The Return of Evil (3)
Imperial Palace Aganos.
The goblin's garb stood in stark contrast to the corridor decked in gold and silver.
Clad in a ragged cloak with a crude spear slung across his back, the monster's name was Kido.
He was in Uorin's room—one of the very few retainers who could personally deliver food.
"Stop."
A black gust of wind blew, and a Pungjang wearing a white owl mask blocked the hall like an owl on the wing.
"What the—? You scared me."
The man at the front of the formation asked in a sullen voice.
"...Where do you think you're going?"
"Can't you see? She told me to bring some honeyed water."
The Pungjang showed a flash of killing intent as he stared at the golden tray Kido held high.
"Don't get cocky just because the Empress favors you. You're nothing but a pet."
As with most of them, the Pungjangs served only one master: Teraje.
They were sword masters who moved like fluid to guard Teraje at the closest range.
But ever since Kido had come into the palace, that pride had been shattered.
'Just a lowly goblin.'
From what he'd seen from afar, Uorin didn't treat Kido with any special regard either.
She ordered him about like a servant, scolded him, and sometimes even put a leash on him for walks.
"If I'm a pet, are you livestock? Move. If you're late she'll throw another fit."
When the Pungjangs unleashed the unit's collective killing intent—Gaksi—it felt as if thousands of blades pierced the skin.
"Watch your tongue. Insult Her Majesty again and I will report it myself. Tell her that the stinking goblin left for a place he'll never return from." The main reason for the Pungjangs' contempt was simple: Kido dared to harbor affection for Uorin.
'A kept dog fancying its master?' If he hadn't possessed that special ability called the "Taste of Memory," Uorin wouldn't have kept him by her side.
"Move."
Kido had no intention of fighting.
"I have the perfect solution."
The formation's leader drew his sword, and nine others mirrored the motion like afterimages.
"I'll have him neutered. Then Her Majesty can play with him a lot more safely."
The Pungjangs were serious.
Kido's gaze went cold, but his hands stayed clamped on the tray.
A faint tremor that precedes movement tightened the air.
"Stop."
A woman's voice cut through.
"Yula."
The Pungjang sheathed his blade and bowed his head. Kido slowly turned.
'When did she get to the rear…?'
Yula, leader of the Pungjangs.
She wore the same owl mask as the others, but her presence was different.
"Pungjangs obey only Her Majesty's orders. Remember that your arrogance could doom the whole unit."
"I'm sorry."
Yula's chest rose and fell.
'New recruits are a problem. No matter how much you teach them, until they experience it they won't understand.'
Skilled enough to be a squad leader, a Pungjang must never forget that.
'Teraje.'
The cruel madness wrapped in that name.
'She's the type who could annihilate the whole unit just because something annoyed her.'
Yula bowed her head.
"I apologize. Please forgive my subordinate's rudeness. Her Majesty waits—go on."
When Kido turned and left, the corridor was empty.
He didn't bother to check behind him; Yula had likely already disappeared.
"...Not easy."
He knocked on Uorin's door. There was no answer.
"I'm coming in."
Holding the tray with both hands, Kido hooked his right foot into the doorknob and pushed the door open.
"There you are—see? You were here."
Uorin, groomed and radiant, sat at the table by the window watching outside.
"Kido."
She smiled and looked up; her features outshone the halo of light from the window.
'She's truly beautiful.'
A goblin's sense of beauty differed from a human's, but to his eyes Uorin was perfect.
'Maybe it's because she's eaten so many people—human memories must have seeped into her.'
He tried to push the thought away, but he knew the truth.
'I love this woman.'
He wanted to laugh with her, take walks with her, talk about the book they'd read yesterday, and tumble together like beasts—every desire he had.
If anyone found those natural desires disgusting, there was only one reason.
It was because Kido was a goblin.
"Drink. You said your stomach felt off."
Uorin's lips curved as she looked at the teacup shaped like a drop of water on the tray.
"Yap."
Kido struck the underside of the tray. The teacup toppled, and all the honeyed water spilled.
Suppressing his anger, Uorin doubled over laughing, clutching her stomach.
"Hahaha! Look at your face."
"What are you doing?"
"Huh? I hit the tray and it spilled the honeyed water. Ah—bring me some more, will you? My stomach's acting up."
Kido flung the tray aside and shouted.
"What do you take me for—a real goblin? Am I that funny to you? Why is it always jokes when it's me?"
"You're disgusting."
Uorin's sardonic smile widened as Kido went pale.
"Just kidding, kidding! Don't you know how much I like you?"
"Enough."
Kido turned his back.
"If you need a pet, find someone else. I quit. I'll leave Kasha."
"Why so prickly today? What happened?"
Was it because of the Pungjangs?
'No, this is my problem.'
The more he stayed by her side, the harder it became to bear how miserable he felt.
"Huh? You're really leaving? Kido, Kido!"
Before Uorin could finish, Kido slammed the door open and stormed into the corridor.
Once the bang faded, the room inside fell silent again as if nothing had happened.
"Hmph. So that was it."
Whether he could actually leave Kasha or not was uncertain, but he needed time to think.
When Kido exited the palace, Uorin sat at the table by the window, her gaze cold and hard.
"Be careful, Kido."
In the flat scene she watched, corpses bled everywhere.
At the capital of Kasha, Havitz's face was smeared with blood, looking like a demon.
"How thrilling."
He had slipped into a construction site repairing damage from demonic beasts, and no one noticed him.
"Be more afraid. More."
Every time Uorin's voice echoed in his mind, his eyelids trembled.
"Hey—bricks—" Havitz swung his arm, and the neck of a passing laborer snapped clean off.
"All right, all right! Let's get started!" People bustled on, and the solitary Havitz began a dance of blades.
"Die."
One stroke took one life.
"Die."
Even as they obsessed over that gruesome task, the city itself moved on.
The teachers who'd expected a horrific clash were stunned the moment they opened their eyes.
"My goodness..."
The Wizard was crying.
"I'm sorry. I won't do it again." Once the dam broke, the Wizard's sensitivity poured out like a waterfall.
"That's right. Only the brave can admit their mistakes. Even adults find that hard."
The Wizard hiccupped and wiped her tears.
"Winning and hurting others are entirely different things. Don't do that again."
"Yes."
Watching the nodding Wizard, Shirone felt a thought strike him.
'A prodigy of the age, a mage stronger than adults, lauded in every way—but the child is anxious about everything.
Her own feelings, the feelings of others, even the nameless insects scurrying beneath her feet...
Everything is frightening.
No one taught this child about the world. That preserved her purity, but it made things difficult.
Am I really going to send this child to Satan? Can I tell Havitz to kill her?'
Gathering his tangled feelings, Shirone took the Wizard's hand and left the training ground.
Alone in thought, the Wizard looked up at the teachers and said, "Teacher, I'm sorry." Her homeroom teacher choked up and gently stroked her cheek.
"No. You did very well, Wizard. I'm so proud of you."
Rampa, who had watched the warm scene, turned and brought up the practical matter.
"Shall we... open the negotiation table now?"
Though they didn't show it outwardly, fury churned in the administrators' hearts.
'Damn it! This is the worst-case scenario.'
Who would have expected the untamable Wizard to become meek as a lamb?
"Ha! Yes. Shall we return to the school? Wizard's parents are waiting."
Leaving the teachers behind, they returned to the school. The headmaster approached with the Wizard's parents in tow.
"Welcome. I'm Nikolai, a Rank 4 certified mage. It's an honor to meet a star of the Ivory Tower."
To mages, Shirone was a living legend.
The hand he offered trembled.
"Pleased to meet you. I've heard of your deeds."
Through Omega, of course.
"You flatter me. Oh, and these are Wizard's parents. Please, greet them."
A couple in their mid-forties bowed.
"Hello. I'm Wizard's father. If our daughter caused offense, please forgive us—" The words came out before they even looked, giving a clear impression of Wizard's usual behavior.
"No. It's actually we who should be grateful. Thank you for raising her so well."
It was a statement that represented humanity.
Shirone looked to the mother. "I'd like to hear. How was Wizard born, and what phenomena occurred?"
The mother faltered and answered, "We're just farmers; we don't know. Was it magic or the Spirit Zone...?"
"The Spirit Zone," the father corrected.
"Ah, yes, that. We just want Wizard to be safe. Ugh, in a world crawling with demons..." The mother dabbed at her tears.
He couldn't bring himself to tell them that their daughter might end up fighting the demons' leader.
"Mom! Dad!"
At that moment, the Wizard—having just washed—waved and ran into the entryway.
"Wizard!"
She flung herself into her parents' arms—an unfazed seven-year-old—and Shirone's chest grew heavy.
'Even if all conditions are met, it's useless unless the Wizard agrees.'
The Wizard pointed at Shirone and said, "This big brother is really strong, you know? Much, much stronger than me."
"Huh?"
Her parents were stunned—Wizard had never acknowledged anyone before.
"I like this big brother. I want to keep playing with him. Is that okay? Huh? Huh?"
They looked Shirone over again.
"This is the first time she's acted like this. May I ask your name?"
Accepting the moment, Shirone answered, "My name is Shirone."
"Ahhh—"
They may never have heard of the Ivory Tower, but the name Shirone was famous even among farmers.
A killer of countless demons, a practitioner of love who fought for humanity's peace.
"Thank you. Because of you, we were able to escape safely."
"No. I don't deserve that. And I'll do more in the future."
Leaving the bewildered parents, Shirone crouched to the Wizard's eye level.
"Wizard, do you still enjoy magic?"
"Yes, it's fun. It's more fun playing with you. I'll keep doing magic. I'll keep doing it loooong!"
Pouting like a little fish, the Wizard drew an imaginary blade and slashed a long arc.
"You might die."
At Shirone's words, the parents' eyes widened.
"You could get hurt, maybe very badly. Still...do you want to keep doing magic?"
"W-what! What kind of question is that?" The parents tried to interject, but Rampa put a finger to his lips and shook his head.
The Wizard repeated Shirone's words to herself.
"You might die..."
After a long silence, she suddenly seemed to realize something. She looked up at Shirone and, with the brightest smile a seven-year-old could manage, answered.
"Yes! I want to do it!"