In Front of Avangarde Royal Capital
As I expected, just being from Ikana Village wasn’t enough to gain entry. My father chuckled, saying this was truly a case of being turned away at the gate. With the recent events involving Vandalsia, security has been significantly tightened. To infiltrate the current Royal Capital, one would need the momentum and strength of a war.
On top of that, there’s that Naked King. Not only has he halted the trade of crops from Ikana Village, but he has also prohibited entry into the Royal Capital. If we were to force our way in, who knows what would happen? In fact, there was a sign at the checkpoint stating that entry was forbidden for anyone from Ikana Village or those associated with it. Because of that, even my friends, Pablo from Queemil and Cynthia from the tool shop, are caught in the crossfire.
“Do you think Nentro used a skill to enter the Royal Capital?”
“I don’t think so. That Naked King wouldn’t stay silent about it. If that’s the case, it’s likely that Nentro and the Naked King are in cahoots…”
“Based on Kurinka’s assessment, that’s almost certainly the case. While there may be personal grudges against us, Nentro’s methods have been surprisingly restrained. If it were him, he’d be capable of manipulating everyone from Ikana Village.”
“Ugh, that’s just so insidious! Can’t we fight in a more straightforward way, like I do?”
Here with me are Kurinka, my father, and Elmera. Elmera’s Imagination Magic has been quite insidious as well, but I won’t point that out this time. Meria is staying behind just in case Nentro tries something against Ikana Village. She’s become strong enough to reach us with her skills, and it’s best to have her on standby.
“So, Clay is now safely teamed up with the Naked King in the Royal Capital. What’s our plan?”
“First, we need to get into the Royal Capital. That’s where Elmera comes in.”
“You’re really using her, you know.”
Even though security is tight, they are still just the Royal Capital’s guards. There might be a Special Operations Unit, but no matter how high their levels are, I can’t imagine they could outsmart Elmera’s Imagination Magic. This isn’t the first time I’ve struggled alone; there have been many moments like this. Even if I’ve grown stronger, there are limits to what I can do. The me from when I was in the Abyss Cave wouldn’t understand that. So, I’m deeply grateful to Elmera in my heart. But it’s still too early to thank her; I don’t want her to get cocky.
East Street of Avangarde Royal Capital
“Whoa! They’re definitely not going to let us sense magic here! Rua-chan! Let’s just give up!”
“Why would I? Giving up isn’t an option.”
“Clay is extending threads radially from the one he’s controlling, so we can’t tell which one is the main body! Let’s go home!”
“No way! If we go back now, Clay wins!”
“Not happening!”
It’s exhausting to deal with this kind of banter everywhere. According to Elmera, it’s not just that the threads are focused on the main controller; there are multiple main bodies in play. From what Elmera sensed, there are quite a few of them. This is something that neither Kurinka nor I can handle.
“We just need to hit each main body one by one and erase them with Rua’s destruction. Elmera, keep sensing the magic. The one who shows any strange movements during that process is likely Nentro.”
“Just like my uncle! I can’t believe he’s the one who gave birth to Rua-chan with such wisdom!”
“I don’t feel good being insulted like that.”
“Sorry!”
My father, who is earnest and serious, and Elmera are currently not getting along well. I think that’s a good trend. Normally, he wouldn’t listen to her nonsense, but for some reason, he only listens to what my father says. Why is that?
“But this is on a scale of thousands.”
“Let’s do our best. Even Nentro’s magic isn’t infinite. Plus, if we dawdle, we might lose him in the Royal Capital.”
“Should we deactivate this invisibility skill? If we do, our magic will be sensed by Clay.”
“Please deactivate it. If I appear right in front of them, it will definitely cause a stir. I won’t miss any subtle movements.”
“Wait, but if Father finds Clay, that should be enough, right?”
“There’s a possibility of disguise or mimicry. It’s better to be cautious. We can’t expect the controlled puppets to perform such gestures…” Hm? Father?
Thanks to Elmera’s skill, our presence is invisible to anyone. So, this is a race against time; we need to see how quickly we can free those under Nentro’s control.
???
My magic is being extinguished one after another. The first was the terminal at the end of East Street, which took about a minute. In just a minute, I could connect the Marionette Chain from a nearby terminal and restore it. However, my terminals are being destroyed at a speed that surpasses my restoration. It’s the work of that little girl’s destruction; otherwise, there’s no way a mere practitioner could break my skill. Before the concept of destruction, any phenomenon disappears. This isn’t just logic; it’s the concept itself that dictates this. Only the result of destruction remains. It’s because the concept of destruction exists.
“Hey, customer, aren’t you drinking too much…?”
“Shut up! I’m drinking with my own money!”
“Yeah, that’s right! Life is all about enjoying it! Here, old man! This one’s on me! Hahaha!”
“This place is so noisy. Can’t we have a quiet meal?”
“Mommy, I’m sleepy…”
“What should I do… What will I do starting tomorrow… mumble mumble…”
Hiding in this chaos is reaching its limit. I reconsider my escape plan. If they can sense my magic, that would be counterproductive. In fact, they might be aiming for that.
The enemies aren’t just those two little girls. Even Elmera joining them was completely unexpected. There’s no way I could have predicted that the elven girl would associate with humans. Why is Elmera doing this? It’s incomprehensible and unforgivable.
“What’s life without alcohol? If I can’t do what I want because I’m worried about health and such, then there’s no meaning in living.”
“Old man, that’s some wise talk! And you, young man, there are plenty of jobs out there! This one’s on me!”
“Must be nice to be you guys… I might as well aim to be an Adventurer…”
“Ugh, this place is truly terrible. The clientele is the worst.”
“Mommy…”
Damn it, Elmera. If it was going to come to this, I should have tamed her more during the Phantom incident. Anyone who has been oppressed should understand that all of them are irredeemable beings. Even if Vandalsia was involved, it was humans who drove the elves to extinction. Who destroyed the Demon Race? That was also humans.
Who among us, being human, has cast us into the realm of the non-human and inflicted such tearing pain? Yet, looking out over this Royal Capital, there are far too many who seem to revel in their spring. That’s why I’ve made my decision. Not just them, but that Rua who stands in my way. That little girl who cast my kin into the underworld.
That foolish man told me not to harm the people of the Royal Capital, but that’s irrelevant. If you trace it back, that man is also a descendant of those who aided the Hero Clan. I’ve decided I will kill him eventually. With his Divine Nature, I thought it would be beneficial to have him on my side, but given the current situation, that seems doubtful.
“Just… let everything disappear!”
Marionette Chain, maximum output. Thanks to my threads, humans will start to take their own lives from this moment on. Let’s start by annihilating the Royal Capital. I don’t care what happens. If I wanted to, I could erase this country in an instant. I’ve honed my skills for that purpose. When the time comes, I can even do that――――
“Not so fast!”
“…!”
As the door was violently flung open, that little girl appeared――――
Avangarde Royal Capital, Tavern “Hiryuudou”
I’ve severed all the threads of magic emanating from here. Perhaps feeling cornered by us, Nentro raised his magic all at once, which backfired on him. Because of that, Elmera was able to pinpoint his location, and as for Nentro…
“…Father. Is Nentro here? Which one is he?”
“Without a doubt, he’s right there.”
“Eh… right there? Huh?!”
“Nentro, it’s been a while.”
My father turned to look at Nentro. At the tavern counter sat an uncle, an old man, and a young man, while at a table, there were a woman and a child. Everyone looked bewildered, but my father was definitely locking eyes with Nentro.
“Your skills have been severed by the girls here. How about we have a little chat? There’s no need for hostility.”
“Master, who are these people?! This is beyond rude! Get them out of here! It’s ruining my drink!”
“Um… I’m sorry, but you’re disturbing the other customers…”
“Well, well, isn’t that alright? If they’ve come here, they’re customers, right?”
“It’s tough… living is just so tough…”
Even if I’m told that’s Nentro, I wouldn’t recognize him at all. I wouldn’t even know if I passed him on the street. He looks like an ordinary human, and his appearance is utterly unexpected.
“Nentro, thinking back to that day when our paths diverged… I should have tried to bridge the gap a little more. It’s not that we didn’t harbor a desire for revenge. I believed that restraining that desire was the true path to peace…”
“What’s with this person?! Stay away! Master, get rid of her!”
“Back then, what should I have done? Without completely denying you… even if our paths were different. I should have thought it through patiently.”
“Hey, Master! Is this person out of her mind?! Call the guards! Master?! Master!!!”
“It’s not too late even now. Nentro, let’s reconsider.”
I cautiously approached the woman, gently placing my hand on her shoulder. The woman, who had been in a half-crazed state, jolted and stopped, staring blankly for a moment.
“…Huh? What is this place? Why am I here? Oh dear, who is this child?”
“This child… isn’t she yours?”
“I don’t have a son this small…”
“…Tch.”
Nentro hopped down from the chair with her small frame. Perhaps she had resigned herself, as she dropped the innocent act and glared up at her father with a look of deep resentment.
“It’s just like back then, Juke. Did you come all this way just to repeat your foolish ramblings?”
“W-What? This is Nentro… just a little child…”
She looked no older than five. I had imagined someone resembling an old man, so I couldn’t believe Juke when he said this was Nentro. She was well-groomed, with short silver hair and orange eyes. Just looking at her round, bright eyes, she seemed no different from any other child.
“This is the first time we’re facing each other, Rua. Since the Freezing Nation, I believe.”
“You finally showed yourself…”
“This child must have thought the same. I despise this body. This country has cursed me with a form that will never grow… everything about it…”
“I thought your absence was due to the nature of your skills… but I didn’t know there were such circumstances.”
“If you understand, then would you quietly perish?”
Before I could react, Juke lunged at Nentro. His expression was fierce as he stared at her, tinged with a hint of sadness.
“Nentro, we are ready to accept you. It’s enough now; we won’t let you bear your hatred alone.”
“What do you propose, Juke? Shall we destroy this world together?”
“That is impossible.”
“Then this conversation is pointless!”
“Father, step back!”
Nentro’s body began to writhe ominously. I had seen this scene many times before. The moment when a human form transforms into something else. It happened in an instant, and the original shape of her body vanished. Her arms and legs separated, connected to her torso by countless strands of thread. Her torso was covered in scales resembling armor, and her neck was similarly bound to her head by threads.
“Nentro… if you do that, you’ll never return to being human!”
The Puppet Nentro, Enveloped in Rage, Has Appeared! HP: 20,000
“I was never human to begin with.”
She burst through the tavern ceiling, her form resembling a creature made of threads. Bundles of threads adorned her like armor and gauntlets, writhing as they moved. Her face bore a grinning skull-like expression, oddly comical. I recalled puppet shows I had seen, where the puppets were manipulated by strings, moving in a jerky manner. This was reminiscent of that.
“Looks like it’s come to this. We have no choice but to defeat her now, right?”
“Elmera, protect everyone. Rua, can you leave this to me?”
“Sure, as expected, the handywoman… Wait, Kurinka?”
“I’ll handle it, Kurinka.”
Kurinka had been feeling down ever since she couldn’t save Lester. Last night, she finally opened up about her thoughts. We both anticipated this outcome, so we had to decide how to proceed. I realized that there were limits to what I could do.
“Rua’s little shadow, what has you so fired up… Did you think you could match me just because you turned into a dragon?”
“…That’s true. I’ve always been protected, and no matter how hard I tried, I could never match Rua.”
“Then stay back. Watch as I bring ruin to Rua and the Royal Capital.”
If I were alone here, I would have had no choice but to fight. In fact, if Elmera and my father weren’t here, I wouldn’t have even reached Nentro. I knew that my past self, fixated solely on strength, wouldn’t have listened to the same words. Nentro was the same. It wasn’t just about strength; she was currently ensnared by hatred.
“Behold the power I have gained, far beyond what I had in the Freezing Nation!”
The Puppet Nentro, Enveloped in Rage, Unleashed the Hungry Net!
“Suu…”
Kurinka Exhaled a Fire Breath! Dealt 18,406 Damage to the Puppet Nentro, Enemies HP: 1,594/20,000
Kurinka took a deep breath and unleashed it towards the oncoming threads. Nentro’s right arm was instantly incinerated, causing her to lose balance. It felt as if the battle was already decided with that single blow. From the charred remnants of Nentro’s severed arm, a burnt smell wafted through the tavern. It was a mess, but there was no choice but to compensate for the damage.
“Uwaaaa! It’s hot, it’s so hot!”
“Of course it is.”
“This… how could you… Why are you stronger than me… you wretched…”
“Nentro, you fought hard, but I had Rua by my side. You’ve been alone for so long, haven’t you? You were part of the Demon Lord Army, but you sided with Phantom, and now you’re still fighting alone…”
“I abandoned the dying Demon Lord Army… I will rise again as Phantom, and if that fails, I will fight alone… even if my arms are torn off and disappear!”
The Puppet Nentro, Enveloped in Rage, Unleashed the Overchain!
“Along with this Royal Capital…”
The countless threads released from Nentro’s body were supposed to crawl throughout the Royal Capital. However, Kurinka’s flames, drawing a circle, stopped them in their tracks, halting both Nentro’s skill and her laughter. I had heard that Nentro was one of the weaker Twelve Demon Generals, but she couldn’t possibly be weak. If she unleashed her full strength, even Kurinka would find it difficult to stop her. Yet, the situation remained stable because deep down, Nentro acknowledged her defeat. No matter how desperately she fought, she felt she couldn’t win, and that thought was accelerating her fatigue. In fact, with her skill thwarted, Nentro didn’t pursue any further.
“To have reached the End, yet to be reduced to this… this miserable state… I hate it… I hate everything…”
“The reason your anger never fades is that you’ve been alone for so long. I understand because I was alone too…”
Kurinka had been alone in her dragon form during her childhood. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if Seigel hadn’t saved her. Perhaps she was projecting those memories onto Nentro.
“I don’t know what you’re plotting by seeking sympathy, but I have no intention of showing my hand.”
“Yes.”
Kurinka Cast Angel Heal!
She placed her hands on Nentro’s body, enveloping her in a soft light. It was Kurinka’s most powerful healing spell, fully utilizing the Power of Regeneration. She had intended to do this from the very beginning.
“W-What are you trying to do…?”
“First, I want you to return to your original self. I’ll make you listen, no matter what. I promised everyone…”
“That’s impossible! The End means to stop being human and become a monster! I have already cast aside my humanity!”
“Making the impossible possible is the Divine Nature.”
“That’s impossible! It can’t be done!”
Nentro’s thread-covered body began to shrink rapidly, the bundles intertwining. The overlapping strands formed muscles, gradually shaping into a human form. Light enveloped Nentro, almost as if it were wrapping around her hatred.
“My body…”
“Ah… back to normal.”
“This is absurd… How can this be… Why… why do you possess such power…?”
Nentro, now returned to her original childlike form, placed her hand on her chest, confirming her return. Her clothes were torn, so I draped a thin cloak that my father had prepared over her.
“You’re surprised, aren’t you, Nentro?”
“Juke… what are you plotting…?”
“I understand what you desire. However, we cannot allow that. We want you to survive in Ikana Village, so you won’t be ensnared by rage again.”
“When did I ever wish for such a thing?!”
“I want to understand you, even if it takes a long time. I don’t want to see any more of our kin die.”
“Y-You…”
My father embraced Nentro with both arms. I knew her anger wouldn’t dissipate so easily. But perhaps she wouldn’t lash out again because deep down, she didn’t want to hurt my father. Though she gritted her teeth, she showed no signs of wanting to act.
“First, let’s have a good meal with your former comrades. When you’re hungry, you tend to get angry.”
“Without that sweetness… you could have replaced the Demon Lord…”
“That might be true,” my father said with a smile, but it seemed he had no desire for revenge, so I thought it would be impossible. Elmera, who had been shouting about Clay, was surprisingly quiet this time. She read the atmosphere and sat down, bringing a teacup to her lips. When did she even order that? Maybe before Nentro started causing a ruckus.
“I think it will take a long time to talk things over with Nentro and come to an understanding. We might end up fighting, but someday, surely…”
“I don’t think Kurinka’s answer is wrong. I had no choice but to defeat Nentro… just like before.”
“I believe I’ve found a way that won’t make anyone sad, in my own way… Lua-chan could handle any opponent, though… And it’s because I’ve seen Lua-chan fight against the Twelve Demon Generals that I could come to this conclusion. They seemed hopeless, but when I think about it, they were victims too.”
Kurinka clenched her fist tightly and forced a smile. There was no hesitation in her expression. It felt a bit embarrassing to think that it was thanks to me. I wanted to thank her, not because I was saved, but because she showed me a way I couldn’t have figured out on my own.
“It’s frustrating that Lester died… but that just means I need to become stronger. Lua-chan has been doing that all along, right? Working hard to be able to defeat opponents she couldn’t win against… When I think about it that way, feeling down seems foolish. I want to become strong like Lua-chan.”
“Then… I’ll become even stronger too. So I can continue to be a good example.”
“Hey, we’re heading back now. I’ve already paid for the repairs to the tavern.”
Just as I thought my father was calling us, Elmera silently stepped in from behind. She wrapped her arms around Kurinka and me, letting out a deep sigh. Seriously, what is going on?
“I’ll let the Clay incident slide this time. Ugh, I’ve been worked to the bone and then forced to witness a newlywed couple’s intimate moments. What a thankless role to play.”
“Wait, are you saying Elmera wants to get married too?”
“How infuriating. I’m engulfed in rage.”
“Huh?”
I really couldn’t make sense of it anymore. In any case, we had no choice but to resolve the issue with Nentro carefully in the village. I wasn’t sure if that was the right answer, but I believed it was one possible solution. If that’s the case, I had to trust it and move forward. Compared to the time I was struggling in the depths of a dark abyss, this should be easier.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Thank you, thank you
Everyone is a good person
I even slightly admire Elmera
But the Demon Lord never came after all
Hmm, waiting in the village?
I see, planning to resolve everything and anticipating the next move
So impressive, it’s overwhelming.