Malice's True Intent Lies in Friendship: A Girl's Dawn and Her Father's Cold Blood (40)

Inside the dome of darkness, a shaft of light streaming in illuminated the beautiful floor like a single path. In that shrine-like place stood a human-shaped mass of darkness and boys and girls dressed in chiton-like clothes.

I heard the young lady call out, 'Reiji.' She had sunk to the floor, her eyelashes wet with tears.

"...What did you do to our young lady?"

It was obvious that the darkness wasn't normal. But it was equally clear that it was responsible for causing all this commotion.

【All Creation】 judged the darkness to be some kind of "living creature," but it didn't seem like an ordinary living creature. I couldn't tell more because my knowledge couldn't keep up.

"Reiji-san."

Count Slyries appeared from behind me.

The person I'd encountered just before this dome was the count. He'd waited for the nobles and priests to all leave, then conducted an investigation inside the Holy Palace. Apparently, he had wanted to research the Talent Gem to be granted to Lord Kurvshrat—which was why Count Slyries had managed to avoid being drawn into this dome of darkness.

This dome, which magic and bare hands couldn't destroy, could be broken with the "stone" the count had brought. That stone was now in my hand—and its color was very similar to the altar atop the stairs.

So that's the "One Heaven Altar."

And this kind of stone probably has something to do with the altar, too...

(It seems like all sorts of things are being kept hidden.)

But right now, more than anything,

'An intruder...? Tch—it's you?!'

"You're the intruder here...!!"

I kicked off the ground and ran, closing the distance to the human-shaped darkness in an instant.

"Ooooooh!!"

My right fist, clenched around the stone, plunged into the human-shaped figure's abdomen.

'Guh, gah!'

The darkness bounced several times before being sent flying.

"—My attack worked?!"

"—Even 【Holy Swordsmanship】 didn't work!"

"—What is that?"

The nobles apparently seated in the viewing stands were buzzing, but I had more important things to do.

I reined in my anger—the anger that had eased somewhat after I punched the bastard who'd made the young lady cry—and turned only my head.

"Young lady, sorry to keep you waiting."

I smiled at her, wanting to reassure her as much as possible—but tears began welling up in the young lady's eyes.

Even though she was a noble, the young lady was only twelve.

If she'd suddenly been trapped in darkness like this, of course she'd be scared.

And yet, she held herself together right up to the point where the tears would have spilled over.

"...Reiji."

"Yes."

"You will protect me—all of us."

Our young lady really was a harsh taskmaster.

There should have been members of the Holy King's Knights besides me—or rather, what were the knights even doing?—and yet she was telling me to protect everyone.

But,

"Understood."

I didn't mind that the young lady wanted to save everyone, not just herself.

'Why are you here, Child of Calamity...!'

Though it had been blown away, the darkness stood up as though nothing had happened and shouted. "Child of Calamity"—was that supposed to mean me? Hm? ...Oh, maybe it meant my black hair and black eyes? Jeez... Even something as unfathomable as that darkness hates me?

'But the covenant has been broken.'

Darkness began gushing from its body. The only light came through the single opening I'd made to get inside.

'Vaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!'

With an ear-splitting scream, its right arm stretched like a rokurokubi's neck—the target was Lord Kurvshrat.

"Tsk!"

I immediately slipped in front of him and knocked the hand aside with the stone.

'Guh!'

So the stone really does work. No wonder the count brought it along in secret. And now the left hand is coming at me—

"Hnnngh!"

The Margrave swung his sword and cut it off.

"Hmm... Ordinary swords seem to work on it, too. What do you think, Slyries?"

The Margrave was addressing Count Slyries, who had somehow slipped over to us without my noticing.

"In this space, bound by the covenant, attacks should not normally work against the Mediator—that monster. However, because Reiji-san used a rare sacred relic to force open that hole, the covenant appears to be incomplete."

"Wait, Count?! Why are you so casually making it sound like I caused this mess?! And there are way too many words here I don't understand!"

"I'll explain everything properly... if we make it out alive, that is."

"Hmm..."

"That's how it is. Let's go, boy—and the rest of you, escape through that opening!"

The Margrave ran, and I followed. Behind me, I heard the children race toward the light shining through the opening.

"Raaagh!!"

'How insolent.'

The treasured sword, which looked absurdly flimsy compared with the Margrave's physique, became countless slashes that assailed the darkness—the 'Mediator,' as the count called it.

The Mediator evaded them all at incredible speed.

(It dodged every one of them?)

But,

"You're wide open over here."

I slammed the stone into the Mediator's back.

'Guh...'

"Here's the follow-up—"

Fireballs appeared at each fingertip of my left hand. Five 【Fire Magic】 blasts in a row.

'Help me, help me...!'

"Whoa?!"

I nearly jumped—young Louis's face had suddenly appeared on the Mediator's back.

'Gyaaah!!'

I was so startled that I unleashed 【Fire Magic】 without holding back. The Mediator was rolling around engulfed in flames.

"Lord Louis!! Damn it, you monster! How dare you use Lord Louis like that!"

"...Boy, you're quite the heartless bastard."

I tried to play the good guy, but it didn't fool the Margrave.

I already knew through 【All Creation】 that the boy called Louis was a fake. The real Louis was deep within that darkness—and already dead.

"Now then... Holy King, perhaps you could explain what is happening."

When the Margrave looked toward the top of the stairs, he saw the stunned Holy King, with a gigantic rabbit, El-san, beside him.

"—I..."

"Er, His Majesty the Holy King has made a very ill-advised decision. That decision is the breaking of the covenant. Er, if the covenant linking that world and this one is broken, many creatures of darkness will invade this world."

...What did you say?