c14 15

Crying, the boy had abandoned the man and fled.
One middle-aged woman who adored the boy like he was her own child had had a monster open its big mouth and chomp her head. Figuring she wasn’t going to make it, the boy had run away.
The number of people accompanying him went up, and went down. Each time someone died, the boy learned. The clever boy grew more clever.
Still, the boy was only ten. Though he was more clever, more experienced than any of those with him, he was underestimated because he was a child.
Even if they tried to pretend to like him on the surface, inside they were dissatisfied, and it was not at all uncommon for adults to insult the boy behind his back.
“Sure, he’s useful. But he’s just a kid. Why is he so full of himself? We’re just using him because he has some convenient magic, so what is he misunderstanding?”
“You don’t have to be so harsh, do you? He’s just a kid. Let him feel a little good about himself. If we overlook it, he’s sure to keep being useful. We’ve just got to use him well. In the end, he’s a child, so if it comes down to it, we can handle him however we like.”
At some point, the boy the adults had defended was put in a position where he had to protect the adults.
When a great horde of monsters attacked, and he looked at the backs of the adults scrambling to get away, the boy decided he was fed up with it.
Why should the boy have to stand on the front line for idiots like them?
Those guys, they can all die. They can all get eaten by monsters.
I’m through being a child, the boy decided. I’m not a child anymore. I’m not a ten-year-old boy. I’ll be an adult. I’m not letting them look down on me. I’ll be the king, and the others will be my vassals. Each and every one of them will serve me, working themselves to the bone for my benefit. This is my world. I decide the rules, and I rule it.
The adults who had known the boy eventually died off. The new people he met did not know the boy’s true identity.
In this world, everyone could use magic. The boy used magic to show others a form for himself befitting a king.
When he encountered insolents who would not follow his orders, or conniving individuals who could not be trusted, he finished them off, or sucked the life out of them and left them as shadowy husks. That life he sucked out became the king’s power.
He figured out the types of magic. Magic came in thousands of different varieties, but if someone with an incredible magic appeared, they might become a threat.
Human thought works in an interesting way. If someone only had words for red, blue, and yellow, they might see orange as a bright red, black as a dark blue, and so on. They would try to divide every color into one of those three categories.
To that person, there are only three colors. The world’s colors are reduced to three.
Due to the nature of magic, it was heavily influenced by the user’s psyche, so if the knowledge that there was only three types of magic spread, the number of types would naturally be reduced to three.
If they defied the king, their lives would be taken immediately. Everyone came to understand that fact. Not many would deliberately oppose the king.
That said, the wise king knew that not all had submitted to him down to the depths of their hearts. Still, if he was not harsh with them, they would look down upon the king. There were undoubtedly those who would plot to kill the king, too.
There were those loyal to the king, too. Not many, of course.
The sincere but foolish knight Bayard was captured by Haname. The king considered taking down Haname with his own power, but tricksters like her were free of the king’s principle that there were three types of magic, making them dangerous opponents.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t win, but he might be stabbed in the back by a traitor while fighting against Haname. Bayard was such a fool that the boy had found him unpleasant anyway, so he decided to let Haname have him.
His second best vassal was quieter than anyone, and honest, but he was a very clever man. He had a ready wit, you could say. The king had never seen a man who could react so quickly to a changing situation.
Not only did he show no sign of betraying the king, he never once even offended him, and at times, he would soothe and help the king relax.
However, the king was suspicious of him. He allowed the man to care for him, but it seemed he allowed the man to learn too much.
Besides, when the man massaged his arms and legs, the king felt his magic changing. That magic was not one of the three that the king had determined. The king called it Resonance, and if the man had a fourth type of magic that should not exist, he would have to bury him.
If the man had not been so clever, the king might have done it himself. The man asked the king for permission and set out for the Iron Tower of Heaven. The king knew he would never return. And he, too, knew the king’s feelings.
Had he not chosen to remain at the Iron Tower of Heaven until he rusted fully, the king would likely have sucked the life from him eventually.
Those like Rainbow Mole and Sleeping Man, who had been in this world for a long time, each served the king in their own ways. However, they did not remain to serve at his side, either.
They worked for the king, with loyalty and sincerity. If they did not, the king would have killed them. However, they did not trust the king. Neither did the king trust them.
No, that wasn’t it; because the king did not trust them, they were unable to trust the king.
Whichever it was, the result was the same.
I’m all alone, the king reflected. Even though I’m always naked like this, no one will say that the king has no clothes.
Nobody even realizes I’m naked.
(It’s not nobody.) ...Who?
You who see me, who are you?
That magic, could it be... Resonance?
Didn’t you rust at the Iron Tower of Heaven?
(I’m not him.)
You saw? Saw me. You saw through me. With that magic, you understood me?
(I
...am me.
And you.
...Niiyama
Reon.)
Niiyama Reon.
My name.
In that case...
If you know that, you must know.
What I’ve done.
Everything I’ve done in this place.
When the monsters, that horde of dream monsters attacked, I... I didn’t abandon the adults who ran. I...
I joined the dream monsters, devoured them.
Every last one.
If they’d survived, they’d have been in my way. Even one. I mean, they knew me. Knew my weaknesses.
I’m a ten-year-old kid.
The fact is, I was the leader, but I still had to make them laugh, had to sing and dance, to make them like me.
Because I was ten, and weak. I figured, no matter what, I wasn’t going to make it alone. I felt lonely. I wanted to be liked. I wanted to be useful to everyone. I wanted to help them. But they used me.
I was always desperate, doing my very best. But they, they spoke about me behind my back, and they were always having sex. Didn’t they have anything better to be doing? But I was a child, so I pretended not to see. I was a brat. Just a kid. How could I help it? I was ten. An honest-to-goodness child.
I regret nothing. I was always right. It was for the best this way. I’m fine with this. I won’t open the door. I won’t go anywhere. I’m staying here. I won’t go home.
(You’re scared.)
Yeah, I’m scared.
How many people do you think I’ve killed? How many have I sucked the life from?
I’ve committed no crime, of course. This is my country. I am the king. Parano is my kingdom. I decide what justice is, and what crimes are. I did what was right. Because everything I do is right. Here, at least. For as long as I’m in Parano, I can’t be wrong.
I don’t know who you are, but I sucked the life from your comrade, too. I made it mine.
It’s no sin. I won’t be judged for it. I did nothing wrong.
In fact, I did a good thing. I want to praise myself, tell myself I did well.
I will be the great king, now and forever.
(But you’re alone.)
Not a problem. I was always alone. In the end, there is only one king. Rulers are isolated by nature. I’ll get by. I mean, I’ve got time. It will probably never run out. I’ll always be here. I may feel a little restrained, and there are inconveniences, but I’ll work them out with time.
I know. I know I can’t trust you people. It’s folly to trust anyone to begin with. Once we’ve played a bit, I can kill you, or I can suck your life out. Your husks won’t be anything of value, but I’ll make them act as lookouts with my magic.
I know. That’s right. If you’re not limited by the principle of three types, the possibilities of magic are endless. It’s not that my magic was always like this. The things I could do grew little by little, and I got stronger. It may take time, but I can sort anything out with magic. I have all the time in the world. I only need myself. I don’t need anyone else. The only mage there needs to be... is me.

(You’re not alone.)

I—

(You are not alone.)

Not... alone?

(Yeah.
You’re not alone.
I’m here.)

No.
Don’t lie.
You’ll never forgive me. I can’t be forgiven.
I was ten.
I was a child.
Just a ten-year-old child. But still...
I killed.
For my own sake.
I killed so many.
(I know.)
(Because I am you.)
(Not someone else.)
(I am you, too.)
But,
I
Find myself
So very...

Repulsive.

I’m scared.
Of myself, more than anything.
The things I’ve done. The things I’d do. I’d do anything.
I had no choice. It was to protect myself. Everyone puts themselves first. It’s just how we are.
But, really? Is it really?
Like, what about the people who put themselves in the way to protect me?
They were older than me. I acted as charming as I could, in order to make them like me. They fell for my trap.
They were good people. Putting me before themselves. They helped me. I was saved by them. Again and again, they saved my life.
Using those good people as stepping stones, I became the king.
A lonely king. One who’s naked, but nobody realizes it.
I’m afraid of me.
That’s why I shouldn’t open the door.
I have to stay here.
I’ll stay king forever.
No one can open the door.
Don’t go anywhere.
Don’t leave me alone.
I don’t want to be alone.
I’m lonely.
But I need to stay alone.

(You’re not alone.)
(Niiyama Reon.)
(There’s someone here.)
(Me.)
(Come out.)
(Because, I...)
(...am here.)
Here.


(Next to you.)
(Look.)
(I...)
(...am holding your hand.)

This hand...

It’s warm.

 

20. Door [knock_on_heaven’s_door]


It was as if blood had begun to flow through the slim wrist he was holding.
Niiyama Reon’s legs were cast out before him, and he sat on the floor of the royal hall, while Haruhiro knelt and held his left wrist.
It wasn’t that there had been no blood flow before. Reon was living. But it had been cool, and he hadn’t felt alive. His body temperature was gradually returning.
Reon slowly lifted his head to look at Haruhiro. The whites of his eyes were so white, they seemed pale. Haruhiro was reflected in his brownish pupils.
“Hey,” Haruhiro said gently.
Reon looked back down. Still, Haruhiro didn’t let go of his hand.
“Put this on him,” Alice said, throwing a cloak. It was one Haruhiro had originally been wearing.
Haruhiro let go of Reon’s wrist, and picked up the cloak. He put the coat over Reon who was hugging his own knees.
“...The things I did were horrible,” Reon rasped.
“Yeah.” Haruhiro looked around the royal hall.
It probably wasn’t accurate to call them Doppels, but the clones made by Reon’s magic had all vanished.
Was Gomi trying to open the jail and save their comrade? Ahiru had hooked his belt on the cage, and was in the process of lowering it. Io was sitting on the ground next to the shadow that had been Tonbe.
The husk didn’t move in the slightest. It had no thickness, as if it were just a shadow. He had been Reon just moments ago, so Haruhiro knew. Tonbe wouldn’t be coming back.
Reon had used magic to suck out something like the essence of what made Tonbe Tonbe. That shadow was the dregs. There was no Tonbe anywhere anymore.
Setora, Kiichi, and Kuzaku were hesitating on whether or not they should approach Shihoru.
Shihoru was sitting on the ground, looking up at the ceiling, perhaps with her mind elsewhere, but she wasn’t crying now. If she cried, it was over.
Before she did, they had to do what needed to be done.
“Huh? Where’s Merry...?” Haruhiro wondered.
He found her quickly. Merry was pulling the armrests off the door, trying to take the chains off it.
“Kuzaku, or someone! Help her!” Haruhiro called.
“’K-Kay!” Kuzaku ran off at an incredible speed. His physical abilities were enhanced with Narci, so he moved so fast that it was like a bad joke.
Alice shouldered the shovel and went to follow Kuzaku, but suddenly stopped and looked back. Those reddish-brown eyes that were close to crimson lay not upon Haruhiro, but on Reon.
“We’re opening the door,” Haruhiro said. “What about you?”
“I...”
“Let’s go.” Haruhiro forcefully pulled Reon to his feet, pushing him towards Alice.
Reon stumbled, and nearly fell. Yet still, he managed to walk on those skinny legs in no time.
“Setora and Kiichi, too!” Haruhiro called. “Io, we’re going! Tonbe left it to me to take care of you! Let’s go back to Grimgar together! Come on!”
Haruhiro sent Setora, Kiichi, and Io towards the door one after another. There was something else he needed to do. He had to do it himself. Haruhiro couldn’t leave this to anyone else.
He didn’t want to provoke her more than necessary, but was it better to do this slowly and take his time, or to hurry? He wasn’t sure. He couldn’t say either was right, so it was probably fifty-fifty.
Making his decision, he decided to approach her like normal.
“Shihoru! You, too!”
He pulled her to her feet without waiting for a response, then took off running, just like that. It was sink or swim now.
He didn’t care what happened; this was the only thing he could do. He couldn’t leave Shihoru behind, so this wasn’t just an act of desperation.
This is the only way. This is for the best, was what Haruhiro was thinking.
There’d have been nothing he could have done if Shihoru had blown up before they reached the king, but he had still wanted to drag Shihoru along, if possible. He’d prepared himself for the worst with that very intention.
Please, it’s just a bit further... please don’t cry, Shihoru.
While praying, he headed for the door. He didn’t have the courage to look at her.
For now, even as she stumbled, Shihoru was keeping up. That was enough.
With a great swing of Gomi’s greatsword smashing the jail, a man with bangs so long his face was hidden came out.
That was Tasukete, huh?
“Io-samaaa! Io-samaaa!” Tasukete wailed.
Ahiru finished lowering the cage. The door had been locked, but with his belt, Tasukete had apparently been able to get it open easily.
“Yuiko!” Ahiru shouted, extending his hand.
As he did so, the woman who had been forced to wear an outfit that made her look like a bird jumped into his arms.
“Yoshiharu, I believed in you!” she cried.
“Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” Kuzaku was tearing the chains off the door with brute force.
Kiichi, with Setora on his back, bounded up the levels of the jail.
In one place, there was a staircase two meters across. Io, Alice, and Reon were climbing those stairs. Haruhiro followed them.
On the way up, Shihoru suddenly came to a stop.
“Whoa, Shihoru...”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Looking at her, Shihoru’s eyes were sparkling. They were misty.
She looks ready to cry. Oh, crap. Is it no good? After we’ve come so far? No!
“It matters to me!” Haruhiro picked up Shihoru. It was the position you might know as the bridal or princess carry.
Shihoru’s practically naked. She’s ridiculously soft, too. Man, I’m not sure I should be doing this. Not that I’m gonna start acting weird or anything. Not in this situation. But, yeah, I don’t think I have any romantic feelings for her. I do like Shihoru. We’ve been through a lot. I like her so much, I don’t even know how to express it. Of course she matters to me. Maybe I’m going to die to Shihoru’s sparkling tears. But if the alternative is giving up on her, she matters enough to me that I can think, “I’m fine with that.”
He climbed the stairs. Three steps at a time. Kuzaku had already opened the door. The other side of it was nothing but a dirty white wall, but when Io, Gomi, and Tasukete charged into it, they vanished.
That door was linked to another world. From up on top of Kiichi, Setora looked back. She went through the door that way.
Reon was hesitating in front of the door. Alice kicked him in the butt.
“Hurry up!”
“Wah!”
And Reon vanished beyond the door, too.
“Ahiru, what about you?!” Alice demanded.
“I’m...” With Yonaki Uguisu still in his embrace, Ahiru smiled. “...staying with her. I never want us to be apart again.”
Alice shrugged, then casually jumped through the door.
Was Shihoru about to cry? Was she already crying. Haruhiro didn’t know.
The door was right there. If he ran out of strength here, he’d have no regrets, but it was just a bit further.
I want to go home, to that place, with everyone...

 

21. Continue [re_start]


Ngh... This is... Huh...? Where... is this...?
It’s dark. Not pitch dark... though. There’s this faint, greenish... light.
The floor...
The ground...
It’s hard. And cold. Is it stone, or something...?
I’m lying down?
Was I sleeping?
No... That’s not it. I feel like it was something else... not sleep.
I was somewhere, on a long path. Not so much walking, as... I’m not sure, but falling... I feel like.
It felt like I was spinning, too...
I feel like that was a thing that happened before...
Parano. Right. It was in Parano.
I think... it was different from that time, though.
More like... I was inside a tornado... Not that I’ve ever been... inside a tornado...
Is everyone here? They are... right? If they aren’t... we have a problem.
“...”
I can’t speak. Can’t move, either.
Why? Am I numb... maybe?
My eyes... I can’t see so well, either. Is it ’cause... it’s dark?
I wonder.
Something’s shining.
Faintly.
On the ground, or the floor.
Shining lines...
A pattern?
Is someone here?
It’s like... they’re standing, not that far away.
“Hiyo.” I hear a low, husky voice. That’s a man’s voice.
“Yeeees, Master?” Another voice. This time... a woman?
...Huh?
I feel like... I’ve... heard it before?
“Begin administering the drugs. We’ll have them forget what they don’t need to know.”
“Nyaaaah. There’s a lot of them, this’ll be rough by myseeeelf. Of course, I’m gonna do it, you know? It’s time to work, work, work, yes sirree. Kyapii!”
“Also... These two.”
“Hmm? Ahh. Erm, this kid, and this kid, riiiight?”
“Yes. I’ll think of another use for them.”
“All righty! Now then, now then, we’ll begin administering Master’s super secret druuuugs. They’re special drugs Master made with a relic, you knoooow? We can’t let them go to waste! I’ll use them with caaaare.”
“You speak too much...”
“Wawawah! I’m sorry! But... but... I’ll do a good job! That’s Hiyomu for you, no mistakes, no mistakes!”
“Then get to it already.”
“Yes sirree, nyaa!” What...?
Master...?
Hiyomu...? Wait, huh...?
That Hiyomu...?
Come to think of it... that voice in the Leslie Camp...
Oh... that was... Hiyomu’s voice.
Master... wait... who?
It’s so dark... I can’t see. Where... is this place?
Hiyomu’s... doing something.
Close by.
“Oh, my. You... you’re awake?” I can’t see her face well.
“Hm... Well, whatever. You still can’t move, right? It’s all the same, then.”
I was on my side, but she’s flipping me onto my back. Hiyomu’s leaning over right above my head.
Are they called twintails, that hairstyle?

No doubt about it. That’s Hiyomu.
“Okayyyy, open wide and say, ‘Ahhhh.’ Come on. Open wide. You’re awake, aren’t you?”
I clench my mouth shut with all my strength, but she forces it open. Right now, Hiyomu’s touching my cheeks and jaw with her hand...
Magic.
Right.
Use magic.
Resonance.
No.
It’s no good.
Nothing’s happening.
Yeah... I thought so.
Anyone can use magic. That was one of the rules of Parano. It only applies in Parano.
I anticipated that once we went to another world, we wouldn’t be able to use magic anymore. It seems it’s true.
I’m sure Shihoru won’t be a trickster anymore, either. Now that we’re out of Parano, Shihoru should be fine. I was right... but, this is—





“Ooookay, here’s your medicine. Drinkie, drinkie. It’s going to be okay. It doesn’t hurt. It may not taste good, but you’re going to forget anyway. Yes, yes, gooood. Now swallow. Huhhhh? You’re still resisting? What a bother. Weeeell, how’s this, then? If I shut your mouth and pinch your nose, you have no choice but to swallow, right? Hee hee. Okay. Good boy, good boy...”








“Awaken.”








He opened his eyes, feeling like he’d heard someone’s voice.
It was dark. Nighttime, maybe? But not pitch black. There were lights. Fire. Above him. Some kind of lighting. Candles, it looked like. Small ones affixed to the wall. Not just one, but many, spaced evenly, continuing as far as he could see.
Where was this place?
It was kind of hard to breathe. When he tried touching the wall, it was hard and rocky. This was no wall. It was just bare rock. Little wonder his back was sore after lying against it. His butt hurt, too.
Maybe he was in a cave... A cave? Why would he be in a cave...?
Those candles were pretty high up. He might be able to reach one if he stood; that was how high they were. Moreover, they didn’t even give off enough light for him to see his hands and feet.
But he sensed the presence of others nearby. When he listened closely, there was a faint noise that sounded like breathing.
“Is anyone there?”
“Uh... Yeah.”
“...Yes.”
“Where is this place?”
“Nyaa...”
“Erm, I... I’m here.”
“I-I-I dunno, guys... What is this? I wish someone could help me...”
“I’ve gotta be hung over or somethin’. I feel like shit...”
“Could you stay away from me? You stink.”
It wasn’t just him. There were a number of others. Men, and women.
“Hold on, where... is this? Does anyone... know?”
“Nah...” The big man who was close by to him shook his head.
Thanks to the candles, his eyes were gradually adjusting to the light. “I... wonder. Wait... um, I’m... Hmm. What was it again...”
“Huh... What?”
“I’m probably... called Kuzaku.”
“Ohh. Your name?”
“Yeah, but... I don’t remember. I can’t recall.”
“Recall what? Ah...!”
He clutched at his chest tightly, as if trying to claw something off of it. He had no clue what was going on. How long had he been here? Why was he here?
When he began to consider his situation, something began to tug at the back of his mind. But it suddenly vanished before he could latch on to it.
He didn’t know. He didn’t know anything. He was at a complete loss.
“...I’m the same,” he said at last. “Just that my name’s... Haruhiro. What is this...?”

 

Afterword
I will now confess to a crime I committed.
It was a long time ago now, but when I was a kid, there was a lumber mill in walking distance from my house.
I often snuck in there, and I would steal scraps of wood.
Well, it was a lumber mill, and it produced a lot of wood waste. There were mountains of the stuff piled up. I think they just threw the stuff out, so they might have given it to me if I’d asked. But at the time, I was in elementary school, so I couldn’t resolve myself to talk to the people who worked at the lumber mill.
Now, as for what I used those wood scraps for, I cut them into an appropriate size with a saw, nailed them together with a hammer, and made swords and shields.
Even I, who had a limited circle of associates, had a number of friends who’d join me in doing that sort of thing. We fought serious sword battles with our self-made swords and shields.
Though we were defending with shields, wooden swords are on a different level from a newspaper wrapped in packing tape. They have quite a lot of power.
Also, as we fought, we polished our combat technique. It was quite hard to slip past a shield and land a blow on the body, but it was just a matter of targeting the shield. If you pounded wildly on the shield, you might get lucky and destroy it, and failing that, the beating might make the person holding it lose their balance. You used that opening to hit them.
We were doing this with the strength of children, but it wasn’t uncommon for blood to be shed in our sword fights.
Not satisfied with wooden swords, some of us made long spears, and the shield and long spear combination was fearsome.
If it were just a shield, all you would have to do is close the gap, but when you closed in, you’d be pushed back by the shield, they’d get some distance from you, and then they’d attack with the spear again. When fighting a spear user, you had to do something about the spear itself, or you’d never win.
Now, when I think back on these things, I feel like it’s not all that different from now.

Chapter end