Not sure about some of the names, I also can"t remember when they were introduced.Because I don"t know if I can win or not.
[I see... was that the last boss? ...]
I mutter as I sit on the bed
I front of me is the Shaman who lost his head, also ready to protect me is Leiha and her glorious posterior.
Claura is still firmly clinging to my left arm
[Crick crick]
Lade continues to impale the thing that came from the Shaman’s head - I probably should, provisionally, call it dark beast bug - it was releasing vapor and shrinking and then it disappeared.
[It’s alright now...]
[ahhh]
I whispered to Claura as she laid face down and gently caressed (in a non lewd way) her back
She flipped over separating from my hand.
[It’s okay now, that thing already disappeared]
[A-ah yes, is that so?]
She was checking her surroundings with a red face, but as soon as she looked at the gruesome body of the Shaman her face turned pale
[Urrrg...]
[Why don’t you rest for a bit?]
[Y-yeah...]
Her face turned red once again, she let go of my robe which until a moment ago was firmly holding.
[F-for me to lost my composure... I-I beg your pardon]
What is she on about?, she said that as she straighten the wrinkles on her robe with both hands.
Seeing her like that is kind of lovely, even the terror I felt just a moment ago is starting to fade. I never expected for Claura to have such a healing effect on me.
Certainly the brief moment I hear the “voice” of the “dark beast king” was frighteningly, but after the connection was severed, surprisingly, the impression he left was rather weak. It’s as if suddenly waking from a nightmare.
[Mistress]
Leiha started cleaning the blood and chunks of brain off Claura’s hair and body, how gallant of her.
Lately it seems that Leiha has given priority to helping Claura on her daily life, more so than me... Well, as someone who was brainwashed into loyalty, waking her own free will is certainly welcome.
[Hey!]
[Ouch!]
And then with nod, the annoyed Lade kicked me with the tip of his military boots on my back. Hey... isn’t he putting a little too much force there?
[What’s with that carefree att.i.tude of yours? Did that guy tell you anything before dying?]
[T-that’s right]
[Dark beast king? There’s rumors he exists somewhere...]
[Rumors huh? ...]
I asked the jailer of Fort.i.tude Castle to handle the corpse of the Shaman, meanwhile we gathered in another room.
The words I listened to with the ESP medal, the images that surfaced right at the end, and also the “voice” I heard at the deepest part of his mind.
As I explained all that, Lade was grumbling without saying anything.
[Ah ... the elder council might know more about this]
In a surprisingly dignified manner he made a wry face while crossing his arms.
I got that feeling before, that there’s such differences in status between the upper bra.s.s of the War Tribe and the ones doing the actual work.
[About this dark beast king, is possible he’s the one manipulating from behind the scenes all of the cultists (demonists).]
[We... is he the one manipulating the tribe (High Cross)? making us live under a scheme?]
[I’m afraid that might be the case, And what does he intend by targeting me by name?]
As things were, until recently we only had some vague guesses as to what was going on, but with the information we got now we have a firmly grasp of the situation.
The situation with baron Cobal and the priest and the dark beast king ordering the Schutlz’s Shaman to deal with me, it all makes sense.
[Seems like Canberists was right... The priestess prophecy is... ]
Said Lade with a bitter expression.
Yes, if the dark beast king is influencing important people all around the world, then it’s also possible for the War Tribe’s priestess to declare I’m a focal point.
Before I said anything, Lade pointed it out. I’m sorry, but I’m glad he pointed it out.
[In the first place, everything related to the priestess prophecy is unknow. It’s possible the dark beast king is meddling her]
[... haa...]
By the time he realized it, he was someone below the priestess or the elder only fighting the dark beasts. It wasn"t suppose to be something emotionally difficult but, he was grinding his teeth trying to conceal his emotions. It really is a big deal.
Nevertheless.
[... I don’t want to say it but, we are dealing with a formidable enemy]
The dark beast bug is probably a tool used to manipulate the cultists (demonists). Those are the only things I know more or less, his ident.i.ty, whereabouts and real objectives remains a mystery.
Even worst, he might be implanting those bugs inside people’s brains all over the world, making legions of dark beasts appear whenever and wherever he wants.
For Claura it was a difficult enemy. Yes, a frightening enemy, but not an absurd one.
Claura’s expressions stiffens, she’s gritting her teeth.
Her fingers were pressing hard on her upper arm.
Normally she’s like cool beauty, but now she’s mentally strained and fearful, but also full of fighting spirit.
She’s determined to win the coming battles.
[Really, that’s one tough enemy but, there’s surely a way to win]
I immediately declared.
Girls that are like daughters are “good women”, or so I delude myself. I wonder if I exposed a shameful side or me.
[Come to think of it, You were talking with Las, right?... Does he have a clue as to the ident.i.ty of dark beasts king?]
[Right, we were talking about how we must defeat this powerful enemy, or something along those lines.]
[I-I see.]
Of course, whether we can defeat it or not is still unknown.
After my first chaotic struggles, I’m currently unusually calm.
There’s isn’t a Last Boss you can’t defeat, and I’m quite aware is a childish way of thinking.
After all I played “D&B” for more than 10 years.
This world, Cedia, is not something from a game setting, many time I’ve realized that already. And yet, the dark beast and their king exists, to say the king cannot be defeated it’s the opposite of being realistic.
To be honest, it’s the first time I’m “fighting without knowing if I can win”.
And the first time I have companions in the same position as I am.
And that’s why I cannot give the impression of being scared.
That fighting spirit I felt over a soon to fail project that I was made responsible for on one of the power struggles at my company so many years ago.
Or the time I was still a student and spent two new year’s eve challenging the last boss on a campaign.
Those feelings are now boiling up inside me.
[Anyway... that aside. There’s still something we must do, we need to destroy the “nest” at G.o.d’s garden.]
From the images I saw from the Shaman, Diane’s mother probably became a nest.
I wonder if we could help her?
There’s still many things to take care of before returning to Jiiteas castle.
Author’s note:
Somehow I made it to the 100th release.
Thank you so much for keeping up with me.
The road ahead is still long, but I’m focusing on the goal.
Once again I’m in your care.