Katahane no Riku

Chapter 39.Scaredy rabbits

Deep at night, the moon wasn′t at the center of the sky anymore.

From inside the walls of Karkata, the flames of the fire were being lifted. The fire that was burning under the darkness of the night made the walls illuminated. The screams that told of there being a rebellion or there being a traitor, being carried by the wind, were heard even from bellow the hill. It looked like the confusion wasn′t being well handled. At the same time, the fire was getting worse, having the sea of flames getting wider and wider. And during all the confusion, the gates of the fortress quietly opened.

“…As expected of Raku-sama.”

While looking at the situation using binoculars, Mary gave a faint smirk.

“Everyone, it is the time to attack!”

Mary gave the command to the ten thousand soldiers she was leading. With the orders given, the army rushed straight over Karkata′s hill.

All was for the sake of offering this victory to her beloved Rook. Because of things he said about how they should be friendly to demons, it made his lack of resolve as the head of the Barusak family. But this didn′t matter. This naivety was part of Rook Barusak′s charm; all it was needed was to once again have him set his resolve.

That′s why, from now on, she decided to devote herself on being of use to Rook. She would aid Rook by having him walk the path of the domination of the demons.

“Attack!!”

While raising their voices loud, they rushed through the gate. War was either winning or losing. She would be now attacking through the gap made by the confusion and overpowering the enemy with numbers. There was no way the brave Barusak soldiers would lose to the demons, which had their command in chaos. Not only Mary, but everybody believed in their victory without suspecting of anything.

“Shoot!”

That was until they had heard that sharp voice coming from above.

The soldiers that were hiding on the walls, on the roof of the residences and on the balconies at the second floor of the houses simultaneously drew their bows. A great amount of arrows poured down at them all at once. All of the Barusak soldiers had convinced themselves that the demons were disordered because of the fire inside their base. There was no way they would have expected they would get attacked despite how the gate had opened. They were too overconfident about that. Therefore, they couldn′t do anything about the arrow rain that had been waiting for them.

“Kgh!”( くっ!)

The arrows pierced the Barusak soldiers one after another. Mary, who was riding her horse at the front of the army, wasn′t an exception. Being showered by the arrow rain, she became like a hedgehog. Looking at their leader, Mary, who fell down her horse, and then looking at all their comrades being pierced by the arrows, the Barusak soldiers that were following behind all immediately had their faces becoming pale. As if they had noticed that if they were to waste their time standing there, they would be the next to become hedgehogs, the Barusak soldiers turned back without hesitations.

“Re-retreat!!”

The Barusak soldiers started to retreat at full speed. Looking at the Barusak soldiers acting like that, Riku started to laugh loudly. Where could the brave attitude they had before have gone to? The scene of the soldiers going down the mountains disorderly trying to flee each on their own to save their life was so funny to Riku to the point of her holding her stomach.

“Aha, ahahahahaha!! For them to run back to their holes so fast, they are just like scaredy rabbits. No, rabbits still have some cuteness.”

More than anything, rabbits had good ears.*1

Just because the gate was opened didn′t mean they would be able to easily invade the fortress. They were probably happy their plan had worked out, but they should have been more attentive after entering the enemy base. This was the reason for the Barusak′s defeat.

“We are going after them. Follow me.”

Riku gallantly rode her horse.

By following after those Barusak soldiers, they would be able to quickly get to their main troops. The number of soldiers that had attacked were approximately ten thousand. The other soldiers at the main forces are probably lazing around by now. To be assured, she considered whether she should be away from them by some distance when following after them, but looking at the pale faces the soldiers had made at the time they had retreated, it was possible to see that what happened to them was without doubt completely out of their expectations. At least, the way they turned their tail and ran didn′t look like a performance. About eight or nine out of ten, they were indeed running away.

“Now then, let′s go.”

Riku licked her lips. Riding her horse, the sound of the wind being cut through passed near her ears. The sound of the wind, the footsteps of the demon soldiers following behind her, the too much defenseless Barusak encampment that was in front of her eyes: all that made Riku enthusiastic.

Before long, the curtains were about to be raised to her next moments of bliss. Riku was excited to the battle that was about to happen before her eyes.

————

It was like hell.

The tragedy of blood being washed with blood was once again spreading through his view. It was as if he was dreaming.

But he still knew that it wasn′t a dream. Rook believed Mary was going to achieve success with the plan and went to sleep in his own pavilion. But his slumber suddenly came to an end. He received a notification that the demons were doing a night attack. Desperately jumping up from his bed, he wore his armor. But by this time, it was already too late. More than half of his army had already suffered devastating losses by the attack. Until the demons reached to Rook′s pavilion, it was probably only a question of time.

“Uu, urgh.”( う、うっぷ)

Without being able to endure the nausea, he fell to the ground. All was engulfed by a mood heavier than anything he had ever felt, and the air was filled with the smell of blood that made one choke.

He knew this was the characteristic ambience of a war. He had went to war many times and should have already become used to it. Such air felt like it was wrapping around his skin.

“Rook-sama!! Please, give the order of retreat!!”

One of the mercenary soldiers hurriedly said to him.

It was a soldier he didn′t remember the name and didn′t make an appearance in the game. It looked like he was a soldier that had a position above average, but this kind of thing didn′t matter.

“No, here… I need to take responsibility and fight…”

Rook unsteadily got up.

All this was his responsibility. The one that befell hell onto the Barusak army was none other than him. And so, there was no way he could run away.

“If it is me, if it is me, I can do something about it. …That′s right, the me of right now is Rook Barusak after all.”

As if saying it to himself, he said those words.

The himself of right now wasn′t that ordinary university student. He had reincarnated in a gyaru game as the main character; as the unparalleled genius, Rook Barusak. And so, he definitely is able to get out of this situation somehow. Rather, what kind of main character wouldn′t be able to do so?

“If it is me, even with the battle already in this state… I can do something about it. …I can′t run away; I must fight.”

“What are you saying!? We need to retreat and reorganize the troops!!”

But he mustn′t run away.

Rook was also worried about Mary. Under this situation, Mary′s survival was to the point of being hopeless. But there might still be an unexpected miracle. Perhaps she might still be alive after being taken prisoner. He needed to somehow find where his beloved and precious Mary was.

“But, we mustn′t run. Because I…”

“No, we need to retreat!!”

Rook unconsciously trembled at the mercenary′s threatening attitude.

His menacing look was like a devil′s. If a young child was to see that face, the child would immediately run away while crying. With the scary face that made him tremble all over, Rook became speechless. And facing against such attitude, the soldier was pressing him by showering him with words.

“Everything is over once the commander dies. In order to clear away the regrets of the people that died, you must survive. If you die now, there is no way you would be able to face the people of countless generations that had died before!!”

Saying that, the soldier grasped Rook′s hand. Forcefully making him stand up, he started to move while pulling Rook. Rook became at the soldier′s mercy.

“Now, please, ride on this horse. Or did you forget how to ride a horse!?”

“Ah, no, I didn′t.”

Somehow riding the horse, Rook turned back and gave one more glance to Karkata′s direction.

All was covered in a sea of fire, and he wasn′t able to see whether the soldiers were spiritualists or mercenaries, but probably, among the screams and yelling of people, there were some of people that were related to the Barusak family. Those voices made the hair on his nape stand up. In the end, he couldn′t bring himself to start having the feeling that he should retreat.

“…Sorry. In the end, I can′t run away.”

“Rook-sama, give the orders of retreat. This is not cowardice. There is courage in retreating now”

The soldier rejected his words. His voice felt mechanical and lacked emotion. Rook ignored the soldier′s words.

“If, if I don′t confirm whether Mary is alive… Yes, Mary might still be alive. So, I must save her. I, because, I!!”

“Mary-sama wouldn′t wish for Rook-sama to die here!!”

The sharp words gorged his chest. Together with pain, anger started to boil inside him. He didn′t want that soldier he didn′t even know the name to speak of Mary as if he knew her. Mary didn′t wish him to die? This was obvious. Is there any human that wouldn′t be sad with their family dying? If there is a human that wouldn′t be, then it can′t be considered a human. It would be an emotionless robot that looked like a human.

He hated how the soldier spoke of the obvious in a tone that was as if he knew everything, and more than anything, the way he acted that seemed to have decided that Mary had already died made him extremely angry.

“I know this even if you don′t tell me!! That′s why I…!?”

When he raised his face and saw how the soldier was glaring at him, he immediately closed his mouth.

The soldier′s expression was very severe. If one was to ask what kind of face a devil would have, it would be this one. His eyes were bloodshot and his lips were twisted; the teeth that he was biting his own lips with looked like fangs.

But from those eyes that were full of anger, a single tear fell.

“Please, give the order of retreat. Let′s survive and wait for the opportunity to get revenge. If it is you… It is possible.”

It was a declaration he had made because he cared deeply about the Barusak family.

Even now while Rook was surprised by his words, it was possible to feel the enemy rapidly approaching.

“Run away! There is a very strong demon out there!!”

“It′s the devil!! A red devil!!”

“D- don′t fear!! Although it is a demon, it is female! Go! We must kill it somehow!!”

“It′s impossible! There is no way we can kill that red haire… Gwa!”

Those voices that were closer to screams were quickly getting closer and closer. The sounds of weapons clashing weapons also added up to its brutality. If he was to run away, it needed to be now. It was as like if he was to lose his chance now, he would be engulfed by the war.

Closing his eyes for an instant, Mary′s face came to his mind.

Mary would always be following Rook two steps behind him.

For Rook′s sake, she was the one that worked the most and for the most time. She would always be beside him smiling and would always give him advices. When he felt down, she would politely encourage him. She would always gently hug him. Mary was a precious person to him, and despite her being a maid, to him, she was a member of his family. Rather than Raku, who would always be busy at her laboratory, or Riku, who was already gone, he felt Mary like she was his elder sister.

Perhaps, Mary was suffering at that burning fortress right now.

Or perhaps, she had already been released from her suffering and went to that place.

“Sorry, Mary. I will avenge you no matter what.”

When he opened his eyes once again, all the hesitation had vanished from them.

“We are retreating. We are retreating to our lands!!”

The army Rook Barusak was leading now only had half of its initial numbers.

He needed to return to his territory; it couldn′t be helped that his prestige wouldn′t be shown mercy to once he went back to the divine royal capital with his army covered in blood and dirt. Having their dirtied flag being raised, they proceeded with the retreat, leaving to the royal capital. Rook′s retreating figure was very much miserable.

And then, somebody spoke to him.

“The genius that fell to the ground.”

Were the words.

And then, once again, that certain person narrowed its eyes and muttered.

“天才の目の色が変わった”*2