Chapter 10

TMBRFNL Chapter 10: Those Who Start Moving

“Was it alright to talk about everything to that elf Miliane?”

At Alhart’s question, Syltina looked up at him .

“Are you trying to say that there’s a danger of her telling the King, Prince and Saintess about it?”

“Yeah . ”

“It’s alright . When she promised not to tell anyone about our talk, she put her right hand up horizontally across her face, right? That was the elves’ oath pose . It is proof of an oath that, no matter what happens, they will absolutely never break the promises they make . It’s cool, isn’t it? Completely different from us . ”

Seeing Syltina laugh enjoyably, Alhart and Kuroitsu shrugged their shoulders and gave bitter smiles .

Right now, they were in the middle of returning from the castle . After that, they completely ignored the existence of Akari who had, for some reason, appeared clad in a party dress, and the introductory meeting of the members for the purification journey was (by Syltina) forcibly terminated . Though Akari appeared dissatisfied and began to cry about something, as if she didn’t consider Akari’s existence at all, Syltina had taken Miliane from that place and left . Alhart and Kuroitsu also followed her lead .

And then, Syltina had spoken to Miliane about her “everything” . After hearing that, Miliane made an oath to never tell anyone about what Syltina had told her .

“It seems like you’ve come to like that elf . ”

“Fufu . Don’t you remember hearing the name ‘Miliane Fruktor’ before? Al?”

“‘Miliane Fruktor’, is it……”

He pondered upon it for several seconds . Then, Alhart went ‘ahh’, as he let out a half-hearted voice .

“It’s a name we saw in one of the Guild’s requests . ”

“Right . A ‘missing persons’ request . Though we didn’t take it because Rizolda Island was a little far . ”

“Meaning that someone is searching for that elf?”

“Rather than ‘someone’, it’s her ‘family’ (friends) that are looking for her . Because she had disappeared from their tribe for a long time, they wanted someone to find her . ”

“Sylti, don’t tell me you……”

“There’s no disadvantage in making her our ally, considering her magic and magical talent, right? Also, once this time’s request is over, if we take her back to her tribe on Rizolda Island, then we’ll be able to complete the ‘missing persons’ request . It’s good that it’s possible to accept and get approval for finishing the Guild’s requests after doing them . Otherwise, someone would have to go back at least once . ”

It was true that she had thought that Miliane was “beautiful” . Even if there was a slight ulterior motive behind it, in Syltina’s eyes, Miliane was a very beautiful existence . It was also true for her external appearance, but her heart was beautiful . She had been tricked and used by humans many times, but even so, her existence that was still capable of using her powers for humans like this . From Syltina’s point of view, she was a miraculous existence .

However, Syltina was no longer capable of unconditionally trusting someone to speak about everything regarding herself based on that alone .

“There was ‘value’ in telling her everything . Just that . It’s not that I trust her, but at least as long as she abides by the ‘contents of the request’, then I’m willing to live with her . ”

There are likely people who would say that “she was using her” . However, to Syltina right now, that was the highest level of respect she could show to someone other than those that she personally trusted .

Even if it was the same “request”, there were some people who she wouldn’t tell anything, and wouldn’t even direct any of her feelings towards at all, simply making sure that they wouldn’t betray the request’s contents . Amongst them, to tell one everything, and move in order to not betray the trust that had been directed towards her, was, to those who knew the current Syltina well, the most easily understandable proof of trust that she could give .

“Right, Sylti . This morning, a letter came from ‘them’(1) . ”

“I see . What did it say?”

“That everything is going smoothly . They said to finish up things on this end as soon as possible . It seems we’ve got half a year at most . ”

“If it’s half a year, it should be enough time . This country isn’t that big, and it’s just a journey to defeat monsters and purify taint . Right now, the places producing taint due to monsters include 2 villages and 3 towns . Since monsters don’t appear in places where humans live, once we purify those 5 places, then the request will be complete . Well, during that time, we’ll need some countermeasures to make sure that the damages don’t expand to any other places . ”

“Yeah, if it’s that, then it seems that “they” are taking some measures . ”

“What countermeasures are there?”

“Seems like they’re sending the ‘Witch of Foresight’ . If it’s her, well, I’m sure she’ll do something . ”

“If it’s her, then there’s no need to worry . What did the Master say?”

“He said he’ll leave it to us . Well, since he’s busy gathering up everyone from all the different countries, he probably doesn’t have time to deal with us . ”

“Everyone’s a free spirit after all . ”

“In any case, we’ll need to purify the taint first or we won’t be able to move forward, so let’s hurry up and finish this . ”

“That’s true . For that, we’ll need the Saintess to work hard . ”

Just how much had the foolish and wretched people of this country realized?

Becoming the “Saintess’ guard” for the purification journey, was by no means equivalent to “Saving this country” .

The Guild’s “requests” required a suitable “reward”, and what Syltina asked of the King was merely “the request of Syltina personally” . She had purposely not talked about the “contents” and “reward” of the request that she and her party had accepted .

Just how many people had realized the significance of that hidden portion?

“By the time they realize it, it’ll be too late . ”

Saying that, Syltina laughed as though she were having fun .

******

In the evening of that same day . On a single plot of land in Luran Kingdom’s Capital, there was a building under a signboard upon which the words, “The Dipterous Sword” was written . Within that building was a room furnished with a round table, around which 5 men and women sat .

“And so? Just how long will you stay here, Witch of Foresight?”

“That nickname is embarrassing, so could you stop calling me that? I have a proper name, “Clarina Hamillee”, so I told you to call me that at least amongst our comrades . ”

“You’re known more by your nickname than your name, so it can’t be helped . There are hardly any people that know you’re referring to the Witch of Foresight when you say Clarina-san . ”

“You’re not one who can talk, “Rain Nanasight” . You have that nickname, “the Thunder God’s Spearman” that most people only know you by . ”

“That’s the case for all of us . ”

“That’s true . For us, everyone’s nickname is known more widely than our actual names, so it might be quite difficult for someone to identify us based on our names . ”

“Yeah, I should’ve been like Sylti and Al-kun and used my name to sell from the start . ‘Witch of Foresight’ and such is seriously chuuni(2) . ”

“Chuu…ni……? As usual, you sometimes use words that make no sense . More importantly, are Master and “him” not here yet?”

“Master, not coming . Everyone from Guild, gather . Said he was busy . ”

“I do believe that ‘he’ will be coming soon? There was a report from Syltina-sama that she received a reply . ”

“Ah, a report came from Sylti? That was fast . What did it say?”

“It seems that the purification journey should finish before half a year is up . Well, that will also depend on Clarina-sama’s work, but she’s not too worried and said she’ll be leaving it to you . ”

“Uwahh, such pressure . Well, if it’s for Sylti, then I’ll do my best . While I’m at it though, I’ll advance our ‘project’ . ”

“If you do that, then Syl-san will get mad at you . ”

“But it wasn’t planned for Sylti to be involved in this time’s ‘project’ to begin with . Because that stupid Rideiran King was so thick-skinned as to try and borrow Sylti’s power, that Sylti became involved with that country that she didn’t want to have anything to do with anymore . It really pisses me off . ”

“The one who made things like this was Sylti-jou(3) . When the summoning from the Rideiran King came, even should she could have declined, she ran out of luck when she purposely decided to go laugh at them by rejecting them in person . Using it as an opportunity, ‘he’ started the preparations for the ‘project’, and that was reflected in Master’s actions . ”

“Well, since Syl-san accepted the request, then that means she decided to become involved in the ‘project’, right? That being the case, then we’ve got to properly support Syl-san and co . so that they’ll be able to move around well!”

“That’s quite reliable of you, Rain . If that’s the case, then you can go together with Clarina as her support and head for Rideiran Kingdom . ”

Another voice joined in on the conversation of the 5 people . The moment they heard that voice, all 5 people simultaneously stood up and placed their right hands on their chests, deeply bowing to the speaker .

After that person, who possessed dark blue hair and similarly coloured eyes, looked around at all of them, he nodded once and sat in a chair .

“Everyone is present, it seems . My bad for being late . It’s fine to be at ease . ”

At those words, everyone sat down once more .

“Jin-sama, are you serious about me being Clara-san’s support?”

“I am . I also got permission from Aite . ”

“From the Master……then, our roles this time were decided by Jin-sama?”

“Correct . The ‘Witch of Foresight’, Clarina Hamillee, as well as the ‘Thunder God’s Spearman’, Rain Nanasight . Those two will head out for Rideiran Kingdom to obstruct the expanding damage by the monsters . ”

“Got it . ”

“Understood(4)!”

A little girl possessing long black hair and black eyes, and a young man possessing short golden hair and sky-blue eyes replied back .

“The ‘Resourceful Commander’, Camina Rulance, as well as the ‘Smiling Gun Princess’, Elaine Hunar . The two of you will continue preparations to ensure the success of the ‘project’ . I will leave the command of those involved in that to you . ”

“Under…stood . ”

“Please leave it to me . ”

A young man with brown cat fur that mostly covered his golden eyes to the point where they could hardly be seen, nodded . At the same time, a woman possessing loose, wavy flaxen hair and chestnut coloured eyes smiled .

“The ‘Dual Blade God of Death’, Ilusa Smarf will assist Aite . ”

“Understood . ”

A young man wearing glasses that possessed rust-coloured hair and similarly coloured eyes bowed respectfully .

“We, the ‘Dipterous Sword’,”

“ “ “ “ “Will wield our swords for your sake, give up our bodies for you sake, and swear to pledge allegiance to you alone . Our lord is one and only that is within our hearts . ” ” ” ” ”

“Go . ”

At the short order, every person moved all at once . In the blink of an eye, only the man called “Jin” was left within the room .

“Now then, prepare to regret and grieve and fall to ruin . Oh, Rideiran Kingdom . ”

He, whose name was “Jin Luranbard”, was none other than “Luran Kingdom’s” second Prince .

“No doubt, it is a light punishment for looking down on ‘my’ Syltina . Much lighter than killing all of you without leaving a single person alive……”

Laughing as though he were having fun, his figure too, disappeared in the next moment .

Translator Notes:

^He uses ‘aitsu’ . Referring to a single person, but of unknown gender . ^Chuuni –> Chuunibyou, as in middle-schooler’s syndrome . Look it up if you don’t know what it means . ^–jou = Miss, but I think this way of saying it has more personality, so I’ll keep it as is . ^Rain talks with an extra ‘-ssu’ at the end of his sentences, but I’ll be leaving them out .