Now that I’m giving the idea some consideration, a few things do come to mind.
First of all, after The Overlooker ‘prepared’ my body for this world and transferred me over, why did a Shadow Demon nest spring up so close by?
Why was there something in the Shadow Demon nest similar to the Door of Wizardry, which used to be merely an imaginary construct made up by my long ago friend and me?
Facts that I’d merely written off as coincidence and thrown to the back of my mind now seem to make sense.
A sudden wave of dizziness strikes me, causing me to strengthen my grip on my Wizardry Staff in a fl.u.s.ter to support myself. The red-hot anger that had filled my stomach up till now is all gone, replaced by ice-cold despair.
That is how shocking War General Kanbelis’ words are to me.
The Door of Wizardry, though it exists only inside my heart, is a door that connects chaos to this world. If the other side of the Door is actually connected to the Shadow Demons’ world……
Is this world really a black SF, like I had thought at the very start?
If, if I really am this focal point, an existence that will be the trigger for the next Bleed……
…… Then I need to be eliminated by these guys.
It is a bit surprising how easily I came to accept my own death.
In contrast to j.a.pan, where I had no wife, no kids, and no more living family members, here I have Mora, Claura, Irudo, Sedam, Leiha, and all my other nakama at Jiiteias Castle.
I see, so that’s how it is…… I’ve come to love this world.
Rather than letting them be trampled by Shadow Demons, I would rather……
“It’s about time I hear your answer.”
“......!”
Right as I was about to step into a delusion of tragedy, a rough male voice jerks me back to reality.
Coming to a start, I raise my face to see War General Kanbelis staring at me. I had expected him to be angry, but instead he has his eyes open wide in startlement.
“...... Oh, pardon me.”
I hurriedly wipe the corner of my eyes with the sleeves of my robe. It seems that I had embarra.s.singly shed a few tears.
Now that is quite shameful indeed.
However, due to a different emotion entering my heart, which had been completely painted over with despair, my head begins to move again.
If it ever comes down to it, I might truly a.s.sent to being killed. But I can’t just let go without first doing everything that I can.
“Ah—, in the first place, that Miko of yours. How trustworthy are her prophecies? Are you people not just saying it?”
“A past Miko prophesied the 2nd Bleed before it began 150 years ago. The current generation has also accurately prophesied the locations of powerful Demonists and small-scale Shadow Demon nests several times already. I myself had also followed her prophecies and successfully hunted down a Demonist within Shulendal.”
“......Muu……”
That, too, could just be him saying it. However, it is true that the War Tribe has produced actual results throughout the decades……
“Well then, how about that ‘trial’? Shadow Demons aside, can it seriously tell apart even Demonists?”
“The trial will be conducted with a tool called a ‘Sight Demon.’ It is a special crystal ball that has Shadow Demon blood sealed inside, and it will definitely react towards Shadow Demons or individuals affected by Shadow Demons.”
In other words, it should respond to those who had been brainwashed or possessed by Shadow Demons, like Leiha and Baron Koval had been.
Isn’t this totally foolproof? If these people actually become my allies……
“Just now, you mentioned prophecies about small-scale Shadow Demon nests. Was there a prophecy about the nest that had appeared in this land about 2 months ago? Furthermore, it seems that there had been Demonists in Lelis for more than 10 years already, so what about that?”
“...... Not all Demonists and nests are prophesied about. If it was possible to determine them all through prophecies, then we would have completely wiped them out ages ago.”
“............”
…… No good, I can’t find any contradictions or inconsistences in what he is saying.
Guess I have no more recourse but to entrust myself to the results of this trial of theirs.
If I am really judged to be a Shadow Demon…… dammit, I don’t want to die.
“...... I understand. I a.s.sent to partic.i.p.ating in that trial.”
“Is that so. Excellent.”
“I only have one request. If I truly turn out to be a Shadow Demon or under the influence of a Shadow Demon, I am planning on obediently allowing you guys to kill me. However, before that, may I have just a little bit of time to say farewell to my nakama?”
“Very well, you may. But before we start, I have a question of my own.”
To be honest, I still haven’t made up my mind whether I should obediently let myself get killed, or whether I should struggle to survive, even if it means deceiving the War Tribe.
Kanbelis continues after staring at my face for a short while longer.
“We heard from sources in Lelis that you are currently gathering allies at this castle for the sake of fighting against Shadow Demons, and that you eventually plan on forming an alliance with various countries. Is that true?”
I don’t know what brought him to ask that question, but thanks to it, my mind is now completely calm.
“That’s not quite right. I’m not gathering allies for the sake of fighting against Shadow Demons.”
“Then what are you gathering allies for?”
“I, and my allies, will fight Shadow Demons for the sake of protecting people from all over.”
That’s right, I have a goal.
…… There’s no way I can accept dying here.
♥♦♣♠
“As of now, we shall begin the War Tribe’s ‘trial.’ The judge shall be Diviner Kyuil. The enforcer shall be Head Warrior Leid. And I, War General Kanbelis, shall be the witness.”
At the open area in front of the main gate.
From among the War Tribe group that is standing by, the man wearing a robe and the conspicuously huge warrior step forward and surround me.
I feel the presence of several people inside the castle spooked by the strange atmosphere and about to dash out, but I wave an arm to stop them.
“Margils-dono, please hold out your right hand, palm upwards.”
Obediently following the expressionless Diviner’s instructions, I stick out my hand. He then places a crystal ball on top of it.
Inside the slightly warm, transparent orb is a dark red ma.s.s. That must be the Shadow Demon blood that Kanbelis had mentioned.
“............”
Which reminds me, I didn’t ask how the blood is supposed to react if I’m guilty.
Kanbelis at my left swallows his saliva, while Leid at my right readjusts his grip on the handle of the large sword on his back.
“........... So, how is it……?”
“This is……”
Unable to bear the silence anymore after several tens of seconds, I speak out to the Diviner, who is peering intensely into the Sight Demon.
At that moment.
The clump of blood, which is about the size of the tip of a thumb, twitches.
At first, the movement is slight. However, it quickly grows violent. Up, down, left, right, the clump starts rampaging randomly within the crystal ball like pinwheel firework.
The slight warmth that I had been feeling in my hand is quickly replaced by coolness, and a faint film of condensation is beginning to form on the surface of the crystal ball.
“...... What does this mean?”
“I do not know. I have never seen this kind of reaction before.”
At Kanbelis’ alarmed question, Kyuil replies with excitement.
“Margils-dono, are you feeling anything?”
“...... Muu?”
Kyuil seems to be gauging something as he has his eyes half-closed while asking me his question. I’m still unsure of exactly what is going on, but as I focus on the rampaging Shadow Demon blood and what I feel through my palm……
“...... Unease…… and fear, perhaps? …… I feel this ‘blood’s…… repulsion and fear towards myself.”
I have no other way to explain it than ‘instinct,’ but I honestly describe what I feel. Kyuil nods, then takes the Sight Demon back from me and stores it away in a breast pocket.
“What does that mean? Is he Shadow Demon or not?”
Leid presses Kyuil with irritation in his voice. Kyuil looks towards Kanbelis in a daze.
“If he had been affected in any way by a Shadow Demon, then the Shadow Demon blood would have accepted him as brethren and thus spread out in an attempt to a.s.similate with him…… in other words, the Sight Demon would have become dyed completely red. However, this reaction…… it has never been heard of before. The only answer that I can present is that ‘I don’t know.’”
I think over the meaning of Kyuil’s answer for a while, but…… um, so what does it mean?
So he can’t say for sure that I’m not a Shadow Demon?
“In that case, then we can’t lay a hand on him.”
“War General, do you intend on defying the Miko’s orders?!”
“It is not the Miko who gives us orders, but the Council of Elders. Also, the Miko was acting a little strange.”
For some reason, Leid and Kanbelis begins quarreling.
Leid is insisting that regardless of my true ident.i.ty, I should be dispatched immediately, solely because of the Miko’s prophecy. Kanbelis is retorting that they cannot do that so long as there is no solid proof that I am a Shadow Demon.
To be honest, it’s all quite complicated…… should I simply be happy that I wasn’t judged to be a Shadow Demon?
“Sorry for the wait. We shall now announce the verdict of the trial.”
After leaving me alone for a while as they argued back and forth, finally Kanbelis comes back over.
“In regards to whether or not Gio Margils is a Shadow Demon or a Demonist, the trial shall continue due to a lack of evidence.”
“...... ‘Continue’?”
“Now, we will head straight back to the War Tribe’s ‘Inn’ — what we call our base — and report the current situation. When we receive new instructions from the Council of Elders or the Miko, then we will be back.”
“...... That sounds like quite a leisurely process. Are you sure it’s alright like this?”
They are leaving the verdict unresolved due to the inexplicable reaction of the Sight Demon, but I myself know about a pretty incriminating piece of evidence — the Door of Wizardry.
Having been convinced of my impending death, frankly speaking, I want to tell them about it. But well, yea, let’s not.
“Of course, we are aware of the possibility of you suddenly transforming into a Shadow Demon due to some stimulus. As such, we will be garrisoning this Head Warrior Leid and 10 of our warriors here at your castle.”
“To monitor me?”
“That’s right. If anything does happen, know that Leid will immediately behead you without hesitation.”
“...... Exactly how I’d like it.”
Would it be strange if I said that this actually makes me feel rea.s.sured? With his level, he could probably kill me with a single blow if I wasn’t using any defense spells. But of course, this is only if it ever comes to that.
Oh right, there’s also the reparations that Claura mentioned.
“............”
I can’t do it. I don’t have the audacity to demand an apology or reparations while still feeling guilty.
“Also, if you ever come across a different lot of Shadow Demons or Demonists…… at your discretion, you may use the warriors however you wish for the sake of protecting people.”
“OI!”
“A-, are you sure?”
Leid is surprised, but I’m surprised too.
While putting his absolutely distasteful helmet back on, Kanbelis smirks.
“Personally speaking, I can’t imagine a crybaby like you being connected to any Shadow Demons. Think of it as payment for your trouble.”