Prologue
THE Divine Nation of Lenea had wielded the reality warping abilities belonging to a tabletop RPG to steal Atou from Mynoghra. Going up against the ultimate tag team of a Player, Witch, and Saints, Takuto was forced to play his hand and use his hidden Nameless Evil God abilities to obtain a one-sided victory.
But his victory came at a cost.
Takuto had overwhelmingly neutralized his enemies and destroyed the Divine Nation of Lenea's capital, but it took a physical toll on him, resulting in him losing consciousness. His exhaustion stripped him of his memories, leaving him bedridden with no known cure.
Feeling responsible for his plight because he'd exhausted himself to rescue her from Lenea, Atou ran herself ragged trying to make it up to him, but her efforts ended in vain.
This was the tragedy that awaited Mynoghra after they had successfully demolished their enemies and brought Atou back to their side.
Was Mynoghra about to meet its end without a Commander?
Just as their empire began falling into despair, Atou made up her mind to summon a new Hero unit capable of bringing Mynoghra out of its latest predicament. Despite deciding to go through with the summoning, Atou wasn't happy about it. After all, she was about to summon Eternal Nations' most notorious, most glorious, troublemaker—Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio.
Chapter 1: Ruined City
Chronological Report on the Manifestation of the Evil God>
・Holy King Era 157, Viridescent Month
──13th day, 1:10
-First report of a strong evil presence from several High Clergy.
──Same day, 1:30
-The Three Popes and Central's Cardinals are notified and an emergency meeting commences.
-It is provisionally recognized that an abnormal situation has occurred in the Divine Nation of Lenea.
──Same day, 2:15
-The Three Popes and the Mystic Saint issue an order to transition the Holy Kingdom into Casus Belli.
-Urgent summons are sent to the Scribe Saint and all High Paladins.
──Same day, 2:40
-The Scribe Saint's Miracle Arte confirms the cause of the abnormal situation in Lenea and the manifestation of the King of Ruin, Takuto Ira.
──Same day, 2:45
-The Mystic Saint declares the start of a Holy War.
──Same day, 3:20
-Scouting team reports a large conflagration has broken out in Lenea for unknown reasons.
-Immediately followed by another report that the fire was promptly extinguished.
-Immediately followed by another report correcting the prior report to state that the fire was still burning strong.
-Discrepancies and confusion are evident in the scouts' reporting, bringing the accuracy of subsequent reports into question.
──Same day, 4:00
-The Three Popes issue an order to defend the Holy Capital of Qualiane.
──Same day, 4:05
-The Scribe Saint and the Mystic Saint accept the request and enter defensive positions.
──14th day, 5:30
-Scouts confirm the situation at dawn.
-The fires confirmed in Lenea's direction were already extinguished.
-Reports from the Clergy accompanying the Scouts confirm traces of an Evil God.
──Same day
-The border with the Divine Nation of Lenea is blockaded.
-Henceforth, its capital is recognized as a Ruined City and designated as a Level 7 forbidden zone.
◇◇◇
AN all-too-small girl stood amid the charred ruins. Despite being young enough she should still be under the guidance and protection of a guardian, she was saddled with a heavy responsibility that would be too great for any adult, much less a child, to shoulder.
Clad in magnificent attire to display her authority within the Holy Kingdom of Qualia, the girl was accompanied by several people who kept their distance, watching and waiting for her to speak. They all revered the girl who stood out as an anomaly in every sense of the word. They felt awe and exultation toward this noble, untouchable being. What was the meaning behind the reverent looks they directed toward such a young child?
The answer lay with the laughably large book clasped to her chest with both hands. There wasn't a soul within all of the Holy Kingdom of Qualia who didn't know her name.
Scribe Saint Lytrain Nerim Quartz, one of God's most beloved children, stared in abject horror at the devasted Divine City Amrita, a retinue of her followers close at hand.
"Urk…how awful…"
Several Paladins nodded in silent agreement with her wistful utterance.
What they laid eyes upon made the capital's former prosperity seem like a fever dream. Designated as a Ruined City by Qualia's leadership, Amrita had fallen into utter disrepair that gave that designation justice, looking more like desolated ruins lost to time than a recently attacked city.
This was no ordinary razed city. Physical devastation could eventually be repaired. Razed homes could be rebuilt. Food and supplies could be imported from Qualia. As long as there were people, it should be possible to regain some semblance of their former livelihoods, even if the path there was long and arduous.
However, the true ruin wreaked by the King of Ruin left deep, irrecoverable scars upon the very people who made the capital their home…
Several days had passed since that unfortunate day. Since the day Qualia had confirmed an anomaly within the Divine Nation of Lenea. The ensuing chaos within the Holy Kingdom of Qualia was far too pathetic to leave a record of. Distancing themselves from war for far too long played a part in their substandard reaction, but their inaction was most strongly influenced by terror—terror of the horrifying course of events that had unfolded within Lenea. This resulted in the leadership flip-flopping on their orders, massively delaying their initial response.
The Three Popes feared they would bring the King of Ruin's wrath upon themselves, so they designated all of Lenea as a Level 7 forbidden zone to save their own hide. As a result, it was nigh impossible to determine what exactly had transpired in this country or just how many lives were lost.
The only thing anyone knew for sure was the hard-to-swallow fact that the forces of good that were supposed to protect Lenea had been defeated…
And now that an official investigative team had finally been dispatched from Qualia, Lytrain was tormented by deep sorrow and a sense of powerlessness that was too much for her young mind to cope with.
"Saint Nerim, we have a rough estimate of the extent of the damage. The disease has spread to surrounding villages and towns through the people who escaped from Amrita. The disease hasn't yet spread to the border towns with Qualia thanks to the Paladins and soldiers keeping a lookout, but it's only a matter of time."
A woman stood behind Lytrain giving this report. Naturally, she was no ordinary woman. She exuded an intimidating aura, one look from her sharp gaze enough to cause those on the other end to shrink back from her. The armor she wore was designed with mobility in mind, and although it made good use of metal and leather throughout, it was more form-fitting than was usually allowed in Qualia's female attire. In the highly conservative Qualia, her skin-tight attire would receive criticism for inciting lust in men, but no one would dare point out such a thing to this woman.
.
--------------->
.
Or rather, not a soul could even fathom to think such an audacious thing about her. After all, denunciations and judgment were her domain, her inviolable precinct…
One of the soldiers nervously spoke her name, "Inquisitor Imlerith." "…Yes? What is it?" she responded.
Krähe Imlerith—an Inquisitor with the Holy Kingdom of Qualia's Special Holy Order Inquisition Division. She was the blade of condemnation sent to the decimated Lenea with the Scribe Saint.
"The person we sent to conduct interviews in the surrounding areas has just returned," the soldier said.
"…I see. Then please relay the contents of their report," she ordered.
The Qualia soldier who dauntlessly faced evil as the people's shield whispered his report to Krähe with a tense expression.
Scribe Saint Lytrain was the nominal person in charge of the investigative team dispatched from Central. However, since Lytrain was still so young, Krähe Imlerith gave various orders on her behalf. Krähe's role as Inquisitor made even Paladins and soldiers nervous in her presence.
A church-appointed Inquisitor. As the title suggests, she had the authority to ruthlessly investigate and intervene in the lives of Arlos's believers. There was no telling what calamity would befall someone if they got on the wrong side of an Inquisitor. The Inquisitors had arraigned countless people, yet the number they set free without punishment could be counted on two hands.
The Inquisition Division and Inquisitors had a different kind of absolute presence within Qualia from the Saint and Paladins. The Paladins and soldiers nervously interacted with Krähe, for she was rumored to be the most devoted to Arlos and her job of all the Inquisitors.
"According to the reports," the soldier began, "we have discovered traces of a large-scale conflagration centering around the old cathedral, along with an untold number of corpses belonging to Paladins and some unidentified monsters. In addition to the epidemic we've already confirmed in the surrounding areas, the residents also seem to be afflicted with some sort of memory loss. We are lacking too much information at this juncture to determine what happened here."
There wasn't even a shadow left of Lenea's former glory and prosperity. Once the King of Ruin had his way with it, this land became the epicenter of a spreading plague and where people forgot themselves and went mad.
Krähe grimaced over how fitting the name Ruined City was for this place. The soldier continued to speak of some of the most unforgivable atrocities to the forces of good going on there. Almost no one knew what had truly transpired in the Divine Nation of Lenea during this sudden freak attack. Every holy soldier in the region had returned to God's bosom, and what few witnesses there were, all had addled memories.
Perhaps further investigation would reveal some clues about the horrific events that befell this city. Regardless, one look at the poor souls left alive revealed that something beyond mortal comprehension had transpired.
"Furthermore," the soldier continued, "Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials and Veiled Saint Fenne have both departed from this country." In the midst of the report came information about the Saints' survival. A glimmer of hope returned to the investigative team, who'd been in low spirits since seeing the battered citizens and deformed corpses of Lenea's Paladins. But this good news was accompanied by equally bad news.
"The two Saints survived?" Krähe asked in an emotionless voice, her nebulous gaze sharply fixing upon the soldiers, her eyes reminding them eerily of a doll's.
"Y-Yes, ma'am… According to the reports," the soldier stuttered.
"This is bad news indeed," she said.
On the receiving end of her soul-penetrating gaze, the soldiers gasped and shuddered.
Krähe's deployment with the Lenea Investigation Squad could only mean one terrifying thing. Inquisitors were occasionally granted the authority to condemn even the Saints. Sending Krähe and the Scribe Saint to this condemned land spoke volumes about what Central expected to find and have done about it.
"It's unacceptable for a Saint to flee without finishing what she has started… Doubly so when there are two," Krähe said clerically. "This brings their faith and devotion into question. This is bad."
Someone gasped. What did Krähe mean? No, her intentions needed no explanation.
Krähe was considering labeling the two Saints as heretics. They had gone off and established a country of their own accord, incited Qualia's own people to join them, then left them to their ruin, like leading cattle to the slaughter. And then the very King of Ruin they proclaimed they had subjugated had come back to return the favor.
Just how many people had died due to them? How many people still suffered at this moment due to their actions? There was no justifiable reason in all the world for them to flee alone without finishing what they had started.
Even outside of her role as a holy Inquisitor, as a member of the Human race, Krähe was deeply angered by what the two Saints had done.
The calamity brought about by the King of Ruin had to be eradicated. As long as that evil god still lived, he loomed as an ever-present threat to Qualia's Southern Province, which was geographically closest to Mynoghra. Qualia needed to prepare to deal with the Dark Continent to the south, and they were already lacking the military strength necessary to stabilize the unending turmoil within the Lawful Continent.
As long as the Mystic Saint remained cloistered deep within Central's holy capital, offering prayers to Arlos, the Scribe Saint would inevitably be sent out to fight the forces of evil at every corner. With Qualia no longer able to ignore the state of things in the El-Nah Alliance of Elementals, all the responsibility would fall upon the small shoulders of the little girl standing idly in front of Krähe.
Krähe's frustration with the situation began giving her a dull, throbbing headache. But she had to get the ball rolling. Because that was all she could do—it was all she was allowed to do…
"Nerim," Krähe called out to the young girl before her. She knelt down so she could look at her at eye level, and though her expression was still devoid of emotion, she didn't exude the same intimidating aura as before.
"Ah! Yes? What is it, Inquisitor Imlerith?"
Krähe's expression slightly clouded at her response. For the first time, Krähe allowed what she felt to show through her perfect mask of doll-like indifference. Curiously enough, the emotion that showed was deep sorrow.
"I believe we should begin with saving the people of this land. The scars left by the King of Ruin are too gruesome to leave be. Although they once broke rank with us, the people residing here used to be Qualia's citizens. God would never stand for abandoning them," Krähe spoke her opinion as if trying to confirm something with her, sadness still etched into her features. Her eyes intently studied Saint Lytrain, almost as if she were observing the girl. "We will temporarily suspend our search for Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials and Veiled Saint Fenne. I don't know what led them to abandon this land, but we don't have enough people to spare in a search for them."
"Um…" Lytrain darted her gaze around her surroundings and hastily flipped through her journal. Then she began scanning its contents as if searching for something.
Krähe wordlessly closed her eyes to that sad sight. Then, after a moment of fighting off some unspoken feelings, she silently opened her eyes.
"I see… You're doing it again, Nerim. That's a bad thing." Krähe gently reached out to stop her from flipping through the pages. "Your power is certainly capable of saving the people here. Your power, which is said to be closest to God, should be able to…"
Surprised to be stopped from reading the journal, Lytrain's big, innocent eyes seized on Krähe. Under the questioning gaze of those pure, sinless eyes, Krähe spoke to the tiny Saint with heartrending sadness.
"But please don't ever forget the insurmountable cost of using it. This humble servant doesn't ever want you to use that journal's power." "Sorry…?" Lytrain blinked at her.
"I'm just speaking to myself. On another note, please call me Krähe. I'm not fond of stiff formalities." Krähe rose with a stiff smile straining the corners of her lips.
Warmed by her attitude, Lytrain gave voice to the unease brewing within her. "Um, did they find my Father…?" She choked up there and said nothing more.
Lytrain's father, her adoptive father, High Paladin Verdel, was currently classified as missing. Lytrain had covertly reunited with him once more in this city, but their ties were severed during the ensuing chaos.
Under such circumstances as these, it was normal to worry about her father's well-being during the horrors of war. But her request would never be granted. Since the day Lytrain became a Saint, her relationship with her adoptive father was severed. She was the protector of the masses, not of one special person. Such was the true nature of a Saint that was never allowed to change.
"Urk… I'm very sorry, Inquisitor Imlerith," she squeaked out.
"It's Krähe."
"Erm, Miss…Krähe."
Nebulous eyes closely scrutinized Lytrain. Unable to endure that unrelenting gaze, Lytrain squeezed her eyes shut, steeling herself for words of warning or a harsh scolding. Instead, Krähe's hand kindly rested upon her head. The gesture was awkward and stiff, but it was filled with warmth nevertheless.
"…It's okay. We will surely find your father. You have offered up a great price to God until now to make it so." The sadness cracking through Krähe's schooled features belied the kindness in her voice. "…That's why I can say it will surely be all right."
Krähe's words were intended to persuade the little Saint of this…and most of all, she was trying to convince herself it was true.
<-x-X-x->
Chapter 2: Policy Decision
DEEP within the Accursed Lands, in Mynoghra's Palace, the damage sustained in the previous battle was examined and future policies were being formulated. Sludge Atou took the lead for this empire-management council meeting. A somber air permeated the room in Takuto's absence.
"To begin," Atou said, "I believe you are all fully aware of the current situation in Mynoghra."
Everyone nodded their unspoken understanding.
The last conflict Mynoghra found itself embroiled in involved the Divine Nation of Lenea, which had seceded from the Holy Kingdom of Qualia. Chaos and a series of shocking events punctuated every aspect of Mynoghra's conflict with the forces that hailed from a tabletop RPG. It all began with a surprise attack and the instant loss of Atou. This was followed up by Takuto's solo counterattack and retrieval of Atou.
Takuto had brought literal ruin and devastation upon his enemies, fitting his title as the King of Ruin, and no one could predict his actions up to that final battle. That battle made Takuto Ira's existence known to the world.
However, one look at the results…made anyone wonder if it could truly be considered a victory. On paper, everything looked good, with the successful return of Atou to Mynoghra and wiping the Divine Nation of Lenea right off the maps. But the cost was far too great for Mynoghra.
"Let me be straight with you," Atou continued, her voice grave, "King Takuto is currently suffering from memory loss and is in no position to lead the empire."
Their victory in the last battle cost them their king.
Takuto Ira's condition was like a neon sign illuminating the precarious situation Mynoghra was in. A kingdom is its king, just as a king is his kingdom. With Takuto taken out of the picture, Mynoghra had plummeted into more dire straits than ever before.
"Has there been any change in the king's condition…?" "Unfortunately not."
Warrior Captain Gia was grasping at straws when he asked Atou this with a forlorn expression, and his shoulders sagged when he heard her disheartening reply.
The easiest way to explain Takuto's current condition would be to classify it as a form of amnesia. He retained his ability to communicate and general knowledge, but he'd completely forgotten who he was, as if he lost his sense of self—his identity. He spent his days absently staring out the window from a chair in his private chambers. For some inexplicable reason, he occasionally regained his memories and would converse with Atou if the timing was right, but these moments of lucidity were too brief to govern Mynoghra.
The cause of his amnesia was unknown, and the cure was equally a mystery. The only thing they knew for certain was that they had to act fast to find a stopgap measure to keep the empire running.
"I'm responsible for the king's malady, but I'm sure you all understand we haven't the time to debate such things." Although Atou felt like her sense of worthlessness and powerlessness over the matter would eat her alive, she pushed through it to keep the meeting on track.
This isn't over yet, she thought. King Takuto saved me when I fell into enemy hands. It's my turn to save him. There's plenty for me to do in his absence.
"It's our duty to manage Mynoghra in the king's absence. We must do everything in our power to help him recover as swiftly as possible," Elder Moltar said.
"Exactly," Atou nodded. "I've been granted the authority to run the empire as his proxy for now. It's not a job I excel at, but I'm confident we won't have any issues in that regard as long as you all continue to cooperate and support me."
Although Atou had fallen apart in despair over Takuto's plight for a time, she was now relatively calm and composed. As a unit possessing the necessary functions to serve as a Hero and a Commander, Atou was qualified to manage Mynoghra. With the Dark Elves' full support, she didn't have much to worry about on the Domestic Affairs side either.
"Our domestic situation poses no real threat," Elder Moltar agreed. "Things are different once you look outside our borders, however."
"Indeed. We need to come up with an urgent response to external affairs," Atou said. "But any decision we make is a risk without adequate information."
The real threat to Mynoghra came from the outside.
Elder Moltar's sharp discernment continued to be a boon for the management council. As he said, the actions of outside forces were of the greatest concern.
Mynoghra had removed the Divine Nation of Lenea from the playing field during their last battle. They had also completely eliminated Slurping Witch Erakino and Player Keiji Kuhara, who were behind that empire. Unfortunately, everything after that point was shrouded in mystery. Even if the TRPG forces still had stragglers left out there, it was unlikely they would take action against Mynoghra right away. The real issue was the danger of not knowing what move the forces of good would take next.
On the bright side, Mynoghra had a huge advantage in this world that they didn't in Eternal Nations—the Dark Elves.
"Intelligence gathering is one burden you can set your mind at ease on," Elder Moltar assured. "While the king rests, his humble servants work. I've already dispatched capable agents to get the job done."
Long before the Dark Elves joined Mynoghra, they worked as assassins and spies. They could fully unleash the talents Takuto approved of even when he was out of commission.
"Excellent," Atou said approvingly. "So? I take it you've uncovered something?"
Emle had been waiting for that prompt to launch into a full explanation of the reports she'd memorized. The information was unfavorable for Mynoghra. In summary, they confirmed that the two Saints had survived and that their whereabouts were unknown. In the end, the two women survived just as Witch Erakino had hoped. Having witnessed their bizarre friendship up close and personal, Atou highly doubted those Saints would stay out of Mynoghra's way in the future.
A new concern had been put into play, further adding to Atou's stress.
"It's concerning that they're missing in action," Elder Moltar groaned. "We best view it as them laying low until they can build up their strength to strike back at us. We should have dealt the death blow to them in His Majesty's stead…"
"I agree…" Atou shook her head. "No, I can't imagine King Takuto overlooking something like that, so he must have had plans for those two Saints as well. The fact that he didn't enact those plans shows how close to his limit he was at the end there…"
"And with His Majesty's welfare as our top priority, there was nothing more we could do about them," Elder Moltar nodded with understanding.
Atou thought back to that day. Takuto was about to finish off Saint Soalina at the very end there. But he stopped at the last second and suddenly chose to retreat. He showed constant signs of fighting off a headache throughout the battle, so it was likely that whatever ailment he was holding off had decided to blow up on him in that final moment.
And that wasn't all there was to it, either.
Atou clearly heard Takuto click his tongue and mutter, "…Did I go too far?"
In other words, some sort of anomaly occurred that the rest of them couldn't perceive, forcing him to change tactics. And their current predicament was the result. It was something even Takuto himself couldn't predict; consequently, it ate away at his very person.
"Miss Atou, what is His Majesty's current status? What I mean is, well, will he recover if he continues to rest…?" Emle asked, choked up by sadness.
"No. I can't say with absolute certainty, but it's dangerously optimistic to assume time will resolve the issue," Atou said, confronting Emle with the cruel reality of the situation as a lump formed in her throat.
Atou hadn't just been silently standing by watching this situation unfold. The first thing she did was call upon Maria, whose abilities dealt with addling the mind and causing forgetfulness, and had her examine Takuto in secret from the others. She received a curious diagnosis in response. In short: "Rather than forgetting his memories, it's like His Majesty never existed here in first place…"
Something strange was going on. The more Atou investigated Takuto's ailment, the more hopeless the situation seemed. Thus, she concluded that there was a painfully slim chance of Takuto recovering with time. That was all the more apparent from how Takuto had acted at the end there.
They needed something to help them out of this plight. And, for better or worse, Atou knew of exactly one solution.
"King Takuto's condition is likely a direct result of using his abilities," Atou said. "However, as it stands now, I have no idea what is making it worse or how to cure him."
Darkness seemed to fall over the meeting room. The despair in the council members' hearts made them feel like someone had blown out the flame of hope. But Atou's next words reignited the extinguished candle.
"Thus, I will seek another Hero's assistance in resolving King
Takuto's predicament."
All eyes homed in on Atou. Surprise and hope glimmered within their gazes. As the only other person who knew about this decision in advance, Elder Moltar watched the proceedings calmly. But the clear anticipation on the other's faces indicated their level of excitement. Which just went to show the massive influence Heroes held in Mynoghra.
"The Hero's name is Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio," Atou explained. "He has no ability to fight, but he excels at using his cunning to overcome any disadvantages. It's hard to explain his abilities, but…let's just say that his true value really shines during complex situations where brute force isn't an option."
"Marvelous!" Gia exclaimed. "He sounds perfect for our exact situation! Let us summon this great Hero at once and have him cure the king!"
"Hear, hear! I feared for our future when I heard His Majesty was unwell, but I can finally see the light!" Emle chimed in.
"Indeed. This sounds like the best method to break through our current predicament. From what I've heard, His Majesty holds this Hero's resourcefulness in high esteem. I look forward to meeting him," Elder Moltar said.
Delighted expressions showed on the faces of the Elfuur Sisters and the several civil officials present for the meeting to take notes. The heavy melancholy hanging over the meeting room was replaced by enthusiasm and optimism.
"We have ample Resources to summon a Hero," Atou said with tepid calm. "There isn't anything to prep in advance, so I'd like to do the summoning tomorrow. I know that cunning man will come up with a plan to bring King Takuto onto the road of recovery."
Determination blazed in the eyes of the Dark Elves who hung on to her every word. They were determined to protect their king and make Mynoghra the sole hegemonic force in the world.
The first step toward that was summoning a new Hero. It could be said that summoning this Hero was like firing off the first warning shot to all who dared oppose Mynoghra's peace.
But someone had to go and pour cold water on their enthusiasm…
"But…well…I have a favor to ask of you all," Atou said, fidgeting and pulling a wry face.
The Dark Elves were confused by her attitude, which belied the excitement they expected to see from her. Whether she picked up on their confusion or not, Atou steeled herself and gave voice to a request that was hard to make sense of.
"For just a moment, I want you to imagine someone whose mind is the most twisted in the world, does and says things more annoying than anyone else in the world, and gets under your skin more than anyone else in the whole wide world."
The Dark Elves were left perplexed once more. What was the point of imagining such a person? They didn't have a good reason to deny her request, so they all imagined this person they obviously would rather not ever meet.
"That is Vittorio in a nutshell."
And then Atou lobbed a bomb into the room.
"I'll be straight with you: I will be livid at first. Just like how the sun will always set and water will always run downhill…Vittorio will put all his energy into picking a fight with me and I'll respond in kind. That is who we are and the only way for us."
Often, talented people have sensibilities that are far different from that of ordinary people. According to Atou, Vittorio was just that sort of person. Every time he opened his mouth, he would incite rage in others and leave them uncomfortable. It was impossible to tell what was going on in that twisted mind of his, but he always got results. Yet for all his achievements, his conduct and speech were the epitome of inappropriate and imprudent.
A Hero who pisses people off just by existing—that was Vittorio.
"What I would like to request of you all," Atou continued, "is for you to stop me when I snap and try to kill Vittorio. I am seriously not compatible with that conniving rat."
Vittorio was ranked first among the Heroes you don't want to have as subordinates and first as the Hero you wouldn't want as your superior in Eternal Nations. And unfortunately for Atou, Vittorio was designed as a Hero who absolutely loved to tease and torment Sludge Atou.
Atou's heart sank as she thought back to the Hero who made her blow a gasket and lose her head over and over and over again in every single side story added to the game to flesh it out.
"Honestly…just thinking about him…makes my gut churn…" Atou chewed out as she visibly trembled. Her physical reaction displayed just what she thought of Vittorio.
The young lady named Atou had a childish side to her that often belied her role as a Hero who served the evil King of Ruin. It wasn't all that unusual for her to wear her emotions on her sleeve, but her visceral reaction toward Vittorio took things a step further. This just went to show how the being known as Sludge Atou hated Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio to her very core.
"If it was up to me, I'd rather die before we summon that swindler," Atou hissed. "Unfortunately, to my great displeasure, his brains and ability are second to none. I can say with absolute confidence that no one other than King Takuto can best the schemester in a battle of wits… That is the kind of creature he is."
The Dark Elves could only nod along with Atou's impassioned speech.
"ARGH!" She shouted. "Just thinking about him makes my blood boil…"
She hated Vittorio so much that the thought of him made her sick with anger.
Everyone tried to keep their faces straight before Atou's unhappy outburst. What really sunk in for them was how much she acknowledged Vittorio's ability despite her utter distaste for the Hero.
All the Heroes were the paramount of supreme power, but just what was this newest addition to the Hero ranks like?
The summoning of a new Hero was waiting just around the corner as everyone fidgeted with excitement and anxiety.
A new period of change was about to arrive for Mynoghra.
◇◇◇
THE night before the summoning was surprisingly calm compared to the stormy days leading up to it. It was a quiet, relaxed time with no one to interfere with the two of them.
Atou was standing next to Takuto, who was sitting in his chair absentmindedly staring out the window at the nightscape. Her gaze was gentle as she watched over the master she respected and adored from the bottom of her heart.
"Now that I think about it," Atou said softly, "this might be the first occasion we have ever shared in such peaceful silence together…" No one answered her.
Takuto seemed like his mind was elsewhere, and in truth, it likely was. But Atou pressed on talking regardless.
"King Takuto, deep down I know it isn't right to admit this, but I almost find our current situation…nostalgic. Back in the day, we used to talk just the two of us until late into the night. Well, not that I could respond to you back then, but I did get to hear all your stories."
Atou thought back to the distant past. Before Takuto and Atou came to this world, they met every night in Takuto's hospital bed. Sure, it was just Takuto one-sidedly talking to her through his computer screen—an action most would view as less than sane. Even so, they had formed a real bond during those days. And that bond continued to bind them together to this day.
That was exactly why…
"That's why it's my turn to tell you all the stories, King Takuto. Until the day you get better, and we can return to our regular time together…"
No answer. But Atou wholeheartedly believed her feelings were reaching him. Just like how his words had reached her. Her words would reach him too.
Thus, she spoke endlessly to Takuto until the stillness of night lulled him to sleep, all the while immersing in their nostalgic memories.
<-x-X-x->
Chapter 3: Spin Doctor
THE calm before the storm—there's no saying more apt to describe the eerie stillness enveloping this particular day.
"I will commence the summoning ritual…" Atou announced. "It should turn out fine since it did with Isla, but please be on guard just in case."
The Dark Elf Riflemen guarding the area nodded.
Atou was attempting to summon another Hero in the same Ceremonial Grounds where they had summoned Isla, Queen of Bugs. This time they would be using piles of gold in the ritual. They'd obtained the gold when they defeated Brave Questers' Demon Lord Army, and the Ceremonial Grounds were practically buried underneath the coin mountains.
The cost of a Hero increases with each summon.
More than half of those mountains of gold would be consumed in this summoning. They would still have plenty left over, but they couldn't keep using their money like it grew on trees anymore.
Atou deliberately didn't invite Gia, Elder Moltar, Emle, or the Elfuur Sisters to this ritual. Vittorio was a professional cozener. Atou wanted to prevent him from misleading them before she could explain things.
Vittorio's skillset was unique. Even Atou couldn't predict what would happen, so she performed the summoning ritual with the utmost caution and apprehension.
A few moments after she closed her eyes…a change occurred to the mountain of gold. The gold coins began to float as if gravity had vanished around them. Then, as if blown away by a gust of wind, they flew in an arc that formed a small tornado and converged in the center of the Ceremonial Grounds.
The golden whirlwind gradually increased its density and speed and eventually transformed into a single mass. Then the spherical mass slowly took on the shape of a human, and suddenly exploded with a sound like shattering glass.
"Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittoooorio is here! I gleefully present myself upon receiving your copacetic summoooooooonz!"
IT appeared. Standing well over six-foot-five. Despite being taller than most, his gaunt physique and unhealthy complexion made him come across as someone who made their living conning people on the side of the street for food. His limbs were abnormally long, and his eyes gleamed with a bone-chilling blackness. He wore clothes reminiscent of gloomy darkness as if to represent his affiliation with Mynoghra, but the design was beyond mortal understanding. On top of his head sat the oddest-looking hat.
More than anything else, the sly expression on his face, as if he couldn't hide his inclination to lie, spoke volumes about what kind of Hero he was.
Atou studied him amid the Riflemen's audible gasps, observing his every move.
Before long, the new Hero—Vittorio—performed an overly exaggerated bow and scrape, then raised his gaze to appraise the group that summoned him.
"Oh dear?"
A contrived display of surprise.
"Oh dear, dearie, dear, deaaar?" A contrived display of confusion.
Every little action of his irritated Atou and made her wary. This was Vittorio, all right. The creature she had summoned was the Hero Atou despised down to a T. Which was exactly what made him more dangerous and unpredictable than anything else.
"Where art moi's preeminent King Takuto Ira, the great darkness of the abyssssss?" Vittorio asked.
Atou was relieved those were his first words. She had already witnessed Isla's loyalty after summoning, but that didn't ease her fears that Vittorio might not acknowledge Takuto as his master.
No, it was far too early to relax. An endless abyss was more forthcoming with its thoughts than the screwball grinning away like he just won the lottery as he gave his surroundings a once over. Knowing him, he was likely coming up with a thousand schemes behind that frivolous and goading smile of his.
But the die had already been cast. Atou had summoned him to borrow his power, so borrow his power she would. Her first course of action was to explain the situation to him and request his cooperation.
Tension running through her, Atou steeled herself for the chaos that was sure to ensue and finally engaged the master swindler.
"Thank you for coming, Vittorio," she said. "Allow me to explain the situation with King Takuto."
"Well, well, well! What do we have here? Why, if it isn't it sludgy Atou?! You have my utmost condolences—pft—for your eternally onedimensional appearance! Buahaha!"
Vittorio's first words were an insult.
Atou ignored him, a blue vein bulging along her temple. If she let him provoke her with such a childish comment, she wouldn't be able to face Takuto when he woke up.
.
---------------->
.
The most important thing in this moment was Takuto's well-being and recovery. In other words, Atou's pride and fury had no place here. Her primary goal was to move things along, which would in turn aid Takuto.
I'll suck it up for right now, she thought, but I have every intention of making him pay for calling my chest one-dimensional later…
"You can make all the off-handed comments you want later," Atou said, her expression taut. "You will listen to my explanation on King Takuto and this world first."
"Mmm, listen to youuuu…?" Vittorio rubbed his chin and wrinkled his brow, showing his utmost distaste at the idea before prompting, "Go on theeeen?"
Atou expected that level of disrespect; it didn't ruffle her. She actually felt a tad surprised he didn't say more to provoke her. From all appearances, Vittorio seemed like he wanted to gather information as soon as possible too. She was stunned to learn he had enough sense to worry after his master's well-being, but at least now she could safely assume they had made it past the first crucial step of this exchange.
"I'll do just that. It's a long story, but hear me out until the end. I'm going to start from the time we arrived in this world—"
The Dark Elf Riflemen guarded the grounds, so Atou couldn't delve into matters concerning their past lives or Eternal Nations. She picked her words carefully as she related everything that had happened to her and Takuto since arriving in this world, finishing with the great battle that resulted in their current predicament.
◇◇◇
"BAH! This all happened because of your utter incompetence! Do your damn job, sludge tits!"
"GRRRR!"
Atou was experiencing the very definition of having to bite her tongue. She had no rebuttal for Vittorio's lambasting. Or rather, she had to refrain from talking back. How could she argue when Vittorio was absolutely right and her powerlessness created this situation?
Could she really call herself the king's right hand when she couldn't protect him? Feelings of remorse consumed Atou.
Not only did I not protect him, but I landed him in this position because he had to protect me! she lamented. Atou was powerless to call herself Takuto's Hero right now.
"Aaaaaaah! Poor King Takuto! My condolences to the king for being stuck protecting and babying the incompetent! Alack, I can't belieeeeeve he's bedridden after having to wipe your arses for you! Woe is he! Yet, glorious King of Darkness, Takuto Ira! You, my greatness, are at fault for committing one damning blunder! What, you ask? Why, you mistook the first Hero to summon, my lieeeeeeeege! And whooooo was it that you truly needed as your one and only Hero? Yes! It's moi, Vittorio!"
Atou's irritation ballooned all throughout Vittorio's long-winded speech. But she had enough restraint not to play into his hand by exploding with reckless anger. She took deep breaths, maintaining her composure to drive home she wasn't to be played today.
"I'll accept your criticism for now," she allowed. "Returning King Takuto to full health comes before all else. Vittorio…we don't know how to get King Takuto's strength back. Please lend us your wisdom and ability."
"Hm? Hm-hm-hmmmm? That's an aaaaaawfully commendable
approach for you, sludgy Atou! And it bores me to tears!"
Was everything he said up until this point solely to tease and provoke me? Atou wondered.
Discovering she wouldn't take the bait, Vittorio grew disinterested and crouched to apathetically draw in the dirt with his long, bony finger. Then, out of the blue, he cried out.
"Oh! I just thought up a brilliant plan! Holy crap— Er, ahem," Vittorio cleared his throat, trying to cover up the fact he switched his speech mannerism from sounding more old-timey to slang. "It's true our king's plight is a national crisis we cannot overlook. Vittorio here will put his whole heart and soul into resolving this problem for King Takuto. Let us do everything it takes to restore the king's mind! You can leave it aaaaaaaaall to me, sludgy Atou! To me, Vittoriooooo! Set your mind at ease and put moi in charge…of everyyyyyyything! Seriously, all of it." "…I leave it all in your hands." Atou had no other answer to give.
She had at least put in the request for Vittorio to look into a way to cure Takuto as she had hoped, but as every word of his oozed with the pungent smell of a swindler working his magic, Atou felt nothing but dread for the future.
◇◇◇
AFTER Vittorio joined Mynoghra and had his long-sought-after audience with an amnesic Takuto, he swiftly met with the empire-management council members. With that all finished, Mynoghra had high hopes he'd get straight to work, only to experience an onslaught of nauseating and mentally straining nightmarish days.
"WHAAAAAT! ISSSSS! THIIIIISSSS?!"
Upon one such miserable day, Emle, who had risen up the ranks and attained an important position within Mynoghra, was so busy with paperwork that she no longer even knew what her job was. Vittorio had seemingly appeared out of thin air and was looming right above her, ogling the documents she was compiling.
"Eeek!" she let out a cry, startled by his sudden appearance. She hadn't sensed him at all. Quickly trying to compose herself, she answered his query politely, "U-Um… I'm summarizing what happened earlier."
In all honesty, she couldn't stand this whacky Hero who always had a leering grin on his face. However, she couldn't just ignore him when he was tasked with the crucial mission of finding a cure for Takuto.
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh?! A so-called report, is it, hmm? Then excuse me as I take a looky…" Meanwhile, Vittorio seemed oblivious to Emle's feelings as he roughly snatched the papers from her and read them from beginning to end, making obnoxious comments along the way. "Mm-hm, mm-hm. Huh. What?! Oh. Ah, I see, I see. Haaaaaaaaaaaa." He ended in a very loud sigh.
Emle had heard plenty of stories from Vittorio's victims about just how troublesome and obnoxious he could be. She'd also received advice from Atou, so she planned on just playing along with him until he left her alone. Unfortunately, she let her annoyance over him taking such an attitude with the reports and records she worked on at the cost of her precious sleep dash those plans.
"Is there a problem?" she asked, irked.
"Nah? No problems here? Nothing much really? It's just… weeeeeeell…you know?"
"What is it?!"
Emle had reached her limit. She knew he was provoking her, and she took the bait. No one could blame her for it either. Neither Mynoghra nor the Dark Elf clans had such a morally bankrupt sociopath like him before. When Emle thought back on her life, only the Elf Chiefs ever lobbed similar inciting words at her, and compared to the huckster in front of her, their remarks felt more like child's play.
Everyone living in Mynoghra, not just Emle, had never encountered such an extreme and troublesome person before. In a sense, the residents of Mynoghra were in the midst of a trial that tested their patience.
And Emle's trial had just commenced against her will.
"It's just…you lack awareness," Vittorio said, his grin deepening.
"Excuse me? A-Awareness?" Emle parroted.
"Hoooow to put it? You aren't zealous enough, maybe? Don't you hold an important position in Mynoghra, mon saucisson? You aren't embarrassed to receive a salary for such slipshod work, mm?"
Emle was assaulted by a storm of insults, scathing criticism, and scornful laughter like a piece of clothing hung out to dry in a hurricane. Most of what Vittorio said went right over her head, but she could tell he was mocking her. You didn't need to understand what the man was saying when his purposeful looks and unrelenting sneer said it at all. She couldn't sense anything from him but his desire to deride her.
"Th-Then tell me specifically what I must do! I would really appreciate your guidance!" Emle shouted angrily. It was rare for the usually calm and rational Dark Elf to let her emotions get the better of her. And this reaction was exactly what Vittorio was fishing for.
"Think for yourself. You're a working adult, aren't'cha?"
"HUUUUUUUH?! Youuuuuuuuuuu!!!"
Vittorio's remark turned Emle's face red with anger.
"Eeeeeeep! Oh noooooo, the angry beast is after me. And so, it's time for me to bid you ado! Fare thee well! Ciao!"
Either satisfied with her outburst or just plain bored of messing with her, Vittorio departed as theatrically and mysteriously as he'd appeared. Glaring daggers at his departing form, Emle gnashed her teeth in frustration.
◇◇◇
ON another day, Vittorio targeted the Dark Elf Warriors. They were the forces led by Gia, who strove daily to further their training for the sake of king and country.
"Oh, what's this I see? Why, it's the Dark Elves armed with the firearms bestowed upon them by King Takutoooo! Now 'tis a sight for sore eyes!"
Once again that man appeared like black smoke. He crept up on them without their realizing it because they were in the middle of training—yet they should've noticed him because their senses were honed!
Warrior Captain Gia received him as his thoughts whirled with questions about the methods Vittorio used to sneak up on them. "Yes, with the weapons from the Land of the Gods given to us by the king, we have become a more powerful force than ever before. We are working daily to improve our skills and become a better sword and shield for our king."
"If that's truuuuuue, then King Takuto must be perfectly safe thanks to you, nooooooo?!"
"Oof!" Gia groaned. "…That's…!" He lost all the enthusiasm and confidence he began the conversation with.
Vittorio already had a solid grasp on everything that had happened in
Mynoghra before his arrival. He was deliberately drawing attention to the Warriors' sore spot to get under their skin. Atou had thoroughly warned Gia about Vittorio, and Gia steeled himself for the fleecing to come.
"It huuurts. I huuurt…"
Yet rather than taunting them, Vittorio suddenly clutched his chest and fell to his knees as he began crying out in pain.
"Wha—?! Wh-What's wrong, Lord Vittorio?!"
Gia couldn't ignore his pain. Atou had instructed him to ignore Vittorio in every way possible, but if he didn't at least feign some concern, it could affect his standing as Warrior Captain. Besides, if Vittorio were genuinely ill or hurt, it would harm Mynoghra as a whole. With those thoughts in mind, Gia addressed Vittorio with worry, but…
"The injuries I sustained from you not protecting me huuuurt, Captain
Gia."
"Huh? What injuries are you talking—"
"I am merely speaking on behalf of the king."
Vittorio's insidiousness bundled up Gia's concern for him and dropkicked it out of the picture.
"It huuurts. I huuurt… I'm gonna diiiie like this. All because a certain somebody failed to protect me, I'm gonna go bye-bye and die-die."
"Wh-What the hell are you on about, man?! I won't allow you to disrespect the king!"
Vittorio snapped straight back up on his feet, his expression dead serious as he stated, "I'm disrespecting you, not the king."
Gia's anger ballooned in response to Vittorio's methodical provoking. Why does he play games like this? What did this man even come to Mynoghra for? Gia wondered. What in the Accursed Lands is he thinking and what is he trying to do by not fulfilling his own responsibilities and causing discord in the empire? I've heard that he has an incendiary temperament and likes to provoke and infuriate others, but this is too much. No matter how crucial this Hero is in restoring the king's health, if things continue as they are, it could even lead to the nation's collapse. And honestly, I highly doubt this man is capable of saving the king.
Gia was beginning to think that, depending on the situation, he might need to brace himself to deal with Vittorio in an entirely different way than he had first planned.
"I don't deny that our inadequacy gave way to the king's current crisis," Gia conceded. "That's a dishonor we must live with for the rest of our days. But is that really something for you to comment on, Lord Vittorio? Isn't the fact His Majesty never called for you proof that he has no faith in your ability?"
Gia seethed with anger. He possessed neither the self-restraint nor the soft-hearted temperament to silently stew in his anger like Emle. On the contrary, being criticized by someone who hadn't gotten any results yet themselves only incited him to snap back.
The Dark Elf Warriors listening to the exchange felt the same as their Captain, and the atmosphere in the Training Grounds instantly grew unwelcoming toward Vittorio. Now, as for how Vittorio responded to being bathed in their contempt…
"Eeeep! Oh, how very scary! I'm gonna get killed by the Dark Elves who won't be capable of much at this rate but have the gall to get angry at somebody else! Time for moi's special move: fleeing the scene!"
"C-Come back here, Lord Vittorio! Damn!" Gia swore. "How's he so fast?!"
Vittorio loved to stir people up and then beat it out of there. Was there meaning to these actions? Or was it simply his sick hobby…?
The mental damage caused by Vittorio rapidly spread through the empire, as if he'd completely tabled his mission to find a cure for Takuto to play mind games instead.
◇◇◇
TAKUTO was suffering from amnesia, so it was impossible for him to take over the baton of leadership as king. This resulted in all complaints and protests being lodged with Atou.
Sludge Atou was slumped over her desk with her head cradled in her hands, not caring one bit about keeping up prideful appearances as a Hero.
"S-So much worse than I thought. He's so much more troublesome than even I could have imagined…" she groaned.
"Our candies got taken away!" Maria huffed.
"He made off with all the sweets His Majesty gave us…" Caria puffed.
Atou's cheeks twitched as she forced a smile in response to the Elfuur Sisters' cute rant. The sisters' cheeks were completely puffed out as they fumed over their stash being snatched. They were Vittorio's victims No. 1 and No. 2 today.
To the uninitiated, his harassment toward the twins might seem friendly compared to what he did to the others. However, Vittorio chose the best way to get under their skin after understanding that the sisters were still mentally young and acted on emotion rather than logic and reason. He went to the most nuclear option by stealing the sweets the twins had received directly from Takuto and had kept stashed away as their secret treasure.
The only silver lining was that he did this during the height of the afternoon—if he pulled the same stunt on the night of the full moon, Mynoghra would become bathed in blood. In Vittorio's blood, of course. Although it was obvious that he'd timed his crimes perfectly during the day away from the full moon with the knowledge of what would happen if he hadn't…
Atou looked away from the Elfuur Sisters, her gaze landing on Elder Moltar and Gia beside them. Her gaze moved further to find civil officials she often saw and Dark Elf citizens she rarely had anything to do with. To cap it all off, even Mynoghra's Brain Eaters and Homunculus were in the room.
Everyone was here with complaints for Atou to hear. And all their complaints ended up being the same: do something about the freak whose only ability is harassing others instead of doing his job.
There was nothing she could do about him.
Is there any chance he'll start listening if I knock his block off? Atou knew violence wouldn't solve anything, but she continued to wrack her aching brain for a method to put Vittorio in his place. No matter how much she thought about it, no such method existed. If it did, she would have already made use of it.
Meanwhile, her troubles only escalated.
"W-We've got trouble!" Emle shouted as she raced into the room.
I spent hours listening to her complain yesterday. Did Vittorio pick on her again? Atou thought, but seeing Emle panicked caused her to wonder if a real problem had occurred.
"Did something happen?" Atou asked, frowning as she corrected herself. "Or rather, did Vittorio do something?"
"He left…"
"Huh?" Atou squawked before her mind completely processed what Emle meant.
"He left the city and went somewhere without telling anyone!" "WHAAAAAAT?!" Atou belted out at the top of her lungs.
I screwed up! Her eyes widened with disbelief and her face filled with panic. Vittorio always exceeded her expectations…in the worst possible way. She knew that. She knew that but forgot. No. She knew but turned a blind eye to it. There's no way he'll go that far, she'd deluded herself.
Harsh reality always crushes false hope.
The boiling pot of trouble she'd put a lid on had finally exploded— and all hell broke loose.
"Did Vittorio say anything?!" Atou asked in hysterics. "He's not defecting, is he?! Not now of all times?!" She jumped to her feet, but standing didn't change anything, so she slammed her hands on the table.
Gleeful Spin Doctor Vittorio is a Hero with an extremely unique disposition, even among all the crazy Heroes within Eternal Nations. What makes him so different is that he can't be controlled. He's a Hero who belongs to the Player's empire yet won't listen to any of the Player's commands.
I didn't think his inability to be controlled in the game would rear its ugly head in real life! He's always been a Hero who doesn't listen to others, but we're screwed if we let him go off leash like this!
Heroes who don't obey commands will act on their own and use their skills at their own discretion. Vittorio has an endless list of troublesome abilities, but the most dangerous is his ability to exercise some of the Player commands. Specifically, it's possible for him to do all the actions that Commanders can in Eternal Nations, such as constructing facilities and unit production, researching and developing tech trees, and establishing cities— all at no cost to the empire.
At first glance, having your empire be developed at no cost sounds like a huge advantage, but it's actually a double-edged sword.
There is a balance to all things. An order in which things should be done. Choices that should and shouldn't be made.
A Commander managing an empire selects actions based upon their strategies. These actions work in mutual effect, leading to the prosperity of the Player's empire and the destruction of enemy empires. Only a child sticks their hands into every pot. Only a child thinks they can have their cake and eat it too. Some choices should be avoided at all costs.
And Vittorio disregards all such logic. He can outright ignore it. Ignore it and do whatever the hell he pleases—to friend and foe.
In other words, his actions can benefit and harm Mynoghra at the same time. Every time he exercises his abilities based on reasoning only he comprehends, he could be bringing unprecedented disadvantages to Mynoghra.
King Takuto could have controlled Vittorio! Atou lamented. No other Player in Eternal Nations could handle that loose cannon better than King Takuto. That's why that schizoid respected King Takuto so much, and I incorrectly believed he wouldn't do anything too outrageous in opposition to him!
Vittorio was designed to be a schemer. And Takuto made full use of those settings to turn the chaos he wrought into controlled chaos. It was even rumored that the Player Takuto Ira was the one and true master of Vittorio…
But perhaps such sentiments were lost on the Schemester Hero who loved stirring up chaos and confusion. Or perhaps because Vittorio was just such a Hero, he chose to act upon his own set of messed up convictions. He worked his magic best when all hell broke loose.
Defecting from Mynoghra is possible with Vittorio's skills! But, Atou contemplated it, what would be the point? Maybe, just maybe, he left the Accursed Lands with another purpose in mind? If so, what is that faultfinder up to? How in the world will it help King Takuto?
Vittorio's absurd actions were always beyond comprehension. But in his Eternal Nations' setting, his actions were all performed with deep insight, wisdom, and a whole lot of mischievousness. Not understanding his reasoning proved that you hadn't made it to the same playing field as Vittorio.
I don't have a single clue what he's after!!
Atou could have overlooked it if he'd taken these actions without any thought. It was because he took every action with some scheme in mind that Atou was experiencing nail-biting panic.
Curse him! I need to calm down first, she told herself. Trying to understand what's beyond me is a waste of time. Especially when it comes to that schemester Vittorio… Mynoghra's future will be in jeopardy if I don't get it together!
Without any support from Takuto, Mynoghra's future was solely in Atou's hands. Atou put her brain in full gear and decided to deal with what was actually in her ability to handle. Information gathering was a necessity at times like this. Even the smallest of details can hide a crucial hint.
"We need to sort out the situation first," Atou said. "Do you have any information on him? Even the smallest tidbit is fine."
Atou needed to figure out what had pushed Vittorio to take this action first. So she suppressed the irritation boiling through her veins to fish for information from Emle. She had a feeling the Schemester Hero would leave some kind of goading message for them.
"About that…" Emle said hesitantly, "he left this note."
"…A note?"
Emle pulled a single piece of stationery from her pocket. The colorfully decorated paper had been delicately folded, looking more like a letter a young girl might prepare for her friend than something written by an evil Hero. But Atou knew the contents sprawled within would be a landmine for Mynoghra. Not some cutesy note like the paper's appearance would lead you to believe. After all, the writer was none other than that Schemester Vittorio…
"Can I see it?" Atou asked. "I need to get as much of a grasp on that schemester's reasoning as I can."
"Um, well… I think you would be better off not looking at it…" Emle said awkwardly.
"I don't care," Atou stated, her cheeks twitching. "I need to see it. How can I not? As much as I'd rather not…"
Atou had no doubt his letter spent every line mocking her. It was bad enough Emle was hesitant to even let her read it… But there was no way she could ignore the letter when she needed to confirm Vittorio's intentions. She'd personally rather throw it in the fire and forget all about it so she could return to her daily work.
Atou quietly swallowed the lump in her throat.
Did Vittorio actually defect from Mynoghra?
Did he not revere Takuto after all?
Atou needed to steel herself to accept whatever it was that deceiving Schemester Hero was thinking and leaving for her to clean up after.
To Whom It May Concern:
How are you enjoying the spring weather? Thank you very much for looking after me during my brief stay. It is me, Vittorio, the Hero you all put your hopes in.
Now then, I have a reason for writing a letter like this.
To tell you the truth, I have been on the receiving end of some hardcore bullying. My bullies are none other than everyone living in Mynoghra.
Shall we call it hazing the newcomer? It appears the imbeciles of Mynoghra couldn't stand being in the presence of a motivated and talented man such as myself. I've been harassed in so many ways it isn't even possible to describe them in a letter such as this.
I'm sure my Sludgy Atou, who lacks observational skills even more than she does breasts, didn't even notice what was going on. Of course she wouldn't. For I acted like nothing was wrong. While all along, I was crying on the inside.
I. CRIED (this is key).
But it's a fact that nothing will begin if I just wallow in my despair. Because there is no one else but moi, Vittorio, who can save King Takuto in place of you incompetents who are all talk and no action… You can do it, me! Don't give in, me!
Hence why I've decided to go on a journey. Shall we call it a journey of self-discovery?
This is a new step in my life to find a place where I can truly shine.
That's what I really need right now.
For these reasons, I would like to take this opportunity to say adieu for now.
On that note, I'm certain the incompetent Sludgy Atou suspects me of betrayal, but allow me to remind you that I, Vittorio, could never do such a blasphemous thing to King Takuto. Unlike a certain sludge-for-brains Hero who was easily brainwashed into betraying Mynoghra!!
With that said, this is the one and only true confidant to the almighty King Takuto Ira, who will one day rule this world, Vittorio, signing out.
With much love to my pathetic, sludge tits,
Ta-ta
"THAT! BASTAAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!" Atou roared and went into a fit of anger. The wooden table ruptured clean in half with her violent outburst.
"Aaaaaaaah!" Emle, who'd been nervously watching Atou, screamed when she saw her blow up. "She's lost it! Atou's lost it!!"
Her rage still burning hot, Atou stomped and stomped on the innocent, halved table. With each violent stomp of her feet, sharp cracks pierced the air, and just like that, the meeting room table that had contributed so much to Mynoghra was pitifully reduced to woodchips.
"P-Please calm your rage, Lady Atou! I understand how you feel, but you mustn't take it out on the furniture!"
"That's right! We understand how you feel! We painfully and fully understand your feelings, so please get them under control!"
Elder Moltar and Gia rushed over to appeal directly to Atou's senses. However, their words fell on deaf ears, for Atou had finally blown a gasket after enduring so much abuse and stress due to her position. The more they appealed to her, the more they stoked the flames of her rage.
"THAT DERANGED CLOOOOOWN! ALL HE DOES IS MOCK AND MAKE FUN OF ME! THE NEXT TIME I SEE HIS UGLY FACE I'LL KILL HIM ON THE SPOT!"
"Retreat!" Gia ordered. "Everyone, withdraw from this room! Escape before she takes it out on you!"
"Hurry! Lady Atou won't wait for you to be gone!"
The elderly sage and warrior captain were at their wit's end, but when they saw the tentacles erupt from Atou's back, they started shouting hasty orders to the others. Upon hearing their orders, everyone made a mad dash for the doors.
The tentacles that had erupted along with Atou's rage had already obliterated the furniture in the room and were getting to work on the building's foundation. And even then, her anger did not subside.
"M'kay, Cary and Big Sista are the last ones left. Let's go, Big Sista."
"But my candy…"
"CURSE HIM! I'm SOOOOOOOO PISSED! AT LEAST EXPLAIN WHAT YOU'RE SCHEMING, SCHEMESTER! And what's with him commenting on my…my…my chest! E-Even I…have feelings… Uwaaaaaaaaaaaah…I hate this! I hate working with him! Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! KING
TAKUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!"
The Elfuur Sisters were the last to nimbly evacuate the room, leaving Atou alone. Atou's anger didn't subside even after being abandoned by the others. She began throwing a fit like a child seeking their parent's attention as she sought the comfort and aid of her absent master…
◇◇◇
ON the surface, life had returned to normal for Mynoghra's town of Dragontan. Being at peace was only natural for the town since there was no need to inform the citizens of the problems plaguing their country. But things were only running this smoothly largely thanks to Antelise, a wandering Elf who served as Dragontan's mayor. Support from Mynoghra's army of monsters was limited since the empire-management council was still in a state of disarray, but Dragontan's residents were working day and night to better the town, and if that's all someone from the outside looked at, they would see it brimming with activity.
Then came that fateful day when a sticky, lukewarm breeze wormed its way through the town. Just as the sun was about to set, someone visited the home of an ordinary single mother whose husband had abandoned her. Turning her attention to the quiet knocking at the door, the Catkin mother quietly asked her four-year-old daughter to answer the door for her because she couldn't step away from what she was making in the kitchen.
"Oh my, is that a guest for us?" the mother said. "I'm sorry, Toto. Would you mind getting that for mommy?"
"Uh-huh!" Toto's cat ears and tail flicked happily along with her cheery response. The young girl skipped over to the door and reached up on her tiptoes to open it. "Who might you be?"
The town of Dragontan belonged to Mynoghra. Unlike in the past, when it belonged to Phon'kaven, order was now strictly enforced by the Brain Eaters and the Dragontan Vigilante Corps. Not even a trace of the criminals and thieves that once called it home could be found now.
With safety at an all-time high, there wasn't much to be concerned about allowing her daughter to open the door, but the mother still wondered who might possibly visit their humble abode at this hour. Their family didn't have many friends, so the mother looked curiously toward the door to see her daughter's small hand slowly open it…
"BOO!"
A dangerous man just stuck his head inside the house.
"AAAAAAAAH!" Toto screamed.
His unnaturally elongated limbs were covered by a strange-looking coat. And upon his face was undeniably a fraudster's smile.
The Catkin child had fallen back on her rear end and was staring up in a daze at the creep standing in their doorway.
"U-Um…c-can I help you, sir?"
The mother panicked at the stranger's sudden appearance but used what vestige of calm she had left to rush over and stand protectively in front of her daughter.
The man watched their little display with disturbing interest and then slipped inside the house through the open door.
"Are you haaaappy right noooooow~?" Vittorio grinned from ear to ear.
<-x-X-x->
◇◇◇
SOME strange things had been spotted recently in Mynoghra's town of Dragontan. Namely, a group of people led by a dubious man clad in nonsensical clothing.
"OOO-KAAAAY! EVERYBOOODY! Let me ask you one more tiiime! Who is the smartest and coolest god in the woooorld?" the peculiar man asked loudly.
"The Great God Takuto Ira!!" the group replied in unison.
"Mm, very goooood!!"
Their perfectly uniform and immaculate attire was unsettling, and the fact their numbers were made up of people of all ages, genders, and races gave off a sense of madness. They almost seemed spellbound and out of it, but the dark glint in their eyes intimidated others. The group had gathered around the man and watched him with such intense concentration it seemed as if they were trying to burn his every move into their retinas.
This seemed to be exactly what the man was after. His voice that carried clearly to the far ends of the town had an eerie amount of control over the group.
"Now then, who's the strongest and the most wonderful god in the woooorld?!"
"The Great God Takuto Ira!!" the group repeated.
"Mm, very niiiiiiiice!!"
The group responded in perfect unison, not a single person offbeat. Some of the townspeople watched them with dubious expressions, but the majority didn't want to get involved, so they rushed through the area to their destination.
The group in question didn't care about outsiders one bit. Their gazes were fixed solely on one person. That person's name was Vittorio. He was the infamous Mynoghra Hero known as the Gleeful Spin Doctor.
"I can't hear you! Say it more! Say it louder! Extol god! Worship our Lord Takuto Ira! The one and only! The dauntless! The lionized and on the up-and-up! The pulchritudinous genius! Meat-eater! Open 365 days a year!
Our God Takuto Ira!!"
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!" the group chanted. "Wooooooooooh!"
"Yeaaaaaaaaaah!"
The people roared with joy. At the front of the group the Catkin mother and daughter cheered. They were especially fanatical and zealous. Even your run-of-the-mill mother and daughter had reached this state. The communal fantasy they were witnessing was surely the most wonderful, most comfortable, and most sacred thing to them.
The cheering never stopped, it only grew louder and more passionate. Surely they could see it—beyond their glassy gazes was the being they revered and adored.
Their cries of joy that were much like a prayer continued ceaselessly. The scene was frenetic, delusional, surreal, and disturbingly abnormal... It was as if they were worshipping an idol.
"Mm-mm-mm! Sooooounding good! Everyone's cheers will definitely reach God and bear fruit on the day of celebration!
Absoooooolutely!!"
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!"
The group's enthusiasm reached its climax at Vittorio's comment. Their commotion proudly occupied a corner of the street located in the center of town, but all the sane residents had already left and the shops along the road had closed. Even the guards turned a blind eye to their activities.
"Takuto Ira! Takuto Ira! Our king! Our Commander! Our great god!" Vittorio chanted.
"Takuto Ira! Takuto Ira!!" the group chanted along.
Were they unable to stay put once their excitement reached its peak? The group led by Vittorio began to slowly march somewhere. Where were they heading? Perhaps even they, in the heat of their worship, didn't know.
The one sure thing was…they were bound to do the same thing wherever they went. Pray to their god and preach about his love. Increasing their followers and scale as they went.
The fanatical cult was like a wave in the raging sea, rolling out to preach their teachings to the poor souls who didn't know anything about them yet…
◇◇◇
WATCHING the commotion from the window of her private office in Town Hall, Antelise Antik, the mayor of Dragontan, had a thoughtful expression on her face.
"What in blue blazes is that?" asked the civil officer, gaping at the same scene beside her.
Antelise shifted her gaze to the former guard-turned-secretary beastman at that entirely reasonable question. She shrugged once, an indescribable expression flickering across her pale face.
"He's a new Hero…or so it seems," she said. "Strange one, isn't he?"
Antelise had already been informed about Vittorio. Atou was the only Hero she had ever spoken to directly. It took some mental preparation to accept the turmoil that was currently being caused by the new Hero called Vittorio after getting used to Atou. Antelise's grimace reflected her internal turmoil.
"Well, he's something else, I'd say. But a new religion? Really? I'm surprised you allowed it, Mayor Antelise."
Dragontan already had an indigenous religion centered around worshipping ancestral spirits, which had continued even after being ceded from Phon'kaven to Mynoghra. Allowing a new religion to spread normally requires careful consideration by the local government because it can give rise to various problems with different interests at stake. But this cult sprung up without going through any red tape.
"It's not really something we can deny, and it's up to the individual really," Antelise said. "Plus, everyone's so lenient here. This is Mynoghra we're talking about."
Truth be told, Antelise didn't give permission at first. The so-called new Hero already got the cult up and going without her realizing it. She immediately called for him and demanded an explanation and that he cease such activities at once… However, before she knew it, she'd been persuaded by him and even granted permission.
"What did the higher-ups at the capital have to say?"
"They want to wait and see how it plays out," Antelise said. "It seems he was too much for them to handle as well. I was strictly ordered to report back on every little thing he does."
Even with all of Antelise's flaws, she was a key figure who'd been given the position of town mayor. She didn't mean to toot her own horn, but she knew she was somewhat important within Mynoghra. And that was why she sensed something incredibly off about how easily Vittorio had persuaded her to do his bidding. She'd contacted Atou immediately after the fact, only for the other Hero to grudgingly sign off on Vittorio's plans as well. Antelise couldn't shake the feeling that Vittorio was pulling some weird strings to force everything to go the way he wanted.
"Uh-huh, sounds like a pain to me… Whoops, we've been talking too long. Need anything else from me?"
"No, not at the moment," Antelise responded.
"Gotcha. Then, until next time."
"Yeah, thanks. See you."
The door quietly closed behind her secretary, leaving Antelise alone in the office.
"Rather than waiting to see what he does, it seems more like they don't have the time or energy to deal with him," Antelise muttered to herself.
That was a matter that should never be heard or spoken of. Mynoghra was facing a crisis only its top governing officials could know about. But Antelise was more concerned about the problems at hand.
Antelise became lost in thought as she shamelessly poured herself a cup of hard liquor. Still…he's up to some strange stuff, that Hero. There's not a single citizen of Mynoghra who doesn't already revere King Takuto Ira. What's the point of twisting that into a full-blown religion?
All who became citizens of Mynoghra were instilled with loyalty to the king without exception. Their loyalty grew by the day and was bolstered by his godly achievements and their peaceful lives. Even Antelise, who'd experienced visceral fear toward the king at first, wasn't the least bit scared of him now. She did feel nervous, but that was more akin to the nervous feeling anyone gets when faced with someone amazing. Everyone living in Dragontan should be experiencing the same high level of loyalty to King Takuto Ira and Mynoghra.
Antelise tilted back her cup, sending the strong spirits searing down her throat straight to the pit of her stomach. As she listened to the chants coming from outside the window, she became intoxicated by the taste of the alcohol that Takuto personally gifted her.
Atou told me in no uncertain terms that this Hero, Vittorio, is a scheming puppeteer. In which case, everything he does must serve some greater purpose in his schemes… The question is, what purpose?
At first glance, his actions in Dragontan seemed pointless. No matter how many townspeople he converted into believers, it was a limited population already devoted to Mynoghra. Was he trying to spread the religion to other countries? That made the most sense but didn't seem well thought out.
Qualia already had a religion worshipping the Holy God Arlos, and Phon'kaven had its indigenous beliefs. Dragontan's townspeople easily accepted it because of their preexisting loyalty to King Takuto Ira—the same couldn't be said for the other nations. Other governments seemed more likely to designate it as a prohibited religion. Anyone with a brain should be able to see that religious countries like Qualia and El-Nah would take prompt measures against it.
Antelise couldn't fathom why he'd start a religion in Dragontan. It wasn't necessary. It was a waste of time.
Well, it's not like I know everything there is to know about the power and sway religion has over people. Maybe there's a surprising reason for it. It's just my luck, though…all these issues coming one after another. They say birds of a feather flock together, but does that also apply to trouble?
Antelise sighed. Drunkenness was her only solace in difficult times.
Antelise had no clue what stance Atou and the Dark Elves actually held on Vittorio's actions back at Mynoghra's capital in the Accursed Lands. From the response she got from Atou in their letter exchange, it was clear Vittorio was a source of chaos beyond their control.
And Vittorio wasn't their only concern.
Negotiations and an open dialogue needed to be maintained with Phon'kaven, and strengthening the military capabilities of both countries was an urgent task considering the current national crisis.
Things seemed calm to the north, east, and south for the time being. But there was no telling when someone with sinister designs would appear again. And when they did…would Mynoghra be able to handle them in their current state? All this information and knowledge that was more than necessary for someone who was just the mayor of a small town depressed Antelise.
But the biggest crisis of all is that King Takuto is bedridden with amnesia we don't know the cause of yet.
Antelise was lucky her stomach acid didn't burn a hole in her stomach from all the stress she experienced after being hit with that devastating reality right after experiencing the relief of knowing they had gotten Atou back and defeated the Divine Nation of Lenea. It was also a blessing in disguise that she was able to remain calm in front of her subordinates, conceal the truth, and prevent information leaks since finding out.
Yes, not dying from stress and being able to keep up appearances were two very small blessings in an ocean of misfortune of which she didn't even know the true scale.
Antelise let out another bitter sigh. And here I thought I'd have it easy. Don't tell me this world is a thousand times more dangerous than I ever realized? I would've preferred the bliss of ignorance on that front.
The more she thought about it, the more depressed she became, speeding up the rate at which she knocked back her drink.
That being that… she thought, deciding to change gears. Nothing will change if I just drown myself in drink. I've got my issues, but I'm still Dragontan's Mayor. If there's still something I can do, then I'd better do everything in my power to make it happen. I'll make it happen.
Antelise downed the rest of her cup and stood up as the alcohol burned down her throat.
"Let's do this! Anybody there? Heeeeeeeey!"
And so, she made up her mind to act. Her first action was to call for her staff. She was the type to put ideas into motion. Her ability to take initiative at the drop of a hat was one of the reasons why she was highly valued. Unfortunately, there were times when this part of her personality manifested itself in the more negative direction of slacking off at work…
"I can hear you even if you don't shout like a madwoman, Miss Mayor," her secretary grumbled. "Sheesh. If you needed me, you should've just said so when I was in here earlier…"
"Quit your nagging. I just thought up what I need! Like, just now!" Antelise complained.
Unlike the capricious Antelise, her subordinates didn't even comprehend the notion of slacking off from work. As soon as she called for them, they answered, and her secretary appeared back in her office with a disgruntled look.
"So, what do you need?" he asked.
"Mm, can you get a horse and guard detail ready for me?"
"Oh? Where are you going?" he asked with a curious expression. He'd normally nag her with, "You skipping out on work again?" But he'd accurately guessed that she was actually going out for work this time.
People who can sense what their boss wants without it having to be said are effective as secretaries. Coupled with the fact that he wasn't afraid to ask her the important questions spoke to the reality that this former guard had developed into a very capable subordinate. Antelise nodded with satisfaction at his growth.
"To the Accursed Lands. I've got some stuff to ask Atou about
directly."
"For you to go all the way to the capital just for that… Did something big happen?"
"No, it's just…" Antelise gasped and said nothing further.
She didn't need to tell him more, and he shouldn't learn anything more. Her thoughts must have shown on her face because her secretary said, "I know what you need. I'll get it readied at once." He bowed and quietly withdrew from the room.
As Antelise watched his retreating form, she was reminded once again of what a good subordinate she had and felt gratitude for his perceptiveness. Knowing him, he might've already picked up on what was going on from the conversations he'd been having with Antelise and how she'd been behaving.
The Nameless Religion, eh? That seems like a name to me, but what's the purpose of it? Antelise wondered.
It'd only been about three days since Vittorio came to Dragontan. And yet the number of believers was increasing at an exponential rate. They were just a gathering of weirdos right now, but what if their numbers exploded? What if their proselytizing reached beyond Mynoghra? What if their propagation exceeded her expectations and succeeded elsewhere like it did in Dragontan…?
Chaos would ensue across the continent.
Antelise was nearly certain her doubts were becoming a reality.
<-x-X-x->