Chapter 215: The dormant weapon, part 3
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Translator: Denryuu; Editor: Ryunakama
When morning came, I contacted Almeria and Elvi, telling them to free up their schedules. They promptly did so, ensuring that they would be available for the next few days. Orlando, though she was of no relation to Lyla, asked if she could follow us.
「I’m worried about San-chan.」
She’s concerned about the safety of her old friend, I thought.
「Have I got this right?」, she continued. 「Lylael is in Jorvenssen?」
「Supposedly.」
「And San-chan, too?」
「If Lyla’s there, I wouldn’t be surprised to see her there too.」
From the weapon she used, it was obvious that Orlando specialised in being the vanguard — dealing physical attacks to enemies head-on. Looking at her delicate physique, I wondered how she had been able to lug that giant sword around at first. But when I saw her in action, I realised that she wasn’t wielding it by strength alone.
「You fight with that large sword, Orlando-dono?」
「Mhm.」
All she had said was 「I see.」 when told that I was friends with the Heroine.
「Size isn’t everything」, said Almeria smugly. 「Only children think that the larger, the better.」
It was exactly what I had told her long ago.
「Orlando-san’s swordsmanship is assisted by wind magic」, I explained. 「She can swing her sword as quickly as anyone else with a normal sword. It’s like a unique form of art.」
「Your praise makes me happy.」
Elvi had armed herself with her usual equipment — a large shield and her trusty sword. I figured that she and Orlando would cover each other’s weaknesses.
Now that we were ready, I activated my ‘Gate’ and blinked us as close to Jorvenssen as I could.
We landed on a grassy plain, beneath a rocky outcrop. What had once been the Demon King’s Castle, shrouded in mist, was just visible in the distance.
「Now this brings back memories」, said Elvi.
「Sera and Rina were with us too」, added Almeria. 「And this place was positively crawling with demons.」
「Now’s not the time to be nostalgic.」
I pressed the ladies on. I had chosen to land some distance away from the capital for no good reason other than convenience. If people had indeed returned to Jorvenssen, its capital would have the highest population density, and we would have an easier time gathering information.
「Oh yeah, speaking of Jorvenssen…」, Almeria began. 「What happened to that? Have you heard anything, Elvi?」
「Nothing at all.」
「Roland?」
「Me neither. And I don’t think anybody has bothered to find out.」
「What does ‘that’ mean?」, asked Orlando.
「It’s said that there’s an ancient magical weapon buried somewhere in Jorvenssen」, I explained. 「It feels like little more than an urban legend, though. And since none of the kingdoms have conducted an investigation — as far as I know, at least — I’m inclined to believe as much.」
Once Jorvenssen had fallen into demon hands, many of those in power had feared that the weapon would be utilised by the demons. Those fears were never realised. It then led most people to believe that the weapon never actually existed.
「Why is he so nice to Orlando?」, wondered Almeria.
「It doesn’t sit well with me either」, agreed Elvi, looking at me through squinted eyes.
「Do elves get special treatment?」
「Tell us, Roland, is it true!?」
「No.」
I sighed.
「As an employee, I’m obliged to be polite to an S-ranked adventurer.」
「So that means I should become an S-ranked adventurer too?」
「Then I’d like to become an adventurer too, Roland.」
「I doubt either of you have the time to do so.」
「Interesting」, chuckled Orlando, who never seemed to feel any sort of tension.
The streets of Jorvenssen became clearer and clearer as we walked. Piles of rubble and the ruins of buildings came into view. We also spotted a few silhouettes belonging to humans.
「I believe that this area is still overrun by monsters」, I said.
「Look, humans」, observed Orlando.
「What could they be doing there?」
「We should warn them about the possible danger」, said Elvi. 「In case they wandered here by accident.」
I found myself agreeing with her. We quickly passed through a broken gate, entering the capital of Jorvenssen proper, then split up. The first person I spotted was an old man, who I called out to.
「This area used to be a stronghold of the Demon King’s Army. There are still stragglers lurking around these parts, and I suggest that you leave for the sake for your own safety.」
There were no safe areas nearby, but I could always send them off with my ‘Gate’. Shall we, I asked the old man, but was only met with surprise.
「Demon King’s Army? What on earth are ye talking about?」
「The one and only. The army that invaded this kingdom.」
「Hear ye, hear ye. Jorvenssen has stood for three hundred years, and it ain’t gonna fall so easily.」
That was what everyone had believed — until it fell.
No matter what I said, none of it clicked for the old man. He eventually lost his patience with me and headed off. I had sensed the presence of other humans while talking to him, and these other humans seemed to be residing here rather than stopping by on their travels.
I continued walking around what remained of the streets and counted about thirty people.
I then tried my luck with another person.
「Look at these streets, now nothing but rubble」, said the man, who looked like he was around thirty years old.
He scratched his head.
「I don’t know where my family is… so I tried to clean up the house first. But my house is gone now. Man… give me a break, y’know?」
Just like the old man, he seemed to know nothing about the Demon King’s Army. It’s just not possible for a person not to know about a war that shook the world as we knew it, I thought.
I met up with the three ladies, who related similar experiences to me.
「I didn’t know there were people who know nothing about the Demon King’s Army」, said Almeria, confused.
「Could they be suffering from memory loss due to the trauma caused by the war?」, suggested Elvi.
「Possibly, but they should at least know about the invasion.」
「True. It’s weird」, agreed Orlando.
I thought about my doppelganger, who had been birthed from my right arm. Couldn’t the same happen to others? If Lyla had been alive — and whole — from what was the fake Lyla created? What if mere fragments of genetic material were enough, I wondered.
「I see. It’s a living necropolis.」
「This must be Van’s handiwork.」
A cheer erupted somewhere in the distance, and something came crawling towards us on all fours, creaking as it moved. It was a large dog with a cylindrical weapon of some sort, probably a miniature cannon, mounted on its back.
It looked up and stared fixedly in our direction. Strung along a black stripe on its face were three sky-blue eyes which turned crimson.
「What is that…?」, gasped Almeria.
「It looks hostile」, observed Orlando.
「Maybe it just wants to be friends.」
「Only if a ‘friend’ doesn’t mean the same as a ‘target’ to it」, I said, rejecting Elvi’s suggestion.
It looked like it was made of steel. I sensed that it was being controlled by neither magic nor a skill. Perhaps it could move of its own accord?
Wait. Could it be…?
「JIGAAAAAAAA!!」
The creature opened its maw. Scarlet lightning danced around the opening of the mounted cannon, turning into a ball of pure energy.
「Elvi!」
The Holy Knight raised her shield, behind which Almeria and I hid. I pulled the petrified Orlando out of harm’s way. The creature fired its cannon, which produced a unique sound as the ball of energy hurtled towards us. When it hit Elvi’s shield, however, it bounced off and vanished in mid-air.
「My turn.」
Almeria drew her sword and charged at the creature, which was charging its next shot.
「Orla’s turn, too」, said Orlando.
There could be more enemies waiting to pounce, I thought, climbing onto a ruined building and scanning the surroundings.
「Haaaaa!」
The princess, using the sword fighting techniques that were her pride and joy, slashed away. Orlando had also raised her giant sword, bringing it down on the wretched automaton.
「JIGAA-UU!!」
There was a deafening clash of metal against metal, after which the creature should have been buried deep into the ground. It became clear soon enough, though, that it was perfectly fine. Its eyeballs swivelled around, locking themselves on separate targets.
It then began launching small shots in succession.
「Shi –」
Almeria, who had been caught off guard, was flung into the air. Elvi brought her shield up. It’s impervious to both Almeria’s and Orlando’s attacks, I thought. For enemies like these…
As Elvi continued shielding herself from the barrage of shots, I activated my skill and charged at the creature. When I was close enough, I ducked and slid right beneath it.
「How about this?」
I channeled magicka into my fist and punched right through the automaton’s underbelly with ‘Magic Regus’. Unlike the two ladies’ attacks, mine went in like a knife through butter.
「JIGA…A…aa…」
Shrieking, the wretched creature collapsed. It then melted, just as the fake Lyla had.
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