Red Snowfall on the Orcos Domain Part 2 PDF

Edited MTL and Proofreading by SapphireComet.

J-E Checking by Garcar.

Upon awakening, Elsa observed her surroundings with her usual state of mind.

Whether she woke up in a tranquil bed, in the midst of an enemy encampment, or even from a nap in a disastrous scene of blood and guts, that never changed. It was a habit that had been deeply ingrained into her body.

Ever since she had taken that devil’s hand over ten years ago, that had been so――.

Elsa: […Where am I?]

???: [Looks like you noticed.]

It was a modest room made out of stone, one she had no recollection of. As she looked around the room inquisitively, a voice called to her from the side. Shifting her attention to that direction, she was a little surprised. She had already sensed the presence, but its identity was the cause for her shock.

Sat cross-legged on the floor, with their brawny arms crossed and eyes closed was a grey haired swordsman, and――,

Elsa: [I’m sure I had bitten off your throat, though.]

???: [So that’s the first thing you check after waking up? What an utterly horrid woman you are.]

Elsa: [Apologies. It's in my nature. So, would it be correct to assume that you are Viktor Orcos?]

Viktor: [――Indeed.]

As Elsa posed a question with her head tilted in doubt, the swordsman―― the one who Elsa faced off against, and ought to have died a noble death, Viktor Orcos deeply nodded his head in response.

Viktor was draped in light white clothing, having removed the holy armor of an Acolyte Knight. The scar that ought to have been left on his exposed neck was nowhere to be found. The fatal wound that had been thrust into him by Elsa’s fangs, was nowhere to be found.

Elsa: [――The power of your Blessing, correct?]

Viktor: [Blessings and the like, are not as pure as the impression one would get from that word. The gospels used by the Witch Cult are of a similar nature, albeit to a different degree.]

Elsa: [Even though you’re an Acolyte Knight, you do not have faith. Well, it doesn’t really matter.]

With a response as indifferent as she had stated, Elsa loosened her vigilance towards Viktor. For the time being, it seemed that there was no need to worry about the situation suddenly developing into a fight to the death.

That could also be extrapolated from her current appearance. After all――, 

Elsa: [Why did you go to the trouble of letting me live when we ought to have fought to the death? You even went as far as to treat my wounds.]

Licking her lips, Elsa raised up both of her arms. They were wrapped in white bandages from her elbows to the fingertips, and she could also sense that healing magic had been applied.

But, it was the bout against Viktor that had caused these injuries in the first place.

Having fought to the death, she had certainly taken his life once. It was difficult to imagine that he would have given medical treatment to Elsa

And, at the moment when Victor gave a complex frown to Elsa’s question.

???: [Ah! Onee-san is awake! Viktor-sama, you lied to me again!]

As the door of the room was opened. a high-pitched voice pierced the interior. When Elsa looked over to see what was going on, she saw a red-haired girl pointing at the bed from the entrance.

She was a girl in her mid-teens with freckles and a sense of youthfulness on her face. As she glanced at Viktor,

Red-Haired Girl: [Even though I politely asked you to call for me as soon as she woke up. Viktor-sama you are always like this!]

Viktor: [Nora, you’re speaking too loud. Sorry for the delay in notifying you, but she just woke up. In other words, the promise was just about to be fulfilled. You were overeager with your denunciation.]

Nora: [You can’t fool me by saying complicated words! If you feel bad, then reflect on it! Go on!]

Viktor: […I’m sorry.]

As Victor lowered his head, the girl called Nora exhaled in satisfaction. Seeing that, Elsa wore a rare expression of slight surprise.

The warrior’s presence gave a fierce indication that as a "former" Acolyte Knight, Viktor's strength was incomparable to that of an ordinary person. There was an indescribable pathos in the sight of such a person being rebuked by a single girl.

At the same time, Elsa noticed that she had a recollection of seeing Nora.

Elsa: [You… were the girl from that dragon carriage. I remember you. After all, you were in the front trying to protect the other children.]

Nora: [――――]

Nora's cheeks stiffened when Elsa identified her. Still, she stoutly refused to avert her eyes from Elsa. That was admirable.

The dragon carriage in question―― that had been the cause of the battle between Elsa and Viktor, so she must have witnessed their fight.

Of course, she also would have seen Elsa bite out Viktor's throat. And even though that ought to have been the case,

Elsa: [And yet, you went as far as to treat my wounds. These bandages were also applied by you, correct?]

Nora: [H-how….?]

Elsa: [A faint hint of your scent remains on these bandages. I have a good sense of smell.]

Elsa lightly snorted her nose, and Nora could not help but be at a loss for words. That reaction convinced Elsa that her guess was correct.

In addition, it was likely the girl who had suggested that Elsa be treated and protected. Viktor was coerced to comply, that seemed to be the rough gist of things.

The question was, why had such a thing occurred?

Elsa: [So, can I ask you what exactly happened?]

Viktor: […I was also dead for a period of time. Hence, I can only talk about what happened after I revived.]

Elsa: [Yes. I don’t mind. I also remember being attacked by a new Acolyte Knight.]

Right after she bit off Viktor's throat―― when she was assailed by the young man who was Igor’s retainer and had rushed to the scene, her memories came to a halt. While being an Acolyte Knight with phenomenal powers, the young man had cunningly concealed his abilities.

With both her arms wounded, she should have suffered an utterly one-sided defeat by that young man.

Viktor: [I was able to revive in time before my core shattered. Thanks to that, I was able to fight off the Acolyte Knight.  Then, I pulled the dragon carriage in place of the dead earth dragon and retreated.]

Elsa: [Pulling a dragon carriage in place of an earth dragon… Oh, I kind of wish I could have seen that.]

Viktor: [――――]

Elsa: [――? Is something wrong?]

Elsa tilted her head at Viktor when he balked at her honest opinion. However, ignoring that question of Elsa’s,

Viktor: [After that, I brought you back, gave you medical treatment, and monitored you until you awakened. That is all.]

Elsa: [I see… Even so, you seem to have a very different personality from what I've heard.]

According to her employer, Baron Igor Kenash, Viktor Orcos was a despicable individual who betrayed the Holy Kingdom and preyed on the population of his domain for human trafficking purposes. However, there was not even the slightest hint of a small man’s vulgarity in the actual Viktor. Their stand-off was also a fair and honest one.

Of course, such vulgarity did not always align with one’s human nature, but――.

Viktor: [And, what exactly have you heard?]

Elsa: [That you are a slave trader who sells the subjects of your domain to other countries as slaves. A traitor who, the moment news of his business leaked out, secluded himself to his domain in order to hold down the fort while persisting in a rebellion that had no chance for victory…..or something like that.]

Viktor: [I see. I guess it’d be something around that.]

Nora: [That’s…not even close! For what kind of reason would they be calling Viktor-sama like that!?]

Viktor and Nora each took a different extreme in their response to Elsa, who conveyed the facts without paying an ounce of consideration. Viktor scornfully smirked with a sense of resignation and Nora’s face was red with indignation.

Elsa nodded her head with an “Indeed” in agreement with Nora's anger

Elsa: [The slave trade is just another business. It does a wonderful job of providing value to those who have none, and selling them. To disparagingly show contempt for that act, is quite a cruel thing to do.]

Nora: [T-that’s not what I was mad about…]

Elsa: [――?]

Nora: [What I'm angry about is the lie that Viktor-sama is enslaving everyone in town!]

With a heart filled with rage, Nora drew closer to Elsa with that momentum. Her advance was stopped by Viktor, who extended his arm, but her words reached Elsa firmly.

And so did the fact that the contents of those words differed to the circumstances Elsa was aware of.

Viktor: [I don't expect you to believe me, but what you have been told was falsified information. There is not a single shameful deed being carried out in the Orcos Domain. Everything was Igor’s schemes, false accusations.]

Elsa: [――――]

Viktor: [The slave trade in question, it’s ringleader is none other than Igor himself. Proceeding with my investigation to try and prosecute that, I was fine with transporting those girls as slaves until I could secure them, but…]

Giving a sidelong glance to the girl beside him, Viktor cast his eyes down in lament. When she looked at Nora who watched over Viktor anxiously, Elsa could imagine the unspoken tale that lay beyond those words.

And, the words he spoke were likely true. The "merchandise" present within the dragon carriage were wearing decent clothing, and Igor's retainer had turned on Elsa the moment she pointed that out.

Elsa: [In essence, you're trying to say I was set up.]

Viktor: […Precisely. Igor's crafty scheme was thorough, wasn’t it? That guy’s good at currying favor with those in power. My explanations will no longer reach anyone in the Holy Church. I thought I knew all there was to know about the corruption in this country, but I was… naive. Right now, I just feel deeply sorry to all the citizens who got caught up in it.]

The brunt of his feelings of helplessness was not for his own future, but for his sense of responsibility regarding the population of his domain.

The imagination she had wrung out was correct. Viktor had been treated as a rebel on such a large scale. At this point, it was difficult to believe that the Holy Kingdom would abandon this course of action.

Elsa: [So then? Just what might be your objective in telling me such a story?]

Viktor: [――――]

Elsa: [To be honest, I'm not really interested in whether what you just told me is true or not. I'm not saying that it doesn't matter, but the truth is painted over in the face of the outcome. Just like how earth is covered by snow. That’s how it is in this country, isn't it? Neither you nor I can escape that rule.]

Viktor: [That's quite harsh. Nevertheless, it’s correct.]

Rather than cold-hearted, it was more appropriate to call Elsa’s answer indifferent, even while being informed on the situation. In response, Viktor sarcastically contorted the corner of his mouth and tapped Nora on the shoulder beside him.

Viktor: [I desire nothing from you. I'll just say this, don't go on a rampage… Moreover, it was on Nora's request that you were saved. I was going to leave you in the snow.]

Elsa: [I see. In that case, why did you?]

With Viktor's hand still on her shoulder, Nora faced Elsa. Nora's gray eyes and Elsa's black eyes were reflected in the other’s.

Then, as the girl cleared her throat,

Nora: […Because I just didn't want you to die. Is that not good enough?]

Elsa: [――――]

Nora: [The Holy Church, the Holy King, and the Benevolent Mother teach us to treat all forms of life with compassion. I, too, was saved by Viktor-sama right before I was really about to die… that’s why.]

Elsa: [But that Gustekan Holy Church is now trying to destroy the Orcos Domain. Yet you still do so?]

Nora: [I was saved by the teachings. I will never forget that, even if the teachings turn their back on me.]

Elsa's eyes narrowed at Nora as she declared that so resolutely. The girl's eyes were filled with tears, which even now were on the verge of streaming down her stiffened cheeks. Still, she did not avert her eyes, she did not hang her head, and she spoke her mind.

That was an extremely sweet stimulation that made Elsa’s heart throb.

Elsa: [――I'm sure, your insides must be very beautiful.]

Nora: [Huh?]

Viktor: [Don't make too many imprudent remarks. If I see you as a danger, I’ll chop your head off immediately.]

With a lustrous smile, Viktor gave a warning to Elsa’s methods of giving high praise. He sheltered Nora behind him, who wore a look on her face that suggested she did not understand, and he had his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

To that excess of caution, Elsa showed off her bandage-covered arms, and,

Elsa: [I was joking. Look at this. I’m unable to do anything very dangerous.]

Nora: [Viktor-sama! You’re talking to a wounded person!]

Viktor: […Fine.]

With Elsa and Nora having rebuked him, Viktor had no choice but to put away his hostilities.

Viktor: [It’s Nora's request. We'll treat you as our guest for a while, but… once you’re able to move, you have to leave here as soon as possible. Eventually, Igor's forces will close in.]

Elsa: [Oh yes. I may have failed to die, but they already consider me to be an enemy.]

Was her survival a miracle of the Benevolent Mother, or was it perhaps on the whims of the devil? Either way, Viktor's opinion that she should not stay here too long was valid.

Elsa: [Then I’ll stay without reservation, I’ll be in your care until I can move.]

Viktor: [Rest up well during your stay. We’re scarce, but if there’s anything you need, you can ask Nora.]

Elsa: [Is that so? Well in that case, I have a favor to ask her right away.]

When Elsa bit at the generous offer, Viktor and Nora both widened their eyes. Elsa gave a slight smile to the two.

Elsa: [――A crochet hook and some yarn, could I have some? It's a hobby I use to pass the time.]

As the two of them were told that, they were quite surprised.

△▼△▼△▼△

Nora: [Onee-san, I don't know what to make of you.…]

With a dismayed sigh, Nora was lying down on her bed as she gave such an evaluation of Elsa. Elsa herself tilted her head at the girl's comment with a confused look on her face.

Elsa: [Is that so? Though I am merely spending my time in my own way, just as I would have thought myself to do.]

Nora: [In your own way? How exactly?]

Elsa: [Following my intuition, I guess. It’s my nature to follow my instincts when it comes to thinking about things after all.]

Nora: [And the result of those instincts, is knitting to pass the time when you're badly hurt? Even going as far as to borrow the hands of another?]

With bitter feelings harborted in her youthful face, Nora concentrated on the task at hand. In the girl's small hands were a crochet hook and a skein of yarn, and she knitted with restless, poor movements.

And all of this was in place of Elsa, who had injured both her arms.

Elsa: [You’re quite good at this. It's worth my while to teach you.]

Nora: [Not that I'm not happy to receive compliments, but even if my knitting improves now…]

Elsa: [The things you learn will not be in vain. All the more if you don't become a slave.]

Having extolled Nora with praise, Elsa was in good enough of a mood to let the girl continue her knitting. But, Nora's hand stopped at those words, and Elsa let out a  "What?" with raised eyebrows.

Nora: [Onee-san, um… have you ever been a slave?]

Elsa: [Was there the brand of slavery on my body, I wonder?]

Nora: [There… weren’t any, but…]

Responding to Nora's question in a roundabout way, Elsa chuckled “Then there’s your answer”.

Generally―― though this was common knowledge in the slave trade, it was common practice for slaves to be branded on their backs. It was a ritual to show ownership and to painfully remind the slave themself that their body was no longer their own.

A slave did not need a sense of self. They would be stripped of that right at the beginning. Branding was a rite of passage in that regard.

Elsa: [But slavery is a slave’s only way of life. I have no intention to deny that.

As long as you give up your own way of living, you will at least remain tied to life. And in this country, that's a luxury.]

Nora: [Onee-san, you think it wouldn’t be so bad to become a slave?]

Elsa: [I don’t want to be one. That's why I ran away. ――There, turn that over.]

Nora widened her eyes at the assertion that seems to overturn her previous view. Not caring about the reaction, Elsa nonchalantly gave the next instruction and turned her attention out of the room.

In response to the earlier conversation, Nora was absorbed in knitting and thinking. She had not noticed, but there have been frequent signs of people coming and going in front of the room since a few minutes ago.

Elsa: [――――]

With every nerve in her body on edge, Elsa focused her attention on those signs of people coming and going.

The sound of footsteps and breathing could be heard. Multiple signs caused her skin to tingle with wariness. The echoes of footsteps and the number of people milling about gave her an idea of the approximate size of the building.

It was a big building in its own right. Although not quite as grand as Igor's mansion, the architectural style of the atmosphere was quite close. Perhaps it was Viktor's mansion.

If he opened up his mansion to the fiefdom and used it as a base of operations, it made sense given his character. The robustness of the building could not be compared to that of an ordinary house. ――Though it would be all the same if they were forced into a corner.

Elsa: [But, you seem to be cherished by everyone.]

Nora: [――?]

Elsa's whispered tone of voice made Nora, who was concentrating on the task at hand, look at her curiously.

Nora could never understand. The signs of coming and going outside the room―― they were Viktor's men, who were worried about Nora, who had been left in the room with Elsa. Given Elsa's position and title, their concern was justified.

On the other hand, Nora's presence was also a deterrent to their response to Elsa. One would think that Elsa, held as a prisoner of war in enemy territory, would be an outlet for their anger. The fact that this had not been the case was largely due to Nora's presence beside Elsa.

As a result, Nora contributed to her surroundings in a way that did not create unnecessary conflict.

Elsa didn't know the extent to which Viktor had intended for that to happen.

Nora: [Here, and then like this… I did it, I think.]

Elsa: [Let me see.]

The doll that had been presented to her without much confidence had followed Elsa's instructions carefully, so it was quite well made. If this was her debut work, it went far above the grade needed to pass; Nora was suited to knitting.

Elsa: [A wonderful job. Your fingers are quite dexterous, so you can do more than just be a slave.]

Nora: […Onee-san, you’re not very good at complimenting people.]

Elsa: [Is that so? I guess so. I get told that quite often.]

With the doll placed in her bandaged, crippled hand, Elsa responded without much of a care. Nora sighed deeply in response and continued, "But..."

Nora: [I'm glad to hear you say I'm good with my hands. I don’t want to be a slave either.]

Elsa: [I see.]

The more one could do, the more paths opened up for them to live by other than being a slave.

Having understood Elsa’s words of wisdom, Nora digested them as she spoke. Elsa responded indifferently to the answer, yet pulled the doll to her chest.

As a matter of fact, no matter how much Nora thought about the future, there was no future for the Orcos Domain.

The Gustekan Church was using Igor, working with the intention of formally covering up any scandal.

That was why――,

Elsa: [If you have something you want to say, you might as well say it.]

Nora: [――Hk.]

Elsa: [I'm not very good at understanding people's feelings. So if you don't tell me, I won’t know. And I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving me. Lending and borrowing is the principle of settling debts.]

Nora, who had been looking at Elsa holding the doll with mystified eyes, choked up. It was a casual remark, but Elsa did not tell unnecessary lies. Her words came from the heart.

――The act of lending and borrowing to clear debts. As the Bowl Hunter, it was one of Elsa’s few beliefs.

Elsa: [Naturally, there is a limit to what I can do.]

Nora: [――――]

As if in thought, Nora turned over and fell silent. Elsa quietly waited for the girl to speak as the blood drained from her face and her exhalations quickened.

Frankly, if nothing else, that was fine. She’d like to settle the debt, but if the other party didn't want to, that would be their decision. She would respect that. Though Elsa felt a little bad about it.

Nora: [S-save…]

Elsa: [――――]

Therefore, Elsa, who was prepared for nothing to be proposed, was only momentarily slow to react.

She looked up to see Nora, fists clenched in her lap, staring at Elsa as if she were gritting her teeth. The girl then repeated the words of her wish in a trembling voice.

Nora: [Please, save me… Viktor-sama, and everyone else, they say we have no choice but to fight. But even if we fight…]

They had no chance of winning. Nora also understood the tragic resolution that the adults had set in place. With that understanding, perhaps the girl was prepared to do the same.

However, if there was any hope to be found, the likes of any young resolve would easily be shattered.

At the girl's wish, Elsa looked down at the doll, which was housed in her bountiful bosom. Elsa exhaled a small sigh as she looked into the eyes of the amateurish doll, and,

Elsa: [I guess I have to pay back what I owe, right?]

Without looking at the teary-eyed girl, she simply muttered that.

△▼△▼△▼△

Even at night, which served as a symbol of serenity, the Kingdom of Gusteko was disconnected from the concept of stillness.

Outside the building, heavy snow blew violently in a storm, and thick, fast clouds overlooked the land endlessly. With both visibility and sound so hectic, it was possible to have the silence submit.

――Hence, it was easy for Elsa to slip out of the building, even if it had a watchman standing guard.

The likes of impaired arms were no problem whatsoever for an agent like herself.

Elsa opened the door to her assigned room and majestically slipped through the corridor in which the guard was standing. If she lurked in the gaps between consciousnesses and slipped past the watchful eye at a quick pace, she would not be caught.

Without making a sound, even leaving her shadow behind, she easily left the building; as expected, the building standing amidst the snow was the mansion of Viktor Orcos, located in the innermost place of the Orcos Domain.

Bonfires burned in the surroundings of the building, and lights for the guards could be seen here and there in the distance. The scent of excitement and caution that pervaded the surrounding area was probably evidence that Igor's forces had invaded quite deep into the Orcos Domain.

Just before Elsa deserted the warfront, a joint operation with the "Crimson Hunting Squad" was in its final stages. Even if Elsa was missing, it would not cause Logres and the rest to change their strategy.

If that was the case, it would not be long before this place became a battlefield――,

Elsa: [――Since you’re the main force, I'm not sure it's a good idea for you to be staying up so late.]

???: [This body, though abominable, bears the qualifications of a Saint. It is needless to worry.]

Elsa looked back at the house, and Viktor, clad in a fighting spirit that could melt the snow, answered her question.

He wore a white cloak and had two katanas at his waist, ready for battle. Oddly enough, this situation bore a close resemblance to the battlefield where the two had initially met.

The problem was Elsa’s arms, and her lack of weaponry. Against an Acolyte Knight on a blizzard night, the situation was suddenly unfavorable.

Elsa: [What a thrill.]

Despite knowing that the situation was against her, Elsa's cheeks flushed with excitement and she exhaled. She was in a state of euphoria, and her thinly-clad body was beginning to radiate heat from within.

In a world of extreme cold where even one’s life would be in danger,  the dense smell of death and the woman’s lust overflowed, coloring the very essence of life and death.

However, when Elsa was unable to control her excitement, Viktor spoke,

Viktor: [Don’t misunderstand. I have no intention of getting into a fight with you here.]

Elsa: […Is that so?]

Viktor: [I cannot agree to the reason for your disheartenment, but yes. ――You’re just leaving, right?]

Elsa felt disappointed by the peace offer as Viktor closed one eye in restraint. At these words, Elsa pulled back her chin and turned her gaze toward Viktor's mansion,

Elsa: [Indeed. I'm indebted to you, and I didn't kill anyone. So now you’re going to let me do as I please.]

Viktor: [I don't think you would do this, but I have no intention of letting you rejoin Igor's forces. If that's what you intend to do, I would need to stop just that.]

Elsa: [Before I answer your question, could you tell me what the results would be depending on my choice?]

Viktor: [I would like to take Nora's wishes into consideration to the maximum extent possible. Nora tried to save you. If possible, I don't want to have to bury that corpse of yours under the snow.]

Because of the girl's wish, Viktor gave his sharpened fighting spirit a slight reprieve.

Once someone was buried in snow, they would never be found unless that snow melted. And in Gusteko, there was no such thing as snow that melted naturally. Hence, that sleep would be eternal.

Burying someone in the snow was the most ruthless burial in the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko.

Elsa: [――――]

Confronted with such a choice, Elsa silently pondered.

In this situation, Viktor's attitude was seemingly lenient. The options he presented implicitly showed Elsa a way to survive. If he was truly concerned for the good of his domain and was willing to suppress any anxiety, he should cut down Elsa without hesitation.

However, if that were to be mentioned, then the very act of taking Elsa into his dragon carriage was strange in the first place. And if therein lay an aim of Viktor’s outside of lenience, then――,

Elsa: [――I’ll kindly do as I please. That will not change.]

Exhaling a white breath, Elsa left the final conclusion of her pondering to intuition.

Viktor, who had been touching the hilt of his katana, paused for a moment in silent contemplation as Elsa's answer was given. But eventually, he slowly released his hand from the sword and straightened his half-slung posture.

Viktor: [Go now.]

Elsa: […If we get the chance, let's fight to the death once more, shall we?]

To that farewell, Viktor exhaled, and Elsa walked away with a smile on her face. With Viktor's gaze on her back, Elsa waved her bandaged hand.

While holding the doll Nora had made in that hand, Elsa disappeared in the falling snow.

Viktor: [――Will she amount to being a stray arrow? No, this will just be a vain struggle in the end, won’t it?]

As she disappeared, Viktor Orcos muttered one last time without being heard――.

△▼△▼△▼△

Igor: [Oh! Elsa, you've returned!]

In the warm hall, Elsa received a warm welcome from an obese man―― Igor Kenash.

He was Elsa’s employer,  and the leader of the Purification Operation of the Orcos Domain, stroked his ample belly and smiled fondly at her upon her return.

The smirk on his face twisted into a quizzical look when he noticed the bandages on Elsa's arms,

Igor: [Hmm? What happened to your arms? Your beautiful fingers are ruined!]

Elsa: [There was a battle. When trying to take the lives of others, it is inevitable that injuries will be sustained.]

Igor: [If so, is that why you returned wounded? Makarista, damn useless bastard…!]

Biting his nails in frustration, Igor revealed his discontent with the ineptitude of his retainer―― the Acolyte Knight called Makarista, rather than Elsa, who had returned.

Apparently, the clash between Elsa and Makarista had not been communicated to him. It was possible that there was a lapse in communication, alternatively, there was a chance that Makarista had been killed by Viktor

If that was the case, Elsa was a little disappointed. ――She had yet to see the bowls of a Spirit user.

Elsa: [Well, that’s fine… who are those two?]

Putting aside her disappointment, Elsa pointed behind Igor―― to the two young individuals standing there. They were young men, around twenty years old, like two peas in a pod. Were they perhaps twins? At least, they were not faces she had seen in the mansion before the Purification Operation, and they stuck to Igor tightly.

With a powerful ambiance, they bore shining holy armor that had been engraved with the Holy Seal. Without a doubt, they must have been members of the Acolyte Knights.

Elsa: [While I was away, you’ve acquired new guards… I presume?]

Igor: [They were dispatched from the higher ups. These right here are proof that my role is considered important by the Church. If anything happens to me, the attack on the Orcos Domain will fall apart. The only way for Viktor Orcos to break out of this situation is to target that, no matter how desperate it would be. Even a fool could make such predictions]

Elsa: [And for that purpose you have been granted Acolyte Knights. Quite the lavish hospitality.]

At Elsa's words, which could be taken either as admiration or sarcasm, the faces of the young Acolyte Knights stiffened. But, Igor raised his hand to them and shook his head, "No, no."

Igor: [Don't stimulate them too much, Elsa. For these Acolyte Knights, onto whom celibacy is imposed, your allure is too strong a poison. We cannot allow the sweet scent of debauchery to cause them to make a mistake.]

Elsa: [Your phrasing is a tad abstruse. I'm not very good at understanding such things.]

Igor: [That shall do fine. If a woman is beautiful, it is best for her to not be wise. A wise woman goes further than necessary. A woman does not need to do such speculation. If she can just be loved as a wallflower, that's all that matters.]

It was quite irrational, but Elsa did not feel particularly strongly about his words.

They to whom only bad ideas come might as well be asleep. Dim-wittedness was a waste of time to bother with, Elsa agreed on that. Therefore, Elsa followed her instincts. And as a result of following them――,

Igor: [In any case, you have done well to return, Elsa. I am overjoyed for your return. Worry not about your wounded arms. It’s more important that you don’t have any on that face and body of yours.]

Elsa: [Is that so? Why’s that?]

Igor: [After all, you will no longer need those limbs of yours.]

With a vile smile, Igor spoke gruesomely. Elsa frowned at his significant comment. ――Even faster than that, the two Acolyte Knights behind him sprung into action.

Elsa: [――――]

A moment later, Elsa's vision was broken diagonally by a flash of tremendous sharpness that cleaved the wind.

The only reason it barely missed was because she had anticipated a surprise attack. A blow quicker than the speed of sound, if unanticipated, would be nearly impossible to avoid.

The two knights still continued with their method of attack, the sound of slicing wind circling overhead.

Elsa: [Twin whips… Truly, it’s one interesting fighting style after the other with you Acolyte Knights, isn’t it?]

Viktor used katanas, Makarista used a spirit, and the two in front of her used a dual-wielding style with whips―― The twin knights freely wielded twin whips, in other words, four lines at the speed of sound, raged and dominated the room.

Elsa: [Though I thought there had been no report of the breakdown between your retainer and I?]

As Elsa moistened her lips with fighting spirit and posed a question, Igor smiled as he took a wide step back and detached himself from the battlefield.

Igor: [Mm. That’s the first I’ve heard of that. I merely punish those whom I’m suspicious of. ――I was just going to eliminate all elements that were not in the prior plan. In your case, I was planning to cut off your arms and legs and make you my beloved concubine once matters were settled. Till then I kept up my act.]

Elsa: [Is that so? ――Now, for the first time, I have grown fond of you. Quite a nice hobby you have.]

When Igor revealed his cruel nature to her, Elsa responded with a beaming smile. Igor's nose puffed out in excitement at the beauty which could send shivers down one’s spine,

Igor: [Then, will you be my favorite mistress by offering your arms and legs to me? It won't hurt.]

Elsa: [It’s hard to decline that offer…but I’m sorry. I put my hobbies first.]

She didn’t mind pain. It was true there was an exciting aspect to Igor's proposal. ――But more than that, Elsa prioritized her own pleasure.

That was to say,

Elsa: [I'm going to give love to the insides of your bellies.]

Immediately following that declaration of the Bowel Hunter’s desires, the twin whips of the Acolyte Knights engulfed the Great Hall.

Marble walls and expensive carpets were mercilessly destroyed as dust filled the space. The tip of the whips manipulated by knights’ had countless fine thorns, which made for a brutal contraption that ripped the flesh of its prey from its bones.

Even a mere graze would leave one with a serious injury. In a battlefield where they closed in like snakes moving at the speed of sound, Elsa, her arms dangling, swept through them with a gliding, dancing gait.

The concept of floors, walls, and ceilings became meaningless in Elsa's gait through space. Up and down, left and right, Elsa leapt around the hall, tracing the gaps of the whip attacks.

Igor: [What, what the hell are you doing, you Acolyte Knights!? The blessing granted to you by His Eminence is weeping!]

With the expectation that it would be an instant victory betrayed, Igor’s spittle flew as he rebuked the Acolyte Knights. The expressions of the twins remained unchanged at those words, however the speed and sharpness of each of the twin whips increased all the more.

Faster than sound, faster than wind, the whiplashes accelerated. However――,

Elsa: [――Very good. But, it’s not enough.]

As the whips grazed her toes and glided across her black braid, Elsa smiled in ecstasy.

The coordination of the twin Acolyte Knights was superb. Their dual-wielded whips compensated for each other's blind spots and never allowed the enemy to breach their high-speed attack range. Once the whip caught the enemy, a barrage of lashes would rush toward the stationary opponent, uprooting them.

If it landed, it was a tactic that guaranteed certain victory―― hence, it was lacking in minute maneuvers.

Elsa: [For example, what if I do this?]

Elsa leapt directly above the hall as whip shots exploded beneath her feet. The twins followed the shadow and chose to pursue it with their whips, but that was an error in judgment.

Directly above the great hall, Elsa's kick shattered an enormous crystal chandelier, and the massive mass fell to the ground in one fell swoop. Even a lash that was effective against the human body would not be powerful enough against such a large inorganic object.

Acolyte Knights: [――Hk!]

Jumping quickly to the left and right, the twin Acolyte Knights avoided being crushed by the crystal chandelier. A thick plume of smoke rose, and the whips of the counterattack cracked loudly as they aimed at the shadow standing in the middle of the plume,

Elsa: [――Yes, Got you.]

Elsa grabbed the whip strikes that came at her from each side with her raised left and right arms. Sharp thorns dug into her hands through the bandage, but Elsa didn’t let the pain bother her. Then, faster than the gasping Acolyte Knights, she turned the tip of the whip in her hands to the fittings of the fallen crystal chandelier,

Elsa: [Will your judgment continue to overlap now that you two are separated?]

Tying the whip to the damaged crystal chandelier, Elsa kicked it vigorously away. The super-heavy illumination spun and blew away, and the Acolyte Knight connected by the whip was swept up by its momentum.

Of course, if he let go of the whip, he would be freed from this violent storm. But even if they were twins, their thoughts are not linked. Due to the unforeseen circumstances, a momentary separation in their time was yielded.

Elsa: [How was that? Do you feel it?]

Sliding over to the twin whose judgment had lapsed, Elsa grabbed him by the face as she posed a question.

The other person's throat tightened at her smile, and eyes darkened with fear. Immediately after, Elsa switched her position with the person she had grabbed and used him as a shield against whip lashes from behind her.

Having wounded his other half with sharp thorns, the unscathed twin’s throat clogged up. He must not cease his movements there. He had failed. Upon that discomposed face, Elsa cracked a whip that had fallen.

Acolyte Knight: [――Hk!]

Elsa: [Since you get along so well with your brother, I’ll give you the same wound. You can share in each other’s pain.]

With their faces gouged by whip lashes, Elsa pulled them both back with her whip in one fell swoop. Unable to resist her power, the twin Acolyte Knights collided head-on and collapsed to their knees in an embrace.

――Lined up torsos, overlapping bellies. Elsa removed the bandages from both arms and pulled out a kukri.

Elsa: [You were born with a blessing, weren't you? I’ll give you two a blessing as well.]

She smiled, stepped forward, and swung her blade with force.

With a single flash, the blessed holy armor was slashed in half across the twins’ torsos. Divided by the upper and lower halves, the twin Acolyte Knights collapsed in a sea of fresh blood and guts.

Unable to even raise a cry of despair, the Acolyte Knights die before the madness of the Bowel Hunter.

Elsa: [――――]

In the face of their dead corpses, Elsa folded her knees lightly and checked them carefully. Naturally, it was a fatal wound, no sign of life. Perhaps it was because they were not yet too familiar with their blessing, but they died in a single blow without reviving.

But, Elsa was more interested in what was inside the twins, who had worked so hard together――.

Elsa: [Ahh, how lovely. …Even though they are twins, their insides are still completely different.]

She compared the color and shape of the scattered entrails with the tip of her kukri. Watching such a crazed Elsa, Igor, whose escorts were killed, opened and closed his mouth as if panting,

Igor: [A-Acolyte Knights, even them… And, ugh, your arms, were wounded…]

Elsa: [Oh, you mean these bandages? Though I was already fully healed from the beginning… I just didn't know when to unwind the bandages after all the trouble that had been taken to have them wrapped.]

In response to the weeping questioning, Elsa gracefully removed the nearly undone bandages.

Underneath, the skin was white without a scratch―― not a single scar from Viktor's sword or the thorn from the whip lashes she received from the recent battle.

Elsa: [Now then, time to deal with you…]

Igor: [W-wait! What do you think…what do you think will happen to you if you kill me?]

Igor, whose face was drenched in greasy sweat, turned his voice inside out as Elsa enjoyed the twins' intestines.

Igor: [I am now under the command of the Gustekan Church! If you kill me, you will become an enemy of the Holy Church… In other words, a great enemy of the Holy Kingdom…!]

Elsa: [A great enemy of the Holy Kingdom.]

At the sound of that, Elsa quietly closed her eyes. Igor gulped heavily at Elsa's response, and he pinned his hopes on the words that followed. And then――,

Elsa: [――That sounds very, very lovely.]

Her black eyes narrowed with a smile, they lit wet with murderous intent, and Igor screamed, "Eep". Then he backed away, and the man rushed off in a great hurry to the back of the hall―― fleeing deeper into the mansion.

Igor: [A-anyone! Anyone out there! Save me!!]

With a cracked voice calling for help, Igor ran deeper and deeper into the mansion.

The office at the far end of the mansion had a hidden passageway to escape outside.

If he could escape that far, if he could buy enough time, he wouldn’t be caught by this horror――.

Igor: [Anyone! Save me… any, one…]

Igor ran frantically down the hallway and gasped for breath. There he finally realized the uncanniness of the situation.

More than twenty of Igor's mercenaries were waiting in the mansion. The reason why only two Acolyte Knights were brought to the hall was because he thought it would be enough to seize Elsa.

And yet, there was no sign of the mercenaries who should be there. He had shouted and not a single one showed themselves.

???: [――As expecteeed, Elsa is sooo picky.]

The voice abruptly shook Igor's eardrums as he leaned against the wall and shrank back in eeriness.

It sounded to Igor like the voice of a young maiden. But the strange luster in her voice was not commensurate with her age, and the sound stirred panic.

Then he turned to the voice, and this time, Igor's mind reached its limit.

Igor: [Ah….]

???: [The people in this maaansion are all fatties so I don’t like this. If Shadow Lion-chan gets fat, I’ll make Elsa take the blame!]

The voice came from above. But Igor had no time to deal with that voice.

Igor's attention was riveted to the presence in front of him, the oral cavity lined with countless sharp fangs―― a huge, mighty witchbeast with a wide-open mouth.

Even as his thoughts stopped, at the last moment Igor understood.

Slimy red wet fangs, he knew that this was the answer to why the mercenaries had not responded.

???: [Goodnight.]

That was the last voice Igor Kenash heard after all his debauchery and plotting.

△▼△▼△▼△

After being thrusted by countless blades, Viktor Orcos finally stopped moving.

Logres of the Crimson Hunting Squad sighed as he looked down on Viktor, the target of Purification Operation, who bled profusely and had lost his right leg, and whose will to fight remained undiminished in the face of death.

Logres: [This isn’t a matter of him just being tough. It's a miracle we survived…]

Crimson Hunter Squad Member 1: [Ditto.]

Crimson Hunter Squad Member 2: [I mean, I feel like half of me is dead.]

Crimson Hunter Squad Member 3: [My blood won’t stop either, though.]

The surviving members of the troupe verbally agreed with Logres, who was deflated with fatigue. Not a single one of them was unharmed. The number of members of the group were reduced by half, and it was truly a fight to the death.

Their location was the final stronghold of the Orcos Domain, the destroyed mansion of Viktor Orcos.

The Purification Operation, as Igor called it, had reached its conclusion, and after having pushed the rebels into their stronghold, Logres and his team magnificently overthrew Viktor and ended the battle.

Logres: [There were some huge casualties though. Shit. It would have been a lot easier with Elsa.]

Four days earlier, the Bowel Hunter Elsa had gone missing during the operation―― her absence had thrown a wrench in Logres' plans. Nevertheless, the reduced strength was compensated for by the entry of Makarista, who had revealed himself to be an Acolyte Knight.

Logres: [When it comes to an enemy that can kill Elsa, we had to prepare accordingly. That said, we incurred a net loss by setting up a precious magic stone to detonate, I thought we were done for when he endured with just one leg remaining.]

True to his title of former Acolyte Knight, Viktor was indeed a monster.

Half of the Crimson Hunting Squad was cut down by Viktor, who was half-dead after one of his legs was blown off by an explosive mine. In the end, they were prepared to make sacrifices in order to earn a victory that was won by sheer numbers.

Logres: [Well, a win is a win. I'm not really in the mood for a mourning contest, but… have you got any last words?]

Viktor: [So the stray arrow, didn’t make it in time, huh…?]

Logres: [Ahh?]

Languidly dropping his arms, Viktor muttered something regretful on the verge of death. The half-dead man dripped blood from his mouth to Logres, who was about to hear his last words,

Viktor: [To a whimsical stray arrow… I left the future of my domain…]

Logres: [――. That's a bit too much reliance on others. When you, the lord of the domain, went and did all that, this place was doomed. It was only natural for it to be destroyed..]

At the interrupted words, Logres clicked his tongue with disdain.

Logres himself was aware of what was behind the Purification Operation. As he told Elsa, the unity of the Orcos Domain was disproportionate to the corrupt feudal lords. The Gustekan Church's practice of covering up dirty affairs was not uncommon.

――There was a ninety percent chance, Viktor had been set up.

But he had no means to reveal it, no way to uncover it, and no opportunity to do so. Because in this country, it is not the rightful truth, but the absurdly powerful that prevailed.

Makarista: [As that mercenary said, this is a situation created by your incompetence, that it is!]

Logres: […You’ve come out, Makarista.]

A high-pitched voice echoed, and a nervous-looking young man appeared in the collapsed hall. Makarista Perkin, Igor's confidant and acting commander of the operation.

Half of the slender young man's face was bandaged, and his bare eyeballs were bloodshot with anger. All of that pain and anger was directed at the dying Viktor.

Makarista: [I was going to repay you ten thousand times over for this wound, but here you are! You are truly an inferior person that I don't even have to deal with!]

Logres: [Who was the one who made a racket because they got their face cut off by that inferior someone…]

Logres muttered this only in his mouth so that Makarista, who spat out, did not hear. 

In the meantime, the young man continued to curse at his enemy, but eventually he ran out of words,

Makarista: [Now then, let's shatter your very core, damned sinner. It is nauseating to think that an apostate like you was treated as a saint, even for a moment. You are a disgrace to the Acolyte Knights.]

Sputtering, Makarista pointed his fingertips at Viktor's chest. As it was, an invisible force would destroy Viktor's body. ――It was at that moment.

???: [――Oh dear, it seems I’m a little late.]

The familiar glamorous voice blocked everyone present from moving.

With light footsteps, a lone woman landed in the devastation of the large hall. The woman, dressed in black and sporting a long black braid, gave the men, who stiffened, a terrifying look,

???: [Too bad. Seems like we didn’t get the chance. Even though I had gone through so many troubles to prepare for this.]

Logres: […I had thought her a woman who wouldn’t die even if killed, but this ain’t the mood of a happy reunion.]

Logres felt a sense of foreboding when he reunited with Elsa, a woman who tilted her head and whispered languidly.

All the while, Elsa's gaze passed by Logres and Makarista, staring at the dying Viktor. At her gaze, Logres also looked back at Elsa.

Viktor: [So the stray arrow has returned, huh…?]

Elsa: [――? No, I am the Bowel Hunter. I came back because I brought something that you wanted. In truth, if you wanted me to pass it over, I would’ve had us fight over it…. At least that was what I was hoping for.]

With that, Elsa held up a strange package that she was clasped in her right hand. It was a round, black package that was around an armful. ――Its shape and size gave off an unpleasant premonition.

From Elsa's amused side-profile, he could imagine it wasn’t anything good that had been wrapped up.

Elsa: [But it looks like both you and your domain are finished. This is a wasted souvenir, too bad.]

Makarista: […Ignoring everyone, that's as far as your carefree talk goes.]

As Elsa shrugged her shoulders, Makarista interrupted her conversation.

The young man clawed at his blood-soaked bandage and stared at Elsa with hatred in his wide-open eyes.

Makarista: [How dare you, how dare you show your face in front of me like that? My face! My eyes! Gouged out! If we were to meet again, it’d be a fight to the death, even though you should have understood that!]

Elsa: [――? Indeed, that’s exactly how it is.]

At Makarista's blood-curdling exclamations, Elsa continued to be as nonchalant as ever. However, the current exchange made Logres understand the feud between them.

The scars on Makarista's face were things that had been carved by Elsa. And that was probably why Elsa had gone missing during the mission――.

Makarista: [Did you join this man and think you could win? This man's enemy was the Gustekan Church! The Holy Kingdom of Gusteko! His Eminence the Holy King himself…!]

Elsa: [You really are making the exact same mistake as your master.]

At Makarista's bravado, Elsa untied the knot of the package in her hand. Instantly, the black package spread wide and it fell wildly to the ground, bouncing miserably.

――Having died with eyes and mouth wide open in horror, it was the head of Igor Kenash.

Logres: […She went and did it.]

Logres had an idea of what was inside, but when he saw the real thing, he covered his face and looked up to the sky. The members of the Crimson Hunting Squad reacted similarly, but Makarista was the only one who was utterly speechless.

The murder of Igor, who had become the general of the operation in accordance with the Holy Church's orders―― it was nothing but an act of hostility against the Holy Church, as Makarista loudly claimed.

Elsa Granhiert had already nonchalantly made enemies of the Holy Kingdom of Gusteko.

Makarista: [Do you, understand what, you have done…]

Elsa: [I wish you'd stop with all that tedious talk.]

At that moment, the dense smell of death and the demonic atmosphere overflowed, and transfigured the woman in front of him into the Bowel Hunter.

Elsa: [I do as I please. It doesn't matter if that enemy is the Church or the Holy Kingdom. In my not-so-smart way, I've put a lot of thought into this one.]

Logres: [You put thought into it…? This can’t be seen as anything other than a thoughtless result though.]

Elsa: [Viktor Orcos. The Crimson Hunting Squad. And you, the Spirit-using Acolyte Knight.]

Drawing her kukri, Elsa used its tip to indicate one man after another who was present there. Then she licked her tongue and soaked her black eyes in dark, wet lust,

Elsa: [I wonder how I'm going to get around to cutting open all of your bellies]

Logres: [Even us?]

Elsa: [Yes. I'm sure I'll have a lot of fun dancing with you guys.]

Elsa responded with a wry smile to Logres's dismay. Logres was unnerved by the smile, which had no remorse whatsoever, and almost seemed childish.

But unlike Logres, Makarista seemed to think it was a load of nonsense.. 

Makarista: [It’s futile talking… Very well. In that case, I will enforce the death penalty as an Acolyte Knight!]

Elsa: [Does that mean you're going to serve as my opponent?]

Makarista: [I’ll make you forget about being lucky enough to survive, and regret not having escaped!]

Makarista was enraged, and a pale light appeared around him. The light eventually transformed into a serpent with blue scales, and the Spirit manifested itself, exercising power outside of the ordinary.

Acolyte Knight Makarista Parkin―― the most elite of the elite, sent by the Gustekan Church as a key figure in the Purification Operation at such a young age. He was a brilliant man who would have been expected to hold one of the most prominent positions in the Holy Church in the future.

――And therefore, he was pitiful.

To get involved with Elsa Granhiert, being targeted by her fetishes, whilst being unaware of her nature, which was more hideous than her strength, he spent the last two minutes of his life with the Bowel Hunter.

For those one hundred and twenty seconds of pain, fear, and despair, was the curtain close on his days of faith.

△▼△▼△▼△

Elsa: [Oh my, if the Spirit-user dies first, their Spirit disappears as well.]

That was Elsa's simple and succinct impression as she destroyed Makarista's heart, causing him to let out the last shriek of his life.

The fallen Makarista had been cut repeatedly all over his body, especially in the abdomen, and he died. The horror of the battle was such that even Logres and his mercenaries, who were battle-hardened, wanted to avert their eyes.

Acolyte Knights, bestowed with a blessing, had a resilience and vitality that was unmatched compared to regular mortals. Although there are individual differences, Makarista's vitality was also not comparable to that of an ordinary person, and as a result, he was toyed with.

Elsa: [Next time I fight to the death with a Spirit-user, I’ll have to open the Spirit's belly first. Until then, I’ll just have to postpone the fun.]

Logres: [I really hate how you say such scary things, though…]

Logres called out timidly to Elsa, who whipped the blood stain from her kukri. Elsa turned around at the sound of his voice, "I guess so," she said, as she pulled her chin back,

Elsa: [You guys are still here. So, what are you going to do?]

Logres: [There’s not anything for us to do… officially we're supposed to fight you to the death, but we’re really not in the mood]

The details were unclear, but Elsa had turned on Makarista and Igor.

The Crimson Hunting Squad were an adversary, but the people who could order them to do so were collectively dead.

Logres: [You’ve thought it through to that extent, and then killed the master… I guess that’s not the case though? Probably just took the opportunity to do it.]

Elsa: [Oh, my. How did you know?]

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 1: [Nah, ‘course we’d know.]

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 2: [As if we wouldn’t know.]

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 3: [Ah, but now you can’t take the opportunity to do so for us.]

Elsa widened her eyes at the words of mercenaries who understood her behavior. Then, as if understanding that it was not possible to fight in this atmosphere, her overflowing killing spirit disappeared. Regretfully.

Logres: […And yet, how could you do all this in just four days? It's not easy to travel back and forth between Igor's mansion and the Orcos Domain.]

Elsa: [Oh, that's easy. I borrowed legs from my sister.]

Logres: [Sister…?]

Just as he frowned in question, Logres saw a huge shadow spring up behind Elsa. It truly was a foreign object that had suddenly crept into his purview, as if it had emerged from the shadows.

The beastly face, four legs, black fur, and terrifying demonic spirit―― he knew it was a Witchbeast at first glance. As he recalled, that type of Witchbeast was nicknamed Shadow Lion. He couldn’t come up with the exact name, though.

???: [――Viktor-sama!]

But, what was surprising was not the figure of the Witchbeast. What came as the next surprise was the red-haired girl who rolled off the back of that Witchbeast. A young girl with abrasions, who lacked the means to fight back, clung to the dying Viktor. At the sound of the girl's voice, Viktor turned his empty eyes. His life was right on the verge of ending.

Girl: [Viktor-sama! Viktor-sama! Don't, don't die…!]

Viktor: [――u.]

Girl: [Eh?]

As the girl clutched at him, Viktor moved his lips and whispered something to her. Logres could not pick up what he had said. No one could hear it but the girl.

And with that breathless whisper as his last, the traitor Viktor Orcos died.

Logres: [Igor is dead, Viktor is also dead… man, just what kinda ending is this?]

The reunion with Elsa, the appearance of the strange Witchbeast, and the bereavement of the mysterious girl and Viktor―― these events happened all at once before Logres' eyes, and he groaned as he held his head in his hands.

A strange silence took over the place. But, it was the girl who broke the silence. She looked back at Elsa, whose thirsty eyes were opened wide,

Girl: [Why, why…?]

Elsa: [――?]

Girl: [Why, didn't you save Viktor-sama, and everyone else… why?]

It was a terribly unrealistic question. Looking around at the devastation, it was easy to see the irrationality that has struck the Orcos Domain. As a young girl, albeit very young, born and raised in Gusteko, she fully understood the absurdity of the situation.

The situation was not something Elsa could have done anything about.

But, as Elsa tilted her head curiously at the question――,

Elsa: [――Ah. When you said that, did you not mean only to save your life?]

Girl: […Eh?]

Elsa: [To be precise, I thought you had only wanted for yourself to be saved, so I only saved your life, after that, I put my amusement first. I’m sorry.]

With a light bow and an evil look on her face, Elsa answered the girl's question sincerely. There is not the slightest hint of a lie or hesitation in her voice. Therefore, everyone who heard her could believe her.

Those were the true thoughts of Elsa Granhiert, without exaggeration.

Girl: [Ah, AHHHHHHHH――!!]

The next moment, the girl grabbed Viktor's broken katana and tried to lunge at Elsa. The girl's screams were filled with murderous intent, and her hatred was focused on Elsa alone.

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 1: [Little miss!]

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 2: [There’s no use!]

Crimson Hunting Squad Member 3: [She’ll slice your belly open and kill you!]

However, the outburst was stopped by the men of the Crimson Hunting Squad. The strong men held her down, and the girl was unable to resist, yet she continued to raise her voice.

Girl: [Why…why! Die! I’ll get revenge for Viktor-sama! For everyone!]

Elsa: [That's quite a terrible thing to say to the person who saved your life.]

Elsa shrugged her shoulders in frustration as the girl stared at her with bloodshot eyes and a wrathful look on her face.

Seeing her, Logres indeed felt sorry for the girl. He did not know the relationship between Elsa and the girl. But the girl had some kind of admiration and expectation of Elsa.

And that fleeting hope was incomprehensible to the monster known as Elsa.

Logres: [Elsa, leave already. It's okay that we're the only ones here, but if Igor's other underlings find out, it's going to be a mess. It’ll turn into another fight to the death.]

Elsa: [I wouldn’t mind that, though…]

Logres: [We would mind that! We survived, but we don't want to have to fight out allies!]

Strictly speaking, there was some hesitation to call them allies, but Logres dared to say so. Elsa reluctantly sheathed her kukri.

She then turned to Witchbeast behind him and climbed up upon its back,

Elsa: [Oh yeah. About the girl, she doesn't want to be a slave. So take her to a proper town. If you like, you could have her work at your place as well. She's a girl, and her hands are dexterous, so you should have a use for her.]

Logres: […This girl is definitely going to resent you.]

Elsa: [――Yes, that’s lovely. That girl and I will be bound together by hatred. She is going to keep that hatred bottled up in her body for a long, long time, and one day when we meet again.]

Removing her gaze from Logres, Elsa looked at the girl. The girl was still screaming with hatred as the men seized her――,

Girl: [DIEEEEEEEEEEEE――!!]

Elsa: [――That is very, very lovely.]

With a countenance of a maiden in love, Elsa spoke thus with an ardent breath.

△▼△▼△▼△

???: [As expecteeed, Elsa is a very stupid girl.]

The owner of that young voice said this with a great deal of dismay in her voice and demeanor.

The voice belonged to the girl in front of Elsa―― straddling the back of the Witchbeast as it ran through the snow, being held against Elsa's chest amidst the sensation of the breeze and tremors.

A girl with dark blue hair in a braid rested her head on Elsa whom just behind her,

Girl: [In the end, not only did you not get paid for being a mercenary, but now you are even wanted for killing a lot of important people. And on top of that, that girl resents you now, doesn't she?]

Elsa: [Oh my, that's terrible. But, it doesn’t really bother me. I have no lingering attachment to the Holy Kingdom… and thanks to that, I now have plenty of opponents to fight to the death.]

Girl: [You’ve made it difficult to operate in Gusteko, Mama will be fuuurious.]

Elsa smiled thinly and didn’t argue with the girl's languidly elongated sentences. Instead, Elsa reached into her pocket and pulled out a woolen doll from it,

Elsa: [Yes, Meili. A new doll.]

Meili: [Geez, please don't think I'm going to let this fool meee.]

The girl accepted the offered doll and patted the Witchbeast's back, her cheeks puffed out in frustration. But the hands that held the doll were gentle, and she doubted if her true feelings were as good as her words.

Even that did not bring much emotion to Elsa.

Meili: [So, yeah, what's next? Since it’s become difficult to do stuff in Gusteko, will we move away from the cold?]

Elsa: [I guess so. I yearn for demi-human guts soon. In Gusteko, you don't see them anywhere but in slavery, after all.]

Meili: [There are only a few types of Witchbeast-chans. So then, shall we go Kararagi next?]

Elsa: [――How about Lugunica?]

Rejecting the option presented to her, Elsa followed her instincts and mentioned the name of that Kingdom.

The Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica―― it was a fertile but somewhat distorted place, protected by the Dragon.

Meili: [Is that alsooo just based on a vague feeling?]

Elsa: [Yes, it is. ――Lovely isn’t it?]

Elsa simply responded to the girl's exhale of exasperation with an amused smile.

Forced to leave her birthplace, Elsa Granhiert traveled to the Dragon Kingdom. The fateful encounter that awaited her there was the beginning of a lovely destiny for her.

――But the Bowel Hunter, overflowing with lust at this very moment as she was, had no way of knowing that fact.

《End》