Chapter Text
The time was approaching midday. There was a commotion in Arlam village that we did not account for. Was there something wrong? It was not supposed to go like this.
This was not written in my gospel. It was supposed to be a simple mission. Infiltrate the village and assess how tight the security was. Everything was going fine. The village was very vulnerable. None of the people that live here can be considered a threat to us.
The residents of the mansion are the only ones that can pose a threat, but they are lacking in numbers. The lord of the domain was not present. This was very surprising. The main defence of the domain was elsewhere? This sounds off, but I choose to trust in my gospel and in Petelgeuse-sama.
But something is wrong. Why are there soldiers here? Where did they come from? Who brought them here? This is the worst timing possible. We are so close to the ordeal as well. We can not afford any mistakes now.
Was this the doing of the lord of the domain? Did he anticipate our attack? This complicates things. I can’t check my gospel. I hid it somewhere safe. I couldn’t afford it being found.
I need to check with the others. The plan was not going to succeed at this rate.
I sneaked my way out of the village. No one saw me leave. I reached my hand into my pocket and grabbed the communication metia.
“Hey, is everything alright on your end? I am facing unexpec-”
???: “Wow, Subaru-kyun was right. There really is someone on the other side nyan.”
Huh?
What?
“W-who are you? Why do you have this?”
???: “Kyaah, You are uglier than what he said.”
The demi human on the other side of the metia suddenly disconnected.
What is going on? Are we compromised? How did they know where we were hiding? This is too much. I need direction. I need instructions. I have to get my gospel.
I left the spot in a hurry and headed deeper into the forest.
I stopped near the spot I marked earlier. Infront of me were two trees that were planted inches away from each other, and a large rock was in front of them. I used earth magic to remove the rock. I buried my gospel here when I started my mission. I started digging into the dirt.
It was not there.
It was not there?
How?
Why was it not there?
???: “Looking for this?”
A sudden voice broke through the silence in the forest. I whipped my head to face the person that sneaked up on me. How did I not notice someone standing behind me?
It was a boy. He seemed not older than twenty, and had dark hair. He had my gospel in his hand. How did he know where I left it? No, I can sense dense love emanating from him. He must be a fellow believer, and he was drawn to my gospel.
“Ah, Forgive me for not introducing myself, believer in love. My name is-”
???: “Yeah, no. I don’t care. I believe in love but not whatever the hell this is.”
He threw the gospel on the ground and stepped on it.
He stepped on it?
HE STEPPED ON IT?
“How? How could you? You spit on her love despite being so loved? This-”
???: “-This will not go unpunished right?”
Huh?
???: “Yeah this was totally worth it. The look on your face is worth going through all this shit.”
He started laughing loudly.
This cannot be tolerated.
I pulled out a knife a kept hidden in my pants, and charged at him.
???: “That looks dangerous.”
He kicked a pebble with his foot, which somehow landed right under my foot as I was running towards him. I lost my balance and fell face first into the dirt.
???: “Man, this is so hilarious. This took so many tries to get down, but boy was it worth it. I should really do this more often”
The sound of his laughter only served to boil my blood even further. I got up to try and attack him again but he was not there. He just vanished.
What is this?
Am I losing my mind?
No, I already lost my mind long ago.
This made no sense. My cover was blown. How did he catch onto me?
Doesn’t matter. I will continue with the plan anyway. I will go get my dragon carriage. The firestones I hid there will serve as distraction and will cause damage to the village. Maybe take down some of the mercenaries too.
I returned to my dragon carriage.
The dragon was gone. The wheels on the carriage were gone too.
Did I just get robbed?
There are people dumb enough to steal from a witch cultist?
???: “Oh, that was me as well. I was kinda in a hurry so I borrowed some of your stuff. I hope you don’t mind.”
The dark haired boy reappeared behind me.
How much does he know?
What is he?
“What are you?”
???: “What am I? That’s a new one. Haven’t got this reaction before.”
“Huh?”
???: “I thought your first question was to ask me how much I knew.”
Can he read my mind?
???: “No I can’t actually. It’s just that you are so predictable.”
This is way too creepy. I have no Idea what this entity is, or how I incurred it’s wrath, but I have to escape. I can not let it end here.
I turned away from him and started sprinting in the opposite direction.
I have to run. I have to get away.
???: “I wouldn't go in that direction if I was you.”
I stopped moving. My body froze. I felt chills running down my spine.
???: “Wilhelm-san is waiting at the end of that road. He is a little old so his hand sometimes slips when he cuts people down.”
I stared at him.
Wilhelm? Wilhelm Van Astrea?
The sword demon?
???: “I would personally recommend you run this way.”
He pointed behind him.
???: “There won’t be anyone stationed there. There is only the forest. I suggest you leave now. Wilhelm-san is not very patient you know.”
Without thinking, I started running in the direction he pointed.
Was it a trap?
Did he take pity on me?
Why did I listen to what he said?
This does not make any sense.
I ran deep into the forest. I kept running despite my fatigue. This was the most terrifying experience in my life. Not even Petelgeuse-sama was this frightening. I stopped to collect my breath. I leaned on a tree that was next to me.
I suddenly started hearing growls. I looked to the side. There was a pack of wolgarms staring me down.. There was more than fifteen of them.
???: “You really are stupid, huh? I didn’t think you would actually go where I told you to.”
Why is he here again?
???: “You ran head first into mabeast breeding grounds just because someone told you to do so?”
Is he mocking me?
“You are here too, idiot. We are both about to become wolgarm food.”
???: “Correction: You are about to become mabeast food.”
“What?”
???: “You see, this crystal here is very special.” He held out a shining mana stone.
???: “ It has this super convenient effect that wards off mabeasts. I am so lucky to have one. Where is yours?”
This guy is horrifying. Was this all part of his plan? Did he intentionally drive me into here? Was me being mauled to death his goal?
???: “You see... Me and you have a long history. You may not remember, but I do”
What is he talking about?
???: “You were about to plant the firestones in a certain carriage. That carriage happened to be the one Emilia-tan and the children were on.”
This guy can see the future?
???: “It wasn’t a small amount either. It was concentrated enough to kill a half-elf.”
This guy knew everything?
???: “It was because of you that I couldn’t make it in time. So I decided to prank you personally.”
This guy planned this all?
???: “Quick advice for when you are being eaten alive. Don’t spread your body out and try to protect your vital organs. Take it from a pro.”
This guy plans to watch me get eaten alive?
???: “This is retribution for your sins. May your stay in hell be worse than mine.”
The wolgarms attacked me all at once. They started mauling me and biting at my limbs. The pain was unimaginable. But I could barely feel it.
It was all drowned out by the sheer terror that this man inflicted upon me.
The last thing I saw was his cold gaze fixed on my mangled body.