V2C3

Chapter 3 – Tamayori Hime and the King of Sword, Chasing After the Mystery of Anti-Fate

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1

There was a saying, Arcadia, presided over by a virtuous king.

The country was governed well not by military might, but by the benevolence of a king who was overflowing with virtue. The people also lived in peace without any inconvenience and celebrated their prosperity──

People were told to aim for making such country.

It was a paradise that couldn’t possibly be realized. An eternally impossible dream.

……That was the case, but Umayado no Ouji easily built such Arcadia, presided over by a virtuous king in this land of Hyperborea.

That was the Capital of the Dead.

Zombie-kun that got mass produced in great amount by Tamayori Hime, Toba Fumika was in charge of the majority of physical and simple labors. With that the humans could use their energy and focus for intellectual endeavor, cultural venture, creative work, art, and so on as they pleased.

The government of the capital where Umayado no Ouji acted as the king was hospitable for people’s life.

Of course people were encouraged to work, but any citizen was guaranteed to “have slightly more than the minimum required necessities of life”, and each house had one Zombie-kun loaned to them.

Zombie-kun──.

The moving corpse with characteristic appearance of pale skin and expressionless face.

Its body wouldn’t rot and it also wouldn’t sweat, so it was always clean.

When it was given an order, not only it would carry it out loyally, it could also act autonomously with smartness that even the latest AI of 21 ^st century earth couldn’t match.

It was truly the driving force behind the major development of the Capital of the Dead.

With the great effort of 『Zombie-kun Cleaning Squad』 that went around the city cleaning everything, not only the main street, even the small back alleys were cleansed from all trashes. If someone drank too much and vomited at the roadside, a corpse would come out of nowhere and cleaned it up.

Yes.

There was no dirt in the Capital of the Dead.

It was a safe sanctuary that was thoroughly purified and filled with quietness and order.

The unhealthful things were all removed to an unnatural degree──it was an artificial and manmade Arcadia.

Although there was also shopping district and amusement quarters, there were only elegant and clean stores that the place could be mistaken as modern shopping mall.

There was nobody drunk and making trouble. Anybody who did something like that would be taken custody by Zombie-kun police squad.

There was also no prostitution business both for male or female. It was forbidden by the 『law』 of this capital that put importance to imperial virtue.

There were also few crimes and the public order was extremely good. This was because of Umayado no Ouji’s good government.

……Perhaps, that was why.

The degeneracy and passion that Toba Fumika brought to this land pervaded among the people with astonishing speed. It was spread out through words of mouth, and yet nobody could enjoy it right at the open. It was settling down only as a 『dark』 culture in the end.

At first it was only accepted among the women, but even the men were gradually joining in…….

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And then, the rotten ladies were getting heated up in the salon too today.

The location was at the private residence of Toba Fumika, the shrine maiden princess who was serving Umayado no Ouji and also deeply involved with the government. There more than ten women were gathered.

Every single one of them had intellectual look and graceful aura, but

「Everyone, have you taken a look at the new publication of this month’s 《Thin Book》?」

「But of course! To think that Lord Salvatore and Umayado no Ouji are parting because of a quarrel──there is no doubt that the development next month will be 『the two of them finally reconciling with each other and consummate it intensely to make up for the lost time kyah♪』!」

「Well. That development will be too clichéd I think.」

「Indeed. The quarrel should be prolonged for at least three chapters. During that time the two of them will fool around wantonly with other men, but in the end, they will notice that only one person can become their soul mate──!」

「Come to think of it, have you heard? About the rumor of the two black princes.」

「What kind of rumor are you talking about?」

「I have learned. The knight named Lord Edward of the Capital of the Round Tables, his nickname is the Black Prince.」

「Furthermore it seems that he also possess a handsome face and grace that won’t put any shame to that nickname!」

「And then the king who rule over the 『Forest of Shadow Chaser』, Alexander-sama is also called the Black Prince……」

「It seems that person is also a beautiful gentleman. Furthermore he is a sharp and able person with keen mind, and on top of that I heard he is a sarcastic person with a disposition to look at everything with cynicism.」

「Oh my! Isn’t his affinity with Ymayado-sama the best in that case!?」

「No, he should be put together with Lord Salvatore instead!」

「Fufufufu. This is the wonder of 『shipping』 that Fumika-sama spoke about isn’t it? Say, Fumika-sama──」

「Yes. Finally the BL neighborhood of Hyperborea too has been roused up to a great height and reaches the 『sluuurping excitement』!」

Fumika smiled in delight and clenched her fists excitedly.

Then the ten-odd ladies who were gathered in the wide salon of Fumika mansion also leaned forward simultaneously and expressed their excitement unanimously.

「Sluuurping excitement──what a lovely wording……」

「Please allow me to make use of it too!」

「Fumika-sama is truly like a walking dictionary……. Please grace us with your encouraging guidance from here on too!」

「Fumika-sama, please take a look at my new work!」

「Fumika-sama, I brought with me the 『story plot』 that I thought up.」

「Fumika-sama, what do you think about this kind of storyboard?」

「This capital is truly easy to live in, with no criminal spot at all, a very lovely place but──sometimes it feel too comfortable that it feel difficult to breath instead……」

「Yes, it’s just as you say. It’s a very strange thing.」

「I also feel the same. But since Fumika-sama taught me about 『bee ell(BL)』, every day is very fulfilling and fun──」

「Everything is thanks to Fumika-sama! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!」

「Yes yes. Actually my husband is also taking interest to 『bee ell』 recently……」

「Oh my, your residence too? Actually my family is also……」

It was an association of noble ladies or rather rotten ladies of Hyperborea origin. (TN: Noble ladies has the kanji of 貴婦人 that is read as kifujin, rotten ladies which mean adult woman who like BL/boys love is written with the kanji of 貴腐人 that is also read as kifujin. It’s a word play)

They all chanted 『Fumika-sama, Fumika-sama, Fumika-sama, Fumika-sama』 repeatedly in unison and extravagantly praised Fumika endlessly.

Toba Fumika was just a plain middle school student when she was in Japan.

Being treated like this didn’t feel bad at all. Although she was giggling『Tehehee』 shyly, a smug smile formed in her face and she spoke with a humbleness that was only on the surface.

「No no, what I did was simply talking about my idea. It was all of you who actually learned how to draw manga, and also wrote light novel, and finished the actual products……. All of you even developed a printing tool too.」

Hyperborea was a terribly shabby world before the arrival of the Earthians.

But, perhaps also because there was a prehistory culture that sank to the bottom of the sea in this world,

Although the literacy rate wasn’t high by any means, hieroglyph character that was similar to cuneiform writing at earth was used here and there were also books written using it.

But, the books were of course written by hand.

The paper here was also created similarly like papyrus──the stems of a water plant were stretched out flatly, and then they were joined together to become a paper. They created paper with that kind of handmade method. Naturally paper was a precious item here.

But then that person, Umayado no Ouji brought a great revolution in that field.

The book lover Umayado no Ouji had learned the concept of『printing』 from the modern era.

The imperial prince who was enthusiastic to spread knowledge effectively sponsored the large undertaking of establishing letterpress printing.

First, the method to produce paper using pulp as the raw material was invented.

In addition ink and manual printing machine also entered the stage. Printing by coating a printing plate that had letters lined up and pressing it on paper became possible.

After that, a Zombie-kun squad undertook the mass production work for those items and the printing task.

Like that letterpress printing was established.

Because intellectual class of people like priest and scholar were appointed to posts of responsibility in Umayado no Ouji’s palace, the custom of reading became greatly popular among them.

Also, schools that anybody from children to adult could attend without fee were also established. The literacy rate was currently in the middle of rising up drastically.

And then──

That result was misused and a BL magazine Thin Book was periodically published every month. (TN: Thin book refers to thin doujinshi that usually featured adult content.)

With the suggestion from the shrine maiden princess Fumika, the artists that were born in Hyperborea learned the way to draw『manga』 and vigorously produced many works.

Their work was printed not using the old printing technique, but mass produced using wood-block printing.

The wood-block printing was more suitable to print picture. The work was being done secretly in an underground workshop.

The magazine Thin Book wasn’t circulated in the bookstores of the city. They were only handed personally from rotten ladies to rotten ladies…….

Fumika was greatly satisfied at present.

She had no complain about the matter of food, clothing, and shelter. It was also the same with the aspect of amusement and culture. Fumika enjoyed a very fulfilling life in the Capital of the Dead.

She was truly in the springtime of her youth. It was as though everything in this world existed just for her sake.

However, at the afternoon of a certain day.

「Taishi-sama, are you calling for me?」

「Umu. Actually there is a small matter about Lord Salvatore.」

They were in a stone tower that doubled as the palace, in the reception hall that was located at its first floor.

Umayado no Ouji used this place when having an audience as the country’s king or welcoming someone important from foreign country. Fumika came to that reception hall.

Also, the throne where the imperial prince was sitting down on was something simple without any decoration at all.

Even though he was ruling over a capital this prosperous, Umayado no Ouji didn’t show any worldly greed at all and resolved to constantly thought of the people and the country as the number one priority.

The historical eminent figure of Japan had truly become an existence that was ought to be called as the sacred king.

(Actually──because of that the more thoughtful a citizen was, the more reserved they would be from watching the imperial prince. They would endeavor to become someone moral too and tended to suppress their own desire and lust. That was the cause why the Capital of the Dead was abnormally overflowing with a sense of cleanliness and a certain kind of stifling atmosphere.)

He was wearing an imperial court robe with royal orange color, a Shinto cap with the same color, and white hakama.

Umayado no Ouji was dressed in the familiar crown prince outfit too today.

In contrast Fumika was wearing her middle school uniform. Sometimes she would also dressed “formally” in kimono that imitated a twelve-layered ceremonial kimono and a celestial crown, but today she chose to dress in this easy-to-move attire.

That was because she was suspicious of this sudden summon from the palace.

「Did Doni-san make some kind of a mess again?」

「He still hasn’t done anything right now. But recently he is making an obviously bored face. It won’t be strange for him to make one or two bad schemes soon……」

「So it might be the time for him to start something huh.」

The “godslayer” Salvatore Doni was treasured as this capital’s bodyguard.

At first he was offered with the post of minister of defense, but he immediately refused by saying『troublesome』 and in the end he was allowed to stay in the place as freeloader without any special rank or title.

Since then, nearly one year had passed and actually he was still being a freeloader even now.

During that time Salvatore Doni had almost decided to go travelling many times, but each time Umayado no Ouji would skillfully make him changed his mind.

Everything was in order to protect the Capital of the Dead from external enemy that was at the level of god or godslayer.

But, the man called Doni was also a double-edged sword. Sometimes he would try to invite enemy──furthermore it was powerful enemy that wouldn’t be a laughing matter at all by himself.

Until now he had even tried to declare war by sending letter of challenge to the Capital of the Round Table or Sect Founder Luo Hao.

There was no postal service in Hyperborea, so those letters were carried by secret messenger of Zombie-kun. That was why Umayado no Ouji and Fumika could detect those attempts before the letters reached the intended recipient. They confiscated & tore the challenge letters and things ended without any incident.

「Fumika. Pay attention to his activity. I will also do everything that I can.」

「Leave it to me-. Actually I have an idea!」

Fumika undertook the request as the shrine maiden princess who was responsible for this country’s future.

……The rotten ladies association treasured these two leaders of the country as BL material. Fumika was the close aide of the king, so if it was material about Umayado no Ouji, she could gather as much info about his daily life as she wanted.

However, Salvatore Doni was different.

Despite his friendly and cheerful personality, he unexpectedly wouldn’t flock with other people.

Most of the times he would walk around aimlessly by himself. He didn’t allow other people to grasp what he was usually doing at all.

That was why──Fumika used her authority as shrine maiden princess to assign spy on him.

She ordered spy to secretly tail and observe Salvatore Doni’s daily life and to report any info that was suitable for BL to her.

And then several days later.

A surprising report was brought to Fumika.

「Doni-san is──seen coming and going from a suspicious cult ceremony!?」

That cult was called the Anti-Fate Religion.

It seemed, that cult worshipped the warrior of anti-fate Kushanagi Godo──a godslayer with such eerie name.

Fumika was the shrine maiden princess. She could be said as the leader of the Capital of the Dead’s religious aspect after a fashion.

But she didn’t particularly mind the religion of ancient gods of Hyperborea or the newly rising cult. In the first place, although the capital’s ruler Umayado no Ouji was a devout believer of Buddhism, Fumika herself was Tamayori Hime that was based on Japan’s Shinto religion.

From the beginning, this capital’s religious aspect was jumbled.

But──she had heard that Anti-Fate Religion was rapidly increasing the number of its believers using a very unique ceremony.

For even Salvatore Doni to visit such ceremony.

(Just what kind of ceremony they are doing there?)

Fumika got personally interested and resolved herself「Yosh, in that case!」, that she would ascertain it with her own eyes.

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2

Salvatore Doni was certainly a whimsical man.

At the same time, he was also a lazy man.

He generally held no interest in working for a living, housework, or human relationship. Rather than spending time for those, he would rather spend time to wander the city or wasteland as he pleased by himself.

Yes, by himself. He didn’t need any company.

It would be enough as long as he had a sword with him.

If someone got in his way, he would draw out his sword right away and mow them down.

If a fascinating『enemy』 that roused Doni’s interest appeared, he would challenge them with a single sword and decided the battle with his life on the line.

Also, Doni was a swordsman. Not only when he held a sword in his hand, but even when he wasn’t holding a sword.

There was always swordsmanship somewhere in his mind.

Whether he was in the middle of walking in a daze, or eating, or even while napping.

He always thought of how to improve his sword skill that was the reason of his existence──the moment an idea flashed in his mind, he would immediately wield his sword and trained.

That was why he liked to have a lot of spare time. He liked it better to wander around by himself.

When Doni once reigned as Campione in Italy, generally there would be his trusted retainers staying near him.

There would be no problem even if they weren’t there, but they were very useful so he treasured them.

There was only one thing that Doni sought from his subordinate.

That was to take care of all the miscellaneous matters in his place.

Like that, if they could create a situation where Salvatore Doni had nothing to do except swinging his sword, then that was completely satisfactory.

That was why he would usually run away immediately when getting dragged into troublesome matter.

In most cases someone──his direct subordinate or a magic society from somewhere would take care of the clean up for him.

The reason he freeloaded in the Capital of the Dead at Hyperborea was actually because of that too.

If he stayed here, Zombie-kun and Umayado no Ouji would deal with any troublesome matters. Doni could simply do what he liked.

It was a prosperous city, so unusual guest and enemy also kept coming from outside.

Train and plane still hadn’t been developed here, so even if he wanted to fly around searching for worthy enemy for Campione, the traveling time would take up so much time that was unbearable for him. Such thing was annoying for Doni.

That was why, he didn’t have any significant dissatisfaction with the Capital of the Dead.

However, as expected, no matter what──

The bug of boredom would buzz inside him sometimes. There were times when he wanted to play with god or his fellow Campione.

And recently, that bug was squirming restlessly inside Doni.

That was why when he heard the rumor of Anti-Fate Religion, 「Hee~」 his interest was stirred.

「An old acquaintance of mine──is definitely involved with this……」

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「Everyone, let’s pray together! To the person who is the father of our Anti-Fate Religion──the warrior of anti-fate Kushanagi Godo, may glory be with him!」

「Kushanagi Godo is the one and only heaven-sent child of freedom!」

「Kushanagi Godo, the one who smash apart the rule of the abominable fate! Even now that person is fighting somewhere in this world!」

「Our prayer and love will definitely reach that person and become his strength!」

「Praise be to Kushanagi Godo!」

An underground theater was secretly built within the ground of a wealthy merchant.

A mini live show was held on the top of a small stage.

Three songstresses were enthusiastically singing several songs of praises toward the『godslayer of anti-fate』 along with the live performance of a band.

Right now the songstresses were also acting as MC during the short break between songs.

Any Earthian from modern Japan who saw this sight would be reminded of underground idol holding a mini live show in a small space.

However, this was a “religious ritual” that was held in a corner of the Capital of the Dead.

Around thirty believers and applicants to enter the religion were gathered here to listen to the songs of blessing and sermon──. It was an assembly of Anti-Fate Religion.

(Fueee……it has been a long time since I saw something like this.)

Fumika was secretly thinking so in a corner of her heart.

This wasn’t a ritual. This was a mini live in underground theater.

The last time she watched something like this was when she went until Osaka to look at the event of an underground idol group that an older classmate of her joined.

(I never thought──there could be a ritual like this!)

Fumika was half deeply moved.

This was emotionally fun. This was truly an event to『enjoy mnusic』.

Actually she sometimes had the chance to listen to the local music of Hyperborea, but those music never really touched a chord inside her. With her sense as 21 ^st century Japanese, she could certainly feel the charm of nostalgic tune, but the tempo was too slow and the music was too simple.

(But, the tunes and lines that these people sang──they can even be used for an anime’s theme song!)

The female vocalist sang passionately with rock style.

However, sometimes the song would change to a calm ballad, and sometimes it would change to comical tune with nice tempo.

(The line and band are also really skilled──I might get addicted with this……)

She didn’t really care with the anti-fate teaching, but the song was simply pleasing.

However──was Salvatore Doni really in this kind of place? Right now she didn’t catch any sight of him inside the live show venue.

……Fumika was in the middle of infiltration by intentionally “disguising” herself as a believer.

Usually she always dressed in earth attire because it was convenient that way. But tonight she was wearing the outfit that Hyperborean girl would wear.

She was wearing a white dress. The hem and armholes were embroidered with golden thread.

A red cloth that looked like apron was attached from her waist. From a glance it looked like she was wearing a skirt.

(Really, just where is Doni-san right now?)

Fumika tilted her head.

She received report from her spy. That Salvatore Doni entered into the live venue at Hedni’s merchant house with light footsteps. That was why Fumika also chased after him in a hurry until here.

The live show tonight was a gathering of around thirty people.

But, she didn’t catch sight of the blonde haired easygoing young man anywhere──no.

「He……he is at that kind of place!」

She unconsciously let out her voice.

The passionate singing of the songstresses began once more.

The back band consisted of instrumentalists playing musical instruments that were similar with guitar, bass, drum, and keyboard. And among them the one in charge of the guitar was──

The familiar Italian youth.

He was dressed roughly wearing a black T-shirt, a damaged jeans, and a golden necklace.

He was flicking the pick with a practiced motion and strummed the pseudo-guitar. That person on the stage was certainly Salvatore Doni!

「D-Doni-san!?」

She was in a secret infiltration and investigation, but Fumika reflexively shouted.

The song and the band performance were really loud. The audiences around her were also shouting in thunderous voice. Naturally nobody around her paid any attention to the shout of a middle school student like her──but.

Doni who was on stage lightly waved his hand at her. Just what kind of hearing he had?

That greeting was directed toward Fumika. There was no doubt that he was looking at her clearly.

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「Hahaa, the gathering today is also really heated up. Cheers!」

The mini live that was actually a gathering of an esoteric religion came to and end. After that.

The venue was immediately used for the closing party. The performers and the back supports all gathered and sat in a circle with each one of them holding a wine cup.

And then for some reason it was Salvatore Doni who was taking the lead for the toast.

He pointed at Fumika who was sitting beside him and spoke flippantly.

「Ah. This girl is my little sister Fumiko. Everyone, please get along with her.」

「Ni……Nii-san, why are you playing instrument at this kind of place?」

Fumika remained in the venue in order to talk with Doni, and then she ended up going with the flow and joined the closing party. It was because the Italian youth in question said that『This is my little sis』.

It seemed that Doni also infiltrated the Anti-Fate Religion because he had some kind of objective.

That Campione oddball, this eccentric and lazy who found every kind of miscellaneous matter other than swinging sword as extremely troublesome was doing something like that!

Also, he introduced Fumika as Fumiko wasn’t for hiding her true identity.

He had never accurately remembered Toba Fumika’s name since their first time meeting each other. He always called her Fumiko.

Fumika asked Doni her question. He laughed foolishly in question.

「It was when I joined this gathering for the first time. The person in charge of the guitar suddenly fell sick and collapsed. Everyone was troubled because they couldn’t do their live show. And so I volunteered myself to strum the guitar. Since then I’ve been helping them every time. Tonight is my fifth time doing this I think?」

「N-Nii-san certainly played really well……」

To think that this person had this kind of special skill other than swordsmanship.

Come to think of it──she knew almost nothing about Doni’s personal hobby. Because even though he was always acting easygoing every time, he never tried to get involved with other people.

However right now Doni was talking lightheartedly with his fellow band players and the songstresses.

「About that, everyone learned about music from that “Kushanagi Godo’s sanctuary” right? I never go there. I want to go to a pilgrimage to that sanctuary after this, so someone please draw me a map! How can I go to there from this city?」

He had participated in the performance five times. Furthermore his guitar skill was really good.

The religion believers had completely thought of Doni as their『comrade』. Everyone kept talking about this and that while a pen that was made from common reed’s stalk kept changing hand and various things were written on a white paper──.

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The closing party had ended without any accident. They left the live show venue.

Fumika and Doni were walking on the street at night with just the two of them. To be more accurate, Fumika was following around behind the Campione who was going ahead in a hurry.

「T-that was surprising. To think that Doni-san was performing that kind of undercover investigation-」

「It can’t be helped. After all this is for the sake of reuniting with my most beloved person.」

Salvatore Doni shrugged at Fumika’s question.

「It was a bit troublesome, but it couldn’t be helped, so I somehow accomplished it. Well, in the first place I had even done bodyguard job at the place of some underworld guys, so doing this kind of thing isn’t really impossible for me.」

「Y-you have that kind of past!」

「I got it really easy since I became a Campione though. But, my best friend and butler Andrea who would do anything for me isn’t in this Hyperborea with me. I was also thinking that I got to take action by myself soon.」

「Be──best friend who is also a butler, who would do anything for you!?」

Some powerful words suddenly came out in succession. Fumika’s body pitched forward eagerly.

Do anything. 『Fufufufu……is this what you want, my lord? Very well, I’ll give you a lot of affection too tonight. Really, you have been making a lot of trouble for me. Oops, you should only make a turned on face like that when on the bed──』.

Wild delusion was whirling inside her brain. Sluurping excitement……no no.

Fumika pulled herself together and asked.

「By the way, you mentioned something about most beloved person just now. What do you mean by that?」

「It means exactly like that. Kushanagi Godo is……perhaps my most beloved person. He is also a Campione you see. We have dueled each other many times with our lives on the line. Sometimes we would also fight together shoulder to shoulder. He is my best friend and also rival who is connected with me through a solid bond of friendship……」

「Your most beloved person is──a he!?」

「That’s right. Do you have any problem with that?」

「None at all! I see, I see now!」

Right now Fumika was also writhing from pleasure due to the substance inside her brain.

She couldn’t believe it. Until now she had only paid attention to Salvatore Doni’s appearance and personality, but to think that he was actually an owner of past episode that tickled the mind of fujoshi(rotten girl) until this far!

She had to dig even deeper about this data!

「This person called Kushanagi Godo, just what kind of person is he──!?」

「Hmm. It’s bothersome to talk about it. I’ll tell you later after I come back if I feel like it okay.」

Doni nonchalantly said that.

「I’m going for a bit to that holy land of the Anti-Fate Religion♪ I think there will be a clue about Godou’s whereabouts there.」

Why Godou and not Godo?

Fumika felt puzzled about that, even so she reflexively yelled.

「Then I’ll also come with you! Let’s expose the secret of Kushanagi Godo together!」

More than a year ago, Fumika was traveling all over Hyperborea together with Umayado no Ouji.

The traveling at that time was really harsh for her. She swore that she wouldn’t not do it anymore, and yet──right now her fujoshi soul was burning.

She instantly resolved herself to go to a new journey.

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3

Fumika decided to go together with Doni mostly only on the momentum, but.

Thinking carefully, her decision was actually not wrong at all.

First, seeing how he had decided to go, it was already impossible to hinder him. There was no way they could imprison this magic sword user Campione with brute force.

It was also meaningless to beg at him to return back here for sure.

This was Salvatore Doni. No matter what kind of promise was exchanged, there was no guarantee that he would keep it. His personality couldn’t be trusted at all. And on top of that,

『Sorry sorry♪ I completely forgot~』

The possibility of him breaking his promise with a single sentence like that was high.

Someone had to come along with Doni. Furthermore, that person had to give their all to control his overly whimsical action while also being able to do something with their own power if they encountered some kind of trouble──.

Fumika went to report to Umayado no Ouji before departing.

The handsome noble easily said this to Fumika after hearing about the detail.

「Well, I wish I can also come along, but I also have my duty as king. As expected having Fumika going along is the second best option. Do your best.」

「I-I’ll do my best!」

「Fumika too has grown a lot since coming to Hyperborea. Lord Salvatore won’t be able to toy around with the current you.」

「I hope that’s really the casee……」

Fumika grumbled. Umayado no Ouji glanced at her and sighed.

「Most likely there have been a number of people who were in charge of taking care of that person until now……. It’s a difficult duty to monitor someone like that godslayer-dono who might go anywhere once he departed to a journey and also restraining him as much as possible. I don’t know how those people fared……」

And this time Toba Fumika was going to join the rank of those chaperones.

At the morning of the next day after the mini live show, Fumika suddenly realized just before the departure.

「I’m going to travel again after so long, but as expected, doing it by walking is unpleasant……」

That was really a great hardship for her during her journey together with Umayado no Ouji.

It was tiresome, it hurt her legs and waist, her feet got blistered, etc. It was a harsh journey for Fumika who wasn’t used to travel by walking and also lacking exercise.

But, the current Fumika had a plan to solve that.

「Great god of the realm of the dead, I beseech you to grant me your compassion and blessing. Saki Mitama, Kushia Mitama, I beseech you to gran me your protection and fortune──」

She held up both her hands over the land of Hyperborea in a snap.

She used the magic to create Zombie-kun through the Orb of Death that dwelled in her right and left hands. It was Fumika’s specialty to create living dead from soil.

In this situation, it would be meaningless to just create a corpse.

Doni who was together with her let out an impressed 「hee」 seeing “that” welling up from the ground.

「So you can also create a horse zombie huh!」

「This is my first time attempting it but, it goes well……」

The created corpse was a horse with bluish white fur.

There was no life in its eyes. It was expressionless like a stuffed corpse. The horse’s body was big and slender like a thoroughbred horse of modern earth.

She created this Horse Zombie-kun on an impulse. It was a very superior creation.

Unlike living horse, this horse wouldn’t get tired. It also didn’t need any fodder because it didn’t eat. It was simply obedient and calmly allowed Fumika who had no experience in riding a horse to ride it──.

「Yosh, let’s depart to our adventure journey!」

「Y-yessss」

Doni and Fumika each straddled their respective Horse Zombie-kun.

There was also one more Horse Zombie-kun to carry their luggage. And so the new journey of two people began with a rhythmical clopping sound of horse hooves.

.

It was a world where azure sea spread out without end with many big and small islands scattered everywhere.

That was heroic world Hyperborea.

There were only islands with abundant nature here.

That was only natural considering its origin as “a world that was reborn after the destruction of the previous civilization by a great flood”.

Most islands in Hyperborea were teeming with livestock.

There were grasslands everywhere that were necessary for livestock breeding. There was also no problem at all with finding watering place.

……The Claw Archipelago where Fumika and others were living at was also not an exception.

That was why when they got out of the city, they traveled in the midst of a scenery where there was only grassland that stretched until the horizon.

There was no road to follow.

There were ranges of mountains that could be seen nearby and far away, small hills and thickets. They acted as landmark that must be used to ascertain the direction where they were going.

Well, Doni and Fumika had a map to follow tentatively.

「It looks like we have to go to the north-northwest of the Capital of the Dead……it’s really troublesome to travel with an unreliable map huh……」

「Doni-san, please get a hold of yourself. This is for the sake of meeting your beloved person-!」

Along the way, Salvatore Doni would sometimes check the map and the compass that he brought from earth to fumble around for the direction they must head toward.

The other name for Hyperbporea was『the country across the northern wind』.

There was the concept of east, west, south, and north here, so a compass from earth was still functioning properly.

However──they had no guide to show them the way. In the end Doni even stopped looking at the map altogether. Fumika spoke to him.

「That map, can I take a look at it for a bit──let’s see, uwaa……」

Fumika stared at the『map』 that was handed to her and grimaced. It was a rough sketch that couldn’t be said as well made even as flattery.

First there was a single black dot that showed the Capital of the Dead.

There were five triangle signs at the upper left of it that meant mountains. After that there were wavy lines that meant river, jaggy lines that meant a ravine, and so on…….

Fumika gave up on reading the map and said.

「Come to think of it, those believers said this while drawing, 『Anyway just head to the base of the highest mountain』. They also said that the holy land of the Anti-Fate Religion that deify Kushanagi Godo is somewhere at the base of the mountain.」

Anyway they could see mountain peaks if they turned their eyes to the northwest direction.

They were at a grassland area with very open view, so for someone like Doni and Fumika who were raised in city, it was really hard to judge how far the distance was with just eyesight──

Anyway, their journey was heading to that direction.

Fortunately, the Horse Zombie-kun wouldn’t get tired no matter how much they ran at full speed.

However their legs would suddenly snap when they were at their limit and became unable to move, so they progressed in their trip with just the moderate speed.

Even so, riding horse was really harsh for Fumika who didn’t have a trained body.

She didn’t feel good after getting shaken and jolted above the saddle for some time. Her waist also felt really painful (Doni who had abnormally tough body and also the knowledge of horsemanship was completely alright though).

They stopped for that day and prepared for camping when the sun set.

Fumika also created several Zombie-kun from the ground for this moment too.

Setting up the tent, making fire, gathering ingredients, cooking, guarding the area from dangerous animals like wolf, etc. She asked them to do a lot of things.

The humanoid Zombie-kun returned to become soil again when the morning came and they departed again──.

「The orb that give me the power to create zombie and the great mother nature, thank you very much!」

Although it wasn’t as pleasant as staying at the capital, the night camping was still quite pleasant.

Fumika offered her thanks once more to her ability and the land of Hyperborea.

……They traveled for several days like that.

While being jolted above the Horse Zombie-kun, they finally arrived to an area where they could see a mountain range from nearby.

Dony laughed flippantly and muttered to himself.

「As I thought, it’s impossible to search for a village without any landmark somewhere in this big mountains!」

「You are noticing that too late at this point! We already come until this far, so let’s do our best for a bit more to search for it!」

「But, I’m already bored.」

Doni said that flippantly even after Fumika tried to motivate him.

「Besides thinking again, that Godou, I don’t think that he will be related with a singing group that is singing those songs that sound like anime song. It should be fine even if we go back already I think……」

Doni suddenly fell silent after saying that.

His flippant and easygoing expression drastically changed into a sharp look.

He closed both his eyes and concentrated his mind──. Doni’s face was unusually serious.

Fumika reflexively thought 『That face, it can be used! What kind of scene will be good for it!?』 from the view point of fujoshi & BL manga creator. But even with such thought filling her mind,

「Umm, Doni-san?」

She called out to him.

「Be quiet for me Fumiko-kun. I can’t hear it if you disturb me.」

Salvatore Doni seemed to be focusing his hearing.

Fumika recalled. His hearing was really sharp that he could even notice her voice through that really noisy mini live show.

Was it his supernatural power as a Campione, or a different ability──.

In any case, the blonde Italian youth suddenly made a smile.

「Ahaha. I get the feeling……that there will be a development that is really to my liking!」

「Eeh!?」

「I retract my statement. I’ll regret it for three months if I’m late in joining this party!」

Doni kicked the flank of his Horse Zombie-kun and dashed forward in delight.

Come to think of it, just a little while ago there was a pleasant wind blowing. He caught the sound that was carried by that wind.

「Hu……hurry and follow! Go after Doni-san!」

Fumika also hurriedly ordered her own Horse Zombie-kun.

.

It was at a corner of a gathering of several small hills.

That place had a really good visibility. There was a suspicious group gathering there. It was a group of around fifty or sixty men.

Everyone was wearing a warm looking fur as coat.

Even their hats were lined up with fur at the fringe. Although their outfit wasn’t matched like uniform, all of them were wearing almost the same style of clothes. Perhaps they were people who lived in a very cold area, for example like a mountain with high altitude.

The fur clothed men──were all riding horse and equipped with bow and sword without exception.

Everyone had a grim look.  Gruff and murderous air that was unique to people who lived a way of life that was far from healthy was seeping out from them.

……Fumika was hiding behind a rock while sneakily observing the horse rider group.

She whispered to her company who guided her until here with a low voice.

(T-they look like the people from the Capital of the Round Table……)

(They aren’t knights from there. These guys might be coming from somewhere else.)

Salvatore Doni promptly repudiated her comment. But, Fumika pressed on.

(How do you know that!?)

(Their feet. Look, they aren’t using any “stirrup”. The guys from the Capital of the Round Table are also making metal stirrup other than sword and armor.)

Fumika noticed after Doni told her that.

The suspicious armed group of men placed a leather saddle on the back of their horses, but their legs were simply dangling down loosely without stepping on anything.

……Right now Fumika and Doni were hiding behind a rock.

But when they were riding horse, there were leather belts dangling from the saddle that were attached to bronze stirrups. Stirrups for feet to step on were indispensable tools for riding horse. Without this tool, the difficulty of riding horse jumped up drastically because the rider couldn’t keep themselves stable on the horseback. Especially when using weapon, without stirrup the rider wouldn’t be able to use their feet to brace themselves──.

Doni spoke with a low voice.

(I think they are people who learned to ride horse since they were baby even before they could walk. Do you know, the female warriors of Greek mythology, the Amazoness is also like that. They are a horse riding tribe that ride on unsaddled horse and fire arrows from on horse……)

No way, Fumika thought while being speechless.

It was astonishing, Doni-san sounded really smart when he gave such explanation!

Such extremely rude impression flashed at the back of her mind. But, this was a dangerous sign. Umayado no Ouji had told her before this.

『Lord Salvatore. That person……although he look like that, he is a very great warrior who constantly conduct himself to be combat ready at all times. If he face a dangerous scene that put his life at risk, he will immediately put on the face of a warrior──』

In other words, that was what going on right now!

Fumika spoke with a small voice even while she was panicking.

(Those uncles over there, they are whispering at each other-. What are they talking about!?)

(Hmm, about their attack plan I guess.)

Doni put his hand on his ear to eavesdrop while answering Fumika promptly.

(We can’t see it from where we are, but those guys are currently observing a 『village』 that they are targeting to attack from above the hill. Their conversation is something like, let’s attack when it’s night yeah.)

(They are planning to attack──a village!?)

(Perhaps, it’s the holy land of Anti-Fate Religion that we are searching. Somehow I can also hear songs or tunes that sound like anime song from here and there.)

(I-I can’t hear it at all. Is……is it, really true?)

Fumika didn’t really doubt Doni. However she still asked.

Battle, attack, massacre, such tragic thing was going to occur right before her eyes. She wanted to avert her eyes from that. Then Doni──

He spoke with a calmness that was filled with certainty. Such tone was far removed from the usual him.

(Though I look like this I have done all sorts of training. You can believe that my hearing is not mistaken.)

(You mean, you have trained your ears really well……?)

(No. I mean training for hearing in the middle of a duel using sword. You have to strain your ear in such time. The opponent’s──breathing, the sound of their muscle and tendon moving, the beating of their heart, the sound of blood rushing through their body……I have trained earnestly until I can hear all those sounds.)

Where did he get the idea to train in that kind of thing?

Doni grinned. His eyes were filled with the glint of a quiet madness.

(If you can hear those sounds, you will be able to understand what kind of movement the opponent will make next. It’s a really useful skill.)

It wasn’t predicting the opponent, but 『comprehending』 them. That was what Doni said.

Things like fighting or conflict was outside of Fumika’s specialty. However, she was able to understand that the man before her was a kind of a genius. That was why he could choose his words to say something like that.

……Fumika was dumbfounded. At the same time Doni walked away from behind the rock’s cover.

(W-where are you going-?)

(To the village that those horse riding uncles are planning to attack. The holy land of Kushanagi Godo. ……Haha, I thought I’d have to do something troublesome like strumming a guitar and pretending to be a believer again, so this is really a godsend! I’ll be able to make things move in my favorite way from here!)

The monster who liked to play with fire more than anyone went out to dance above a powder keg with a matchstick on one hand──.

Such imagination flashed in Fumika’s mind.

.

4

That village was certainly located the foot of the mountain.

The mountain top was dyed white with snow from seven tenth of the way from the base until the summit. Fields with ripened crops and small houses were scattered sporadically inside the village.

There was also a hut that had smoke rising from its chimney. That place seemed to be a smithy.

There was also high pitched sound of metal striking metal, sound of metal hitting wood, and so on. Looking at where the sounds came from, there were various music instruments being created there.

「Fueee. These are what the people of Anti-Fate Band used.」

Fumika talked to herself.

Calling them a band sounded more fitting rather than a religion. Also.

「See. It’s just like I said right?」

「It’s true. There are songs and tunes that sound like anime song everywhere……」

Fumika nodded at Salvatore Doni’s words.

The village was overflowing with music everywhere. Four or five villagers gathered together with music instrument and performed a small concert. Such group could be seen here and there.

This was like street performance. The music instruments that they used were also mostly things that were easy to carry around.

The “imitation instruments” resembled instruments like electric guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, harmonica, and so on. There was also flute that looked similar like clarinet. In addition instruments that looked like harp or biwa were also used.

Female vocalists also joined the groups and sang together.

Delightful song with up tempo, ballad, fierce rock tune. This must be also doubled as practice. Various kinds of songs could be heard from here and there. However only female with high-pitched voice took the role as vocalist. It was certainly “like anime song” in that aspect.

And then Doni who dragged Fumika until here was──

「Oh. There is something good.」

He took a certain item that was placed on a wooden workbench in front of a certain instrument workshop.

It was a metal trumpet. This thing too must be created from the knowledge that was brought by Earthian. It looked really similar with a trumpet.

Doni put his mouth on the mouthpiece part and blew into it with all his strength──.

.

*PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA~~~~~~~~~~!*

.

It was a horribly loud sound.

All the singings and musical performances that were held all over the village were drowned by that sound. Even though the villagers were also performing with really loud volume.

What decided the volume of metal music instrument was the lung capacity of the instrumentalist──.

That was just how outstanding the cardiopulmonary ability of Doni. It even surpassed any skilled songstresses, vocalists who boasted vocal volume that couldn’t possibly be matched by ordinary people.

The artists and craftsmen came in confusion after hearing the trumpet’s sound.

A crowd of dozens of people was formed in front of Fumika and Doni. Doni laughed flippantly while calling out to them.

「Nice to meet you all. You are members of the Anti-Fate Religion right?」

「Y-yes. And you two are people from outside right……」

One of the songstresses replied in bewilderment.

Guest from outside must be rare here. Doni spoke further.

「Let me get to the point. I want to know about Kushanagi Godo. The warrior that you all are worshipping. Like what kind of person he is, or where he is right now.」

「W-we are forbidden to talk about that by the religion’s rule.」

The songstress refused Doni’s request. However Doni made a smile.

「Looks like it. That’s why I have a suggestion. Your village is going to be attacked by enemy soon. If you want to survive, you can tell me what you know. After that I’ll take care of those attackers with this sword!」

Doni’s luggage was stuffed into the backpack that he brought from earth to here.

However, unlike a normal backpack, a sheathed sword was fixed on it. Doni tapped that sheath.

……A scene of chaos unfolded from here.

People who scoffed at Doni’s story. People who got scared. People who went outside the village to scout.

There were various reactions. While that happened, the people who went outside the village returned back. However not all of them came back. Many of the survivors were covered with blood.

They encountered a group of horse riders and got attacked without any question.

Doni saw the wounded villagers and spoke without a care.

「The guys outside are really violent huh. Do they hold any grudge toward Anti-Fate Religion?」

「Forget about that, let’s quickly evacuate together with the villagers! At this rate we’re going to get dragged into the battle you know!?」

Fumika desperately pleaded. However Doni was puzzled by what she said.

「Why do you want to run away even though that’s our aim? Also, I think it’s too late already. I can hear the sound of a lot of horses galloping from the outside. It looks like the attackers has entered into a frenzy to take care of things quickly now that they are already found out.」

「D-don’t say it like it’s not your business at all like that~!」

「Of course it’s also my business. Look, there are fire arrows coming. This area soon will become a battlefield too.」

「Kyaaaaaaaaa~~~~~!」

Arrow flew right in front of her eye and nose before stabbing the ground.

Right under the arrowhead was a piece of paper that was wrapped multiple times on the arrow shaft and soaked in oil. Of course it had already been lit up too. It was burning fiercely!

This fire arrow must be fired everywhere. The inside of the village had fires breaking out everywhere.

In addition, horse riders with their sword unsheathed were rushing toward them.

They were the men who Fumika saw outside the village just a little while ago. They ran around with skilled horse riding ability and the moment they found a believer of Anti-Fate Religion, they would cut them down from above the horse.

Blood would spray up each time their blade ran in a flash.

Among the villagers, there were also some who threw away their music instrument to face the enemies with sword or spear.

But, the enemies were riding unruly horses that sprinted like the wind. Although there were courageous souls who dared to face them, they would be kicked by the horse’s hooves and stepped to death──.

Fumika’s rage was ablaze before that tragic sight.

「I’m angry now! Someone like Doni-san can’t be counted on at all……Zombie-kun!」

She held her right and left palms over the ground.

The Orb of the Death dwelled in her hands. The dead that was created from its mysterious power welled out from the ground. A total of thirty naked corpses appeared with leather belt wrapped around their waist. A sharp long sword was attached to those belts.

──They were the sword corpses.

Even among the Zombie-kun that Fumika created, these zombies had excellent physical ability and they were taught swordsmanship from Salvatore Doni of all people.

Fumika had returned that elite squad into the land temporarily before this.

It was so that she could summon them instantly when  needed──.

「Attack the horse riding guys!」

The sword corpses responded to Fumika’s order and broke into a run simultaneously.

They were really agile despite being zombie. They charged without fearing the violent horses and brandished their sword over their right shoulder while swinging down a furious slash!

The sword corpse squad first cut down the enemy’s horses.

As expected from the mechanical fighting style of the corpses. The heavy pressure of taking away life felt heavy in Fumika’s stomach because it was done by her will.

However, she endured it through her rage toward the unreasonable massacre. As she was doing that──

「E-eeeeeh!? What is the meaning of this!?」

「Hee──so that’s their response.」

Fumika was astounded. Doni whispered.

The horse riders that were killed by the corpses abruptly got up on their feet again. Furthermore──they were transforming to a strange form.

Their bared skin became covered in thick grey hair.

The nails on their hands grew longer and sharper. Everyone’s body grew a size bigger.

But, the part with the most drastic change was their “face”. Their nose and mount elongated, there were also canines growing, and their ears changed into a pointy triangle shape.

Their face was clearly the face of dog──or rather wolf.

The men who had died were revived as werewolf!

「They are werewolf zombie!?」

「It’s not that. They transformed into werewolf just before they die and somehow endure their wound using the life force of demonic beast. Oh, the wounds of the mister wolves are already starting to heal.」

Fumika was taken aback, while Doni taught her of what was going on with a carefree tone.

If that was the case──a sword corpse slashed at one of the werewolves. That blade was dodged with animalistic agility, and it didn’t stop there.

The werewolf slipped past the sword and bit the pale throat of the corpse and tore it apart!

The zombies that could be called fighting machines emotionlessly swung their sword at the revived werewolves and inflicted slashing wound on them. They also received counterattack from claws and fangs and got wounded.

The corpses and the werewolves were about equal in fighting ability.

The zombie warriors fought with cold blooded attitude, while the wolves displayed wild ferocity without holding anything back and howling 『GAAAAAAAAAH』 from their mouths.

And then──Salvatore Doni finally started moving slowly.

「I see. Thinking back, of course it would be that person who react the fastest toward the news of Kushanagi Godo and Anti-Fate Religion.」

Doni muttered so while picking up a long sword.

It was a sword that was used by the soldiers of horse riding group. The sword that was raised high toward the sky astonishingly exploded and became countless fragments──and scattered.

Furthermore, they pierced the werewolves that were rampaging everywhere in the battlefield.

The werewolves who got parts of their body gouged by the fragments immediately ended up in a state of 『bisected from a single slash』.

Their upper body and lower body were parted from each other at the waistline. Some were bisected vertically from the top of their head until their crotch. There were also those who were diagonally severed like a log. Etc, etc.

They were bisected into two in various states──.

Doni’s right arm that produced such result was shining silver before anyone realized it.

It was the authority Silver Ripping Arm. The power to change the object in his hand into ever-victorious magic sword that could also be said as the representative symbol of Salvatore Doni.

However, there was just one werewolf who survived.

The werewolf was silently staring at Doni while twitching like a dog in complete terror. Doni intentionally spared one enemy in order to get information from him.

「If you can talk even while in that form then tell me. Your boss is a gloomy old man called Dejanstahl Voban with a nickname of marquis right?」

The moment Doni asked that.

The neck of the werewolf that he intentionally spared──snapped.

In exchange a youthful and hard voice of a young man resounded from somewhere.

「I too should have noticed it sooner. When I heard that there are corpses in the so called Capital of the Dead that got taught swordsmanship……a man who thought up that kind of stupid thing can only be you. Isn’t that right, Salvatore Doni?」

.

5

The voice’s owner──was a black horse that was soaked in blood.

It was a part of the horse riding group. One of the horses that got cut down by a sword corpse before this. However right now its body was “transforming”.

From a black horse, it changed into a black wolf that boasted a large body like a horse.

The monster that transformed from a herbivore animal to a wolf let out a young man’s voice from its mouth once more.

「What a nostalgic face. Though it’s not like I want to meet you again or anything.」

「You are really cold like usual.」

The wolf’s attitude was cold, in contrast Doni’s tone was warm and genial.

「I have this unbearable urge to reunite with familiar faces from the past you know? I can meet with Sect Founder Luo Hao sometimes but, you know, she is someone who is fixated with thing like appearance or formality right? Even when I ask her for a duel, it’s really hard to get her to accept. It’s really vexing. That’s why」

Doni grinned playfully.

「I’m really pleased that I can finally encounter a hot blooded brethren like you.」

「Hmph. So you want to play around with me huh. It looks like you are also still the same like ever.」

Fumika was listening to the conversation while shaking.

Brethren. The unknown “wolf user” was also a Campione, one of the godslayers! After her big sister’s fiancée, Sect Founder Luo Hao who was also her master, and the overly free king of sword, Toba Fumika encountered another member of the worst devil kings here!

It was truly a bizarre coincidence. She missed her relaxed life at Nara prefecture in Japan.

The two men continued their conversation while ignoring the deep emotion of the middle school girl.

「By the way gramps, aren’t your voice sounds really young?」

Doni asked nonchalantly.

「I thought you are someone else just now.」

「Hmph. It’s not something that I need to waste my time to explain to you. You will understand it naturally if you ever have a chance of meeting me directly in the future.」

「Ah. What, so you are just sending your underlings to here.」

「Obviously. Kushanagi Godo and Anti-Fate Religion……it’s certainly a matter that remind me of my old acquaintances but, there is no evidence to substantiate it at all. I don’t feel like taking the time to come there myself just from that.」

The black wolf spoke with a snigger.

「Fortunately right now──I’m someone in charge of the Wolf Pack Pavilion, one of what the world called forbidden realms. I’m not troubled with lack of subordinates. I simply called some random lackeys to attack the holy land of the suspicious cult and see if there is something that can be ascertained from that……」

Fumika shuddered from the unexpected name that was mentioned.

The eight kingdom(realms) that were built by the Earthians on this Claw Archipelago. Wolf Pack Pavilion was also one of them!

They didn’t settle in one place. They were nomads that consisted of powerful cavalries.

There was also a reason why their name was Wolf Pack. Their army didn’t only consist of terrifying cavalries, there was also packs of demonic wolves among them.

The army moved from place to place with the swift feet of horses and wolves while repeatedly attacking and raiding as they fancied──.

Fumika was a shrine maiden princess who was involved with her country’s government. That was why she naturally knew.

On the other hand, Doni kept staying calm while talking.

「Hmph. But gramps. Despite appealing that 『you aren’t really serious』……you intentionally granted “the wolf mark” to this attack squad huh.」

Doni pointed to the monster that was a black horse before it turned into a wolf.

「You are brimming with motivation to ascertain it with your own eyes. That’s why we can be reunited like this.」

「Fuh──」

「You want to learn whether the source of Kushanagi Godo is really Kusanagi Godou or not……. Perhaps you don’t know gramps because you got done in by Godou in hat Devil King Civil War but──after that Godou decisively won against the hero of devil king extermination and the god of fate and became the last one standing.」

「……Looks like it.」

The “person inside” the black wolf was most likely trying to act calm.

However Fumika realized despite being a mere spectator. Right now this person whose name seemed to be Marquis Voban was quietly burning in flame of fighting spirit!

His will to fight was conveyed from the powerful strength of his voice.

The opponent who he thought as potential enemy. 『Kusanagi Godou』 whose name came out just now. Eh, what’s his relationship with Kushanagi Godo, Fumika thought with question mark floating in her mind.

Without caring about her bewilderment, the black wolf spoke with a growl.

「It would be ideal if I can pursue the movement of my old foe, Kusanagi Godou from this. But even if that’s not the case, it will also be fine if I can ascertain what is 『behind』 this joke of a religion that increased its number of believer in such abnormal speed. That was my intention from this but……to think it would be you who showed up instead!」

「Well, Godou is also my beloved person after all.」

Doni winked playfully.

「The birth of a religion that is too sudden like this and its increase in popularity, it’s nostalgic. This is like the method of 《that person》 who we both know, so I got curious!」

「So our objective is the same.」

The black wolf spoke with the voice of the 《marquis》.

「Very well. Then let’s decide it with a game. Between you and me──which one of us will obtain the information about this so called religion!」

「Hahahaha, nice. As I thought you are really understanding gramps!」

Doni laughed loudly. Right after that the black wolf slumped down.

The transformation was undone while they were watching──it was returning to its former black horse appearance. “The person inside” vanished and the supply of power was cut off from it.

In exchange, a 『shadow』 suddenly covered the ground.

Even though today was sunny with no cloud in sight. Fumika looked up to the sky and became dumbfounded.

「T-that’s……a skull of something!?」

「Perhaps that’s a wolf’s head. What’s more it’s really big──that size can crush this village altogether.」

It was a sight that reminded them of a falling meteor.

The wolf skull was falling from the sky that Fumika and Doni looked up at. Furthermore, it was rapidly approaching toward this holy land of Anti-Fate Religion!

Fumika yelled in panic.

「I-is that like a colony drop!? Or perhaps like Tiamat comet!?」

「Aa. There is something like that in Japanese anime huh. Well, the scale of this isn’t that big. Though that gramps might be able to do something like that too if he get serious.」

Doni kept talking calmly even in time like this.

「This feels different from his usual 『wolf』, I take it that he had obtained a new authority from somewhere……」

「W-we are going to get annihilated if that thing fell here aren’t we!?」

「Looks like it. I think the area around here will be completely gouged into a crater. Also, there will be a really huge explosion after that.」

Unlike Fumika who was completely flustered, Doni was speaking in a good mood.

「Actually, I have experienced something like this many times. I’m a bit proud about it.」

「Please spare me from that kind of bragging about your misfortune! We and also the villagers are going to die!」

「Ahaha, Fumiko-kun. You are wrong about that.」

Doni still laughed flippantly even at this moment. And then he lifted up the sheath of his sword.

But, he didn’t unsheathe his sword. Although he grasped the sword’s handle with his right hand, he didn’t draw it out and astonishingly he even closed both his eyes after that.

He didn’t run away, didn’t draw his sword, and didn’t move. He didn’t show any sign to fight.

But──that figure looked similar like a routine that athlete used to heighten their concentration.

「Having experiencing it many times also means──having getting through it many times. I have also obtained……an authority that is just right for this kind of time.」

「E──h!?」

「It was when I was still at earth you see. When I want projectile weapon, I used the shooting star that just happened to pass as a substitute for sword and dropped it from the sky. But, I can’t use that in this Hyperborea. But luckily, right after I arrived here I fought with a war god called Vahagn……」

「T-the scale of your story is too absurd that I don’t get it at all!」

「No, you see. At first I found something like slushy lava flow near the sea. And that thing was actually the war god Vahagn. He was injured from a previous battle and his body melted into a lava flow. It was all nice and well until that point, but because of that he became a lava monster that I couldn’t cut at all even when I slashed him.」

「In other words, you defeated that god!?」

「Yep. It was really difficult you know?」

At first the wolf skull looked far away at the sky.

But now its evil face was already covering up the sky above Fumika and Doni. That was how near it had gotten. It should descend on this land soon.

It wouldn’t even take two or three more minutes until the “zero hour” of its fall and collision.

It was meaningless even if they tried to sprint in full speed to evacuate at this point. Fumika turned tearful. It was then.

「Yosh, I see it. ……Light」

「!?」

Doni finally unsheathed his sword.

It was Iai cut technique that launched a slash as the sword was pulled out from the sheath. However, what he cut was the empty air. The unsheathed sword only obtained freedom for an instant. It had only returned inside its sheath.

……And then Fumika saw.

A streak of light, rushing to the sky above them──.

That flash swept the wolf skull that was currently falling down rapidly to the ground from sideways.

「I need to show this time that even I have a special move that won’t lose against Godou.」

A collapse happened at a place far away from Doni’s muttering.

The gigantic skull was starting to crumble into something like sand. And then it instantly lost its shape. It was a powerful technique that splendidly smashed the target to sand in a single stroke using the flash of Iai cut.

Yumiko could only watch that in a daze and feeling of anti-climax.

「Fueeeee……」

「I also need to name Vahagn’s authority soon……. The smart people who would think up the names for me until now aren’t in Hyperborea after all. This kind of thing is really troublesome!」

Fumika reflexively commented at Doni’s grumbling.

「Errr, then, how about Soaring Dragon Flash(Amakakeru Ryuu no Hirameki)……」

「Ah, that sounds good. Let’s go with that!」

「Instant answer!? As expected that’s no good copyright wise! That’s right, something like 《The Sword Hidden From God》 is better!」

「Ee. The first one is cooler.」

This conversation concluded this battle.

.

Thus the 『game』 ended.

After repelling the attack that the mysterious marquis of wolf launched, Doni gathered the songstresses, musicians, and craftsmen of Anti-Fate Religion as though it was his right as the winner.

Massacre and battle suddenly broke out, after that a giant skull descended.

The villagers who were assaulted by such grand disasters in succession were all overcome with surprise without exception.

「Give me a reward for helping you guys!」

When Doni pestered them like that, they didn’t try to keep quiet anymore.

They began to answer the question that was asked to them in muttering. They obviously did so not as thanks for being saved, but because of their fear and awe toward the true nature of devil king that Doni displayed…….

「We have never met with Kushanagi Godo himself.」

「Yes……. We only heard from founder-sama that such amazing person exist.」

「It was founder-sama who taught us everything, from singing, music, and musical instruments.」

「That person was a really wonderful person, and yet……founder-sama could only stay together with us for a little while. It’s really unfortunate──. And then all of us established this religion.」

The songstresses who were used to talking became the main speakers who talked to Doni.

Fumika who listened to everything from start to end became terribly curious with the identity of the Earthian that they called as founder and cut in.

「What kind of person that founder-sama is?」

「Could it be that person’s name, is Aisha? A young lady with black hair, brown skin, and seems like a nice person from a glance. Someone who all of you would do anything for if she ask for it.」

Doni suddenly asked. His tone was filled with certainty.

Now that he mentioned it, Fumika realized.

Both Doni and the wolf user Marquis Voban talked as though they were suspecting that there were multiple instigators behind the Anti-Fate Religion. They were suspecting that the whole time!

「Is that person also a Campione who has killed god!?」

Fumika reflexively asked.

At the same time she was thinking somewhere in her heart 『A cute ruffian lady with black hair and brown skin, I feel like I have met someone like that somewhere……』.

The Campione who was called the King of Sword nodded deeply.

「Yeah. What’s more it’s troublesome because that lady has a power like Authority of Charm. If she feel like it, she can even brainwash the people of a whole country, or she can even become the number one idol of the world. She is that kind of person, so just making a single religious group should be a piece of cake for her. It seems that she also came to Hyperborea without anyone noticing and stayed with Godou for a while.」

Doni nonchalantly told her of such absurd profile.

「She is also the natural enemy of the wolf gramps just now. That’s why, he sent his people to attack here and if Aisha-san is here, he plan to eliminate her before anything else.」

「Haaa……」

Fumika felt impressed. However.

「I’m sorry, about founder-sama──we don’t really remember anything about that person.」

One of the songstresses confessed with a troubled face.

「There are several hundreds singers and priests of Anti-Fate Religion like us who come and go from the holy land, and all of us should have spent time together with founder-sama but……when we try to recall about that person, it feels like there is mist filling our head──」

「Yes. It makes us unable to recall anything……」

The villagers all said that and made a troubled face.

Doni muttered 「Hmm」.

「I wonder what does this mean? Did Aisha-san requested them 『Forget about me』 because of some kind of circumstance? Or else, this is the work of a completely different person? But either way, that person must be someone who know about Kushanagi Godo──Kusanagi Godou really well!」

.

And thus, their investigation in the holy land ended.

On their way home, Doni laughed while riding the Horse Zombie-kun.

「Well, enough already about the Anti-Fate Religion’s matter! The next time I meet Alec, I’ll tell him all of this information we got and have him solve the mystery!」

「Alec?」

「He is an old friend. Alexander Gascoigne.」

「Ah──I have heard about him! The Campione with the nickname Black Prince!」

「So you know about him. He is an eccentric who love to solve troublesome puzzle, so he will surely determine the truth even while complaining the whole time.」

Fumika who was also riding on a Horse Zombie-kun recalled the fujoshi talk in the past.

The two of them travelled back toward the Capital of the Dead. Fumika stared at Salvatore Doni who was making an excessively bright face and tilted her head.

「Doni-san, you are really in a good mood even though you can’t meet with your beloved person.」

「Well of course. After all it feels like my chance to meet with old comrades is going to increase drastically after this! First it will be with that marquis gramps!」

「Uu. That person, he is super scary. I absolutely refuse to meet him directly.」

Fumika thought even while declaring that.

The first time she heard 『most beloved person=male』, she immediately associated it with BL and got heated up on her own but──she gradually noticed.

The beloved that Doni said might be actually different from the love of romantic emotion.

She really couldn’t feel the rawness that was unique to romance from him. In the first place Fumika also didn’t have any point of contact with LGBTQ+ people in real life.

Was the person before her was really a G or not──in the end she was unable to make that judgment.

Since she came to Hyperborea, she had been fawned over as Umayado no Ouji’s close aide, but right now Fumika was a bewildered teenage girl who was in the threshold between 2D and 3D.

And then the young men in question muttered with a very leisurely tone.

「But this is that marquis we are talking about. Before long he might be the one coming to our city on his own. After all he has learned that Salvatore Doni is at the Capital of the Dead.」

「Heh……?」

「In the past I had also gotten on the way of that gramps a lot. We have quite a deep connection with each other. It won’t be strange even if he come attacking with his army!」

Doni was laughing easygoingly even though he was saying something ominous like that.

「Also your master, Sect Founder Luo Hao. That person and the marquis has been rivals with each other since a very long time ago, just like Godou and me. If he learn that Fumiko-kun is a disciple of his archenemy, as expected he might try something with the Capital of the Dead. Anyway, that gramps is quick to pick a fight!」

「Fu, fueeeeh!?」

Fumika shuddered from learning that outrageous truth.

Even the Capital of the Dead that was enjoying the peace of Arcadia, being presided over by a virtuous king would soon be visited by a winter of wild beast’s arrival──she completely imagined such future.