CH 133

Chapter 133

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : A Name That Calls Death, Part 5 — The Worst Enemy

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

「You, I’m certain, in the Beginner’s Dungeon…」

「…I’m flattered that you remember me… come to think of it, I haven’t introduced myself yet… My name is Lifeless, and I would like to make your acquaintance… especially Alfiris, Miranda… with you…」

「「What did you say?」」

Alfiris and Miranda’s voices overlap unexpectedly at the unexpected nomination. Seeing this, Lifeless unusually smiles, her mouth slightly twisted, and now she speaks to Fenna.

「…It’s been a long time, Seeker Princess… Do you remember me…?」

「You… Certainly.」

Fenna, who had been stunned, slowly looks back at Lifeless. Her eyes are vacant and somewhat lightless. But she understands the situation.

「You did that, to Willam?」

「…Willam…? I don’t know anyone like that… You mean the ones I just killed…?」

「Why… why did you do this…? What has Willam done to you?」

「…Why…? Fufu… Hahahahah…」

Lifeless began to laugh high despite his quiet voice. All of them were surprised by this behavior, but they would have been even more surprised if Doom and his friends had been there. It’s not often that Lifeless laugh out loud in public.

「…You want to know why…?」

「…Yes.」

「…Fool… I have no reason…」

「What did you say?」

Instantly, the color of surprise returns to Fenna’s eyes. This was an unexpected answer for Fenna. It’s hard for a kind-hearted person like Fenna to think of harming others first, and if it’s revenge, it’s still understandable. Fenna also knew from her travels that there are pleasure killers in the world, so even though it was completely impossible for her to understand the feelings of such people, it was the cruelest possible answer.

But Lifeless said there was no reason. It was an answer completely outside Fenna’s thinking.

「You have, no reason?」

「…Indeed… Killing is as common to me as breathing is to you… it’s so common that I don’t particularly care who dies… At best, I’m only interested in one thing: whether『strong or not』… Besides… 」

「Besides?」

「…This is similar to what I said to the people I just fought… When you walk through the woods, do you count the bugs you squash with your feet…?」

「W–What did you say!?」

The atmosphere around Fenna trembles. Fenna’s beautiful hair ripples with the outpouring of magical power, and Aerial involuntarily takes a step back. However, Lifeless doesn’t show any emotion even at the sight of her.

「You call Willam, my dear one, a『bug』!?」

「…No… the bug is just a metaphor…」

「?」

「…If they’re not this palpable… they’re less than a bug…」

「You bastard!」

Just as Fenna is about to start chanting her magic, Lifeless pulls down the black bag he was carrying to the ground.

「…Fight all you want, but are you willing to sacrifice this…?」

With that, Lifeless yanked a piece of the black bag out of the bag. Out of it came the face of the Seeker, completely devoid of blood. Although not necessarily attracted by his complexion, Fenna’s almost anger-stained complexion was brought back to a pale shade of blue.

「…Cesari-sama?」

Auri wanders forward at the sound of Fenna’s voice. Auri, who had tried to separate herself to guide Alfiris, had survived. But Cesari didn’t answer Auri’s call. So Lisa held Auri back as she was still trying to move forward.

「You can’t get any closer.」

「Let go, human.」

「No, I can’t let you die in vain.」

「What did you say!」

「…Heh…」

Lifeless had assumed that they would all hang on to the provocation, but Lisa successfully stalled her.

「Auri or whoever you are, take a good look at that bag.」

「What!?」

「Is that bag big enough to fit one human being?」

Lisa’s point is a valid one: the bag is only big enough for one child. And the fact that an adult fits in it means…

「… you’re looking closely… I couldn’t find the right size bag… so I had to make the limbs fit in the bag a little bit like this…」

Lifeless made a twisting motion with his hand. All of them were absolutely stunned by Lifeless’ words as he let go as if handling a toy.

「——What are you…」

「…Well, actually, the resistance was so fierce that I had no choice but to do so… which finally calmed them down… Oh, and by the way, I didn’t kill him… I had a buddy of mine who was very insistent that I bring it back… Well, it’s a pain in the ass, but with a guy of this caliber, 10 minutes is plenty of time to silence him without killing him…」

「～～～～!!」

Just as Auri was about to lunge forward with an inarticulate rage, Lisa put her cane over her foot and made her fall. She then pretended to hold Auri down, and gave her an earful.

「（I’m telling you why I don’t want you to die, right?）」

「I say let me go!」

「（No, I will not let you go even if you die. You may be our only hope.）」

「?」

「（Look, that Lifeless guy we are seeing right now is not just a tough enemy. It’s like looking into a bottomless swamp, so much so that you can’t see the bottom of his identity or power. In fact, even Lisa could tell that Seeker was a man of considerable magical power, but he treated him like a child. That scale of power of his can be guessed… If that thing were to really go off the rails, this village could easily be destroyed.）」

「Wha…」

Auri was about to say something when Lisa forcefully slammed her head on the ground and continued to speak. Lisa was also in a great hurry. That is how dangerous she thought Lifeless was.

「（Shut up and listen! Look, now I’m going to have you run for help. Don’t say no, we have Fenna, the royalty of the Seekers here. Yes, if you want to call her a hostage, go ahead. Because to Lisa, everyone’s life is important, regardless of whether Fenna is royalty or not. So, at the very least, you will come back with enough forces to let Fenna go. And we will be on board to help you escape.）」

「…」

「（Ten minutes at the most….you’d better get back to us before then. If you can’t do that, I will curse you from the depths of hell. When you understand, push Lisa away and get the hell out of here.）」

There was a pause, but Auri, perhaps satisfied with Lisa’s rational decision, pushed her away. But no matter how much Lisa whispered, Alfiris and the others, as well as Lifeless, could guess what Lisa was talking about. So Alfiris did not stop Auri, nor did Lifeless do anything.

「Are you sure, Lifeless-sama?」

「…Elrich…」

A haze springs up behind Lifeless and takes shape. Out came a skeleton dressed in black robes. No, more precisely, a man who was reduced to only bones and skin, like a skeleton. Some of the bones were really visible.

「I will kill that Seeker if you order me to…」

「…Don’t, let her go… it’s a gamble…」

「A gamble, sir?」

「…Yeah, it’s a bad habit of mine … when I get excited, I want to make a gamble… Elrich, want to gamble…? I’ll bring them to their knees, and the Seeker will come back with their allies… Which is faster… I’m betting on the one that brings them to their knees, of course…」

「I’ll bet in there too.」

「…Oh come on, that’s not a bet…」

「This is not a game to be wagered on, sir.」

「…Kukuku… That’s true…」

The two were laughing happily. Alfiris and her group could only watch them, but she noticed that Miranda was shaking.

「What’s wrong, Miranda?」

「That’s… ridiculous…」

「Miranda?」

Just as Alfiris was about to touch Miranda, Miranda suddenly let out a loud cry.

「Hey! That skeleton there!」

「What?」

「You, did you just say Elrich?」

「Yes, but what can I do for you, little girl?」

「Elrich… you say? You… don’t you recognize my face!?」

「Who would want a little girl like you… No, wait. You look familiar, don’t you? Yes, I believe that was… when I fought that hero…」

「Damn it, I knew it…」

「What do you mean, Miranda?」

Miranda grits her teeth, who’s unable to contain herself, and Alfiris ask her.

「That guy… That skeleton is the Archfiend whom… Odde defeated in exchange for his own life!」

「What did you say?」

「I see, you are the little girl who was frightened at that time, unable to even participate in the battle. I remember you, weakling. You were just sobbing as your friends fell one after another, unable to do anything, weren’t you?」

「You bastaardd—!!!」

All hands held Miranda back as she tried to jump on them. Even so, Miranda tried to move forward, dragging everyone along with her.

「Let me go—! I will kill that bastard!!」

「Calm down, Miranda, now’s not the time.」

「Alfiris is right. Chill out.」

「Chill out!? That’s impossible!!」

With that one word, Miranda shakes everyone off.

「Kyaahh!」

「Uwah!」

「Die!」

「Hmm.」

Miranda leaps at him with her beloved mace, blasting away at her friends, while Elrich calmly holds it ready. Just as Miranda’s mace was about to swing down, she was mercilessly knocked to the ground by Lifeless.

「Guhh!?」

「…Well, relax… Elrich, when was the last time you saw this woman…?」

「Let’s see, I think it was at least 100 years ago.」

「…Hmm… So this woman is immortal… she was stabbed in the heart by an Archfiend before, but she didn’t die… At the time I thought I was looking at it wrong or some kind of witchcraft… Now then…」

Lifeless stares at Miranda with interest while holding her down.

「Let me go!」

「…Woman, what is your name…?」

「Who are you for me to do that…」

But Miranda’s voice was cut off in mid-sentence with an uncomfortable slurp in her stomach.

「Eh… ah…?」

「…Your name is…?」

「U–Uwaagghh!!?」

Lifeless’ hand was directly gripping Miranda’s internal organs. Lifeless hung Miranda as it was and moved his hand to stir her stomach.

「Gii, hii… Ahhhhh!!!」

「…Your name is…?」

「L–Like I’ll say it…」

「…Hmm… I know you’re being stubborn, but… how about this?」

《Aero Shoot》

With a short spell of lifelessness, Miranda blasts off to Alfiris and the others, blood spraying from her belly. Alfiris was just about to run out to help Miranda when they were stopped by a group of people who were trying to save her. Miranda cowered as if holding her stomach.

「Ugh, uugghhh.」

「Miranda, get a grip!」

「How cruel…」

However, despite everyone’s concern, Miranda’s wounds, which had gone all the way up to her back, healed in no time at all. Everyone had already heard that Miranda was immortal, but this was the first time anyone except Lisa had seen her heal. Of course, Lifeless is also watching. And Miranda manages to get up, albeit staggeringly.

「…Ohh… you’re truly immortal… no sign of the magical element at work here…」

Lifeless opens his eyes. He was apparently very intrigued.

「…Elrich… Partial change to the plan… I’m taking her home… you drive the Seekers back to their proper places… don’t let them get wiped out…」

「At your command.」

「…Hecatoncheires, send a few Cancellers and some orcs and goblins over here… and that guy…」

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Pause

Unmute

「You are calling that one, isn’t it?」

「…Yes… It was originally intended to be shown to this Seeker princess…」

「I understand.」

As soon as Elrich disappears, fiends emerge from the shadows of the surrounding buildings and surround Alfiris and her group.

「Alfie, we’re surrounded.」

「I know! Miranda, can you make it?」

「Yeah, of course. I don’t like being left out of the battle!」

「There’s 40 in there, okay?」

「More than the numbers, those armored guys look bad. Especially the smaller guys.」

Aerial indicates toward Hecatoncheires. She must’ve recognized their danger in her intuition.

「They’re coming!」

In the midst of the burning forest, the battle between Alfiris and her group began.