“Do you know the way to sever darkness?”

She remembered that conversation from a long time ago.

"The way to sever darkness?"

The young Ferris tilted her small head to one side and looked up at her brother.

The place was in the garden of her home. A moonless night.

She was just ten.

"............"

How old was Lucile?

She pondered.

She could see that he was already an adult. No, it was as always. He was always perfect, with a level of strength which she could not even come close to.

That’s why Ferris looked up at Lucile. As always. It was as if he was in faraway place above where she could not touch him, that’s how she was looking up at him.

Lucile then looked down at her with an expression of love, smiled faintly, and said something incomprehensible again.

"That’s right. The way to sever darkness. Does Ferris know?"

Once again, Ferris tilted her head.

"Can darkness be severed?"

"Yes, it can...... rather, there is nothing that the sword of an Eris can’t sever...... there shouldn’t be."

"There shouldn’t be?"

Lucile smiled at Ferris’s query.

"Yes, that should be the case however...... the truth is, I myself am yet unable to sever darkness. I’m practicing though."

"Nii-sama is practicing on severing darkness?"

"Yes. The Ferris now, iron......"

"I can cut iron."

"Oh, is that so? Ferris is such an excellent girl."

But Ferris shook her head at that.

"Tou-sama and Kaa-sama think otherwise. They kept saying that different from Nii-sama, I’m a piece of trash."

She said calmly, expressionlessly.

And Lucile put his hand on her head, and gently ruffle her hair in a stroking manner.

"Whatever Tou-sama and Kaa-sama say, you are excellent, Ferris. Have some confidence. You carry in you a radiant light which I do not have."

"Light?"

"That’s right."

"I carry in me something that Nii-sama doesn’t have?"

"That’s right. That’s why someday, you will have a way of severing darkness that"s different from mine."

"...... sever darkness?"

"Yes."

"I’m going to be able to sever darkness?"

"Yes."

"...... but what will that be for?"

Why would I want to sever darkness?

Ferris was doubtful about that. That’s why she asked that question.

But Lucile did not gave her an answer. He only smiled gently.

"Even if I don’t explain it, you will be able to do it in time."

That was what he had said.

But now, she was filled with regret.

She regretted not asking exactly how does one sever darkness then.

The way to sever black, deep darkness, why didn’t I ask about it, she blamed herself.

The reason was because she was now in the middle of a dark, despairing situation.

And she was shaking uncontrollably in fear of what was before her.

The sky was still dark; it was early morning.

The place was at the side of a highway somewhat north of Reylude, the capital of Roland Empire.

Ferris’s whole body was covered in blood, unable to move at all. Beasts and snakes made out of shadows were biting into her arms and legs, rendering her immobile.

And before her, was a darkness which was darker than even night, and a growing hopelessness.

The man who was completely adorned with black was about to kill her sister.

The man --- Froaude, laughed. He laughed thinly with his mouth wide open, a mouth bordered with devilish red lips.

And he. And he was about to throw the blood-drenched Iris into the midst of the ten shadow beasts that had been born at his feet.

Stop, Ferris cried out.

But that voice reached no one.

Please stop, Ferris yelled.

But that voice reached nowhere.

Merely, merely, the dark despair before her merely continued to swell.

Ferris was fearful.

Her arms and legs were already horribly cut up, and looked as if they were about to tear off, rendering her unable to move.

But yet, Ryner did not come and save them.

And on top of that, Sion --- Sion was the master of this man.

That became a shocking kind of hopelessness.

Everything seemed to turn black.

But yet, she continued to holler. In order to sever darkness. In order to call out to the light.

“Why...... why didn’t you come save us! Ryner! I’m right here! Hurry!”

But, that voice, without a doubt, reached no one.

“Save us Ryner!!”

That voice could not sever darkness.

The world was turning increasingly dark, descending into a state of gloomy melancholy.

Froaude carried a thin smile.

“Stop!!”

Ferris hollered.

But, he didn’t stop.

“Please, I beg of you...... I beg of you, please stop......”

But, he didn’t stop.

Froaude only smiled mockingly.

And released his grip.

Iris fell.

Her sister fell into the midst of the dark beasts.

“No.”

On the spur of the moment, Ferris’s body seemed to want to react in an attempt to save her sister. But, her body refused to move. There was a shredding sound from the tendons of her arms and legs, and it seemed like she was completely no longer able to move anymore.

“Ugh, it can’t be!”

She screamed.

“It can’t be!”

She screamed.

But it was.

The darkness before her was increasingly thickening.

The beasts of darkness, started devouring the slender arms, legs, and stomach of Iris.

“Iriss!?”

Ferris shrieked.

A tearful shriek.

Iris was squirming furiously. As the beasts were devouring her, blood was spurting from every part of her body while she squirmed furiously.

“Ir, Iris!? Iris!?”

Despite having the tendons of her limbs torn up, Ferris frantically tried to get her body to move.

“Iris, I, I’m coming to save you now, just wait there. Just a little more......”

She could let her arms be torn off.

If she did that, if she did that, she could inch closer to her sister......

But, at that moment.

The worst possible thing happened.

Froaude waved his finger lightly, and one of the beasts brought its teeth to Iris’s neck.

“Stop.”

And started sinking its teeth in.

“Please stop.”

And her head.

File:DDnYnD v02 013.jpg

“............”

Ferris let out another shriek.

A shriek so loud that it could tear her vocal chords into shreds, a throat-tearing shriek.

Terribly.

Because the world was a terribly cruel place.

Shrouded in a thick fog of darkness, the world which was no longer visible from that darkness was a terribly cruel place.

"Do you know the way to sever darkness?"

She didn’t know.

This darkness. She thought that she wouldn’t be able to sever such intense darkness.

Her sister died in front of her.

And all she could do was watch.

No, soon, she was going to die herself. She lost too much blood. Her consciousness was getting hazier, taking away her ability to process what was happening.

Her vision was getting darker.

Her consciousness started fading away.

It was futile, she thought.

Whatever she did would be futile, she thought.

But,

“............”

Within that fading consciousness.

Within that darkness that was looming over her, suddenly, she found an even deeper darkness.

“............”

That was beside Froaude.

That darkness appeared above the beasts that were devouring Iris.

It was a man. A man, cloaked in darkness, appeared.

And that man said.

“Steel with dark grey wings.”

He murmured softly and lightly waved his hand.

Instantly.

The beasts around Iris abruptly disappeared without a trace.

On top of that, the wide shadow at the feet of Froaude vanished, as if it was devoured by something else.

The darkness was severed by an even darker darkness.

Then that man slowly looked down at the ground. He gently carried the cut-up blood-soaked body of Iris.

And he turned his head around to look at Ferris.

Looking intently, straight at her.

Those eyes.

That figure.

That darkness was something familiar to Ferris.

Having the same blond hair as her, and the same extraordinary perfect features.

Her brother, Lucile Eris.

Lucile was looking down at her.

Ferris, who looked as if she was about to cry, looked up at Lucile.

It was the same as that time when she was ten.

She looked up at her brother from a faraway place, unable to reach him, and with a cracked voice, said.

“Ni, Nii-sama......”

Her brother smiled. With a gentle expression. He gave off a look as if nothing bad had happened here.

He looked intently at her, and with a calm gentle voice, said.

“...... there is no need to make such a face, everything will be okay, Ferris. Since I’ve come, I will not let anyone lay a finger on you guys anymore.”

“But, but Iris is already......”

But Lucile said,

“Iris is alright.”

He showed her their sister whom he was carrying in his arms.

Something unbelievable had happened. What was supposed to be a cut-up, blood-soaked body of Iris, had not a single wound on her body.

Rather, there was not a single drop of blood visible on her.

Her sister, with a peaceful look, was sleeping in Lucile’s arms, against his chest.

“How, how...... Iris......”

As Ferris began, Lucile, in order to set her mind at ease, nodded and said.

“Didn’t I say it earlier? I’ve come. That’s why there is nothing for you to worry about anymore, Ferris.”

At the moment, Lucile again raised his hand.

As he did so, the shadow monsters that were restraining her vanished,

“Ah......”

As the restraining forces disappeared suddenly, she started falling to the ground.

But immediately, somebody supported her body before that happened.

Not knowing how his movements occurred, before she knew it, he hugged her from behind.

“...... are you alright? Ferris.”

Her brother’s voice sounded beside her ear.

But she could not respond to that voice. She truly had already lost a lot of blood.

It was a wonder that she was still alive.

Die.

She knew that.

Her temperature was falling, and soon she would die.

She knew that.

It was awfully cold. Her body was awfully cold.

But yet.

For some reason, she was not afraid. She did not feel alone. What she felt was the warmth from behind her, giving her a sense of peace.

It was an unfathomable feeling.

She had experienced that same feeling in the past.

That was a memory of a long time ago.

It was so long ago that she had almost forgotten about it.

Ferris suddenly recalled that memory in which she was hugged from behind.

It was a memory of a time when she was putting her life on the line.

It was a memory of her who, as usual, was risking getting killed by her father and mother.

With a blood-soaked body, after being dumped in the wilderness, she was hugged by her brother in the same manner.

It was the same warmth.

Peace.

And.

“............”

And during that time, she remembered hearing her brother say something strange.

She slowly recalled those words.

Lucile was hugging the blood-soaked Ferris and said.

"It’s alright. Everything is fine now. I’ll protect you. From this darkness, I’ll save you."

At that time, Ferris could not comprehend a single thing.

No, it was the same as right now. She couldn’t understand what her brother was saying, and what he wished to do.

But, with a sad face, her brother continued.

"The curse. I alone shall bear this crazy curse. That’s why there is no longer anything for you to worry about."

Curse. That’s right. That was what Nii-sama had said.

But what was that all about? What was her brother trying to tell her?

Ferris recalled. Her brother’s face during that time. Her brother’s words.

"That’s why there is nothing for you to feel troubled about. Since I will make use of the Sacrificial Demon and the Stupid Hero to sever this darkness. That’s why you should go outside. And walk under the light. I alone shall walk in the darkness."

That was what he had said.

The Ferris then could not comprehend a single thing her brother spoke about, and did not say anything.

It just felt good to be hugged.

Not once.

Because not once since she was born had she experienced the feeling of being hugged before that incident, that’s why her brother’s warmth felt good, and she did not say anything.

But.

“............”

Ferris opened her eyes slightly.

Above her face, was the face of her brother, Lucile.

He was holding Ferris in her arms, and looking down at Ferris with love.

Looking intently at that face, Ferris said.

“I’ve remembered some of the past......”

But Lucile interrupted her.

“It’s okay not to remember.”

“But.”

“It’s fine, Ferris. There is nothing for you to worry about. I’ll handle the troublesome stuff...... rest well. When you awake, everything will already be over.”

Lucile moved his hands over her eyes in order to close them.

As he did so, her vision began to darken again, and all of a sudden, she became drowsy.

She was clearly aware of what her brother was doing to her. He was forcibly s.n.a.t.c.hing away her awareness from her entire body.

Ferris frowned.

Please wait, Nii-sama...... she wanted to say, but no voice was heard. Her entire body went limp against her brother’s body.

It was something abnormal, a special ability.

But where in the world did her brother acquire such an ability?

Again, Ferris felt that her brother was far away from her. As always, in an unreachable place, in an incomprehensible place, in an untouchable place, a faraway place, she felt.

It was as always.

Lucile, her brother was shouldering everything, and seemed to be in a place which was enough to make her fearful. What was her brother doing now? What was he thinking of? She could not even understand that.

But still, she couldn’t ask. Because she remembered.

She remembered once again.

The memory of that day.

The words of that day.

The words he said after saving me that day.

Her mother’s head flew.

Her father’s body ruptured.

While I was bathed in their blood, Nii-sama turned around with a kind expression on his face.

And.

"Now...... there’s nothing to fear any more, Ferris. Everything has ended. From here on, I’ll be protecting you."

As a child, she could only shake in fear at those words.

He was not a human, but a monster who was in a faraway place, and she could only shake.

But she could not ask.

Such as where did you go.

Such as what in the world did you do.

What in the world did my brother...

In order to save me, what had my brother done?

Ferris opened her eyes and looked up at her brother.

With a cracked voice, she said,

“Nii-sama......”

But her words stopped there.

Lucile, in a soft voice,

“Sleep.”

At that instant, she lost her awareness.

Her consciousness faded away swiftly.

Feeling good from his strong, warm embrace, she could not think of anything anymore.

Her consciousness was carried away by a strong force.

Ferris could not resist that force.

All her remaining strength left her, and leaving her body in the care of Lucile, she closed her eyes.

Her vision became dark, dark.

“............”

She fell into darkness, and everything around her disappeared.

♦

That scene.

Miran Froaude looked at that scene with a pair of cold eyes.

The monster gently lay his sisters down on the ground.

Ferris Eris and Iris Eris.

Looking down at his beautiful sisters, Lucile held out his hand.

“My life, to transfer.”

As he murmured softly, the s.p.a.ce in his hands blurred and a golden sword appeared, and he thrusted the sword into Ferris chest.

As he did that, something unbelievable happened. Her limbs, which should already have been badly torn began patching themselves and the wounds she incurred started closing up.

Her evidently fatal wounds, which should be impossible to be healed by magic, for some reason, were disappearing.

Looking at that, without thinking, Froaude smiled wryly.

Is such a thing really possible?

The scene looked like Lucile was bestowing his own life force to his sister.

At that instant, he wanted to ask if you do that, won’t your life span decrease? to Lucile, but then realized how stupid that question was and let it pa.s.s.

A mad monster like him won’t be interested in his own life.

But.

“...... as one would expect, even a person like you will be fearful for his sisters’ lives.”

As Froaude said that, Lucile looked at him. With blue eyes so deep that one could not see the extent of that depth, he smiled.

“In order to ascertain that, you actually went to all that trouble to injure my sisters?”

“No no. Of course not. The reason I attacked Ferris-san was to make her a hostage to capture a certain Alpha Stigma bearer......”

Lucile responded delightedly.

“If you kill her, you can’t make a hostage, can you?”

“No. I did not intend to kill her.”

“That was unintentional?”

“Yes. Your sisters were just too adorable...... and unintentionally, I seemed to almost kill......”

“Haha. So you have that kind of hobby.”

Froaude smiled weakly as an acknowledgement to that.

But of course, he had no such hobby.

He had no intention of wasting his energy on such a thing. His true purpose right from the beginning was to test the reaction of Lucile.

Rather, was it more accurate to say that he wanted to find the weakness of Lucile?

While it would be great to keep them as hostages to use against Ryner Lute, he really wanted to find a weakness of this monster that was shrouded in mystery, but outside of his expectations, Lucile arrived at the scene late, at the point where he almost killed Ferris Eris and Iris Eris.

Well, if he did kill them, it would be fine as well.

But.

“............”

But Lucile came to save them.

This monster, took the trouble to leave His Majesty’s side, and came to save his sisters.

Now.

Froaude thought.

Now, what can I conclude from the actions of this Lucile Eris?

Froaude thought.

Clearly, there was an inconsistency to Lucile Eris’s actions this time.

At the beginning, when Froaude first met Lucile, he was under the impression that this man would never take the trouble to help his useless sisters out. Froaude could see existing within him a darkness that was much similar to his own, except that it was much darker and deeper.

That’s why when he first attacked Ferris and Iris, he thought that the chances of him coming to save them were pretty low.

But he was wrong.

Lucile came to save them.

At the very least, this meant that the possibility existed in that his two sisters could become his weakness.

But regarding that, there was a further question. If he’s going to save them anyway, why not do it earlier?

If it’s him.

If it’s this monster, however far he was, he could move across distances in an instant, and could have come here to save them earlier --- that’s the way Froaude saw it.

If that’s the case, he could have come and saved them right from the beginning.

He could have come and saved them before they got wounded.

But he didn’t. No, was it because he couldn’t?

Whichever the case,

“............”

Wasn’t it the case that...... Lucile Eris’s power extended across the entire land of this country?

Froaude squinted his eyes and looked intently at Lucile.

Just as he did that, Lucile withdrew that golden sword which had appeared from out of nowhere, from Ferris.

It seemed like he had finished healing his sister’s wounds. The wounds which would have been fatal without a doubt, had completely disappeared without a trace from the body of Ferris Eris. Even her clothes which were ripped into shreds were restored.

It was if she had been returned to the state before she was attacked, an abnormal power indeed.

After ascertaining that, Froaude said.

“I have some questions.”

“What is it?”

“Could it be that you are angry over your sisters’ injuries?”

But Lucile shook his head.

“No.”

And he looked at the black ring that Froaude was wearing, and then looked down at the once again expanded shadow at his feet, and smiled.

“It’s their own fault for not even being able to match up with an opponent of underling cla.s.s.”

Then Froaude laughed.

“Underling...... is it?”

At the same time, he was once again surrounded by his black, shadow beasts.

Kagerou (Shadow Beasts). Conjured by the ring he was wearing, The Ring of The Dark Emperor.

Their movements are fast and sharp. At a level that normal human beings are unable to follow. No, even the mage knights would not be able to come close to their level of power.

However, even so, compared to the monster, they were nothing more than the level of henchmen weaklings. And that was the very truth. That was the level of power hidden within the monster.

If he wished, he could kill Froaude in the blink of an eye.

“............”

Froaude deployed the shadow beasts in front of him. If the monster felt like it, and had decided to kill him off, he would probably be able to stop his movements for about one second, it seemed.

Lucile smiled again.

“Are you afraid?”

To his query, Froaude made an affirmation promptly.

“...... there isn’t anyone who won’t be afraid while standing before you, isn’t that so?”

“You did mention that you aren’t afraid, didn’t you? Or at the very least, you aren’t afraid of death.”

“Of course, I’m not afraid of death. But...... now is not the right time for me to die yet.”

Lucile smiled again.

“Not the right time? Haha. You do say some interesting things. Who can actually decide on the time of his death, you should be one who is well aware of that, aren’t you? Even if one does not want to die, when it’s time to die, one has to die, there are also times when one has to live even if he doesn’t want to. Now.”

After saying that, he softly held out his hand.

“Now. Which one do you belong to?”

Froaude tensed up his whole body. He clenched his fist tighter and increased his strength of his grip on his ring. When he did that, the shadows became stronger and larger.

But he knew very well that it was a meaningless move.

To go against such a monster.

Froaude was well aware of the fact that going against the worst monster of Roland with merely such level of strength was like hitting a rock with an egg.

Lucile smiled at the shadow beasts conjured by Froaude.

“Do you think that somehow or another, those things can actually do something to me?”

Froaude shook his head.

“No way.”

“Then, what kind of front is this?”

“Who knows? What could it be?”

As he said that, a dark, acute smile floated on Froaude’s lips. Following that, he waved his right hand. He waved that black, pitch-black ring.

Instantly.

The black beasts at the foot of Froaude sprung forward.

Three beasts were running towards Lucile to attack him.

Of course, he was well aware of the fact that this was meaningless. Lucile dispelled the beasts by just a mere wave of his hand.

No, there was something more.

“......n.”

Froaude realized something strange was flying towards him, coming from where Lucile waved his hand.

It was like a shockwave, invisible to his eyes......

At that moment.

Froaude’s right arm was sliced off from his body and sent flying into the air.

“Gah.”

Blood was spraying.

His right shoulder felt an excruciating amount of pain. Then Froaude looked at his right arm. The cut was abnormally clean and neat. He had no idea what was it that had cut him......

Was it the blade of a sword that came flying?

Froaude looked at Lucile.

Lucile, with a cheerful face, while gazing at Froaude, waved his hand again as if he was toying with him. Once again, he felt something he couldn’t see. Froaude read the path of that unseen force. He lowered his body, and jumped to the side.

File:DDnYnD v02 035.jpg

Immediately after.

The ground where he originally was standing at was cleaved apart. The ground was cracked open. The split of the ground from that cleaving force was so very deep that the bottom was not visible at all.

It was clear that this was not the work of a human being.

No, it was neither the power of Rhule Fragmei as well.

It was as if that came from a G.o.d, or demon......

“............”

But at that thought, Froaude became doubtful.

G.o.d, or demon?

How can it be?

How can a man, with a faltering heart like his, who is fearful of his sisters dying, possess the power of a G.o.d?’’

Laughable.

Truly laughable.

“............”

Froaude caught hold of his severed right arm, which had been spinning in the air --- the ring on that arm to be precise, and waved it.

And then.

“Let there, be darkness.”

Darkness was born from those words once more. But not any of the beasts. A blade. A single blade. Concentrated into that blade, was all of Froaude’s power...... equating to all the shadow beasts that he could summon.

Small, fine, strong, hard, sharp.

Gathering all his power at one point......

“What do you intend?”

Lucile smiled as he looked at him. With a you can’t touch me with that puny power look on his face, he looked at him.

Of course, Froaude knew that.

With such a level of power, he knew that it was not possible to even graze him in the slightest.

But still, even so, Froaude gripped the blade of darkness in his left hand.

And said.

“I’m going to kill you right here.”

Lucile smiled.

“What a boring joke.”

“Not really, I thought it was pretty interesting myself though. But if you are so confident, why don’t you receive this attack without dispelling the blade?”

As he said that, Froaude plunged the blade into the ground.

There was strange ‘gusha’ sound and the soil around the sunken blade started to liquefy.

That was the power imbued into the blade.

But even as he was watching, as expected, Lucile did not move an inch. A thin smile floated on his lips as if he were mocking Froaude,

“If it pleases you, I shall receive it.”

“Certainly.”

“So be it. Then do......”

But at that moment.

Lucile’s voice trailed off.

With a slightly surprised expression, he looked intently at Froaude.

And once again, a thin smile floated on his lips.

“...... ah, I see. This time round...... so that’s what it’s supposed to be.”

And for the very first time, Froaude had a relaxed smile on his face.

“Yes. That’s what it’s supposed to be.”

During the time they were conversing, Froaude had sent the buried blade underground, to emerge from a completely different location.

And that location was just next to the head of the fallen Ferris Eris.

If Froaude sent the command from his mind, Ferris Eris’s head could be lopped off immediately.

Of course, Lucile could easily defend against that.

However.

Froaude had another move put in place beforehand.

That was at a place far from here. South of this highway, in Roland Empire’s castle, where the king was.

At that place were a.s.sa.s.sins sent by Froaude, who should be about to take Sion’s head with their knives.

That’s right.

In other words, that was what Froaude was really up to.

Firstly, to find out whether Lucile would come save his sisters.

If he did, then Froaude would attack both Sion Astal, the king in the royal castle whom Lucile was supposed to guard, and Lucile’s sisters at the same time, and see who he would choose to save.

Now.

“The swords-clan that is supposed to guard the king for generations...... who will you choose to save?”

As Froaude said that, Lucile looked at him, and said,

“In order to research this, you’re actually willing to put your own life in danger?”

Froaude replied,

“It’s not about that. To me, it’s not something as simple as satisfying my own curiosity. It’s all thanks to the Eris House for protecting the king, that we are able to leave the king’s side to perform our duties with a peace of mind. But if you can turn traitorous just because your sisters are taken hostage, then it won’t do if I don’t think of a counter-measure. That’s why the earlier......”

“An experiment?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“The results are not out yet. This is it. Currently, I’m after both the lives of His Majesty and Ferris-san. Who would you choose to save, I await to be enlightened.”

But Lucile continued smiling.

“You are really an interesting man...... I don’t think there is any meaning to such an experiment though.”

“I won’t know unless I try......”

“You would.”

Lucile said, interrupting Froaude’s words.

Lucile again waved his hand lightly. As he did that, the blade of darkness conjured by Froaude was dispelled.

And then Froaude began,

“...... so you are choosing your sister?”

Looking intently at Froaude, Lucile cheerfully shrugged his shoulders.

“The a.s.sa.s.sins around Sion are already sliced into pieces.”

At those words,

“............”

He had again gained a little more understanding regarding this monster.

Froaude’s eyes had never left Lucile all this while. Therefore, based on that, Lucile should not have left this place at all.

But he said that he had killed off the a.s.sa.s.sins who were after Sion’s life.

What did he mean by that?

Could it be that Lucile Eris is actually two people?

No, that line of thought did not seem to come anywhere close to the truth. Then, what is it? Don’t tell me that the person in front of me right now is actually an illusion?’’

Could it be something else......

At that moment, Froaude’s thoughts were interrupted by Lucile’s words.

“That, just now, was a service for you, Miran Froaude-kun.”

“...... service?”

“Yes. Well, needless to say...... there was no real need to kill off those a.s.sa.s.sins around Sion. Because you didn’t order them to actually kill Sion, right? Since you won’t be able to kill Sion after all.”

“............”

That was the truth.

Froaude only ordered the a.s.sa.s.sins to pretend they want to kill Sion.

It’s only natural. There was no reason for him to sacrifice his master’s life for the sake of a trivial experiment.

However, if he already knew that,

“But, I still killed them to show you. Do you know why?”

“Tell me about it.”

Froaude shrugged his shoulders. But, since there was nothing attached to his right side, only his left shoulder bobbed up, which felt unpleasant to him. He turned his sight to his right shoulder for a moment and then looked at Lucile.

“Why’s that so?”

Lucile smiled and said.

“Because you are an interesting fella. This is the first time I’ve encountered someone who will square off with me in such a manner. That’s why, even though it’s not much, I felt like doing you a service.”

“Hoh.”

“As a reward for your capability, I shall let you in on a secret. I shall tell you what you really want to know. About my power. About my weakness. It is as you have thought. In truth, I no longer have a physical body. My form here is incorporeal.”

“Incorporeal?”

“Yes. That’s why......”

At that moment, Lucile vanished suddenly.

In the next instant, he appeared right behind Froaude.

“That’s why while I exist nowhere, I can exist anywhere.”

And then Froaude turned around slowly, and gazed at that beautiful man with sheer delight.

“...... does that equate to being able to be in two places at the same time?”

Lucile nodded.

“Anywhere. If need be, shall I show you two of me right now?”

Froaude shook his head at that.

“It’s fine. It’s not like I’m doubting your words.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Really? It seems to me however that you don’t believe a single thing I say.”

Froaude smiled.

“No, really. I’m not doubting you at all.”

But a little.

Isn’t he a little too talkative?

Froaude thought.

When people become overly talkative, it means that they have something to hide.

And right now, in Froaude’s eyes, Lucile Eris was hiding something.

But what is it?

What is it that he was trying to hide?

Or am I over-thinking things? To this monster, everything is just a time-killer, isn’t this just something on a spur of a moment, something for him to play around with, something to kill time?

“............”

But in his heart, he doubted that.

It didn’t look like it. This fella just wouldn’t do such unnecessary things.

Right now, clearly, he was hiding something.

Perhaps there was some reason for doing that which was unknown to him, but he could see that Lucile was hiding something.

In order not to let Froaude grab hold of his weakness.

In order not to let Froaude become suspicious of something important.

However.

“............”

What in the world would that be?

What was he up to?

Froaude looked intently at Lucile. Looking at the extraordinary perfect face of the monster.

And he tried to peek into the heart of that monster.

He stretched out his hand towards the depths of the monster’s heart, as if he was about to gouge out the truth that was hidden in the deep, dark recesses.

Then.

“.............”

Then, Froaude said.

“...... you’ve gotten me. Well, if you can protect both His Majesty and your sisters....... I have no complaints at all. I shall withdraw from hereon.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I’m more than satisfied with seeing that level of power. I can now confidently leave His Majesty’s life in your hands.”

“Then, you’ve already satisfied your curiosity.”

“Yes. At the very least, at the expense of one arm, I’ve more than satisfied my curiosity.”

As he said that, Froaude looked at this right arm again. By the way, the bleeding had not yet stopped.

Lucile began,

“Shall I fix that for you?”

As he said that, without answering, Froaude commanded the shadows from his mind.

As he did that, the shadow at his feet reacted. A small spherical ma.s.s of shadow flew out from the ground and covered the wound on his right shoulder.

Subsequently, another one of them flew out and covered the wound of the severed right arm.

Then, the two shadows started joining together.

This should rejoin the right arm to the body. Though this was actually the first time his arm was severed, and he wasn’t really confident whether it would go well or not, but he had read from the ancient text left behind by his ancestor that such a use actually existed with The Ring of the Dark Emperor.

The ancient text of that detestable ancestor, the Holy Knight Halford Miran.

Froaude tried moving his newly reattached arm. Following that, he tried moving his fingers.

“............ n.”

Though he was feeling a kind of faint numbing pain, the movements felt more or less the same as before.

Lucile had a slightly surprised look on his face,

“Hoh. Impressive.”

“No, it’s nothing compared to your power.”

At any rate, Lucile had shown him the ability to heal someone who was on the verge of death. After being shown such level of power, he was not pleased in the slightest at being told that he was "impressive".

After smiling faintly, Lucile said.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

Froaude turned his eyes to look at the fallen Ferris on the ground,

“I’m going to capture Ryner Lute. According to my intelligence, he is now up north at the fork of the highway...... using Ferris-san as the hostage.”

“I don’t mind. Use her as you wish. But......”

At that, Froaude nodded.

“It’ll be alright. I won’t hurt her. I fully understand how precious your sisters are to you.”

“Then, do as you like.”

Lucile said. Then, he turned around. Seemingly about to disappear.

And then Froaude continued.

“But well, if you were to capture Ryner-san for me, that would be the most comforting......”

But before he finished, Lucile had already disappeared. It was if there was nothing there right from the beginning, his existence, his presence, his figure, all of them vanished completely.

Froaude looked intently at the place where Lucile had disappeared.

Then,

“...... incorporeal huh.”

He murmured.

Was that really the truth?

He tried recalling the words of Lucile just a while ago.

The words he said when he mentioned that he was incorporeal.

He had hardly any physical form. He existed nowhere. But that was why he could exist anywhere.

Lucile had said that.

In other words, wherever Froaude was, whatever he was doing, would be monitored and could be dealt with, that’s what it meant.

But was that really true?

“............”

Froaude looked down at the beautiful, fallen sisters lying on the ground. He looked at the two young ladies who were almost killed by him earlier.

And thought.

If Lucile truly could exist anywhere, and could extend his vision across the land, then why didn’t he come save his sisters before they were on the verge of death?

With regards to the a.s.sa.s.sins around Sion, whom Froaude had dispatched, Lucile could indeed sense them while he was here and had dealt with them.

But why could he not do the same for his sisters?

No, perhaps the truth was.

“...... am I really taken to be of underling cla.s.s whom he thought his sisters could defeat?”

Froaude murmured, but then shook his head. That couldn’t have been the case. Ferris Eris’s strength is still way below mine.

And Lucile could not possibly be unaware of that.

Then why was he late in saving them?

At that thought, Froaude recalled the legend behind the Eris House.

For generations, the Eris House has served the king as guards.

Within the country where their protection extends, there is none who can come close to touching the king.

When reading that part of the legend, it basically meant that within the borders of Roland, the king’s safety was guaranteed, but if one turned that around, it could also mean that if the king were to travel out of Roland, the Eris House could no longer extend their protection to him.

In truth, during the time when Sion went to Imperial Nelpha for a diplomatic visit, Lucile did not follow along.

But was it because he did not go.

Or was it because he could not go.

If it were the later, what would it mean in what took place just now?

Lucile could not leave the country.

Lucile could save Sion, in the castle at the heart of Roland, just right before he was attacked.

But if it were some distance away from the castle. Perhaps, if it were at the highway near the borders of Nelpha or Runa, he would need more time before he could come save his sisters. And what happened earlier was such that if he were late by another second, everything would have been too late.

Now.

How did these three things add up?

What did these facts indicate?

The answer was this.

“...... if he stepped out of the centre of Roland, depending on the distance......”

Lucile Eris becomes weaker.

And that was just talking about Roland. If he were to continue putting his distance away from the centre, and step out of Roland......

“He probably couldn’t even maintain that form, eh? What do you say? Duke Eris?”

To that question.

“............”

There was no answer from Lucile.

No, rather.

He could not answer. You can’t respond to my question,

“Because you can’t hear me.”

“............”

“Even though you said that you can exist anywhere but in truth...... your sight has yet to extend to here.”

“............”

“That’s why you were late in coming.”

“............”

“That’s why you were late in coming to save your sisters.”

“............”

“But then again, that didn’t seem like a huge weakness. Still, you are a humongous monster, bearing deep darkness that is beyond mine...... but yet......”

What in the world is he afraid of?

Froaude asked himself.

What was the weakness he possess that there was a need to become talkative in an attempt to hide it behind those words?

Froaude turned his eyes and looked away.

The answer was.

“............”

It was already out.

At that moment, Froaude’s red lips parted widely, and a smile floated. A dark, devilish smile.

Lucile came to save his sisters.

The greatest monster of Roland had come to save his sisters.

Was that proof of a shred of humanity left in him?

Or was it because of sibling love?

Sentiments?

No, it wasn’t.

For a monster of that level, he didn’t think he would waste his energy on such trivial stuff. He wouldn’t waste his energy on meaningless things.

Then why did he come save his sisters?

The reason was simple.

“............”

Froaude silently looked at the figure of the fallen woman, lying on the ground.

Looking at the beautiful face of the woman. He squatted and touched her face. He turned the head of Ferris Eris a little.

The woman who should have been dead was sleeping soundly.

Froaude smiled.

Because he knew what Lucile was hiding.

The timing at which he appeared to save his sisters. The way he spoke. His expressions. Everything pointed to one thing.

He came to save his sister. But he chose to be just in time. If he were late by even one more second, his sister would have been dead for real.

But, it might have been convenient for him.

If the one who died were Iris Eris, there would have been no problem at all.

That’s why he was not too late.

He.

“............”

He came here to save only Ferris.

But what was the reason?

Froaude was not sure of that. But, what was certain was that he didn’t care about the life of one sister, but was exceptionally concerned for the other, which meant......

“...... is there a need for me to let her go free......?”

At that moment, Froaude used his hand to cover both Ferris’s mouth and nose. He was uncertain what kind of power Lucile had used to put her to sleep but it seemed like her consciousness was not going to return anytime soon.

Her face only grimaced unbearably, and her fair cheeks were tinged with red.

If he continued pressing against her mouth and nose in this manner, she would quickly die without a doubt. Gazing at that, he continued.

“If she is really that important to Lucile Eris...... I should have to kill her here.”

If this was the case, this might really be the great weakness of Lucile. Whatever was inside of her. Whatever that might spill out as a consequence of her being alive, might well be Lucile’s weakness.

Whatever it was, Lucile certainly did not want Froaude to know.

No, if he were to kill her now, Lucile was going to appear again. From the faraway centre of Roland, even though he might be too late this time, but he would still come.

If that happened, Froaude might be killed this time.

Froaude could not kill Ferris here.

However.

“.............”

What if she was out of the country?

His power should not extend outside of the country.

Outside of the country...... if Froaude were to kill her then, what could he do?

“............”

At that thought, Froaude stood up.

As he did so, his cheeks became wet with drops of water. He looked up into the sky. It should now be way past eight in the morning.

Nevertheless, the sun was not out. The sky was completely covered with dark clouds.

Rain, as he was about to say that, the rain drops started getting increasingly heavier.

The sky brightened as lightning flashed. The wind was strong as well. A storm was brewing.

And then Froaude,

“............”

He looked down at Lucile’s weakness lying on the ground beside him. She was getting wet from the rain and dirty from the sodden mud.

She remained unconscious even now.

Looking at that, he thought about it once more.

Now, what should I do from hereon?

“............”

It would be easy to use her as a hostage to capture Ryner Lute.

But.

Between crushing Ryner Lute, and letting Lucile Eris’s weakness escape out of the country,

“Which is more important?”

But even as he asked himself that, there was no doubt in him.

Once again, he commanded the shadows with his mind. As he did that, at his feet. On the muddy ground, his shadow expanded and two beasts appeared from it.

The beasts then grabbed hold of the sleeves of both Ferris and Iris with their teeth and started dragging them across the ground.

They were bringing them to the highway. By doing that, anyone who would be pa.s.sing by would see them and tend to them.

Well, with this rain, perhaps no one might be pa.s.sing by, but in any case, they would regain consciousness after some time.

And then they would join up with Ryner Lute and depart from the country.

Going far away out of the reach of Lucile Eris.

“...... at a distance where I can cut open her body to see what’s inside, at a place unknown to Lucile Eris.”

The beasts unleashed by Froaude disappeared into the tall gra.s.s in the wilderness. And both Ferris and Iris who were dragged went out of sight as well.

The dragging sounds were gradually masked away by the sounds of the heavy rain till they were inaudible.

The sound of the rain.

At the intense sound of the rain drops. .h.i.tting the ground, Froaude looked up into the sky again.

At that moment, the sky flashed again. A thundering boom was heard almost immediately. It seemed like the lightning struck somewhere close by.

And then.

“...... to embark on a journey......”

Froaude laughed, then.

“Isn’t this an excellent weather for that?”

He said.

And then he looked away from the sky and looked in the direction of the highway up front.

Away from the direction of the centre of Roland, towards the direction of Imperial Nelpha and Runa Empire, beyond the highway.

Where Ryner Lute should be waiting.

Well, since Ferris was out cold and unable to meet him anytime soon, he would probably get worried, and come running back. If he did that, he should stumble upon the Ferris and Iris who were lying on the highway.

Perhaps, he was already making his way back now.

At that thought.

“...... I should not tarry about here any longer.”

As he said that, he turned on his heel. And started trudging through the muddy wilderness.

The sky was still dark.

But he did not feel unpleasant about it.

Drenched in the heavy rain, he slowly made his way back to the heart of Roland.