Katahane no Riku

Chapter 61.10年越しの言葉

Leivein′s sword was the exact opposite of Riku′s silver sword.

In contrast to the straight silver sword, Leivein′s blade was very curved. It′s weight couldn′t be compared to the slim and smooth to use silver sword.

With Leiven′s great sword, rather than piercing the enemy, it would be slaughtering. With him being able to barely lift the sword with a single hand, if it was only a normal human, the human would just narrowly be able to hold it with both hands.

However, without showing any reactions to the weight of the great sword, he drew it.

“Let′s go, Raimon Barusak.”

Whether he would agree with these words or not, Leivein approached Raimon in a flash.

His speed was just like one of an arrow that had been shot. Just with a single jump, dust arose, and his sword got in range of Raimon′s neck.

“Hmpth.”

However, there was no way Raimon would have his head so easily cut off.

With his sword being molded as if it had been given will of his own, it became like an armor, wrapping around Raimon. The sword that had its shape changed had both sturdiness and the sharpness to cut off a hand. Therefore, it easily deflected Leivein′s attack. The sword that had blocked Leivein′s attack instantly changed its form into a whip-like sword, and with it being aimed at Leivein′s arm, it moved towards him, looking forward to twine around it like a snake.

While taking distance from Raimon, Leivein calmly swung his great sword. While he was defending from Raimon′s attacks, it felt like Leivein was waiting for an opportunity to get close to him

“…You don′t understand, do you? Demon.”

Raimon glared at Leivein′s actions.

Although Raimon had a faint smile on his face, deep inside, his heart had became cold.

Mere demons that even having than as slaves would be sickening.

In addition to that, even if it was just for using it in their argument, he had called Riku his subordinate, and even seemed to treasure her to the point of coming to save her from this predicament. To Raimon, even if Riku′s super strength had actually been of use to them, for the demons to bring her up to the point of her becoming a colonel was something difficult to believe.

At any rate, the demons shouldn′t feel any generosity to a domesticated human like Riku.

“Don′t demons have any pride?”

“Pride? We obviously have it.”

Leivein answered back as if that was a worthless question.

“As a soldier of the Demon Lord army, we fight for the Demon Lord′s ideals. That is the pride of the Demon Lord army.”

If it would be of use to the Demon Lord army, Leivein would accept anything, even if it is a human. Even if the human had the blood of one of the spiritualist families, this would not change.

If Riku didn′t produce any results, then perhaps he would have dealt with her, considering his expectations only miscalculations. However, as he had expected, Riku was sprinting through the way to success. Not only she had surpassed the demons of the generation when she had been recruited, but also had surpassed a great majority of the demons, being able to ascend to the rank of colonel.

“I have not a single regret for picking up Riku.”

Leivein declared. In his blue eyes, there were no signs of hesitation. Seeing Leivein acting like that, Raimon snorted.

“Is that so… This is something I can′t understand.”

Although he had said that, at the back of his mind, Raimon was finally able to clear up what he wanted to.

Recently, the rumor of the [red devil] began spreading through the public.

He wondered why spiritualists that had long military service couldn′t oppose some little girl-like demon using a halberd. It didn′t take much time before Raimon could reach into a conclusion. The age, gender, color of hair, and also the weapon she used: each and all of them coincided with the little girl he had thrown away.

However, he couldn′t understand why would the demons use her.

The demons Raimon knew about held a very stern pride.

They believed themselves there was nothing that they couldn′t defeat with their own power, and they clearly would look down on humans. They possessed a great strength that was not to be compared to that of the weak humans, and were prideful of their life span, which was not to be compared to the humans who possessed only fifty years of life.

That′s why there was no way they would be so generous as to accept someone of the race of the enemy they were supposed to look down on. Therefore, until Raimon saw Riku with his own eyes, he could only be half-convinced whether the rumored person really was Riku.

But now he reached at an understanding, There was no reason to be doubtful about it anymore. Without stopping to attack Leivein, Raimon said.

“All I understood from that is that you are simply dogs of the Demon Lord army.”

Raimon′s mutterings didn′t hold any kind of emotion.

There were no feelings of hatred to the demons or happiness in being able to slaughter a demon. His voice gave Leivein a bad feeling.

“You… Have you not pledged your loyalty to your king?”

While handling the attacks without resting even for a moment, Leivein spoke of his doubts.

“Of course I pledged my loyalty. Well, but I don′t really have the time to be discussing about that with a demon.”

Raimon put his strength in the sword. A pale light shone from the sharp point of the blade to the handle. And then, when the shine of the light reached the handle, the sword split into two like a flower blooming.

“I need to have this demon killed once for all and give my punishment to Riku.”

—–

The situation at the water fountain plaza was that of a chaotic fight of blood flying around.

Near its center, Leivein Adlar and Raimon Barusak were having each other restrained while the exceptional demon soldiers and skilled spiritualists at the surroundings were competing with their swords.

The only fortunate thing about that was that there were no citizens that noticed this turmoil. With the great noise of the main street that was one street away, all the sound of the water fountain plaza was drown out.

But even so, people that had sensibility to killing intent would be able to notice all this.

Even if Riku ran to a back-alley away from the plaza, she was able to clearly feel that massive killing intent. Slowing down her speed, she ended up turning her head to the direction of the plaza.

“Please, don′t waste time, colonel Riku Barusak.”

With how Riku was acting, Piguro Obis adviced Riku in an exhausted manner.

Along with Piguro, Riku ran through the back-alley that nobody. While stanching her cut arm in a simple way, she earnestly moved her feet towards the outside of the royal capital.

Of course, Riku wanted to fight too. Even though she had lost her dominant arm, she still had her left hand remaining. She still had the sword she was using, which was lying at the ground at that time. She could swing her sword even with her left hand. Even though it isn′t her dominant hand, she was still capable enough of fighting. If she worked together with Leivein, they could perhaps defeat even someone like Raimon.

But there was a reason why Riku was distancing herself from the plaza despite all that.

“It′s just like I said before. You have already finished your mission. It′s important for you to escape from the royal capital.”

“But… Staff officer Piguro.”

“In your current state, you would only be a hindrance to Leivein Adlar.”

Piguro declared.

A hindrance to Leivein. In the present situation, except for these words, there was nothing that would make Riku obey.

Not only did she lose her dominant arm, but the enemy knew of Riku′s true name. If the enemy used this to their own favor, it would be tremendous.

Unless the targeted person was directly confronted, the true name wouldn′t show effect.

For exemple, if Piguro, who was beside Riku, was to say something such as [Rinkus Barusak, kill yourself], she would probably stab herself with the sword she was holding now.

However, if Raimon, who was now at the water fountain plaza, was to say the same things, there wouldn′t be any effects. If the target wasn′t within a certain range, the true name′s binding power would not have any effects.

It was possible to explain this theory even to Riku.

In simple words, the reason for this was simply that [the true name didn′t reach to Riku′s ears].

However… This last time′s case, the conditions for it to work were fulfilled.

However, for some reason, the binding effect of the true name didn′t show up. This was something Riku was wondering about.

“Either way, why… Why did the true name not work?”

Piguro breathed out in surprise to Riku′s mutter.

From Riku′s perspective of looking at the side of Piguro′s face, it somewhat felt like it overlapped with Vrusto′s for when he would complain about him babysitting her.

“You, did you forget?”

“Forget, you say?”

“Haa… Until now, how many times have someone used your [true name] on you?

Being questioned back by Piguro, Riku started to reflect about it.

From what she could remember, considering this time′s case, there were only two times it happened.

Even if one was to live in the same house of another person, it would be very rare for them to knew the true names of each other. Rather, except for one′s own biological parents and for one′s one in a lifetime spouse, there was no reason for have other people know of one′s own true name.

In fact, the only ones that knew of Riku′s name were pretty much Raimon and Leivein.

“If not counting today′s case in, there was only a single time.”

“Yes. …Then, you should know, right? What did Leivein said to you at that time?”

Riku went back to the memories distant in the past.

Some parts of her memories of that time were blurry, but even so, she could clearly remember her talk with Leivein at that time.

At the port city of Perikka, Leivein cut down some filthy slave merchants.

Without even wiping away the spilled blood, he turned his head to her while still holding his sword. Looking at Riku with his blue eyes that were mismatching to his fierce look, he said those words.

“[If I leave you alone like this, you will end up getting caught by the friends of those fellows lying there]… It was this.”

“No, after that.”

Being inquired by Piguro, Riku frowned her eyebrows.

Leivein lifted Riku up by her nape almost as if he was twist her neck. Riku had the feeling that she had her head filled with fear of having to tell her true name at that time. However, after looking at those blue eyes, strangely, her fear had lessened.

“[Since you are going to die anyway, follow me to my place. As long as you have this life that I have saved, use your power for the Demon Lord army and die for its sake.]…?”

For the Riku of that time, those words were like a death sentence, and they also were what saved Riku.

If it wasn′t for those words, then for how long would she be wandering in that hell? Without doubt, she would either end up dying of hunger, or maybe being caught by a slave trader and sold.

In either of those, there was no bright future.

Hearing Riku′s answer, Piguro fixed his glasses.

“That′s correct. That′s exactly it. This is the first time Leivein had ordered you something by using your true name, and also the last.”

Hearing Piguro′s answer, Riku became unable to say anything.

“In other words, from the beginning… Captain Leivein had used the true name binding to have me keep fighting for the sake of the Demon Lord army?”

“If it wasn′t for that, I would have killed you, you see. If you were a spy of the Barusak family or something, it would lead to losses to the Demon Lord army, and besides…”

After speaking all this up to that point, Piguro stopped his feet.

And at about the same time he did that, Riku also stopped her feet. It didn′t feel like killing intent, but she felt the presence of something coming near them. There was no hostility. However, she felt a bad feeling that made her spine tremble. Riku held the silver sword covered in blood with her left hand.

“Colonel. Don′t lower your guard.”

Piguro also slowly moved his hand to the sword at his waist.

And then, the two glared at the depths of the back-alley ahead of them. The shadow standing there was slowly approaching, and finally the figure of the shadow that was falteringly walking to them became clear.

“Eh?”

The silver haired boy that could only be said to be handsome was acting as if he had suffered a considerable blow. The instant he saw Riku, the bow he was holding at his hand fell down.

And then, the boy spoke the words he hadn′t spoken for these ten years.

“Riku…ane?”

The elder sister had once again met with the silver haired boy.

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