“M–Miss Akasha!” Ophelia took a step forward, hesitating on how to explain herself. “My deepest apologies! I thought it was…”

Ophelia hadn’t sensed any kind of sign that the door to their room would suddenly be broken through – no footsteps, no knocks, no calls – and had reacted purely on reflex, throwing flying swords in the face of what she believed to be an enemy.

Fortunately enough, Akasha’s reflexes had been fast enough to completely counter her attack.

It was also a humbling thought. Even with a sneak attack like this one, Ophelia was completely incapable of harming the little girl in front of her. Ophelia was nowhere near Lord Finram’s level of strength, but she was still somewhat confident in her own power. And yet, her ‘opponent’ here had completely and sincerely disregarded her attack, as if it wasn’t deserving of any attention.Continue reading

Gah! This guy is almost as clingy as Lilly!

I liked him much better when he was surly and suspicious and silent and vaguely afraid of me.

It’s not like his questions are complicated, but it’s annoying to talk so much. And it’s tiring, too. Telepathy doesn’t actually consume any blood-qi, but it does require concentration and focus. It’s mentally tiring.

…Why did he suddenly become so talkative?Continue reading

“Then just call a maid to lead her and fetch some clothes for her,” Finram said in a resigned voice. “Your new friend here can come back once she’s done. But you are not leaving this room.”

“All right,” Lilly replied easily, as if he’d failed to make the sarcastic emphasis on the word ‘friend’ thick enough for her to notice.

The devil, Akasha, peacefully left the room, following behind Ran, and Finram could finally breathe a small sigh of relief.

These past few minutes had shaved years off his life…Continue reading

“Akasha. A-k-a-s-h-a. Aaaakaaashaaa. Hahaha! What a strange name!”

[…]

I don’t really see how it’s any stranger than any other name, though. And why does she look so delighted about it?

“Oh, so you’re a mercenary? Aren’t you too young? Isn’t it dangerous?” Lilly asks, looking over the identification card I handed to her. “Oh? What’s with this? It says here you’re 29 years old.”Continue reading

I keep watching out for a mountain covered in pink trees, or maybe just something that might rouse one of the old, dusty memories buried in the confines of my brain.

No luck, as of yet…

This wind is starting to annoy me, though. It keeps blowing into my ears. It’s really uncomfortable. I try to keep them flat against my skull, but it doesn’t help much. Perhaps I should just go and see if I can find somewhere to sit at the back of the train, out of the wind. The train’s own bulk would shield me without preventing me from watching the landscape as I wish.

Yes, that’s a good idea.Continue reading

So this is an identification card.

It doesn’t look like much. And it’s filled with incorrect information. I’m not 29 years old. And I’m not an oni. And I’m not a 5th-rank warrior.

And this ‘Mercenary rank: F’ written on it…

Jasper tried to explain it to me, but I’m still not sure I understand. Apparently, fulfilling tasks for the High-Sea Verse mercenary group will increase my rank. Things like escorting people from one city to another, or hunting dangerous wild beasts or mutated monsters from the Frontline, or gathering alchemical ingredients in the wilderness…Continue reading

Jasper was sitting at his desk, on the second floor of the Lamos headquarters of the High-Sea Verse mercenary group.

In fact, he’d been sitting there all morning, already. And a large part of the night, too.

There was just so much to be done.

As the overall administrator for all of the High-Sea Verse’s affairs in the Thread, he was probably one of the busiest people within about 20,000 kilometers.Continue reading

The passers-by turn head to look at me as I cross the street. My ears and my tail are safely hidden beneath my cloak, but my horn is too long for the hood to cover completely. I suppose that’s what earns me so much attention.

There are indeed majin, walking about here and there in the city, but compared to humans, they are few and far between. There is no doubt that the inhabitants here aren’t all that used to seeing non-humans – and when they do see one, they don’t seem particularly pleased about it.

When I approach the doors, the guard on the right raises his arm to stop me. “Girl, this is the High-Sea Verse mercenary group. It’s not a place for children. You should leave now.”

[…I’m not a child.]Continue reading

Aldenfell.

It’s a very large city. Much larger than even Jodene Fortress. There are countless humans everywhere, walking this way and that, even this late in the evening. From my current vantage point, sitting on the roof of its tallest tower, another major difference between this place and the fortresses of the Planar Prison is evident. That is, the houses here seem to have been built quite haphazardly, without any regard for convenience or organization. They are strewn about everywhere without any obvious pattern, leading to a maze-like array of twisting alleys and streets. I’m not sure about the other fortresses, but at least Islandis Fortress and Jodene Fortress seemed more regular.

I expect finding the headquarters of the High-Sea Verse mercenary group in this mess will be quite a chore, but I’ve at least got enough information to start looking.

Indeed, the book of maps I bought in Islandis Fortress is even more comprehensive that I’d first expected. Earlier, I’d stopped my search upon finding the map of the Thread, but when I perused the entire book again, I discovered that there is in fact a whole map dedicated to Lamos alone, with further information about its capital – including a picture of the crest of the High-Sea Verse, what should be a stylized boat floating on a wavy line, with a sword for a mast. In my opinion, the building I’m looking for should be displaying that crest; I have only to find it.Continue reading

Night fell some hours ago, already.

I’m walking toward Aldenfell, capital of Lamos, after detouring in a large circle through the plains around Getsbane so that its inhabitants wouldn’t notice me.

I would reach the capital in around five or six minutes, if I ran at top speed, but I’m not in such a hurry that I’d waste my energy like that. Finding Nerys won’t be a matter of one or two days, in any case, so I can take my time.

So I take the time to admire the dark, peaceful countryside around me.Continue reading