Chapter Seventy-Five
This is the end of the second arc.
I’m very sorry it took so long.
“…You idiot.”
After unleashing ‘Shooting Star,’ I lost my balance and collapsed onto the ground. A dull, grey sky filled my vision. Sofia’s face appeared, her words laced with exasperation.
My body barely moved, even when I tried to exert force.
I could only manage a slight tremble.
This was the result of my selfish, self-satisfying interference.
Therefore, I had no excuse for Sofia’s words, and I could only weakly laugh and accept them.
“That’s… a bit late, don’t you think?”
Everyone in the village already knew.
They knew I was a fool, ever since I started swinging the remains of a hoe, aiming to become a ‘Star Slayer.’
Therefore, I told her it was a bit late to point that out.
“But… ah, yeah. That’s why… that’s why this is interesting.”
I grinned. I pushed myself too hard, almost died, stubbornly persisted, and was shown how vast the world truly was.
Clenching my powerless hands into fists, my smile widened.
“This is… truly unbearable.”
No talent, no experience, no skill. And yet, I, who possessed none of these, had managed to put up a good fight against such formidable opponents. The Star Slayer’s techniques are amazing, aren’t they? I boasted inwardly, and then a voice reached me.
Between ragged breaths, the owner of the voice spoke.
“Well, well, well… you haven’t changed one bit… have you…?”
Alstead Barnabas laughed. But it wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but a laugh of sarcasm, I realized instantly.
After all, he was the descendant of someone who was once by the side of the man called ‘Star Slayer.’ If that was the case, I could understand his sarcasm to a certain extent. This reckless, death-defying attitude was probably no different from the man I admired.
“Hey, Julius. Can I ask you something?”
My body wouldn’t move. Sofia was healing me with her magic, but it would still take some time before I could get up.
So I couldn’t see Amses’s condition. Was he fatally wounded? Was it a feint? Or was he just tired?
The only thing I could say for sure was that Amses was still alive.
However, since I couldn’t move, I couldn’t avoid hearing his question.
“How… do you… know that?”
It was a perfectly natural question. Anyone who knew the circumstances would wonder about it.
However, if it was the question I imagined, even I, the person in question, didn’t know the answer.
“When I heard about it from Oliver, I thought it was just… an imitation. But seeing it firsthand, I understand. Those are undoubtedly the techniques of the ‘Star Slayer.’ …Where did you learn them?”
I wanted to ask him the same question. On my eighth birthday, I had seen the life of the swordsman known as the Star Slayer in a dream. I didn’t know the reason, the trigger, or anything else. Therefore, there was no way I could give him the correct answer.
“I had… a dream.”
Even though I knew this wasn’t the answer he was looking for, I told him the truth.
“I saw a dream about a foolish swordsman who decided to slay the stars for a single promise.”
That was the origin, the reason why I could use the ‘Star Slayer’s’ techniques. However, Amses remained silent, faced with such a ridiculous reason, a reason deserving of laughter. He didn’t say, “Don’t mess with me.”
“…Fuha… I… see. I see. So that’s the magic, huh. That’s… that’s your thought process.”
On the contrary, he chuckled weakly and continued as if convinced.
“Magic is a reflection of one’s life. It’s the symbol of their darkness and light. No one can lie about their magic abilities. …Ah, well, Oliver was… an exception.”
Indeed, he, the wielder of ‘Collector,’ was probably the only one who could deceive others about his magic.
Perhaps trying to lighten the mood, Amses laughed weakly, almost jokingly.
“But as someone blessed with ‘Mental Manipulation,’ I know that all too well.”
I needed a sword. A sturdy sword that could withstand the techniques of the ‘Star Slayer.’ Back then, I needed a weapon that could break through the situation.
“In my case… it was a life of constant betrayal. That’s why my magic is like this. A magic far removed from trust.”
Magic that controlled people. I understood that it manifested because he had lost faith in people. Immediately after,
“And that’s why I don’t trust anyone. Do you understand? I haven’t told anyone my true objective.”
A loud explosion echoed from a distance.
“…Careless, aren’t you, Bernadette? There was an unexpected interruption, but I’ve won this battle.”
As he declared his victory, a memory from a dream surfaced. It was a memory of the Star Slayer. The life of the man who remained by his side as his childhood friend—Auguren Barnabas.
He was a man who would thoroughly use himself as a pawn to achieve his desired results. A man who would disregard any number of sacrifices as long as it served his purpose.
That’s why I realized that the explosion was Amses’s true objective.
“…That direction…”
The woman called Bernadette, who was probably some distance away, seemed to know the location. She was speechless.
“That’s where the Duke’s mansion is,” Lilea added.
“I see. You were planning to attack while their guard was down.”
However, despite the explosion, Lilea’s expression remained unchanged.
“That Duke was particularly disliked by the commoners, so I understand why you would target him. He was someone beyond redemption, even in my eyes.”
Lilea spoke as if it was only natural for someone like Amses to target him.
His reply was a single chuckle. It was an affirmation.
“…That explains why you gathered so few magicians beforehand.”
“Well, there’s no point in denying it now that it’s been exposed.”
Perhaps satisfied with the outcome, Amses’s tone seemed slightly softer than before.
However.
“…But you shouldn’t try things you’re not used to. I thought I could manage with that.”
He had thought he could manage with that last ‘Shooting Star.’ But in the end, I was the one who collapsed first. Considering the overwhelming number of monsters, I thought it was the optimal solution, but even so, it was too reckless.
“Speaking of which, isn’t it a bit anticlimactic to pull out your trump card at the very last moment?”
Right before I collapsed onto the ground, face up, I saw Oliver partially deploying some kind of barrier, seemingly protecting Amses.
‘Collector’ was an apt name. Magic after magic emerged from him. Honestly, I was half-excited and half-exasperated by the sheer bottomlessness of his abilities.
“But well, I’ll just cut through anything that stands in my way.”
Perhaps my wish reached the heavens. As I said, I tore through the makeshift barrier. But because it acted as a shield, I couldn’t finish him off. That was all.
“…Hey, Amses… You could have easily assassinated the nobles if you wanted to, right?”
Fighting him directly, I understood. I had managed somehow this time, but there was a definite difference in skill between Amses and me.
That’s why I had to ask. The words the Star Slayer once said.
Just assassinate them.
I couldn’t help but ask if that was a possibility. But.
“Who knows?”
He answered evasively. Judging from his tone, he probably did that on purpose.
Even though I had asked Amses, who had been radiating so much killing intent, on a whim, his answer was surprisingly nonchalant.
“…By the way, Bernadette.”
“What?”
“Is it really alright… not to kill me?”
It’s the perfect opportunity, you know?
I felt as if those words followed, and that feeling probably wasn’t a mistake. But even so, Bernadette didn’t say, “You’re right.”
“Where is the need to kill someone who’s going to die anyway? Besides, you were originally… planning to die, weren’t you? I’m not kind enough to grant the wish of someone who caused so much trouble.”
She rejected him, and Amses simply laughed in response.
“Besides… there’s a price… to pay. There’s no need for me to lift a finger.”
A price. That word Bernadette uttered was unfamiliar to me.
Therefore, I unconsciously muttered, “A… price?”
“…Magic… always has some kind of weakness. That’s an immutable truth. However…”
As if answering my question, Amses continued.
“…There are different types of weaknesses. Well, some researchers classify magicians themselves as either ‘versatile’ or ‘flawed.’”
—Incidentally, your magic, Julius, falls under the ‘flawed’ type, he added.
“‘Flawed’ type magic, as the name suggests, has flaws. Magic with obvious weaknesses generally falls under this category. But sometimes, there’s magic like my ‘Mental Manipulation,’ which has no weaknesses whatsoever. However, instead of having magical flaws, they generally require a price to be paid. This isn’t widely known, though. Because ‘versatile’ magic is rare.”
Considering the tendencies of magic so far, I thought there would be some kind of weakness, like a limit to the number of people he could control. But considering the massive number of monsters that had filled the sky, I couldn’t believe there was such a limitation.
And Bernadette must have said there was no need for her to lift a finger because of the price he paid for using such powerful magic.
“…Alstead.”
A voice called out to him.
It was Oliver.
“Why… did you sacrifice innocent people…!!”
The devastation of the city was clearly visible. That’s why he, a pacifist at heart, couldn’t help but cry out.
However, what came back was a flippant remark, devoid of any remorse.
“Because that was the minimum requirement. To kill that guy surrounded by magically-bound dogs bought with money, I needed to convey a sense of crisis. So some sacrifices were unavoidable. Necessary sacrifices. But see, my thinking wasn’t wrong.”
“Don’t… mess with me…!!!”
Oliver roared, looking as if he was about to attack.
But in the end, if the desired result was achieved, Amses’s actions were probably justified in his eyes. He still showed no signs of remorse.
“…For someone who spouts about creating a world centered around magicians, you treat them pretty roughly.”
“Ah, that was half a lie. I thought I could lure you in by saying that, since you seem like the type who’s driven by ambition.”
How was it? A convincing performance, right? Ah, but maybe I should have tried to persuade you to fight against the nobles. He rambled on.
“…But I never thought I would be interrupted by a child who hasn’t even lived half my life. Damn it. The effects of my magic are starting to wear off.”
He seemed to be holding on for a surprisingly long time, despite having sustained what appeared to be fatal wounds. I had been wondering about that, but it seemed his own magic was the reason.
‘Mental Manipulation.’
Indeed, it seemed like magic that could temporarily mask one’s true condition. So, that made sense.
“…Anyway, there are more varieties of magic than you think. From useless magic to incredibly troublesome magic. Perhaps the dream you saw was also caused by someone’s magic.”
That was a possibility I had never considered. However,
“You’re awfully kind, considering you were trying to kill me just a moment ago.”
I wasn’t complaining about him trying to kill me. Rather, it would have been a problem if he hadn’t. However, I didn’t quite understand why Amses was being kind to me now.
“Well, of course. Nobles hate and are troubled by people like you the most. Since I can’t kill you, you’re annoying, but I’ll show you some kindness as a form of harassment.”
“…Are you… mocking me?”
“You could say that, or you could say I’m not. In the end, their natural enemies are those who are immune to their authority, and those who simply don’t understand reason. Even if they try to reason with you and persuade you, it’s meaningless if you just say, ‘I don’t care,’ right?”
In short, Amses seemed to think I was unreasonable. But I wasn’t going to deny it. I was aware that my way of thinking was, in a sense, flawed.
“That’s why people like you are easy for nobles to handle. Bernadette?”
Ignoring Bernadette, who seemed to want to say something, Amses continued.
“Those… eyes. If you have such firm convictions, then… whatever. Besides, now that Oliver is useless, I don’t think I can defeat you even if I try.”
The number of monsters in the sky had decreased considerably, and it seemed the former Knights were still dealing with them.
“Still, that was unexpected. I never thought Oliver would protect me. I’ve given him plenty of reasons to hate me, so why? Thanks to that, I ended up getting hurt.”
He replied jokingly. But I agreed with him. Even to me, there seemed to be no reason for Oliver to protect Amses, so why? Just as I was thinking that,
“…I couldn’t let him die without hearing why he involved the commoners.”
“…I see. That’s just like you.”
He was so pure, so straightforward. I could understand why Ryuuzas and Zenoah cared about Oliver.
“Protecting him for such a simple reason… you really are an idiot. Because of that, you’re dying too. …But well, if I had to say something, it’s that not everyone is as pure as you.”
After those words, I heard the sound of someone coughing up blood. He must have spat out blood. A splashing sound echoed.
However, immediately after, as if nothing had happened, Amses continued,
“…It seems I’m out of time. Well then, let’s do some final cleaning before I die.”
Then, footsteps. And the roars of the monsters, whose numbers had probably dwindled significantly, echoed once more.
“My plan to destroy the royal capital has been thwarted, so I have to do at least this much, or I won’t be able to die in peace.”
“…What are you planning to do?”
I asked. To my surprise, Amses answered.
“I told you, it’s the final cleaning. I can just imagine the panicked faces of those noble dogs. Well, I’m going to kill them all in one place.”
In the end, Amses’s anger was thoroughly directed at the nobles. There was no falsehood in that.
His minimum objective must have been to eliminate the noble called the Duke. But there were obstacles in his way. He must have caused this commotion because the magicians protecting the Duke were troublesome.
…I wasn’t one to talk, but he was a nuisance.
“Those nobles are far more troublesome than me. If you continue living like this, Julius, I think you’ll realize that soon enough.”
As if seeing through my thoughts, Amses said with a laugh,
“So, here’s some advice, for old times’ sake. Be careful of the nobles. If you… don’t want to end up like me, that is.”
[Translator – Vine]
[Proofreader – Lust]
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