Rising Volume 1, Chapter 49

Episode 49 Quest: Obsidian to Rose IV

　Swarms of green phosphorescent ghosts come in like a scaly cloud.

　A lantern lit with phosphorous light on a white rag.

　Jagged blades clutched in dried-out hands.

　It was bizarre and terrifying, but the sight of them all coming together in one great swarm was even fantastic.

「......,......,......!」

　Kian kneaded his magic power and unleashed his absorption technique on the three Rain Wraiths that were coming toward him.

　The technique of robbing magic power works well against ghosts.

　The ghosts do not have bodies, so if you take away a little of their magic power, they will easily disintegrate and disappear.

　On the other side of Kian, Serena, who had borrowed a dagger and staff from Arueno, was disposing of the ghosts at more than three times the speed. The dagger was swung an unrecognizable number of times in a single second, and the number of magic bullets released from the white staff was beyond recognition.

　To the untrained eye, it would appear as if dozens of white bullets were automatically released at the end of her slash, skewering the ghosts.

　Protected by two vanguard swordsmen, Arueno was setting up the ritual scene to stop the rain from pouring down on the 『Rose Labyrinth』.

　A rug is laid out in front of a wall of black roses, and Esther is seated in the center of it.

　She took out a simple folding ritual table from the backpack on her back and placed it in front of the rug.

「I will tell the evil spirit that you have come. At the same time, I will deploy ritual magic to stop the rain from falling on the spirits.」

「Esther! Sit in the center of the rug as you are told! Quickly!」

　Robert had placed long torches at the four corners of the rug.

　A cloth soaked in oil was wrapped around the end of the torch.

　Arueno snapped her fingers, and the torches at the four corners burst into orange flame.

　The ghosts screamed and scattered into the sky.

　They are not good with fire and silver.

「Esther!? What are you doing!? Over here!」

「Ah......, O-okay!」

　Esther, who had been in a state of stupor at the sight of the terrifying Rain Wraiths ― a swarm that seemed to cover the sky ― came to her senses at the sound of Robert's voice and climbed onto the rug.

「This way, in the center. ......!, Kian!」

「......!」

　Kian kneaded his magic power and pointed his hand toward the simple altar.

　The five Rain Wraiths that swooped down from the sky were sucked up by Kian's magic power and dissipated without a sound.

　Kian looked back again without saying a word.

　There were several ghostly hands were touching his back.

　He released his magic power all at once and forcefully drained the life force from the Rain Wraiths that were coming at him.

(Tsk, I got sucked a little)

　Kian felt a sharp pain in his back and clicked his tongue.

　Now, the Rain Wraiths are crawling out of the darkness one after another, as if all those who died in the past in the Rose Labyrinth are coming back to life as ghosts.

「I will begin the ritual! From now on I cannot take part in the battle. Esther-san, close your eyes and concentrate! I'll get a few hairs on the way, but don't raise your voice!」

「Okay!」

「All riiiight! Come on! I won't let you touch my Esther!」

　Robert's loud voice echoes.

　He moved the fire from the torches at the four corners of the simple altar to the torches he was holding and began waving them with both hands to repel the ghosts that were attacking from the sky.

　As the rain drizzled down, Arueno's clear singing voice began to ring brightly in the dark night.

　Her singing voice was sometimes high, sometimes strong, and sometimes sad.

　Kian listened to her voice as he returned the ghosts to the dust.

　He had no idea what she meant because of the old elven tongue, but listening to her voice, he felt a strange sense of nostalgia.

　In the quiet sound of the rain, a scene of the nostalgic city of Azrail came to mind over the darkness.

　That beautiful city made of desert and rocks.

(――――. I ......)

　The magic power of song.

　Arueno's reciting of the poem unearths Kian's memories of his childhood.

　Before he was banished.

　There were hard times, but thanks to Sarah, those distant days were somehow enjoyable...

　He will rise.

　He will rise and become rich.

　To be able to eat a full meal and have beautiful women on his left and right.

　Amongst all these worldly wishes, one pure wish sprang up like the flame of a candle.

　I want to go home.

　To the home from which I was banished.

　Even if no one is waiting for me anymore.

　I want to go home.

　I reach for the days like jewels floating in the darkness.

　There is no response.

　The city of Azrail faded away in a haze like a shimmer.

　...... My arms cut the sky in vain.

『Kian』

　The voice of the glasses whispered as if to pull him back to consciousness.

『You, are you crying?』

「............. This is rain.」

　Kian muttered as he batted away the ghosts.

　The sound of the rain beating the grass and flowers intensifies.

「It's just rain.」

『............』

「...... Rain, it's just rain.」

『I see. I wish you many happy adventures wherever your adventures take you.』

　Robert, who was waving a torch behind him, shouted to Kian.

「All riiighhtttt! The rain is easing off!」

「...... Serena」

「Yeah! One more breath!」

　The girl of the Silver Wolf tribe shouted to inspire everyone as she pierced the body of the ghost with a fine white flash from her staff.

　As Arueno continued her prayer, she took out a knife and cut a bit off Esther's ponytail, who was also kneeling in prayer.

　The old elvish language turned into the common language of the West.

「O mother who bore this girl! Her name is Lumidra! I grant you your wish! Here comes your daughter!」

　Arueno drew a long, jeweled staff from her back and pointed it at the altar.

　Esther's brown hair was scattered on the altar, and the flames of the torches lit on the altar rose with great force.

　The rain falling from the sky intensified for a moment, then gradually lost its momentum.

　The Rain Wraiths that had been coming in droves from the sky slowed down and their appearance became hazy.

　The process became overwhelmingly easier, and the number of ghosts surrounding the group quickly dwindled.

　And then――.

「Who broke my curse?」

　Suddenly.

　The brown-haired woman had appeared in front of the wall of roses.

　　×　　×　　×

　The cold rain that had been pouring down steadily stopped.

　If Robert was right, the rain that had been falling for seventeen years had stopped.

　The clouds that had covered the sky so thickly were dissipated by the wind, and the white moon peeked out from between the clouds.

　The pitter-pattering sound of shrubby leaves dropping accumulated raindrops into puddles echoed around us.

「『Lyanancy』, it that you. ......」

　The ghosts are gone.

　Robert, who was holding a torch, whispered to a woman with long brown hair who appeared in front of the wall of roses with a stunned expression.

　The "Lyanancy" Kian had seen a few hours earlier in the 『Rose Labyrinth』 was dressed.

　She was dressed in moss-colored clothes that gave a somber impression.

　Kian heard that she was originally summoned here as a servant, and was asked to work as a gardener by the summoner. Her sober clothes may be a remnant of that.

　The evil spirit of a brown-haired woman flops toward this side on her bare feet.

「......!」

「Get back!」

　Kian and Serena step forward with their weapons at the ready.

　But Robert's thick arm is placed on Kian's shoulder.

「Let me talk to that guy.」

「It's dangerous. Better not to.」

「Still, ....... That's all I did. If we're going to take her down, I want to talk to her first and apologize.」

　Robert asked earnestly.

　Kian looked at him for a while, but decided to step aside once he seemed determined.

　However, he kept his hand on the wooden sword.

　Serena, standing on the opposite side of the room across from Robert, similarly lowered a drawn knife to the lower level. For the time being, the knife blade did not turn back(?), which seemed to indicate that she had no intention of cutting 『Lyanancy』 right away.

「――――」

　There was a low shake sound behind him, and Arueno finished putting up her warding.

　Now Esther would not be killed by the art of spirit absorption.

　But for Robert ― Doesn't know what will happen.

「I'll be fine. We'll have a little talk. When I'm done, I'll leave the rest to you guys.」

　The bear man said just that and went out in front of 『Lyanancy』.

「...... Robert」

「Yaa, ...... you can talk. After all that, uh, when I stabbed you in the throat.」

「Why?」

　Lyanancy turned her brown eyes from between her long bangs to the bear man.

「Why did you kill me? It was painful and it was cold ...... and I was sad.」

「I'm sorry. But you almost killed me. I had no choice but to do what I did to survive. Or would you have listened to me if I told you, 'Being with you sucks my life, so please don't get involved with me at all in the future'?」

「I loved Robert. But wasn't that the case with Robert?」

「Of course I loved you. Halfway through. But...... I couldn't give up my own life. You have to understand. It was impossible for you to live with me, a mere mortal, when you could activate the art of spirit absorption without even realizing it.」

「No way. We spent a lot of time together. Robert laughed. He said he needed me. ......Or was it all a lie?」

「That's not it. I just didn't want to die. How many times have I told you? I want your love, but I also want my life....... I was just weighing between these two choices.」

「Why didn't you choose me? Why did you do such a horrible thing?」

「I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.」

「You're not answering the question. Why did you kill me?」

　The female evil spirit stared at Robert, who shrank small with icy cold eyes.

　The evil spirit 『Lyanancy』 loves singing and art.

　She certainly has intelligence.

　But it was hard to believe that Robert was having a conversation with her.

　Perhaps 『Lyanancy』 really did not understand Robert's fear and desire not to die.

　From 『Lyanancy's』 point of view, the bear man is nothing but a hateful human race who betrayed her love.

　He is nothing but a crazy man who slaughtered her one day after she had devoted herself to him every day of her life.

　Lyanancy doesn't understand Robert's feelings.

　Because she is pure, ephemeral, and doesn't know the structure of human malice.

　So no matter how much intelligence she has and how well she can manipulate language, she is still just an evil spirit.

「Robert. You killed me.」

　『Lyanancy』 opened her eyes and whispered lowly without blinking.

「That's why, I'm going to kill you, too.」

「――――!? Guuuaaaahhh!?」

　Suddenly, a hand is extended to Robert's thick neck.

　The hand, like a pale branch, easily wrapped around the base of the bear man's neck and began to suck up his life force.

「Tsk ......!」

　Kian's eyes widen and he raises his wooden sword.

　But before he could take a step forward, he was quickly restrained by Serena with her hand.

「......!?」

「――――」

　Serena shook her head at Kian, who peeled his eyes away.

　The hand of 『Lyanancy』 that had been choking Robert's neck had loosened, its strength drained from it.

「『L-Lyanancy』 ......?」

　Robert shook his shoulders with beads of sweat on his forehead.

　In front of him, 『Lyanancy』 was staring at a brown-haired girl who was staring at her within the ward that Arueno had put up.

　Oddly enough, they have the same face and the same height.

　While Esther is a little plump, 『Lyanancy』 is slender and sickly looking, but they are almost identical in appearance.

　『Lyanancy's』 mouth was open, as if she had seen her own face in a mirror.

　But the tears in her eyes made that blank expression disappear.

　『Lyanancy』 looked at Esther and let the tears run down her cheeks.

「Es......ther? Is that my, sweet Esther?」

「............」

　Esther looks like she is at a loss as to what to answer.

「Don't answer her call. She could connect your path.」

　Arueno says this quietly.

　As a result, Esther could only smile awkwardly at her mother.

　But that was enough for 『Lyanancy』, apparently.

「All this time..... I've been looking for you for a long time. Since the day I was killed and Esther was taken from me. There were others with similar hair and faces. But human faces are like drawings on a canvas, they look almost identical to me. If it's a small bird's face, I can recognize it, you know......?」

　The face of 『Lyanancy』 had gone from a woman's face to that of a mother.

　She smiles at Esther, wiping away tears with her fingers.

「You are alive and well, aren't you? I'm glad. He didn't kill you like he did to me.」

　Kian stepped to Robert's side.

　He looked down at 『Lyanancy』 and quietly spun his words.

「Esther still needs Robert-san. If he is killed here and now, it will be difficult for Esther to survive in human society.」

「――――」

「It is also impossible for you to raise Esther. She is mostly human, unlike you. If you spend time with her, she will be sucked alive by you, just as Robert-san was, and she will eventually weaken and die.」

「...... She will not die.」

「No, she will die for sure. Don't you get it yet? You are an evil spirit. If you live with other races, you can't help but take life from them. ...... Robert-san and Esther are essentially nothing more than prey to you. They're things not so different from venison steaks.」

「............」

「『Lyanancy』. I'm sorry for the horrible things I've done to you. But ......, I have an obligation to raise Esther. In another ten years or so, I may pass away, but I will make sure Esther is ready to live on her own by then. So ......, I can't die yet. I'm sorry for being selfish.」

「――――」

　Lyanancy was silently staring at Esther.

　She seemed to be thinking about something, in her own way.

　Robert gulped nervously and pulled his axe from his back.

　Kian was slowly retreating from 『Lyanancy』 with him.

「...... Very well」

　It seemed as if a battle was about to break out, but after a few moments, 『Lyanancy』 spoke only a few words. It was a single word, like a fish spouting bubbles.

　She turned her back to Kian and the others.

　Her moss-colored dress and long brown hair fluttered in the after-rain breeze.

「Go home, Robert. Don't show your face again here」

「『Lyannancy』, I...」

「The mental pollution will be gone tonight. Protect Esther and live quietly in the East End.」

「.............! I-I'm sorry. ......」

「Esther.」

　『Lyanancy』 turns her face slightly to look at the girl in the ward.

「............」

　Esther, forbidden by Arueno to respond, stares at her mother, who looks just like her.

　『Lyanancy』 smiled faintly at her daughter and began to walk towards the rose wall.

「Grow up well. Be as beautiful and healthy as these roses. That is all a mother can wish for.」

「......Mom......」

「And ....... Looks like you narrow escape from death, Human in the skin of Remi Cain」

　She said to Kian, her fangs peeking out from her lips.

「Your smell is unpleasant. Next time I find you, I will kill you. Don't come near this place again.」

　　×　　×　　×

　As it is, 『Lyanancy』 disappears into the wall of roses.

　A series of adventures end in success, though not a great success――

　Right.

　Everyone thought so.

　Even Kian, although disappointed that the quest seemed to be a failure, was relieved that his client did not have to die.

　But it didn't end.

　『Lyanancy』, standing in front of the rose wall, suddenly bent her body into a "く" shape and began to suffer.

「Ugh, aaaghhh, ahh, aghhh, gaaahhhhhh!」

「『Lyannancy』!」

　Kian shook his head, holding back Robert, who reflexively ran up to her.

「There's something wrong. Get away from her!」

「Damn ......!」

「This is ......!」

　Serena covers her nose with her arm and retreats.

　Her light blue eyes were staring at 『Lyanancy』, who was disappearing in a black fog.

「Arueno-san!」

「Everyone, step back! Do not touch that fog! That's like a curse!」

　Arueno shouted while protecting Esther.

　I didn't need to be told that.

　No matter how one looked at it, the fog that enveloped 『Lyanancy』 was strange.

　It was the same black fog that had enveloped her when Kian first met her after he took care of Funnelwing and his men.

(What the hell? That fog is not part of the body of 『Lyanancy』. It's something else)

『It's a contract.』

　Glasses said quietly.

『Or a curse. Kian, the charm no longer works on that thing. If it gets dangerous, use these guys as bait to escape.』

「Ahh, Aaaahhhhh, aaagaah, gaahhhhh, Ggaahhhhh!!」

　The evil spirit woman's screams seemed to be gradually losing control.

　It seems as if her beastly nature is increasing along with it.

「Aaahhhh, aaAAaahhhh, AaahAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!」

　The last was unmistakably the roar of a beast.

　She bared her fangs and howled at the white moon in the night sky.

　Her slender body, clad in a moss-colored dress, swelled up with a crackling sound, and her brown eyes, which had been lit by the light of reason, turned the color of blood.

　Her stature swelled.

　More than Kian, more than Robert.

　Her body transformed into a tough, strong body, like a golem produced by Arueno.

　The fabric of the dress that covered her arms was torn away, exposing muscular arms with floating black veins.

　The black fog is sucked slyly into her mouth as she bares her fangs and howls ferociously.

「GAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!」

　The roar of the beast, which had some semblance of a woman's voice, echoed through the Rose Garden.

　She had nearly one-meter nails growing out of her hands, and her hands were outstretched as if exalted by the power overflowing from within.

「Is this ...... 『Lyanancy』......?」

　Robert gritted his teeth and let it slip.

　Arueno's eyes narrowed.

「No, it's not. It is a being called a vampire. A powerful race that was once supposed to have perished. ......!」

「GARRRRRRRRRR......」

　With claws and fangs sprouting, 『Lyanancy』 spilled drool from her ripped mouth and turned toward Kian and the others.

　The hem of her moss-colored dress skirt revealed her muscular knees and below.

　Her red eyes burst open.

　With a dofun, stagnant magic power was released into the surroundings, and as if in response, multiple ghosts clad in black cloth crawled out of the darkness of the labyrinth.

「It's the Night Wraith!」

　Kian shouted as he pushed Robert toward Arueno's ward.

「Be careful, their breath is deadly poisonous. They're worse than the Rain Wraiths!」

「How can she has more than one Night Wraith under her control ......」

　Serena grits her teeth and retreats slowly.

　But ― if it had been just Kian and his party, it might have been possible to retreat, but now there is Pigfoot and his daughter.

　Arueno tried to open the Transfer Gate by thrusting her staff into the ground, but it seemed that the purple electricity was scattered in space in the process and the technique was canceled.

　The next thing they knew, Kian and his group were swallowed up in a large dueling space surrounded by a wall of roses. It seems that the area in front of the rose wall was already within the realm of the vampire(s).

「Damn ......! Kian, 'Thorny', what do we do!?」

「Arueno-san, Serena.」

　Kian called out as he snatched the axe from Robert.

「You two protect the Pigfoot father and daughter. I'll deal with that thing.」

「No, I am the one dealing with the vampire, Kian-kun」

　Arueno said and thrust her staff and short spear, which were in a holder on her back, into the ground.

　The wards she had put up became even more highly concentrated.

「Robert-kun, Esther-san, never leave there!」

　The High Elven Sister said, and then pulled the last remaining armament ― a huge long sword as tall as she was ― from its sheath.

　The beautiful silvery-white blade of the sword, reminiscent of moonlight, is revealed.

　The vampire-turned-『Lyanancy』 backed away as if in fear before the brilliance of the sword.

「Kian-kun, you and Serena-san take on the Night Wraith. I will subdue the vampire.」

「Nonsense! A magician is going to imitate a vanguard!」

　Arueno winks at Kian, who peels his eyes.

「Even though I'm like this, this old lady is also good with a sword, you know. Just a little, though.」

　Her figure disappears with the sound of her voice.

　It's a small-scale―transfer technique that doesn't use gates.

　A high metallic sound made Kian look ahead, and he saw that the vampire's claws and Arueno's long sword were amid a scuffle.

　However, Arueno is dealing with a monster whose arms are as thick as her torso alone.

「......!」

　Arueno is being pushed by the force of the vampire's arm.

　Her limpid magic power is burning up.

　Her thin arms tremble and her back arches.

　The Elf Sister's eyes were distorted in pain.

「GAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!」

　The vampire, who let out a bloodcurdling roar, raised her left arm while pushing back the sword blade just barely with the claws of her right hand.

「......!」

　Immediately, Arueno jumps.

　Transfer.

　Transfer.

　Transfer......!

　The white vestments of the Western Church flew up in the dark night, and several silver slashing lines flashed around the vampire.

　The vampire's claws and Arueno's magical weapon made contact multiple times, causing orange sparks to fly.

「Kian!」

　Serena's voice brought him back to his sense.

　The black-robed ghosts were approaching, attracted by the wards that Arueno had set up.

「............!......!......!」

　Kian quickly kneaded his magic power and held his wooden sword in front of his eyes.

(Let's start with these guys first ......!)

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