| Author: Shizuku | Original Source: Syosetu | Word Count: 3021 characters |
| Translator: Nomad | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 1191 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
The dragon’s three heads could not regenerate, but that did not leave him defenseless. Ruri’s kimono fluttered in the wind as she ascended the watery path, until a barrage of fireballs, Onibi Mai—one of Ryuka’s most potent spells, now intensified—hurled towards her. The fireballs, though fist-sized, had the power to reduce a person to ashes upon contact.
Without hesitation, Ruri darted, jumping through the gaps between the fireballs. Having been trained by Ryuka, she was familiar with the spell and could anticipate the caster’s tendencies, aiding her evasion. She danced through the onslaught—dashing, leaping, and rolling forward.
Her golden eye, the only one she had left after a careless fall into a muddy torrent where she struck her head on a rock, remained fixed on her destination: Ryuka within the dragon’s chest. It was Ryuka who had found and aided her recovery after the accident, even giving her the eyepatch she now wore. That scar and eyepatch symbolized their deep bond.
Yet, the fireballs intensified around her, singeing the edges of her kimono and charring her skin1, but she was undeterred.
“I guess I can’t just go straight ahead then!”
With her next step, a wave coursed through the watery path, spawning multiple branching paths that twisted and turned like a roller coaster. Ruri veered onto one of these paths. No longer moving in a straight line, she became more difficult for the fireballs to track.
The frequent undulations helped obscure Ruri’s position even further. She often hopped from one path to another, adding complexity to her movements. At one point, she accelerated, leaped into the air, turned around, and landed upside down on another path, where she continued her run unabated.
She would not let anything stop her.
But the onslaught of fireballs only intensified dramatically, as if the previous attacks had been mere tests.
“Utsushi Mikagami.”
Ruri chanted, summoning multiple physical clones that dashed along the diverging paths. The fireballs divided into groups to pursue the clones, but this division made them less dense and slower to react, as if a single mind struggled to control them all.
Yet, the fireballs surged in numbers again, trying to overwhelm the clones. It seemed they were doomed, but the clones drew their katanas and with swift blue slashes, cleaved the fireballs apart.
They were not just illusory clones, but actual physical ones. The clones continued along the twisting paths, leaping freely and constantly swapping positions, soon making it impossible to discern which was the real Ruri.
Eventually, all paths converged at the dragon’s chest, where Ruri and all her clones arrived simultaneously. But their path was blocked by a demonic warrior made of fire—the complete upper body of Yasha Homura, more formidable than the version Tatsumasa had previously conjured in the cave.
The Yasha Homura raised its fiery katana. The surrounding air ignited as it let out a deep roar. The red-hot blade swung down.
“Urado Mori-ryuu, Ugachidzume.”
Ruri and her clones, now shrouded in water, jumped together, leaving a spiraling trail as they plunged into the Yasha Homura. There was a momentary delay upon impact, then the water cut through the flames, dissipating the Yasha Homura into steam. Emerging from the mist, a shadow with a glimmering golden eye surveyed the scene.
“Urado Mori-ryuu, Suimonka Midaresaki.”
The blue blade transformed into a bloom with wide petals, slicing through the dragon’s chest to reveal its true purpose. As the mana peeled away, Ryuka was exposed from within.
“I’ve come to save you, Lady Ryuka.”
I landed amidst tall trees, their branches breaking under my weight to cushion my fall, allowing me to land safely.
“Are they doing alright?”
As I muttered to myself, I heard rustling behind me. Turning around, I saw Tatsumasa, who had regenerated the arm and leg he had previously lost.
“Why are you here, Lord Tatsumasa?”
“I’ve managed to regain some of my strength, thanks to the potion you gave me, though it’s not enough for me to rejoin the fight.” His regenerated limbs appeared clumsy, but he was clearly recovering, alleviating my concern for him. Nonetheless, I decided to follow him.
“Allow me to accompany you for now.”
There was no reason for us to part ways, and having depleted much of my mana, I couldn’t fight either.
“I guess Ruri ended up having to fulfill her duty as Urado Mori after all,” Tatsumasa remarked as we walked.
“Any servant would attempt to rescue their master.”
“The Urado Mori aren’t typical servants; they serve and protect in the employ of vampires.”
“They also provide their blood? Ruri mentioned it once,” I recalled a past incident at the Magic Academy when I was charmed by Ryuka’s gaze, and she revealed her vampire nature, explaining Ruri’s blood offerings.
“That is one of their duties, yes. But that’s still just the surface,” Tatsumasa sighed, continuing through the forest with a calm voice, though his expression was obscured.
“The thirst for blood and the charming gaze of vampires are dangerous traits if uncontrolled. The Urado Mori accompany a vampire to mitigate this risk, and if they sense the vampire is losing control, they have the authority to end it immediately. That’s their true role.”
“End it… Do you mean—”
I paused, processing his words, but Tatsumasa continued walking, not looking back.
“I don’t think I need to explain what that entails.”
Indeed, the implication was clear.
“Wait, why are they called Urado Mori then? That name implies protection, not termination.”
“But they do protect us. By dealing with issues swiftly, the Urado family maintains its honor and position,” he explained.
“…”
Struggling with a response, I pondered the gravity of his words.
“To that end, the Urado Mori are trained to target the heart and neck—vampires’ weak points. We Urado grow up knowing someone is always beside us with the power to end us, which compels us to control our vampiristic urges. It’s an effective deterrent.”
Given their role as rulers of the Land of Kanon, maintaining control was crucial. Any lapse could lead to catastrophic consequences, much like the civil unrest and wars of my previous world, only potentially worse here, given the existence of fantastical powers.
“But it seems Ruri doesn’t intend to kill Ryuka.”
“Y-Yes! Ruri said her katana can kill the undead, so she can defeat Vlad III while keeping Ryuka safe!”
“If she unseals the power of her Enchanted Blade, she probably can. But do you truly believe that can be achieved without paying a price?”
His words initially give me hope, but then he compels me to face a grim realization.
“To kill what is unkillable2. Such a contradiction can only be achieved by sacrificing one’s own life force. So I must ponder whether Ruri’s life is a fair trade for the life of our family’s forefather.”
I desperately want to believe that’s not the case. But there’s so much about this situation I don’t understand, making any hope feel futile.
“Even if Ryuka is saved, Ruri will die. And if by some miracle she survives, her time will be brief.”
Overwhelmed by this sobering thought, I cease my questions and follow him in silence.
