What evil act had Theo committed while I was asleep? To guess what it might have been, I needed to retrace the entire day from the beginning.
Theo and I headed to the square early in the morning. Despite the early hour, the square was already bustling with market-day activity. Merchants’ loud cries rang out from every direction, and beneath the awnings, fruit and bread, fabrics and jewelry were packed tightly together. Excited children ran this way and that, while adults busied themselves picking up goods and haggling over prices.
A flower stall caught my eye. Among the flowers of every color, the red roses stood out in particular. The moment I saw them, I remembered the custom of giving roses on the day one came of age. A special flower given on a special day. I chose the prettiest, freshest bouquet and placed it in Theo’s arms.
“It’s a gift. Congratulations on becoming an adult.”
Theo’s face turned as red as the roses I had bought. He hugged the bouquet tightly and smiled brightly.
“Thank you.”
But the smile did not last long. Whatever thought had occurred to him, the corners of his eyes drooped.
“Isn’t there some kind of magic that can keep flowers from wilting? Rihen gave them to me…. Just thinking that they’ll wilt someday already makes my heart ache.”
The Saint ‘Rihen’ would certainly have been capable of it. After all, he was a legendary healer who could even bring the dead back to life. Of course, he could not perform the miracle of resurrection for every dead person, and there were strict conditions attached, but still. In any case, preserving a flower’s vitality would probably have been nothing to him. But ordinary people did not possess such an ability, and demons even less so.
I gently soothed Theo.
“But they’ve already been cut and made into a bouquet. So what if they wilt? You can press them between the pages of a book. They’ll become beautiful pressed flowers, and you’ll be able to keep looking at them for a long time.”
At those words, Theo’s expression brightened again. He breathed in the scent of the roses deeply and smiled.
That was when it happened. The noisy atmosphere of the marketplace died down in an instant. The merchants’ cries stopped, and even the children’s laughter faded away. People wearing white robes and white masks were entering the square under the escort of knights. They were inquisitors.
They always dressed like that. Their clothing concealed not only their faces but even made their physiques difficult to judge. In the past, there had been a time when inquisitors exposed their identities as they rooted out heretics and interrogated demons. But the price had been severe. The captured demons retaliated by ambushing the inquisitors and brutally murdering them.
Inquisitors were skilled at extracting information, but in terms of pure combat ability, they were far weaker than demons. The moment they were caught in an ambush, they had no way to resist. After those incidents, every inquisitor began hiding their face to avoid demonic vengeance.
Among all those people dressed entirely in white, one figure stood out in particular. He was the only man not wearing a mask—the inquisitor Khalid. His head was not covered by a robe, leaving his pitch-black hair fully exposed. His irises were blue like Saint Rihen’s, but the impression they gave was completely different. If Rihen’s blue eyes resembled a clear, sunny sky, Khalid’s were much deeper and more intense. It looked as though vivid blue flames were flickering inside them.
He was a man who possessed not only expertise in torture but considerable combat skill as well. When it came to capturing demons alive and extracting information from them, no one could compare to him. Above all, Khalid was exceptional because he revealed his face without fearing demons. His very existence was a source of hope for humanity.
The inquisitors began posting notices on every wall around the square. Without anyone needing to take the lead, people crowded around to see them.
The paper contained an image of the wanted man. Strangely, there was no face, only the clothing. A black uniform and cloak, and a distinctive red pendant. It was me in my Legion Commander attire. Beneath the portrait, the following words were written.
<Wanted>
Shane, Commander of the 13th Legion
Anyone who provides meaningful information regarding this individual’s whereabouts or movements, or who contributes directly or indirectly to his capture, will be awarded up to 2,000 gold coins according to the extent of their contribution.
Reports are to be submitted through the local temple or inquisitorial office.
People stood before the notice and murmured among themselves.
“Shane? The Commander of the 13th Legion’s name was Shane?”
“How did they even find out his name?”
How else would they have found out? It was obvious. They must have questioned captured demons about the Commander of the 13th Legion. While torturing them, of course.
“Everyone, listen closely!”
A clear voice cut through the noise of the square. It was Khalid. He stepped forward and drew everyone’s attention at once. The air in the marketplace pulled taut. Khalid glanced once toward the notice, then opened his mouth.
“Shane, Commander of the 13th Legion. This man commands no soldiers and operates alone. Despite having risen to the position of Legion Commander only recently, he has already inflicted enormous damage upon our Empire.”
Low gasps escaped from among the crowd.
“The destruction of a sacred statue, the burning of a temple, and most recently, rendering half of the Holy Knights’ weapons unusable. There are undoubtedly many other crimes that have yet to come to light. These were not impulsive acts. He is exceedingly meticulous, and exceedingly dangerous.”
The square fell silent. Taking advantage of the hush, in which even the sound of breathing had faded, he delivered his final words.
“As an inquisitor, and as a subject who earnestly desires peace for the Empire, I hereby declare this. Shane, Commander of the 13th Legion, must be brought to justice.”
He drew his sword and pointed its tip straight at Shane in the notice.
“Anyone who makes a decisive contribution to the capture or elimination of this individual will receive a reward of up to two thousand gold coins. Furthermore, if their contribution is judged sufficient, we are prepared to award them a medal.”
When his speech-like declaration ended, applause immediately erupted. The citizens clapped in unison, their applause filled with respect and expectation. I joined them and struck my palms together more enthusiastically than anyone else.
Khalid was one of the playable characters available in the good faction. I had not used him as often as Rihen, but I had still played him frequently enough to become comfortable with him. Seeing the character I had controlled from beyond a screen standing this close brought old memories flooding back.
I must have begun smiling without realizing it. Theo poked me in the side and asked,
“Rihen, do you like Khalid?”
“Hm?”
“You looked so happy. I wondered if you liked him. I mean, in the sense that you respect him.”
“Of course. Judging by skill and achievements, he’s the greatest inquisitor in the entire history of the Empire. I doubt there’s anyone who dislikes Khalid.”
As I spoke, a complicated feeling suddenly came over me. The problem was that this strong and impressive inquisitor was sharpening his blade to capture me. When I had read descriptions of demons being tortured by Khalid in the game, I had found it satisfying, but imagining myself tied to an interrogation chair made my whole body shiver. This would not do. I needed to gather points diligently and focus on raising Stealth first.
Theo looked at the notice and changed the subject.
“With two thousand gold coins, you could live for the rest of your life without working too, Rihen.”
My heart dropped. I gripped Theo’s hand tightly.
“You’re not thinking of capturing Shane, are you? Don’t even dream of it. Khalid said it himself. That man is dangerous. I don’t want you getting hurt.”
The words came out more harshly than I intended. Theo’s eyes widened, then he broke into a soft laugh. Judging by his reaction, he must have said it without any particular meaning. I felt a little embarrassed for worrying ahead of myself.
“Thank you for worrying about me, Rihen. I was only saying it. How could I possibly capture a Legion Commander?”
Without letting go of my hand, he continued in a serious tone.
“I don’t need honor or gold or treasure. I’d much rather live happily like this, alone with you, Rihen.”
That confession lingered in my ears for a long time.
But that could not happen. Theo was the hero. Before long, he would have to take up his sword and plunge into the heart of the battlefield. The day when I stood before him as a Legion Commander and he faced me as a hero… would come someday. Perhaps I was raising a beast that would one day devour me. For the sake of humanity.
Even so, I hoped the day Theo pointed his sword at my throat would come as late as possible. If I was careful enough to avoid him, perhaps we would never meet on the battlefield at all. I entertained that somewhat hopeful fantasy.
The moment Theo returned home, he placed the roses in a vase. The red petals stood out vividly against the white porcelain. An unmistakable look of satisfaction spread across his face as he gazed at them.
After that, we prepared lunch. I cooked in the kitchen, while Theo wiped the table and set out the dishes. Then he hovered around the kitchen looking for something to do, staying close beside me and helping with various small tasks.
After we finished eating, we took up our swords. We warmed up lightly in a corner of the yard and repeated the basic movements again and again. Every one of Theo’s movements already carried power, making even simple motions sufficiently threatening. By the time sweat had gathered on his forehead, the practice session was over.
Next came reading time. Theo opened the old book I had newly bought for him. It was an encyclopedia dealing with the ecology of monsters. Whenever Theo was curious about something, he immediately asked, and as a veteran player, I was able to answer almost every question.
“Thank you, Rihen. You’re the best teacher.”
He idly rubbed the back of my hand and smiled bashfully.
As we enjoyed that quiet time together, it was soon time for Theo to go to work. He left for Madam Cecil’s tavern, and I remained home alone. Once the door closed and the sound of his footsteps faded away, the house instantly became quiet.
That was when the communication orb began to vibrate. For some time now, I had been wearing it on a chain like a bracelet. There was a chance I might lose it if I kept it in my pocket, and it was inconvenient to take out immediately in an emergency. When I touched the orb with my finger, its surface glowed faintly and a familiar face appeared. It was Kairos.
“It is remarkably difficult to see your face. You are aware that there is a meeting today, are you not? Surely you do not intend to miss every regular meeting?”
He immediately began picking a fight again. He had never told me the meeting date in the first place, nor did he have any intention of formally including me, yet he still spoke as though I were at fault. Of course, I had no right to argue with him. I politely clasped both hands together.
“Then… should I go to the Demon Realm now?”
Kairos nodded.
“Yes. Immediately.”
That single word decided everything. I drew up my Magic Power with all my strength to open a gate.
For the first time in a while, I set foot in the Demon Realm. I stood before a circular meeting hall constructed from black stone. It was the ‘Black Codex,’ the place where the Legion Commanders gathered to discuss war and destruction. In the center of the round table, a dark flame that never went out burned eternally.
The meeting was already over. Of the twelve chairs arranged in a circle, eleven were empty. And the thirteenth chair that should have been mine had never existed in the first place.
You crazy bastards. This was just workplace bullying.
“You’re late.”
Kairos rose leisurely. I did not voice the fact that I was not late and that he had deliberately summoned me after the meeting. He was not someone who would listen to such an argument.
“I will share the outcome of the meeting. It concerns you as well. We have decided to assign you a new mission.”
“What is it?”
“Exterminate the family of Khalid, the inquisitor who does not know his place.”
Kairos uttered the word ‘exterminate’ far too lightly.
It was the worst order I had received since possessing this body. It was not even a mission that had existed in the original game. I had no idea what kind of butterfly effect had caused such an assignment to appear.
Exterminate his family. It was horrifying. Moreover, Khalid’s younger sister, Camilla, had been Saint Rihen’s childhood friend. Camilla, the priest most beloved by Ceres, the Goddess of Abundance. She was someone who had helped me in many ways whenever I played as Rihen in the game. Since falling into this world, I had not met her even once. I did not want our reunion to happen because I had come to murder her.
Even if it had not been Camilla, but a complete stranger with no connection to me, it would have been the same. I could never obey an order to massacre innocent people. But openly rebelling here would also be troublesome. The only option left was to persuade Kairos while disguising my argument as cold reason.
“I do not believe killing his entire family is a particularly good idea. The Khalid I know is not the kind of man who would abandon everything simply because his family died. If anything, he would become consumed by vengeance and stain his hands with even more blood.”
I spoke of death without the slightest hesitation, hoping my argument sounded reasonable enough.
“In the end, rather than breaking our enemy, we would only cause him to awaken. Is that the outcome you desire?”