Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 81: We Gather Under The Black Flag I & II

＜The White Wolf And The Golden-Eyed Beast. We Gather Under The Black Flag I＞

To be honest, it feels like I’ve already been here for a month.

I’ve gotten used to the morning chill.

It's just barely, but I’ve become able to bear the crisp cold air and wind as well.

Is my ability to adapt high, I wonder? Well, if it wasn't, I wouldn't have considered something like going to the alternate world, I suppose.

Snow had begun falling again.

After today, it may pile up considerably. Once the snow starts to accumulate in earnest, the army will get bogged down. There is no way the enemy would overlook this.

「Your Majesty」

「Hmm, how many are there?」

His Majesty and the three of us were gazing at the plain from the watchtower.

「Total number of enemies, 40,000」

After hearing my report, His Majesty smiled. It was a childlike smile.

Zamonglass and Regure also smiled. The smiles on those two’s faces were sinister. Mine was a bitter one.

「A two-horned helmet, that's Robbs' flag. What’s more, that’s the only flag. That guy, he brought almost his entire army here」

The plain was completely blanketed by an army of black emblazoned with gold.

They only flew one flag. The flag of Robbs, the name with ties to Vindoobunikuru.

「It’s grand, isn’t it?」

「It’s like they’re coming to slay a dragon~」

「Now, if I were a dragon, I'd probably eat 20,000. Any more than that and I suspect even a dragon’s stomach will get upset」

If Verxina was still around, His Majesty might even have a chance of scattering all 40,000. It's no use thinking about that now, I suppose.

「Your Majesty, a single horseman approaching」

I reported again.

A horseman had emerged from that sea of troops and was galloping toward us.

「An envoy, I suppose. Let’s all go hear what he has to say」

「Okay~」

At His Majesty's words, all of us descended the watchtower.

After a short wait, the horseman arrived.

The horseman was a young man. His beard was still short, and his armor looked new and didn’t have a scratch on it.

「Excuse me for not dismounting! That big man with red hair, are you King Dainsleif?」

「Hmm, indeed I am」

He was a youngster with a loud voice.

「My name is Durandal! Son of Dugan?Stelch?Horobi?Robbs! I've come to deliver a message from my father!」

「Speak!」

「Tomorrow! At daybreak! We'll crush your country with our entire army! We’ll let you meet your end in a way that befits the name of Ashtalia!」

「Hmm, bring it on」

「And! ………………This is something from me personally though」

His voice became soft all of a sudden.

「I would like to have Princess Amelia as my wife!」

「Ooh」

His Majesty's killing intent swelled.

「Take her if you wish. Over my dead body, that is」

「Certainly! Well then, I'll see you on the battlefield!」

「Hmm」

The younger Robbs left.

I'm going to kill that guy for sure, His Majesty muttered.

That guy is going to die for sure, isn’t he?

「Well then, Zamonglass, Regure, and Souya, it was only for a short time, but you have all served me well. Tomorrow morning, you will be released from my service after I set out to battle and meet my end」

「Your Majesty, at least allow me to accompany you to the very end」

「That's right~」

Zamonglass and Regure’s objections were……

「I won’t allow that」

……brushed aside flatly.

「At the very end, at least let me forget everything and fight. Not as a king, but as one man. But I’ll show you the true pinnacle of martial skill. You can look forward to it」

Zamonglass lowered his head.

「Yes, Your Majesty. I'm honored to have served you」

「Me too~」

「There is still time. Save the goodbyes for later. Sorry, but I need to be alone for a while」

The three of us bowed our heads in unison.

His Majesty walked off in the direction of the castle.

「Souya」

Zamonglass called out to me and handed me a scroll and a ring. The ring was the kind that was meant to be pressed into wax to use as a seal. It was something used by nobles and famous merchants.

「Here is the seal of a bogus noble of Elysium, and a forged proof of identity with your name on it」

「Souya?Urus?Ra?Tilt?」

When I spread open the scroll, I saw such a name written on it.

「Go south and get into contact with a noble dilettante among the knights of Elysium. Your social status is fairly high. It will likely be easy to fool the knights on this land. Even if your identity is called into question on the center continent, you should be fine if you say that you're the prodigal third son of a high noble. And also――」

This is for your traveling expenses, he said while handing me two small bags.

One was filled with gold coins, and the other was filled with gemstones.

The gemstones were worth enough money to buy an entire ship along with its crew.

「Regure, I’ve put your name down on the proof of identity as Souya’s mistress. Even though we've known each other for a long time, I'm grateful that you responded to my request for help on short notice」

「Huh? What about you, old man?」

「I've got, well, a small matter to take care of」

「I’ll go with you」

「You can’t」

「Don’t care」

Regure and Zamonglass bickered with each other.

I stepped away and went up the watchtower. I wanted to be alone for a while.

I gazed upon the army of 40,000.

Standing in opposition to them, one king.

Tomorrow, His Majesty is going to charge into their midst.

I can't picture His Majesty losing. But even His Majesty is not immortal. If his blood flows continuously and his heart stops beating, he will die. But until things get to that point, he will probably kill and kill and kill.

The death toll will likely be between 20,000 and 30,000. There will be carnage incomparable to what Regure and Zamonglass did.

And in the end, His Majesty will die.

He will run out of lances, his sword will shatter, and despite being rendered weaponless, he will snatch the enemy's arms.

He will be pierced all over by arrows, pierced through by spears, and will advance with the strength of a demon god, and will not stop even after taking the head of the general.

The plain will probably be steeped in blood.

It will be dyed a red that cannot be hidden even by the whiteness of the snow.

It's my ideal death.

But,

There is no flame that doesn’t go out. This passion will quickly cool off.

In the end, everything will disappear into dust. With the changing of the seasons, memories of this battle will fade away, countries will change their names, people will change and make a fresh start in life. Only as words in the wind will the name of Ashtalia remain.

I just can't let that happen.

That’s unforgivable.

In no way would I allow that.

＜The White Wolf And The Golden-Eyed Beast. We Gather Under The Black Flag II＞

His Majesty went to sleep early in order to build up his spirits.

The tent he slept in was guarded by Regure.

It was my first night alone since coming to this continent.

I could see my breath as I checked my equipment inside my tent.

A backpack had been secured to Agathion. Inside it was a piece of equipment that I had never seen before and an item I was familiar with. I didn't know whose idea it was, but it was most likely my god or someone from my party.

I took off the coat and put on my new cloak.

It had a hood, was made of black material on the outside, and had a blood-red lining. Its design resembled the poncho I was used to wearing. It came with a note describing its function and what it was made from.

What was written on the note wasn't pleasant reading.

I would have preferred the bow, but I have no idea if I would be able to use it at the moment. I have the option of leaving it all to Agathion like during the time with Verxina, but the enemy knows about this sword. The possibility of them having planned a countermeasure against it is high.

As I thought, I'll have to infiltrate them and do it.

Lastly, I hung the containers of the regeneration point from my neck……

「Don’t do it」

……but I was stopped by Zamonglass the moment I stepped out of my tent.

「In all likelihood, you plan to assassinate King Dugan using Agathion. Don't do it, you'll dishonor the name of Ashtalia. All of His Majesty's battles would have been for nothing」

「Then have you got any ideas?」

「I do. One that’s sensible」

「And that is?」

This man has the wisdom of age. He probably has a better plan.

「I’ll assassinate King Dugan」

「Well, well, well………」

It’s no different from mine.

Wait, I guess it is different. He has a position that I don't.

「So, will you come with me?」

「Sure」

I took a night walk through the city with the old knight.

Snow had covered the remnants of the ruined country and looked almost like ash.

「The beast of fire that destroyed this country……」

「Huh?」

As he spoke, he threw something over to me. I almost dropped it, and caught hold of it in a fluster.

It was burnt and warped, but it was a symbol of the knights of St. Lyridias.

「……he was my disciple」

「I see」

This man has trained many knights.

The number of them who had turned into beasts is probably more than a few.

「For quite some time now, Elysium has been more wary of Ashtalia than any of the other Myriad Kings. Among those left on record, his is the only bloodline that has defeated the beasts of abominable blood personally. It's rumored, among other things, that the blood of dragons runs in that lineage. The fact that it was no joke was demonstrated by the father, grandfather and great-grandfather of King Dainsleif.

Taking advantage of his absence to release a beast, is probably what they did. It's a simple thing. Beasts are things that are used in this way.

If the king cannot be defeated, then aim for his country. If the king can't be defeated, then take his daughter. Who knows, maybe the decimation of the Gasim family was also part of their plot」

「I imagine so」

He’s likely right.

The elf who allegedly caused Irvin's grand-uncle's downfall. The possibility that such a person doesn’t exist is high.

「For fifty years of my life, I had been protecting a den of foxes. If that doesn't overwhelm a man with despair, what will?[1] I knew it in my heart once I had left. That in that whitewashed city, there is no loyalty that a knight should risk his life to protect. All that lives there are lumps of fat scooping up gold from dung heaps. An old knight said this to me in the past, "This world is always full of irony." Indeed, that statement couldn't be more true. I was made painfully aware of that」

Coincidentally, there is a man I know who says something similar.

「But at the very end, the gods seem to have smiled on this old man. I can die without turning ugly from age」

「Is that really the case, I wonder?」

I don't think it's something you can ever know until the very end though.

「Hmpt. What a dull reply from such a sullen youngster. Can't you see it with your own eyes? I was very popular when I was young. Even now, I'm plenty good-looking」[2]

「Uh-huh」

While I listened to Zamonglass brag, we stepped out onto the plain. No, it was more of a snowfield. The snow hadn't piled up high enough to get into my shoes, but it had turned the area white in every direction.

In the distance, the lights of the camp were visible. Other than that, it was a dim world illuminated by the moonlight reflecting off the snow. It felt like a world submerged under a shallow sea.

After walking for a while, I noticed something strange.

We had reached the place where the carnage had taken place. It should have been packed with dead bodies.

I walked forward cautiously, but the tips of my shoes did not come into contact with anything.

There was nothing. At all.

I thought that maybe Dugan had taken the bodies and held a funeral service for them, but given the number of corpses, I doubted that it was possible to clean this place up so completely and quickly.

「Souya, on this land, corpses disappear overnight. Without leaving even a single bone. Why do you think that is?」

「No idea」

I have a bad feeling about this.

In this darkness, where I can't see one step in front of me, it feels almost like I'm inside the dungeon.

Like there are enemies out there.

「You should be able to see them now」

A pair of golden eyes shone from within the depths of the remote darkness.

Once I saw one, I found countless more. They had drawn close and surrounded us in the blink of an eye.

They were dogs with black fur. No, these were……

「They’re wolves. No weird movements or anything, I’ll deal with them」

「No, let me」

I forestalled the old knight who was about to draw his sword.

I surveyed the darkness.

Beasts form packs. Rely on my senses. There is always one somewhere. A follower of Misuranika should be able to grasp it.

Deep in the depths of the pack, I found it.

「H, hey」

Leaving Zamonglass behind, I moved forward alone. The circle that was darker than darkness opened naturally.

I felt their warm breaths on my skin.

What I had found was a large wolf. It was as big as a grown man and its twin eyes blazed a brilliant gold.

I knelt down and kissed the wolf's front paw.

「We simply want to pass through here. We won’t interfere with what you’re doing. Please carry on honoring the dead」

「…Go…mystical brethren. Our……golden-eyed……brother. We await you at the peaks of the abyss. …Eventually………in future…」

It was hard to make out its words, but I sensed no hostility.

I beckoned to Zamonglass, and then continued onward.

After we had left, the wind shifted and the golden eyes disappeared in all directions.

「You, what's with those eyes?」

「Oh, you know. It's fashion[3]」

Are they shining gold again? Come to think of it, I can see clearly in the dark all of a sudden.

「Fa? What did you say?」

「It doesn’t really matter, does it?」

「That can’t be anything good」

He wasn’t letting it go, so I reluctantly answered.

「It's due to the god I'm contracted with. Probably」

「And the name of that god is?」

Is it alright for me to say it? Well………I suppose it’s fine, it’s the end anyway.

「Misuranika, of misdeeds. She’s a god recognized by St. Lyridias as evil」

He's not going to get angry now after coming this far, is he?

「Misuranika, the dark fire」

Zamonglass stopped dead in his tracks……

「Gu, kuha, hahahahahahahahahaha!」

……and burst out into boisterous laughter.

St, stop it.

We'll be discovered! Even the wolves from earlier got startled! Even though I had gone to such trouble to settle things quietly!

「Before the man who has despaired of Elysium, a follower of Misuranika comes, huh? It's truly laughable. At the very end, my life sure has become a laughable one」

「What are you talking about?」

「I've understood everything. I'm sure of it. Souya, my disciples must have caused you a lot of trouble. And to make up for it, I'm going to give you something extraordinarily good. Why, I'm sure you'll be able to put it to good use」

His proposal is more or less what I had expected.

But I can’t help but be made painfully aware.

That this alternate world is truly full of irony.

[1] If you’re tilting your head at why Zamonglass despaired at protecting a den of foxes, recall the notes about foxes in an earlier chapter. They are monsters that pretend to be human. Yes, Zamonglass is saying that he had wasted 50 years of his life protecting people who he had been unaware were actually monsters inside.

[2] Zamonglass’ sense of humor is a bit… Anyway, he said he can die without becoming ugly with age. What Souya meant in his reply(which we know because of his thoughts) is that Zamonglass can’t be sure he will die. Zamonglass, in jest(because he commented that it was a dull reply), took it as Souya commenting that he was already ugly. Basically, he had expected Souya to tsukkomi/retort him, but Souya replied him seriously instead.

[3] He says this in English.

I was holding back tears at the end of I. I’m really such a sucker for these kinds of scenes.

So, Irvin’s family was brought to ruin not by the black elf, but by Elysium’s plots, huh? It’s only those two’s speculation, of course, but how ironic would it be if it was true…

In these 2 chapters lies a wealth of crucial hints, but I cannot point them out at this time. But for now, I’ll just say this. Isn’t it weird that Misuranika is recognized as an evil god by St Lyridias and their knights seems to know her even though almost no one in the world does?

We’re heading into the heart of the story here! Chapters are getting longer and longer after this! What’s Zamonglass’ plan and how will the two of them try to save their beloved king? Next chapter is truly one that you cannot miss!! Stay tuned!!!