Crossroad downtown. The smithy.
"Huh, huhuhuhu..."
Dearmudin let out a sinister laugh.
Today, he was clad in the gear crafted from the newly completed magic core of Wingian—the [Old Phoenix].
The robe, thick with dusky grey feathers, suited Dearmudin quite well as he stroked his long beard and stood confidently. It gave him the air of a villain from a martial arts novel.
'Something about him reminds me of the leader of an evil sect...'
He didn't look like a hero of the righteous path; it was more the other side. Maybe it was because of the color of the robe?
The old mage seemed quite pleased with his new gear, spinning around in place and inspecting himself in the mirror.
"Truth be told, I've never mentioned this, but,"
"Yes?"
"Every time the other youngsters received impressive gear, I wondered when it would be my turn—I looked forward to it."
You've been expecting this, I had no idea...
"I didn't show it, but I thought, 'Why are they making me wait so long? What are they planning to give me?'"
"..."
"And just when my disappointment was about to reach its limit, you manage to deliver just in time. Huhu, Prince Ash, you really are perceptive."
No, I'm not... I didn't realize you thought that...
Of course, I didn't show my surprise outwardly and simply smiled.
"It took a while to find the right gear to present to you, Dearmudin. How do you like it?"
"Good. Very good. The gear crafted in our exclusive Ivory Tower workshop is already powerful, but this one is on another level."
Then Dearmudin snapped his fingers.
"And this feature is amazing."
With a snap—
Flap!
Large wings unfurled from both sides of the robe. Onlookers ducked to avoid the spreading wings, all while expressing their amazement (and alarm).
"It's like giving wings to a tiger!"
Dearmudin referred to himself as a tiger, but no one thought it was arrogant. After all, this old man truly deserved that title...
"With these wings, I can cast flight magic on all our allies in the vicinity. We'll be able to easily dodge even the dreadful dragon attacks."
Dearmudin flapped the wings for demonstration and then flashed me a grin.
"Plus, it enhances sensitivity to wind attributes. With this..."
"So, you can use wind magic now?"
"No, that's not my style. I'll use the wind to fuel even stronger flames."
He was quite openly a pyromaniac, this old man. Always looking to enhance his fire magic.
Besides this special function, the robe, infused with a dragon's heart, also boasts impressive performance.
Particularly, I was impressed by the built-in magic amplification feature.
It works just like the Artifact Power Amplifiers currently in use on the front lines. It can amplify magical power a limited number of times.
It's truly a piece of equipment that gives wings to Dearmudin, who is already a formidable damage-dealer, a nuker.
"For a mage, there might be no better equipment than this. I will make good use of it, Prince Ash."
Holding a flame in his hand, Dearmudin muttered.
"Now I can avenge those children even better..."
"...Having seen the other gear distributed to the heroes, you should know."
I felt the need to remind him.
"That equipment is also a sort of Nightmare Slayer... imbued with the malice of monsters. Please be careful how you use it, Dearmudin."
"Don't worry too much. To have survived this long in such a position, one must befriend the darkness."
Dearmudin laughed ominously.
"No half-hearted darkness can bring me down."
"..."
I silently nodded.
Dearmudin is the strongest offensive mage on the front lines, owner of the Ivory Tower, and, as he says, a veteran of many battles. Naturally, I trust him.
Meanwhile, several other pieces of equipment were being produced simultaneously. Some were custom-made for me.
"Here, this is that infamous cape you ordered!"
Kellibey announced, waving a thin, red cape like a matador.
"You have no idea how hard we worked to pack defensive capabilities into this thin cape... Especially these past few weeks, we've been stoking the magical fire in the forge to the point of melting, even adding more firewood!"
At that comment, I suddenly looked around and saw members of the production guild, covered in sweat and black soot, scattered throughout the smithy.
It wasn't for nothing; the production guild members were indeed dying.
Carpenters and stone masons were deployed mainly for the assembly of the city walls, while blacksmiths and alchemists were busy with the production of equipment.
Since magic construction techniques and assembly work were necessary for the city walls, blacksmiths and alchemists were also deployed there.
The creation of equipment likewise required stone masons and carpenters to repair the existing forges, build new ones, and select stones that could withstand magical fire and the right kind of fuel to burn...
With a shortage of labor, even individuals from the four major races with the necessary skills were drafted to lend a hand.
Everyone was filthy but continued to work silently. Thanks to this, both the repair of the city walls and the production of equipment were on schedule.
"...I'm sorry for making you all work so hard."
Kellibey, who handed me the cape, grumbled sourly.
"Hey, we have it easier here than you heroes risking your lives on the front lines."
"..."
"Don't apologize. Everyone on the front lines is fighting with the readiness to die. My complaint was just—"
Kellibey made a motion as if gulping down a mug of beer.
"—asking for a refreshing drink now and then. Got it?"
"Ha, understood. I'll make sure it's a top-notch drink."
"Right, right. Anyway, here's your cape."
Kellibey gestured to the cape in my arms and scratched his head.
"It should withstand a blast... You probably won't die. Maybe."
"Were you just saying that, or did you really manage to do it?"
"Just don't get hit on purpose. You might not die, but you could get seriously hurt."
"Understood. I'll think of it as for emergencies."
Then, I also received a suit of armor. This time it was specially crafted for me, fitting my body perfectly. I was emphatically instructed not to pass it on to anyone else.
The heroes under my command all rushed in and forced me into it. I messed up, so just let me put it on myself...
"Considering your poor stamina, it's been made especially lighter."
"Thank you so much..."
It seems everyone in this city has memorized my poor stamina... I muttered as I finished putting on the armor.
The armor, made of thin leather, was comfortable. Although not comfortable enough to sleep in, it seemed I wouldn't feel any discomfort while running or rolling around.
As I dressed in the armor and cape, all the heroes around me sighed in relief. Was I really that much of a concern to them before?
"..."
Other heroes were also receiving and donning new equipment.
Dressed in armor, robes, and capes, all the heroes looked noticeably darker in appearance.
It was inevitable since the equipment was made using byproducts of the Black Dragon Legion.
It felt like everyone had taken a step closer to the darkness... which didn't make me entirely happy.
"The raid on Ipian is scheduled for tomorrow morning."
I looked around at the heroes, led by Dearmudin, and announced once more.
"Make sure to rest well, everyone."
The heroes nodded solemnly in response.
The Black Dragon Legion raid seemed extensive at first but was now nearing its end.
The battle with Ipian is tomorrow.
***
After encouraging the heroes who would depart tomorrow.
Early in the night, I returned to the mansion and headed to the garden.
"That constellation over there is the Lighthouse, see? Standing tall at the entrance of the Milky Way, stretching out, illuminating other constellations like a lighthouse."
In the garden, a lecture by Scalian on constellations was in progress.
The dragon, more knowledgeable in human lore than humans themselves, was lecturing not only Violet and Parekian but also other Gambler's Club heroes and even the mansion's servants, who were all listening intently to the night sky.
Especially Parekian, who had initially been wary of his sibling, now stretched his featureless head long into the night sky, completely absorbed.
Violet placed one hand over Parekian's head, showing him the night sky through illusion, while munching on cookies with the other hand. She seemed much more at ease.
"And that one is the Claw, also known as the Plough. It looks like a claw but also like the end of a farming tool, right? So in ancient times, it was a constellation that both hunters and farmers prayed to for prosperity."
"...!"
When he mentioned the Claw, Parekian stretched his neck even further upward. He was nearly standing on his spot.
"Wow, Claw! I'm falling, I'm falling!"
Violet couldn't maintain her stance and screamed, startling Parekian who then slowly lowered his posture and gently enveloped her.
"That's right. Good, good."
Violet, her hands greasy from eating cookies, casually wiped them on Parekian's head. Parekian, whether he realized it or not, submitted to her touch like a well-trained beast.
"Assigning rules among the stars thrown into chaos, carving names and symbols, and giving them stories. Isn't human creativity truly amazing?"
Meanwhile, absorbed in his own tale, Scalian continued his lecture regardless of the surroundings.
"Even though they don't know the true nature of the darkness beyond those stars..."
"Ahem!"
The constellation talk was interesting, but the pressing matter wasn't this.
As I cleared my throat and approached, the people in the garden turned to look at me.
"Your Highness!"
"You've arrived, Your Highness!"
"Yes, I have. Now, since we have a sortie tomorrow, let's all start wrapping up for today."
Following my command, everyone began to disperse with sounds of agreement.
"Scalian."
Approaching the dragon, who seemed disappointed to be interrupted, I asked bluntly.
"Are you really not planning to help in tomorrow's battle?"
"I've told you, Ash."
Scalian scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I want to watch from the sidelines, to see what measures you humans take and what heroic battles you fight. If I join in, the balance will be completely ruined."
"..."
"Are you expecting it? How you will defeat my elder brother."
I considered using 'Imperial Edict' to force him to participate, but.
If I had to drag this guy into the battlefield, it would be more fitting during Night Bringer raid, not the Ipian raid.
"What about Ipian? Isn't there any chance of persuading him?"
Avoiding battle if possible was the best course.
I looked around at the two captive dragons in my garden and asked.
"I heard last time that if the world ends, you die too, right? Wouldn't Ipian also not want to die?"
It was a story I heard when capturing Scalian. If the world ends, these creatures die too.
I thought they just planned to live peacefully among themselves after the apocalypse... But it seems the world that Night Bringer imagines after the destruction is different.
"We are but extensions and avatars created from a part of our father's body, tools to achieve his great deeds."
Scalian stated calmly.
"It's natural for tools to be discarded once their use is over. After achieving the destruction of the world, we were meant to be discarded from the beginning."
"..."
"Initially, the destruction that our father envisions—a process that returns this world to nothingness—includes even his own death."
After reducing the entire world to ashes, he even plans to erase his own life.
Why would Night Bringer want to end the world to such an extent?
- You are a mortal, aren't you? Eventually, your life will decline, and the ideals you hold will weather away and perish.
Suddenly, the resonant voice that visited me at the end of the "King of Flies" echoed in my mind.
- The end is a given. So, what kind of end do you wish for?
- Tell me, great ender. While fighting to prevent the world's destruction, what kind of death do you desire?
I really want to ask.
Night Bringer, what...
What kind of death do you wish for?
--TL Notes--