Episode 10 – The Knight and the Little Brother (3)

The Knight and the Little Brother (3)

The Empire’s northern territory, Frontis, is infamous for being home to formidable demonic beasts.

Enduring the harsh winter winds, the strength of the beasts that have survived for ages is eerily powerful compared to other regions. Of course, the scheming of the Demon King’s army stationed in the north plays a role, but even without that, the fact that Frontis’s creatures are formidable remains unchanged.

If the indigenous creatures grow fierce, the natives living there naturally come to possess strength. This law operates the same in other worlds.
From ancient times, the Blood Tribe of Frontis have reigned as the rulers over the snowfields, using blood-based sorcery. Even the beasts that could easily tear a human limb from limb with a single swipe of their paw would turn into palatable chunks of meat if they employed their power.
But even the mighty Blood Tribe could not stand against the state.

What happens if a world-class genius fighter picks a fight with a tank? Well, they’d just get torn to shreds.

Anyway, the Empire wanted complete control over the north occupied by the Blood Tribe. In the end, to ‘stabilize’ the north, three knight orders were dispatched. The Snowflake Knights, and…
The names of the other two don’t come to mind, but anyway, the three knight orders that settled in Frontis.

“Haaa… So what’s the matter, Flan? I’m sleepy.”

In the early stages of deployment, the knight orders demonstrated high skill, cutting down the Blood Tribe and the beasts.

…However, their legacy did not last long.

Apart from the Snowflake Knights, the rest won victories in battles against the Blood Tribe but were defeated in the war.
Even the knight orders chosen by the Empire had various problems hidden within. For example, members assassinating their commander, getting caught plotting a rebellion against the Empire, or having discord with another. Most disintegrated for their respective reasons before a proper war with the Blood Tribe could take place.
In other words, currently in Frontis, only the Snowflake Knights maintain their lineage as the northern wall.

The secret to the survival of the Snowflake Knights, which have continued to exist, is naturally because Lumen is a member.

“I’m hungry… Food… Ah, found it.”

She is mentioned as a candidate for the strongest in the Empire, and this is the result of the blood she has spilled.
If one were to collect the blood of the Blood Tribe that Lumen has killed, it would be enough to create a pond and row a boat on it – a natural conclusion.

In the past, I dismissed the tales of Lumen’s exploits as mere rumors. How could I believe that she had killed thousands of the Blood Tribe, who could carve up dozens of knights like tofu?

Of course, after she turned a high-ranking demon into roasted meat, I believed it. A high-level demonic beast that could wring out the Blood Tribe like squeezing juice was killed in front of my eyes with a single strike. If you don’t believe it after seeing that, you’re insane.

Even seeing her act like this in front of me, my trust wavers slightly.
Is that really Lumen, the one who killed monsters?
With such a gap, could there be a hidden twin sibling or something? The difference is too stark.

Chewing on a squid tentacle she pulled out of her pocket, her actions were completely at odds with her reputation as the ‘Snowfield Slaughterer’.
Because of that, the words I was thinking inside accidentally slipped out.

“…I’m curious, why are you dressed like that?”

Having procured a chair from somewhere, Lumen was sprawled over it like a piece of laundry, looking quite content. Still, being alone with a man, isn’t she too defenseless?
Yet, she didn’t seem to care, just moving her jaw.

“It’s comfortable.”

Without paying me any mind.

“…I see. Can we get to the main point now?”

The conversation had drifted, but I managed to steer it back.
I almost forgot why I had come all the way to Frontis.
Delivering the letter and reclaiming the power of the goddess should be my priority. What am I doing, wasting time on pointless chatter?

Excluding the four women who knew of the hero’s death, that leaves only two, including Lumen. I need to finish this quickly.

“Speak as you like.”

“Thank you, Miss Lumen. Then I’ll get straight to the point…, but first.”

I slowly lift my upper body. The hard and cold touch is felt in my hands, but it doesn’t matter. The arm that was aching madly is now only like being pricked by a needle.

Ignoring the drifting chill and the noise of chewing, I head towards the window. It was a short distance, but it felt like setting out on a pilgrimage, time moving so slowly.

Lumen watches me. It wasn’t a look of ‘where are you going after calling me here?’ but her usual dull gaze scanned my body, making me hasten my steps unnecessarily.

– Thud, thud.

How much time had passed? 10 seconds? 30 seconds? A minute? After a short while, I finally reached the shelf.

Creeeak. The old hinges screeched, and I began to take out the items inside, directing them into my bosom.
Seven letters, a sword hilt, a dagger given by Nicola, and… oh? Some magical tools that Nico seemed to have packed for me. They must have been expensive to include such things. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Please wait a little longer. I’m not very agile, so it might take some time.”

I organize the items with clinking sounds. Lumen starts sucking the sauce off her fingers, seemingly indifferent to my words.
It feels like being ignored, but perhaps it’s her way of showing consideration.

“Ah, this is tough… Is it because my arm is shattered?”

“Take your time.”

“Even words of encouragement are appreciated. It feels like I’m gaining strength I didn’t know I had. Haha.”

But couldn’t she have just helped me with my things? The woman who was flopping open-chested had now sprawled herself on the bed where I had been lying.

“Alright. Shall we begin?”

I pull over the chair Lumen brought and sit down. She lightly wipes her hands and stands up.

“I finally feel like we can proceed with the story. I pulled out the letter I had kept in my chest. A letter the color of a single drop of pink ink on pure white paper.

“Would you accept this?”

“…It’s too early for me to receive something like this.”

It seems like a huge misunderstanding. Just like with Aliana, giving a letter when we’re alone is nothing but a hassle. I should’ve just left it to the emperor. It’s only going to cause more trouble; maybe I should turn back now.

“I think I have a rough idea of what you’re thinking, but it’s not that. You’re mistaken.”

Still, I had promised in front of the emperor to deliver all the letters, but now my arm is shattered and I can’t continue. It would be awkward to just say ‘I’m sorry’ and back out now.

There’s another purpose, so it’s killing two birds with one stone.

“Please open the letter first. I’ll explain the details afterward.”

“…? Alright.”

Lumen tore open the paper as if it were the enemy of her family.
And as expected, the letter reacted fiercely to the intrusion of a stranger.

“Is it what I think it is?”

“Ow, that stings. Is this some kind of joke?”

“If I go into specifics, it’ll be a long story, so I’ll just summarize the main points.”

I reached into my pocket, and Lumen observed the letter she had received. It was a neatly written letter with a pink hue, the seal of a goddess, addressed to Lumen.

Sigh, and then again. Sigh, and then again.

I took several deep breaths to calm myself down.
A knight in the nude might not be so threatening, but a bare Lumen is a beast. Surely, she could tear me apart without any weapons. But I must speak. In my current state, Lumen must not get heated, so I need to be as calm as possible, not provoking her, and slowly.

“Troka is dead. After killing the demon king, he took his own life.”

“Huh?”

Her short reply echoed, and a cold chill ran down my spine, seeping into my whole body. With that indescribable sensation, I gripped the dagger deep in my pocket tightly.

“I don’t know why he committed suicide, but… I have my guesses.”

“Understood.”

“What? You understand?”

“Is there a problem? Everyone dies eventually. Troka being a hero doesn’t make him an exception.”

Maybe it was Aliana who was the exception. Even if someone dear died, I didn’t expect to be thrown into the ceiling as an innocent bystander.

…Maybe this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t provoked her.

“I see…”

Despite this, the air was still. Is this what they mean by the air trembling? Her face looked as if it could explode at any moment.
Something, perhaps the memory of what she had done to Troka, seemed to come to mind. Such an expression is all too familiar and yet unpleasant.
The words ‘Why did you do that to Troka?’ pounded in my throat.
To ensure the conditions of the letter’s request, I had to provoke her.

“Then why.”

“Why does your face look like that?”

“Sorry. There’s something more urgent right now.”

I couldn’t spit out the words I wanted to say. She cut me off mid-sentence and grabbed my shoulder with her rough hand. The faint scent of flowers that lingered was quickly being masked by the pungent smell of a tangy sauce.

The flicker of disturbance that had just shown on her face was gone, and Lumen’s eyes regained their calm. No emotion lingered in those pink-hued pupils. Her eyes, like a tranquil ice-covered lake, swept over my face.

The sensation of walking on thin ice sent a shiver through me, but only for a moment. Lumen’s fingers pointed towards the window. Beyond the windowpane, a fluorescent light buried in snow was emitting a red glow.

“It’s a surprise attack by the Blood Tribe. We need to deploy.”