Chapter 53 - Letter

"Are you threatening me?"

At the mustached Demon's calm question, Galahad smiled.

"Threatening? I'm persuading you. Now, what's your name?"

"Bel Urtang of House Proxel."

"An amusing name."

Galahad chuckled softly and tightened his grip.

"It won't do you any good," Bel Urtang sneered.

One arm had been severed, and the other burned black. Even with Galahad's hand around his throat on top of that, his voice remained calm. A Demon through and through.

"You have a point. Capturing you alone certainly won't stop them."

"Then why did you capture me?"

"Wouldn't they stop if you told them to?"

Bel Urtang laughed aloud.

"My life means nothing to me."

"I know that."

Galahad clicked his tongue and added,

"Now, look. There are three Demons left besides you. With both arms gone, you're utterly useless. Do you know what meat the gourmets like best?"

Bel Urtang narrowed his eyes.

"Mage meat. They believe eating a Mage's heart gives them power. And it actually works. Their next favorite is the flesh of children."

Galahad caught Bel Urtang by the chin and turned his gaze. Since Galahad had disposed of the Demons, the gourmets now outnumbered them.

"From now on, I'll only go after the Demons. I'm a little tired, but I can still take three of them down with me. Do you think the others will stop me? Hmm, humans aren't that loyal."

Galahad whispered into Bel Urtang's ear. Bel Urtang looked at him.

"Now, here's a question. With only you left, both arms gone, do you think those fellows will give up their meat? Judging by how readily they thrust their swords at you earlier, I rather doubt it."

Bel Urtang's eyes narrowed slightly. Looking into those emotionless eyes, Galahad smiled.

"What do you think?"

Bel Urtang gave a low chuckle at the question.

"So you were a Demon."

"Ha. Sorry, but I'm no Demon. Just a capable Mage."

"You don't know yet."

Galahad frowned at Bel Urtang's mocking smile.

"I'm ordinarily a patient man, so I don't rush people, but you'll need to decide quickly this time."

Galahad crooked a finger blooming with lightning. It pointed toward a Demon with an indifferent expression.

Bel Urtang nodded.

"Stop."

At his quiet command, the Demons stopped dead.

'They're connected.'

Galahad studied him with interest.

When the Demons stopped, the gourmets did too. An odd tension settled over them once more.

A dreadful stench of blood, sweat, and urine filled the air. Galahad clicked his tongue softly and put a cigarette between his lips.

Just then—

"Kill the gourmets."

Bel Urtang gave the terse order.

The Demons swung their swords without hesitation. The heads of the gourmets beside them went flying in an instant. The Demons kept their blades moving.

Once again, the gourmets fell victim to that thoroughly Demonic response.

"You—! Stupid Demon bastards! Kill these fuckers first!"

At the harsh command from the gourmet wearing an enormous hat, gourmets and Demons clashed once more.

The smell of blood grew stronger.

"Satisfied?"

Bel Urtang looked at Galahad as he asked.

All Galahad had demanded was that they stop attacking.

Of course, he had intended to urge them to fight afterward.

But Bel Urtang had ordered the attack immediately. He was quick to calculate his options. Galahad had to give him that.

'I get along remarkably well with Demons.'

"It's good that you're quick on the uptake."

Galahad nodded. Then he noticed the blood flowing from Bel Urtang's chest.

What a waste. Clicking his tongue softly, Galahad took the canteen from his waist and unscrewed its cap. He held it against Bel Urtang's chest.

"Give it a little push."

Bel Urtang's face stiffened for a moment.

"I said, push a little. You're spilling it."

Galahad clicked his tongue and pressed the canteen closer. Bel Urtang nodded. He must have strained, because the blood flowed neatly into the canteen.

Galahad tapped the ash from his cigarette.

"Now, I have a few questions."

Bel Urtang looked up at him, his eyes still calm.

"Who are you?"

"Bel Urtang of House Proxel."

Galahad narrowed his eyes at the answer.

'He places great importance on his house.'

He let out a quiet breath. Next came Damian. Depending on what answer came out of this creature's mouth...

Galahad snapped his fingers. The lightning blossom flew out and engulfed a gourmet.

CRACKLE!

With a sound like popping corn, the man collapsed.

"An impressive authority."

"It's magic."

"That's what humans call it."

Galahad gave his hand a little shake.

"Now, the next question. What sort of being is Damian?"

"I will not answer."

Bel Urtang's reply was firm, his voice leaving no room for negotiation.

He hadn't so much as blinked when his arm was burned off. Ordinary persuasion wouldn't work.

As it happened, Galahad had been wanting to try a new form of persuasion.

"I see."

Galahad nodded and grabbed Bel Urtang's head. With his cigarette between his lips, he opened the canteen with his left hand.

The nauseating stench of blood filled the air. Clicking his tongue, he drank from the canteen.

Freshly collected, the blood was warm, making the experience all the more revolting.

For the first time, Bel Urtang's eyes wavered.

The Egg of agony throbbed violently, over and over. Its reaction was intense, as if it were shouting how wonderful the blood tasted.

'So this is what a noble is?'

The Egg of agony nodded. In its excitement, it kept releasing highly concentrated mana.

'Give me a little more.'

Galahad spoke as he rolled up his sleeve. The magic circle slowly began to glow. After a moment of resistance, the Egg of agony produced life force.

Infused with that life force, the magic circle blazed with light. Galahad used it to compress the already dense mana.

With his experience compressing a top-ranking Demon's mana and the magic circle left by the first human Mage, even mana this dense was manageable.

Galahad met Bel Urtang's eyes. They trembled.

Smiling, Galahad recited the spell.

"The truth will set you free. Confess."

Bel Urtang furrowed his brow, his gaze wavering wildly.

'Considerable resistance.'

Unperturbed, Galahad calmly maintained the flow of mana. His mental magic, sharpened by his encounters with Demons with mental abilities, tore through Bel Urtang's mind.

Soon, Bel Urtang's eyes went slack.

"Tell me about Damian."

Galahad asked without losing his concentration.

Bel Urtang's mouth slowly opened.

"Damian is..."

Then his gaze began to shake uncontrollably. His entire body trembled as if someone had seized him and was shaking him.

'A mental barrier.'

Mental barriers were a means of preventing mental magic.

They were the most troublesome obstacle. People with dirty secrets usually implanted them to keep others from talking, but to find one in a Demon...

Galahad frowned deeply at the unexpected development. Why would a Demon have a mental barrier?

'To keep out Demons with mental abilities?'

Were these creatures playing at nobility on bad terms with those Demons? He knew too little of their circumstances to draw a conclusion, so he stored it away as a clue.

'It's formed from an authority.'

Galahad moved his mana to assess the situation. It seemed to be a function connected to their power-sharing authority.

'Fascinating.'

Yet another new authority!

Interest surged within him. His breath grew hot of its own accord.

Since he didn't know its nature, he would have to use a somewhat rough method.

"This will hurt a little."

After that brief warning, he immediately moved his mana. It coursed savagely through the Demon's head like a hunting dog.

Soon, he located the authority. It lay in the deepest part of the brain.

To plant it so deep...

'Cruel.'

Galahad smacked his lips briefly. To reach that far in...

"Ah, excuse me a moment."

Having asked permission, Galahad drove his fingers forcefully into the Demon's temple. They burrowed inward.

Mana raged. The Egg of agony trembled with rapture. Bel Urtang's gaze shook violently.

"Ghh..."

"Oh, so even Demons feel pain when you touch their brains."

Galahad murmured in admiration at this new discovery.

Bel Urtang thrashed as though having a seizure.

"Goodness, what a fuss. Hold still."

Galahad clicked his tongue softly and held Bel Urtang firmly.

Soon, his mana caught the authority. Without hesitation, he burst it.

CRUNCH!

With that dreadful sound, Bel Urtang's head jerked up and down.

"Gah!"

Urtang's body shook violently. Long trails of bloody tears ran from his eyes. Fragments of shattered teeth tumbled from his mouth.

"Now, tell me again. What sort of being is Damian?"

Galahad asked kindly, supporting Bel Urtang as he crumpled.

Urtang's eyes trembled as he looked at him. After a moment's hesitation, he slowly opened his mouth.

"An illegitimate child."

A terse answer.

"An illegitimate child? Why are you so obsessed with one?"

"Because..."

Urtang's lips moved at Galahad's next question.

Then clarity returned to his eyes. Breaking the mental barrier seemed to have dispelled Confess.

His eyes wavered. Bewilderment appeared in them, followed by resolve.

"For Proxel."

Blood burst from Bel Urtang's mouth in a long stream as he murmured those resolute words.

The mental barrier was already gone. He had ruptured his own heart.

Ruthless.

Galahad shoved his hand into the Demon's mouth.

Urtang choked, his eyes stretching wide enough to tear.

Looking into those violently trembling eyes, Galahad smiled.

"Where do you think you're going without permission?"

He was going to die anyway. Galahad drove his mana violently through the Demon's head, tearing through it at random. At last, Urtang's breathing grew steady and even.

"You should finish what you were saying," Galahad whispered.

The Demon's mouth opened wide, and a faint voice escaped.

"Because he's the only one..."

With those final words, his head slumped.

'Dead.'

Galahad murmured as he shook the blood from his hand.

'The only illegitimate child.'

A shrill scream rang out. He turned to see a gourmet collapse, impaled on a Demon's sword.

It seemed the fighting was over. Amid the bodies strewn everywhere, only one Demon remained, barely standing.

'I thought the gourmets would win?'

They had outnumbered the Demons. Galahad's original calculation had given the gourmets a narrow victory.

Yet the Demons had won.

The reason soon became clear.

"Knight! Gilberton!"

Gilberton swept off the Demon's head with his aura-filled sword. The head flew into the air, dropped, and bounced along the ground.

"Victory!"

Gilberton was the reason.

Failed knights could hardly defeat that splendid knight.

"I'll collect it."

Galahad turned toward the voice beside him. Tom was taking a canteen from his bundle.

"Ah, I only managed to fill three. It was such a chaotic fight."

Tom shook a canteen as he spoke. At the clear sloshing sound, Galahad nodded.

"That's plenty. Thank you, Tom."

Tom shook his head modestly, then crouched to collect Bel Urtang's blood.

'The only illegitimate child... House Proxel?'

Galahad put a cigarette between his lips and reflected on what he had just heard.

Then the carriage door opened. Damian hurried out, almost falling.

As he frantically surveyed his surroundings, his face crumpled.

It was the first time he had shown such intense emotion.

Then their eyes met. Seeing Damian's anguished gaze, Galahad realized he must look rather worse for wear.

Damian rushed toward him, running so desperately that he tripped on the way.

Galahad ground out his barely smoked cigarette beneath his foot.

Stopping directly in front of him, Damian looked up.

The Galahad reflected in his eyes was truly a mess. Galahad clicked his tongue softly and swept his disheveled hair back.

His blood-covered hand only made it worse.

He clicked his tongue again.

Then Damian spoke.

"I told you. It's dangerous to be around me."

His usually flat voice trembled a little. As though a mask had cracked, a glimpse of a boy appeared on Damian's perpetually indifferent face.

Galahad smiled in reply.

"And didn't I tell you? I'm not so easy to kill."

Damian's eyes wavered greatly. Through the dark clouds filling them, Galahad glimpsed a brightness befitting his age.

Silence lingered for a moment.

Galahad coughed quietly, swept his tousled hair back again, and straightened his clothes.

Their eyes met. There was a faint sparkle in Damian's gaze now.

The emotion in those eyes was admiration.

Damian blinked and spoke.

"I want to be a Mage."

There was a slight vitality in his voice.

Apparently, the boy thought Mages looked impressive.

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

"Sorry, but you have no talent for magic. You're rather too simple, aren't you?"

His rejection was firm.

"I see."

Damian understood immediately.

"Knight! Gilberton!"

Damian's gaze turned toward Gilberton's shout.

Holding a Demon's head, Gilberton radiated the heat of battle.

The very image of a splendid knight.

Damian looked back and forth between Galahad and the continually shouting Gilberton.

Soon, urgency appeared on his face.

"I want to be a Mage."

Galahad replied,

"Sorry, but you have no talent for magic."

He rejected him again.

"Knight! Gilberton!"

Damian let out a small sigh.

Galahad laughed aloud.

"Damian! Are you all right?! Are you hurt anywhere?!"

Looking a complete mess herself, Gwen checked him over. Damian looked at Galahad and asked,

"But Gwen's a Mage too."

At the implication, Galahad gave a cough-like laugh. Gwen tilted her head in bewilderment, then resumed examining Damian.

"What the hell... What are these people?"

Gilberton's face was deeply twisted. He held a gourmet's bag, with a skull visible through its open mouth.

"Disgusting creatures who eat people."

"Why are people like that turning up here? The North's been strange lately. We've always had Demons and demon-beasts, but never anything like this."

Galahad gave a low, thoughtful hum at Gilberton's sharp muttering.

Both the Black Magic Society and the gourmets had originally operated in the shadows of the central region.

The Intelligence Bureau preferred managing them to eliminating them. That had prevented Galahad from rooting them out.

Then they had suddenly disappeared...

'They came north.'

In other words, the things Galahad had worked so hard to drive out during his time at the Intelligence Bureau had flocked to the North.

"It's almost as if someone deliberately drove them into the North."

Galahad coughed softly at Gilberton's muttering.

"Drove them here? Surely not. They probably didn't know."

"What else would you call this? Whoever the bastard is..."

"Now, now, Sir Gilberton. Whoever it was must have had their reasons."

"What?"

"Goodness, the sun's already up. Everyone into the carriage! Time to return to headquarters! I hear the Fifth Battalion's commander has built us something splendid!"

Watching Galahad hurry into the carriage, Gilberton felt an odd unease. It was difficult to explain.

Even Galahad wouldn't...

'Nah. Surely not.'

Gilberton shook his head and took the reins.

Little Damian sat beside him. Looking up at Gilberton, he said,

"I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"Huh?"

"I said, what are you sorry for?"

"Oh. Thank you."

"No, I'm asking why you're sorry."

At Gilberton's obtuse question, Damian moved his lips, then let out a small laugh.

"No, what are you apologizing for?"

At Gilberton's insistence, Damian laughed again.

Gilberton's face crumpled.

* * *

Adrianna glared at the paper before her.

A lengthy message covered it.

[This is Adriana. I have arrived safely at the First Battalion. There have been no particular problems here. I would like to know how the Demon Realm training camp, which I entrusted to Special Operations Unit Commander Galahad in good faith, is progressing.]

After glaring at it for a long while, Adrianna shook her head and crumpled the paper.

Crumpled sheets already littered the space beside her.

"Phew..."

Taking a small, deep breath, she pulled out a crisp new sheet of paper and carefully began to move her pen.

[This is Adriana, commander of the First Battalion. There have been no particular problems here. I would like to know how the Demon Realm training camp, which I entrusted to Special Operations Unit Commander Galahad in good faith, is progressing.]

Adrianna nodded as she reread the letter.

"Ah..."

With a quiet sigh, she added an explanation at the end.

[Of course, the Demon Realm training camp is a facility His Grace the Grand Duke entrusted to Special Operations Unit Commander Galahad. As commander of the First Battalion, I have no authority to intervene. It is not that I distrust you; I am writing in case you require any assistance. Adrianna, Commander of the First Battalion.]

Adrianna stared at the paper for a long time.

After reviewing it several times, she nodded.

It was an excellent letter.

She tied it to a hawk. The hawk flew out through the wide-open window and off into the distance.

For a long while, Adrianna watched its dazzling figure soar freely across the vast sky.

Then something rattled in the cold wind.

It was a shoddy suit of armor and a helmet. Their condition was such that no one would have found it strange if she threw them out immediately.

Adrianna stared at them for a moment, then carefully placed them in the wooden chest in the corner.

Of course, she would have no use for them again.

Yet somehow, she didn't want to throw them away.

["This is Noad, the newest member of the Special Operations Unit."]

Adrianna coughed softly.