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Last Embryo Volume 4 Prologue Part 1

Translator: DarkHeartedAlchemist

Today, I have once again dreamt of the world that I have abandoned. The world outside of the miniature garden that I have once held in my hands. The world beyond the wall, beyond the sea and beyond the border. A happy, peaceful world where I was happily running around and playing without being tied by anything along with my parents and sister, whose faces I have already forgotten.

This is a dream that will never come true, and this is a family that I will never be allowed to have.

While thinking about the sister whom I will have to kill one day. . .

. . . I, Kudou Ayato wield my Serpens Scorpius sword while enduring a true hell.

(. . . . . . . . . . Is it morning already?)

With my back leaning against the trunk of a large tree, I slowly opened my exhausted eyes to notice that I was on the beach, which looked like it was bathed in blood due to the crimson rays of the rising sun. I did not remember falling asleep in this place, which can only mean that I must have lost consciousness at some point. When I realized that, it made me smile with self-deprecation. The training and the tests I have been going through right now have been tougher than anything I could possibly have imagined, so something like that happening obviously cannot be helped, but still… if Scathach-sensei were to see me in such a pathetic state right, I wonder just what kind of inhumane punishment would she have imposed upon me for showing such blatant signs of weakness? Knowing the answer to that question, the words have left my mouth without me even having to lift my fatigued head to look at the one they were directed towards.

「. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . This is so unlike you, Scathach-sensei. Surely you must have realized that I am no longer out of it?」

「Oh, so you have already awaken?」

A voice of a young woman reached my ears from beyond the other side of the large tree I was leaning against. I have no idea when she got there or how long was she standing there, but I knew it was just like my master to appear out of the blue like that without allowing anyone around her to notice her presence. While clutching my beloved sword as if my life depended on it, I continued talking without daring to look back at my master, even though I knew she was right there behind me, well within my reach.

「I just happened to drift back into consciousness just now. Dealing with that herd of marine monsters has left me so exhausted that I am honestly surprised that I still have some energy left to talk. I feel so exhausted that I might just die if I am not careful, you know?」

「I am well aware of that, but since this is your final exam to become The Queen’s Knight once more, then by all means it should not be an easy one. On that note, exhaustion, even to the point where your own body refuses to listen to what you command it to do, is by no means an excuse to be falling asleep in the middle of the enemy territory. What if someone were to launch a surprise attack at you when you would be at your most vulnerable. . . ?」

It felt like Scathach-sensei was not done talking just yet, but before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the sound of wind being cut through at unbelievable speed made by the blade of my sword whip drawing an arc in the air around the tree. Serpens Scorpius’s blade ­­–which I have swung with inevitable sharpness without making any unnecessary movements– pierced the trunk of the tree that separated us and went straight towards Scathach-sensei’s neck, stopping just an inch away from it.

「Your words of wisdom and concern are appreciated, but I assure you that there is no reason for you to be worrying about my well-being. It does not matter where or when, my sword will always be ready to cut any villain who tries to approach me without fail, same as it did with all those crabs yesterday. But if you still do not believe me, then perhaps I should demonstrate to you that I am speaking the truth here and now, if you so desire?」

It might have been caused by the exhaustion from the incredibly fierce battle I had to go through just a few hours earlier, but I was definitely not acting as my usual self. Usually, I would have noticed Scathach-sensei’s approach and immediately hit her with all of my fighting spirit at all of its intensity, but now, I was not even aware of her being here until after a few moments after my consciousness returned to me, which made me feel embarrassed at myself. If I were at my top condition, I would have never allowed myself to make a blunder like that. Also, she was essentially right with what she said. Even though I claimed that I would be ready whenever an enemy would have approached me, it was still careless of me to fell asleep in the middle of the enemy territory simply because I managed to dispatch one large group of them. If another one or two showed up when I was drifting away in the dreamworld, then things could have been pretty bad for me, and that is what made it all the more frustrating. I was about to pull myself back on my feet and prepare to fight once more, but contrary to my expectations, Scathach-sensei continued to stand where she stood and talked without paying attention to my internal struggle.

「Fufufu~~ That haughty confidence of your is of your most charming qualities, and the one that I personally like the most about you. But you do not have to be so alarmed this time. You were so late in coming back that I simply came to see what was that all about, and that is all there is to it.」

Scathach-sensei said something like that while happily placing her hand on her chin. Her words genuinely surprised me, and to be honest, left me more than a little confused. I never expected someone like her, the strictest teacher in Little Garden, to come check up on me and offer such soft, gentle words on top of that. I was prepared to get a fierce scolding session for my lack of vigilance at all times, so hearing her say something like that made me feel a little awkward for repaying her kindness with the attack of my sword, so I promptly called its extended blade back to my side.

「Then I feel like I should ask you to forgive me, Scathach-sensei. You are someone who mastered every possible martial art to its absolute peak, someone who is hailed with both reverence and fear of her skills as the Ultimate God of War, Goddess of the Dead, Mistress of the Land of Shadows, Demon Lord, The Devil and a Fiend of Battlefield, so I never thought that someone like you, who is spoken of with such fear-inducing metaphors would be able to show such compassion and consideration to a mere human like myself. So please, forgive me for my rudeness in thinking about you like that.」

「Hey,  be careful with that mouth of yours now. Even though I am in a good mood today, that does not mean I will allow you to walk around such a verbal minefield.」

Next time I hear a remark like that, I will kill you, she added with a smile that could send chills down my spine even though I did not see Scathach-sensei’s face. If she gave me such a generous warning instead of trying to knock my head off my shoulders right from the get-go, then she really must have been in a good mood. I wonder what happened to make her feel that way?

Whatever it was, it made me crack a little smile myself as I continued to watch the bloody shores of the morning beach.

「Looks like the rudeness of my words really got to you after all. Please forgive me, master.」

「There is no way in hell I will ever forgive you for insulting me in such a boorish way, but I do like your guts and spirit, and the courage it took to mouth off to me like that, so I am willing to let your blasphemy slide this one time as a special exception. But enough about that. So, how was it? Fighting against The Great Enemy of the Celtic Pantheon, The Sea Beast Rokuran I mean?」