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CHAPTER 4 – THE “MONSTER OF HAISHIN” AND THE “BEAST”
PART 01
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Leaving the temple a good distance behind us, we floated all the way to the business district where “Nozomiya” was located in the real world before Satsuki landed us on the ground.
“I think we should be alright here.”
“I’ll leave the invisibility spell intact, just in case.”
“Alright. Thanks, Satsuki, Harissa.”
I really thought I was going to die when Baa-kun attacked me, which would probably have been the case if these two girls hadn’t been there to help.
Was I really that useless at the most critical moment…?
With the bracelet taken by Baa-kun, the supposedly simple solution to solve the two “stories” on hand was now gone.
“So we’re back to where we started…”
My shoulders felt heavy.
To think that I’d been wishing for a miracle character like Baa-kun to come to my aid, and to have such a simple resolution to the “stories” within reach, only to be betrayed.
And now, I had a new “heroine” to rescue.
I looked over to the redhaired woman, sitting some distance away from us.
Her entire body was covered with wounds and her formfitting combat attire was badly torn, but the ferocity of her gaze had not changed.
“……”
Now, she was huddled on the ground, half of her face hidden behind her raised knees as she glared at us. I guess it was normal, since we had seemed to be working together with Baa-kun till the very last moment.
If she was really a “heroine” I had to rescue, then I had to learn her “story”, but before that…
“Satsuki, do you think we can heal her wounds?”
“No problem…but,”
Satsuki nodded as she glanced over at Leviathan, who was still glaring at us. She must probably be wondering if Leviathan would even let us help her.
I guess it was my job to convince Leviathan.
Here we go.
“Erm, let’s start with some introductions first. I’m Namidare Rekka, and this is Satsuki, Harissa and Tetra. Shall we address you as Leviathan? We’d like to help heal your wounds, and hopefully hear your sto-”
“Then answer my questions first,” Leviathan snapped, her gaze boring painfully into me.
“First, who are you? I thought you were Bahamut’s underlings, but that does not seem to be the case. And aside from one of you, the rest do not seem like the guardians of the ‘sealed space’ as well.”
“Well…”
Did Leviathan not know what humans were? I guess I had to explain.
“Satsuki, Harissa and I are living creatures known as humans.”
“…? What are these humans?”
So she really had no idea.
“How should I explain this…? Well, I think it’s simplest to say that we’re one of the most prolific creatures currently living on Earth?”
It was a lousy explanation, but it felt weird and proud to describe humans otherwise, like being the most intelligent creatures.
However, Leviathan’s eyes had widened at my simple description, as she suddenly wobbled to her feet and grabbed me by both shoulders, shaking me to and fro.
“You said prolific!? How many of you are there?”
“Ow ow ow ow! H-How many? Slightly more than six billion, I guess. And you’re really strong! Ouch! My shoulder’s gonna dislocate!”
“Six billion… So the Earth is not destroyed?”
“Erm, I don’t think so… Gyahh! I said it hurts!”
“Oh! S-Sorry.”
Leviathan let out a sigh of relief as she released my shoulders and stared off into space for a while.
“I see… So the Earth is safe… That is really great. I was just so worried that he had gone on another rampage…”
As Leviathan whispered to herself, large drops of tears started falling from her eyes.
While I still had no idea what her “story” was about… I was certain that her joy in knowing that the Earth was safe was genuine. But if she was the “Monster of Haishin” who had destroyed the Earth, then why was she crying now?
“…Well, let’s heal you up before we hear your story. Satsuki, I’m counting on you.”
“Yes.”
Leviathan, still crying, put up no resistance as Satsuki cast her healing magic.
With her wounds healed, I waited till she seemed calmer before resuming our conversation.
“Erm, Leviathan-san?”
“Call me Lea.”
“Huh?”
“You may call me Lea, human Namidare Rekka. There is no need to be so formal.”
Leviathan, or Lea, said as she wiped away her tears.
“Oh, ok.”
Still slightly amazed at Lea’s sudden change of heart, I quickly summarized our story for her, including details of the “Namidare Lineage” and Tsumiki and Tetra’s “stories”.
As well as why we were working together with Baa-kun, or Bahamut.
And finally, my suspicions towards the elephant demon.
When I finished, Lea was gritting her teeth in anger.
“He is still as devious a swindler as ever. To think he called me the “monster”…!”
Her shoulders shook in rage, before she took a deep breath and slowly let it out.
“Let me start from the very beginning. About him, and about me… And why I am the one trapped in this ‘sealed space’ instead of him…as well as my mistake.”
Lea closed her eyes and quietly began her tale.
“When the gods were creating life, ‘the perfect creature’ known as Bahamut was the most wonderful of their creations. He was made king of the beasts, and would serve as thus until the end of time, when he would be consumed by the gods… However, Bahamut was greedy. In his arrogance at being crowned king, he went on a rampage of the land, looting all the pleasures he could get his hands on.”
“But Bahamut was created by the gods, right? Why would they allow him to do such things…?”
“I do not know how humans think, but the gods are not perfect… Anyway, they attacked Bahamut with spears and lances, and sealed him up in this fake world. After that, they named him as the ‘Monster of Haishin’, and created a race of guardians to watch over the ‘sealed space’.”
Tetra, who was listening intently to Lea’s story, spoke up now.
“…So the ‘Monster of Haishin’ described in the legends of Tetra’s village refers to Bahamut? Then why is Lea-san trapped here in his place?”
“Well, let me explain…”
Lea heaved a heavy sigh as she paused for a while.
I guess she was getting ready to talk of her “mistake”. Her expression was just like that of a guilty criminal.
“After Bahamut was sealed away, I was created as the next king of the beasts and offering to the gods. In order to ensure that I would not go on a rampage, the gods gave me the qualities of intelligence and control, as well as the ability to feel strong emotions. I was named the ‘most powerful creature’, but lived peacefully as they had planned…but,”
“…But?”
“In short…I was…too weak.”
Lea whispered in a tiny voice.
“Due to my immense power, I was unable to get close to others, nor were others able to get close to me. In the end, I was too weak to tolerate the loneliness… So I took on this form and headed quietly to Ziz village, to the ‘sealed space’…”
“But why?”
“…Because I wanted to meet Bahamut.”