Translator: Marctempest
Editor/Proofreader: TempWane
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Chapter 85: Mahabharata (2)
I returned.
To the place where I was first before being dragged into the maze.
The allied forces all realized this fact.
“Ba-back! We’ve returned!”
“We’ve escaped the maze!”
Those who regained their senses cheered joyfully.
Artan quietly watched them with a somewhat dazed expression.
At that moment, Hiloze came running, shouting.
“Your Highness! Are you unharmed?”
Behind him, the scattered Royal Guard reassembled.
Having been separated from their liege, the Crown Prince, their expressions were filled with urgency.
“Your Highness? Your Highness!”
“…”
But Artan gave no answer.
Lost in thought, he seemed dazed, but as the calls resounded once more, he regained his composure.
Looking around once again, he murmured.
“Ah.”
Then he hurriedly gave orders.
“Hiloze. Begin accounting for our forces immediately!”
“Pardon?”
“The damage inflicted in the maze is no small matter. Also, everyone was acting separately. Lead the Royal Guard and assess the condition of our troops!”
The calamity attacked the allied forces with unimaginable stratagems. Its grandeur was beyond estimation.
At the Crown Prince’s commanding orders, Hiloze bowed deeply.
“Yes! Carry out His Highness’s orders!”
“Assess the damages!”
Tat-tat-tat—
Watching them dash off, Artan turned his head again.
Unfinished thoughts came to mind.
“The Black Calamity…”
He recalled the harrowing battle.
A disaster that emanated a sense of dread so intense it seemed to twist all five senses, and yet that was only a fraction of it.
The black meteorite.
Witnessing the miracle that devastated entire armies, he understood why the magical domain remained unconquered.
“If Quellière hadn’t come, we’d have been dead for sure.”
At that time, despair loomed, but salvation existed.
Quellière. A celestial being who opposed, perhaps loathed, the calamity.
She had come with formidable figures who appeared to be her personal guard.
Heroes—a term befitting them.
Led by her, they repelled the calamity once again with what could only be described as an “unknown miracle.”
“…Ah.”
Suddenly, a scene flashed through his mind.
The ravaged gathering place after the bloody battle.
Her hands treating his wounds while reproaching him. Her hand brushing against his cheek.
Though her hands and sharp words were as cold as ice, they somehow felt so warm…
“Ahem.”
Now was not the time for this.
Artan shook his head and shifted his thoughts. The fight against the calamity was not yet over.
No, it was only beginning.
Finally, he had glimpsed its true power.
“—Do not give up. No matter how strong the calamity is.”
Before returning, Quellière’s words.
She understood their hearts, saw through them, and offered words of encouragement.
“…”
In truth, he had been shaken, just a little, by the calamity’s overwhelming might. Wondering if it could truly be defeated.
That sentiment lingered even now but had changed somewhat.
Because she was there.
And because they knew she was watching over them.
“—You are doing well.”
That fact provided strength beyond words. Of course, the calamity was not dead.
Even Quellière had failed to obliterate it.
“That is how formidable an opponent it is… However.”
In that case, they just needed to try harder.
Not giving up, but striving. Not despair and hopelessness, but determination and resolve.
To no longer be helplessly overpowered as before, and also…
“…To be able to assist her.”
Artan smiled brightly for the first time in a long while.
And once again, he renewed his resolve.
*
Similar sentiments spread throughout the allied forces.
It was not only Artan; the flame of determination ignited in the hearts of all who witnessed Quellière.
“She was truly stunning. If only I could see that unmatched beauty once more…”
“Bah! Snap out of it! She is a person beyond your gaze.”
Every aspect of her became the subject of admiration.
“Did you hear her words? The last words she spoke before we returned?”
“Of course, I heard! That such a person would offer us encouragement… I’ll never forget today.”
It was a moment when their lives flickered like candlelight, and they were psychologically cornered.
While their entire nervous system was overwhelmed, they witnessed a mythical battle and heard the voice of an absolute being.
They were filled with the illusion that they had become figures from legend.
And so, even in the heart of this magical domain, they were able to summon forth courage and resolve.
“We’re doing well! That’s what she said!”
“Come on, let’s really become heroes this time!”
Waaaah…
For a while, the fervent cheers showed no sign of stopping.
Meanwhile, in a corner of the Church forces’ camp.
Lucia and Sigina were also shouting at the sky, albeit in a different tone.
“Quellière-niiiiim…!”
“Uwaaah! Miss Quelli! How long has it been since we reunited, and now we’re parting again~!”
Sigina lamented, while Lucia wore an expression resembling Munch’s “The Scream.”
Already, there was no trace of Quellière’s presence.
Though they saw her after a long time, she was as cold, strong, and beautiful as ever.
As they regained a bit of composure, Sigina muttered as if it were only natural.
“…Miss Quelli is just Miss Quelli~.”
“Ahh… we’ll see her again soon, right?”
Lucia clasped her hands together, praying with hope.
From the Empire’s troops to the Church’s liberation forces.
The groups that had been in a frenzy finally completed their personnel assessments and restored their camps before setting off.
Bwooooo—!
Their destination was the depths of the landfill.
The advance continued until the calamity was driven out.
*
Near the Obelisk of the Extreme West.
Amid the swirling chaos, a black and sticky malice like tar festered.
The continent called it the Black Calamity.
Mahabharata stirred restlessly, radiating an aura of savagery and brutality.
─────!
It was an expression of rage.
The clash in the maze. It had been an opportunity to deal with those insects swarming like vermin, and everything had been going smoothly.
But he had failed.
The root cause was once again that detestable Absolute Being.
【…Goddess Quellière.】
In the maze’s shared space, at that battlefield.
Whatever means she employed, he felt an intense, searing pain. Quellière had seemed remarkably composed.
At the time, the calamity recalled its defeat at the Church and judged that it was not yet time for a full-scale battle.
Thus, he had retreated, vowing to fight another day.
【This marks my second defeat.】
Mahabharata’s inner self sank into a subdued calm.
He had never suffered such humiliation before.
Since his creation, he had been the embodiment of terror.
【…】
But at this point, he grew curious.
What exactly did that goddess desire?
Surely, all the gods had departed. So why had she returned alone?
And why did she stand against him?
It was the first time he had paid such attention to a single being.
【Strange and peculiar.】
Of course, it was only natural.
If she were absent—if Quellière were to disappear—his victory would be assured.
That’s why he had to find out.
About her.
Rumble, rumble, rumble—
At that moment, a resounding noise echoed.
The divine ruins quivered. Yet Mahabharata remained unfazed.
It was a tremor caused by his interference.
Rrrrrumble—!
The calamity had been tampering with the Obelisk.
It was all to achieve a phenomenon that bordered on the miraculous—something impossible by ordinary means.
【Goddess, wait for me.】
By carefully leveraging the absorbed divine power, he could manipulate the Obelisk.
Of course, some minor side effects would have to be endured.
Regardless, with this, it could be achieved.
Connecting to the goddess’s “World of Thoughts.”
【I shall peer into you.】
To uncover what she was hiding, her true intentions, and her ultimate purpose.
Then, a path would become clear.
But before that.
Kwoooaaah—!
At the calamity’s signal, the landfill’s monsters let out a great roar. Even now, the humans’ advance continued.
The war was already in full swing.
【For dealing with insects and vermin, these should suffice.】
There should at least be some obstacles to hinder them.
Watching as the monsters surged forth, Mahabharata gazed into the distance.
*
The dry desert wind scattered my long hair. The wind in the landfill was still scorching, and the parched earth felt oppressive.
“We’ve returned.”
When I muttered that, everyone nodded in agreement. There was no sign of confusion among them.
“Hmm.”
I nodded along as well.
I had grown more than accustomed to this by now.
“Quellière.”
“Yes?”
When Chandrafail spoke, I turned to look.
He had almost fully recovered from his injuries and now carried himself with relaxed confidence.
“Has the calamity gone deeper inside?”
“Most likely.”
Because that’s where the Obelisk is.
A divine relic imbued with vast divine power.
The portion that the calamity could manipulate was extremely limited, but even that was an unimaginably powerful weapon.
“Then the direction is set.”
“Indeed.”
At that, Chandrafail turned his gaze forward.
He seemed curious about the calamity’s base and our destination.
“We won’t get trapped in another maze, will we?”
This time, Nell asked.
Unlike the Black Knight, her question had a tone of genuine concern, and it was valid. Restrictions on movement were cumbersome and bothersome.
I answered casually.
“Magical anomalies can happen at any time.”
The landfill was just that distorted a place.
A land where the evil god was buried. On top of it lay countless deaths, and the accumulated hatred and sorrow created this foundation.
Nell pressed her lips together tightly.
“That can’t be—”
“But you don’t need to worry about the landfill maze. The same anomaly won’t occur consecutively.”
“…Oh? R-really? Whew.”
Thank goodness…
She sighed in relief, patting her chest.
At that moment, another voice interjected.
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“…?”
It was Mishra, standing idly by.
When Nell and I stared at her, she rolled her eyes and continued awkwardly.
“I just don’t want to fall again. Babysitting is harder than I thought.”
“…Indeed.”
It truly was an ill-suited task for the noble Dragon Lord.
I glanced at the girl she had been looking after.
Paile stood beside the Black Knight with a bright expression—a rare sight for someone as timid as her.
“Hehe…”
To be smiling here, of all places, in the magical domain.
There must have been a specific reason. More precisely, it was in her arms.
A small, ochre-colored insect wriggled within the cramped space.
“Sparkle~ Don’t squirm too much… Good boy~”
The landfill bug, Muse.
For such a sensitive creature, it was strangely attached to Paile.
Perhaps it was because she was the only one around with no magical power.
“Hehe… It’s so cute.”
“…”
The girl genuinely seemed to find Muse adorable.
She even gave it a name, which said it all. “Sparkle” was, admittedly, a cute name.
Now that the creature’s lump had disappeared, the name had become rather strange.
“Well, as long as she’s happy.”
Her tastes were unusual, but they deserved respect…
Flap—
A sudden sound broke my train of thought.
I looked up at the sky.
“…Hmm?”
In the sunset-colored sky was a bird.
More precisely, it was a “Blood Raven,” a sinister beast of the landfill, covered entirely in ominous red.
It was a foreboding creature I recognized from memory.
Flap, flap—
The bird circled the sky as if orbiting.
Its red eyes seemed to pierce into me.
As I silently observed it, Dewade stepped forward, his armor clanking.
“Lady Quellière. Shall we set off?”
“Set off?”
“Yes. The decisive battle is not far away now. I will lead the way.”
It was indeed time to move.
He took a heavy step forward, and we followed, pushing deeper into the oppressive desert winds.
The journey was smooth, but it was far from peaceful.
Screech—!
Monsters constantly attacked us.
A variety of beasts, creatures, and aberrations.
All of them were repelled by my companions, but their chaotic, frenzied assaults seemed suspicious.
Thwack! Crunch—
It was as if there was someone commanding them.
It must have been the calamity.
“Something about this feels more cautious.”
Two defeats would naturally lead to that.
Though the outcome had been a stroke of luck, if it had made the calamity anxious, that was a good thing.
Several more battles ensued.
This was due to the endlessly approaching monsters, though they were defeated without much difficulty.
Crack—!
Then, at some point, I saw something strange.
“…!”
Living plants.
Fluttering butterflies, towering brown trees, and most strikingly, greenery on the ground that defied the desolation of the landfill.
Overall, it was a scene that evoked spring.
My eyes widened momentarily, and my companions were equally startled.
“Is there really a place like this in the landfill?”
“Could this even be possible?”
I shared their doubts for a moment.
But understanding soon followed, and I spoke up.
“…Coexistence of the seasons. It’s one of the magical anomalies.”
“Coexistence of the seasons…?”
“Yes.”
The theme here was probably “spring.”
The reason it appeared spring-like was simple: it literally was spring. That part of the space operated as if carved out separately.
It was a magical phenomenon, but there was no need to dwell on it.
“It’s not dangerous. And it’s been so hot—this is convenient. Let’s take a short break here.”
“Understood!”
We set down our—well, what little we had to carry—and stepped into the spring greenery.
Although there was still some energy left in us, we had been fighting battles in succession.
Proper rest was necessary.
Flap, flap—!
Proper rest… though it was necessary.
An irritating noise pierced the air. It seemed everyone heard it as we all looked skyward.
Caw, caw!
The flapping wings and distinctive cries of a bird.
The culprit was a blood-red raven circling above. It was the same creature that had been lingering around earlier.
It was clearly orbiting me.
“…Hmm.”
It was indeed unpleasant.
The way its eyes gleamed, as if observing me, felt deeply ominous.
I tried to ignore it, but—
“This is bothersome.”
Its persistence conveyed a single truth.
Whoever had sent it was obvious.
At my muttering, Dewade reacted sharply.
“Is something wrong, my lady? You seem uneasy.”
“It’s just… someone is spying on me.”
At my words, he turned his gaze to the sky.
The Blood Raven continued its eerie cries.
“That monster! Let me deal with it!”
“No, that’s fine.”
I curtly dismissed the offer and summoned my magic.
If it was targeting me, there was no need to involve anyone else.
“I should handle this myself.”
The white magic swiftly formed into a snowball.
I used to be good at throwing rocks in the old days.
Holding it in my hand, I aimed at the creature.
Then, I hurled it like a shot put.
Woosh—!
It was a recreation of my old stone-skipping skills.
The Blood Raven attempted to dodge, but it was futile.
Thwack! Screech—
The direct hit sent the creature plummeting.
I caught the falling bird and gripped it tightly.
Its glossy red eyes were filled with desire.
I glared beyond it, imagining the presence behind the bird, and muttered a name with venom.
“Mahabharata.”
Had my emotions slipped through unintentionally?
My tone was cold, like frost in midsummer.
“Am I that much of a concern to you? But you really should know your limits.”
Perhaps sensing its impending death, the raven’s body trembled violently. However, its eyes remained unnaturally calm, as if detached.
The dissonance made me smirk coldly as I unleashed a sharp remark.
“Stop spying on me.”
Then—crack.
I crushed the Blood Raven.