(EP-363.1) #8

363 – Protagonist #8

A fairly large scar had formed around my left ankle.

It looked like a band wrapped around my flesh, or perhaps a bruise left by someone gripping it with intense force. The moment I saw it, the strange events I had just experienced came to mind.

Right before I escaped through the passage torn from the painting, someone had grabbed my ankle. Maybe this wound had come from that. The pain was far too real to dismiss as a dream or hallucination.

But trying to understand what was going on now was just as difficult. I took out my pocket watch and checked the time—it was about 11:30 in the morning.

… Had time rewound for some reason?

At the moment, that was the only speculation I could make.

Suk.

Just then, Mirna grabbed my wrist.

“For Sir Theo to be this flustered… You must’ve seen something that I couldn’t even begin to imagine. Perhaps the unpurified Pantheon has caused some kind of anomaly.”

Mirna’s warmth helped me calm the turbulence that had been boiling inside me moments ago. At the same time, I heard the sound of guards running toward us from afar.

━They have invaded the Pantheon!

━Get them!

I knew exactly what I had to do now.

Because this was the second time.

“First, I need to take this painting with me!”

I yanked the painting from the wall. I wasn’t entirely sure, but I could tell for certain that everything happening to me was somehow connected to this painting. I had to take it with me.

At the same time, I said to Mirna, who was saying, “Sir Theo, this is no time to be grabbing paintings!”

“Lady Mirna, Plan D. I’ll be counting on you.”

At that, Mirna was greatly flustered.

“P—Plan D, how does Sir Theo know that?! You didn’t go peeking into my mind or anything, did you!?”

“I have no idea either.”

For now, figuring out the situation can wait.

━D stands for Strength! Invincibility! Might! The pride we bear, the soul we inherit, the loyal servant of our bloodline! Come out—Blue Eyes…!

Having escaped the chaotic temple I’d once experienced before, I hurriedly warped to Sandora, where the martial festival was being held.

Originally, I would have needed about half an hour to change my appearance using the「Karma Changer」, but I didn’t have that luxury now.

As I headed toward the waiting room near the entrance of the arena, I saw a familiar face.

“Hey, Theo! What—what’s with that look! You said you were going to change your appearance! You still have that cute half-fairy face! If you go in like that, Aira will…”

Towards the flustered Elga, I urgently said.

“There’s no time to explain! First, there are suspicious people mixed in with the participants! If you catch participant number 132, the mage named Roland, and interrogate him, you’ll learn about a secret organization called Yggdrasil! There’s also the Black Robe Revolutionary Faction and…”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Suspicious people?”

Elga shook her head in confusion. Of course she couldn’t understand what I was saying. But what we needed right now wasn’t understanding, but trust.

I grabbed both of her arms and said.

“Elga.”

“W—What now?”

“Elga, I believe in you. Just like I believe in you, I want you to believe in me too.”

“Wh—What are you saying all of a sudden…?”

Elga’s face turned bright red as her hair bristled. She let out a groan, “Ah, damn it,” and scratched the back of her head.

“So, what I’m getting is, there are some conspirators hiding among the participants, and you want me to catch them? For the festival’s sake?”

“Exactly.”

As expected, Elga knew me well.

“But those guys are quite strong. It’s better if you go with Professor Stella.”

“Okay, I’ll do that. Professor Stella, come with me. You’re good at finding people, right?”

“That is one of my specialties… but I really have no idea what’s going on. Theo, I trust you’ll explain everything later. Whether beyond the wall or here, you always seem to get yourself into trouble, huh?”

Though still in doubt, the two of them disappeared down the hallway, while I hurried off. It might take a while to find where that guy was right now.

Then suddenly, like a bolt of lightning, an idea hit me.

Bael, didn’t you already go searching for him earlier? Then shouldn’t you be able to sense where he was now? You looked for him once, so you should have an idea.

━Hiooong…!

Good.

Suk-.

Guided by Bael, I dashed off in a hurry.

* * *

Bang, bang bang bang—!

At the stroke of noon, countless fireworks lit up the sky.

The opening ceremony of the martial festival had begun. The scheduled performances, celebratory messages, and Queen Aira’s opening speech would proceed in order.

At this point, I was originally changing my appearance using the「Karma Changer」in a corner near the arena. But now, I was simply running around the area in my original half-fairy form.

More importantly—Bael, are you sure we’re going the right way? It felt like we’ve just been doing circles.

━Hiooong…!

Was it that way?

Following Bael’s lead, I wove through the alleys. I was looking for the ones who had ruined the festival and trampled all over my plans.

Where are you…

As anxiety gnawed at me, I kept moving my feet and finally spotted a group of black robes gathered in a back alley behind the arena.

There were five of them.

Even at a glance, I could tell they were all quite skilled. And that they were hiding solid armor or weapons like swords under their black robes.

━Anyway, just stick to the plan. Our objective is clear, so don’t screw it up.

━Can't we just win the tournament ourselves? We get the queen and the throne, and rule the world however we want.

A woman?

I hesitated for a moment hearing the cheerful voice, but then a voice as heavy as stone cut through.

━That would go against Father’s will. This is the mission we’ve waited for all our lives. Act in a way worthy of the Brotherhood’s name. By succeeding in today’s mission, we can meet Father.

Hearing them murmur among themselves, I was certain I’d come to the right place.

Demon Sword Andromalie and his companions.

Still… Brotherhood?

Edit by: faker