ansem had become a very tolerant person. His willingness to indulge his sisters was both a strength and a weakness for him.

Embarrassment at Ansem seeing her performance had certainly subdued Sitri. Normally, she would have given in to her excitement and thrown her arms around me. Instead, she looked at her brother with a conflicted expression.

Then, blinking, she removed a small box from her pocket. Inside was an old pendant in the shape of a cross attached to a metal chain. A large crimson gem was set in the center of the cross. It was a bit blemished, but probably still worth a considerable sum.

I accepted the pendant and held it up to the light. It didn’t seem like it was a Relic. I carefully looked over the deep red gem, where I noticed some odd writing had been etched into it.

“Before he was caught, Nickolaf slipped that into my hands. He said it was a talisman with a long and reputable history. He said that if you keep it close to you, you’ll be protected by a heroic spirit.”

“I see. Protection from a heroic spirit, you say? Sounds like it would be perfect for Ansem’s current situation.”

Except Sitri’s mentor hadn’t been protected—he had ended up arrested. Would this thing really work? Well, crosses were a holy symbol that those in the church liked to carry with them. Since Ansem was about to be part of a purification, it almost felt like this thing had made its way here just for his sake. It was probably better than nothing.

Did fate cause all that mayhem just so this would happen? What a headache.

“Mmm,” he said after a long pause.

With a chain of my own, I adjusted the length of the pendant, then placed it around Ansem’s neck. He made a low, rumbling groan.

***

An ominous air hung over the imperial capital. Merchants not based in the city were leaving like rats fleeing a sinking ship—those who couldn’t were battening down the hatches. The Explorers’ Association received at least two or three times their usual number of protection requests.

The public hadn’t been informed of the Astral Divinarium’s prophecy, but they could still tell something was up. So much had happened in succession. There was the Sword Saint’s apprentice, who had gone on a rampage with the Devil Sword, that fiend that had appeared at the Zebrudia Academy of Magic, and then the Alchemists at the Primus Institute fighting over that potion. Any one of those would have been a major incident, but since they had all happened so close to one another, only the densest people hadn’t grown suspicious.

Franz’s team had tried issuing gag orders, but word of mouth wasn’t so easily silenced. After constantly being flooded with questions from nobles and merchants he was acquainted with, Franz was beginning to reach his limit.

“What the hell does that man plan to do next?! I can’t understand it!”

He had finally established a task force for dealing with Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox and was ready to get to work when this prophecy suddenly appeared. The continuing series of incidents and the prophecy that nonetheless persisted were both beyond Franz’s comprehension.

Though perhaps it would be unfair to assume that someone else could have handled this situation any better. Things were happening too rapidly, and connections were only revealed upon closer examination. They were cooperating with the other knight orders, but still didn’t have enough hands. There wasn’t much they could do when a new incident popped up while they were still investigating the previous one.

Then there was the incident at the Primus Institute, the worst one so far.

“Strawberry milk?! Does he think we’re fooling around here?!”

It was something right out of a nightmare. The seasoned practitioners of the capital’s greatest Alchemical institution had all been tricked. That they had all lost their minds over a bottle of strawberry milk was an embarrassment history certainly would not forget.

Every Alchemist involved in the fighting had been arrested. Even if there was truth to their claims that they had been deceived, that didn’t change the fact that that potion was an illegal substance.

On top of this, they couldn’t punish the Thousand Tricks for his involvement. They could perhaps charge him with fraud, but Franz was concerned that that man might say something to the effect of “If what I did was fraud, then I’ll just give you the real thing.” Even if the chances of that were slim, he didn’t want to risk it.

Franz had indeed told that man to stop with the curses, but that wasn’t a suggestion to cause other forms of mayhem! It didn’t help that he probably did this while fully cognizant of what Frand had meant.

“But Captain,” another knight said when they heard his expletive muttering, “if the prophecy remains despite multiple disasters having occurred and been resolved, does that mean it’s indicating something even more lethal?”

“Personally, I hadn’t even imagined that the Sword Saint was holding on to something so deadly.”

With so many Relics and people, it was only natural that the imperial capital had a plethora of dangerous items. Magi and Alchemists were both prone to keeping secrets, and even nobles found themselves owners of all sorts of objects. The vault in the imperial castle was no exception; a check of its contents was bound to reveal something or another. The items exposed by the Thousand Tricks were likely just the tip of the iceberg.

The outlawed thrall potion, Strawberry Blaze, had turned out to be a fake. According to their investigations, Sitri claimed they had obtained it at the magic academy, but Franz wouldn’t have been surprised if she were secretly holding on to the real potion.

Right after the appearance of the prophecy, Franz had dispatched knights to scour the capital for dangerous items, but they hadn’t uncovered much. They had also looked into the Sword Saint, the Zebrudia Academy of Magic, and the Primus Institute. Nothing had come up. The knights had authority, but not the sort that would allow them to mandate a search without proper evidence.

If they lacked manpower, they also had obstacles in their way. The most they were able to do was conduct interviews. Meanwhile, the Thousand Tricks was getting info through means off-limits to them.

More often than not, curses required specific circumstances to activate. Many people who possessed cursed items were unaware of it. In this case, the Sword Saint hadn’t realized the danger that staff posed. It wasn’t clear how the Thousand Tricks had learned that thing was cursed when not even its owner knew it, but he had taken his usual helter-skelter approach once he had obtained it.

Could it be that the Thousand Tricks was trying to ascertain the subject of the prophecy? Was he applying his preterhuman artifice to root out each likely candidate?

With a grunt, Franz shook his head, wiping this terrifying thought from the back of his mind. The Franz of the past no doubt would have ordered that the Thousand Tricks be questioned. But things were different now. In the past few months, Franz had endured all sorts of trouble through interacting with that man. He had already ordered Hugh to deal with him and had no further resources to spare on him. The Thousand Tricks would just shake him off, so Franz wouldn’t bother.

“We’re going to direct some of our men to the church,” Franz said in a low voice. “On the off chance the cursed item runs rampant, the damage might be far greater than—no, it might even extend to civilians.”

Marin’s Lament was one of the most terrifying cursed items of which they were aware. Created through a vile rite carried out by a Magus of ancient times, Marin’s Lament had killed people across the land, eventually taking the life of its creator. It was most likely what the Divinarium’s prophecy was referring to.

However, Marin’s Lament had unleashed its wrath a long time ago. Being spawned by powerful emotions, curses tended to weaken with time, and the church’s barrier and purification techniques had improved over the years.

What’s more, apparently, the church had already been making preparations to purify Marin’s Lament. This operation had simply required them to move the date forward a bit. Now, with the full cooperation of the empire, failure was inconceivable.

“We’ve enlisted the aid of the necessary organizations,” a knight reported. “We’ve also been in contact with Ark Rodin, and the Immutable will be there as well. We’re ready for anything.”

The Immutable was the best Paladin in the imperial capital. He didn’t come from a noble family, nor had he attended a knight academy, yet he had been deemed worthy of a special offer to become a knight. His exceptional skills in combat and healing had made him as highly regarded as Ark Rodin. On top of that, he was also a member of Grieving Souls.

Come to think of it, Ark Rodin is also a member of First Steps.

“How does that man make his friends?” Franz wondered aloud.

Perhaps he had good luck in this regard; perhaps everyone who got involved with him grew from his trials. It didn’t matter to Franz. It didn’t change the options available to him. If it was for the glory of the empire, he would have to endure whatever came his way.

***

And so the day of the operation arrived.

With the purification approaching, traffic on the road to the church was being restricted. Though the operation was being kept a secret from the general public, all the personnel coming and going from the church caused people passing to direct concerned glances at the knights on duty.

Though it was a distant second place, the Zebrudia branch of the Church of the Radiant Spirit was the second-largest building in the capital, beaten only by the imperial castle. It was clear even from a distance. Unlike the imperial castle, which was an embodiment of utilitarianism, the countless white spires stabbing upwards and the solar emblem of the church showed aesthetic refinement that made it pleasant to look at.

“Y’know, it’s been a bit since I was last here,” I said.

“Mmm,” Ansem grunted, plodding along next to me.

The church probably didn’t have a Paladin more famous than Ansem. It was in part because of his high level, his healing skills, his affability, and, of course, his massive stature. Unlike his sisters, his reputation was absolutely spotless. He didn’t go on rampages like Liz, and he didn’t occasionally break down like Sitri. With such stability, he really deserved the title of Immutable.

When he was nearby, absolutely nobody paid me any attention, something I was totally grateful for. It’s like what they say about shelter: If you’re gonna hide under a tree, make it a big one.

Looking around, it seemed the scale of this operation was as large as Ansem had said. On the road to the church, I saw not only priests and knights, but hunters as well. In the case of the Sword Saint and the magic academy, the trouble had occurred abruptly, but with such sound preparations, we were ready for just about anything.

And most of all, I’m here.

I let out a sigh of relief and knocked a hand on Ansem’s pillar-like legs. “This time, I’ll do what I can! Except that’s not really anything!”

After a pause, he let out a slow grunt.

Normally, I’d never get close to something like a curse purification, but this time was special. Ansem was here, and I had learned from experience. For my simple and silent best friend, I was willing to lend a hand. Perhaps if I were present at the scene, nobody was likely to complain, no matter what happened.

Preparations were underway in the church’s courtyard, a large space paved with stone. When Ansem and I entered, the clergy, clad in their austere robes, began to excitedly murmur among each other while casting favorable glances at Ansem. Then their stoic expressions returned when they saw me in his shadow.

Ansem was a source of pride for the imperial capital’s church. I, meanwhile, was his unremarkable friend whom he kept around for some reason. When you also factor in all the messes I was constantly making for Ansem, it was no wonder these people didn’t look at me fondly. Given my friendship with Ansem, none of the people were going to openly criticize me, but that still just meant I was using him for cover.

The air in the courtyard was oddly serene. A large magic circle was drawn on the ground, probably for deploying barriers. With rituals like these, the bigger the scope, the more attention that needed to be put into preparation. Back when I still accompanied my friends on hunts, I learned this through the many times I watched Ansem set up barriers.

All the formidable faces enlisted for the purification had already gathered in the courtyard. I recognized a few of them.

I tapped Ansem’s knee and said, “You don’t need to worry about keeping me safe. I’m going to wander around, so you can go if you have somewhere you need to be.”

After a delay, he grunted. Ansem wasn’t great at self-advocacy, and as his old friend, I could generally tell what he was thinking. I didn’t think I’d be running into any danger in a church, of all places, and I didn’t want to get in the way of his work.

With heavy footfalls, Ansem walked off towards the center of the courtyard. I raised my arms and took a deep breath. Something about this place made me feel like my soul was being cleansed just by standing around. Acting a bit like a tourist, I watched the preparations continue when I suddenly heard a deep voice.

“K-Krai, what are you doing here?!”

I flinched. “Hm?!”

Turning in the direction of the voice, I saw the famous manager of the imperial capital branch of the Explorers’ Association, Gark Welter. All we needed was Luke and it would be perfect. I ran into Gark at the Supreme Warrior Festival, but it had been much longer since I last saw Ark. Not far behind him was the rest of Ark Brave.

Ark looked at me with wide eyes. Though the rest of his party were giving me dirty looks, Ark displayed magnanimity that showed he was worthy of the title Hero. Let’s just ignore the fact that he was never around when I needed him.

Meeting Ark on a day like today felt like a sign of good luck. I was feeling safer by the moment.

“I’m so glad you could all make it,” I said.

Gark’s eyebrow twitched.

I hadn’t done anything yet, so I hoped he didn’t expect me to grovel. Normally, I’d never get anywhere near something so dangerous, but I was here purely to watch Ansem at work.

I didn’t know why, but Gark looked awfully tense. That was when something occurred to me.

“I’m always coming at your beck and call,” I said with a clap of my hands, “but this time I showed up before you even had to ask!”

Gark recoiled.

Is this what they call preterhuman artifice?

I gave Gark a hard-boiled smile. Cheek twitching, he got right up in my face. I instinctively took a step back.

“Krai,” he said in a low voice, “wh-what are you planning to do this time?!”

“Huh? Don’t get me wrong, I’m just here to watch Ansem do his job.”

Generally speaking, I never did anything. Sure, you could say not doing anything was wrong in its own way, and you’d have me there, but this time, I really hadn’t done anything wrong.

I stood up straight, and Gark placed a hand on my shoulder.

“Krai, I don’t want any nonsense,” he said. His tone was admonishing, but he had a murderous look in his eyes. “I’m asking you what you plan to do this time. Do you understand me? What we’re dealing with this time—really, this isn’t the first time—is a true nightmare. This is a curse, something that plays by different rules. You realize that this is something so strong, the church asked the Association for help, right? They even pulled some strings to get Ark to come back. And this isn’t just any curse, it’s a weaponized one. Thirteen priests gave their lives to seal this thing off.”

“I wouldn’t mind knowing how you managed to get Ark over here.”

If possible, I would’ve liked a Sounding Stone to contact him directly. But I guess Isabella or someone else from his party would’ve stopped me if I tried.

And sealing this off cost thirteen lives? I didn’t know that.

Branch Manager Gark silently stared me down. I guess he was watching his voice since we were in a church? Just as I was giving in to the pressure and considering groveling, Ark interjected.

“Now, now, sir, I’m sure Krai has his own reasons. And you can never have too many high-level hunters. You should know that I, too, have only dealt with curses a number of times. Right, Krai?”

“Right, Ark!”

This is it. This is Ark. Welcome back, Ark! As always, handsome inside and out!

A mindless smile formed on my face before I could help it, eliciting sighs from the rest of Ark Brave.

“For all he puts up with, Ark continues to indulge this guy.”

“Hold on,” I protested, “there’s been a lot of trouble because Ark hasn’t been around. There was Arnold, the time the emperor needed an escort, Fox, the Supreme Warrior Festival, and I ended up dealing with all of it.”

“R-Really?” Ark said with a pained smile. “Sounds like a lot.”

Looking back, I realized how often I found myself looking for him. But he wasn’t around and that was that. It’s not like there would be any point in saying he was around if he wasn’t.

With both Ark and Ansem present, this operation was practically guaranteed to succeed. But that was the exact sort of circumstance that spawned complacency, so I thought I’d play devil’s advocate just a bit.

“We might have an abundance of power on our side,” I said, patting Ark on the shoulder, “but from what I can tell, this is a real beast we’re purifying here. Don’t let your guard down!”

Hearing my encouragement, Ark’s usual bright demeanor stiffened up. Gark’s eyebrows twitched spasmodically, and the local crime syndicate stared at me, the blood drained from their faces. Isabella, Ewe, and the rest of Ark’s party looked similar. It was just a light warning, but they were showing such exaggerated reactions. I didn’t know what to do.

An uncomfortable silence overtook us. Gark tried to break the tension with slow, forceful words.

“Th-This operation has been planned out in minute detail. The curse has weakened while it’s been sealed off, and we’re moving under the assumption it’s a powerful one. Not to mention the priests of today are also much greater than those of the past.”

That’s perfect. There’s almost no way this can go wrong. A bit more devil’s advocacy and we’ll be even more perfect.

“But the world’s full of surprises,” I said.

I was met with silence. I took a brief break from the hard-boiled life and tried to cover myself.

“Ha ha ha, I-I’m kidding. Just making a joke.”

The powerful looks I was getting forced me to surrender. I might have been used to receiving hostility, and Gark was one thing, but I couldn’t endure it from Ark. Gark opened his mouth and was about to take a step towards me, but stopped when we heard a baffled shout.

“Brother?! Why are you here? Oh. D-Don’t tell me. Are you going to be part of this?”

“H-Hey there...”

I turned and saw Lucia entering the church. She jogged up to us, her gaze growing suspicious as she got close, her overall expression just as grave as Ark and the branch manager’s. I hadn’t realized she was going to be here.

This is an aside, but Lucia only called me brother when she was flustered. With her rebellious phase, she was reluctant to call me brother and opted to call me leader as much as she could. But sometimes she would fall into old habits.

Now, I take it something’s got you panicking?

Behind Lucia was a small crowd of faces I recognized. It was the members of Starlight, as well as some other Magi from First Steps. With graceful movements, the leader of Starlight, Lapis, stepped forward, her handsome brow furrowed.

“Hmph. If the Thousand Tricks is coming to the forefront, should I assume this is no benign curse we’re dealing with?”

“Human weakling! I’ve heard all about what you’ve been up to! Sir! Damnit, the Supreme Warrior Festival just ended, yet I hear you’re already causing all sorts of shit!”

The moment I entered her vision, Kris started going at me. In a diversion from the norm, she was accompanied by the other members of her party, and they were all giving her exasperated looks. I felt like it was my lucky day, getting to see so many pretty Noble Spirits gathered in one place. The only ones I was really acquainted with were Kris and Lapis.

“It’s not often you guys help with jobs like this,” I said.

Noble Spirits all tended to live by their own rules. They weren’t concerned with authority and weren’t bound by the same restraints as humans. Lapis flared her nostrils when she heard my remark. I envied her ability to make even the most casual movements picturesque.

“Curses are our domain,” she said. “The curses of humans are child’s play compared to ours. When Lucia asked for our assistance, I could hardly deny her.”

“C’mon, human weakling, don’t tell me you don’t know the legend of the Cursed Crimson Spiritstone!”

“My instructor asked for my help,” Lucia added. “She’s got her hands more than full dealing with the aftermath of the Black World Tree, so I ended up here. I certainly didn’t expect to run into you here.”

I see, I see. Lucia dragged them along.

Lapis and her party were being awfully agreeable. Not that they were ever bad people, but I was willing to bet that showing their skills to the church would help them fit into human society.

“Ahh, the legend of the Spiritstone, the cursed one. Yeah, that. Yeah...”

“If you don’t know, don’t try to protect your weird sense of pride! Sir!”

Y’know, there are some things we’re better off not knowing.

In a melancholic voice, Lapis blew away our dumb little exchange.

“To regain the Spiritstone is something we’ve yearned for many seasons. It’s one of the reasons we left the forest. We thought it possible this uproar over a curse might be related to our search, but it appears not. The Spiritstone is not something that can be sealed away by human hands.”

It occurred to me that Eliza had once mentioned that her wanderings were in part because she was searching for something. Perhaps she was also looking for the Spiritstone.

Lucia cleared her throat. It seemed she had calmed down a bit. “The point is, leader, please do not interfere.”

Well, yeah, you don’t need to tell me that. And I don’t recall ever trying to interfere.

I noted the resplendent cast we had for this operation. You could tell the church was determined not to fail. And just as this thought crossed my mind, I heard yet another baffled shout.

“K-Krai Andrey?! What are you doing here? I didn’t ask you to be here!”

Followed by a large group of knights and attracting stares from the clergy was a man with whom I had found myself involved a lot lately. He looked like he had seen a ghost. The knights behind him wore polished, unified armor, which had a sense of orderliness different from the pure style of the church.

“Ah. Franz. Yoohoo.”

Oops. I accidentally called out to him with the casual manner I used over the Sounding Stone.

Franz marched right up to me, grabbed my collar, and began shaking me back and forth. “And what could explain yet another appearance by you?! What the hell is happening?! Any guesses?! Is the prophecy referring to a curse?! Spit it out already!”