Chapter 20: Stand at Twilight
The ceremony began with the ringing of the fifteenth bell.
From the white observatory in front of the castle, visitors streamed through the grape ivy-twined gate and up the stairs to the main gate, the entrance to the castle.
In this region, where the sun finally begins to set around the time the 20th bell rings, there is still plenty of daylight at 15:00. The temperature had risen considerably, and he could smell the body odor of the surrounding nobles.
The venue of the ceremony―― the hall of the castle was located at the end of the red-carpeted corridor after passing through the gate of the castle. The double doors, a little higher than Setanta's, opened, and he and the other participants entered. The hall was quite large, with three long desks arranged vertically.
At the far end, there was a podium that was higher than the others, and there was a man wearing a golden crown decorated with branches of the blue holy tree.
The current King of Yggdrasil.
Naaza XIV.
The King of Yggdrasil, whom he had only seen in paintings, was about the same age as the current archbishop of the Holy Tree Church, in his late 60s. His hair, which had been painted chestnut in the paintings, was much whiter, and his mustache was similarly white. However, his eyes were sharp and his skin was not yet flabby.
By the way, the dead Lancelot was 120 years old.
That slayer of demons had been slurping up their bodily fluids every time he killed a demon in order to keep on killing demons. This caused his body to mutate and he was able to maintain his youthfulness―― an unusual youthfulness for a man over a hundred years old until his death.
Unless King Yggdrasil was taking a "rejuvenation potion" made from the bodily fluids of an incubus, his actual age would not be about the same as his appearance, in his sixties.
After the King of Yggdrasil's speech, Christo was called to the podium, where he received a thunderous round of applause from the participants of the ceremony. Afterward, he had a conversation with Nazza XIV (he was asked to speak loudly so that everyone in the hall could hear him) and told him about his demon slaying.
He was not proud of it, but he was good at talking with his mouth.
Christo told everyone the story of Lancelot's decisive battle with the demon and how Christo ended up accidentally raising the demon's head.
In particular, Lancelot's final act―― Christo slightly altered the story to say that Lancelot told this in the form of a will before he died―― The scene where he told the "this old man's work is done", the audience was filled with sobs.
In particular, Setanta, who was in the front row listening to the speech, had his lips drawn into a straight line and tears streaming down his face. Yufimia, who was standing right next to Setanta, holding his arm, also sobbed, muttering, "Sensei" .......Patricia, who was behind Yufimia, also covered her entire face with a handkerchief, not caring that her makeup was falling off.
Kat and Melvina, who didn't seem to have a deep relationship with Lancelot, had solemnly mourned the death of a great hero.
"It was a beautiful narration, like the song of a seasoned bard."
Said Naaza XIV with tears running down his cheeks.
Christo nodded his head, trying to look gloomy.
"We have lost someone who will be sorely missed. I was able to experience his personality up close and felt that he was indeed a great hero whom we should all learn from. ――I can't believe he died the way he did...... He should have retreated when he had injured the demon! But he said he would protect the people of the North. He fought to the end, determined to hold off the demon until it was dead."
"... Sensei..."
Setanta bites his lip. He didn't even blink, tears dripping from his chin.
"Sensei...! Why...? Didn't you promise to return safely?"
"He was a brave warrior. May he rest in peace."
When Christo said that, he bowed his head with a solemn expression.
(Well, I did the final blow by piercing the top of his head.)
A cold-hearted killer who brutally carved the old man.
A bloodless, tearless dog of the holy tree.
In a manner of speaking, he respected his greatness and let him spend his last minutes with his wife, but he has no positive feelings toward him beyond respect.
Rather, when he killed him, and then stabbed his wife, it felt as good as when he had sex with Melvina and ejaculated. He thought he almost orgasmed.
"To the [Royal Shield], Lancelot."
Naaza XIV raises the goblet.
All the nobles chanted Lancelot's name.
Then, as if to turn the sad atmosphere of the hall upside down, the schedule proceeded to the victory celebration for the defeat of the demon. Christo left the podium, and everyone began to eat and drink as they talked over the food on the tables.
"Christopher."
When Christo was about to get down from the podium and go to Melvina, Setanta called out to him. Right next to him is the chestnut-haired princess ――Yufimia.
"I was wrong about you. You were not a cowardly bystander when you spoke of Sensei's final moments. You fought with him, witnessed his final moments, and passed on his courage. ――I'm sorry. I know I can't take it back now, but I want to apologize for my rudeness."
"No need to apologize. Regardless of how I felt, regardless of how Lancelot-sama felt, the objective fact remains. I took credit for Lancelot-sama's work, and took the honor and the money. From your point of view as his disciple, it's not surprising that you would get angry."
"――――"
Setanta had a complicated expression.
As Christo said, what Christo did was just steal credit. Even if he had no intention of stealing the credit from the beginning, after the battle with the demon, he was completely willing to take the credit.
Yufimia, who was standing beside him, knew this, and even now, after hearing Christo's story, she was still giving him a cold stare.
If Christo were in the opposite position, he would have the same impression as Yufimia.
One can say anything with one's mouth.
It is a common tactic used by those who are ready to take the credit and then later tearfully say in public, "I had no intention of taking the credit".
In fact, Christo's story of Lancelot's death was a lie, and since Christo killed Lancelot, Setanta should not have bowed down to Christo.
"I take it that you and Her Highness will not be joining the security?"
Christo changed the subject.
It was a little forced, but it would not be unproductive to continue to talk about Lancelot.
Setanta nodded.
"Yeah. I came here today to mourn Sensei's death. Of course, if the bandits came, I will show them no mercy and kill them all. I will stain Sensei's funeral with blood, but I have no choice."
"You mustn't do this, Setanta."
Yufimia touches Setanta's arm.
Their distance is quite close.
"You're not feeling well from the last fight, right?"
"Not feeling well?"
When Christo asked back, Setanta reflexively put his hand on the scarf around his neck.
At that moment, he caught a glimpse of his gloved arm.
Something blue, like the light of the holy tree, was stuck to it.
"――――"
Christo narrows his eyes.
Yufimia put her hand to his to block Christo's line of sight.
"Yufimia-sama, can you please not touch me too much? You're not my wife. Pat is also watching."
Setanta bluntly says so while pushing back Yufimia's body.
"Yes, but....... No, you're right. I'm sorry, Patricia."
"No, Yufimia-sama."
Patricia, who had been watching from behind, comes forward.
Melvina was behind Patricia.
Setanta makes a genuinely disgusted face.
“Please excuse me, sister apprentice. We are not kids anymore. It annoys me to be followed around by a woman who isn't my wife."
"Wha!? Y-you don't have to say it like that, you know?"
Yufimia was terribly hurt, and her voice was clearly trembling. "Annoying, me?"
"That's right."
"...... I'm the one who took care of you the last few days when you were weak. Not Patricia."
"That's not nursing. I was fed bad food, and on the contrary, I got sick. You can't even clean properly. If Pat was there, I could eat delicious food, and the room will always be clean."
".........!"
Yufimia's face turns bright red.
Her chestnut hair seemed to spread out to the sides.
"Wait, Setanta. You're exaggerating."
Patricia can't help but intervene.
However, Setanta only looked at Patricia with an annoyed look and didn't try to change his attitude.
“It’s true. If I don't tell her exactly that, she will follow me around like a child who has been abandoned by her parents."
“A child abandoned by her parents? Following you? This [Demon Burial] Yufimia? T-the first princess? Don't get me wrong. I don't have any feelings for you. I'm just worried about my little brother who always looks like he's at a funeral."
"Like I said, I'm not your little brother... ah, damn it. Annoying..."
"A-annoying!? Even though you said it in a quiet voice, I could hear you! Setanta, how dare you talk to your sister like that? Apologize!"
Before that, Christo thought of saying, "How dare you talk to the first princess like that". But he was afraid he would get burned if he got involved.
Melvina went to him and looked anxiously at Setanta from Christo's side.
"Can you do something about it, Christo-san?"
"Are you out of your mind, Melvina? You want me to jump into a place of death?"
"It's not a place of death, it's a place of torture."
"It's the same thing. If I tried to get in between those two. It wouldn't be strange if a fist flew at me and was sandwiched between them. What would you do if my glowing face got injured?"
"Still, my love for you is unwavering!"
"No, that's not what I'm talking about......"
"It can't be helped. Then I will sacrifice myself."
"Wait. You can't take the beating. I'll jump into the fire for you. If I burn up, you can pick up my bones."
"Such an exaggeration"
Christo boldly stepped in between Setanta and Yufimia and said in a loud voice, "Speaking of which".
"What is it that the enemy is after? According to a statement in the newspaper, they will attack this venue today. It's been a while since the ceremony started, but there doesn't seem to be any movement on their part."
"That's probably because this venue isn't their purpose."
Fortunately, Yufimia answered.
He did not expect to succeed, but it seemed that he had managed to prevent Setanta and Yufimia's argument from progressing to a fatal point.
"Hoh, not in this venue? That is a strange thing to say."
"I don't know how many terrorists there are, but an attack on a royal castle with a large number of pseudo-holy sword users is just plain suicidal. The attack on the venue must be a bluff."
Setanta nodded at Yufimia's words.
"It would be stupid of them to attack when we have the holy sword that slays fairies. There's no way they would have come under normal circumstances. They're after something else."
"Does the Royal Army know that their aim is different?"
Melvina interrupted.
Yufimia nodded as if it were a matter of course.
"It is natural. The royal army is also aware of the possibility of an uprising by the elves in the castle, which is why they have such large security in the castle. ――I am only guessing, but I think that the real target of the enemy is the original holy sword in the mountain of the holy tree."
"Hoh."
"Even if you look at history, demons first try to seize the holy sword in order to resist."
Melvina says so.
Patricia next to her nodded.
“The Grand Duke of the Night Empire ――Godfred Salvatori, you mean.”
“As I recall, he was the father of the current head of the family, Duke Leopoldo Salvatori?”
When Christo asked, each of them nodded.
Yufimia continues.
“The only demon nations still in existence today are the Confederacy of the Dragon Race and the Night Empire of the Vampire Race. The vampire race has not been hunted down by the light race since Duke Godfred Salvatori stole the [Holy Sword of the Sun]. The other races, except the dragon race, were defeated in the war and surrendered or were all slaughtered because of the pseudo-holy sword."
(Slaughtered, huh...)
The ones who were slaughtered were the fishmen and the incubus.
The fishmen race perished because the holy sword had an effect that, when dipped in water, blue particles permeated the water from the tip of the blade, taking away the intelligence of the fishmen, and they were all reduced to mere fish or monsters.
The incubus race was targeted preferentially because their flesh and blood were used in rejuvenation and love potions, etc., and also because their abilities were troublesome.
Their fighting ability itself is low among the demon race, so many individuals are basically killed once a battle with an enemy who can use holy arts begins. The old man and Christo who can fight are special.
As for Christo, it is doubtful whether he can be included in the incubus race.
“The reason why the rebel forces of the fairy race cannot move freely is that the ability of the holy sword that slays fairies is too strong. First of all, before attacking the ceremony, they must first seize the holy sword and regain the power to rebel."
Gilsanas' movement seemed to be anticipated as one of the possibilities.
This is really over―― Christo thinks.
“By the way, the original of the [Holy Sword that Slays Fairies] is kept in the holy tree mountain, right? I had heard that there would be an original of some kind of holy sword there."
"If I remember correctly, not only the [Holy Sword that Slays Fairies], but also the [Holy Sword that Slays Devils] should have been kept there. Patricia, isn't that right?"
"Yes."
Patricia nodded. "I went to that mountain to get the seed of the pseudo-holy sword."
"Heh..."
"That place is also one of the ten most beautiful places in Yggdrasil. Christopher, you should go see it once before you graduate from the academy."
"Thank you, I will."
As Christo smiled back at Setanta, a voice from the podium in the hall announced that the demon's corpse was to be brought in. On the platform, there were many people who appeared to be members of the Chamber of Commerce, judging from the accessories they were wearing and the way their hair was styled.
(I see. I was prepared for this but the time has finally come.)
Christo put his disturbed mind under a smile and walked up to the front of the hall with Yufimia and the others.
Before long, the double doors on the far right were opened, and the corpse of a giant demon that he hadn't seen in weeks was slowly brought in.
× × ×
......Honestly, he didn't remember much of what he did from there.
Just like working, killing his mind, and reacting to the words being said to him by the people around him.
The old man's body was beautiful.
It was as if he was really alive.
He was supposed to have been eaten away by the holy sword until the moment of his death, but the blood was wiped away, the mud was washed away, and he was dried up. He was just a plain old beast of clay.
"Everyone, pay attention! The demon's blood doesn't freeze even if you freeze the meat! It's the same as the ancient elephants that lived in the north. Even those fossils bleed if you cut them with a knife. So are demons. Now, now, look at it."
――――.
"It's true! A thin trickle of blood oozes from the cross-section of the cut meat! The color of the blood is red! I thought it was blue!"
"Haha, it's bright red! This blood is used in rejuvenation potion. Especially blood located close to the heart has a very strong effect. It fills the skin with vitality and brings back the beauty of youth at once. Lancelot-sama used to take it too!"
One of the nobles―― probably the winning bidder―― walked up to the old man's naked crotch and lifted his manhood.
"Oh, it smells really fragrant!"
"Because it becomes the basis of perfume."
"Hey, painter! Over here!"
A nobleman, who seemed to be the successful bidder, gave a signal.
Then a man dressed like a painter came out and unfolded the canvas.
“Let’s lift the ball sack. Okay, there, I won the bid!"
The nobleman lifts up the old man's balls and poses with a big smile on his face to it. Whether it was to congratulate him for winning it or because of the joy of lifting its genitals, there was laughter and applause from all around.
The man who is a painter draws a picture of a man posing with the old man's genitals.
“I won the head! Painter, come here and record it. Maybe we can get the demon to laugh with us. Ei!"
Laughter again.
The merchant in charge signals to the butcher to start the carving.
"Hey, cut it up a little at a time. It's for show. Start from the tips of its fingers, slowly, and preserve as much of the meat as possible until the end."
"[Hero of the North]. Thanks to you and Lancelot-sama! Cheers!"
"Hahaha. Thank you. Cheers."
Christo smiled softly and raised his glass.
Then he swallowed.
The wine tasted like mud.
"Christopher-kun!"
The winning bidder beckons.
"Pose with me! I'll have the painter paint it for us!"
"Yes, gladly――"
Christo put his wineglass on the table and hurried to go onto the podium.
But before he could do so, a thin, white hand picked at the edge of his mourning clothes.
"...Melvina?"
"I'm sorry, Christo-san. I'm feeling very sick."
"What did you say?"
Christo raised his eyebrows.
Melvina's perspiration levels are normal and she doesn't seem to be in bad shape, but――.
However, Melvina made a pained expression and pulled Christo's clothes, this time with more force.
"Please. Please let me breathe the outside air for a while. I think I'm falling down."
"...I understand. I'll accompany you. I'm sorry, but the woman I promised my future to is not feeling well. ――Yes, she's fine. Excuse me."
Returning a nod to the voice asking him to call a doctor, Christo held Melvina's body.
“Ueh, you're hugging me!?”
"You're not feeling well, right? Let's stay out of the crowd. Let's go to the observatory."
"Yes."
"Hold on just a little longer."
Saying that, he waded through the nobles and headed toward the doorway.
Behind them, the demon dismantling show continued, and the vulgarly boisterous crowd paid no particular attention to Christo and Melvina's exit from the venue.
× × ×
They went to the observatory.
Outside, the sun was somehow getting stronger in the west.
It might soon be time for the nineteenth bell to ring.
The wind outside was cool and much drier than inside the venue.
The hustle and bustle inside the castle hall faded away, and the cawing of crows and ravens in the sky below the castle was resounding.
As soon as Melvina went outside, she told Christo to wait there and said she was going to the restroom, and disappeared downstairs toward the castle garden. He was worried because she said she didn't feel well, but as expected, it would be bad manners to follow her.
Even Christo didn't like that kind of play.
(However, I would like to see Melvina squirming in shame.)
With such an obscene fantasy in mind, he gazes idly at the golden castle town.
At this time of day, the border between day and night is neither warm like day nor cool like night.
In the distance, on the spires of the city wall, a large banner was blowing in the wind, waving eastward and westward, just like Christo's heart at the moment.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Ah."
Melvina returns from below.
In her hand is a glass of wine that has just tasted of mud and a glass filled with squeezed fruit juice. Melvina's ash blue eyes were fixed intently on Christo, with a soft smile on her face. She seemed to be carefully searching his expression.
"May I stay next to you?"
"Of course. Shall we look at the city together?"
“Yes. … Ah, would you like to sit on the bench over there?”
"Okay."
He took the glass of wine and sits down on a bench.
Then Melvina, who usually sits a little further apart from him, sat right next to him, their skin was touching. He was a little surprised, but rather pleased, so he let it slide without saying anything.
"――――"
“…………”
Melvina says nothing.
She didn't even hum, just laid her left hand on Christo's right hand, leaned gently on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.
"Don't spill the juice."
"I'll drink it."
"You're super responsive for having your eyes closed......"
Christo placed the glass of wine on the corner of the bench.
"So, how are you feeling? If you're not feeling good, should we go home?"
"No, I'm fine. More than that, I want to stay here for a while."
"I see."
Christo and Melvina huddled together silently for a while after that.
The smell of Melvina's perfume mingled with the sweet smell of her own.
Her warm body heat flowed into Christo from her left hand. At twilight, the light is so strong that it obscures his vision. When visibility is poor, the rest of his senses become more acute, and he felt more as if he is one with Melvina.
Melvina―― she didn't say anything, she didn't ask anything, she just stayed by Christo's side.
"Melvina."
"……Yes."
After a dozen minutes, Christo finally spoke to Melvina.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine."
"You've been fine all along?"
"Eh!? That's not the case, is it? I was feeling sick at first, but then I wanted to go outside."
"You're a terrible liar."
"Ugh..."
Melvina looked away awkwardly.
He's not angry, so there's no need for her to look away.
More than that, he was curious as to why she was telling such a trivial lie.
"You don't have to lie and say you don't feel well, just ask me to go outside with you, and I will."
“But Christo-san was told by everyone to be a model for the picture. If I had asked you to go outside, you would say to leave you alone."
"Haa..."
"I couldn't be the only one going outside. I wanted to get Christo-san out."
"Why is that?"
Christo made a dumbfounded face.
Melvina's gaze wandered a little lost.
After a moment of waiting, she answered shortly.
"Because I felt like Christo-san was crying."
"Eh……"
"I-it's strange, isn't it? At the victory party, I-I thought that this person was crying while they were cutting up the spoils."
Melvina stared at her knees.
“Cristo-san, you're smiling, as usual. And you're responding to the people around you with firmness and grace. But...... I couldn't bear to look at you."
"――――"
“Umm, Christo-san?”
"That's your selfish assumption. I'm not crying. Where in the world would I be the kind of person who would cry over being praised for my achievements?"
"T-that's right, isn't it! I'm so quick to make mistakes."
This must be the kind of thing that annoys her brother―― Melvina said, and laughed at herself.
She turned her ash-blue eyes back to Christo.
She seemed to be watching his complexion again.
"But thanks."
"Eh."
Christo repeated, still looking at the evening sky.
"Thank you for taking me out."
“…………”
"You're not annoying. ――Thank you."
“Umm, Christo-san?”
"Yes?"
Melvina's fingers gripping Christo's hand tightened.
"I'm not the kind of person who knows everything like you do, Christo-san. I don't know what Christo-san is thinking, and if you're sad right now, I don't know why you're feeling sad. I may never know in the future. But."
She gently pressed her shoulder close to his.
"I can be there for you. Even if I can't say or understand anything, I can at least be with you."
"Melvina..."
"Or rather, the only thing I can do is to stay with you. Ahaha..."
"That's fine. As long as you're with me, that's fine."
"……Yes."
Melvina nodded once and then opened her mouth again.
“Brother also sometimes looks like he is crying.”
"I see."
“I used to cry a lot too.”
"――――"
"I was an unwanted child. I was given life even though I was not wanted. No one helped me, I was in pain, and I was always crying alone."
"――――"
"Whenever I cried, I always thought, 'I wish I had at least one person by my side'."
"I'm here."
"I'm here, too."
The voice was a little stronger.
Her white hand contained strong force.
"Christo is not alone. If you get hurt and can no longer fly, show me your wounds. By being together, we can heal our wounds."
"――――"
"Christo-san?"
“…………”
He gets up from the bench.
When he reached the railing of the observatory, the guards were in the process of lighting the fires in turn on the spiral road below.
The sun is about to set.
(We should go home.)
He simply thought so.
He was beginning to miss the skin of a woman.
"Christo-san? Um, don't forget the wine――"
Melvina was saying something.
Without saying a word, Christo hugged her as she approached.
"Doe!? ...C-Christo-san?"
"Let's go home."
"Ah, yes."
"And I will be teaching you a lesson."
"Eh?"
He whispered in Melvina's ear as her face turned dumbfounded.
"You better understand what it takes to turn me into a beast."
"Eh? Eh?"
He pats her ass once.
Melvina's cheeks blushed as if his intentions were conveyed.
"When we returned, I will do something cruel to you."
"Yes……"
"Even if you tell me to stop, I won't stop."
"Eh……"
Christo bit Melvina's ear.
Her thin shoulders trembled.
"I'll show you what will happen if you make me really angry."
Their relationship is sweet maybe
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