Avangarde Royal Capital?
I wandered through the town, trying not to disturb the peculiar movements of the people around me, but I found nothing of particular interest. If only I could use Lord Daigami’s Clairvoyance, things would be so much easier. But this is the world of Lesser Than. Rather, it’s more accurate to say that it’s a different dimension altogether, where Lord Daigami’s powers cannot fully reach.
“In this world, we have the human realm where we live, the Underworld where the deceased end up, the Divine Realm where the gods reside, and the Demon Realm where monsters roam. There are so many vast dimensions in existence. And if we include smaller dimensions like this one, there must be countless others.”
It’s a grand scale of discussion that I can’t quite imagine, but I’ve heard that the monsters referred to as Calamity wreaking havoc in this world have flowed in from the Demon Realm. Speaking of which, Elmera mentioned before that her older sister knows a lot about such worlds. I wonder if it’s just a coincidence that Lord Vandalsia is targeting Elmera’s sister’s Ribbon. It’s already clear that it’s not just an ordinary Ribbon, and if that’s the case, then Lord Vandalsia’s true aim must be something else.
“Lua-chan?”
“Huh, what is it?”
“You looked unusually serious for a moment. Did you figure something out?”
“No, just thinking about other things…”
“Are you seriously considering how to get out of here?”
I wanted to retort back at Rutna, who was being so snarky. But she’s just an ordinary girl who can’t fight. Plus, I have a promise with Rash; I definitely want to introduce them.
“Still, can you believe that Rash is a girl?”
“I don’t want you to misunderstand, but it’s not like I like her or have fallen for her or anything, okay? Honestly, I’m not even into her looks, and that gesture of rubbing her nose with her finger is just a no-go for me. She lacks cleanliness and seems childish. With that, no other girls would want to approach her. And that pointy hat? It’s just not something a boy should wear. Well, I guess I’m just helping her find real love.”
“At your age, talking about love is something else… The girl next door, Shi-chan, can already cast Fireball at the local magic school. Thanks to that, the super cool Klaus-kun from the house next door confessed to her! They’re dating now! And here I am, left behind again! Ugh, I need to learn magic quickly and catch a handsome boy!”
“It’s not like dating a boy makes you any better, you know?”
“Ugh, this is why short-pants girls are so…!”
Hearing this while riding on Lord Daigami’s back only made me more irritated. What’s with this talk about love? We’re already married. Compared to that, Rutna’s crush feels like child’s play. I wanted to say that, but Kurinka was giving me silent pressure, so I held back.
“Even so… don’t you want to experience love? My mom and dad are super close, and you can tell they love each other. Watching them makes me want to know what love feels like… Shi-chan and my other friends are getting closer to boys, but I still haven’t met anyone… Hey, Kurinka, you’re good-looking, so you must have a boyfriend, right? What’s it like?”
“Uh, um?! Well, yeah… he’s a bit clueless and doesn’t really know much about common sense…”
“What?! Why are you dating someone like that? He’s definitely a freeloader; you should break up with him! Kurinka, you seem nice, so you’re the type to get dragged down by those useless guys, for sure!”
Why does my heart ache so much when I haven’t done anything? Kurinka should just say it plainly. Now that I think about it, I’ve never helped Kurinka outside of fighting. I still can’t cook, and all I did in the Abyss Cave was roast meat. I’ve messed up laundry before, rubbing it too hard and ruining it more than once. My reading and writing have only improved a little since I started. All the complicated procedures at the Guild are handled by Kurinka.
I’m starting to feel down even before we fight Lesser Than. Lord Daigami, who’s being used as a mount, looks so droopy that he hardly seems like a divine being. He should just let me down already.
“But you know, when the time comes, I’ll win against anyone and absolutely protect everyone. That strength reassures everyone… and me too. I’ve admired that kind of strength before.”
“Hmm… but I wonder about a guy who’s just strong.”
I don’t know what kind of expression I should make right now. Rutna probably doesn’t think I’m talking about myself, and if she heard about a marriage between girls, I can only imagine how she’d react.
“If he were truly just strong, I wouldn’t have fallen for him. He has plenty of clumsy traits and things he needs to fix. But still, I want to be with him; that feeling of love is what matters.”
“Eh? Hmm?”
“Rutna, you seem to only look at how handsome a boy is or things like that… Have you not met someone you want to be with yet?”
This conversation is getting deeper. It’s confusing not just for Rutna but for me as well. In the end, I still don’t really know what Kurinka likes about me. And I can’t explain why I like Kurinka either. But I’ve definitely made a promise; it’s not about me protecting Kurinka, but about us protecting each other. That’s why we’re walking together like this.
“Who decided that you have to be able to explain your reasons to be allowed to love? If you like something, you just like it, and that’s that.”
“Oh, Lua, do you have a boyfriend?! No way! That’s a lie!”
“It’s not a lie. Maybe it’s still too early for Rutna to think about that.”
“Ugh, this is so frustrating!”
Finally, I feel a sense of superiority. That’s right; she’s just a kid who talks big but hasn’t even found someone she likes, let alone gotten married. Compared to that, I’m the adult here. After all, I have someone I like.
I poked the back of Lord Daigami’s neck repeatedly, feeling quite smug. Lord Daigami should just let me down already. No matter how much he loves humans, I don’t understand why he’s so compliant.
“Huh? Where is this place?”
“Um, we’ve ended up in another strange location… No, this is different.”
I had been walking down a street lined with bizarre buildings, but suddenly I found myself inside a building with a golden floor. Golden pillars lined the space, and next to them stood statues of people with unusually large lips and round bodies. Each one struck a slightly different pose, some making peace signs or twisting their bodies.
“Lord Daigami, what is this place…?”
“Don’t be alarmed. We are still in that alternate space. And this scenery is likely something from our own world. In other words, we are seeing a landscape from our world while being in an alternate space. We cannot touch anything from this side. Try touching that pillar over there.”
As my hand was drawn to the pillar, when I pulled it back, my hand was still there. Even when I waved my hand, the pillar didn’t break; it was just my hand that swung through the air. I see, so that’s how it is. Without Lord Daigami’s explanation, I would have been confused this time, not about Status Ailments, but about something else.
“This is likely within the Avangarde Royal Capital. Perhaps the alternate space coincidentally overlapped with our world, or it could be the work of Lesser Than.”
“Then where is this Lesser Than… If they’re not showing themselves, they can’t be that significant, right?”
“It seems there’s a group over there.”
I thought maybe a little provocation would draw them out, but it didn’t work. Perhaps Lord Daigami thought the same, as his interest had already shifted to that group.
There, I saw a woman with gray skin dressed in a luxurious gown and a strange man in black tights, with many girls in front of them. The gray-skinned woman wore a sparkling Royal Crown, and I instinctively thought she must be Evil Nobility. Among those girls, I could see Ai, Ritta, Irene, and Shuri. They were all seated, staring intently at the dishes placed in front of them.
“Alright! Let’s begin the meal!”
All of them moved in unison to pick up their plates, stabbing at what looked like meat dishes with forks in one hand. Then, they all opened their mouths at the same time. Just then, the man in black tights cracked a whip against the floor. The golden floor shattered into pieces, and the sound of the impact sent everyone into a tremor. The hand holding the plate shook, and one girl finally dropped hers onto the floor.
“Ah! I’m so sorry!”
“You…!”
“Please! Just give me one more chance! This time, I’ll acquire the grace and poise worthy of being Lord Vandalsia’s wife!”
“That’s a given! There’s no need to say it! You ugly brat!”
The man in black tights raised his whip to strike the girl, but the gray-skinned woman quietly placed her hand on his raised arm. After she silently shook her head, the man lowered the whip.
“Stop it, Shidge.”
“However, Hatra! This ugly woman has committed an act of disrespect towards the great Lord Vandalsia, you know?!”
“If you keep resorting to violence like this, these girls will end up dead, won’t they? Now, you there, I apologize.”
“N-no! Thank you for your kindness!”
Shidge, dressed in black tights and looking utterly unimpressed, stood beside Hatra, the gray-haired woman. Hatra, if I recall correctly, is one of the Evil Nobility.
“That’s the Third Evil Concubine, Hatra… right, Kurinka?”
“I saw Hatra’s name on the list Lord Hast provided. So this confirms we are indeed in our world. But still, this is terrible.”
“These girls are likely candidates for Lord Vandalsia’s concubines. They are undergoing training to become brides… No matter how long one lives, one cannot grow accustomed to such outrageous events.”
Lord Daigami stepped between Hatra and Shidge, gazing intently at the girls. If we can’t do anything from here, then whatever happens next, we will be powerless to stop it. That’s bad; I can’t endure what’s about to unfold. Hatra, who had already been stopped by Shidge, was now slapping the girls repeatedly. How could they expect me to just stand by and watch this?
“I can’t just stand by!”
I swung my sword at Hatra, but it was a complete miss. Again and again, I swung and missed, unable to reach Hatra. As I became more desperate, Kurinka stopped me. I could feel her trembling hands; she was holding back too. Yet here I was, losing my composure. I shouldn’t be a burden to Kurinka if we’re supposed to support each other. We need to truly rely on one another.
“P-please forgive me…”
“Lord Vandalsia currently has 495 concubines. Honestly, I wouldn’t want someone as ugly as you to be one of them. I would even want to strip you of the right to gaze upon him. But this is an order from him. Otherwise, I would never indulge in such a farce. However, once an order is given, I must carry it out without fail; my ‘beauty’ demands it. Do you understand? I don’t even want to lay eyes on someone like you, who is barely classified as a woman.”
“You’re insane! Soon, you’ll be defeated! There are strong people in this country! The Flash Strike Girl… Rua will definitely come to save us!”
“Hoh, everyone keeps mentioning that name…”
Hatra laughed lightly, as if to soothe the furious Ritta. It was a laugh that felt belittling, even to me.
“We’re currently searching throughout the country. I will find that little girl faster than Glare or Karein, and I will tear her apart with my own hands. How can I allow Lord Vandalsia to be so obsessed with a mere child? After all, the one who has captured his heart more than anyone else… is that little girl! I cannot allow that!”
No girl in the room was unafraid of Hatra’s hysterical screams. Some were so numb they didn’t even shed tears, remaining motionless, while others had wet themselves. Everyone must have wanted to escape from this abnormal Evil Concubine.
“Hatra! Please calm down!”
“Hah… hah…”
As Hatra tore at her own skirt, Shidge tried to calm her down.
“Rua, Kurinka, Lord Daigami. Is this also love? Are those girls being forced to marry Vandalsia even though they don’t love him? Does Vandalsia truly love all these girls? Is that even possible? Hey…”
“Rutna, this is neither love nor affection. It should be filled with wonderful feelings, and the feelings you have for that man, Rash, are true love. Never forget that.”
“S-so I…”
“Be a good girl, Rutna.”
Lord Daigami gently lifted Rutna off his back.
I had reached my limit. Before I knew it, I was walking toward Lord Daigami.
“Lord Daigami, let’s get out of here quickly.”
“Indeed, Rua. We have finally discovered the location of Lesser Than.”
“Really?!”
“Look closely. The scum who is reveling in this sight is right there!”
In Lord Daigami’s Absolute Divine Territory. I instinctively pulled Kurinka away, knowing the terror of this skill. A space that permits no existence other than the divine being, Lord Daigami. White light enveloped the area, and as I held Kurinka close, I noticed something.
“Rutna?! Lord Daigami, Rutna is here too!”
Rutna lay collapsed behind Lord Daigami. Had she fainted? Lord Daigami was intimidating the creature in front of us to protect her. The number of tails had increased, and it had grown larger than before. It was truly a bizarre sight. A slender figure with black horns, resembling a demon. Its elongated body had sharp, bird-like eyes that drooped, and its lower half looked grotesque, as if skin clung to bones. To see such a demon-like monster standing bashfully like a girl was utterly repulsive.
“Wow, to find you so quickly. Isn’t that something?”
The voice was unmistakably feminine. Yet Lord Daigami remained unfazed. What was he? The hatred he bore for Lesser Than, whom he was meeting for the first time, was immense. His fangs bared, he was completely different from when he had been carrying Rutna.
“You are Lesser Than. You intended to lurk within Rutna and provoke our unease, but you cannot deceive my eyes.”
“Well, well, I never expected even a god to be here. Isn’t that right? Yes, I am Lesser Than, Queen of Absolute Darkness.”
Why would someone like this serve Vandalsia? To be frank, she was much stronger. If she wanted to, she could easily annihilate the Kingdom of Avangarde. I was almost grateful for Vandalsia’s presence, which kept her in check.
“The great demon Lesser Than, who devours the darkness of human hearts. The magic of the Wizard Kingdom once failed to affect her due to the depth of her power. Yet, to toy with a girl like Rutna…”
“Well, I was sealed away for so long, I got bored. After all, humans are hardly worth my time. And then, there’s that girl.”
She leered at Rutna, who lay behind Lord Daigami, a vulgar smile twisting her lips.
“A boy named Rash was desperately reaching out. But he couldn’t reach her because I killed him just before.”
“W-what do you mean…?”
“Rutna is already dead. She was killed by that demon over there.”
I couldn’t comprehend what was being said. Rutna was already dead? Then what was the Rutna standing there?
“You had lingering attachments, didn’t you? Even as just a soul, trapped in this world. You were always thinking about meeting that boy, Rash. Ah… how romantic, isn’t it?”
“So, what? Rutna didn’t realize she was dead, but she never forgot the promise to meet him…”
My grip on Disballade tightened painfully. I had already reached my limit after witnessing such a scene; I couldn’t bear to leave her any longer. But just as I was about to act, one of Lord Daigami’s unusually long tails blocked my way.
“How contemptible. Is this what a great demon, called Calamity, does?”
“Because, because! Like I said, I got bored with normal! Isn’t it delightful to see a child’s pure heart get tainted? It’s like a pastime for me.”
“…A pastime, huh?”
“You have an interesting heart, oh god who cares for humans. You were just a fox originally, weren’t you? Isn’t that right?”
I finally understood. Lord Daigami was telling me not to intervene. If he would just say so plainly, there was only one reason he wouldn’t.
“Hehehe, hearts are so fascinating. For children, they’re so pure, but as they grow up, they become darker and dirtier. Children and adults are completely different people. I love that process. You two, Rua and Kurinka? You’re both… so delightful.”
“Sorry, but we’re not here to entertain you.”
【Divine Lightning of the Silver-White Guardian Deity Daigami! Dealt 45423 damage to Lesser Than! HP 219777/265200】
“Ngyaaaaaaa!”
With the scariest presence right in front of me, I felt completely at ease, and that’s how it ended up.
“Oh no, my arm?!”
“I’ll say this: I have no intention of fighting you.”
As I pressed down on the part of my arm that had been obliterated in an instant by Divine Lightning, I finally realized what Lesser Than was trying to confront. No matter how much cold sweat I broke out in, I knew there was no mercy to be had.
“What did you just say?! You, a mere beast, acting all divine! You think you can just say that?! I know who you are! Lord Daigami, the guardian deity of Azuma! It’s laughable that you consider yourself a protector in a backwater island nation!”
“Lesser Than, Queen of Absolute Darkness. I am Daigami, the one who has safeguarded the land of Azuma since ancient times. However…”
There was only one reason I couldn’t voice what I wanted to say. I was too furious to speak.
“Right now, I am the protector of humanity. A self-introduction for someone of your caliber should suffice.”
【Lesser Than, Queen of Absolute Darkness has appeared! HP 219777/265200】
“I’ll make you regret this… I’ll make you regret it deeply!”
It didn’t matter where we were. Lord Daigami had already grown to a colossal size, just like when he fought me. His nine tails were poised, ready for battle.
◆ Shin Report ◆
I’m really hungry.
Someone, help me.