章 71: The Empire Vs. The Strongest Rabbits
The sun had fully set, and darkness shrouded the imperial castle. Two soldiers on
patrol walked across the castle grounds. They both held magical torches that beat back
the night, negating any potential intruder's greatest asset.
"Haaah… All the big shots are probably at the ball right now… living it up and eating
all the good food."
"Hey, cut the chatter. If we get caught for dereliction of duty, I'll be punished with you."
The first soldier sighed as he looked wistfully up at the castle. Dozens of lights dotted
the central tower, where the ball was being held.
His partner frowned, but it seemed the reason for his displeasure wasn't solely
because he was worried about being punished. If anything, he was annoyed because
he'd been made even more conscious of the fact that they were stuck working while
other people got to have all the fun. In truth, he was thinking the exact same thing his
partner was.
"Don't you wish you could get promoted enough to be invited to one of those?"
"Well, yeah… If I was important enough to attend a ball like that, I'd be able to get all
the money and women I want…"
"I know, right? It'd be great if I could go to a fancy party like that and spend the night
in the arms of a noble lady. Aaah, I wish I wasn't stuck here doing these useless patrols.
I wanna fuck a girl. A cute bunny girl would be best."
"You really have a thing for them, huh? Pretty much all the those girls are hotter than
human ones, but every time we go to the brothels you only go for the bunnies."
"They're just so much fun to torment. I love hearing their screams when I go in raw."
"You're a pretty messed up dude…"
"What're you talking about? Practically all the bunny girls look like they're begging to
be bullied. I'm just granting their wishes. Besides, you're one to talk. You've
mindbroken plenty of bunny girls yourself."
"I can't help it. I just can't get enough of their screams."
The two soldiers looked at each other and started guffawing. To people of the empire,
beastmen were nothing more than tools. Replaceable tools meant to be used for
nothing more than stress relief or sexual gratification. These two soldiers weren't
particularly cruel or anything. Debasing and humiliating beastmen was standard
practice throughout the empire.
Suddenly, one of the soldiers saw something dart past a nearby building. He stopped
laughing and turned around.
"Hey, did you just…"
"Huh? What is it?"
The first soldier warily approached the building. His partner hurriedly held up his
torch and followed after him.
"Who goes there?" the lead soldier asked in a loud voice. He thrust his torch forward,
illuminating a narrow gap between two buildings. It was just large enough for a person
to slip through.
However, there was no one inside.
"Guess I was just seeing things…"the first soldier muttered in relief. He shook his head
and turned back to his partner.
"Sorry, looks like I— Hey, Maul? Where'd you go, Maul?" But his partner was nowhere
to be found. All that was left was his torch, rolling slowly across the floor. The soldier
looked around wildly, but there was no one in sight. Chills ran down his spine.
In order to hide his fear, he yelled in an angry voice.
"Oi Maul, get out here already! This isn't fu— Mmmf!?"
Two hands silently reached out of the alleyway that should have been empty. A matte
black knife that seemed to suck the light out of its surroundings was in one of them.
One hand covered the soldier's mouth, while the other thrust the knife into the back
of his skull.
The soldier spasmed for a few seconds before going limp. The two arms then retreated
into the darkness, dragging the lifeless soldier with them.
A few seconds later, their torches were snuffed out as well, plunging the courtyard into
darkness. A faint voice, soft enough to be snuffed out by the night breeze, rang out
through the courtyard.
"HQ, this is Alpha. I have successfully gained control of point C."
"Alpha, this is HQ Good work. Now head to point E2. Your targets are the four sentries
there. Circle around from the east."
"HQ, this is Alpha. Roger."
A number of figures dressed from head to toe in black silently made their way across
the castle courtyard. They wore black face masks and hoods as well, so the only things
visible were their eyes, which glimmered with a fierce light. Each of the figures had
two short swords strapped to their back.
Any Japanese person who saw them would have said they looked like ninjas. However,
while the outfit hid their individual identities, it would be obvious to anyone who saw
them what race these figures belonged to. After all, their bunny ears were poking out
through their hoods. They couldn't be anyone but rabbitmen, and the only rabbitmen
who were capable of fighting were the Haulia.
The group reached their designated location and hid under the shadow of a nearby
building. One of them peeked his head out from behind the corner, and as reported, he
saw four sentries waiting up ahead. The sentries were split in pairs of two, but they
stayed close enough to be in sight of each other.
The lead Haulia gave the other three members of his squad a hand signal. The three of
them then nodded and melted into the night.
A few seconds later, there was a flash of light a few meters away, indicating that the
others were in position. The Haulia had picked a moment when the sentries weren't
looking to send their signal.
Another one of the Haulia pulled out a tiny vial and popped the lid for a split second.
He too made sure that the sentries weren't looking when he did so. The vial was a
custom signaling torch made out of green glowstone.
Once they'd finished signaling to each other, the two Haulia gave another hand signal
to the team member paired up with them. Then, both pairs of Haulia erased their
presence and snuck up behind a single pair of sentries. The moment the soldiers let
each other out of their sights, they were assassinated with extreme precision. The first
found himself with a knife sticking out of his skull.
"Ah—!?" The other had his hands pinned behind his back before a short sword slipped
between his kidneys.
The final Haulia grabbed the torches before they could clatter to the floor and snuffed
them out. After that, he looked around to make sure no traces of their existence had
been left at the scene. Then, the three Haulia dragged their victims behind the
building. This, however, they couldn't do without making any noise, and the remaining
pair of sentries looked questioningly in their direction.
The soldiers they'd expected to see weren't there. The only thing left in that spot was
darkness.
"Where the hell'd they go?"
The sentries strained their eyes, and were able to make out vague shadows moving in
the darkness. It appeared as if someone was dragging someone else.
Warning bells sounded inside the sentries' minds. They grabbed the whistles hanging
around their necks and put them to their mouths. But before they could blow them,
they had their throats slashed.
Without even a chance to scream, the two sentries were consigned to the oblivion of
death. Their torches were snuffed out, and their bodies dragged back behind the
building.
All around the castle, guards were being slaughtered one after another. Most of the
soldiers stationed in the castle's guardrooms had had their heads parted from their
shoulders. Plus, all of the soldiers sleeping in the barracks had been put into a deep
slumber thanks to the effects of a certain powder made from the plants found in the
sea of trees.
Even if someone did manage to sound the alarm, no one in the barracks would so much
as stir. They'd sleep soundly until morning and wake up feeling surprisingly refreshed.
A crescent moon hung in the night sky. Also known as the horned moon, it was the
first phase the moon one saw after the new moon. And because of how thin the
crescent was, this phase of the moon bore a striking resemblance to the devil's grin.
Tonight, it almost seemed as if the moon was sneering at the empire. Perhaps it
seemed that way because the nation who valued strength above all was about to be
ravaged by the very race they'd ridiculed as the weakest.
Liliana's welcome ball was as magnificent and ostentatious as one would expect a
royal ball to be. The food was served buffet style, and hundreds of dishes, from savory
to sweet, covered the massive table that was to one side of the hall. Every dish
imaginable had been placed atop the pure white tablecloth for the guests' enjoyment.
The hall's decorations, too, were absolutely stunning. Tapestries and chandeliers
draped the walls and ceiling.
—HQ, this is Alpha. We have successfully neutralized point H4.
—HQ, this is Bravo. All J points are now under our control.
—HQ, this is Charlie. All soldiers within the barracks have been incapacitated.
—HQ, this is Echo. We have secured the second prince, the crown princess, and the
emperor's grandson.
Hajime strolled through the party venue with an unbelievably cheerful smile on his
face. He even stopped to talk to the nobles and dignitaries who came up to him.
He didn't let anything in his expression give away the fact that he was constantly
receiving reports of the Haulia's activities through the earring-shaped artifact he was
wearing.
Hajime wasn't the only one being accosted by nobles. Kouki and the others had to deal
with a procession of important people who wanted to get into the hero party's good
graces.
The hero and his comrades were the stars of this ball. The empire had heard of how
Kouki and his party had gotten further through the Great Orcus Labyrinth than anyone
in history. The nobles, who valued strength as much as anyone in the empire, were
extremely curious to learn more about the kids who had achieved such a feat. And of
course, they were also hoping to make connections with the world's most influential
people.
The people who came up to Hajime had different ulterior motives in mind, however.
Their objective was to get closer to the group of beautiful girls who hadn't left Hajime's
side for even a moment.
Even when they were talking to Hajime, they kept stealing glances at Yue and the
others. Hajime didn't blame them. They had gone all out in dressing up for Liliana's
welcome-cum-engagement ball. Their dazzling outfits, combined with their natural
good looks, made them stand out far more than anyone else in the hall.
"Wooow. I never knew there were places like this in the world. You'd never see
something like this in the sea of trees."
Shea, who was dressed in a periwinkle-blue dress, stared in amazement at the
opulence around her. Every time she moved her slender, shapely legs peeked out from
beneath her miniskirt.
Though the bottom half of her dress revealed a lot of skin, it didn't feel the least bit
indecent. It was more modest than her usual clothing, and it emphasized her natural
cuteness.
Normally she kept her hair down, but for the party she'd bunched her bangs up at the
front, and tied the back into a ponytail. Her hairstyle, too, made her look cuter than
usual.
"Both the food and the liquor here are exquisite. I must make sure to enjoy them while
I still can." Tio sipped a glass of expensive wine and eyed the buffet table hungrily. She
wore an elegant black dress in place of her usual black kimono.
It was a tight-fitting dress that showed off her body's curves, with a plunging neckline
and an open back. Every single time she took a step, her large breasts threatened to
spill out of the fabric holding them. Half the men in the ball had their eyes glued to her
chest, earning them disapproving glares from their female companions.
"Ugh… Don't we stand out a little too much?" Blushing, Kaori looked timidly around
her. She was wearing a slender dress that left her shoulders fully exposed. While she
lacked Tio's voluptuous breasts, Kaori more than made up for it with a perfectly
proportioned body. The sides of the dress parted at the waist, much like a cheongsam,
showing off Kaori's slender legs. She had her silver hair up in a bun, leaving much of
her back exposed.
"Mmm…" Yue, the vampire Hajime loved more than anything in the world, trailed the
group in a pure white wedding dress. It opened up at the shoulders and was decorated
with a mountain of frills. She had done her hair up in a ponytail, which she had
fastened with a flower-shaped hair ornament.
Though she was exposing the least skin out of the four, her ruby red lips, pale white
complexion, and seductive gaze captivated all the men in the room. As always, there
was a huge gap between her childish appearance and mature aura.
Hajime, Kouki, and Ryutarou had waited outside while the girls changed, so this was
their first time seeing them in their new dresses. Needless to say, they were as
captivated by the girls as everyone else in the room.
Hajime in particular though only had eyes for Yue. It was obvious he was smitten. Yue
noticed his fervent gaze, and gave him a charming smile.
Meanwhile, Shea and the others started sulking because Hajime was ignoring them.
Before they could give him a piece of their mind though, Hajime walked over to Yue,
hugged her tight, and kissed her in front of the crowd of stunned onlookers.
It took a lot of effort for Shea and the rest to pull Hajime off Yue, and naturally his bold
stunt left the hall in an uproar, so it took some time before the atmosphere returned
to normal.
Considering who seemed to be stealing all the attention, it was easy to forget that this
was actually supposed to be Liliana's engagement ball. Hajime spent the next few
minutes fending off the horde of smiling nobles who tried to get close to Yue and the
others.
Incidentally, Shizuku and Suzu looked rather fetching in their dresses as well. They
were more than a match for most of the noble ladies, but because they hadn't been as
interested in trying to dress up for Hajime's sake, the two of them didn't stand out
nearly as much as the four other girls.
Shizuku had made a tactical decision to look more plain than the others, and it paid
off well for her. While Kouki was being mobbed by people, she was left mostly alone.
On the other hand, Ryutarou was busy stuffing himself at the buffet table while Suzu
followed after him and scolded him for his lack of manners. Though her words weren't
very persuasive when she herself was gorging herself on the cakes lining the dessert
side of the table.
"I must say, all of your companions are stunning beauties, Nagumo-dono."
"Indeed. I would be most honored if you would be willing to allow me to dance with
one later."
"If there's time for it, maybe."
—HQ, this is Delta. The explosives have been set.
—HQ, this is India. All M points are under our control.
The nobleman Hajime was talking to tilted his head in confusion at Hajime's
suggestive smile. Before he could ask what Hajime meant, the hall broke out in excited
muttering. Liliana and Baius, the guests of honor, had arrived. The guard at the gate
announced their entrance in a loud and dignified voice.
Liliana walked through the grand double doors and into the hall proper. When the
other guests saw her dress, they whispered to each other in shock and confusion. She
was wearing a jet-black one-piece that seemed to suck in the surrounding light.
Considering that this ball was being held in her honor, it wasn't appropriate for her to
wear such dark clothing.
Moreover, her expression made it clear that she was only attending because it was her
duty. That, combined with her imposing dress, created a wall around her that made it
difficult for others to approach.
Baius, on the other hand, was scowling angrily at anyone and everyone. The two
certainly didn't look like they were excited about announcing their engagement.
Baius' mistresses had been planning on giving Liliana a piece of their minds, but they
were so shocked by this unexpected entrance that they just stood there like everyone
else.
Eventually, the crowd started to applaud, but the atmosphere was still strained.
Amidst the clapping, the two of them made their way up to the center stage. Confused,
the chamberlain overseeing the ball bade the guests to resume partying.
Gahard greeted Liliana and his son with a knowing grin, then signaled for the music
to start. Liliana would now be busy dancing with various dignitaries and introducing
herself over and over.
Elegant orchestra music filled the ballroom, sweeping away the awkward atmosphere
from earlier. Men and women made their way to the center of the hall and started
dancing as they pleased. Liliana's first dance went to Baius, but the two of them were
dancing rather stiffly. Liliana's expression made it clear she would rather be doing
anything else. Any time Baius tried to pull her close, Liliana would match her steps to
the tempo of the music and create some distance between them.
Once the first song finished, Liliana fled from Baius and quickly found another partner
to dance with. Her departure irritated Baius, but greeting others during a dance was
an integral part of high society, so he couldn't do anything to stop her. For some reason,
he appeared to be nursing his crotch as well. In truth, he'd only recently woken up.
When he had, he'd found he couldn't feel anything in his nether regions.
He'd tried to press Liliana for details, but she'd stalled him by saying that unless he
did as she instructed, she wouldn't introduce him to the only person capable of curing
his condition. Though it had irked him immensely, Baius had had no choice but to obey.
Naturally, the reason Baius couldn't feel his balls was because of what the metal spider
had injected in him. There was more than one way to destroy a man's manhood.
—HQ, this is Romeo. Point P is under our control.
—HQ, this is Tango. Point R is under our control.
"This isn't like Lily… Normally she never shows other people her true emotions," Kaori
muttered to herself as she watched Liliana curtly greet a group of nobles.
"Well, after what happened, I don't blame her. She's probably got a lot to deal with."
"Something happened?" Yue looked inquisitively up at Hajime.
"Nagumo-kun, what did you do to Lily?"
"Hey, Yaegashi. Why're you assuming I'm at fault here?"
Shizuku glared suspiciously at Hajime, her red dress billowing about her.
"Because Lily would never act like that… and whenever something abnormal happens,
you're usually the culprit. That theory hasn't been proven wrong yet. Besides, it's
obvious you know something."
"Tch, I wish I could say you're wrong, but you're not. Look, I really didn't do anything
this time. The prince was trying to rape her, so I just helped her out a little."
"I see, so the prince was… Wait, what?"
"Wait, Hajime-kun!? What'd you just say!?"
Everyone turned to Hajime in shock. Fortunately, Hajime had driven away all the
nobles who'd tried to ask the girls for a dance with his Intimidation, so none of them
had heard the bombshell he'd just dropped. Only Yue, Shea, Tio, Kaori, and Shizuku
were nearby.
Kouki had been dragged off to dance with all the ladies in attendance, while Ryutarou
was still busy eating. Suzu had been half-kidnapped by a dashing older man and was
currently dancing without any real understanding of what was going on.
That meant only the five girls present knew about the prince's attempted rape.
However, Kaori and Shizuku's loud insistence that Hajime explain the details meant
that they were starting to draw attention.
"Ah, well, you see… Yue, wanna dance?"
"Mmm… Gladly."
"Ah, wait right there, Nagumo-kun! You can't just leave because you don't feel like
explaining! We need answers!"
"Th-That's right! This is important! What happened!?"
Realizing it would be too much of a pain to explain everything, Hajime fled to the
center of the ballroom together with Yue. The pair of them stood out even more than
Liliana did. Yue's beauty outclassed everyone else in the room, while Hajime cut a
memorable figure with his white hair, eyepatch, and tuxedo.
As former royalty, Yue was familiar with most of the popular dances, and Hajime was
able to keep in step with her thanks to Riftwalk. Together, the two of them danced
passably well.
"Are you having fun, Yue?"
"Yeah…"
Seeing their ostentatious outfits and happy smiles, an uninformed onlooker would be
forgiven for thinking it was their engagement party and not Liliana's.
At first, the musicians had all been desperate to wipe away the awkward atmosphere
with their music, but after seeing Hajime and Yue thoroughly enjoying themselves,
they were able to play more naturally as well.
Starting with the two of them, the other guests began to enjoy themselves a little more.
Liliana watched them steal the show with a smile on her face. There was just the tiniest
hint of jealousy in her expression, too.
After seeing the two of them dance, all thoughts of what had happened to Liliana, or
the festivities that were soon to follow, flew out of the girls' heads. The only thing that
mattered now was fighting for the right to be the second to dance with Hajime.
After a few minutes the song came to an end, and Hajime finished the dance by lightly
kissing Yue on the lips. The surrounding guests all burst into applause. For once, there
was no jealousy in the men's gazes, just admiration. On the other hand, the noble
ladies were sighing dreamily.
Hajime and Yue bowed to the crowd, then clasped hands and walked back to their
comrades. Tio, who'd apparently won whatever contest they were having, stepped
forward to go next. Eyes brimming with expectation, she held out her hand. However,
Tio was forever doomed to never be a main heroine.
"Hajime Nagumo-sama. Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
This time, she was intercepted by Liliana.
"Princess… Shouldn't the star of this ball be with her betrothed?"
"Oh my, that's a rather cruel thing to say after stealing the spotlight, wouldn't you say?"
"You're the one who looks like she doesn't want to be here, I just helped you blend
with the background. Besides, is it alright to leave that prince alone?"
"Everyone's finished the required social niceties, so now I can finally enjoy the ball.
From the very start, it's a princess' duty to dance with different people. Look, even
Baius-sama is dancing with one of his concubines."
"Wow… I see you stopped bothering trying to act polite."
"Heh… Now then… will you dance with me, or not?"
It was clear from how pushy Liliana was being that she didn't just want to dance with
Hajime. There was something she wished to discuss with him in private. Hajime could
more or less guess what it was, and he really didn't want to talk about it.
But as he opened his mouth to turn her down, Yue shot him a withering glare.
"Don't embarrass her in public." Yue was being surprisingly considerate of Liliana. It
seemed she'd taken a liking to the princess. Emboldened by having Yue on their side
for once, Kaori and Shizuku also pressured Hajime to accept.
Seeing as he was outnumbered, Hajime smiled wanly and agreed.
"Alright, alright. It would be an honor to dance with you, Princess."
"Thank you…"
As there were people watching, Hajime decided to treat Liliana with more respect than
he normally would. He reverently took her hand and led her to the center of the dance
floor.
Everyone's gazes locked on them again, making Liliana blush in embarrassment. No
one noticed that Tio was still standing there, her arm limply outstretched.
"T-To think I would be interrupted seconds before my big moment! I must say, Master,
you know how to make a lady excited! Haaah, haaah… Mmm…" No one paid any
attention to her perverted outbursts, either.
The next song began, and Hajime and Liliana started to dance. The two swayed
elegantly back and forth for a while until Liliana leaned in closer and rested her head
on Hajime's shoulder. She kept dancing as she whispered into his ear.
"Thank you for saving me earlier…"
"Figured that's what you wanted to talk about… I'm surprised you noticed, actually."
"I can't imagine anyone other than you crafting such an abnormal creature, Nagumosan. Also, the crimson glow of your mana is something I'd never forget…"
"I see. Well, considering how that guy is, this probably won't be any more than a
temporary solution."
"You certainly don't mince words. But even if it doesn't solve my problems, I'm happy
you came to my aid. After hearing from Kaori how you rescued her, I started to hope
that maybe you'd save me as well."
She took her head off Hajime's shoulder and beamed at him. Her smile suddenly made
her appear far more charming than she had when she'd been standing by Baius' side.
When they saw it, the onlookers started chattering excitedly to each other.
"So is that dress your way of blowing off steam?"
"Are you saying I don't look good in it?"
"You do, but… I think that pink dress suited you better. You picked the opposite color
to make a statement, didn't you?
"I did. If my fiance is a rapist, then I have no obligation to look good for him. Also… if
you know about the pink dress, then you really did see everything through that
spider's eyes, didn't you? Including my immodest appearance. Hic… I can't get married
now."
Liliana made a big show of breaking down and crying into Hajime's shoulder. He took
one look at her and muttered "Give me a break…" with a weary sigh.
"Even if you're not being that loud, don't say stuff that'll cause misunderstandings.
Also, stop sticking so close to me. You're pissing the prince off."
"Who cares. After this ball, I'll have to act the part of the imperial princess for the rest
of my life. Let me be a regular girl, just for tonight. Or are you telling me you won't
even listen to this poor princess' wish? Even though she's doomed to a future of being
raped by her husband and bullied by his mistresses."
"So it's a given that he's going to rape you now…"
"It is." Liliana buried her face into Hajime's chest in order to hide her expression. Then,
in a timid voice, she whispered.
"If… If I asked you to save me, would you?" Liliana hadn't actually meant to say that.
After all, she knew that the kingdom needed this marriage if it was to survive.
Both Heiligh and Hoelscher had suffered great losses in the previous demon attacks,
and the entire northern continent had been thrown into a state of chaos because the
Holy Church had been wiped out. In order to restore stability, the people needed a
symbol of unity. And as the kingdom's princess, it fell upon Liliana to provide them
that comfort. Even if that meant she had to enter a marriage where her dignity would
be stripped from her and her rights would be trampled on.
The reason she'd asked Hajime despite all that was because before, when she'd been
trembling in fear and had given up all hope, he really had rescued her. Plus, Yue had
looked so happy when she'd been dancing with Hajime earlier. More than anything,
though, she was certain he would say no. She'd finally be able to resign herself to her
fate once he refused her. In a sense, this was her last selfish act.
However, Hajime's response ran contrary to all her expectations.
"Well, whether I do anything or not, you'll be saved either way. Depending on how
things go, the empire might fall tonight… At the very least, the prince won't be leaving
this party unscathed."
"…Huh?"
—HQ, this is Victor. All S points are under our control.
—HQ, this is X-ray. All Y points are under our control.
Hajime looked down at Liliana and grinned. Suddenly, she had a very bad feeling about
where this ball was headed. Her expression stiffened, though unlike before it was in
genuine trepidation and not annoyance.
Come to think of it, he never did tell me why he returned to the capital. Kouki-san and
the others are acting strange, too.
Hajime leaned down and whispered into Liliana's ear.
"Also, if you want something from me, you've gotta say it clearly. I'm not good at
picking up on hints, so I might end up doing exactly what you ask for."
"Ah—" Liliana shivered. Not just because Hajime's breath tickled, but also because she
understood what he was implying. Namely, that he really would save her.
Liliana's heart started to beat faster. The rational part of her mind told her she couldn't
let herself be saved by Hajime. That her marriage needed to succeed. That she should
just throw away that childish, naive part of her.
"Why?" Tears pooled in her eyes. Hajime couldn't tell if it was because she was happy
at being saved, or if she was terrified at potentially jeopardizing her alliance with the
empire. Either way, his response was the same.
"Because there are people out there who don't want to see you sad." Hajime flicked his
head back toward Kaori.
In other words, he wasn't doing this for Liliana's sake, but because he didn't want the
people close to him to agonize over her misfortune. Liliana realized that as well and
shot an angry glare at him.
"Even if it was a lie, couldn't you have said it was because you cared about me? I would
have completely fallen for you if you did."
"Why would I want you to fall for me? Anyway, you don't have to worry about anything
anymore. So long as you're one of Kaori's precious friends, I won't let anything bad
happen to you."
"You never waver, do you, Nagumo-san? Honestly, I'm a little jealous of Yue-san…"
Liliana looked reproachfully up at Hajime. However, he didn't seem the least bit
bothered by her displeasure.
Soon enough, the song reached its climax. Seeing as Hajime wouldn't budge at all,
Liliana sighed and gave up on seducing him. She entrusted herself to the music and
enjoyed what little remained of the dance.
As the last bars of the song faded away, Liliana reluctantly stepped back. Still holding
Hajime's hands, she beamed at him and whispered "Thank you," in a quiet voice. At
that moment, even Hajime had to admit her smile looked more lovely than any flower.
It was the pure smile of a fourteen-year-old girl. All of the onlookers were enthralled
by its dazzling radiance. A few passionate sighs escaped from the audience's lips, too.
After a few seconds of silence, the crowd started clapping even louder than they had
for Hajime and Yue's dance.
Liliana still needed to dance with a few other noblemen, so she left him to finish off
her social obligations. Meanwhile, Hajime returned to his comrades to find them all
glaring at him.
"Hajime-kun, why do you have to make every girl you meet fall for you?"
"Hajime-san, when did you manage to… I really can't take my eyes off you for even a
moment."
"Say, Master. Being abandoned by you excited me so much that I had a little… accident.
Would it be alright if I left to change my underwear?"
"The reason Lily's suddenly head over heels for him must have something to do with
the rape thing Nagumo-kun was talking about before. She did say he saved her earlier,
so he probably won her over completely during that dance. Hey Nagumo-kun, what
exactly did you whisper in her ear? You know she's supposed to get married to
someone else, right?"
"Hawawa, I didn't know you were into NTR, Nagumo-kun! This is too much for me! I
can't handle such crazy fetishes!"
Why're you making it sound like I already laid my hands on her? Hajime sighed to
himself. All he'd done was save her from the prince and dance with her. He hadn't even
intended to do the former, he just happened to be watching when it had happened.
Aside from that, he'd just promised to give her the bare minimum of help so that Kaori
and the others wouldn't have to see their friend suffer.
He had zero intention of wooing her. And on the extremely slight, miniscule chance
that Liliana had really fallen for him, he could just ignore her advances.
Just in case, he turned to Yue to say as much.
"It's okay. I know," she said before he could open his mouth. Then, she took Hajime's
hand and squeezed it tight.
I knew you'd understand, Hajime thought warmly, his love for Yue growing
exponentially. Though it seemed like Yue was squeezing his hand a little tighter than
usual for whatever reason.
—HQ, this is Zulu. Point Z is under our control.
—All units, this is HQ. Everything's in place. I will now begin the countdown.
A shiver of excitement ran down the students' spines. Even Yue and the others tensed
up a little.
Upon hearing the transmission Shea closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened
them once more. The ferocity of her gaze made Kouki and the others gasp.
"Hajime-san, Yue-san." Shea swept her gaze over each of her comrades.
Hajime nodded to her and grinned fearlessly.
"From this point on, you're just the daughter of the Haulia's chief. Rampage to your
heart's content."
She returned his grin and responded in turn.
"You got it!" A second later, she erased her presence and left the ballroom. None of the
guests saw her leave. And right as she left, the emperor's herald called for everyone's
attention.
It appeared Gahard had a speech to make. He walked up to the raised stage and spoke
in a booming voice.
"Allow me to thank you all again for attending this ball. Thanks to a few unexpected
surprises, it turned into a far more interesting party than I imagined." Gahard looked
pointedly at Hajime. Hajime pretended not to notice his gaze, which seemed to please
Gahard, who smiled.
A second later, Hajime heard a determined voice through his earring artifact.
—All units, this is Alpha 1. Tonight, we will put an end to the centuries of persecution
we have suffered at human hands. Our names will be forever carved into history. We
will be remembered as the empire's bane for generations to come. We stand at the
crossroads of fate, men. Whether our legacy ends here or continues on unfettered all
hinges on this one battle. Show our enemies no mercy. Teach them what it means to
make an enemy out of the strongest race!
"But of course, the party's just started. Everyone eat, drink, and dance to your heart's
content! I want my son's and daughter-in-law's engagement ball to be a night to
remember! A toast to their eternal happiness!"
The human emperor and rabbitman chief were giving their speeches simultaneously.
—10, 9, 8…
The countdown of fate was something only Hajime and the rabbitmen could hear.
—Boss… Thank you so much for preparing this battleground.
No one from the empire had the slightest idea of what was happening. After making
sure everyone had raised their glasses, Gahard raised his own. He sucked in a deep
breath and surveyed his subjects. At the same time, the Haulia got themselves psyched
up for the coming battle.
—Get ready for a bloodbath, men!
—Yes, siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiir!
—4, 3, 2, 1…
The countdown was nearly over.
"This marriage marks the beginning of a joint effort against the demon invasion!
Together, we have nothing to fear! Glory to the human race!"
"Glory to the human race!"
—0. May the fortunes of war be with you.
Before the guests could finish their toast, the ballroom was plunged into darkness.
"What the!? What's going on!?"
"Aaaaaah! Wh-What's happening!?"
Robbed of their sight, the empire's nobles started panicking.
"Don't panic! I'll light the place up with my ma— Gah!?"
"What's— Gyaaah!?"
"What in blue bla— Guh!?"
A few of the noblemen remained calm and tried to relight the room to get the situation
under control. However, before they could they all collapsed onto the ground. Their
screams of pain only served to further aggravate the remaining nobles' panic.
Confusion and chaos prevented any of them from getting a solid grasp on the situation.
Many of the noble ladies especially were running about frantically, which led to them
getting picked off even easier.
"Calm yourselves! You bastards are supposed to be imperial men!" Gahard's voice cut
through the darkness. It served as a stabilizing force for the crowd, allowing the nobles
to stop cowering in fear and regain their composure. Gahard attempted to bark out
further orders, but before he could, there was a series of sharp whooshes. He realized
something was coming toward him, and hurriedly raised his sword to block.
"Tch! Sneaky little bastards!"
Arrows rained down on him from all directions. They were surprisingly short, but
possessed considerable force despite that. Each of them was fired with pinpoint
accuracy, and the barrages came in waves, so even a skilled warrior like Gahard was
forced to stay on the defensive. And because of that, he wasn't able to shout out orders
to the other nobles.
However, the fact that he was able to tell where the arrows were heading from of
sound alone and then block them with a ceremonial sword proved that he was a
monster in his own right.
Metallic clangs echoed one after another as Gahard blocked every arrow shot his way.
Plenty more nobles fell before some of them were able to reorganize themselves and
cast fireballs to grant them light. Once they had their vision back, the nobles started
shouting for the royal guard. One of them spotted something out of the corner of their
vision and looked up just in time to see a shadow flit past them.
"Ah!? Who— Bwuh!?" The young nobleman turned toward the shadow and thrust his
hand forward. As he started casting the fireball spell, another shadow rose up behind
him. He was so focused on his spellcasting that he didn't even notice as a jet-black
short sword sliced through the back of his unguarded neck.
He didn't even have time to scream before his head flew off his shoulders. It fell to the
ground with a wet thud, the man's unseeing eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. He had
died so fast that he still had a slightly bemused expression on his face, as if he didn't
realize he was dead.
Like moths to a flame, the remaining nobles flocked toward the fire. However, as they
caught glimpses of dark shadows beheading people one after another, they skidded to
a halt and started backpedaling as fast as they could. Before long, the mages who had
cast the fireballs were all dead. Without their casters to sustain them, the fireballs
winked out of existence, making the ballroom black once more.
"Hiii! M-Monsters! Monsters are attacking us!"
"I-I don't wanna die! Someone save me!"
Most of the people cowering in fear were civil officers and noble ladies, but there were
also a good number of military men among their ranks. Though, they were all higherranking officers who hadn't been on the front lines in ages. They'd grown weak after
living in the lap of luxury for so long, and were unable to think rationally when faced
with the threat of death. Unable to mount any resistance, these washed-up officers
had their tendons and ligaments sliced through by the mysterious black-clad figures.
They all slumped to the ground, writhing in pain.
Still, while there were many spineless cowards among the guests' ranks, Hoelscher
was still an empire founded on strength. There was no way the tougher nobles among
them would remain disoriented for long. True, the only person who had a real weapon
was Gahard, but a good portion of the nobles had brought their self-defense daggers
with them to the ball. Thanks to that, they were able to fend off the Haulia's attacks
and organize into a proper battle formation.
"Damn, these guys are good! I can't track their presence at all!"
"Less talking, more fighting! Logue, Ted! Make us some light! Everyone else, focus on
protecting them!"
The men instantly formed a protective ring around the two casters. These nobles were
far more coordinated than the rest. The surviving members of the imperial guard were
also getting in on the action. They linked up with each other and covered Gahard's
rear.
Now that Gahard only had to worry about what was in front of him, the arrows weren't
as much of a threat. He lazily swatted down another dozen or so of them and started
chanting a spell.
Within seconds, he finished his incantation and a dozen or so fireballs popped into
existence. He scattered them across the ballroom, illuminating every inch of the room.
"Screw letting them toy around with us! It's time to fight back!" As Gahard was rousing
his men, he noticed a small metal cylinder rolling toward him.
"What the? Is this…" Confused, the man who served as Gahard's aide went to take a
closer look at the strange object. Just then, Gahard noticed that there were similar
metal cylinders rolling toward other groups of nobles who were still fighting. He had
a terrible premonition and shouted words of warning.
"Stop! Get away from those!"
"Ah!?" Gahard's aide leaped back on reflex, but it was too late. Though, leaping
backward wouldn't have done anything to negate the cylinders' effects anyway. A
second later, there was a blinding flash of light, followed by a shrill noise that pierced
everyone's eardrums.
"Gaaah!?"
"What the—!?"
Gahard and the others instinctively closed their eyes and covered their ears. However,
the damage had already been done. The Haulia's flashbangs had blinded and deafened
all of the empire's fighters.
And naturally, the Haulia weren't going to let the opportunity slip past them. They
completely masked their presence and charged into their enemies' blind spots. Bereft
of two of their most important senses, Gahard's imperial guards were helpless against
the Haulia's onslaught. The rabbitmen's black blades glinted in the dim light as they
ripped through the guards' tendons and limbs. Screaming in pain, they thudded to the
ground one by one.
But the Haulia weren't done yet. They also cut out the tongues of everyone they
downed, in order to stop them from casting spells.
Across the battlefield, nobles and soldiers alike were crippled and detongued as they
struggled to recover from the effects of the flashbangs. Any who tried to cast magic
were beheaded instead.
Amidst the slaughter, there was a single clash of metal against metal. Somehow,
unbelievably, Gahard had managed to repel the assassins who had come for him, even
though both his sight and hearing were impaired.
The two Haulia who had engaged him stared at him in awe. And Gahard, picking up on
their momentary lapse of concentration, went on the offensive. He stomped the
ground in front of him so hard that shockwaves rippled out.
"Ah!"
"Ngh!"
The two Haulia lost their balance and stumbled backward. Even though Gahard
couldn't see or hear anything, he was still able to slash at the two of them with
impeccable accuracy. His sword lashed out so fast that it appeared to be bending like
a whip. The two Haulia crossed their dual shortswords in front of them in an attempt
to block the high speed slashes. However, while Hajime's expertly crafted blades were
strong enough to withstand the emperor's attacks, their wielders weren't. The two
Haulia were blown away by the force of his slashes.
The moment the two of them were sent flying, another hail of arrows assailed Gahard.
Another unit of Haulia had been waiting in the wings with loaded crossbows.
Unfortunately for them, Gahard was ready and waiting.
"Blow it all away, Wind Wall!" Despite the short incantation, Gahard was able to
summon a wind wall strong enough to deflect all the arrows.
"Pierce through, Fireball!" With another condensed incantation, Gahard summoned a
dozen fireballs and sent them hurtling in the direction the arrows had come from.
Luckily, the Haulia had relocated the moment they'd finished firing. Had they been any
slower though, they would have been burnt to a crisp.
Both the speed of Gahard's activation and the force of his spells were ridiculous.
Moreover, even though the Haulia were hiding their presence, Gahard could somehow
sense where they were. Plus, his swordsmanship was so precise and powerful that it
took everything the Haulia had to defend against a single slash.
In fact, they were so shaken that for a moment their fear leaked through, and they
stopped masking their presence. Gahard's eyelids cracked open, and though he still
couldn't see properly, there was a feral gleam in his eyes.
"Found you!" He whirled around. Though there was no way he should have been able
to see the rabbitmen hiding in the darkness, Gahard's eyes were staring right at them.
Their terror had betrayed their location.
"Burn through everything— Fireball!" Gahard shot off another barrage of fireballs. He
then turned in the other direction and flung some toward another group of Haulia
hiding within the shadows. At the same time, he snapped his fingers. All of the fireballs
he'd sent to the ceiling for illumination contracted briefly, then exploded in a storm of
heat and sound.
Par and the other snipers, who'd been providing covering fire, were sent hurtling
toward the ground. The other fireballs he'd shot off narrowly missed their targets, but
the resulting explosions still sent the Haulia flying. And, while the shockwaves didn't
do much damage, they left the Haulia unbalanced, and forced them to find a new
vantage point to snipe from.
"Dancing breeze, carry my will— Breeze Breath!" With the time he'd bought, Gahard
cast yet another spell.
Breeze Breath was a support-oriented wind spell. It allowed the caster to amplify
sounds using the power of wind, or to carry specific noises over long distances. By
amplifying the sounds the Haulia were making, Gahard was able to cover for his
impaired hearing. In a sense, he'd taken the Sense Presence skill and cast a magical
version of it. Still, amplifying sounds made them more muddled, and it took a lot of
concentration to pinpoint locations using them alone. Normally, it wasn't suited for
close quarters combat. That was why it was usually reserved for spies and scouts who
wished to relay information.
"Taaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Whoa!"
"Ngh!"
Gahard swung his blade so fast that afterimages followed in its wake. The Haulia
groaned in pain, just barely avoiding fatal blows by manipulating their presence at the
last second. However, they knew they wouldn't hold out for long.
Since Gahard was using Breeze Breath, the Haulia's stealth abilities weren't nearly as
effective. The subtle sounds they made as they moved were clearly being transmitted
to him.
Though Breeze Breath wasn't nearly as helpful in locating people as Sense Presence
was, Gahard made up for it with audacity and grit. He plowed forward doggedly, and
continued slashing with increasing accuracy.
This was the man who stood at the top of Hoelscher. The strongest warrior among a
nation of warriors. The emperor who had devoted his heart and soul to the pursuit of
strength. Upon witnessing his overwhelming strength, the Haulia responded rather
audaciously.
"Bring it."
"We'll cut you to ribbons."
Not a single one was cowering. Instead, they were all sporting fearless grins. Their
eyes, barely visible through the slits in their masks, glimmered with a dangerous light.
Each and every one of the Haulia was still raring to go.
If they couldn't rely on stealth, then they'd use their coordination to take Gahard down.
The Haulia all leaped into action at once, as if they were a single organism. By
constantly staying in motion, and perfectly synchronizing their attacks, they were able
to pressure even Gahard.
"Kukuku, now that's the kind of fighting spirit I like to see! Isn't that right, Haulia!"
Gahard laughed boisterously as he fended off the Haulia's consecutive attacks with his
unique sword techniques. It appeared he already knew his mysterious assailants were
the Haulia.
However, the Haulia didn't react at all to Gahard's declaration. The only thing on their
mind was taking down the enemy in front of them.
"Come on, what's wrong? So scared you can't even talk!?" His hearing, aided by the
spell, was slowly beginning to return.
At his provocation, the Haulia with the most bloodlust in his eyes, Cam, brandished his
twin shortswords and spoke calmly.
"A battlefield has no need for words. If you have something to say, then speak it with
your sword."
"Hah, now you're talking."
Sparks danced in the darkness as the two of them unleashed a flurry of blows.
On his own, Cam was clearly no match for Gahard, but he had the highly coordinated
Haulia behind him. Both sides continued vying for supremacy, but neither was able to
land a decisive blow.
Seconds passed, then minutes. The nobles laying on the ground fervently prayed for
their leader to come out ahead while simultaneously cursing the guards for not
coming. Though they'd had their tendons severed and their tongues cut out, they were
still conscious.
And, as they watched the battle progress, seeds of fear began sprouting within their
hearts. The Haulia's power was beyond anything they had expected from rabbitmen.
Not only that, but the Haulia almost seemed to be winning. "Ah! What the—!? My body
just—" Gahard staggered, and his movements dulled.
In response, the Haulia rushed forward instantly, as if they'd been waiting for that
exact moment. He somehow managed to repel them all still, but the Haulia had been
expecting that as well. After he repelled the close-combat fighters, a barrage of arrows
rained down on him.
"Guh!"
One of them pierced Gahard in the calf, and he went down to one knee. The moment
he saw an opening, Cam rushed in and swung down with his shortswords. While
Gahard managed to block the first, the second sliced through the ligaments in his arm,
forcing him to drop his sword. He quickly pulled something out of his pocket with his
one good hand, but two Haulia leaped past him and sliced through the Artifact he was
attempting to activate. At the same time, another barrage of arrows sliced through his
arms and legs.
"Ngh!"
Though he didn't scream, the intense pain made his body go limp. He slumped
forward, then with a resounding thud, fell unconscious onto the ground.
Silence filled the hall. Everyone was at an utter loss for words. Of course most of them
had had their tongues ripped out, but even if they hadn't they wouldn't have been able
to say anything.
After all, even if they couldn't see clearly in the darkness, everyone knew. The truth
hammered itself into their minds, leaving them paralyzed. The Hoelscher Empire's
emperor… had lost. That was the moment that the empire, the strongest nation in the
Northern Continent, was defeated by the weakest race of all.
Let us rewind time to a short while ago.
"Hurry! Something serious is going down at the party! We need to reach His Majesty's
side as soon as possible!" A panicked voice echoed down one of the castle's corridors.
The owner of the voice was the captain of the imperial guard's third squad, Grid Half.
He pounded down the corridor, twenty of his men following close behind him.
When the lights had gone out in the ballroom, Grid and his men had been guarding the
royal treasury. Hoelscher's treasury happened to be located deep underground.
Thanks to that, Grid and his men had been spared the horror of being assassinated
like the men up above. They had been doing their rounds when Grid's magical alarm
had begun to ring. He'd hurriedly gathered his men and led them back to the ground
floor.
The magical alarm Grid had corresponded to one of the many magic tools Gahard kept
on his person. All it did when activated was change the color of every magical alarm
linked to it, so it couldn't be used to convey complex messages. However, the fact that
the emperor himself had activated it meant that something serious was going on.
Especially since the color he'd chosen was the order for an emergency assembly.
Furthermore, the eerie silence that seemed to have engulfed the castle told Grid that
the emperor was in grave danger.
"Captain, what's going on!? Where are all the other units!? How come no one else has
responded!?"
Indeed, no matter where they looked, there didn't seem to be anyone else. Even though
the entire castle guard should have been responding to the emergency assembly call.
Feeling uneasy, Grid replied.
"I don't know, but we need to hurry! These orders came straight from the emperor!"
His squad crossed the silent castle courtyard. As they marched further into the castle,
they started meeting up with a few soldiers who'd been lucky enough to be taking a
leak, or eating, or on break when the castle guard had been wiped out. Each one sighed
in relief when they saw Grid's squad.
All told, Grid's squad had around 30 men after picking up all the stragglers. They stuck
to using the servants' corridors as they made their way to the tower where the ball
was being held. The moment they reached the entrance, they were intercepted.
"Good evening, soldiers. It's a wonderful night, wouldn't you say?" A gentle voice cut
through the strained atmosphere, and the soldiers came to a halt.
"You're…" Grid looked up in shock, as did the other soldiers.
The service entrance, which was normally filled with servants running in and out, was
surprisingly silent. There was just a single girl, dressed in a sky blue dress, standing
underneath the room's grand chandelier. A pair of fluffy bunny ears poked out above
her head. And, because of how short her skirt was, most of her slender legs were also
visible. Her pale blue hair fanned out behind her and she grinned at the stunned
soldiers.
Rabbitmen were prized for their looks, which was why they were coveted as sex
slaves, but this one was even prettier than most. When Shea realized Grid was one of
the soldiers in the group, she started trembling in anticipation. She was going to enjoy
making him suffer.
"Tch… I don't have time to play with you. Come on men, let's go." Though Grid still held
a grudge, he was a soldier first and foremost. One didn't rise to become a commander
of a thousand men without knowing what took priority on the battlefield. He ignored
Shea and tried to dash past her.
But before he could, he was stopped.
"Fufufufufu… Ahahahahahahahaha!" Unable to keep it bottled in any longer, Shea
burst out laughing.
"What's so fu—"
"I can't believe I got so lucky! To think you of all people would be one of the stragglers!"
"What are you talking about?"
"You have no idea how happy I am to see you."
Normally, any man would have loved to hear those words from Shea. However, Grid
didn't seem the least bit pleased. In fact, he almost seemed afraid.
"Right now, my family's in the middle of a very important battle. I won't let anyone
interfere. If you insist on going, you'll have to get through me."
"Captain, there's no time to waste. Just ignore her, we have far more pressing matters
to deal with!" One of the soldiers shouted impatiently. He clearly thought Shea was
bluffing. He stepped forward, itching to reach Gahard as fast as possible. Truly, his
loyalty truly was commendable. Unfortunately for him, Shea wasn't going to let him
pass.
"Like I said, if you want to get in, you'll have to go through me." With that, Shea
vanished.
A second later, there was a thunderous boom. Grid and the others slowly turned
toward the source of the sound.
The soldier who'd stepped forward had been sent flying. The boom had been the
sound of him crashing into the wall. Turning back, Grid and the others saw Shea
standing a few meters away from her original position, her fist outstretched. It didn't
seem as though she'd put any force behind the blow. On top of that she was a
rabbitman, and a weak-looking one at that. And yet, just by casually throwing her fist
out she'd sent a fully armored soldier flying faster than the eye could follow.
The remaining soldiers gulped. Grid was so shocked he didn't even notice that he
gulped with them. This is impossible.
Still smiling, Shea spoke up once more.
"Why do you think I'm standing here all on my own? Outside the only entrance to the
ballroom?"
It was a rhetorical question, of course. One look at the soldier sprawled on the ground
behind them made it obvious she was here to crush anyone who tried to get in.
The Haulia had known that no matter how thorough they were, they wouldn't be able
to kill all of the palace's guards. But even a single platoon of guards could tip the scales
in the empire's favor, so they had decided their strongest member would need to guard
the entrance.
Naturally, that would have been Shea, the chief's daughter.
The ring on Shea's finger began to glow. Grid and the others watched as a massive
warhammer suddenly materialized above Shea's head. It fell into her outstretched
hand with a satisfying clunk. With a single flick of her wrist, she twirled it around in
her hands. That simple action sent a powerful gust blowing toward the soldiers, who
were forced a few steps back.
"Since it's you I'm up against, I'll let you know my name. I'm Shea. Shea Haulia. The
monster you failed to capture all those months ago," Shea said with pride, then
shouldered her vicious warhammer. She held out her free hand and beckoned
provocatively to the soldiers
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