WeD - V2C15 - Lepis: The Black Garden (Patreon)

I am Lepis Twilight.

The younger sister of the current head of the Twilight Clan.[1] A clan which is said to be the descendants of the Black Demon King.

The Twilights were once known for their Black Magics in the Northern Continent. However, the Federation of Hermedes forced us to work on the development of the Giant Soldiers. Eventually, some of the clan members managed to escape the Federation and defected to the Eastern Continent under the protection of Fresir.

Right now, at the behest of Princess Shatma, several clan members have gotten involved in the development of this Magic Circuit System for a Southern Continent kingdom called Ruskia.

I, however, was tasked by Sir Raymond to escort and protect the [1] Three newly appointed Magic Advisors. [1] Technically. I say technically, because thus far, the only person I had been escorting and protecting was Makia-sama.

The location of the Green Shrine Maiden is engraved in the 3D Navigational Cube given to me by Tooru-sama.

I have reached her location.

Although she had been flitting about randomly, she ended up stopping at one location.

“... …”

According to the signboard, this place is Midgard’s Miscellaneous Magical Merchandise.

The amount of magical power discharged from this location is so terrifying that people instinctively avoided it.

I deliberately step into the aura of magic and, after checking for abnormalities, open the door.

The heavy wood and metal door creaked.

“... Oh my, oh my, we have another rare customer.”

“... Hello”

An old woman with one eye and dressed in black robes is staring at me.

The single eye gives off a very strong impression from the wrinkled face. As for the eyepatch over the side of her face, that item gave off a feeling that it is some kind of clan mark.

“I heard that the Twilight Clan will be visiting the Royal Capital, but I did not expect one to personally visit my shop. Hihihi… greetings~”

“Apologies, I am here for a different purpose. I believe the Green Shrine Maiden is here…”

“Oh my, oh my, so you know? Well, I guess one can’t play hide-and-seek against a Spatial Magician.”

“... …”

The old woman smiles eerily as she puffs on her gnarly looking kiseru. Then, she gets up from the chair and points her cane at the back room.

“You, what is your name?”

“... I am Lepis Twilight.”

“Hoohh… you have a good MP level. Looks like everyone from the Twilight Clan is pretty outstanding.”

I know this old woman, thanks to my grandfather.

She is Madame Egressa, the Snake Empress. She is from the Medite family, famous for their mastery of White Magic.

“Madame… where is the Green Shrine Maiden?”

“Well, come with me now, it’s this way… hihihi.”

“... …”

The Madame beckons me to the back room. Thin curtain made with wooden beads swayed at the entrance. A strong scent of incense flows to my nose.

I narrow my eyes. The Shrine Maiden is sleeping on a bed.

“What happened…?”

“The Green Shrine Maiden is trying to understand herself. It’s what the child wanted after all. I just gave her a little helping hand… It’s called regressive sleep. She’s been muttering and talking to herself until this point. I believe she has sunk herself beyond mere memories. Hihihi, would you like to try it out?”

“It’s fine. I have no significant previous life.”

“Oh my, you seem to be quite sure about that.”

The Madame’s shoulder shook as she giggled.

I carefully [1] probe the Shrine Maiden from where I am standing, trying to sense whether she has suffered serious injury or trauma. I could only tell that she is in a particularly deep sleep.

“... …”

What was the Shrine Maiden’s previous life?

I had overheard fractions of it from conversations between Makia and His Highness Ulysses, but I am sure no one knows for certain.

“In her previous life, she was the Green Shrine Maiden from 2000 years ago. The wife of the White Sage with a Demon King class level MP.”

“...Eltear.”

“It has been confirmed that the Demon King class individuals may reincarnate with the memory of their previous lives, but the Shrine Maiden seems to have forgotten about everything. Or rather, her memories have been sealed… well, it may be a good thing as it was too tragic.”

As expected of a clan who keeps a record of Demon King Class individuals. The things she talks about are not recorded in history books.

“Is she… remembering everything from her previous life?”

“...who knows, you may ask her when she wakes up. Are you interested [1] in trying it out? Hihihi~”

“No… not really…”

A single tear flows from the corner of the Shrine Maiden’s eye.

Beyond her deep sleep, she must be facing all sorts of complicated emotions connected to her memories. From what I had heard, they must have driven her to terrible despair.

“Why are you helping her get her memories back?”

“It is what the child wanted after all.”

“... But, the Shrine Maiden is still a young girl of 15. Will she be able to tolerate a lifetime of pain? His Highness Ulysses… had been very concerned about this.”

“Hihihi… is that so? Well, if she can’t endure this much, she could not stand on the same stage as the Three Demon Kings. That is, her existence would be unacceptable.”

“What is that supposed to mean? Aren’t you people supposed to just record events? Isn’t it wrong for you to decide on these things yourself?”

“Hihihi, unfortunately, I cannot refuse a personal request from the Green Shrine Maiden herself. The moment we are given orders, we become puppets for the main characters in the play. We have our role to play and we move according to their will. That is how Maydea has always been…”

“... …?”

“In short, I am merely obeying a request. That child has the right to know, especially since it is her memory she wishes to retrieve.”

The Madame grins as she wipes the flowing tears from the Shrine Maiden’s cheeks.

I believe this is too much information for me…

“...?!”

Suddenly, the Madame looks up.

I, too, caught the feeling that something had breached the magical range around the store.

“...something has arrived.”

“A thing… Is it aiming for the Green Shrine Maiden?”

“Well… if that is so, it would be most troublesome. Stopping the hypnosis midway would put a strain on the child.”

“...understood, I shall handle it.”

The Madame’s eerie ‘hihihi’ follows me as I exhale quietly, sharpen my focus and step out from the store.

“... …”

At [1] first glance, what appears to be a man. However, the people are instinctively avoiding him. He is a large man, but I do not recall ever having seen him before.

His bloodshot eyes rolled around restlessly.

“... Blood… meat…. women…”

The man muttered even as he shivered. It looked like he was on some kind of weird drug.

“You’re… not human, are you?”

I am familiar with these characteristics, they are tell tale signs of demons disguised as humans. [1] Underneath the human skin lurks a cruel, blood and flesh seeking beast.

“Demon.”

Childhood memories sweep over me suddenly. Though the Twilight Clan was clearly descended from the Black Demon King, we had been deprived of our freedom by the Federation of Hermedes for so long that we spent our days living in fear of these beasts.

Disobedience meant being mercilessly killed and eaten by demons.

“A mage… I have stumbled upon a good prey…”

“That is my line. How lucky for me to meet a demon here. Has it been difficult for you to hide in this country?”

The man did not appear to have heard me. He dropped his human mask and his body swelled to unsightly proportion. Teeth grew into fangs and fur burst out of his skin like a werewolf, not only that, leathery wings like those of a bat sprouted from his back. Is this some sort of a modified demon?

“... How many people have you killed? Your ‘Ambassador’ is not here to provide you with food, yes? How many of you are in this country?”

“Many questions from a girl of few words.”

“...I generally prefer to listen.”

I understand myself most and know that I cannot be calm in the face of these creatures of evil. The magical aura around the shop crackled as the demon steps forward. As beings that are resistant to magic, the wards and barriers powered by magic are being forcefully broken here. It is only a matter of time before they break through.

[1] As its disguise falls, this blood and flesh seeking beast reveal its true nature as it glares at me with its red eyes.

Even so.

It is not yet clear who is the prey here.

“...Magic Fortress… Black Garden…”

A wave of power emanates from my body, rushing forward in a widening circle.

The world that formed through this magic caused light to be filtered out, losing its energy as it weakly penetrated into this created world.

“...wh-what is this?!”

When the world around it suddenly changed, the demon started looking around [1] like a fool.

Whoosh… whoosh…

A cold mist blew across this created world, creating a quiet yet menacing presence. A red moon floated in the horizon as night fell.

“Welcome… to my Magic Fortress,” my long robe snaps in the cold wind.

“Magic Fortress!?”

“Be grateful, I have invited you to this place so that you may interact with me.”

In this empty Black Garden, white spores floated in the atmosphere as I faced off with the demon.

“This world is 100% detached from reality, do feel free to rampage as much as you like.”

As soon as I have spoken, the demon swings its sharp claws and leaps towards me.

It caught me in the neck with its claws and pressed my back against a tree. The jaws open impossibly wide as if to take my head off with a bite. [1] Even so, in typical demon fashion, it moves slowly, as though to savour my fear.

[1] That is when I act.

“...this tree will decay.”

The world reacts to my words. In an instant, thunder flashes through the sky and forms pillars of light.

The tree behind me instantly crumbles.

“?!”

[2] The claws around my neck lost its support. Translucent cubes form under my feet and I slide away in an instant. This form of instant transportation is a special creation of the Twilight Clan.

[2] I flash behind the demon, a hand behind my ear, reaching for the compressed scythe. [2] The cube flashes again as I swing the scythe, the sudden burst of speed lending the scythe even more power behind the hit.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!!”

[2] One demon arm fell off.

“... …”

Neither the scream nor the stench of blood elicited any feelings from me.

Except.

It is not time to kill it yet.

“How have you entered this country? How did you evade Fresir’s eyes?”

“... …”

“What is your objective? Is it an order from the Hermedes Federation?”

“... …”

An unpleasant scream echoed in the space. This time, a leg fell off.

Good thing I activated the Magic Fortress. I cannot allow such a terrible sound to invade the ears of normal people.

The demon is holding its breath and staring at me.

“...you… remnant of Twilight…”

“You know of us?”

“...of course… Blood and flesh of Twilight Mages… best and most delicious. The Ambassador rewards us with such delicacies…”

“... …”

The demon let out a powerful roar. Its wings flapped. As its massive body rises to the air, it sweeps down to grab its fallen arm with the remaining appendage and rises to the air.

It’s odd silhouette somehow reminds me of Giant Soldiers.

Looks like it is trying to escape.

“How useless…”

There is no escape from this world.

Pop pop pop.

More cubes pop into existence around me, tumbling down my arms and falling onto the ground.

“... …”

[2a] The cubes circles under my feet and in a flash of light, I am in the air, hovering just above the demon. What a sight I must be with my black hair and robes, a large scythe in hand. I have been told I appear like a God of Death at times like this.

[2a] In another flash of black light, my scythe cleave the air.

[2a] The red eyes tumble down in different directions as the body splits in half. The massive pieces hit the ground with an undignified splat.

“... …”

Those who die in this world nourish this place, feeding the plants in this world.

This world is a black garden that spreads and grows without meaning.

It is raining.

[Gumihou: Adjusted certain details]

[1] Add details

[2] Adjust action scenes to make it more exciting.

[2a] Yeah, um:

It was like a black flash.

With my big scythe, jet-black hair and my robe fluttering, what did I look like to this beast?

With eyes filled with hatred, I must look like the God of Death.

The cubes that were spinning around on the side gathered on the blade and guided the scythe.

This was the end for the beast.

The body broke in half, and he fell head-on in the dark sky.

Using a large cube built in the air as a scaffold, I looked down from above.

It was a massive bloodbath.

Adjusted for max speed and drama.