Lost Child of the Dawn Page 4

  To that end, Krusty and Isaac, two of Akiba’s most prominent heroes, had gone to the front with the subjugation army, and even Akaneya and Calasin had gone along as reinforcements.

  That meant that the burden on the other Round Table Council guild masters would inevitably increase. There was a rumor that they were spending every day in the guild center or their own guild homes, fielding exhausting workloads.

  This expedition operation was what was drawing the most interest in Akiba at the moment.

  The 450 members of the expedition army had departed ages ago, and no one had any doubts about their victory, but the rear duties, such as supply transport and relief personnel, weren’t going anywhere. There was also no telling when the Adventurers in Akiba would be asked to provide backup. Thus, there were reasons to pay attention, and no reasons not to.

  The other subject that was attracting attention was information about Plant Hwyaden, which was said to have brought the West almost completely under its control.

  At this point in time, many of Akiba’s Adventurers had mixed feelings about the town of Minami.

  To the players on the Yamato server, who were from modern Japan, the system of self-government established in Minami looked like a one-party dictatorship.

  In the first place, in the Elder Tales game, having a variety of guilds crowded together had been the natural state of things, even where the game system was concerned. It had been only natural that the early confusion in Akiba had taken the form of guilds competing with each other.

  It seemed somewhat high-handed that, in a short period of time, a single guild—Plant Hwyaden—had claimed supremacy and, on top of that, had absorbed all the other guilds.

  However, could they criticize the move? That was hard to say. Instantly declaring that it was bad, just because it was a dictatorship, would have been too simplistic. In fact, according to the information that came in from Minami, trouble caused by Adventurers had dropped off dramatically, and although their policy was different from Akiba’s, the Adventurers seemed to be advancing matters in harmony with each other.

  In the first place, these were Adventurers who had played on the same server. It wasn’t unusual for old friends and companions to live separated, some in Akiba and some in Minami. Sometimes Adventurers were invited to move to Minami from Akiba and did so, and sometimes they were invited to Akiba from Minami and moved that way.

  In any case, Japanese people weren’t good at bringing up politics in everyday conversation.

  As such, Adventurers were conscious of the difference between Akiba and Minami and considered it high-interest news, but they also knew it was a slightly awkward topic to discuss.

  In terms of the population difference between Akiba and Minami, there were comparatively more Adventurers in Akiba. However, Plant Hwyaden had more than twice as many Adventurers as Akiba’s largest guild, the Marine Organization.

  Even as they felt a premonition of trouble in the situation, people were hesitant to express clear opinions on Minami, and the mood was an uncomfortable one.

  At present, Akiba was caught between these two major news items, and although the days passed peacefully, there was tension about them as well. As a result, although they knew the information about the murderer, most of the Adventurers didn’t attach much importance to it.

  On the fourth and fifth days, the murderer failed to appear.

  However, on the sixth day… An arrest patrol squad from Honesty was completely wiped out.

  The Round Table Council sent out a mild alert, requesting that people voluntarily refrain from going out at night. The Adventurers were one thing, but for a Person of the Earth, the situation would be irreparable. So far, all victims had been Adventurers, but that didn’t guarantee the safety of other groups.

  However, even at this point in time, no Adventurers predicted what the appearance of the murderer truly meant.

  1

  “So, how about givin’ up? G’wan, g’wan. Just give up and let me take care of you. I won’t do anythin’ mean.”

  “Mari. You sound like a lecherous middle-aged man.”

  “Ah, ah-wah-wah!”

  Akatsuki sat on the edge of the sofa, shooting glances at the chaos in the middle of the room.

  The wallpaper in this beautiful guest room was brand-new—a gentle pale pink hue. The interior decoration and furnishings were suffused with a feminine elegance. There was a delicate tea service on the coffee table. This, together with the women who had descended upon the room, made the atmosphere bright and cheerful.

  Raynesia, the room’s mistress, was smiling with as much composure as ever, but a subtle hint of bewilderment showed through. Well, that was only to be expected.

  The outfit Marielle was trying to put on her was what people called a “nurse uniform.”

  Even Akatsuki thought that was too adventurous.

  “That garment is a bit too…um…small for me…”

  Raynesia shook her head in a little trembling motion that made her look like a rabbit, but Oh, Akatsuki thought, that was the wrong reaction. Sure enough: “Don’t you worry! Our seamstresses made that custom, and it’s just your size!” Marielle declared, catching her.

  Refusing in a roundabout way like that didn’t work on Marielle. On Henrietta…it probably wouldn’t work either, Akatsuki thought. She shook her head again.

  “Um, like this? This way, right?”

  “No, that isn’t it. Eek!”

  “Mari… Really, you shouldn’t use your hands like that…”

  “Ah-wah-wah!”

  The flustered one was Serara. That said, even as she dithered, when Marielle told her things like, “Grab me that headband,” she did so obediently, making it clear what the hierarchies inside the Crescent Moon League were at times like this.

  “You aren’t going to rescue her?”

  The Adventurer who sat across from Akatsuki, holding her teacup elegantly, was a woman called Riezé. An upper-class young lady with saffron blond hair, she was a Sorcerer affiliated with D.D.D. She was a slim, beautiful girl, and Akatsuki had heard that she was captain of the training unit.

  In response to Riezé’s question, Akatsuki shook her head slightly.

  The Assassin was rather familiar with this sort of situation. After all, until just a little while ago, she’d been the one taking damage in the spot Raynesia now occupied. While the main aggressor at the time had been Henrietta, not Marielle, she’d experienced the situation itself in a general way.

  She was fully aware that if she was foolish enough to attempt a rescue now, the result would be a secondary disaster, or rather, that the number of victims would double. Just like everyone else, Akatsuki valued her own life.

  In short, at present, this room had turned into a dress-up chamber sponsored by the Crescent Moon League.

  “I see.”

  Without particularly reproaching her for it, Riezé dropped her gaze to her tea.

  Akatsuki picked up a bean jam bun from a plate and took a small bite. It was sweet and delicious. One of the perks of this mission.

  It was strange to call this chaotic tea party a mission, but that was how Akatsuki thought of it.

  In any case, she was here because Shiroe had asked her to come. It might have been a small request, but to Akatsuki, it was an unmistakable link to Shiroe. That had been a month ago, but still Akatsuki continued to attend this tea party.

  At first, Akatsuki had been the only one.

  She’d drunk tea in the midst of an uncomfortable silence, under Raynesia’s dubious gaze, and had taken her leave after fifteen minutes. After a week, Marielle had joined them. Sometimes Marielle came by herself, and sometimes, like today, she brought friends from the Crescent Moon League. After that, starting with Riezé, who was drinking tea in front of her, women from several guilds had begun attending.

  To be honest, it wasn’t a mission she was very enthusiastic about.

  She’d gotten used to Marielle, Henrietta, Serara, and the other Crescent
Moon League women, but attending with members from other guilds was mentally exhausting. She was bad at conversing with relative strangers. She couldn’t talk well, and Akatsuki thought the people she talked to must feel let down, too.

  Unexpectedly, aside from the Crescent Moon League members, the first person she’d grown able to talk to was Raynesia.

  In all, there were probably about fifteen female Adventurers who stopped by for the tea party. Marielle attended fairly frequently, but even then, it was only two or three times a week. Each of the other members belonged to their own guilds and had various duties.

  Akatsuki was about the only one who attended every day… Although this was purely because she wanted to keep her promise to Shiroe to the greatest extent possible.

  “Well, I’ll be! What pretty skin. That’s a princess for ya.”

  “M-Miss Akatsuki. Um, h-help.”

  “Ah-wah-wah-wah-wah…”

  “Nah, nah. I’m tellin’ you, I won’t treat you rough!”

  That said, it was because they kept seeing each other, not because they’d become friends or anything. She’d become able to make small talk with her, that was all.

  …And so it was a problem to be asked for help like this. After all, until just a little while ago, she’d been prey herself. She huddled down, thinking that if she made herself small and stayed seated, the storm might pass over. However, maybe it made her look funny: She caught Henrietta’s eye.

  “Akatsuki, dear. Why are you huddling up?”

  “!”

  Akatsuki flinched, denying it, and Henrietta gave a pleasant laugh. However, for today, she seemed to have given up on the chase. Simply teasing her seemed to have been satisfaction enough.

  Looking worn out, Raynesia came to take refuge next to Akatsuki. Even after having been toyed with so much, she sat gracefully, with her knees neatly together. Her expression was the same as always, too, but her lowered gaze seemed tired.

  Akatsuki poured tea into Raynesia’s cup as well.

  She understood that fatigue perfectly.

  The principal offender, Marielle, was rummaging through her Magic Bag, taking out new outfits and lining them up. Serara was being compelled to help.

  Alarmingly, swimsuits and similar things had begun to appear in the parade of outfits… Even though it was winter. She began to feel sorry for Raynesia.

  Raynesia was a truly beautiful girl. Her slender neck was delicate, and she must have been fine-boned: The line of her shoulders sloped gently, her face was small, and her long silver hair was as lustrous as silk thread. She was quiet and modest; she always had a faint smile on her face, and she never raised her voice in anger. She was a true upper-class young lady.

  Oh, but she’s a princess. Isn’t that different from an upper-class young lady?

  That was what Akatsuki thought, but she satisfied herself with the idea that “princess” in this case was like a higher-ranking class for “young lady,” so it was more as if the grade had been raised.

  Akatsuki and Raynesia’s first meeting had been a barbarous one.

  The day they’d resolved to make for Zantleaf, on Shiroe’s instructions, she’d helped Raynesia change. —Or rather, she’d stripped her and made her change clothes. That had been their first encounter. As that was the case, Akatsuki thought Raynesia must think she was a very violent person. Just after the tea parties started, Raynesia had been rather frightened of her, and even now, she was a bit nervous around her sometimes.

  However, even then, she didn’t outright avoid her, and she paid attention to what Akatsuki said.

  It was clear that she thought carefully about each topic and responded as thoughtfully as she could, to the extent that it made one think, impressed, So this is what a well-bred princess is like. All in all, she was pleasant company, and because her memory was good, once you’d spoken with her about a topic, she understood it. Akatsuki thought she could understand why she was popular.

  “Are Adventurers generally able to wear outfits like this to good effect?”

  Raynesia spoke up, sounding puzzled. It was a nurse outfit. With a miniskirt, no less. Raynesia wasn’t tall either, but the balance between her head and body was good, and her bust curved prettily, so it suited her. Akatsuki shook her head, feeling rather awkward. No matter how you looked at it, only a sparse handful of Adventurers wore clothes like that on a daily basis. (The fact that there were a few who did was due to the influence of Elder Tales’ game culture.)

  Upon seeing that response, Raynesia looked even more dejected.

  She was a beautiful girl who looked like a perfect picture no matter what she did, so even depressed, she was adorable. Akatsuki felt even odder.

  If I was like that, too, would things with my liege have been…a little different?

  That was what she thought.

  However, on the other hand, Raynesia didn’t have an Adventurer’s body or an Assassin’s abilities. She wouldn’t be able to stay by Shiroe’s side and guard him. I wouldn’t like that, Akatsuki thought. It was unnecessary. She knew that. However, there was no way to stop the blood that seeped from the wound in her heart.

  “…Yes… Yes. It’s a nurse outfit… Pardon? Yes. A nurse outfit. In other words, the uniform worn by girls engaged in medical care… Hmm.”

  Riezé had abruptly begun murmuring.

  A telechat.

  Raynesia looked blank, but Akatsuki began to feel embarrassed.

  “No, nothing so halfway. It’s fifteen centimeters above her knees, if you can believe it.”

  Apparently Raynesia had registered her gaze as well; she tried desperately to pull the hem of the nurse outfit toward her knees. However, the cloth wasn’t stretchy, and doing so didn’t hide her legs. In fact, when it was pulled taut, the cloth only emphasized the lines of Raynesia’s slim body.

  “Um.” At her wits’ end, Raynesia looked to Akatsuki for help, with eyes that said, Please do something. However, Akatsuki wasn’t used to this sort of situation either. Riezé was proper and ladylike, but she sometimes grew mischievous like this without warning. “Hrrn,” Akatsuki grunted quietly, directing a reproachful gaze at Riezé.

  Giving a light, pleasant laugh, with one hand set casually against her ear, Riezé feigned innocence: “I’m only joking. It isn’t a real telechat.” What awful taste. Raynesia was also gazing up at Riezé through her lashes.

  However, Riezé made a small bow to Raynesia.

  “My apologies. I was a bit jealous.”

  “What…?”

  “Milord is infatuated with you, Princess Raynesia. So much so that when I’m sent over to play—I mean, to guard you—I’m released from training for the day.”

  A heavy ache.

  It was probably true.

  Akatsuki and Marielle had discussed it, and that had been their conclusion as well.

  No doubt this People of the Earth princess would need to be guarded. That made perfect sense. As the Libra Festival incident had shown, there was a force that was attempting to attack Akiba, and it was clear that, in order to inflict damage on the town, that force wouldn’t hesitate to involve the People of the Earth.

  At the worst, even if Adventurers lost their lives, they could revive in the Temple, but that wasn’t an option for the People of the Earth. Not to mention that, if Raynesia lost her life now, great trouble was sure to ensue. For example, their relationship with Duke Sergiad—Raynesia’s grandfather in the city of Maihama, and the leading lord of Eastal—would sour, and in the worst case, break down entirely.

  Naturally, Princess Raynesia was closely guarded by People of the Earth knights dispatched from the city of Maihama. However, People of the Earth were People of the Earth, and their levels were around 30. If an Adventurer seriously tried to kill Princess Raynesia, it would be difficult for them to guard her.

  Of course, the town of Akiba had a guard system and a barrier that detected acts of violence. However, it was a function intended to capture or subjugate those who had committed violent act
s, and although it might catch the culprit, if Raynesia had died, it had no function that would resurrect her.

  Akatsuki thought Shiroe had asked her to do this job because he’d anticipated those circumstances. Marielle said she’d also been casually asked for help. Now, when Shiroe was unable to move a step, all Akatsuki could do was use everything in her power to comply with his request.

  However, when she heard the exact same circumstances slip from the lips of the elegant girl who belonged to D.D.D., they brought pain along with them.

  She stopped being able to look directly at Raynesia, the girl Shiroe was concerned about.

  Even Akatsuki didn’t know when she’d become so weak.

  This isn’t me. I’m not like this.

  I know I wasn’t like this.

  She was happy Shiroe was counting on her.

  Even so, here she was, comparing herself with Raynesia and the other women around her.

  She wanted to get stronger. She wanted to comply with Shiroe’s request.

  She was doing her very, very best to do both. Even so, for some reason, Akatsuki’s world was always dark and cramped. That hurt her.

  Surrounded by bright laughter, Akatsuki was all alone.

  2

  Sunset came early in winter, and by the time they left the manor, even the afterglow had faded completely.

  Henrietta thought that nights in Akiba were beautiful. Compared to the old world, to her hometown of Tokyo, they were gloomy, but in comparison with the pitch-blackness of deep night in this world, they seemed quite dazzling enough.

  A forest of buildings the color of darkness, towering in the indigo night. The spreading canopies of ancient evergreens. The scene was softly illuminated by magical lights that had been hung here and there. Henrietta thought those whimsical lights were much gentler than glaring neon signs, and far preferable.

  “Dusk falls early these days, doesn’t it.”