Phyrinion’s territory, the Viscount Amazelt territory, is in-between the capital and Fokalore, in a place midway separated from the highway. Having a vast, fertile soil, it’s a famous place for being a wheat producing area from before Orsongrande became a nation.
“I see. So, why did you come here as representative of the feudal lord?” (Hifumi)
“One reason is gratitude. The things I was made to study here have been very helpful for my territory. At that time it was very difficult, but if I think back on it now, I had the privilege of indulging in a good experience.” (Phyrinion)
Phyrinion, who stopped being a knight, doesn’t wear a squad’s uniform but a dress. Lightly pinching its hem, she bows.
What she said are her true feelings. It was hard to carry out the territory’s census from the scratch, but once she finished its collation, she discovered the fraud and collusive relationships of the employed civil officials and the fief’s population’s livelihood became a bit easier as well.
Given that the pointless expenses vanished, she was able to get some financial surplus. I will be able to lead a perfectly comfortable life even after my parent’s retirement, she felt relieved.
“The other one is me bringing a letter from Her Majesty the Queen…” (Phyrinion)
“From Imeraria?” (Hifumi)
Due to Hifumi holding out his hand while saying “Please show it to me,” Phyrinion placed the letter in his stretched out left hand while wondering formality and such is really meaningless in front of a strong person, eh?
Although it was Hifumi’s office where she was shown in, it’s originally inadequate for a feudal lord as place to receive guests. Normally there should be a room for audiences, but Phyrinion also knows that it had been shut down and turned into a rest area for the staff members.
She looks at Hifumi scanning through the letter while thinking about such things. His characteristic black hair and eyes. His attire that was different from any other country. The single-edged sword which gave birth to his nickname “Knight of the Slender Sword.”
Going by the parts she sees while being silent, he’s a younger boy with a somewhat piercing look.
However, in fact he killed many people inside and outside the country and even killed the king in Orsongrande with his own hands. Or rather, he killed the king in the beginning when he made his appearance in history.
(I wonder, why was such person added as noble of this country…?) (Phyrinion)
It seemed like Vaiya didn’t know the full details, but from the documents of the Third Knight Order he belonged to and going by Imeraria’s decrees, it had been a plan to win over Hifumi, who obtained flashy achievements after he apparently came in contact with the wrong target, so that he wouldn’t be taken by another country.
Whether that was successful or not; the conclusion of that hasn’t become apparent yet.
Suddenly Hifumi’s gaze seizes Phyrinion.
“She has written a drawn-out, forced reason, but in short she tells me to come to the capital.” (Hifumi)
Throwing the letter on the desk, Hifumi grabbed a cup and drank the tea in it.
“It might be about your activities in Horant? I don’t know the details, but there might be some kind of reward?” (Phyrinion)
“No chance.” (Hifumi)
Hifumi easily rejected Phyrinion’s assumption.
“In Horant, Imeraria and Nelgal just frantically cleaned up the mess caused by an idiot. I passed my time by rampaging around after getting angry. In the first place, she would have probably written it, if that was the case.” (Hifumi)
According to Hifumi’s prediction, the most likely reason is that she wants information about the demons and beastmen. Although she shouldn’t be aware that he has already gone to attack the demons.
“She might be troubled over her treatment of the elf Puuse. ” (Phyrinion)
“That one is a honour student-chan, so that will hardly be the case.” (Hifumi)
“What’s that about?” (Phyrinion)
“It’s something private”, Hifumi shook the hand with the glove on it.
“That hand… did it get injured?” (Phyrinion)
Even though she believes that to be improbable, Phyrinion still asks.
“Ah, this is the result of me cutting it off myself. It’s no big deal.” (Hifumi)
“Cut…” (Phyrinion)
“So, what will you do with me who received this?” (Hifumi)
Phyrinion fixed her posture which fell apart due to her getting surprised and glossed it over with the expression of a lady, but even if she changed her make-up, she still had some masculine traces of her time as knight remaining.
“As it’s written. Please go to the capital and meet with Her Majesty the Queen. You will be probably told the full details over there.” (Phyrinion)
“Good grief, even though I just came back… so, will you serve as my escort on the trip, Phyrinion?” (Hifumi)
“You jest… I will return to my territory. Before that, I’d like you to allow me to stay in the Tohno Earldom for a while. Do I have your permission?” (Phyrinion)
“Do as you like. Do you want to study something again?” (Hifumi)
“No, I planned to learn about Vichy’s movements… and in addition to that, about the movements of the demons I heard about on the way here.” (Phyrinion)
“Hmm.” (Hifumi)
Hifumi reacted disinterestedly, but in his mind he praised her. He highly regards those gathering intelligence, and on top of that properly grasping the place where the important movements happen.
It will be great if a lot more of such people appear. Once that happens, this world’s battles will become even more complex and unpredictable.
“If it’s about that, it’s best to go to the border city Rhone. A temporary public office has been set up there. You probably know Miyukare and Paryu. If you listen to their story, you will probably find out various things. About the demons as well. Doelgar is there as well, but that one is a guy people won’t understand even if they understand the matter at hand. If it’s about hearing the story, Paryu would be the best.” (Hifumi)
“It might as well be fine for you to go together with the relief soldiers”, due to Hifumi calling Caim, Phyrinion couldn’t calm down as she felt like she was entrapped in some snare.
“I will, right… depart in around three days.” (Hifumi)
“I appreciate your efforts on delivering the letter”, tapping Phyrinion’s shoulder, Hifumi informed Caim, who finally arrived, about his task and quickly left the room.
Chapter 162 – Holiday
The apparent excitement of Origa, who directly heard about her and Hifumi departing for the capital from him, made her to some extent unapproachable for those who knew and those who didn’t know about the circumstances.
Origa spent the few days until the departure going full throttle with her troublesome character, feeling several times more jealous than a normal woman and having a desire to monopolize him at the level of a normal woman. Even while preparing the luggage, she did so with a rough nasal breathing as if completely threatening her surroundings or saying that she doesn’t want anyone to attend to her.
Going by Hifumi’s character, Origa knew that if she told him “I want to go together with you”, he would give her permission to do as she likes as long as there are no special circumstances. She also understood how to act so that his decision didn’t change.
The person concerned, Hifumi, spent his time until the day of the travel by going to buy food and suitable magic tools in Fokalore and tossing them into his darkness storage, developing new weapons with Pruflas and training with Caim and the other soldiers.
Snuggling up to his side, Origa accompanied him on his shopping in the city, participated in the training and made sure to not separate from Hifumi as much as possible.
“Lord and his wife have a really nice relationship.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? It seems like some uproar is once again happ
ening in Vichy, but thanks to Lord, there’s not the slightest danger to our side.”
And so on. Hifumi, who eats in the same restaurant as the commoners and wanders aimlessly around the town without any guards although he’s an appointed noble, and Origa, who can be seen to gently nestle close to him, were warmly watched by the people of the city of Fokalore.
However, the people, who know Origa well since they are serving in the feudal lord’s mansion, cannot take such carefree attitude.
That’s because Origa is fixedly staring at them from close-by while they are talking with Hifumi. Although nothing happens as long as they don’t talk about the trip or the capital, they are immediately glared at and pressured with blood thirst as soon as the topic of going to the capital comes up.
“In the end, for a number of reasosn, they haven’t done many things befitting newly-weds, have they?” (Alyssa)
“Haa… newly-weds, is it?” (Viine)
Inside the study room, Alyssa started to talk to Viine, who’s studying opposite of her, while waving her quill pen around, once Caim stepped outside for work.
With that subject being brought up without prior warning, Viine lifts her eyes from the textbook and gives a half-hearted reply.
“In the beginning, you know, Origa-san, who was a slave at that time, and another person accompanied Hifumi-san. Even when I joined them, we were just four people.” (Alyssa)
Looking up at the ceiling, Alyssa seemed as if she was watching a distant place. Viine didn’t know who the other person she talked about was. However, her deliberately not mentioning the name has probably some kind of reason, she thought.
“That means master had a lover and wife who was a slave?” (Viine)
Since Viine heard about Origa originally being a slave, she wasn’t surprised about that, but she can’t imagine Hifumi and Origa acting like lovers.
“Lover… yea… Achoo!” (Alyssa)
The tip of the quill pen, she swung with her fingers, tickled Alyssa’s nose causing her to sneeze.
“Uuh… rather than lover, it resembled more the relation of a pupil or a retainer. As a matter of fact, her way of fighting was mostly fixed and trained by Hifumi. It looks like she ended up changing her weapon back then, too. I guess it was around that time when she stopped using a wand?” (Alyssa)
“At the time when I met them I didn’t have much leeway either”, Alyssa laughs.
And, she was at least able to change it into a funny story. As soon as she thought of what happened in the past, she felt slightly lonely.
“If you consider it like that, various people got in contact with Hifumi and became his friends or enemies, but the one who thought first of getting close to him was Origa, right? There are many people who serve him like Caim and the others, but the one who is planning to do the same things he does while standing shoulder-to-shoulder with him is only Origa, isn’t she?”
People like Kasha and Pajou who died after becoming hostile to him, people like Sabnak who hasn’t become his comrade but still cooperates with him and people like Imeraria who get manipulated; the faces of all the people Alyssa knows float in her mind.
“Are you different, Alyssa-sama?” (Viine)
“Yeah?” (Alyssa)
Alyssa couldn’t understand Viine’s question well.
“Umm, in other words, didn’t you consider wanting to become just like his wife?” (Viine)
“Ah~, I see…” (Alyssa)
The former Vichy territory, Arosel, that has now become a part of Tohno Earldom. Alyssa clearly remembers the events at the time when she was rescued by Hifumi from the violence she suffered there. The memories of the pain have faded, but the fear, that made her want to die due to the helplessness she intensely felt at that time, was deeply carved into Alyssa without having vanished yet.
If it’s now, she knows that her emotions at that time were yearning and the awakening of a love she wasn’t aware of herself.
“… It’s different, I think. I like Hifumi-san, but that’s respect towards a strong person. Therefore… therefore I will become Hifumi’s adopted child, the responsibility is heavy, but I’m happy, is what I believe…” (Alyssa)
The tears that overflow gradually, spill down along her cheeks finally.
“Geeze, how embarrassing… I wonder why…” (Alyssa)
Viine quietly approached Alyssa, who had laid her face on the desk with her shoulders trembling, and gently stroke her back.
“I know. I’m not able to do the same things as Origa-san… that’s why…” (Alyssa)
Viine continued to stroke Alyssa who at last burst into tears after raising her voice.
☻
The day before the departure to the capital.
Early morning. Origa participated in the training carried out by Hifumi.
Inside the forest slightly off the highway once one leaves the city of Fokalore. Though monsters appear here often as well, it doesn’t matter to Hifumi at all.
This place that lacked the hustle and bustle of people and had the aroma of trees and greenery was the favourite place of Hifumi.
Origa and him sit in seiza next to each other on the grass with closed eyes.
Besides the presence of Origa who’s next to him, he can feel weak monsters discovering the presence of people and running away.
While calming down his mind with the scent of nature hitting his nostrils, he digs up the memories of his battles in Horant and Vichy. He reproduces the fighting inside his head. Although he has a feeling of satisfaction towards all his moves, there’s also introspection.
Couldn’t I have killed them faster? Wasn’t it possible to take their lives in a more efficient way?
And, in order to make use of that in the coming battles, he closely inspects his movements. All of it is for the sake of realizing the perfect slaughtering. Even now his desire to murder is gushing out like an endless spring. For the sake of letting it out at any time.
A tree towers in front of Hifumi who quietly opened his eyes.
The trunk that has a thickness of several arms, grows directly into the sky and the lush leaves expand towards the sun.
One blow of drawing the katana and attacking in the same stroke, the katana’s point is turned towards the trunk and stops. Leaving less than a millimeter distance, it barely doesn’t scratch the rind. It’s an act he occasionally does for the sake of confirming his own sensation and the length of his own weapon.
He knows the length of his own katana better than anyone else, but just because of that it doesn’t necessarily mean that the length of his own arms won’t change at all. There’s also the possibility that the state of the rivet on the sword hilt slightly shifts. This was also a ritual to check that.
“Well then, let’s begin?” (Hifumi)
“Yes. Please treat me well.” (Origa)
Standing up in concord with Hifumi, Origa held the iron-ribbed fan in her left hand and bowed.
Opposite of her, Hifumi places both hands at the base of his legs and naturally bows in a smooth manner.
Lifting their faces at the same time, they readied their weapons.
The iron-ribbed fan, grasped by Origa in her left hand is still closed.
Hifumi draws the katana and takes a seigan stance.
There’s nothing like encouraging yells.
The footsteps from Hifumi, who steps in silently, are inaudible.
Origa shows absolutely no nervousness towards Hifumi who is approaching as if gliding. She firmly turns the iron-ribbed fan’s tip at Hifumi’s middle forehead.
Hifumi’s attack comes directly from the front being swung down from above.
Origa steps diagonally forward, slips below his arm and blade, and wields her iron-ribbed fan with a side sweep.
At the time when Hifumi stopped the katana at the height of his waist, the iron-ribbed fan came to a stop at a distance where it’s unclear whether it touches his neck or not.
After several seconds, they separate in silence while remaining on g
uard.
The distance at the time when they returned and the distance at the time when they prepared while facing each other in the beginning is completely the same.
“Next.” (Hifumi)
“Yes.” (Origa)
They don’t talk about what has to be done.
They are already at a stage where explaining such things is unnecessary.
Origa loosens her mouth that was tightly closed a bit and slowly exhales through her faitnly opened lips.
The next slash unexpectedly comes to sever her knee from the side.
Pulling back her right leg, she advances her left leg into the space where the katana passed through.
She lowers her iron-ribbed fan at the head of Hifumi who went down on his kness.
And stops just before it.
After taking several seconds, they separate.
◆◇◆
From then on Origa strikes back against Hifumi, who repeatedly comes at her with attacks that included kicks and consecutive slashes and thrusts, with the movements she had her body master.
Hifumi’s movements are far slower than at the time of normal combat, but there are no useless motions and there’s not a splinter of hesitation as he smoothly performs his footwork. His skilled movements, unrelated to something like speed, made it difficult for the person facing him to react.
Even so, Origa deals with the attacks that are released randomly. She properly moves to unleash counter-attacks that can cause a fatal wound.
Origa, who was frozen stiff due to tension in the past because of the attacks where she didn’t know what will come next as there was no prior arrangement, became now able to move naturally as she got used to her weapon and piled up real combat experience.
However, the movements of Hifumi, who gradually raised the spead, became untrackable for Origa’s eyes. She barely handles them by relying on the initial motion from his stance.
With her return attacks being avoided as well, the number of attacks increases to two then three without it finishing at one attack as before.
Summoned Slaughterer - Book 8 Page 8
