Vol. 1 - Ch. 303 - Holy Land Lunazert (7)

"We were right. They indeed left their horses in the village, and took the unofficial route. The horses they'd borrowed from the Rosario's police are in the lodging. I inquired about the exact timeline from its owner. They'd only rested for a few hours and departed soon."

Justin announced the result of his inquiry he had made in the village at the entrance of the unofficial route to his colleagues waiting outside at the village's entrance. Dew rubbed his temple as if enduring a headache.

"Argh, that dumb brat...! He doesn't have an ounce of cuteness in him. He could've waited for our reinforcement, showed some hesitations, or be worried about it, but no. He had to jump immediately! .......No, hold on a minute. I reaaaally hope his plan isn't something as retarded as sneaking inside the Holy Land without any proof. ...Right, his screws shouldn't be that loose, right?!"

Dew tried to hold an optimistic outlook, eliciting a burst of laughter from Parth.

"Ahahaha! You know it's Allen we're talking about. The same person who became lost in the dead centre of Empire no less, becoming friends with the Imperial Prince without coming into anyone's radar, and made it back. You're holding your eggs in the wrong basket if you think he wouldn't sneak in!"

Justin nearby nodded repeatedly to his remark.

"When he didn't even care about picking a fight with the forces of other nations at Rosemieur, I doubt a mere place would deter him either. The reputation of Holy Land is exactly not pristine either right now, and let's be honest, we're talking about Allen. I wouldn't put it past him to kill one or two rotten priests already. Don't you think so, Parth-san?"

Justine and Parth gleefully fanned Dew who still had been harboring some hope.

"H-he wouldn't go that far! He is evidently not the obedient bunch, but even he should know to keep a distinction between who's enemy and who's not! I mean, he's actually quite the steadfast guy, that I give him! Isn't it so, Dante?!"

Almost as if pleading to keep that meagre hope alive, Dew darted his eyes to Dante. Albeit, the latter averted his face with an awkward expression, and murmured.

"......Hopefully, he shouldn't be burning it down... the Holy Land, i mean."

The ominous remark had both Justine and Parth bursting out into booming laughter. 

"Hahahaha! You know to pick your words, Dante-kun! Alright, we should immediately leave them. Can't be late for the party, eh? It would be a shame!"

"Come on, make it haste, Dew-san! Annoyed Allen and Holy Land is a combo beyond any of us to moderate. It's time for Dew Owiel to show why you're called an «Efficient Worker»! Remember, Yuglia might become the world's enemy overnight if you're late!"

Then, without waiting for Dew's response, the three dashed away like an arrow out of its bow.

"I... I don't want to gooooo!"

Feeling incredulous at the already disappearing silhouette of his subordinates, Dew howled facing the heaven.

And thus, the four elites of the Knight Order's 3rd Legion covered the hidden route with frightening agility enough to be mistaken for flying as their black mantle fluttered behind them.

◆◆◆

"This is Lunazert's sanctum sanctorum, and this is northeast which means...... the boulder of a sealed snake is it."

Coco carefully scrutinised his surrounding as he rummaged through his memory, recalling the work of his ancestor he had once read in passing, as he figured the position of his landmark—it was a small shrine said to be built atop the place a saintess once sealed a evil snake—and walked further into the depth. 

".........There it is. The Durlian Tree."

Though it was information from long in the past his Canardia family had kept, he had found what he was searching for at last.

Durlian Tree. It was hailed as a demonic tree for bearing a cursed fruit that gave off an unbearable stench of rottenness. 

While the fruit still hangs from the branches, it gives off a sweet, banana-like fragrance that drifts through the air. But the moment it falls and splits open, it releases a fetid odor so powerful that every living creature in the vicinity is said to lose consciousness on the spot.

The tree then ensnares the unconscious creatures with its roots and absorbs them as nourishment. 

At the same time, along with that information, there was one more information recorded in the ancient records of the Canardia family—

«Though the fruit of the Durlian Tree is said to be shunned by all living beings, I discovered an exceptional case deep within the St. Angol mountain range. I witnessed minions of the King of Flies gathering in an instant around fallen fruit that had begun emitting its foul stench, carrying it away. —Perhaps, there is more than meets the eyes, a history far too deep, for why it has been called the «Cursed Fruit» since ancient times......»

◆◆◆

In the grand hall, having Jeu and Rina taken hostage separately, Allen endured the torment of the chief deacon. 

All of his weapons were confiscated, as were every drug and tool he had brought with him. On top of that, his hand had been tied by Chains of Mana Sealing, a tool inhibiting the use of attribute conversion ability. 

Of course, the chains were an unnecessary addition when Allen had not a shred of talent for attribute conversion in himself, but regardless, he was subjected to thorough torture by the hands of chief deacon Pirka—the chief of Temple of Trials while preventing him from resisting.

He was subjected to question after question; whether spirits truly existed, or was the "Wind" an undiscovered attribute talent, and more besides. To each, Allen answered with things like, “Who knows,” or, “Wouldn’t that be nice,” neither affirming nor denying anything.

With each vague response, Pirka step up his torture methods until at last, Allen, having endured all with an expressionless face, dropped to one knee. 

"Kuku! Kuhahaha! What happened to that bravado you had when you first showed up?! Weren’t you going to ‘save them right away’?! This is what you get for underestimating me! Eat that shit, brat!!”

Tomora, who had been spectating at the proceeding from afar with a grin, burst into laughter abruptly. Even so, he kept his distance, half-hiding behind Rina and making no move to approach carelessly.

Pirka showed no mercy as he brought the cudgel crashing down again and again onto Allen’s back.

Even then, Allen did not show the slightest sign of resistance.

And then, taking the full force of a blow swung into his temple, Allen was finally knocked to the ground.

“…That one landed. He won’t be moving for a while.”

Pirka said in a flat, emotionless tone.

“R-Ren… big brother…!”

Rina, who had already cried until her throat hurt, let out a hoarse scream.

"......You are just no fun. I thought you'd be more than just a lunatic, but look at me, it appears I expected too much from you...... Truly, reality is often disappointment."

Tomora spat coldly, his earlier good humor completely gone.

On the opposite side of the hall, Jeu—who had been watching the events unfold—ground her teeth in frustration, the chains binding her creaking as she strained against them.

Seeing this, Dolittle let out a lecherous smile. He once again fastened the chastity choker around Jue’s neck and whispered into her ear.

“Look closely, Jeuri. The man you took fancy to, his patheticness... He's no hero of any tale, but a mere child. Of course, if you swear lifelong loyalty to me, I might have his life spared at least."

“…What I feel for Allen is not something so frivolous as love. Don't waste your breath, I will never swear loyalty to you.”

"Kukuky. So stubborn still, eh? . I have bad news for you. As a fact, I am quite sensitive to people's emotions, whether good or bad. I assured you that your feeling for that kid is love."

"......Love? And I...?"

Jeu tilted her head, as if the reply was beyond her expectation.

Dolittle nodded with a confident face. 

"Love, yes. And when that boy is carved apart before your eyes, when he begs for death, when he pleads for mercy, and finally when *he* begs to be saved instead of you, then you will know true despair. At that moment, you won’t be able to hold yourself together as you do now. You will inevitably submit to me—”

“…I’ve heard quite enough of your delusions.”

Jeu interrupted his words, shaking her head. Dolittle raised a cynic grin hearing her.

"Hehe. Do you truly understand now? See for yourself, there's no more miracle to escape from the current predicament. We knew his character, and we knew he would sneak inside our home all alone. We are the writer of the script, and he danced on our tune all along. Oh, believe me we have been prepared."

Then, suddenly the closed door to the 3rd floor flung open. 

Cornal, the cardinal deacon and the overseer of Lunazert, took his entry, flanked by two paladins. 

His fingers were adorned with four rings, each imbued with a different color of stone. Though, they're more than just mere jewelry. They're a special kind of mana tool, capable of providing the wearer poison resistance among many things, and costed as much as a lavish house.

"......Hmph. You know how to act. You're barely scratched, aren't you? It might be possible to fool Pirka, but don't you expect your tricks to work on me."

Cornal seemed to have stared at the fallen Allen for a moment, and coldly remarked.

Seeing as his cover was seen through, Allen got back to his feet with not a crease of anguish on his face, much to the shock of Pirka.

"H-How could it be!! I definitely felt the feedback that my last hit got through! How could I not know when I have beaten so many people to pulp!"

Allen shrugged, unimpressed.

"Hmph. Don't count me in the same breath as those amateurs. I dare say no one has trained themselves to 'get beaten soundly' as much as I have since childhood."

Of course, much of his desperation in training that skill had erupted to avoid Rose's follow up beating.

"......You're an odd person. There are hostages against you, you have no weapon, and you've been tied to the chains inhibiting your talent. Yet, everything about you screams to display your attempt to buy some time."

"—*Scoff*. I am not waiting for a miracle, I am going to create the miracle, and no one's here to stop me. And funny you speak of me when your fingers are all laden with protections. Wait, you can't be still afraid of me—a mere kid who barged alone, eh?"

For a moment, the two locked eyes, their gazes colliding in the air between them.

".....All alone...? Oh, you greenhorn."

Cornal snapped his fingers, and immediately, a chief deacon came in carrying cuffed and gagged Lynd, throwing him at Cornal's feet. 

He looked badly beaten before being brought here; blood seeped from multiple wounds across his body.

“F-father…! Why… why would you do this for someone like me…?”

As the deacon roughly tore the gag from his mouth, Lynd called out to Rina.

"You... aren't alone... Rina. You're not alone. And you bastards, you're the one who kidnapped our precious girl, huh! ...Release her... now."

Rina shook her head frantically, sobs spilling from her throat.

"You're not naive enough to think we wouldn't notice another of your rat? We already had the reports from Rosario. Your other accomplice apparently plucked the «Cursed Fruit» and fled immediately after tossing it into Holy Land. Rest assured, it damages nothing, and soon we will catch him too."

Allen shrugged dramatically, and then raised his both hands, palm up.

"I see, so that's what he was doing? I can breathe in relief. Anyway, why are you acting like a ghost is on your trails? You have a reason to reveal yourself, don't you? You caught yourself in another disaster or what?"

Cornar's brow shot up as Allen inquired with a glee.

"...Too many hostages are as good as one in this case. This rugged man in particular is nothing more than a waste of breath. Don't you think so?"

At Cornal's implication, the deacon standing by Lynd's feet gave the axe in his hand a shake. Allen simply chuckled.

"You guys underestimate your boss too much. ...Boss, will you die if it helps Rina?"

Though it was an unexpected question, Lynd immediately responded with a chuckle after a moment of confusion.

"Of, bloody, course. I am... Lynd of Apple!"

Cornal’s irritation plainly surfaced on his face.

"......You don't think your bluff will work seriously, do you? Do it. He's already wasting the air in this room by existing."

Then, the chief deacon had just prepared to swing down the axe, when—

"Rina!" Allen yelled. 

He met her gaze squarely and gave a firm nod.

“I’ll save you. I promise. Believe, and run.”

Once he was sure Rina's eyes were lit with courageous glint, he swung his bound hands upward.

At the same instant, the curtains shrouding the windows were ripped aside by a sudden gust of wind, flooding the hall with light from every direction.

“I can feel your presence, Kiana-san! I know—I believe you're here!"

The next moment, an arrow loose from a fully drawn great bow shattered the reinforced glass of the window in a spray of fragments.

Comments