| Author: Tensei Mikami | Original Source: Syosetu | Word Count: 2269 characters |
| Translator: Jiro | English Source: Re:Library | Word Count: 839 words |
| Editor(s): Robinxen | ||
Gildam Empire’s Fortified City of Ulbdor was a young, yet prosperous city. However, that city was now facing a decline. Its order had collapsed, its ethics had become disordered, and at the same time tyranny and arrogance abounded
The farther one ventured from the city, the more pronounced these unfavorable conditions became, ultimately transforming Ulbdor into a nightmarish realm.
Outside the city, a multitude of demons roamed, posing a dire threat. The chances of survival were slim for the vulnerable and timid inhabitants. The fragile and cowardly people’s impending future held the possibility of falling prey to these monsters.
Confronted with the grim reality of irrational death, shallow human desires were expressed through excuses and desperation. In a narrow alleyway, the piercing scream of a woman echoed.
Doubt was visible in the eyes of the man who was holding her down. He might have been an ordinary individual, walking unassumingly along a well-lit path just the day before.
Beside feelings of remorse and desperation, he allowed desire to cloud his vision. The middle-aged man, frail and emanating the odor of alcohol and filth, exerted all his strength to press the young woman’s arm against the unyielding cobblestone pavement.
“No! Let go of me! Stop!”
“Shut up! Be good and I’ll be good to you too… Okay?”
The woman’s clothing was torn and disheveled due to her struggles, leaving her almost half-naked.
Unable to suppress his lecherous excitement upon seeing the woman’s shapely breasts, the man swiftly unfastened his leather belt and pulled down his pants in a single fluid motion.
A vibrant scarlet blossom bloomed on his back, a stark contrast against his exposed form. Perplexed and vulnerable, the man remained oblivious to what had just occurred. He surrendered his consciousness to the unknown and met his demise1.
The pulsating blood from the man’s wound fell onto the woman’s face as she gazed up in astonishment.
Observing the man, now limp and feeble like a tattered, tangled puppet, she could barely fathom that she had been rescued.
“Just wh-” the bewildered woman murmured, her eyes capturing a delicate hand resembling porcelain-white.
The girl’s deep-blue eyes shimmered like precious gems. The figure before her, neither boy nor girl but possessing an immense beauty, extended a hand to her.
“A-Are you a ghost?” the woman uttered in a state of delirium.
The ghost offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
“Everything will be alright.”
◆ ◆ ◆ ◆ ◆
“Dear A-… Sir Tieck…… Please stop jumping out of the carriage like that. I can understand that your intentions are noble, but you don’t have to help each time…”
“I apologize.”
Inside the carriage, Seletina offered her apology to the sweating Empire’s soldier sitting across from her. Yet she refrained from addressing her own conduct.
“Are you content now?” Lichter asked with a touch of sarcasm, letting out a small, bored yawn.
“I am.”
The kukri knife which he fiddled with in his hand to kill the boredom glistened alluringly as if anticipating an impending moment.
Seletina’s thoughts wandered to the six innocent citizens she had aided from the moment she entered Ulbdor until this juncture. Each one had been tearfully grateful.
This city is going crazy. Fear must be gradually consuming the people’s sanity…
The cityscape reflected beyond the window exuded an air of decadence. The once bustling stores that lined the streets had all been looted, leaving the thoroughfares devoid of any pedestrian activity.
Only a few souls roamed the streets. Those who indulged in intoxication while the sun hung high in the sky, or those engaged in skirmishes. There were also groups of arsonists roaming about, on the prowl for their next target.
The grim state of affairs meant that children and women dared not venture onto these streets. In such a harshly transformed city, where could one even go?
“……”
Silence shrouded the convoy carrying Seletina and her companions as it navigated the city’s desolation.
Seletina and Lichter, the two individuals who had managed to reverse the tide of a seemingly hopeless war, received a warm reception from the Empire’s army. In this dire context, the military recognized the potency of these two men as a valuable asset.
In case of an emergency and with the approval of the general, attendance at the meeting was permitted even without proof of identity.
Determined to gather more information about the current state of Ulbdor and willing to collaborate with any organization to rescue the city, Seletina saw the military’s offer as a providential opportunity.
The two members of Flowing Shadows had vanished, expressing their desire to disassociate themselves from the organizational affairs.
I’m worried about Imitia, but protecting the citizens of Ulbdor should be my immediate priority for now. She and this crest can wait.
Gently patting her neck, Seletina released a heavy sigh. Her journey through the Empire was meant to be leisurely, yet as anticipated, there was no respite for heroes.
On the brink of collapse, Ulbdor welcomed the young hero into its heart, enveloped in an atmosphere of melancholy.
