CH 56

Chapter 56 : Temple of Love and Beauty

◆Dark Knight Kuroki

I went to Teseshia along with Shirone and the rest of the company.

Freedom City, located in the heart of the Teseshia region wasn’t a beautiful city.

It was basically a jumble of assorted structures. The patchwork of the various buildings in one small place resembled an old, frayed quilt.

Synonymous with its name, everyone could enter or leave the city as they pleased.

Some of its citizens seemed to be individuals exiled from their homelands, naturally the public order in Teseshia was quite low.

Initially, Teseshia was a city created to accommodate the influx of refugees who came to this fairly safe region.

Even though the city was founded by the prosperous and prominent Republic of Ariadya, there was no doubt that even they regarded this city as a nuisance.

Anyhow, Teseshia was the only city settled near the dangerous labyrinth, making it the ideal place to escape to. Thus, Teseshia became an oasis for refugees.

Although Teseshia was a safe haven from external dangers, it was teeming with internal issues, creating a dangerous atmosphere within the city. To this end, many male refugees chose to become freedom fighters. Rather, they were forced to take that job since there was a serious dearth of options. There was practically no other job available.

Anyone, regardless of their background and level of skill, could become a freedom fighter as long as they had a sword and a healthy body.

Driven to desperation, some of the female refugees decided to become prostitutes in order to survive.

It was also a job any woman could perform as long as they had a decent, healthy body.

Those harlots were usually members of Ishtar’s faith.

The Goddess Ishtar was part of the trio that formed the renowned heavenly beauties along with Rena and the Goddess Faeria. She was an essential part of the twelve pillars of Elios

The type of religion in this world was polytheism, with the humans revering the various Gods of Elios.

The twelve pillars of Elios were composed of

I recalled myths about various god that were told by the human race.

１．God of Law and Order, Oudith and his wife, Goddess of Marriage and Fertility, Faeria.

２．God of Treasure and the Smithy, Heibos and Goddess of Love and Beauty, Ishtar.

３．God of Fishery and the Sea, Trident and Goddess of Harvest and the Earth, Gena.

４．God of Cuisine and Liquor, Nector and Goddess of Herb and Medicine, Fanacea.

５．God of Battle and Power, Thors and Goddess of Wisdom and Victory, Rena.

６．God of the Arts and Music , Alphos and Goddess of Books and Knowledge, Totona.

Heibos was revered by the dwarves and the humans both.

Due to his role as the god of wealth and treasure, he was intrinsically connected to the human race, who loved collecting beautiful and precious objects.

Members of the dwarven race were said to be said to be intimately familiar with the process of unearthing gold or other precious metals hidden under layers of hard ground. That’s why it was commonly believed amongst the humans that worshipping Heibos, the god of dwarves, would bless you with bounty and wealth.

Heibo’s faith was so widespread that merchants and craftsmen all over the world worshipped him.

The other gods that were part of Elios’ pantheon were not as well known amongst the humans.

The followers of the King of the Gods Oudith and his wife, Faeria were the most numerous, making their faiths the most popular and second largest in the realm respectively.

It was apparent that an individual could be a devotee of multiple gods simultaneously, due to the frequent observation of people who were followers of both Oudith and Rena at the same time.

However, some doctrines were in direct opposition with each other. Tension bubbled under the surface due to the major differences in their views.

For example, the followers of the goddess Faeria and the goddess Ishtar. Since their creeds were fundamentally very different, the believers of these two faiths always had animosity brewing between them.

Where Faeria’s faith prospered, the number of Ishtar’s believers decreased.

Although both religions referred to a goddess, the theology of both goddesses differed greatly.

Faeria’s doctrine centered around the tenets of a woman being a good wife and mother.

Meanwhile, Ishtar’s doctrine was the polar opposite of that, not even upholding the concept of marriage.

Faeria’s religion taught it’s followers that chastity was a virtue, a treasure reserved for their husbands in the sanctity of marriage while Ishtar’s followers believed it was alright to take numerous lovers- thus, she was the goddess worshipped by harlots. Faeria’s devotees, on the other hand, were pure as freshly fallen snow.

This was the main root of the conflict between Faeria and Ishtar’s ideologies.

The Goddess Ishtar and Goddess Faeria’s followers were always at each other’s throats. Due to this they rarely became popular and acclaimed in different countries.

Even at their most successful, they would only achieve the status of the patron saint of that country.

In the region of Teseshia, Ishtar’s faith had considerable power and influence. So much so that the Saintly harlot of the famous Ishtar temple built in the exalted Holy Salgonia Kingdom in the far west was more famous than their King.

I was  currently inside of that very  Ishtar temple of the freedom city, Teseshia.

The explanation for the particularly odd choice of meeting place was that one of Rena’s priests who would serve as our guide happened to be here.

From this situation, I came to the conclusion that Ishtar’s disciples and Rena’s disciples weren’t on bad terms.

Ishtar temple might be the most prominent building in this city. Ishtar’s temple might have been the most eminent building in Freedom City.

「The conflict won’t settle down, huh….」

I unintentionally uttered those words under my breath.

The site of our conclave, the illustrious temple of Ishtar was a shrine to the multifaceted deity who was the icon of love, beauty and courtesans. Along the way towards the conference situated deep within the temple’s enclosure, I saw several scantily clad women. They probably were some of Ishtar’s devotees.

Ironically, the temple of the Goddess Ishtar was a place forbidden to men, despite the fact that many followers in the temple were prostitutes.

The inns around Ishtar’s temple might  exist for that kind of fishy  business.

Though they shouldn’t provide explicit services in the middle of the day, I began to doubt my assumption when I heard them say that the rendezvous location was akin to a love hotel.

It seemed that Ishtar’s temple used to be a brothel once.

Of course, the manager was a man.

Once, one of Ishtar’s apostles happened to be visiting the brothel and was appalled, nearly flying into a furious frenzy upon witnessing the abusive treatment of the courtesans.

Led by Ishtar’s apostle, the prostitutes rebelled against the pimp and assumed control over the brothel.

From that point of time onwards, the brothels fell under the management of Ishtar’s Temple. The brothels’ management by the temple was more lax than one would generally assume.

The temple and the brothels had a relationship of mutual aid.

For the most part, they allowed the brothels a great deal of freedom, only enforcing 2 rules – no woman should be forced to become a harlot and those who abuse harlots would be severely punished.

Additionally, anyone who acted unjustly against disciples of the goddess Ishtar were said to bear the goddess’s curse of impotency. With the looming threat of ending their bloodline and legacy, no man dared to abuse Ishtar’s harlots. Rather, they were treated as if they were goddesses themselves. This particular temple belonging to the goddess Ishtar was splendidly built, its ornate designs funded by the generous donations of the patrons – in actuality the gentlemen who were their customers. When we were walking through the temple, I caught glimpses of gilded illustrations of the goddess and ornaments which seemed as beautiful and delicate as the women who resided here.

「Kuroki. You absolutely mustn’t follow one of these women if they call out to you.」

I sensed a sharp glare from the left and looked over to see Shirone whispering to me in a low voice, her face stormy.

I had no intention to follow them from the beginning, However the atmosphere of this place made me curious as to who would choose such a strange meeting place.

The mysterious person in question was none other than Rena’s priest who maintained a favorable rapport with the authorities of the Ishtar temple. The reason for this alliance was due to the fact that Rena had no temple in Teseshia dedicated to her.

This might have been because Rena’s temple had been built so lavishly in other city states including the Republic of Ariadya, which had a strenuous relationship with Teseshia.

Throughout the expanse of the city, you would not be able to find a single temple dedicated to the Goddess Faeria due to the apparent animosity between their followers.

「Yes. I will be angry if you take their invitation you know.」

On my right, Rena warned me, her beautiful face somber.

Why would she give the same warning as Shirone?

The thick dark cloth of the hood cast shadows on what portions of her face were visible.  Things would get chaotic and complicated if the others got to know that she had descended into the mortal realm so she kept her head low and her countenance neutral, hiding her face.

She was currently accompanied by her combat priest and the priest of her temple – flanked by two apostles of her Valkyrie.

Such an entourage, trailing after her gave her an aura of importance and leadership. She was considered no less than a VIP. In fact she exuded the aura to a point where some of the harlots began whispering amongst themselves quickly. “Who is that eminent person? “ They gossiped furiously amongst themselves when they saw Rena.

I should try to make myself less conspicuous

The premise under which we were concealing my identity was that I, Kyouka’s valet, was escorting her to the temple. Such an important individual like the hero’s younger sister could not go unaccompanied after all.

To blend in and maintain my cover, I wore slightly threadbare clothing and carried her luggage. Naturally, I left my sword behind. I would have been an idiot to carry something so conspicuous when I was going undercover. This disguise should be convincing enough to deflect attention from myself.

The secret was kept under tight wraps.The truth of my identity was only known to Kaya, Kyouka and Shirone. Not even the convoy of priests accompanying Rena were told of my identity.

According to Rena, the priests who were escorting her until our arrival numbered in the hundreds, which established the need for a spacious and enormous conference room.

Also, though Regena was also part of our current company during our journey to Teseshia, she went to oversee the delivery of our luggages to the inn where we planned to stay tonight.

The reason being that the temple of Ishtar wouldn’t offer shelter to non-believers.

Men could technically stay on the temple premises so long as they had been recognized and granted permission beforehand. However, until now, there had never been such a case.

Thus, we chose  an inn near the  temple, merely a few moments away.

The purveyor of Rena’s temple-someone called Tormalkis, was apparently the one who arranged our lodging.

We arrived in the sought after  room after walking along the lengthy corridor for a while. The room was very wide and spacious, it seemed to function as the temple’s multi-purpose auditorium.

The men and women gathered there were dressed in shabby and frayed clothing, a couple of them sported fresh scars, They readjusted their posture, standing at attention when we entered the room. They looked like freedom fighters. Were these people the guides prepared for us?

I felt a strange nagging feeling when I looked at the freedom fighters. It was odd, I mused surveying their numbers, there were more of them present than I had expected.

Did they know who would be coming beforehand? If so, then how?

In the foremost portion of the crowd stood the combat priest, Leylia. The shield she was carrying was etched with Rena’s crest. With the exception of two men, all of her companions were women.

Someone who appeared masculine amongst the other women, how were they related to Ishtar Temple ?

「We’ve been waiting. Kyouka-sama, Shirone-sama.」

Laylia, the highly decorated combat priest knelt down on one knee in front of Kyouka.

It seemed as if Kyouka was regarded as the leader of our group.

How queer. Leylia should’ve realized Rena’s presence in our company due to her apostle status. Instead, she kneeled in front of Kyouka, due to the order of the angel who had turned her into an apostle.

With Kyouka standing in front of us, the rest were standing beside Shirone and Kaya. Whereas, both Rena and I were standing even further away from the gaze of both the combat priest and the priest of Rena temple.

Although Rena looked truly ethereal, all she needed to do to make it seem as if Kyouka was the group’s leader was to stay in the back of the formation herself.

「 Since our preparation is complete, when would we be able to explore the labyrinth, Leylia-san?」

Asked Shirone.

「That’s….」

It seemed that the woman named Leylia was having a hard time answering that question. She looked nervous, unconsciously worrying her lip between her teeth.

「What’s the matter?」

「The truth is… parts of the labyrinth’s surface are currently occupied by lizardmen.」

「Lizardmen? I’ve heard it was occupied by cockatrice before?」

「Yes…the truth is…」

Leylia hesitantly explained the situation.

Originally, portions of the surface area of the labyrinth served as the habitat of the cockatrices. Unfortunately, they almost went extinct after Reiji and his company had hunted them during the previous expedition. Their numbers were never able to recover properly after that ordeal. Thus, that place was now occupied by the lizardmen who had escaped from the arena.

The Lizardmen originally lived in the Quiche river and attacked the boats that passed by. They were the culprits of many sunken ships, sending sailors to their watery graves. But that didn’t mean that they remained only in the depths of the river. Apparently, they’ve chosen the surface of the labyrinth as their home on land.

These Lizardmen were attacking the humans who entered the labyrinth.

It seemed as if the freedom fighters were also having a hard time defeating them.

「If I’m not wrong, lizardman is that huge human-like reptile, right?」

「Yes, milady. They’re a species of large bi-pedal lizards..It appears that some superior members of the species have evolved and have developed a pair of wings that allow them to fly. However, the lizardman in their story didn’t seem to be one of the superior kind.」

Just as Kaya had said, the lizardman was a demi-human that was a disturbing cross breed between human and lizard.

Lizardmen lived in the wetlands, south of Nargol.

Additionally, one of the Eight Demon Generals is a High-Lizardman, the superior species of lizardmen.

High-Lizardman had a pair of large,scaly dragon-like wings that let them roam the skies freely.

They were also warriors equipped with extremely high intelligence.

Thinking about the High-Lizardman made me recall the Dragon Demon General, Liburm.

As a High-Lizardman, he was totally reverent towards the dragons.

That might be the reason why he paid such respect to me when he saw that I rode Glorious, my partner.

Upon Reiji and his company’s arrival at the Demon KIng’s palace, Liburm was tasked with protecting the palace along with Zepyrus. But then, he didn’t get the chance to fight Reiji at that time since I had already defeated Reiji in front of Demon King’s palace.

「Lizardman huh…. Well both Kaya and I shouldn’t have a problem facing them. Let’s go out to the labyrinth and crush them all.」

Shirone said nonchalantly..

Indeed, defeating the lizardmen was a piece of cake for Shirone and company.

But…

「Please wait a minute, Shirone-sama…. Can you wait before attacking those Lizardman?」

I called out to Shirone in a small voice, aware of my current menial position as their attendant.

Shirone and co were looking in my direction when I voiced my request..

Sadness was etched on Shirone’s face when she saw me bowed deep before her.

「What exactly is the matter, Kuroki? We have to hurry to save Reiji kun!」

Shirone impatiently asked me. Clearly, she didn’t have any doubt that exterminating those lizardmen was the right thing to do.

However, my train of thought ran in the exact opposite direction, I couldn’t help but question whether it was okay for us to kill those lizardmen?

I couldn’t deny that this world was entirely ruled by one law : survival of the fittest.

I couldn’t stop a wolf from eating sheep, it was their instinct, inherently part of their nature. In the same way, I could and would not stop humans from exterminating dangerous demons that threatened their survival.

Again, I stopped, sensing a slight discrepancy in this matter.

Why did those lizardmen make a nest on the labyrinth’s surface anyway?

After all, this area wasn’t supposed to be a suitable habitat for the Lizardmen.

The lizardmen were caught and brought to fight in the arena to provide entertainment for the humans. They weren’t caught in a battle for survival, so why would they be doing all this?

They were apparently attacking every human they came across after their escape from the arena. That’s what would prompt Reiji or Shirone as people who had sworn to protect humankind, to exterminate the entirety of the lizardmen without even considering the root cause of the situation.

They would attack regardless of the reason that prompted this turn of events since they believed that was the right thing to do.

I’m different from them however, I’m a Dark Knight. Perhaps since I was summoned to this world by Modes, I find it hard to ally with the humans.

Moreover, there was also the matter regarding the Demon Dragon General, Liburm. Thus, I couldn’t just blindly agree with the idea of exterminating the lizardman.

Most importantly, it’s not like we have to exterminate all of the lizardmen in order to save the hero. Rather, we only need to move them to a different place while we enter the labyrinth.

「No…. We can’t be so reckless, blindly charging into our enemy’s territory. The better option would be to check the surrounding areas first. 」

I mused under my breath.

「Eh…. But, Reiji-kun is….」

「Stop for a second, Shirone!.You might just end up in the same situation if you rush in like this. Let’s make a plan and proceed carefully.」

From behind me, Rena pitched in too.

「Shirone-sama, Re-… I mean Grand Saint-sama is right. Who will go to save Reiji-sama if we’re caught by our enemy too? Also, this city has a  map of the labyrinth . Maybe we should check the surrounding area of the labyrinth, just to be sure.」

Kaya also shared the same opinion as Rena and I.

Rena’s identity was disguised as the Grand Saint since she came incognito.

「Hmm… I understand.I’ll wait for a while….」

Outnumbered, Shirone reluctantly agreed thanks to Rena’s and Kaya’s opposition.

Based on the impatient, rhythmic staccato of her foot tapping the floor, I was sure that she was ready to rush into the labyrinth at a moment’s notice.

Before, Kaya was the one who stopped her from doing such dangerous things.

Even so, I had never heard any rumors of Shirone going through a dangerous experience either here or back in our world. So someone must have been acting as a foil for her impulsiveness. I wonder, who was the one who curbed her rashness when she travelled with Reiji and his company ?

「Uhm! Sword Maiden, Shirone-sama! Please hear my wish!!」

Suddenly, from within the crowd, a freedom fighter raised his voice.

It was a red haired young man whose age didn’t seem that different from my own..

「Hey, Novis!! You should choose the right moment to say something like that!!」

The girl on his right side elbowed him in the gut sharply, trying to stop him. She failed. Deftly, he caught her arm, quickly addressing her before continuing on with his request.

「Be quiet, Shizufae!! Shirone-sama, please make me your disciple!!!」

The man called Novis bowed to Shirone.

The rest of us were rendered simply speechless by this unexpected development.

「 Novis-san, this is not the time for this ! You should’ve requested that of Shirone-sama after we rescued Reiji-sama and co!! My apologies, Shirone-sama. Let me introduce the both of you properly. This man is the Hero of Fire, Novis. It seems he feels some sort of rivalry after witnessing the splendid way Reiji-sama had fought. Anyhow, he’s an impressive hero, that’s why…」

Leylia bowed to Shirone.

「After seeing Reiji-kun, huh. Well, I guess it can’t be helped.」

Shirone agreed happily. Well, I guess any girl would be proud and happy if the man that they’re in love with was praised this much. Although a great deal of men despised Reiji, not all men hated him. In fact, he had amassed a sort of a fanclub,now the target of admiration of many men who wished to become both as strong as him and as popular with women.

Could it be that this Hero of Fire called Novis was also that kind of man?

「Will you teach me then!!?」

Novis was looking at Shirone with a gleaming, greedy look in  his eyes.

「Uhm…. I’m actually unsuited to teaching others. That’s why… Sorry.」

Shirone bowed to Novis.

She was right about her teaching skills. Despite her talent in the art of swordcraft, teaching someone was another challenge altogether. Shirone didn’t seem to have either the patience to the communication skills required to teach well.

「Then.. allow me to become your attendant!! I’ll do everything you need, from cooking to cleaning!!」

Novis bowed to Shirone again.

I see, he probably wanted to get close to Shirone by becoming her attendant in order to convince her to teach him.

He was like an annoying fly buzzing around, it seemed as if he had no intention of backing down.

「Sorry. I’m not in the need for an attendant at the moment.」

Shirone was smiling wryly at Novis.

「T-Then, you can fire that pipsqueak and made me your attendant!!!」

Novis suddenly spun on his heel and pointed a finger at me.

I was extremely surprised when he suddenly pointed at me.

「You…. What are you…..?」

Shirone also looked shocked by the sudden turn of events.

「Judging by your appearance, you don’t seem to be that strong or have any special skills other than carrying around Shirone-sama’s luggage. That’s why I’m more useful and fit to serve her than a weakling like you!!」

Said Novis, full of self confidence.

「Wait a minute, Novis…..!!」

The woman who stood beside Novis was now stopping him.

She was a woman with majestic long hair. Her appearance resembled that of the shrine maiden of Ishtar’s temple.

「Shut up, Shizufae!!! I want to become stronger!! That’s why I’ll do everything I can for her to teach me swordcraft!!!」

Shoving her aside, Novis forced his way towards me.

「Oi, Old man!! Let me to take your place as her attendant!!」

Novis called me “Old man”. My hand twitched at my side, I was almost ready to teach this brat a lesson.

Hic… Did I really look that old with adding just a few smudges of dirt on my face that I used for this attendendance disguise ?

「My bad, you weak old man!! Unlike the likes of you, I want to become stronger!!」

Then, he tightly grasped my collar.

「What the….?」

「In the end, you only became her attendant to curry favor with the hero of light, right ?! That much is crystal clear. I mean, you didn’t even bring a sword with you!!!」

Honestly, I was burning with vitriol inside me, there was so much I wanted to retort back in this situation. It was nothing less than a miracle that I was able to hold my tongue.

To begin with, it isn’t as if I wanted to follow Shirone and her company. I didn’t want to help them in the first place but they forced me to come along.

Why the hell is the guy accusing me of all this out of the blue ?!?!

My heart felt heavy and a dark emotion threatened to overtake my heart.

「Stop right there!! What do you think you’re doing to Kuroki!!!」

「Shirone-sama!! Unfortunately, I’m too familiar with such people.I’ve seen too many of these kinds of people!! This guy is the kind of guy who will do everything to curry favor with powerful people. His sole ambition is to use their authority for his own gain!!」

Novis was loud and adamant, forcing Shirone to accept his impromptu, made up reasoning..

Do I…. really make that kind of impression?After hearing his opinion about how I appeared to others, I was astounded.

Somehow, I managed to keep this murky dark feeling reined in and locked in my chest. My throat felt tight, as if the effort of holding back the emotion was suffocating me.

That was so close.

It felt like the shackles of my emotion, my self control had snapped due to that strange tea Kuna made for me.

In this case, it was more like an explosion of wrath rather than lust.

「P-… -Please… Stop」

I stuttered pitifully, my voice beseeching as I called out to the both of them.

I wanted to stop the outburst that would surely result from these feelings building up..

I forcefully shut down the dark emotions that were overflowing inside my heart.

「Don’t worry, Shirone-sama! Allow me to punish this shitty old man!!!」

Novis swung his fist toward me.

Too slow. Although dodging his attack was a piece of cake, I purposefully let his fist hit me.

His fist collided directly with my face. Forget about pain, the impact wasn’t even enough to cause me to flinch.

And then matching the timing of his punch, I made myself fall in an unsightly manner. I remained splayed across the ground motionlessly, playing dead.

「Learn from this lesson and don’t dare to approach Shirone-sama again!!! Well then Shirone-sama, since I’ve taken care of that pest make me your attendant!!!」

Bragged Novis.

When I opened my eyes by a fraction to take a peek, Novis wore a blindingly bright smile as if he had just performed a heroic deed.

「What are you talking about…. Do you expect me to praise you after casting such baseless accusations upon  Kuroki?」

Shirone’s voice trembled with anger.

The atmosphere of the room instantly changed. .

A pair  of wings sprouted from Shirone’s back.

As her wings flapped, the power they emitted made the air in the room  tremble.

「U-Uhm… Shirone-sama?」

Novis anxiously called out to  Shirone.

It seems he realized that he just angered Shirone.

It’s been a long time since I saw Shirone this angry.

「Have you …. calmed down a little bit now?」

I saw Shirone’s hand had retracted, her fingers wrapped firmly around the pommel of her sword.

「HIIIIIIIIII!!!」

The Freedom Fighters were raising a riot.

「Please  Shirone-sama!! Wait! Please don’t kill him!!!」

Kaya, who had stayed in the background until now, immediately blocked Shirone’s path.

「Calm down, Shirone-san!!!」

Kyouka was also participating in the effort to restrain her and had grabbedShirone’s arm with all her might.

「Everyone!! Please stop Shirone-sama!!!」

When one of the priests who stood beside Rena gave that order, the others moved to surround Shirone immediately.

「What are you guys waiting for?! Leave this place right now!!」

Kaya shouted to the Freedom Fighters.

All the Freedom Fighters left the hall at the speed of light. They ran as if their lives depended on it, which to be fair…it probably did. Only Novis remained, standing as still as a statue, a dumbfounded look on his face.

「Novis, what the hell are waiting for ?!Get going immediately!! Please forgive his actions today, Shirone-sama!!! I’ll make sure to thoroughly scold this idiot later!!!」

The woman called Shizufae doubled back to where Novis stood frozen and forcibly   dragged him along with her as she left the hall.

Though I could only see her back from my vantage point, it was clear that Shirone was extremely pissed off.

「Are you alright, Kuroki?」

Someone called my name in a gentle l voice.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Rena had come to my side.

And then, I felt something soft on the back of my head.

「Eh? R…. Rena?」

My head was pillowed on Rena’s lap.

Though her face was hidden beneath her hood, I could almost sense her smile as she looked down upon me.

I could still hear the muffled commotion as the priests previously surrounding Rena swarmed to restrain a furious Shirone. In a big wave, they swept her far away, until all I could hear were the fading sound of footsteps.

Rena’s clear voice emanated from above me as she slowly stroked my hair.

「I’m so sorry Kuroki. All of this happened because we had to hide your identity ….」

「Don’t worry… It’s not like he can hurt me….」

As I’ve said before, Novis’ powers werent even strong enough to leave a trace. He posed no more danger than a mere pesky bug. The reason I restrained myself from attacking him in retaliation wasn’t for Rena’s sake. Rather, I was sure that once unleashed, my rage would have both as uncontrollable as the Tsunami that often hit Japanese shores. My actions weren’t really worthy of Rena’s immense gratitude.「Nevertheless, won’t you let me nurse you till you feel better ? It’s once in a blue moon that all eyes aren’t on us anyway.」

While cradled in Rena’s arms, I could feel her whole body trembling as she spoke.

Since Rena’s followers had congregated to stop Shirone’s imminent rampage, it was silent. We were in our own peaceful bubble.

My world was reduced down to Rena in that moment. The gentle floral fragrance that she emitted, the warmth of her arms and the softness of her embrace.The left side of my face was literally buried in her unbelievably soft breast.

The sensation was so divine that I admitted to myself that being hit wasn’t actually that bad. Screw that! It was so worth it. I was basically in seventh heaven at the time.

Rena’s embrace doused f the black fire  that raged in my heart.

When I was peacefully surveying the rest of the group, I saw Shirone was still chasing that irritating freedom fighter before Kaya stopped her in the nick of time..

Well then, what should I do now? I began to devise a plan to help the lizardmen while enjoying the comfort of Rena’s pillowy breast.

◆Freedom Fighter Girl, Shizufae

We gathered in a nearby shop after we left Ishtar’s temple.

This bustling store was a famous restaurant managed by a former prostitute . It was popular among the women at the temple of Ishtar for its satisfying beverages, mouthwatering entrees and kitsch aesthetic.

In fact, the majority of the store employees were women, Justy among them.

The childrens raised in Ishtar’s temple were required to find work  once  they reached a certain age. Prostitution wasn’t their only choice, they could apprentice in any trade as long as they could support themselves.

Both Justy and her big brother, Godan were also part of the welcoming party who had gathered to greet  Shirone-sama when she had just arrived. Although Justy was a beautiful and a cheerful young woman, her brother’s towering presence scared away all her suitors. Justy’s options for work were limited since she couldn’t become a harlot.Eventually, she chose to work at this restaurant, where she was currently employed..

「Hey Novis! What are you going to do now that you’ve angered Shirone-sama!?」

This table was particularly rowdy – the seated patrons were all scolding and criticising Novis’s recent actions.

It was just as Novis had said, in this immoral world, it wasn’t uncommon for people to approach powerful figures with selfish motives. Those people only cared about how they could reap the benefits available by simply staying at their side.

In fact, in the past, some people had approached Novis for that very reason.

That person forced themselves into Novis’ social circle. In the face of their forceful words, Novis was helpless, They became comrades.

That person then swaggered around, brandishing his status as a friend of the Hero of Fire to get countless perks.

At first glance, these kinds of people seemed annoying yet harmless.  However, they had the potential to cause a lot of trouble. So it was only reasonable that we be cautious since we couldnt discern an individual’s motivations and character easily.

The person who got punched by Novis had  a good looking face. Thus I understand why he accompanied Shirone-sama.

According to Novis’s beliefs, a majority of handsome men were scumbags. Maybe the attendant was one of them. After all, he’s someone who was trying to utilize both his proximity to the Hero of Light and Reiji-sama’s fame for his own profit. Yes, surely Novis would not punch someone without a decent explanation – the attendant must have been that kind of a person. However, that wasn’t a good enough justification for his violent behaviour..

As Novis himself sat down at the table with a blank expression he seemed like the shell of a man. It was as if his soul had already left his body. Seeing him so unresponsive to the endless wave of disapproval voiced by the others, I grew concerned despite my anger.

It seems receiving Shirone-sama’s killing intent was a heavy blow for him. He seemed greatly disturbed by the degree of Shirone-sama’s anger. If she wasn’t restrained, she would have killed him. That was crystal clear to everyone present on the scene.

But it would be troubling if he didn’t get a grip of himself soon.

「Hello, Novis!?」

I shook him roughly by his shoulders.

「Oh, it’s just Shizufae huh…」

「It’s not “Oh”, you idiot…. Geez, get a grip already.」

I really wanted him to start thinking already.

「Nevertheless, that’s quite an amazing display of  wrath…. I mean the extent of her emotion when she unsheathed  her sword was   enough to shake the auditorium. As I thought, I really have to become her pupil.」

Said Novis while laughing.

What a pain in the ass, this idiot… clearly didn’t learn from his mistake.

I eyed Novis with an exasperated expression etched on my face. Novis is the epitome of  narcissism. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if he thought that he was the center of the world.

「Wait a minute, so you’re not giving up on that foolish idea of becoming her student? Reflect on your actions, You’re clearly angered Shirone-sama.」

I’ve had enough. Utterly fed up with this idiot, I didn’t mince my words.

「 What the hell are you going on about, Shizufae? I’m not giving up just yet!」

Novis raised his fist high in the air  with a huge smile on his face as he shouted.

Was he still under the impression that he wasn’t in the wrong for punching that poor man? He truly was delusional if he believed Shirone-sama would accept him as her student after his outburst.

「Listen to me, Novis…seeing the way Shirone-sama reacted, I don’t think the guy you punched is just a mere attendant.」

Big sis Keyna made a good point.

Shirone-sama’s behavior after the man got punched by Novis made me believe it wasn’t a trivial matter.

There was a very real possibility that he wasn’t actually an attendant.

「But think about it. There’s no men amongst Hero of Light’s comrades, right?」

Said Godan, who was sitting  with us.

After discovering he was actually Justy’s older brother, I had made an effort to get to know him better. Contrary to his intimidating aura, he had a very kind and gentle personality.

He made a very valid observation though- all the other members in the Hero of Light’s company were indeed female..

「Exactly!!! There’s no way that asshole is the Hero of Light’s comrade!! Tell us Leylia, who exactly is that bastard !?!?」

Novis interrogated Leylia-san.

「They… They never told me much about that man. He just suddenly appeared out of nowhere and started serving as Shirone-sama’s attendant. I heard that he’s one of Shirone-sama’s old friends though…」

Leylia-san replied while slowly shaking her head in confusion..

「Old friends huh… What’s their relationship then exactly? Perhaps they’re actually lovers?」

Madi chirped brightly, grinning ear to ear.

「No, that’s impossible, Madi. Shirone-sama is one of Reiji-sama’s lovers after all.」

I immediately shot down Madi’s guess.

I was completely positive that all the women around Reiji-sama would be his lovers..

「They might not be lovers but I have no doubt that he is a special person to Shirone-sama. I’m sure that he is a precious friend of hers. Shouldn’t you go and apologize to that man, Novis ?」

「Eh, why do I have to apologize to him, Nora-san?」

Novis asked quizzically as he tilted his head in confusion. It appeared as if he seriously believed he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Novis has always been like that from a long time ago, a selfish man who simply didn’t care about his surroundings.

I really hated this side of Novis.

He’s really kind towards girls, he’d go to any lengths and brave all kinds of dangers simply to protect a helpless maiden.

That was the reason why many girls, including Justy, loved Novis.

However, I don’t think that Shirone-sama would ever fall for Novis. I mean, since she had Reiji-sama at her side, why would she even glance at Novis, whose strength paled in comparison?

「Haa, at this rate I don’t think Shirone-sama will ever teach you  swordsmanship, what would you do then?」

I told him while shooting a withering glare. Absorbed in only himself as usual, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was oblivious to my death glare.

「Don’t worry Shizufae. I can’t imagine her being so angry t on the behalf of a mere attendant.In fact, that display of strength might even change her perception of me. Yes, I’m sure after witnessing my impressive strength, she’ll change her mind..」

Novis continuously rambled on, head high in the clouds.

「I wonder….」

I was puzzled, tilting my head in confusion. I mulled over it momentarily, furrowing my brows in deep thought. I mean, Shirone-sama seemed ready to kill him on the spot.

Most importantly, I didn’t think that his actions could be excused even if the one he hurt was in fact, a mere attendant.

「Want to be acknowledged, huh? Shall we start by eliminating the lizardmen??」

A mysterious voice suddenly interjected.

Upon turning towards the source of the voice, I saw two men sitting on the bench next to us.

When had they even arrived? Apparently, I was engrossed in the conversation to the extent that I didn’t even notice the arrival of a third party.

The deep, melodic voice belonged to a tall man with chai colored hair. The scar spanning one side of his cheek only added a plus to the energetic wild atmosphere around him.

Judging from the bow on his back and the sword strapped to his waist, he was probably a freedom fighter from a distant land. His companion was an androgynous man with a shock of sky blue hair. He also had a spear strapped to his back, they were most likely companions, I guessed.

「Well, look who the cat dragged in. What did you imply just now, Zefa? 」

Big Sis Keyna drawled as she abruptly stood up, glaring at him all the while.

「Sup, it’s been a while, hasn’t it Keyna?」

The man beamed as he turned to address her.

Hmm…Zefa. Somehow the name rang a bell.

Wait, Zefa…as in the Hero of wind, that Zefa? He was big sis Keyna’s former partner.

Big sis Keyna always complained about his wandering eye. Apparently, he was a known casanova and philanderer, to the point that he was seen with a new woman every week. Basically, Keyna had nothing good to say about him.

「Sup’, my foot. How’s your condition? I heard that you got your ass kicked by centaurs.」

Come to think of it, I had heard that he was badly injured in his recent attempt to subjugate the centaurs. Had he really healed already ?

「Oh please, spare me. Don’t remind me of that, Keyna…」

Zefa immediately turned somber upon hearing big sis Keyna’s words..

「Come to think of it, what happened to those women who were frolicking after you 24/7?」

「……」

Upon her continued pursuit of an answer, Zefa averted his gaze, unwilling to respond to her question.

「I see… BWAHAHAHAHA, SO THEY LEFT YOU AFTER YOU LOST TO THOSE CENTAURS! SERVES YOU RIGHT!! For once in your life, learn from your mistakes and wise up. Stop toying with women’s hearts.」

Big Sis Kenya was cackling like a witch.

Zefa seemed to be annoyed by her laugh.

Looks like they didn’t patch up completely, it was definitely a far cry compared to how their relationship used to be. Zefa and big sis Keyna used to be comrades in arms before they became freedom fighters. They worked together like a well oiled machine, years of experience allowing them to move in unison. They used to enter the depths of the labyrinth together. It was almost legendary, hushed whispers of their stories were spoken of among the new recruits.

「Don’t tease him anymore, big sis Keyna. And this gentleman over here is?」

I snuck a brief glance at the man sitting alongside Zefa.

「I’m the Hero of Water, Nephim. It’s a honor to meet you, mademoiselle.」

After completing his greeting, he gracefully kneeled on one knee and took my hand.

「WHA!?」

Novis let out a surprised squeak as Nephim gently took my hand.

The Hero of water, Nephim. I’ve heard about him before. He used to be a famous freedom fighter in the inlet, west of Seird.

「You’re the Hero of Water, Nephim-sama? Is it really true that you were defeated by mermen?」

When I asked him that, Nephim suddenly let out a frustrated groan.

「Kekek..」

Novis, I can hea~r you snickering, you know?

「Hahaha… You really are merciless, mademoiselle.」

Nephim’s voice had lost all its brightness as he let my hand slip away from his lax grasp. His laugh seemed artificial and his smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes.

「So…what business do the Heroes of Water and Wind have with us??」

A booming voice echoed across the room as we all swiveled to look at Godan, who was leaning against the frame of the door. A wary expression was evident from the downturn of his mouth and the furrow of his brow.

So I asked myself. “Us…meaning our party too?”

「You’re Godan right? The Hero of Earth? Please help us exterminate the lizardmen.」

Zefa asked mirthfully, breaking into a chuckle after uttering his statement.

「Exterminating the lizardmen? What exactly are you getting at, Zefa?」

「It’s simple, Keyna. From what I’ve seen, it’s clear as day that things won’t end here.」

Zefa paced back and forth, frustration radiating from his every movement as if it was too much to be contained within himself.

「I get it, of course it wouldn’t look good if a person awarded the title of ‘hero’ was defeated so easily.」

Big sis Keyna vocalized as she slowly nodded her head in understanding.

Zera and Nephim had fallen out of public favor as quickly as a shooting star. They were regarded as incompetent failures by the general populace after their recent failed mission, in which they couldn’t manage to subjugate the centaurs.

So they wanted to clear their name?

「Yes! We have to regain our lost honour!!」

Nephim punctuated his statement when his fist slammed the surface of the desk with all his might.

My hand faltered upon hearing his confident proclamation..

Regain their honor? How the hell are they going to do that?

I assumed that someone would rebut this ridiculous idea. Yet, to my surprise, no one interjected and Zefa continued explaining his foolhardy idea.

「That’s right!! I heard that the Sword Maiden just came to this city, right? Let’s beat those lizardmen before her to restore our honor!!」

Zefa declared enthusiastically. In his hopes to regain his honor, he seemed a bit mistaken.

「Oh, I see now. You’re in a hurry since you’re afraid that you’ll lose your chance if Shirone-sama exterminates those lizardmen before you.」

Big sis Keyna mused while scratching her butt.

Her unwomanly action bothered me. She went against Faeria-sama’s teachings so nonchalantly.

「Exactly, Keyna. Before coming here, I heard from Ishtar’s shrine maiden that the Sword Maiden would be coming here to immediately exterminate the lizardmen herself. Although I’m confident that I can handle them on my own, it wouldn’t hurt to have back up. That’s why I think the four of us heroes should work together.」

「Is that why you guys were asking for our help?」

「Correct, Novis.  I heard that you want to get the approval of the Sword Maiden, Shirone-sama? Your status as the Hero of Fire clearly isn’t enough, you need to actually show your strength. You need to make more effort to get her respect. Join our subjugation effort. We can’t let the Hero of Light always steal the spotlight and outshine us right? We’re also powerful heroes in our own right. Well, what do you think, isn’t it a fitting way to restore your honor?」

Zefa’s speech was eloquent and appealed to both Novis’s ego and jealousy..

「 Definitely. I also want to regain my honor and reestablish my position. This kind of chance to demonstrate my usefulness to Shirone-sama only comes around once in a blue moon. I’m in, let me join you guys!」

In his haste, Novis rose from his seat so quickly that it nearly toppled over. Zefa’s idea seemed to have brought about a renewed sense of vigour within him.

「Hero of earth, Godan, you’ll join our mission too, right?」

Godan nodded immediately.

「Great. Those lizardmen are really starting to become a problem for the association. Anyway I can help them, it is fine by me. Let me join your mission.」

Godan was led astray too.

I looked around. Big sis Keyna, Madi and Leylia showed varying degrees of frustration on their faces. Big sis Keyna was gritting her teeth, trying not to curse while Madi just pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed resignedly. Leylia rubbed at her temples tiredly. We were long suffering from such hare-brained schemes. So much so that none of us were shocked upon viewing the recent chain of events. We were disappointed but not surprised.

The four heroes then yelled. 「FOR HONOR!!」

I could feel a headache begin to take root as they cheered.

「We’ll continue the meeting tomorrow. After all, it’s quite late now. Everyone should rest well and we’ll reconvene here again in the morning. Alright?」

The three other heroes nodded as they agreed with Zefa’s decision.

「It’s been decided then. Shizufae, big sis Keyna, let’s go  exterminate those lizardmen tomorrow!!」

Novis chirped happily, a bright smile on his face as he looked over at Keyna and I.

Wait a minute…

「Us…too?」

Unbidden, the words came tumbling out of my mouth before I unleashed a string of curses under my breath. Well, I guess someone had to keep this idiot and his new found friends alive somehow.

◆Dark Knight Kuroki

「We will leave then, Sword Maiden. Don’t hesitate to call for us if you need anything.」

The woman named Atlan took her leave, closing the door with a slight thud..

Atlan was actually Tormalkis’s wife- the one who had prepared for our stay at this inn. Since Tormalkis was the purveyor of Rena’s temple, Atlan had unfettered access to the temple.

After I fell “unconscious” due to Novis’s assault, I was brought to this place. The room that had been prepared for me exceeded my expectations. It was more spacious than a normal attendant’s lodging. I shifted slightly on the sizable double bed. Regena was the one who had prepared this room for me.. It seemed she did the best she could, for my sake.

Rena hurriedly chased away her shrine maiden since she wanted to discuss something. The shrine maiden clearly disapproved of my presence but was rendered speechless against Rena’s unyielding order. The five of them -Shirone, Kaya, Kyouka, Rena and Regena gathered around where I lay in bed in a semicircle formation.

「You can open your eyes, Kuroki, It’s safe.」

I pulled myself up effortlessly when I heard Shirone’s words. My head lolled back as I sighed, leaning casually against the sturdy, oak headboard.

「Being attendant sure is hard….」

「In that case, don’t disguise yourself. Especially as an attendant, of all things. We can just just tell him that you’re a new comrade and recently joined our group.」

Shirone exclaimed with fire in her voice.

It seemed that she was still agitated regarding the day’s events. She was angry on my behalf, for receiving such terrible, unjustified treatment.

I observed her attitude detachedly- I had never regarded Shirone or any of the other members of her company as my comrades. At the end of the day, it was Reiji’s opinion that ruled supreme. I had a nagging feeling that Reiji wouldn’t accept me. Instead of being treated as a comrade and a part of the group, I would most likely end up being an outcast as the party followed Reiji’s example.

「That would end up making me seem even more conspicuous…some people might even go as far as to do a background check on me.」

But I refused her suggestion.

「Eh?」

Shirone’s face had fallen and judging by the pout on her lips, she seemed dissatisfied with my answer.

「He’s right, Shirone. Kuroki should stay undercover for my sake. Besides, not only is this disguise the most believable cover we could come up with but also, it was Kuroki’s idea in the first place.」

Rena added with a gentle smile, her face glowing with happiness.

Indeed, the entire motivation behind the strategy of hiding my actual identity was for Rena’s sake. I hoped to make her feel even just the slightest bit indebted to me. That was my true goal along this journey. It was all planned out. If I could successfully accomplish my mission, I could prevent future conflict. Because, as long as Rena gave up on the idea of killing Modes, I wouldn’t have to destroy Reiji once we met on the battlefield. I was sure that it would end up resulting in a fight to the death. Either Reiji would survive or I would. There’s no way I would lose though, it’s not my time yet.

「Hey, Kuroki…you seem to be getting along really well with Rena, don’t you?」

Shirone swerved to shoot me a scornful glare, her eyes burning with a barely suppressed anger.

To be honest, even I had no idea how we reached this point.

Her attitude towards me might have changed upon my agreeing to save Reiji. I mean, I certainly couldn’t think of any other reason other than that.

「Let’s shelve that aside for now. Shall we start with the discussion about the course of action we’ll take regarding the Lizardmen?」

「It seems as if you’re deliberately trying to divert the conversation, but alright…we’ll change the topic. What do you think we should do about the problem of the Lizardmen?」

「If possible, please stop the extermination.」

I dove right into the core of the topic, without the slightest ounce of hesitation.There was no point beating around the bush. This would be the best way to clearly convey my thoughts to everyone. Plus, I knew Shirone, it was best to be straightforward with her.

Shirone slightly reared her head back in surprise when she heard what I had said.

「Of the Lizardmen? Why?」

「They’re turned into slaves to fight in the arena…why? All for the sake of serving as entertainment for the humans? It is a disgusting, immoral practice. That’s why I cannot abide with the idea of exterminating them. Can’t you consider other options first, before turning to such extreme acts of violence? Give me a chance to talk to them, persuade them to somehow open the passage that leads towards the labyrinth for us?」

I took a deep breath after my small speech, not only catching my breath but also calming myself down.

「I see…what a relief! Kuroki seems the same as always, I’m glad.」

For some unfathomable reason, Shirone seemed relieved and lighter, as if a weight had been lifted off from her small shoulders upon listening to my tirade.

「Kuroki-san, you’re actually a really nice person. Aren’t you?」

In complete contrast to Kyouka’s gaze which was brimming with admiration, Kaya sent me a piercing glare from her place by Kyouka’s side. Her eyes stared at me with an undecipherable  intensity, not betraying any of her thoughts. For the first time in my life, I believed that if looks could kill…I would most certainly be dead.

「Kuroki-sama, you’re not looking at the full picture. It’s an undeniable fact that the Lizardmen were hostile towards the humans to begin with. However, they’ve recently become more so. Although this situation may end up cleanly resolved, the overall issue is not. Are you really going to protect the lizardmen who pose such a threat to those who reside here?」

As usual, Kaya was right.

Of course, if I set those Lizardmen free from the labyrinth, they might attack the humans, endangering both the village and the tentative peace. If that was the series of events that would transpire in the future, someone would eventually be called to exterminate the Lizardmen.

「Putting that possibility aside for now, I want you to hold back on your plan of action…even if it’s just for now, don’t exterminate them.」

I stubbornly stared into Kaya’s bottomless eyes as I shot back a response, feeling not even an iota of guilt as I stood my ground. My motivations were clear- I am the Dark Knight, I was never an ally of humanity to begin with. Thus, saving the lives of the Lizardmen took precedence for me. There was nothing wrong with that given my position. I had never tried to hide my views and stance in these matters from any of the others.

「I see. However…」

「Please wait a minute, Kaya!!」

Kyouka suddenly interupted us.

「Milady…」

「Kuroki-san is someone who has graciously agreed to help us save my big brother. He is our guest, under these circumstances. I definitely believe we should prioritize his opinion in this matter.」

「I also agree with Kyouka. Please Kaya-san, allow Kuroki to do this.」

Shirone also interjected before Kaya could refuse. Faced with their persistent pleading, Kaya finally relented. She looked over at the heavens, inhaling a deep breath into her lungs, her chest rising before she slowly exhaled and turned to face me.

「If both of you believe in this particular course of action so fervently, there’s nothing left for me to say in this regard…my apologies for the interruption, Kuroki-sama.」

Kaya bowed to me.

「No…your worries are justified.」

Kaya’s thought process and approach were justified from her stance as a member of this party and the Hero of Light’s comrade. It was her duty to look out for the humans and work for the advancement of Humanity, even if it came at an expense to other species of creatures. Exterminating the Lizardmen would indeed be the right course of action to undertake, especially since the Lizardmen were hostile towards humans.

If someone didn’t take up the responsibility of exterminating the Lizardmen, it was likely that more people would end up as their victims.

「You might have not noticed, but it’s already become quite late. Let’s persuade them tomorrow morning, shall we? Please enjoy your dinner tonight in Shirone-san’s company. Have you prepared their dinner, Regena-san?」

At the last question she asked, Kaya said to Regena who stood merely one step away from her.

「Yes, indeed! Preparations have been put into order. It’s a selection of Master Kuroki’s favorite foods. I made most of the items myself with some help from the priestesses. I hope the spread that I’ve curated pleases you, Master Kuroki.」

Regena addressed me after she had turned to face me.

「Although having dinner with an attendant might have seemed strange from an outsider’s perspective, bringing more attention to me…it’s alright, I’ll let it slide this time- let’s have dinner together.」

Given a choice, I really didn’t wish to stand out so much. However, I could tell that Regena had made a lot of effort helping make this meal. She also tried to find all my favorite foods and mimic them as best as she possibly could. Out of respect for her thoughtfulness, I acquiesced.

「It’s been a while since we had a meal together, Kuroki. There’s so many things to talk about, right?」

Shirone’s face had noticeably brightened. In her own way, this was the happiest I had seen her on this trip. What a child. Well, it wouldn’t hurt to have dinner with her, as long as I could help her remain happy, I would do anything if feasible.

Ignoring the light chatter around me, I mulled over my goal and what I needed to accomplish tomorrow. I would leave the matter of persuading the Lizardmen until tomorrow had arrived. If these Lizardmen were anything like the ones residing in Nargol, I would probably be able to convince them.

◆Goddess of Spider, Atlankua

The slightest of sounds echoed in the dark cave. The barest whisper of shuffling amongst the rocks was the only betraying sign that anything was moving under the inky cover of darkness. These creatures were known to everyone as Arachne, each of the girls served as my vassal.

The Arachne race consisted only of women. Although their upper half resembled a gorgeous female human, from their waist down they took after a spider’s form. They blended in with the humans, changing their appearance in order to live in the seedy underbelly of Freedom City, Teseshia.

No one could have possibly suspected that these girls living beside them were not human, that there were monsters in their midst…

Fury bubbled within my chest as I recalled the matter that had taken place earlier. From the shadows, I had a glimpse at her. The woman who accompanied the Hero of Light’s comrade. There was not a shadow of doubt about it in my mind, that woman had to be Rena. Although she had come disguised, hiding her radiant appearance in a thick, dark cloak, it was clear as day. No matter how much she tried to hide her identity, I knew it was her as soon as I saw her figure.

I would have never expected that Rena, the goddess would actually personally come to save the Hero of Light.

According to protocol, I should report this unexpected matter to Labrys. However, I felt extremely hesitant. It tugged at my mind persistently like an annoying pest. Let’s see, I really wanted to kill that woman with my own hands. The fire of revenge that had alighted as soon as I thought of the incident that took place in the past had been stoked from sleeping embers to a hungry, aggressive flame. That’s right, I’m going to kill that woman myself, but not before inflicting Rena with what she deserves, Sorry about this Labrys…my mind is made up.

I continued to blend into the inky dark depths of the shadows while spying on her security arrangements. Upon studying the conditions clearly, I almost grew giddy. A chance like this came once in a blue moon! It was indeed a rare opportunity when Rena was left alone without her valkyrie. Although it was still an arduous task due to the presence of the Sword Maiden and the rest of the Hero of Light’s party. It would also be difficult if I aimed to ambush her while her priestess were around. They had the advantage of numbers- I simply could not face so many foes at once and emerge victorious. No, I had to get at her somehow. There had to be a way, it’s not like she was without any chinks in her armor. And, even if she didn’t have one, I would make it myself. This, I swore to myself.

I analysed the overall situation once again. There shouldn’t be any major threats or dangerous factors besides the presence of the Hero of Light’s party and the priestesses of her temple. My gaze swept over to the male attendant that had accompanied them. Pfft. Based on my observations, he was knocked down by the Hero of Fire. In a single blow. He was clearly a small fry, a pathetic weakling who wouldn’t be able to throw a wrench into my plans. There was no need to raise my guard around such a loser. Defeating him would be a piece of cake.

「Just you wait, Rena. I’ll get my revenge on you, I’ll pay you back for what you did tenfold….」

As thoughts of revenge swirled through my brain with the intensity of a storm, I smiled smugly while imagining her lifeless body stripped of all its former beauty.