Several photos and an analysis report.
The photos captured the butchered forests of the North. Alongside them were images of the Demon Lord’s Army sliced into small pieces. With various angles spread out on the table, Rania caressed her chin.
“…Hmm.”
Traces that looked as if they had been unearthed with long nails.
A carnage as if a beast had gone wild.
Judging by the chaotic markings on the ground, it seemed like a Beast had rampaged, but Lac, who discovered the scene first, asserted that these traces were the ‘marks of swordsmanship.’
‘Considering he even said it resembled his own swordsmanship…’
It must refer to Ganikalt’s sword technique.
The path of the sword created by the first Superhuman.
Now, the swordsmanship has been refined through the hands of many knights, but at the root of the swordsmanship used by Lac, Kyle, and the Superhumans related to the Sacred Site of the Sword, Ganikalt’s swordsmanship surely existed.
‘Galatrick style.’
Rania knew well the terror of that sword technique. It was inevitable; she had to experience it herself. But… did this chaotic marking engraved on the ground share roots with that horrifically intricate sword technique?
“It’s definitely strange.”
Rania continued to scrutinize the photos, her chin resting in her hand.
She was focused on a photo capturing the scene of the slaughtered snowy mountains. Looking at it, she muttered, “…It can’t end like this, can it?”
Though it bore traces strong enough to suggest a powerful Beast was rampant, it was still too small to be a significant incident. It was certainly odd, but the scale was far too minor to be a serious concern.
Yes, minor.
If Death’s Blade, or something connected to it, were rampaging, it wouldn’t stop there. A chunk of the snowy mountains would have been cleaved away, or the mountain itself would have crumbled.
‘In the first place, Death’s Blade couldn’t even get that far.’
It’s bound by a contract.
Tapping her fingers on the table, Rania furrowed her brows. The traces were not large enough to raise alarms. Considering the scale of the knights stationed or deployed in the North, it was something they could easily deal with.
However, something felt off.
The traces of a Beast that mimicked human swordsmanship.
The footprints and markings discovered thus far were entirely different. Numerous elements worried Rania.
“…”
A moment’s thought.
Immediately, Rania stood up.
2.
Three years.
As she walked, Rania reflected on the past three years.
The three years flown by since she had set out as a Hero. Despite many events occurring during that time, it hadn’t been as intense as when she lived as Raniel.
To be honest, it was more quiet.
Death’s Blade had vanished.
Gletus the Betrayer had secluded himself deep within the Phantom Territory, his existence uncertain. The Braver remained missing, and the Demon Lord, having lost his immortality, hadn’t appeared on the battlefield either. No formidable foes had appeared on the battlefield at all.
‘If I were to name a formidable foe…’
The Skull Bucket?
No, even calling that thing a formidable foe seems a stretch now. In Rania’s tent, there was a tower made from stacked skulls of Skebal, and atop the highest skull was engraved the number ‘43.’
The 43rd skull, to be exact.
Now, every time she encountered the Skull Bucket, she spent more time contemplating how to extract that skull cleanly. It seemed Skebal knew this, as every time their eyes met, he would rapidly recite an explosive spell.
…Though this is too much rambling, the point is this.
It has been absurdly quiet.
Aside from the anomalies that occurred two years ago, the last three years have been nothing but smooth sailing. Therefore, Rania dedicated herself entirely to expanding the front.
「This is the entirety of the contract.」
「The first contract I was hiding from you is this. Now, I can entrust this contract to you.」
The truth and details of the contract she heard from Cardi.
Thinking of that, what she was doing now felt right. Expanding the front and reaching the depths of the Phantom Territory. And fulfilling the ‘conditions.’
So far, everything has been going smoothly.
Smooth enough to be quiet.
However, Rania did not forget that this current calm was also a precursor to a raging storm. While everyone else sang the hopes of humanity, only she envisioned the worst-case scenario.
‘So, it must be controlled.’
To prevent the worst.
And to strive for the best, she had to manage all variables. Over the past three years, Rania had eliminated countless variables. Her instincts were screaming.
Something is stirring in the North.
She felt the necessity to control it before it grew and became a variable, or to prepare against it.
“…”
Rania stopped in her tracks.
The spot she halted at was a small tent. Before entering, Rania took a brief moment to collect herself.
“Natida.”
As she called the name, a soft gasp came from inside the tent. After crossing her arms and waiting a moment, someone stumbled out from the tent.
“Ugh, um… Who are you…?”
With dazed eyes and messy hair.
The disheveled figure stood before Rania, tilting her head slightly to the side. One second spent confirming who stood before her. Three seconds spent blinking, unable to grasp reality.
“…”
After a total of four seconds, her once-dazed eyes appeared even more dazed, as if she had realized why Rania had come to see her in an instant.
“…Rania-sama?”
“Yup.”
“Um, may I ask…”
“Sure.”
“Is this about work?”
“It is, indeed.”
The woman named Natida shut her mouth.
Immediately, she rummaged through the pockets of her loosely worn robe and pulled something out. It was a small scroll twisted up with powder inside, essentially a rolled cigarette.
“…Can I smoke it while you talk?”
Glancing at Natida’s trembling fingers, Rania sighed and nodded.
3.
“Ignite, Firestone…”
While rummaging through her belongings with the rolled cigarette in her mouth, Natida glanced at Rania. With a sigh, Rania snapped her fingers.
Tap, shhhh.
“B-Bizarre!”
“Speak without it in your mouth.”
With the rolled cigarette in her mouth, Natida giggled and took a long drag. Her dazed eyes momentarily sparkled with vigor. Exhaling, she slothed the rolled cigarette between her fingers.
“So, what brings you here?”
Her voice clearer than before.
Rania pointed ahead.
“Let’s talk while walking. Follow me.”
Walking through the meadow littered with the remnants of ancient civilizations, Rania glanced back at Natida who was trailing behind. Her disheveled, light brown hair flowed down to her shoulders. The shabby outfit she wore was topped with a hastily donned robe.
And those murky ‘green’ eyes.
“Natida.”
“Yes, what is it?”
“Are you feeling alright these days?”
Instead of answering, Natida let out a long sigh.
As she exhaled the deep gray smoke, she rubbed out the burning end of the rolled cigarette against her palm. Ssshh, although it might leave a burn, it wouldn’t last long.
In an instant, the mark on her palm healed smoothly as Natida brushed off the ash.
“It’s too good, you know?”
She smiled, pointing at the cigarette she had just been smoking.
“Isn’t it great to have a job where you can burn rolled cigarettes given personally by the Hero? Compared to the old days, this job is fantastic. No complaints here.”
“You know that’s not what I meant, right?”
“Of course, my body is fine.”
Natida rolled up her loose sleeves, revealing her slender, pale arms. There were no longer any traces of needles or self-harm that had once covered her arms just a year ago.
“I sometimes crave the medicine, but… well, smoking rolled cigarettes makes it a bit better. The cravings have decreased as well. Good news, right?”
“That’s good news.”
“Honestly, if the Hero just gave me a bit less work, I think I’d crave the medicine less.”
Rania chuckled lightly.
“Stop talking nonsense. How much do you think I’ve assigned you?”
“…I’m serious, though?”
“Well, anyway, if you’re okay, then that’s good.”
Rania pulled out a letter from her robe.
Sealed with her signature gray mark. She handed the letter to Natida as she opened her mouth.
“You, go to the North.”
“…Huh? All of a sudden?”
“Something came up suddenly.”
Handing over the letter to Natida, Rania held up several photos in front of her.
“There’s something that’s been bothering me. It doesn’t seem dangerous for now, but it’s caught my attention. So head to the North and investigate this for me.”
Prepare for anything in case of emergencies.
She didn’t need to say that part out loud. Natida would know well enough. Receiving the photos and flipping through them, Natida spoke.
“The North, isn’t that where…?”
Natida giggled.
“Where the incredibly handsome young noble is, right? The one the Hero personally brought up?”
“I don’t know about ‘handsome,’ but yes, that’s correct. It’s where my disciple is.”
“The Guardian of the North, Lac von Grace?”
“Yes. I’ll write a letter beforehand, so when you get there, show him the letter I just gave you and request his cooperation.”
Cooperation, cooperation.
Muttering that, Natida tilted her head.
“Um, isn’t it a problem that I’m part of the Church Order? Because they say the Church Order folks are completely loathed in the North.”
Rania was aware that the Deloheim Church had been rejected in the North. However, in Rania’s view, there was no problem here. It might be due to her name ‘Rania van Trias’…
“Who would even think you’re from the Church Order?”
Dazed eyes.
Her rolled cigarette ready to ignite again, along with her disheveled outfit. She certainly did not look like a devout or tidy follower. Looking down at her own attire, Natida nodded absently.
“Well, that’s a valid point. So, is my mission just to investigate?”
“Oh, and pass on my regards to Lac.”
“You’re not going yourself?”
“Even if I wanted to, I can’t go.”
Rania pointed at the vast front laid out before them.
“If I’m missing, who will take over here?”
Even if she wanted to see the faces of her Master or disciples, the life she led didn’t allow for such luxury. She was the sole guardian of one front, managing all support for nearby fronts, and if she were to leave, a gap would open on that front.
The current battlefield was barely being maintained by a single Superhuman, Rania van Trias.
Though the world sang of victory and hope for humanity, this was the reality. Just her absence could cause the entire front to collapse in an instant as humanity depended on a single Hero for everything.
‘It feels like walking a tightrope.’
Thinking that, Rania patted Natida’s shoulder a couple of times. Among those she could send in her stead, there was no one more suitable than the girl before her. Not only her symbolism but also her potential responses to emergencies.
“So please go in my place. Check the situation as well.”
“It might be a bit bothersome, but since you asked, I’ll do it.”
After all, it’s work assigned by my benefactor.
Natida muttered that and nodded. Then she shrugged off the robe casually, giving it a hefty bang to shake off some dust. Properly dressed, she saluted Rania.
“Saint Natida. Mission confirmed.”
Saint Natida.
Since the blessing of the Saint had been lost from Sara, the new generation of Saint chosen by Star.
“But, Hero.”
“Speak. What is it?”
“Before I go, just one more…”
Seeing Natida, who had a cigarette ready to smoke at any moment with a giggle, Rania couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
“Fine, light it up. Go wild.”
“Thank you!”
With a crack, the rolled cigarette lit up.
Saint Natida.
Some people referred to her in this way.
The drug-using Saint.