Katahane no Riku

Up to what point was destiny predetermined.

Believing in oneself and continuing to recklessly run forward. Without looking away or straying from one´s journey, she had been absorbed into swinging the sword.

However, sometimes… For instance, in the times when she would look up at the moon, there were times she would end up wondering whether she was walking on a path that was designed by someone. Perhaps this was what it would be called as the “predestined future”.

Of course, there was no way she could accept all the unexpected occurrences that happened until now as something that was along weak words such as [destiny]. Instead, she hated the most about how you could casually deal with things by using words such as destiny.

However, what if… what if the whole path she had been deciding herself… was all something that had already been decided?

In that instance, she would definitely…

——-

“Oh no! I was one step late.”

After glancing at the disastrous scene under his eyes, Rook clenched his teeth.

The land of the seal of the Demon Lord… [The Valley of Twilight]. Its entrance was such a horrid view to the point it made one want to avert one´s eyes. It was difficult to see the situation because he was seeing down the valley from over the cliff… but even so, it was so bad to the point it was possible to be a.s.sured there wasn´t anyone alive.

Even the elite chosen spiritualists of each of the families had all died.

Heads separated from the torsos; a huge hole gourged at the stomach being only the obvious. There were corpses that had their faces smashed to the point it was impossible to discern one from another and there were also corpses that you couldn´t make out how the body used to look like to the point it made you wonder whether that really used to be a human.

The smell of blood that would choke people arose to the air. Rook reflexively dug his face into his m.u.f.fler so that he could avoid the smell of blood.

However, he would still end up feeling the smell of death on his skin despite that.

The valley of twilight was filled with death.

“…”

After clearing his throat, Rook turned his head behind him.

Behind him were the spiritualists, being commanded by Raku and waiting for orders. All those girls had their faces twisted in the same pattern. However, while their expressions were the same, each had their own individual differences. One of them was angry about the tragedy caused by the demons, and another one was sad of the death of her comrades. And also… there was another person that had her face pale, imagining the h.e.l.l that awaited for her.

“…Raku-ane, everyone… I would like you to listen to me.”

Straightening his back, Rook looked straight at each of them.

“What is waiting for us is an unimaginable h.e.l.l. And so, the people that are scared of dying… may head back.”

Actually, he himself was the one most scared. He couldn´t endure the fear.

He was the one that most wanted to run away with his tail between his legs.

“Everyone, I won´t mind if you don´t follow me. After all, you have a family to go back to, and have a future. If you choose to follow me, perhaps you might not have another chance to live your life. That´s why, the ones that are scared may leave. Only… I will still go. Even if it is by myself.”

As if so he could convince himself to be able to press on until his last step, Rook continued his talking, pressing on word by word.

“We need to stop the resurrection of the Demon Lord.   ….Even if my life is to become an exchange for that… I want to save this world.”

Rook slightly casted down his eyes and hit his hand on his chest.

He was aware that the one that killed Charlotte was him.

He was the reason why the princess was taken away and had her heart broken.

In a certain way, it wouldn´t be exaggeration to say that he was the main cause for all that happened.

No matter how many times he was to repent, it wouldn´t be enough. No matter how many times he was to regret, regret would still remain.

That was why he needed to express all that in his actions. That is even if he had to give his life for it.

“If the Demon Lord resurrects, the world will be destroyed. The humans…. and even the demons will all be annihilated. The reason it became like that, was because of me…. Actually, it is fine if you don´t follow me. Yes, this… is something I must do myself.”

Rook thought back about the knowledge of the game.

In case you failed to capture Charlotte into the harem, it wasn´t even needed to be asked; it would lead to the bad end. Let alone the spiritualists, even the common people and all life would become extinct.

However, on the other way around…. In other words, if Charlotte´s capture was successful, the situation would change.

The resurrected demon lord would see that [Charlotte fell in love with a human] and decide that not only the humans, but the demons that [raised Charlotte to be such a fool also had responsibility], thus burn everything down. (TL note: I guess it is comparing the bad ending where only the humans get screwed and the bad ending everyone dies.)

This would be the same now that Charlotte died.

He would press the responsibility on the demons who made up reasons to kill Charlotte and everyone would be exterminated in the same way.

In other words, if he isn´t able to stop the resurrection, there was no mistake that the worst bad ending would happen. Rook definitely couldn´t accept an end where the humans and demons wouldn´t be happy.

“That´s why… only the people that have the resolution to die together with me may come!!”

Rook looked forward and declared words of resolve.

There were no responses for those words. No, there weren´t any response that made use of spoken words.

First Raku, and then the spiritualists behind began to have their eyes burn with fighting spirit.

It was the resolve to stop the unsealing of the Demon Lord. They grasped the resolution to keep fighting until their lives were to be lost.

For a moment, Rook started to feel like crying.

There was no mistake it was because of him that they could charge at their death. Even if it was their wish to die in battle, if Rook was to really be thinking about their well-being, he should have them sent back to their home even if by force.

In the end, the reason why he didn´t do that was because he was aware he couldn´t win by himself.

“…Alright, let´s go.”

He wouldn´t be able to stop the resurrection of the Demon Lord without sacrifices. He would use their strength and stop it with all he had. Being the one leading this group, this was his mission.

Rook silently drew his sword. The blade of the sword shone with the moonlight and glittered in silver. The face that was being reflected by the blade wasn´t one of stupidity anymore.

It was the face of a man that made his resolve.

Displaying his sword, he breathed in air in one go, and then…

“Raise your war cries!! Charge!!”

“””Uooooooh!!!”

All at once, they charged with their horses.

With a speed that dazzled the eyes, they rode down the cliff at full speed as they raised dust clouds. They were just like an avalanche.

If this was a development just like the game, the situation would be one that the demons would be thrown into confusion by reinforcements they didn´t expect and run away to all sides disorganized. However, Rook learned he should stop relying on his knowledge of the game.

In fact, the demon archers immediately got into a formation to start shooting them down. Drawing the arrows in their bows, they started to shoot at the spiritualists that were going down the cliff.

Of course, being the horses raised by the Barusak, they were trained so that they wouldn´t get scared by the rain of arrows. However, they would stop moving when an arrow hit them or would even jump up because of the pain. As they were going down the cliff, it was possible to see how the horses that would lose their balance even if for a bit would end.

Being rained by the arrows, the horses that received fatal injuries would misstep, and their riders would fall down together with them as they still sat on their back.

The weeping cries of the horses and the screams of the spiritualists echoed through the valley. Rook unconsciously started to feel like covering his eyes.

However, there was no way he could cover his eyes here. If he was to avert his eyes from the valley even if for only a bit, he would do mistakes in handling his horse and would also get hit by the arrows. May this happen, he would only be repeating the same mistake the spiritualists that fell down had done.

“Gooooooo!! Press forward!!!”

As if answering for Rook´s shouts, the horses continued to charge.

Even with their whole body being showered by arrows, the horses didn´t lose their balance, nor did they raise any cries.

Much more now they kept going forward, and they finally reached upon the demon military forces. One of the demons that was about to shoot more arrows was jumped at by Rook´s horse. The sound of his neck breaking could be heard by the hooves.

“Follow Rook!!”

Rook heared Raku´s voice from behind.

Following behind Rook, the spiritualists behind him also had their horses jump onto the demons. Using the horses as if they were weapons, the skillful spiritualists concentrated their demon banning power at the hooves of the horse. Now with demon banning power gathered at their legs, the horses pulverised the hard carapaces or resilient armor of the demons.

“Spiritualist reinforcements!! Immediately repel those forces!!”

“It is not enough with only the scouting squad! We need to call for reinforcements from the troops.”

“As if we would let you, demons!”

The swords of the spiritualists and demons clashed against each other.

The violent metallic sounds echoed through the valley and made the ears hurt. As he parried against a demon with his sword, Rook glanced through at the place where the entrance to the shortcut to the seal was.

Rook was aware that at that place that seemed to be nothing more than a gap between rocks at one glance was actually the shortcut path to the seal.

“Alright, if it is now, I….!?”

“As if I would let you, brat!!”

Rook noticed that a huge shadow approached him from above right before he could rush to the gap between the rocks.

Rook jumped from the back of his horse and escaped to the ground. Right at the instant after that, together with a tremor that made the ground shake, the horse Rook had been riding on was a.s.saulted by a huge club. The horse was crushed by the club without even enough time for it to raise a cry.

This had indeed been by a hair´s breadth.

“Hou, so you avoided it. Aren´t you a lucky brat?”

“You…”

The one standing in Rook´s way was a big cow demon.

The demon had bulging muscles and a height that made you need to look up to look at him. He would casually move the club that was as huge as himself.

Rook watched him carefully.

For as far as he knew, the cow demon in front of his eyes was someone that should have died at the battle at Myuuz.  …Originally, he would have been killed by Selestinna. He was a demon that wasn´t supposed to be at the last decisive battle.

With his lips that felt they would start to tremble, Rook called the demon´s name as cold sweat ran through his forehead.

“…Rudogar Gortoberuk!!”