Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 5

by Hiro Ainana

  Copyright

  Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody, Vol. 5

  Hiro Ainana

  Translation by Jenny McKeon

  Cover art by shri

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.

  © Hiro Ainana, shri 2015

  First published in Japan in 2015 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo.

  English translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo through Tuttle-Mori Agency, Inc., Tokyo.

  English translation © 2018 by Yen Press, LLC

  Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights.

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  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Names: Ainana, Hiro, author. | Shri, illustrator. | McKeon, Jenny, translator.

  Title: Death march to the parallel world rhapsody / Hiro Ainana ; illustrations by shri ; translation by Jenny McKeon.

  Other titles: Desu machi kara hajimaru isekai kyosokyoku. English

  Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen ON, 2017–

  Identifiers: LCCN 2016050512 | ISBN 9780316504638 (v. 1 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316507974 (v. 2 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316556088 (v. 3 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316556095 (v. 4 : pbk.) | ISBN 9780316556101 (v. 5 : pbk.)

  Subjects: | GSAFD: Fantasy fiction.

  Classification: LCC PL867.5.I56 D413 2017 | DDC 895.6/36d—dc23

  LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016050512

  ISBNs: 978-0-316-55610-1 (paperback)

  978-0-316-55617-0 (ebook)

  E3-20180425-JV-PC

  Sara of the Tenion Temple

  Satou here. Destiny is a mysterious thing. An unexpected reunion with someone you’ve met on a journey is more than just a dramatic interlude. The second meeting might be a coincidence, but when they keep piling up…could you call that fate?

  “It is a great pleasure to meet you. I am Sara, the oracle priestess of the Tenion Temple.”

  A mysterious voice like an angelic melody rang through the audience room of Muno Castle.

  She gazed directly at me, her eyes the bright green of newly sprouted leaves.

  In the sunlight that trickled into the audience room, her pale hair shone with a curious luster somewhere between gold and silver.

  Was this what they call “platinum blond” hair? It was especially lovely next to her pale white skin.

  Her nose, situated somewhat lower on her face than the average person in the Shiga Kingdom, drew a splendid line in profile and led the gaze toward her soft lips, neither too thick nor too thin. They were stunningly glossy despite the presumable lack of lipstick, contributing to her charming appearance as a healthy young lady.

  The girl was wearing Western-style priestess garb with a simple embroidered pattern in blue and gold thread—similar in design to what Miss Ohna, the priestess from Parion Temple, had worn when we met her in Seiryuu City.

  Though the garment was designed to be modest, an impressive amount of her bust was asserting its presence nonetheless.

  It wasn’t nearly on the level of Nana or Miss Karina, but they were undoubtedly large for the girl’s age.

  Of course, I had no interest in hitting on a girl barely old enough for middle or high school, but in another five years or so, she’d definitely be one to watch.

  Miss Nina, the magistrate, nudged me pointedly, and I realized everyone was waiting on me to introduce myself. All the others had finished their introductions while I was daydreaming about this girl’s future prospects.

  Every eye in the audience room of Muno Castle was resting on me.

  This included Baron Muno, Miss Nina, Miss Sara and her escort knights, and a handsome civil official.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sara. I am Satou Pendragon, a hereditary knight and vassal of the Muno Barony. I have only recently received the honor of this title, so I hope you’ll look kindly upon me.”

  I offered her the standard greeting I had learned from my etiquette coach, Yuyurina.

  Miss Sara smiled back at me, but the stern glowers of the two male knights standing behind her were unchanged.

  According to the AR display, Miss Sara was level 30, with the skills “Holy Magic: Tenion Faith,” “Oracle,” “Meditation,” and “Perceive Malice.”

  The knights escorting her were fairly high-level as well: Temple Knight Keon Bobino, the one with short blond hair, was level 31, and Imperial Knight Ipasa Lloyd, the one with a shock of red hair, was level 33.

  The handsome official of the Ougoch Duchy behind them was a much more average level 12.

  As I understood it, Miss Sara and company had come to assist with the restoration of order and revitalization efforts in the Muno Barony after the recent demon attack.

  In the plaza outside the castle, a large force of eight knights, four priests, three hundred soldiers, and forty wagons was waiting on standby. With all that power, they could probably bring down Muno Castle if they wanted to.

  Softhearted baron or no, however, if a shrewd tactician like Miss Nina had let them onto castle grounds, in all likelihood they were perfectly friendly.

  “I’m surprised that the duke permitted his lovely young granddaughter to leave the territory,” Miss Nina commented.

  “Having left my house, I no longer have any connection to the duke, I’m afraid.”

  Miss Sara maintained a sweet smile as she answered. Her family name hadn’t appeared in the AR display, but when I checked the more detailed information, it turned out that she was indeed the grandchild of Duke Ougoch.

  “What of the temple, then, sending their precious oracle into such danger?”

  “The head priestess was kind enough to support me.”

  …Hmm?

  Something about Miss Sara’s words struck me as odd, but before I could figure out what it was, my attention was drawn elsewhere.

  “I see. So the holy woman of Tenion Temple is as graceful yet bold as ever, then.”

  Though Miss Nina and Miss Sara referred to her by different names, the “head priestess” and the “holy woman” of the temple were one and the same. I had assumed that Miss Sara herself was the “holy woman” I’d heard about, but it seemed I was mistaken.

  So this holy woman is even more saintly than Miss Sara? My pitiful imagination couldn’t even begin to picture it.

  When we visited the old capital, I’d have to find a way to see her, even if just from a distance.

  “Besides, I must also exorcise the traces of the Undead King’s curse, which the head priestess was unable to do.”
/>
  “Is she unwell, then?”

  “I’m afraid so. Recently, she has been unable to even leave the sanctuary of the temple grounds.”

  I wasn’t sure what the “sanctuary” was—maybe like a hospital’s IC unit or something?

  I had always imagined that high-ranking Holy Magic would be able to heal anything, but apparently, there were some things even magic couldn’t do.

  “…And so…in the end, the masked hero and the forest giants did away with the demon army, but the castle would have fallen before reinforcements arrived were it not for Sir Pendragon and his comrades.”

  After relocating to the parlor, Miss Nina was relaying the story of the recent demon attack to Miss Sara and company.

  There were a total of seven people in the room: Baron Muno, the magistrate Miss Nina, Miss Sara, her two knights (courtesy of the duke), the handsome civil official, and me.

  “What a splendid feat of gallantry for one so young to not only survive an encounter with a demon unharmed but to defeat him. We could use someone like yourself in our ranks,” the imperial knight commended.

  I appreciated the compliment, but I could’ve done without the rather hungry smile.

  “Personally, I don’t believe it. This young lad defeated a demon?”

  “Sir Keon, hold your tongue.”

  The imperial knight scolded the temple knight, whose scowl only deepened.

  “It takes a full squadron to stand a chance at defeating even a lesser hell demon, and you still risk losing half. And we are to believe that a group of women and children defeated one? Impossible!”

  “Am I to understand that you do not take me at my word, then, Sir Temple Knight…?”

  The knight’s words must have struck a nerve; Miss Nina’s tone changed harshly. The more polite her words, the more likely she was about to go on the attack.

  “S-Sir Keon!”

  The handsome official had turned pale and quickly stood to mediate the situation.

  “Lady Nina, I am terribly sorry. He means you no ill, I assure you. P-please find it in your heart to hold back your rage.”

  At the moment, I just looked like a slender fifteen-year-old boy. It was no wonder the temple knight didn’t believe I’d defeated a demon.

  Still, this tense mood was less than desirable.

  “I can appreciate your skepticism, Sir Knight. However, it was not my power alone that defeated the demon. I owe that to the help of trustworthy friends, as well as a special artifact that temporarily weakens the power of a demon.”

  “An artifact! I see!”

  At my explanation, the civil official chimed in with a rather melodramatic show of appreciation.

  He’s got a tough job. To keep the ball rolling, I went into more detail about the demon-sealing bell I’d received from the chief of the forest giants, which helped appease the temple knight.

  In a tag-team effort between the official and me, we made it through the crisis unscathed, and the topic shifted to the battle between the demon and the masked hero.

  “H-he assimilated with a hydra?! A lesser demon shouldn’t be able to take over a demi-dragon!”

  “He must have been an intermediate one, then…”

  The imperial knight and Miss Sara mused aloud.

  My map search had labeled him a lesser demon, but I kept that to myself.

  “So what was the demon’s goal in attacking this territory?” the temple knight cut in, blatantly trying to turn this into an interrogation. Evidently, this man was a dependent of a high-ranking aristocrat called Count Bobino from the old capital, so he tended toward the haughty.

  Miss Nina gave him a sharp look for his insolent tone, and Baron Muno answered in her stead:

  “Ahem… The letter from the masked hero suggested that the demon’s goal was the resurrection of the demon lord.”

  That letter had been my effort to convey the demon’s plan after the incident was over.

  “Wh-what did you say?!”

  “This is a serious matter!”

  The two knights leaped to their feet at the shocking revelation from Baron Muno.

  The civil official blanched even paler, unable to speak.

  It seemed like the phrase demon lord carried considerable weight here.

  “Please remain calm, both of you,” Miss Sara chided them gently.

  Despite her outward composure, there was no hiding the way the blood had drained from her previously rosy complexion.

  “B-but my lady…!”

  “This is not the time to be calm!”

  “And yet you call yourselves knights defending the Ougoch Duchy and Tenion Temple? Baron Muno here is perfectly at peace. This can only mean that the resurrection attempt has already been thwarted, does it not?”

  After Miss Sara admonished them in a dignified voice, she looked to Baron Muno for confirmation.

  “Yes, indeed. The masked hero prevented the demon’s plan from succeeding.”

  “What was he attempting, then?”

  The imperial knight composed himself and returned to his seat, but the temple knight seemed unconvinced and pressed with more questions.

  “The demon was oppressing people in the barony and gathering their negative feelings into a cursed vessel called a chaos jar. The hero destroyed the vessel along with the demon.”

  “A chaos jar, eh? I see. So it was destroyed.”

  The temple knight heaved an apparent sigh of relief.

  To me, it felt more like the disappointed lament of the demon lord whose resurrection I’d prevented.

  Once the discussion in the parlor was over, Miss Nina and the handsome official headed toward the office to take care of clerical work or something.

  In the meantime, Miss Sara requested a tour of the castle and the city.

  The two knights left Miss Sara’s side to complete duties of their own, leaving two new temple knights to guard her in their place. This pair, a man and a woman, were each only level 13.

  The man’s name was Heath, and the woman’s name was Ina. Since it didn’t seem like we’d be spending time together for very long, I decided to just remember them as “Guy Knight” and “Lady Knight.” Both were from the lower aristocracy of the old capital.

  “Now then, where would you like to go?”

  “Could I ask you to guide me to the Tenion Temple of Muno City first? After that, I should very much like to pay a visit to the city’s orphanage, if it’s all right with you.”

  I understood the first request well enough, but it was unusual for a high-ranking aristocratic young lady to want to visit an orphanage.

  Unlike modern Japan, orphanages in the Shiga Kingdom were hardly sanitary places, due to their low budget and generally poor grasp of hygiene. Besides, there was no orphanage in Muno City.

  “My apologies. I can certainly take you to the Tenion Temple, but I’m afraid it won’t be possible to visit the orphanage.”

  “Whyever not? I shan’t be repulsed or offended, no matter what the conditions might be.”

  “No, that isn’t the issue. You see…”

  I explained to Miss Sara that the former magistrate, who was actually the demon in disguise, had shut down the city’s orphanage two years ago.

  “Then the children…”

  Oops, I guess I should have given her the good news first. Miss Sara’s face was clouded with concern.

  “Please, do not worry. The children are being cared for in the castle.”

  The castle had taken in the children only recently after the demon attack, but there was probably no need to dive into the details.

  The two thousand people who had lost their homes along the wall of the city in the process of rezoning had been living in the spare barracks of the castle, but they’d recently been moved into the newly completed temporary housing. The only people remaining in the barracks were mostly children and the elderly.

  Those in temporary housing had been given jobs creating gabo-fruit fields to combat the famine on the land that wa
s now dedicated to agriculture.

  If possible, I would’ve liked to suggest a better-tasting crop, but the difference in productivity between gabo fruits and other crops was simply too large to justify that until the overall food situation improved.

  “In…the castle?”

  “That’s right. I can show you, if you’d like. Or would you prefer to start with the Tenion Temple, as originally planned?”

  “No, I will visit them first. Please show me the way.” Miss Sara responded with remarkable warmth.

  I would have expected her to be tired from such a long journey, but she seemed energetic, if anything—even impatient.

  She acted almost like she’d been told she had only a little time left to live and was desperate not to waste a single minute.

  It wasn’t far enough for a carriage, and we walked toward where the children were staying, chatting along the way.

  As we passed through the inner wall to the area around the barracks, we heard soldiers’ voices rumbling and lively music in the air.

  “Oh? What an unusual sound…”

  “It certainly is a merry tune, though I cannot say I’ve heard it before.”

  Miss Sara tilted her head curiously with refined grace, and Guy Knight agreed.

  As we listened to the music and followed it toward its source, we soon found the small maestro responsible in a corner of the training field.

  “Satou.”

  Mia the elf looked up at us from her lute. Her full name was Misanaria Bolenan.

  Though her actual age was more than a hundred and thirty years, she was still a child in elf years and had the appearance of an elementary school student to match.

  Her slightly pointed ears, characteristic of her race, peeped out through the shadows of her neat, light-turquoise pigtails. She must have been a little chilly, because she had a pale-yellow cardigan over her periwinkle-blue dress.

  “A-an elf? What is Cyriltoa the Songstress doing here?”

  “No, if it was her, she’d only be moving one hand.”

  “Quiet down, please, you two. I cannot hear her song.”

  Miss Sara scolded the murmuring pair of knights.

  In the old capital, there was an elf known as Cyriltoa the Songstress who had the use of only one arm, it seemed.