Dragonlord

Ep 213. You’re Not From This Time, Are You? (6)

Ep 213. You’re Not From This Time, Are You? (6)

“…Is it…over?”

Still with her shaking hands, the elven girl nervously peeked out of the barn window.

The massive fireball that had accompanied the explosive sound had finally seemed to disappear from the sky. But now, thick smoke was clouding where it had been, carrying an unmistakable scent of fire within.

And soon after, the girl’s mother likewise arose to her feet, slowly making their way towards the barn’s entrance.

It hadn’t been very long since their guests had left. And she couldn’t seem to shake off the dreadful feeling that was weighing heavy in her chest.

Of course, having learned shamanism didn’t mean her intuition was perfect. Even her readings were often wrong to boot. But…

This time, the unease simply refused to fade.

✧   ✧   ✧

“…’Fortress’ my ass. It’s just a fortress-shaped bomb.”

“It is a fake, after all. The only individual aboard was but a doll engineered to appear as its creator. I’d suppose that the actual fortress lies elsewhere.”

With a solemn gaze, Serenis studied the mountain of black rubble that the fortress had become. Although the structure’s surface had always been dark in color, the pieces were now mere scraps of black, destroyed beyond recognition.

‘…Foolish mistake.’

She’d mistaken a mere effigy as the deity itself. Intentional or not, Letherien had resultantly learned of her opponent’s ability to sense divinity, as well as their appearance and nature.

Though, conversely, Serenis had gained precious knowledge from the short encounter as well – namely, the fact that Letherien could create such simulacrums, and that there could be a number of others besides.

But before the dragonlord’s thoughts could reach any further, a small portion of the rubble before her began to rattle. Both Iris and Patrick quickly made their way over to stand before her, both eyeing the small disturbance.

 “Careful now. Could be a second explosion from some remaining dust.”

“…Wait. Isn’t that a hand?”

“…Hand?”

When Patrick’s gaze followed where Iris was pointing at, he could indeed see a charred, blackened limb sticking out of the rubble. It then began to brush the surfaces nearby before clawing at one spot, proceeding to push the rest of the body upwards.

That is, a headless body carrying its missing head in its other arm.

“Holy, what the hell am I looking at?!”

“…Letherien.”

“…”

The headless body was hardly covered, the fabric being a single layer of burnt, tattered clothing. Parts of it were burnt to its very core, and even the head that it was carrying was now mostly charred black.

But while the three all reacted differently to the destroyed effigy’s appearance, Letherien herself smiled joyously, approaching them thereafter.

Or rather, she approached one of the three in specific.

“My, that’s a familiar voice!”

The artificial deity didn’t seem to care one bit about their limping leg. Or the bits of clay that was falling from it every second. Or how disturbing it was to see a headless body holding its talking head.

“You were here after all, Felicis. You’ve changed so much.”

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, don’t be like that. I’d never forget your voice, dear. I’m surprised your brother isn’t here with you though…did you finally throw him into a volcano?”

“…”

“And I was looking forward to seeing him again. What a shame.”

With a heavy frown, Iris stared down at Letherien’s talking head.

Unlike her, the deity of creation didn’t seem to have changed at all over the last few centuries. Other than the fact that Letherien was now carrying her head in her arms, that is.

“Oh? Did I upset you? Would you like some sweets, dear?”

“…Why are you…”

“Hmm?”

“…Why are you like this? Can’t you behave like a deity for once? You, Felicir…it’s like you two never get tired of killing people.”

“Don’t be like that. Unlike your brother, my people love me.”

Iris bitterly clenched her fists. Historically, the deity of creation had made that statement true through brute force – those that managed to learn of Letherien’s nature never managed to live very long afterwards.

Not that Letherien cared for it herself.

“Besides, aren’t you the one who should behave more like a deity? You’ve been hiding behind your brother, playing human all along. Did you even accomplish anything in the last century?”

“…”

No matter how hard the enforcer bit her lips, she couldn’t think of anything to answer with.

Even before discarding her divinity, Iris – or Felicis, rather – had hardly done anything as a deity of mana. She’d shared her arts to mankind in the very beginning, but the development that followed was facilitated through their hands, not hers. She’d done little besides the occasional request from her brother.

However, the dragonlord begged to differ.

“At the very least, she has never slaughtered the weak like you have.”

Interjecting with a flat voice, Serenis stepped forth to snatch the effigy’s head by its hair, bringing it close to stare directly into its eyes.

“You claim to be a monarch, and yet you haven’t the faintest grasp on the value of your subjects. Unlike you, she’s worked tirelessly for the sake of her people.”

“…Haha.”

With a devilish smile, Letherien glared at Iris from the corners of her eyes.

Nothing about this dragon pleased her. Their attitude, their righteous tone…the ridiculousness of their magic.

But what irked her even more was how Felicis was still standing tall, looking down with a disgusted gaze. Almost as if she’d won already.

And that, unnerved the deity of creation to no end.

“…You know, it just so happens that I have another fortress near Partivine right now. I wonder how long a city of magicians would last without the Magician there to protect them?”

“What?”

“Your brother would get so upset whenever I entertained the thought of playing with you and your city. But he’s not around anymore, is he?”

“…That doesn’t make any sense. Felicir devastated Partivine himself.”

“But he didn’t harm you, did he? He’d never harm his precious sister.”

“…”

The effigy’s disturbing grin continued to widen as she spoke.

“There is value in you, Felicis. There is value in all of the Twelve.”

Your people, on the other hand, are worthless.