[Side Story] Chasing a Butterfly (8)
“I am… .”
Lucy Mayril slowly opened her mouth. From earlier, I couldn’t understand the two people making hostile movements when they saw Lucy… First, I had to explain.
“I am… I’m from another world. “I’m not the person you all know.”
Of course, there is no way that one can understand all the facts and lower the sword with just this one word.
Clevious gritted his teeth and looked at Lucy. He was complaining that he couldn’t understand what Lucy said right away.
“What are you…” .”
– Kuung.
It was then.
The ruined Trix building area began to shake violently as if an earthquake had occurred.
Dust billowed and a huge explosion occurred at the presumed epicenter.
―Quaaang!
―Whaaaaaaaa!
Heat rises at the same time as the explosion sound.
A huge beast with its entire body on fire rises. The body seen through the patter of dust was so majestic.
“This is crazy! “The spirit reacted!”
“Quickly pack all your bags! “If you don’t run away now, more will come!”
The heat was so great that a haze began to rise in the area. That huge beast that looks like a lion or a tiger… This is the lieutenant fire spirit ‘Veltan’.
It roars loudly as it destroys the outer wall of the Trix building, which is barely visible.
However, Beltan’s appearance was strangely different from what Lucy knew. She is clad in black and red magical power, and has many bizarre patterns all over her body.
In addition to being in a berserk state, it also appears to be wearing a lot of forcibly given strengthening magic.
This is not the amount of magical power that a typical mid-level fire spirit can produce.
It is clearly in a state of forced runaway.
and… Clevius and Elvira seem familiar with the appearance of such spirits.
―Quaaang!
A huge pillar of fire rises around Beltan. The fire spread in all directions and covered the entire area. It was the moment when Clevius picked up the sword to protect Elvira.
– Woe!
Lucy’s blooming magic surrounded the two people.
For Lucy, who knows nothing, these two people she met by chance are her only clue to this world.
There is no need to even block attacks from the original mid-level spirit. However, Lucy is currently unable to fully control her magical power.
As he frowns and dispels all the fire magic, the figure of Beltan is revealed, still standing unharmed. Its majestic appearance is full of only hostility towards humans.
and… Numerous spirits can be seen coming down the hill, making strange noises.
One by one… It was not in a normal state due to the berserk spell.
Here, Lucy has an intuition.
If there is someone on Aken Island who can handle this number of spirits, it is probably――
“We have to run away! “There is a survivors’ hideout in the secret library of the underground waterway!”
Anyway, Lucy protected Clevius and Elvira.
Not an enemy. As soon as the fact was realized, Elvira quickly shouted.
“If we don’t get rid of it now, more spirits will flock in and we won’t be able to handle it!”
Lucy looked at Elvira and Clevius from the corner of her eye, then quickly covered the area with magic. It was a basic level of stealth magic, but just hiding the traces of magical power would be effective to some extent.
In order to elude the spirits, the three ran across the ruined Trix Building.
* * *
Let’s go back to the hideout and share the details.
At those words, Lucy had no choice but to nod. From both of their perspectives, it seemed like they couldn’t believe that Lucy had appeared here. Nevertheless, it was right to resolve all questions once it was safe.
A living area that could only be reached after a long drive.
The living quarters of Sylvania Academy, which would have always been lively and full of people, were filled with ruined buildings.
When you see this scene… It got to the point where I thought the whole world might have been destroyed.
There are completely decomposed corpses all over the square, leaving only skeletons… The marble sidewalks were all broken down, and weeds were growing here and there.
In between, huge mid-level spirits are walking around in a berserk state. Clevius and Elvira, in a familiar manner, took a detour between buildings to avoid the spirits’ gaze.
Clevius climbs the partially destroyed exterior wall of the building that was once Laplace Bakery, grabs Elvira’s hand and pulls her up.
Lucy lightly flicks her magic power and climbs up to follow him, then climbs on the outside of the outer wall and passes near the collapsed well in a low posture.
As you pass through the living quarters teeming with countless spirits and enter the northern forest, you will see the entrance to a huge underground waterway.
The entrance to the underground waterway was obscured by numerous tree bushes. It must have been a task to cover that huge entrance one by one.
When you squeeze through the gap, the underground waterway where you had the chase with Professor Glast unfolds.
If you go into the complex underground waterway like this and enter the broken outer wall, Professor Glast’s secret laboratory unfolds. And if we go a little further than that… The secret library that Ed Rothtaylor used as a laboratory during his lifetime appears.
This is where Lucy from the original world came with Ed to retrieve Glast’s Phoenix Ring.
By now, this place had become a hideout for survivors who had escaped from the runaway spirits inside Aken Island.
The students standing guard at the entrance of the library reacted when they saw Clevius.
“Seo… senior. You came back alive. How was your search performance? her… .”
“roo… Lucy… Mayl… ?!”
Then, everyone freezes when they see Lucy.
Clevius quietly turned his head to express his intention to get out of the way for now.
The student standing guard swallowed dry saliva and stepped aside. It seemed like Clevious was in a position to be recognized in this hideout.
So we follow Clevious and Elvira into the library.
Lucy looked around. The facilities inside the library had already been removed somewhere, and the interior had been converted into a facility for survivors.
Bonfires and tents lit here and there. Patients lying down covered in blankets.
I see people exhausted from hunger, and I also see people suffering from chronic diseases.
Most people were students or faculty, and there were a few merchants who lived in the living quarters.
When they saw Lucy following Clevius and Elvira inside, they began to commotion from afar.
– ‘I… Look over there… .’
– ‘this… This is crazy… .’
– ‘What, what’s going on? no… It’s Lucy Mayril… .’
– ‘live… There was… ? For sure… Lucy Merill three years ago… .’
– ‘what? Lucy Mayril is here?’
– ‘white… He’s a rare genius wizard… . As for Lucy Mayril… You can’t destroy the magic circle blocking the island… ?’
A strangely hopeful atmosphere spreads among the noisy crowd.
It feels like people who had barely endured despair for a long time have discovered a new light.
Lucy Mayril took a deep breath and continued moving forward.
“Behind this, there is a person in charge of the hideout. You can hear a detailed explanation there. You’re probably a spherical person too… “It will be a lot different than you think.”
A room for librarians inside the library.
Has it been renovated and used as a room for the leader?
Lucy nodded, passed by Elvira and Clevius, and opened the door.
The old wooden door opened with a squeak, revealing the inside.
A small conference table and blackboards set up here and there show a lot of information about the island.
And between the members gathered in the hideout and the documents listing the remaining supplies… A woman sitting on a desk.
The woman with the familiar face looked up as she flicked down her robe hat… Lucy May looked at Lil’s face and her eyes widened for a moment.
“you… .”
Gray hairs were sprouting between the auburn hairs. Is it a sign of hard work?
Although she was shocked to see Lucy Mayril suddenly appear alive, the girl quickly regained her composure just by holding her breath for a moment.
The girl――No, Lortel Kecheln was a person who could be rational and cool-headed in any situation.
“… “Let me hear an explanation.”
Three years after Ed Rosstaylor’s death.
Lortel was alone protecting Aken Island, which had become hell for some reason.
* * *
“Yes, it’s hard to believe, but… .”
First, Lucy explained her situation to Lortel.
That I am not a being subordinate to this world. Ed Rothtaylor came from a world where he didn’t die.
And, looking for a way to go back… I couldn’t say it until now.
This is because the atmosphere was not conducive to that.
“here is… .”
“You might want to ask why it ended up like this… .”
Lortel had a tired face.
In this extreme situation, he would have led a group of survivors and been in charge of the hideout for several years.
No matter how much of a Lortel you are, you will inevitably end up with a lot of mental burden.
“okay… “I will answer everything to the best of my knowledge.”
“… … Ed Rosstaylor… .”
Lortel bowed his head for a moment and answered the question that struck the key point first.
“Senior Ed died three years ago. While subduing Seong Chang-ryong Velbrok… .”
“To Seong Chang-ryong… He’s dead… ?”
“… To be precise… ”
Lortel spoke with a helpless expression, as if recalling an unpleasant memory.
“Seong Chang-ryong took advantage of the opportunity when he was seriously injured while subduing Velbrok… He was executed for being conspired by the new Lindon faction of the imperial family. “He was identified as the main person responsible for the disaster caused by Bellbroke.”
Lucy couldn’t understand what Lortel was saying.
Since he died while catching Velbroke, I thought he died from a direct attack from Velbroke… .
“… that is… What are you talking about… ?”
“The imperial officials who installed Lindon as a puppet needed a reason to get rid of the Rosstaylor family. They passed on responsibility for the burning of the mainland of the Empire due to the disaster caused by Velbroke. Senior Ed knew in advance that Belbroke would appear… .”
“… … .”
“Isn’t it funny? “Even while the world is burning because of Velbroke, you are engaging in such a trivial power struggle.”
Lortel spoke with a bitter smile. For her, it must have already been three years ago.
Long enough time has passed for the wound to heal, but the pain may not have completely disappeared yet.
“… “Did Emperor Cloel stay still?”
“He’s dead. On the day Belbroke came… .”
“… Princess Fenia… Princess Selaha… .”
“All the royal family on Aken Island are dead.”
Actually, it’s strange to be alive.
Belbroke possessed the power to blow up an entire island with a single wave of his hand.
In fact, the fact that there are enough survivors left to fill this library is a miracle in itself.
“… The top students in other grades… .”
“Lucy.”
Lortel said in a tired voice.
Lucy was left speechless by Lortel’s next words.
“now… “It would be quicker to ask who is alive.”
I finally realized how painful the hell Lortel had been through must have been.
then… I can’t help but ask.
“What are the spirits that are taking over the island…? ? Yenica Failover is… What happened… ?”
Lortel sighed and looked towards the shabby sofa. It meant that the story would be long.
“… Senior Yenika is already… “He is a wanted man with a bounty on the imperial level.”
As Lucy walked over to the sofa and sat down, Lortel sat back down at the desk and lowered his gaze.
and… One story at a time that Lucy might be curious about… It starts to loosen up.
* * *
Seong Chang-ryong’s Belbroke was revived much faster than Ed Rothtaylor expected.
I expected that I would be able to revive faster, but… It was much faster than that.
Still, it’s better than what Lucy originally knew… It was resurrected much later.
As far as Lucy knew, it was during the Crestol Grand Festival that the Holy Spear Dragon Bellbroke descended on Aken Island.
I still clearly remember the calamitous Seongchangryong rising through the sea surface against the background of the night sky with fireworks exploding.
But here in the world it was different. Long after the Crestol Grand Festival ended, it was revived only toward the end of the semester.
There was a lot more time to deal with it than in the original world. Nevertheless, Ed Rosstaylor here ultimately failed to stop Seong Chang-ryong’s Velbroke.
Why?
Because there was a difference between Ed in the original world and Ed here… Was Ed here unable to stop Seong Chang-ryong?
however… If you listen to Lortel’s explanation… The problem wasn’t Ed’s response.
The more I listen to Lortel’s explanation, the more uncomfortable I feel. It feels like something important is missing.
――In this world… There was no intervention from Great Sage Sylvania.
In Lucy’s world… Great Sage Sylvania intervened in the final battle.
It was Sylvania who weakened the seal of the Holy Spear Dragon Velbroke much earlier and forced him to descend.
so that… Principal Obel noticed something strange… The seal was able to be maintained, albeit slightly. This is because Sylvania’s unnatural intervention was detected.
so… The Seong Chang-ryong of the world that Lucy saw… He was wrapped in a seal chain rising from the sea. Because of the fragments of the seal held by Obel, Seongchangryong was unable to be fully resurrected.
However, this world… Sylvania did not intervene.
Naturally, the seal had completely expired, and the ‘Perfect Velbroke’ had descended.
Velbroke was wrapped in chains of sealing, and Velbroke was able to fully reveal his full power. The difference is… It’s probably huge.
The Belbroke of this world was resurrected a little later… The fact that Ed was revived sooner than originally expected remains unchanged.
This is even the Velbroke that splits the island in half as soon as it descends and unleashes its full power.
The full power of Bellbroke that I once saw in the infinite repetition of time. In this world… That power has fully blossomed.
However, Ed Rothtaylor miraculously responded to such a bell break.
Power is still insufficient. Insufficient materials. In a situation of shortage… .
After overcoming the sacrifices of countless students… In the end, he succeeded in pushing Sword Saint Tailly into Velbroke’s heart.
In the process, Dyke Elphelan, the top student in the class, died, Wade Calamore also met a terrible end, and Principal Obel also died while waiting for time.
Emperor Cloel died protecting his people, and Princess Selaha died protecting Emperor Cloel.
Princess Fenia was killed by the monsters while leading the soldiers in accordance with the emperor’s wishes.
Ziggs Eiffelstein brought his lover Elka to the hideout covered in wounds and died from excessive bleeding.
Saint Clarice was also swept to death when Belbroke’s breath swept across the island.
In the process of opening a gap for Taily to infiltrate Velbroke’s body… Lucy Mayril was hit squarely by Belbroke’s breath and disappeared without a trace.
Yenica Palover died after being struck by a storm of scales while protecting the survivors.
And Ed Rosstaylor himself… He is driven to the brink of death and loses consciousness.
However, Tailly cannot completely finish Seong Chang-ryong.
As I said, it is Seong Chang-ryong who was resurrected too early. Very narrowly, Tailly’s specs were not enough to kill Seong Chang-ryong with one hit.
However, even if it is not a one-hit kill… It succeeded in inflicting a fatal blow.
Sword Saint Tailly lost his right arm in Belbroke’s counterattack… At least she did inflict a wound on Bellebroke that he could not recover from.
Belbroke, screaming in pain, spread his wings and fled inland from Aken Island.
This is Velbroke, who is in a dying state. It was a situation where it had to be chased and destroyed before it got stuck somewhere and recovered.
However, almost all of the forces inside Aken Island were sacrificed, and those who survived were in a state of death. External support was desperately needed.
and… When I requested help from the Cloel Imperial Family at the academic level… They responded unbelievably.
-Humans are foolish.
Those who are sold on the desire for power… Even in the face of a global crisis, they take care of their own food and rush into political battles and conflicts of interest.
Is that the essence of man?
When all of Aken Island’s power was in a critical state… The imperial officials who gathered again around Lindon came to Aken Island and executed all the successors of the Rosstaylor family.
Emperor Cloel is dead, and almost all of his successors are dead… A state of confusion.
If you want to take power with Prince Lyndon as your puppet, you must now suppress the Rosstaylor family, who will exert the greatest influence in the chaotic political situation immediately after the disaster. Coincidentally, all of Ed’s subordinates have been incapacitated by Seong Chang-ryong’s disaster.
With both Ed Ross-Taylor and Tanya Ross-Taylor dying, this is their only chance. I can’t resist now. There is only now.
so that… Accusing him of an absurd crime, Ed Rothtaylor, who was dying, was immediately executed on Aken Island.
That was the beginning of all disasters.
Belbroke is almost dead.
They are wreaking havoc on the mainland of the empire and looking for a place to hide, but there is a limit. The imperial officials fall into the illusion that if they organize a punitive force and finish off the dying monster, the whole situation will be resolved. I thought that no matter how disasterous Seongchangryong was, if he was on the verge of death, he could somehow finish it.
If that happens, I think we will be able to seize all the real power of this empire without any competition.
Track, track, rainy day.
This is how Ed Rosstaylor, who was covered in blood, ended his life at the hands of Lindonite imperial officials.
and… Same day.
All Lindonite imperial officials who came to Aken Island face death.
By the spiritist Yenica Palover who knew the whole truth and lost her reason.
“Senior Yenika is no longer the person you used to know, Lucy.”
The highest-ranking dark spirit eats away at the darkness blooming in the hearts of humans.
Nothing can compare to the darkness in Yenica Palover’s heart after losing Ed Rosstaylor.
A madness greater than darkness eats away at Yenica Palover’s heart.
Hair that has turned white and eyes that have turned red. Runaway magical power.
To make matters worse, that crazy Yenika… At the ‘Altar of Resurrection’ at the top of Mt. Aken Island… He had obtained a piece of Velbroke’s heart that Taily had cut off.
The piece of Seongchangryong’s heart, which gushes out infinite magical power, is still pounding with the desire to survive.
From the magical power rising from Velbroke’s heart to the runaway spirit sensitivity caused by Glaskan’s berserk magical power.
It was only a matter of time before this island was entirely within Yenica Failover’s domain.
At some point, the magic circle became much more massive than during the Glaskan subjugation war.
Ed Rothtaylor lived to save the world.
However, the world rewarded him with death.
The empire that I so desperately wanted to save plunged the blade of betrayal into Ed Rosstaylor.
A man who always did his duty had to end his life in vain like that.
Yenica Palover could not forgive such a world.
I hate all those in power in the empire who have become blinded by power even in the face of world crisis.
Swept up in Glaskan’s madness, he expresses his hatred towards the world with his whole body.
At least… As for this island… .
The camp that Ed Rosstaylor loved remains… At least this Aken Island.
She makes it a sanctuary for the man she loved so much.
This island where Ed sleeps is a graveyard for Ed’s rest. This huge archipelago is used as a resting place for the departed Ed.
No one can disturb a man’s rest.
Remove all visible obstructions.
In addition to atonement for not being able to save Ed, he also seeks revenge on the world that ultimately abandoned him.
So Yenika… A massacre who massacred all imperial officials.
A demon who swallowed the Aken Islands whole.
And, as a girl in despair.
At the altar atop Mt. Aken Island. While tightly hugging the large cane that Ed Ross Taylor used when he was alive…
She has reigned as the queen of rampaging spirits.
At the altar of change, the girl is holding her staff as always and bowing her head.
Along with the graying hair, the red eyes are revealed. Only hatred toward the world still burns there.
‘The Undertaker’ Yenica Palover.
It was the name written on the wanted flyer. The survivor took what had been floating in the sea.
Yenika’s reddish eyes depicted in the portrait are eerie.
The reward written below was an enormous amount.
Lucy looked down at the name and closed her eyes.
Ed Rothtaylor’s absence was like the end of the world for her.
“Lucy. I’ll tell you straight. you… The goal is probably to return to where it came from. but… .”
Lortel spoke in a low voice.
“At this point… You, who suddenly appeared, are our final savior. If you want to do something about Senior Yenika, who has lost his mind, you must first somehow subdue him by force. “I can’t communicate at all right now.”
Lucy… It was so hard to answer.
I don’t know what Lucy would have been able to do in her prime. Lucy now… There were too many restrictions on power.
Even though it is difficult to somehow control Yenika, who has fallen into complete madness… .
“Hey.”
Lucy, who had been quietly listening to Lortel’s story, slowly opened her mouth.
“In your description of the situation… I’m missing a story about you… .”
Lortel Kecheln.
She, too, is not a person who would have been unimpressed by Ed’s death.
As the representative of the survivors, I am in charge of this hideout… .
she is… Did Ed Rothtaylor’s death really have no effect?
He is like the embodiment of cold reason, who maintains his cool in any situation… .
She never loses her temper, at least when Ed is involved.
A person who is more than Yenika, never less. Because Lucy also vaguely realized that fact.
Lucy’s question pierces Lortel’s heart.
However, Lortel’s voice remains calm.
“… “Is that possible?”
One day, a rumor was spread about Ed’s death. This is a story from the time of the student council president election. It was a time when Lucy herself couldn’t maintain her senses.
At that time, Lortel heard the news of Ed’s death… On the outside, it looked fine.
However, Siggs Eiffelstein, who saw Lortel at the time, would have felt it.
Lortel is never consumed by something like madness. He never loses his temper.
Just calmly. From the inside. Calmly… turns around
You can never tell by looking at it.
However, the madness that is revealed implicitly every now and then… It makes the person you’re talking to startle. There comes a time when you instantly realize how broken you are on the inside.
If it were Yenika, who was clearly visible on the outside, she might be able to sense danger.
However, Lortel… He had a completely different temperament from Yenica.
“Almost all Lindonite officials are dead… It’s not like there are no remaining forces at all… .”
Lortel’s expression is not visible as he lowers his head.
The soft and calm tone of voice is still the same… .
“―If you want to tear them all to death, you have to leave this island first.”
What it says… It represented a completely broken inner self.
“Inspector Albeton, Knights Secretary Bellorque, Marquis Bloruen, Chancellor Pelosi, Crown Prince Lyndon, Deacon Delos, Secretary Ayrton… .”
After that, many people’s names continued to flow for a long time. It’s a number that’s hard to memorize, one by one, but how many times have I repeated those names?
The fact that I was able to memorize all those names without making a single mistake gives me goosebumps.
“There are still so many people left who need to be torn to death in as painful a way as possible… “How long will I have to be trapped on this island?”
“… you… .”
“Lucy, I am disillusioned by the fact that the people who tacitly agreed to use Senior Ed as a scapegoat are still alive. “I’m disgusted.”
Eventually, Lortel raised his head and looked creepy and cool… was smiling He even felt refreshed.
“I’m busy, so I have to get off this island quickly. “I have a lot of work to do.”
It was Lortel who calmly explained the situation… .
She already… She was in a state of ruin.
Ed Rosstaylor’s absence.
that… Yenica Palover and Lortel Kecheln were made into revenge spirits.
It was truly a terrible world.
* * *
“I’m ready. young people.”
It was late at night.
In front of Glokt’s cabin, the ‘World Observation Plane’ was ready for operation again.
Ed gathered the magic power of the star and tried to activate the observation plane again.
I still couldn’t figure out exactly how Lucy got sucked into another world, but I had to try everything I could.
The rising magical power soon began to color the surroundings again.
“young people. be careful.”
At that time, Zelan spoke to Ed in a low voice.
“As I said, interference between worlds… This is something that cannot be achieved. You said magic is based on interaction, right? But the fact that such ridiculous interference occurred… .”
Ed turned his head and looked at Zelan. Zelan quickly continued.
“… “It means that someone in that world also observed this world.”
“… yes?”
Zelan raised his small figure, looked straight at Ed, and said.
“Someone… Observed us… .”
Is there anyone else who can do something like that?
I couldn’t believe it, but…
Even so, it was impossible to stay still.
* * *
Butterflies fly in.
The butterfly fluttering its wings here and there, as if fluttering in the wind… She comes down and sits down in a corner of the plaza of the ruined residential building.
As if chasing empty scenery, even though I know it is meaningless… It was the human being that reached out its hand for the butterfly.
The butterfly, following the wind, heads in the direction of the girl sitting at the top of the fountain in the ruined residential square.
The school uniforms, which have plenty of sizes left, are already frayed and wrinkled here and there.
The witch’s hat she is wearing is completely worn and frayed.
The girl’s face cannot be seen clearly. This is because the brim of the witch hat she is wearing is too wide.
The butterfly that had been sitting on the tip of the girl’s finger for a while flaps its wings repeatedly and flies up into the sky.
Powerful flapping of wings is repeated, to a distant place… Slowly leaving.
Slowly, very slowly. To a place out of reach.
