Yuusha no Segare

Volume 3, Chapter 4 – A New Threat Part 4

Pomona, The Holy Bow of Water that Diana had received from her mother, converted her mana into far more powerful attacks than a regular Techo Weapon could hope to achieve, and Diana used that power to repeatedly chip away at the body of the Shii which only had its size as a strong point.

However, Diana’s body started to feel the strain from the amount of mana that was consumed.

“I am still… far too weak!”

Diana shot out arrows of light from Pomona while thinking about what had happened during the past couple of days.

“My heart, body, and sorcery are still far too weak!!”

In a way, she was just venting her anger.

“Whether it is as a Magitech Knight… or as a regular person… At this rate, I won’t be able to protect the people who are dear to me!”

A portion of Balor=Shii’s body or flames were blown away every time Diana fired an arrow from Pomona, and finally, that massive spear fell to the ground and disappeared.

“If I… If we don’t get stronger, Ante Lande won’t….”

Diana’s eyes were filled with hatred as she looked straight into Balor=Shii’s massive red eye.

“…be able to protect Yasuo’s hometown!!”

The falling star that was created just above the ground pierced through Balor=Shii’s skull, and that massive body finally collapsed completely flat on the plains.

“Haa…. Haa…. Haa…”

Diana, who landed next to Balor=Shii while breathing roughly, glared hatefully at its corpse.

“Even after death you still appear to cause harm to people… Just exactly where do all of you come from…”

『Guuu…. Guaaaaaah』

The only things that came from the giant mouth of the Shii that had once been a Demon General were groans and a foul smell.

“Ugh….”

Diana instinctively wrinkled her nose at the smell of rot, but when she looked at the red eye that was steadily growing dimmer, she made a twisted expression as though she was sad.

“Who would do something like this, and why……”

Even a demon from ancient times that she had only ever heard about in legends would not want to seek out another death after already dying once.

Why do they treat life so cruelly?

Who was responsible for this?

“It will take a fair amount of time to answer that question.”

“…!?”

It happened in an instant.

Balor=Shii, the sky, the ground, the river, the forest, the town, and everything else had their color stripped away and turned into just black and white.

When Diana saw that man who appeared as if welling up from the ground between Balor=Shii’s face and herself, Diana’s expression twisted with anger and she once again took a stance with Pomona.

“Hey! Spare me that. Your twin swords were of no concern to me, but getting hit by Pomona would hurt.”

He was wearing a soot-stained shirt, trousers with suspenders, and a black newsboy cap.

Also, he was holding a lantern.

“William Bareig…….!”

Diana called the name of the person who was like an embodiment of death, with his left eye glowing in an ominous red color behind the flames of the Shii.

“What is your objective!? First you attack Yasuo and Nodoka, and then you plant a Shii inside Shouko… Is this uproar at Galedeite your doing as well!?”

“Hmm. You may not believe me, but I will state for the record that I am not to blame for this current incident or the case with Shouko Tatewaki. The culprit you’re looking for is Beatrice Heller. The same person who bewitched Khalija Welleger.”

“……Beatrice Heller….”

Diana shuddered on feeling the malice of that person whom she had not even seen yet.

“They were probably among the ones that attacked Galedeite this time, the Shii that were once Magitech Knights of Resteria, wielding that Techo Weapon called Sinistra… hey!?”

Dian shot an arrow of light from Pomona without any warning.

Willam avoided that in a hurry, and patted his chest with exaggerated motions.

“Stop doing such scary things. Didn’t I just say that it would hurt if I got hit with that?”

“If killing you right here would help maintain the peace of the world, I would do that without hesitation!”

“Despite that pretty face, you speak just like any other soldier. Well, that’s how you should be. Descendent of Krone and Radagast. So you can use Pomona to such an extent even though you only received it recently. Don’t you think that you people don’t particularly need any help from the Kenzaki family?”

“……We should have done that from the beginning. But it is too late now. And besides… whether we reached out to the Kenzaki family or not, I am sure that you would have done something to hurt them eventually.”

“Hmm, well I can’t deny that… Oi!”

William let out an exaggerated shout at the arrow of light that almost grazed his face as it flew by, and then looked at Diana.

“……I won’t miss next time. Tell me what you know about the Shii and what your objective is.”

“It will only cause me some pain if you hit me with that, so if you want to do that then feel free… but sure. Since you seem to want to know so badly, I’ll tell you just one thing. It is regarding Shouko Tatewaki.”

“……?”

“I am also a 『Latch』.”

“Eh?”

“However, capturing me is beyond Beatrice Heller’s abilities. That is why she is searching for a 『Latch』 other than me. I don’t particularly care either way, but looking at it from your perspective of right and wrong, allowing her to capture a 『Latch』 would probably not be a good thing for all of you.”

“What exactly is a 『Latch』!? If you’re saying that you are one of them, then are you actually a human being!?”

“Saying it that way is a little mean, but no, you’re wrong. However, that woman is slightly mistaken. A 『Latch』 does not necessarily need to be a living human being. The only thing that matters is that they have a 『visible eye』.”

Saying that, William gestured towards his own left eye with the hand that was holding the lantern.

“From what I can see, Shouko Tatewaki was really just an average Japanese person. However, unfortunately for her, she seemed to have an extremely high compatibility with that particular Shii. It was only by coincidence that she became a 『Latch』 candidate. The Shii that possessed her is nothing special either. However, no matter how rare the coincidence was that created it, once that woman is aware of the existence of a『Latch』, she won’t just sit idly by and let it escape from her grasp. You should be very careful. If she releases a powerful Shii like this Balor in Japan, that will truly become a situation too gruesome to look at.”

“………….”

Victims were victims, whether they belonged to Ante Lande or Japan.

However, if such a massive Shii were to appear in Japan, or rather, on Earth, what would happen?

It was not enough to just defeat it.

After such an attack, the nature of the world itself would definitely change.

That peaceful town and country that Yasuo and Shouko lived in would change.

“……I definitely won’t let such a thing happen!”

“There’s no point in telling me that. Well, I don’t particularly care who dies and where they die, but I don’t like the idea of letting Beatrice do as she likes. Besides, I would eventually like for the Kenzaki family to help me out, so I’ll take my leave for now. I feel like I will really be killed if I overstay my visit.”

“Wait! You still haven’t told me what your objective is…!”

“What good will it do for you to hear the objective of someone like me? Now that you have Pomona, I certainly have more interest in making you one of my comrades compared to the last time we met, but there’s no way you’ll agree to that, right?”

From the tone of William’s voice, it wasn’t apparent whether he was trying to taunt her or soothe her, but Diana frowned at the discomfort that she felt upon hearing the words that he had just uttered.

“Comrade? Did you just say comrade?”

“If possible, I would also like to make Yasuo Kenzaki and Nodoka Kenzaki my comrades as well. Yasuo is amazing, you know? Sure, he’s next to useless when it comes to battle, but he used the broadcasting facilities to single-handedly purify all the Shii that appeared inside Galedeite. If only he was at least able to fight at the level of an ordinary Magitech Knight, he would have no demerits.”

William said that with a wry smile while slumping his shoulders, and then adjusted the newsboy cap on his head and looked up at the pitch black sky.

“Oh, it looks like I’ve stayed here a little too long. Now it’s time for me to go back for real. Please send my regards to Yasuo and Erijina Radagast.”

Diana’s reply was in the form of an arrow of light.

“Seriously, despite that pretty face, you are one scary young lady.”

William took that arrow head on without bothering to avoid it.

Just as the arrows of light had broken Balor=Shii’s body into pieces, it also broke William’s body into particles of soot.

Or rather, it only appeared that way.

Diana put up her guard.

The soot spun around like a tornado, writhed in that monochrome space like giant snake, and rushed straight at Diana.

“…!! Take this!!”

Diana continuously fired arrows of light at it, but there was no feedback at all and it felt like she was shooting at mist.

“Ah…!!”

And then, the first few particles of soot touched Diana.

“Ugh… Ahhhhhh!”

It was cold, and yet hot.

It felt like each particle of soot transmitted every possible unpleasant sensation to her body as they passed by her.

Unable to bear that pressure, Diana could not remain standing and she sank down to the ground in an unsightly manner.

『Wielder of Pomona… should you wish to know the location of the Hero Hideo, you would do well to search at the boundary of life.』

Diana listened to the sound created by the unpleasant soot as it flew past her body.

『The Holy Bow Pomona, Holy Staff Marlowe, and Holy Sword Liutberga… the Holy Armaments belonging to the Heroes of Salvation are all connected to……』

“W-What… What are they connected to?”

『The ***』

Diana was not able to understand that sound.

Or rather, her mind refused to comprehend it.

“Guaaaaah!!”

The soot that was wrapping around her body disappeared after an instant that seemed to last for an eternity, and at the same time, the black and white space also crumbled away.

The only thing left behind was the plains that had been ravaged by her battle against Balor=Shii.

“Diana!! Are you okay!?”

“……Yasuo.”

When someone called her from behind her all of a sudden, Diana dazedly turned around while still sitting on the ground.

Yasuo was standing there, along with the Magitech Knight from the Gaz Commonwealth, and he was looking at Diana with concern in his eyes.

“Was William here just now?”

“You were able to see him?”

“Not really. It was the same kind of black space that appeared in Tokorozawa and I wasn’t able to see you anywhere, so I thought that he might be behind it… Did he do something to you?”

Yasuo asked Diana that when he saw that she was acting strangely, but Diana just shook her head and forced herself to stand on her legs that still had some of that unpleasant sensation remaining.

“I’m fine… We talked for quite a while, but he didn’t injure me in any way. It seems… that he has already left.”

“I-I see…”

Diana looked around to make sure that there were no remnants of the soot in her surroundings, and then she suddenly realized something.

“I don’t see Balor’s… the massive body of that Shii anywhere, did you send it off, Yasuo?”

“No, I tried, but it had absolutely no effect. I was also more worried about you and William’s barrier, so I didn’t have the time to think about that……”

“It was swallowed up by the ground and disappeared in front of our eyes, just like a regular Shii. If that Shii was based on Balor who went on a rampage during the war against Demon King Kaul, I feel a chill run down my spine when I think that we will have to fight against it again someday.”

“I… see…”

After the Magitech Knight from the Gaz Commonwealth who was standing next to Yasuo said that, Diana hung her head a little.

“A-Anyway, that was incredible. You overwhelmed something so big…. Well, this is the first time I’ve seen you fighting on this world, Diana, is it that you find it easier to fight when you’re here?”

Perhaps Yasuo noticed Diana’s reaction, as he put on a forced cheery voice and said that.

Diana smiled while still looking down and shook her head.

“No. A lot of things happened. A lot of different things…. In the short period of the past two days….. This Holy Bow Pomona, the Holy Armament belonging to my mother, is something that I was allowed to borrow for just this one time. My mother cannot easily come to Gaz because of her position, so… However…”

Diana raised her head and looked directly at Yasuo.

“When we received a message from Catalina Yostern-sama that she had taken in someone who might have been you, Yasuo, I wasn’t able to sit still. The Gaz Commonwealth is a country where the influence of the Carnelian of the Coal Mine is especially strong. When I thought that something might happen to you or Shouko…. I……”

Yasuo panicked when he saw that Diana’s eyes were filled with tears.

“Ah, no, we went through a lot of stuff as well. We might have caused you to worry, but thanks to that Catalina-san both Tatewaki-san and I are perfectly fine, I am still alive thanks to Feigreid-san, and remember how Dad started shining in the Gate Tower when we were on our way here? That was what caused all the problems, right? It’s definitely not your fault or Resteria’s fault, so…”

Yasuo’s vehement argument was cut short by golden hair and a flower-shaped hair ornament that filled his vision.

“Thank goodness… It’s really you, isn’t it, Yasuo…. You’re alright…. Thank goodness….”

“Uwaah!?”

“……Oh my.”

When Diana rushed straight at him from the front, Yasuo, who had run out of both mana and stamina, was knocked backwards onto the ground.

Since the ground was covered with soft grass, Feigreid did not attempt to help him, and Diana burst into tears while lying on top of him.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry for being late! I… I….!”

“D-Diana! I can’t breathe….”

“I was so worried. I was so scared! I was so scared that something might have happened to you because of me….!”

“L-Like I said, it wasn’t your fault. It was Dad’s fault, right!? Seriously,I’m begging you, please move away, this is embarrassing…”

“Yasuoooooo….. Ueeeeeeh!”

“Should I give you two some privacy?”

“F-Feig-san, that would just make it even more embarrassing instead….”

Yasuo was hesitant to hold Diana, even if it was just move her aside. Comforting a girl who was crying because she was worried about him was a feat that was impossible for him, and just when he stretched out his hand with the intention of asking for help from Feig who was attempting to leave while smiling, he saw it.

A strangely round creature was descending from the sky while flapping its wings.

Without a doubt, that was the scaled dragon that Catalina had tamed.

Why did the scaled dragon have to come this way?

There was only one answer.

“D-Diana! Please, calm down! I’m safe! Although if you keep this up, I won’t be safe anymore….”

However Yasuo’s entreaty was in vain, and the scaled dragon touched down on the ground with unexpected grace.

And then, after a few seconds.

“……What are… the two of you doing……?”

Yasuo’s eyes met Shouko’s cold gaze that was apparent even through the flames of the Shii.

“I guess… This is it for me.”

Along with his lack of mana, Yasuo felt that his strength was also being drained away.