***Arc 8 One Who Spread Death, Chapter 187 Heavy Rain***
"...Onii-chan, please don't think anything stupid, okay. I'm fine."
It was a notorious noble.
Her sister, who was still young, was different from Zalvaag, she was gorgeous and had good looks――that's why she caught the noble’s eye, and was ordered to become a servant and go to the mansion.
That's what the nobles of the Gulshan Kingdom were like.
A beast with absolute power――they could treat commoners any way they wanted.
The blue-faced sister did not choose to run away with Zalvaag, but went to the nobles as if she had realized her fate.
A few years later, she was killed for stealing from the mansion.
There was no way his younger sister would do something like that, and according to his investigation, his younger sister was pregnant with a child, and refused to give birth, so she was killed.
When she tried to run away, she was caught.
A common story――in reality, it was an ending that should have been obvious.
Even so, if it was his clever and good-natured younger sister, she would surely adapt to life in the mansion, and perhaps she could live a not-so-bad life.
Her badly handwritten letters always told her that she had a reasonably good life despite the hardships, so he tried to believe that.
For the first time in his life, he took up a sword and headed for the mansion.
And Zalvaag remembered well the words that man said to him, who was stunned and captured.
“I also regret that I did something unnecessary. Kuku, your sister cried in a really nice voice.”
It was fortunate that the rebellion by Orugan coincided with this.
On the verge of being executed Zalvaag was saved by the rebels, and decided to continue fighting alongside them.
It was not out of a noble sense of mission.
It was simply a desire for revenge.
He decided to dedicate his life just to kill that man and desperately wielded his sword just for that purpose.
If he killed more people than anyone else, he could rise to the top.
If he showed merit, he would be selected for an important placement.
He cut his way through the ranks, aiming for the head of the commander, and took a number of heads.
However, he didn't remember much from that time.
“..Zalvaag was it? I've heard the story. My condolences.”
What he remembered was cutting into the room where his enemy was holed up.
There, he was stunned and saw the corpse of his enemy, who had committed suicide by taking poison.
“…What have I done so far, what is it for?”
“The enemy is dead. Your revenge ends here.''
When he thrust his sword into the heart of his enemy, nothing returned.
He was dead.
The man who had toyed with and killed his sister had died without any pain.
Without experiencing any of the pain his sister must have suffered.
“If you want to humiliate the corpse, do whatever you like. If that makes you feel better.''
Zalvaag did not answer, but fell to his knees, drew his blade, and pointed it at himself.
“But I won’t let you die.”
The man grabbed his blade and stopped him.
“…Why?”
“You used the revolutionary army for revenge. From what I hear, it was my revolutionary army that saved your life. Don't you think you owe me a favor?”
“... a favor?”
The man――Orugan laughed and grabbed Zalvaag by the chest.
“In any case, your revenge was accomplished. This is the beginning of your new life, Zalvaag. If you sell that life at a sale price, I'll buy it for now.''
“I don’t intend it to be for sale.”
“What, for someone in desperation you’re quite clear headed aren’t you.”
He then presses his forehead against Zalvaag, as if challenging him.
‘As the last member of the royal family, I must bring about a world where everyone is equal. Lend me your strength for that.’
“……I’m.”
“――I'm not going to say something pretty like that. Don't worry.”
Orugan laughed happily and let go of his hand.
“It's a noble cause, but it's just for fun. It's not like I felt sorry for you or the commoners, I just started a fight because I didn't like his brother and the trash around him.”
“Fight…?”
“Yes, I like fighting. ...I've heard of your many exploits. I thought you were the right man to wield the sword by my side. I'm sure you're not busy now that your revenge is over, so why don't you lend me a hand?”
It was an absurd statement.
“There are so many tragedies that happened to you. And it will happen again in the future. But if you cooperate with me, I will reshape this country so that tragedies like what happened to your sister will never happen again. ...As a side while I'm enjoying the battle.”
“...You're crazy.”
“Kuku, you're so rude. But do you think there are any royals who would give up power if they’re not crazy?”
Yet, he had powerful eyes that drew Zalvaag in.
“Zalvaag, you can die anytime you want. If you still want to die, die on the battlefield rather than here. I will give you a better way to die. Besides, if you committed suicide without being able to kill your enemy, you can't show your face in front of your sister with your chest out, can you?”
His stubble grew untidy, and he probably wasn't sleeping properly. There were deep dark circles around his eyes.
Still, his eyes were as youthful and bright as a boy's.
He held out his thick hand, wrapped in gauntlet.
"......This last king of Gulshan, Orugan Dikel Shania, swears by the rain to give you a sure fruit in your life, which you have nothing but regrets about.
Zalvaag still didn’t know why he took his hand.
"Uh..."
――When he awoke, he was lying on a grassy field.
His broken left arm remained splinted, but his legs were bound and his right arm was also tied to his torso.
"Are you awake, Zalvaag? You sure have been asleep for a long time."
When he looked in the direction of the voice, he saw his master sitting cross-legged with his hands tied behind his back.
His armor was covered with countless scars, his face was bruised blue, and his nose was bleeding, but he sat proudly.
Around him, the soldiers of the kingdom were running around in a hurry.
The flag of Gulshan had been lowered, and what was visible was the arrogant Kingdom's flag pointing the tip of its sword toward the sky.
"…we lost huh"
"Is there any way to win in that situation? Did I look like a strong person who could defeat Garhka and then Alberinea?"
"I don't. I don't think the Vice-Chancellor would be able to hold a single match against someone I can't even match."
"Kuku, you’re as rude as ever."
Orugan looked happy.
"It's a complete defeat, Zalvaag. Hahaha, it was spectacular, you could even call it a refreshing defeat. ...With this, I will leave my name in history as an incompetent person."
"I guess. Though you look like you're having a lot of fun."
"It's not a bad feeling, being overwhelmed when you're going at it with everything you've got."
Orugan just laughed.
He was, as usual, even more cheerful than usual.
――The only sound there was a roaring sound.
Dougleen Garhka broke through Kilrea's line, and Orugan moved forward alone, choosing not to take the bait.
Dougleen also moved forward in response.
The winner was already decided.
Alberan had won.
This could be said to be just a confirmation of it――marking the end of a decades-long battle.
"Garhka! I'll recognize Alberan as the winner, but I'll kill you!!"
"Hahahaha! That's the howl of a loser, Orugan!! All you can do is bark. I hope you'll be happy with my kindness in keeping you company!!"
The sound echoed by Dougleen Garhka was the roar of swinging a great axe.
The blunt blade, which compressed the wind and scraped the earth, never stopped, crushing even steel.
Orugan, on the other hand, wields a thick sword.
The five-shaku blade was like that of an axe, and when the blade was swung, it cut through all things.
There was no sound of steel clashing in this place.
If both parties compete against each other's swing, the receiver will surely lose his weapon.
Therefore, while avoiding the other's weapon, both sides aim at the other's weapon and try to cut off the other's torso or neck, taking advantage of the opening.
The result was a storm of countless wind noises.
The earth that had been gouged by the blades was covered with countless scars.
It was an even match, but Orugan took the lead.
He created a small gap and invited his opponent to make an upper strike, which he avoided.
Then Dougleen swung down and slammed the ground with a great war axe――the blade slamming into the steel handle.
Due to excitement, the angle was too shallow to cut it, but it was enough to make it lose its functionality as a weapon.
The hilt of the great axe was twisted into a crooked shape from the middle.
A scream-like noise spread from Alberan's soldiers, but of course Dougleen Garhka didn't stop there.
Drawing the long sword from his waist, he aimed at the nicked blade of Orugan’s large curved sword, which had failed to through the hilt, and struck it with a precise, unmatched swing.
The sword was snapped from the middle.
This time, there was a shrieking noise from Gulshan's side.
Orugan was left with no other weapon than his dagger.
"I won't let you!"
However, Orugan shouted and threw the broken great curved sword at Dougleen.
A magic possessor, clad in muscle armor all over. His throw was different from a vain resistance.
It was a deadly weapon with the power to pierce even a steel plate if it hit.
Immediately, Dougleen used his long sword to deflect the approaching great curved sword.
Despite his rough appearance, his sword skills were sophisticated――Dougleen, who learned the orthodox swordsmanship of Alberan's royal sword, was able to fully demonstrate the skills ingrained in his body even after giving up his battle ax.
However, even though it was broken, it was a great curved sword.
If he received it, his stance would collapse, an opening would be created, and then Orugan, like a raging bull, would rush in.
His six-shaku muscular body was wrapped in heavy armor, and he slammed his body into Dougleen’s armor.
That blow easily knocked Dougleen’s body, which could be described as a mass of muscle clad in steel, away for a moment, and he quickly jumped on top of it and slammed down with his right fist.
Dougleen instantly twisted his neck and dodged it, but his fist sank deep into the ground.
Although he had lost his weapon, he was not powerless.
His gauntlets, along with his helmet, could crush the opponent's skull――it was a blunt weapon.
Dougleen moved the straight sword in his right hand slightly, causing Orugan to choose evasion.
And at that moment, while lying on his back, he slams his left fist into his face.
A blow that didn't bear his weight――but a blow that was enough to break the bone in his high nose.
Orugan threw his right arm as he was leaning backwards and slammed his gauntlet against Dougleen's head, which had risen slightly.
Even though they both suffered concussions, they stood up with a small distance between them――
"...Um, General Garhka, what are you doing?"
A storm rages around them.
What appeared was a silver-haired girl――Krische.
"It’s a man’s fight, Krische, don’t get in the way."
"No, it's not good. As Alberinea, Krische gives the order, the battle is over."
Krische twitched her eyebrows and angrily put her hands on her hips.
and points above her head.
From one of the griffins hung a tall man――Zalvaag, wrapped in rope.
"What will happen to Krische’s promise if General Garhka kills Vice-Chancellor Orugan? Krische even went out of her way to bring a witness for that purpose."
"What an abysmal ability to read the atmosphere..."
"...Unlike General Garhka, Krische isn't here to play."
Halfway through, they were circling in the sky and whistling, desperately appealing to them, but both Orugan and Dougleen completely ignored Krische.
Krische glared at Orugan, looking extremely displeased.
"The detour with your reserves also failed. Krische wins without a doubt. Vice-Chancellor Orugan. Surrender as promised. Our demand is an immediate ceasefire."
Orugan looked at Krische's face and looked at Zalvaag, who was hanging unconscious.
It was a much quicker conclusion than he expected.
He thought Zalvaag would at least keep her until either he or Dougleen died, but it seems he didn't hold out that long.
――No, everything was fast.
The battle was resolved faster than anyone could have imagined.
In less than a koku from the start of the war, Orugan suffered a crushing defeat against half the force.
"If you break your promise, Krische will kill you all.…Krische will not take any prisoners, and Krische will destroy everything."
Orugan hears the battlefield music still echoing in the distance and shook his head.
"No...I won't break my oath. I'll comply."
And he roared.
"Supreme Commander Orugan of the Gulshan army announces! Gulshan and Alberan's soldiers must immediately stop the battle!! This invasion marks the defeat of Gulshan, and a cease-fire has been concluded based on the Holy Spirit Covenant!!"
Krische covered her ears with both hands.
Even so, the sound was so loud that the steel in her gauntlets trembled.
"Gulshan soldiers, lay down your weapons and wait for instructions from Alberan!! This is a ceasefire based on the Holy Spirit Covenant!! Alberan soldiers must stop their hostility toward the surrendered Gulshan soldiers, and any further violence is prohibited!! Those who oppose this will be judged by the Holy Spirit!!"
He first announced this in Western Common, then repeated the same phrase in Shaan.
This was because Alberan was the attacker.
After repeating this twice, he sat down and disarmed――he thrust his dagger into the ground.
"...You win, Alberinea, are you satisfied with this?"
"Hmm, for now. Krische'll talk to you later."
Krische looks around, then signals the griffins above.
Then she turned her attention back to Orugan.
"We'll tie you up just in case. Kalua, please tie him up properly."
"Ai saa (yes sir)"
"Hmm, the problem is that there is no one who can speak Sharn. General Garhka, do you speak Sharn?"
"Oh, I can do it. So I got a chance to ride a griffin right away."
"Well, the battlefield is wide. Krische will be going around here, so General Garhka will go to the west side. Begu take Mia down and General Garka."
"Ha!"
After giving a quick command, Krische jumped onto the back of the griffin.
"Mia, take care of this area. When Keith comes, please leave it to him."
"yes"
"Vice-Chancellor Orugan, that’s it. Krische won’t marry you since it’s Krische’s win, but please keep your promise. …Vinthril."
"Ha"
After quickly telling her business, Krische immediately went up in the air.
Next, Dougleen, who was straddling Griffin's back timidly, spoke.
"Kuku, you've chosen the wrong person to marry, Orugan. She's not the kind of woman you can marry just like that. To be dumped on top of a crushing defeat, what a double blow, I pity you."
"Hmph. Go quickly. Your right wing is still at a disadvantage."
"By the time I broke through, they were already running away you know...Okay, fly away."
Dougleen soars into the sky, and Orugan looks up at it and takes a deep breath.
"Vice-Chancellor Orugan, I apologize for the inconvenience."
"Oh, tie me however you like."
The black armor called out to him.
He looked at the black-haired beauty and frowned.
"You’re a face I saw in Nakria. Are you Alberinea's escorts?"
"Yes, Vice- Chancellor. My name is Kalua. As you can see, Alberinea doesn't need escorts though."
"Certainly, it’s more like a personal attendant.…Do you think it’s foolish?"
"……foolish?"
Kalua asked him back while tying his hands, but Orugan laughed and nodded.
"Yes, as someone who knows Alberinea, what do you honestly think when you see a general who challenged Alberinea and suffered such a crushing defeat?"
"...It's foolish considering the situation and your position. However, if I were in Vice-Chairman Orugan’s position, I would never challenge her."
The female soldier who introduced herself as Kalua answered with a chuckle.
"Not to mention marrying her after winning with a sword."
Orugan burst out laughing at those words.
"Ah, hahaha, I see! It's true, there's no one who can buy that with a sword. It seems I made a mistake in my method."
And when he said that he nodded to himself and looked at Zalvaag who was taken down from the griffin.
"I don't mind, but please treat the man lightly. As much as you can while tied up is fine."
"Yes.…Mia."
"Yeah. Begil, first aid please."
"Okey-dokey, Adjutant."
A female adjutant called Mia――he looked at her appearance, which looked like a village girl who came out of the countryside, but didn't look like she was skilled.
"...That's the adjutant, huh?"
He suddenly realized that he had lost because it was supposed to be so.
"She's different from me. That girl will create a new era."
Orugan narrowed his eyes.
Zalvaag straightened up and looked at his master with a suspicious face.
"...Kilrea and Elkar, all of the people I brought with me were good warriors and commanders. The beasts I brought with me were also the best. Looking at Gulshan's history, it's truly the best lineup――the culmination of who I am as a person. I was confident that I could overwhelm any opponent, no matter who they were. But when you look at it..."
He looked at the black armor around.
Then he watched the black iron giant being slightly stripped of its flesh and being loaded into a cart.
"Just like when iron tools were introduced in the age of bronze, or when battle lines were introduced in the age of cliques——this is a new wave of the times. That's probably why I, who led the old generation, lost like this. ...I'm glad that I was able to see it like this."
"...I don't understand. About you since a long time ago"
"Because you don't try to understand. If you close your eyes, you can't see anything."
Orugan looks up at the sky.
His eyes catch the clouds as the sunlight burns his eyes.
"Gurshan, we are those who seek strong rain. The rain washes away everything and nurtures new fruit."
——It was a faith that should be called rain worship.
It's a harsh land where most of the country was covered in wasteland and desert.
Rainy season and storms only visit once a year in such a place.
This floods great rivers and spreads rich soil throughout the surrounding area, providing the basis for crops to grow, and it is on this foundation that human life was built.
"...I wanted to see how things that were rigid are broken and reborn."
Gulshan means heavy rain——a word that honors its destruction and rebirth.
"However, nothing has changed even though the royal family has collapsed...The parliament treats me like a king, and the people just laugh at the glory of having won. The former aristocrats have become slaves——and everyone is dancing without realizing that their positions have simply been switched."
"Do you think this will make it any better?"
"No, I have some regrets. If it’s like this I should have just turned into a heavy rain and destroyed everything."
Orugan smiled bitterly and looked north.
The one where the royal capital of Alberan is.
"When I saw the queen who ate that person, who could be described as the epitome of arrogance, I suddenly thought, 'Did I make the right choice?'. ——If you think about it, this result is only right. It's probably the difference between those who experienced heavy rain and those who wished for heavy rain."
He shook his shoulder happily.
Zalvaag sighed exasperated.
"The words you speak have always been difficult to understand."
"Stop acting like an idiot. Talking to myself is not my hobby."
"It looks like you like it, but...what do you plan on doing?"
"...Well, I guess they won't kill me even if I go back. In the end, this war was decided by the council, and I might be blamed for the defeat and be forced out of my position for a while... but it's already a given that Alberan will win every war this time. When they see the results, they will understand."
The Gulshan Republic Council itself wanted this battle.
There were voices like that when the Holy Empire invaded last year, so this invasion would have happened whether Orugan wanted it or not.
Naturally, there are voices demanding responsibility for the defeated general, but Alberinea overwhelms and defeats twice as many troops.
He didn’t think Alberan would make any mistakes against Elderant and Elsren, and he was sure Alberan would survive this invasion of the three countries successfully.
If that happens, they won't have the luxury of cursing Orugan.
"Nothing will change. We've lost Kilrea and Elkar. The parliament is in turmoil over the release of prisoners, negotiations on compensation, and national defense personnel... I'm the only one who can pull it all together. ... If I had to choose, that would be it I guess."
"...If you're going to give up everything now, I'll kill you."
Zalvaag said calmly and rolled over.
With his legs bound, he has a harder time sitting than he expected.
"You said you would give fruit to my life, King Gulshan. I still don't even know what that is... Or is this the fruit?"
Orugan laughed amusedly and fell down on his back.
"Hahaha, you do understand what I'm talking about, you liar."
And he looked at the sky with distant eyes,
"...Forgive me, I thought that was a refreshing choice."
He whispered.
"I think it might be better that way. ...Alberan will cause a storm someday. Maybe it will be more fruitful if we let it get swallowed up by that muddy stream."
"... only human hands can produce fruit. Someone with a hoe is necessary."
Zalvaag closed his eyes at the smell of grass.
Perhaps because there was no battle around here, there was no smell of blood mixed in.
"If you think the people of today are stupid, you can teach them how to hold a hoe. You can teach them how to grow wheat. You should know that. ...This is what you guys took away from the people after all."
He slowly opened his eyes and looked at the clouds.
What lies there were white clouds that cannot be shaken by rain.
"…That lament is something you should do after you’ve done everything you need to do, Vice-Chancellor."
Spring breeze.
Gulshan will soon enter the rainy season.
"And maybe——I'm here because I thought you could do it."
Heavy rain falls, bringing fruit.
"Hahaha, did you fall in love with my personality, Zalvaag. If you say so, I have no choice but to do it."
"No, to be honest, I think the Vice-Chancellor is a pain in the ass. What I'm feeling now is just inertia."
"Saying all you want. Well...it depends on how they react."
He looked up at the sky and saw a big shadow.
"First, everything is after the storm has passed, huh."
A storm rages, and a girl descends again.
"Geez, Griffin make the skirt flip, that’s no good."
Holding her skirt down, she pouted her lips and looked at Griffin.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Vice-Chancellor Orugan. Shall we have a quick discussion?"
Then the girl turned her purple eyes towards them.
