Chapter 42: The Summoner’s Torment
“Ugh!? Hah!!”
Nara jolted awake in the tent set up a short distance from the battlefield between Admos and the Demon Tribe Nation.
“Hah! Hah!”
Breathing heavily, Nara scanned his surroundings, then clenched his fists tightly.
“Damn it!”
He shouted, as if to dispel the memories of the dream that had haunted him.
After that outburst, Nara recalled the battle that had taken place earlier that day.
The sudden news of an attack from the Demon Tribe had thrown him into chaos.
Nara had assumed that his immediate opponent would be Kenta, the Previous Summoner, so he never expected to face an unexpected assault from the Demon Tribe.
Moreover, it seemed that the Demon Tribe’s target was none other than himself.
When he heard that, Nara was troubled.
The Demon Tribe was after him.
However, he lacked confidence in his combat abilities and wanted to leave the fighting to the Admos soldiers.
Yet, the thought of putting others’ lives at risk to protect himself weighed heavily on him.
Shouldn’t he be the one to take the front lines?
But still, he hesitated…
After much internal struggle, Nara ultimately couldn’t refuse the king’s suggestion to gain combat experience before facing Kenta. The king had reasoned that since they were fighting against the Demon Tribe, there was no need for restraint.
Nara reluctantly agreed, convinced that gaining practical experience was necessary, and stepped onto the battlefield.
But…
“When they said ‘Demon Tribe,’ I imagined something monstrous… but those guys were just humans, completely human…”
As he spoke, Nara stared at his own hands.
Today marked his debut in real combat.
He had trained for it and had steeled himself… or so he thought.
The first opponent he faced was a Demon Tribe member who looked almost identical to him.
For a moment, he was taken aback, but that Demon Tribe member unleashed magic with the intent to kill.
It was only natural for the Demon Tribe to want him eliminated.
However, it was the first time Nara had been targeted with such lethal intent.
Not only that, but he was actually attacked.
The realization that someone was trying to kill him filled Nara with a deep-seated fear, but pleading for mercy would be futile; their goal was to end his life.
In a fit of desperation, Nara struck down the Demon Tribe member with his sword.
On the surface, it seemed he had won his first battle.
But this was a battlefield.
Winning a fight meant nothing less than taking a life.
Nara looked at the lifeless face of the Demon Tribe member he had slain, at the bloodied sword in his hand, and at his own hands stained with blood… and he vomited.
This was not a game.
Understanding that he was in a real battlefield, Nara heaved violently.
The Admos soldiers around him rushed to his aid, alarmed by his state.
The reason Nara had jumped awake earlier was that the horrific scene had flashed back in his mind.
“What do they mean by gaining combat experience against the Demon Tribe so casually? Are the people in this world out of their minds?”
He had heard about the existence of both the Human Tribe and the Demon Tribe.
However, he hadn’t been given detailed information about the Demon Tribe.
Nara had assumed they were some kind of monstrous race, so he hadn’t bothered to inquire further.
But seeing it with his own eyes changed everything.
The Demon Tribe was merely humans with slight differences in appearance.
Now he was forced to fight against such beings.
Even if he refused, the enemy would not wait for him.
As a result, even after he vomited, the onslaught from the Demon Tribe continued, and Nara was compelled to return to the battlefield.
How many Demon Tribe members had he slain today?
The sensation of ending the lives of those he now recognized as… humans, clung to him relentlessly.
“Damn… damn it!!”
Shouting once more, Nara pulled the blanket over his head, trying to force himself to sleep.
However, with no mattress and only a blanket laid directly on the ground, sleep was elusive. Each time he began to drift off, memories of his first battle would flood back, leaving him with hardly any rest until morning.
In such a state, Nara found that the Demon Tribe showed no mercy.
Dodging the barrage of magic, he approached the enemy, killing them to ensure his own survival.
Sleep deprivation took its toll on his body.
And the act of killing enemies on the battlefield weighed heavily on his conscience.
As he continued this cycle, Nara’s spirit gradually wore down.
Unbeknownst to him, he was losing himself.
Days of combat passed, and when the situation became dire enough that the Demon Tribe’s losses were undeniable, their forces finally retreated.
At first, Nara stared blankly at the retreating Demon Tribe, but when he finally grasped that they had been driven away, he collapsed to the ground.
Thus, Nara’s first campaign ended in victory for Admos.
He had achieved remarkable results in his first battle, earning great praise from the Admos soldiers.
On the surface, it seemed like a resounding success.
Yet, for Nara, it was far from that.
“The smell of blood… it just won’t wash off…”
After the Demon Tribe retreated, Nara finally had the chance to calm down and take a bath. But no matter how many times he scrubbed, the lingering scent of blood clung to him, further eroding his spirit.
A few days later, Nara and his companions returned triumphantly to the Capital City of Admos.
The true reasons behind the Demon Tribe’s invasion were not disclosed to the public, so Nara and his comrades were hailed as heroes.
However, despite the accolades, Nara’s heart remained heavy.
Returning to the Royal Castle amidst the crowd’s cheers, he was warmly greeted by Evangeline.
“Oh! Mitsuhiko-sama! I’m so glad you’re safe!!”
Nara didn’t push Evangeline away as she hugged him.
In that moment, he felt no embarrassment in front of everyone; he was simply comforted by her warm body and softness.
“Yeah… I’m back, Eva.”
As Nara murmured, Evangeline pulled back slightly, looking into his face.
A look of surprise spread across her features.
“W-wait, did I just…”
“Oh… I’m sorry. I was too familiar, wasn’t I…”
When Nara said that, Evangeline shook her head vigorously.
“No! No! I’m happy! Finally… finally, Mitsuhiko-sama has opened his heart to me!”
With that, Evangeline hugged him again.
Nara felt a pang of guilt, thinking that it wasn’t like that; he just craved human warmth at that moment. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel drawn to Evangeline, who was soothing him.
Amidst this, someone called out to him.
“Ah, welcome back, Nara-kun. You’ve had quite the ordeal, haven’t you?”
It was Ota, who was woefully unprepared for actual combat.
He appeared to have just come from the bath, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Seeing Ota, a dark feeling spread within Nara.
“…Yeah, it was tough. By the way, when are you going to see real combat?”
Nara said with a hint of sarcasm, and Ota replied with a carefree grin.
“Well, I don’t think my magic is ready for real combat yet.”
After experiencing the near-death feelings and sensations he never wanted to endure again, Ota’s nonchalant attitude infuriated Nara.
Why did he have to bear all this hardship alone?
That feeling grew stronger within him.
“…Is that so?”
“Yeah. But just you wait! I’ll show you some amazing magic soon!”
With that, Ota strolled back to his room.
Watching his retreating figure, Nara couldn’t help but mutter bitterly.
“I can’t imagine that day ever coming.”
Evangeline, echoing his sentiments, pouted in anger.
“That’s right! Why is it that we’re both Summoners, yet there’s such a difference between us!? I wish he’d learn a thing or two from Mitsuhiko-sama!”
Suddenly, Nara found Evangeline’s indignation towards Ota endearing.
“Eva…”
“Yes?”
Called by name, Evangeline tilted her head, looking into Nara’s eyes, and gasped.
Because there was a warmth in Nara’s gaze as he looked at her.
“I can’t really say much about Ota either…”
“…Huh?”
Nara tightly embraced Eva, who was bewildered by his words.
“Ah…”
“I want you… so much right now.”
“!? W-well… that is…”
A powerful declaration of love from Nara.
Caught off guard by his sudden confession, Evangeline froze.
He was someone she had hoped to have that kind of relationship with eventually.
However, she was a princess, and she had been taught that premarital relations were out of the question.
Yet, at this moment, she was fervently desired by Nara, the legendary Summoner.
What should I do? What should I think? As those thoughts tangled in her mind, Evangeline nodded slowly toward Nara.
The two of them then nestled together and entered Nara’s room, not emerging until the next morning.
News of this quickly reached the ears of the King of Admos.
Upon receiving the report, King Admos saw this as a great opportunity and immediately summoned Nara.
Nara, called before the king, was filled with trepidation, fully aware that he had potentially tarnished the king’s daughter. However, what the king spoke of was unexpected.
“Ah, Lord Nara. I’ve heard of your remarkable achievements recently. You’ve done very well.”
“Y-yes…”
“Regardless, you’ve gained valuable combat experience. So, how about it? Isn’t it time to pursue your true objective?”
“True objective…”
At those words, Nara was taken aback.
Until yesterday, his mind had been consumed by the battle against the Demon Tribe, but the reason he was here was to defeat the Previous Summoner.
With that proposal in mind, Nara realized that having gained combat experience and a record of defeating Kenta might earn him recognition for his relationship with Evangeline.
He thought to himself, this could work.
“Understood. I will head to confront the Previous Summoner soon.”
Hearing his response, the king nodded with a pleased expression.
“Very well. Prepare yourself for departure. We will arrange your supplies and guide you along the way.”
“Yes.”
Thus, Nara’s mission to confront Kenta was set in motion.
As Nara bowed and left the room, the king watched him with a look of disdain.
“…That accursed, barbaric monkey from another world. To have sullied my daughter… I had hoped to wait until he was stronger, but… he will pay for this with his life…”
With that, the king smirked, a sinister grin twisting his lips.
“Whether it be a mutual demise or otherwise, bring Maya down.”
His whispered words went unheard by anyone else.