Chapter 28

RATH 28

TL: Eevee

4. The others’ stories

#2 Their story: the empire soldier’s story.

“Now the person called Ast that ran away with Rein’s appearance is also going to get caught, so all we have to do is wait here and meet him.”

“Huh?”

Listening to the noble girl who had put a leash on him and was humming, Rein realised that something had gone wrong.

“Ah, you didn’t know? The reason why the number of people that chased after you was so few was partly because to fool you Rein, but also to fool the person named Ast. Everyone that’s worked long enough with the princess is wary of the person named Ast. Except for the personnel that’s here that I stationed in case of emergencies, everyone else’s gone to chase him. No matter how incredible that person is, he won’t be able to do anything by himself.”

Hearing this, Rein was certain. He fell for the trap, but equally so did this woman.

And if he didn’t tell her the truth now, then the responsibility of all that might fall square onto him.

“Uh, uh, milady…”

“Rein, although you said it was the club’s rules in the past that stopped you from calling my name, but that’s not the case now, isn’t it? Rather than ‘milady,’ ‘Iris.’ Ah, it might be even better if you called me Irie like my family.”

“No, milady, that’s not…”

“Iris!”

“Tha… I… Yes, Miss Iris,… that’s not the important thing right now…”

“It is! Hm, because you’re not used to it yet, you can call me ‘miss’ for now, but in the future, I want you to leave the ‘miss’ out as well.”

“Ah, I understand. But, I’m saying this again, there’s something important..”

“What’s the matter? Surely there’s no reason why you should be stammering like that between us?”

Rein wondered whether he could say this, but having made the judgement that the instructor had gotten a long way away by now, he said the truth.

“Miss Iris, actually… the thing that ran away with my appearance wasn’t the instructor but a contracted doppelganger.”

“Eh?”

In that instant, the noble girl’s smile that had been lovingly looking down on Rein froze instantly.

“The instructor has already fled through another route, and he said he’d live life in a village far away at the end of the world as a farmer…”

The noble lady didn’t reply to Rein. But her expression told him everything.

Her whiter and whiter face.

Her clattering teeth. And the shivering of her hands that he could even feel through his collar.

Shortly afterwards, after shaking for a while she quietly murmured.

“I’m screwed…”

#3 Their story: The empire soldier’s story .(2)

‘It’s finally over!’

Unless one was on the level of being able to be called an archdevil, it was pie in the sky to receive a soul as the price for your assistance.

Normal devils made provisional contracts with treasures or other commodities as compensation, and I too, did the same.

And I saw hell.

I had definitely contracted with what humans called an evil organization, filled with people that would make good partners for devils, but what I’d faced would put trainee heroes to shame.

Their skills improving was all perfectly natural, but as if they couldn’t feel any pain, these kids would charge in injuries and all as if they didn’t know what a limit was, both I and the other doppelgangers it was tasked with were all horrified.

At a later date, when I had gone to consult with another doppelganger that had met a hero recorded in history, or more accurately had been a stepping stone for said hero, he said this.

-What, that’s scary. Not even the hero went that far…

It was seriously like hell. Just once I’d gotten so pissed I’d breached the terms of the contract just a bit to pull out my true strength to give the kids pain.

Even disregarding my own skills as a doppelganger, I had turned the enemy into a pain-sensitive state where even the slightest brush would give them unspeakable pain.

But in that state they were burnt, sliced and tore their skin, yet they were smiling.

‘How, how are you lot enduring this pain!’

“Kuahahaha! If you compare this pain to the metal bat then it’s nothing more than child’s play!’

Just what is the bat?

And worse, the next generation’s brats called disciples were even worse.

-Lord Surtr why are you…

-I was scammed into a contract.

As the doppelgangers looked on at the slave life of the great giant that burned down a world the doppelgangers all realized that they needed to get out of this place as soon as they could.

And not long afterwards all of them got the freedom they wanted. Except for himself!

“We finally, finally caught you!”

“Give up, Sir Ast!”

“You’re going back to the princess!”

Out of fear I’d be recontracted because I half-assed this job I ran away like I’d set my soul on fire.

But even that was its limit, if I’m caught, the contract is finally over.

‘I’m never coming out into the human world again!’

I made a firm resolve to never come out again even if the compensation was a soul.

‘Humans, scary…;

That place called Howling was a place that opposed the empire. And the people in front of me are imperial soldiers.

To think the empire’s soldiers were this monstrous, then that organization Howling also raised at least this level of monsters!

Who called humans the weakest race! Are they not a race that are stronger than devils and even have more numbers than us!

“I can’t see the bat!”

“It really does seem like he handed it over to Rein to fool us.”

“We have reports that there’s a higher level of weapon than that so be cautious!”

I’m saying this again, but the humans in front of us were all difficult to defeat even if I’d used all my true strength.

And these humans feared the thing called a bat! Is this bat some kind of planet-destroying weapon or something?

But thanks to that, he could buy more time so the doppelganger was thankful for that.

And around forty minutes later.

“Ah, the contract’s over.”

“Wh, what?!”

“Thi, this is a doppelganger?”

“Does that mean vice-captain Iris’ side was the real one?!”

“C, contact with vice-captain Iris. The person she caught was the one named Rein, and Sir Ast has escaped! I repeat, Sir Ast has escaped! He said he’d go live in a village at the end of the world and live as a farmer there!”

As his spirit became fainter and fainter, at the appearances of the human falling into shock and despair seeing the living metal that was his body gradually lose its form, the doppelganger shouted.

-Hahaha, it’s the best! Freedom and despair, I get both of them as I go!

But, even as it did the doppelganger thought.

‘Just what is it exactly that this level of humans fear…’

#4 Their story: Atia nel Karuan’s story.

“So, you failed?”

“I, I’m sorry, noonim!”

The strongest nation in the continent, Karuan.

And the future emperor of that Karuan was currently begging me on his knees. Hm, well. That doesn’t matter.

“You’re going to die anyway…”

“Hiiik!”

“Your Highness? Even so that’s…”

“Shut up.”

“I’m sorry!”

As I told her with a bright smile Reia immediately collapsed into her corner. Now, where were we?

“So, my little brother, how far in were we? Your last will and testament.”

“You were still listening to my story, noonim! Not my will!”

“That is your will.”

I’d waited ten years for this. For this day, I’d personally dispatched people to the organization named Howling, I’d negotiated and cooperated with people sent there indirectly, and I also managed to turn his disciples.

And naturally, the organization named Howling was destroyed. But.

“My little brother, as Crown Prince you did a great job. The organization is destroyed, we’ve gotten a considerable amount of results and research material that the evil organization had been working on, we’ve confiscated a considerable amount of resources so that we’ll be able to invest quite a bit of money into next year’s budget, and we’ve even got a list of names of those that were cooperating with Howling so the imperial court’s going to reek of blood once again. Since we had to clean out the trash anyway, a perfect job! And since you managed to capture the organization’s head alive, His Majesty will be very pleased as well.”

The capital’s citizens were already in full festivities praising my little brother and Father.

Hm. That’s good. That’s a good thing. My little brother was indeed useful. But.

“But if that Crown Prince was found as a corpse the next day, that would be really amusing, no?”

“I’m sorry, noonim! Just my life?!”

As I kicked my little brother’s chin who was all but ready to dive for my legs he flew all the way back to Reia.

But, my little brother crawled back again to cling to my legs. Ast said this in the past.

There’s a small fraction of perverts that love being the crap beaten out of by women, was my little brother one of them?

Well, so what. He’s dead soon anyway.

“But, why was the task I assigned you the only thing that wasn’t completed? How strange?”

“We, we’re still in pursuit.”

Pursuit…

You’re chasing him? Ast? Do you really think that’s Ast?”

“According to the reports from the chasing group, he defeated the Sword Star in a single hit and is on the run. Aside from Ast, there’s no person in the organization with that skill.”

“really?”

The Sword Star that old man Nermia negotiated with lost.

The Sword Star’s skills are already well-known far and wide. Moreover, that seemingly endless magic power, if she had chosen not the sword but magic, she could have been the strongest magician in history.

If it’s that Sword Star’s defeat then of course it could only be Ast.

Since the daughter of the Nermia family was one of his disciples he’d sent her along, but an unexpected result.

“Right now, your direct subordinates as well as all of mine that I can mobilize are moving right now and narrowing the encirclement, so please wait, noonim.

Perhaps he’d realised my anger had abated slightly, my little brother slowly approached. Alright, so I’ll put killing my little brother on hold for now.

“Tell me why you failed, first.”

According to predictions, there was no way he could have escaped from the organization.

But he escaped. So I need to find out why. One time is enough for mistakes. I can’t lose him again to another one.

“Approaching the main base was harder than we expected. There were so many civilians near the main base we couldn’t even tell who was an organization agent and who was a civilian.”

“Civilian? Civilians were living next to an evil organization?”

“Yes, more accurately they were being domesticated. They gave land and money to refugees and slaves, and helped them out until they could become self-sufficient. Plus since the city’s lord was also an organization member he also took less taxes from the local civilians. Because of that praises were sung far and wide about how good the city was to live in, even the soldiers were surprised.”

Ahh, I didn’t see it myself but I can clearly see how it unfolded.

Since slaves that didn’t know when they’d die, or refugees who had abandoned their homes because of despot lords and taxes, were given a place that they’d only ever dreamed of and were allowed to live there by someone unknown, of course their heads would be filled with flowers.

“The name was called the Utopia Plan. There were also apparently dozens of cases where heroes or braves came along, thought they were mistaken and just left. Because of that, there was fierce resistance when we moved to subdue Howling. Thanks to that, we made all of them sleep by either knocking them out or with sleep magic, and thanks to that it was a bit dangerous, but perhaps there was a terrorist on the inside or something, the majority of the important buildings were on fire. Perhaps it was noonim who ordered that?”

“Hm… I don’t know. I did have people on the inside, but I never said anything other than to get Ast?”

Well, although someone could have started to cause an internal confusion.

But the Utopia Plan. Even the name sounds amusing. Well, he was always doing weird things and was very good at spinning them the right way.

Utopia… a nice-sounding yet a perfectly dystopic plan. But since the people themselves don’t realize they were domesticated, could you call it a utopia?

“Could I use this?”

“Eh? Noonim?”

“No, it’s just a passing thought.”

Humans must be free.

That is how their individual personalities are expressed, and their true worth is shown. That’s what he said.

And since he’s never been wrong up till now, I need to respect that.

Of course he’s an exception. Since there’s no personality that stands out more than him, nor is there a person of more worth.

That’s why, it’s alright even if he doesn’t have his freedom.

“Reia, tea.”

“Yes!”

Reia hurriedly ran from her corner and poured me tea.

Very well, not yet. There are still chances remaining. It’s too early to give up. If it’s ten years I’ve waited long enough.

I don’t need any more patience. For this moment I gathered up competent subordinates, made contact with countless nobles.

This was the moment to trust in those ten years of effort. But just as I thought that, I remembered an old conversation with that person.

‘Your Highness, there’s a favourite saying of mine.’

‘What is it?’

‘To get your foot cut by your trusted axe.'(1)

‘… You really are weird.’

‘Your Highness, I wish you would take this to heart. My words right now are the truth. When the thing Your Highness trusted the most, comes back to stab you in the back at the decisive moment could come in any situation.’

Why is his quaint smile as he said those words coming to mind right now?

“Milord Crown Prince! Emergency report!”

And the answer came quicker than I expected.

“The person suspected to be Sir Ast that defeated the Sword Star was a different individual! We currently have no leads on the whereabouts of Sir Ast’s location!”

“Wai, wait! If you say that now then?!”

Ah. Yes. That’s right.

Ast. Your words were always correct at the most exquisite moments?

I prepared for ten years. I believed.

And this is how I get my feet cut open.

Shatter!

“Hiik! You, Your Highness! Y, your hand?!”

“Reia. I think this knight is tired because of his run here. Lead him away to rest up.”

“Wai, wait a second! Sir Reia! Don’t leave me alone!”

“I accept Your Highness’s command!”

“Sir Reia? Sir Reia? Sir, Sir Reiaaaa!”(2)

As expected from my long-time bodyguard, Reia quickly led the knight outside. She has good sense in shutting the door behind her.

Now, then.

“Noo, noonim? Th, that could get dangerous so treating your hand should be…”

My dear little brother’s eyes are shaking.

Ah, I unconsciously broke my teacup with my hand. It’s dripping blood. Well… does it matter? Even if I clean it up it’s going to get blood on it anyway.

“Noonim? Noonim? I, I say there! Is there anyone there! The, the Crown Prince is about to die! He, help me!”

Ahh, looking at my dear little brother like that, another memory with that person is surfacing.

-Your Highness, it’s not good for you if you always make an angry expression.

-Smile. Smile even when nothing is happening, and when you’re angry, then smile, smile even brighter. Sometimes, smiling can be a more effective way to convey Your Highness’s anger then simple rage.

-Yes, like that. See there. Isn’t Sir Reia shaking in the corner over there?

Ah. Right. That’s right, wasn’t it?

Then now. In this moment. Let’s make the biggest smile in my life.