The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

ning Arrow>.” (Viine)

For her to have even three of them, as expected of Viine.
She’s outstanding.
I return my look to Lane once again.
Now then, I asked everything I wanted to ask.

“I asked everything I wanted to know.
Rollo, leave her.” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya.”

Rollo withdraws the tentacle bone sword stabbing Lane’s hand and walks in the direction of the sleeping Rebecca.
I won’t suck her blood or absorb her soul.
After all, I still haven’t explained the bloodsucking to Viine yet…
Well, though I do believe that she’s been vaguely able to grasp that I’m not normal.
Lane is a woman with a beautiful face, but I guess I will finish her off normally.
I look at her with a gaze full of bloodthirst.

“W-Wait.
Don’t kill me.
I’m not your enemy anymore.
I-I will do anything, so please spare my life…” (Lane)

I ended up getting begged by the scared rabbit woman.
She’s the exact opposite of Serva who was the vice-president.
I suppose it’s different because I sucked his blood.

“You aren’t my enemy, you say? Why are you pleading for your life? You are a leader of a dark guild, aren’t you? Didn’t you shoot your arrows with the resolve to kill me?” (Shuuya)

“I-It’s as you say.
But, I had no other choice as the leader who bluffed being good at archery.
Besides…I-I have a younger sister in 【Senapua】… If I’m gone, that girl…that girl will end up all alone…” (Lane)

The rabbit woman talks, her face full of tears and concern.
She tightly grasps a copper pendant hanging on her chest.

“… You are begging for your life because you have a younger sister? That’s quite the convenient excuse, don’t you think?” (Shuuya)

“It’s the truth! My younger sister’s hair is inside this pendant.” (Lane)

Apparently being eager to make me understand, she shows the pendant to me.
Inside the round, copper pendant that opened with a click, there’s certainly something like a folded letter and a white hair.

“All of what’s inside here is the truth.
I will apologize that I shot at you.
It’s not something that can be forgiven, but… I’m very sorry.” (Lane)

Uh, now that she apologized, it’s difficult to kill her, isn’t it?
Her eyebrows move and form the shape of 八, she opens her eyes wide, and her lower lip trembles.
She drops her head as well.
As I read Lane’s feelings from her expression…
I wonder whether the letter and the existence of her younger sister are really true.
I’m no mentalist, but it’s probably not a lie.
If this was an act, she would be set for the Academy Awards as best leading actress.
Or rather, if that’s a lie, I will really start distrusting women.
After all, I have already experienced it once with Kuna.
However, she’s a woman from a dark guild, just like Kuna.
I don’t know what she’s thinking about behind my back.

“… What kind of merit is there for me to let you go?” (Shuuya)

“If it’s money, I can give you some of the shares I earned until now.
The rest I will pay with my body…” (Lane)

Certainly, she’s a beauty and her style is nice, too, but well…can I really have sex with a woman while harboring such feelings?

“Don’t mess with me! You are certainly pretty, but my head’s not that fucked up that I would sleep with you so soon… Assuming I would let you go for argument’s sake, it’s very possible that you will recruit help and start meddling with me.
Besides, you might abduct Rebecca once more.” (Shuuya)

Lane immediately shakes her head and answers,

“— There’s no way for me to do something like that, I can’t.
Even though things might seem different, I’m a former leader, so there should be a large bounty on my head… I will be chased by plenty other dark guilds, you know? And not only in this city.
Even in 【Senapua】, where my younger sister lives, it will be dangerous.
Even if I were to be set free by you, for example, I will be in a situation where I don’t know whether I will survive.” (Lane)

I guess she’s at her wits’ end, but…

“If you really have a younger sister, why didn’t you immediately escape when 【Owl’s Fangs】 started going downhill?” (Shuuya)

“I couldn’t! I can only use archery and am terrible at close combat.
The leader Beck, who worked together with me, was strong at short and long-range combat with his Flying Sword.
If I had acted even remotely dubiously, he would have probably killed me with ease in close combat.
As a matter of fact, he threatened me by holding his blades in front of me…” (Lane)

Going by their conversation before we rushed in, it doesn’t look like she’s telling a lie.
… It can’t be helped.
In the end, it means that I was searching for a reason to let her go even when I heard her long story.
It’s naïve, but I guess I will let her escape.
The good and evil of one’s heart shows in one’s actions.
Normally those aren’t words the side taking lives would consider, but originally a life is something irreplaceable.
Though in my case it’s limited to allowing me to keep talking with a woman in the future.

“… Got it.
I will let you go, so return to your sister’s place.” (Shuuya)

“Eh? You won’t do anything? Is that fine with you?” (Lane)

Don’t make an odd sign with your hand.
What a vulgar woman.

“A beauty shouldn’t do something like that.
It hurts my pure heart.
Come on, hurry and get lost before I reconsider.” (Shuuya)

I urge her with my eyes to go while smiling faintly.

“Understood, bye then.” (Lane)

Once Lane says that in a concise manner, she hurries to leave without picking up the longbow which had fallen to the ground.
When I turn my eyes to the longbow,

“Wait.
The bow over there is yours, right? Take it with you.” (Shuuya)

For an instant Lane looks at me dubiously, but then she nods.

“O-Okay.
Thanks.
U-Umm, it’s not something I should say, but you are the coolest…man, I think.
If I manage to survive, I will spend my whole life to express my gratitude to you.” (Lane)

Lane picks up the bow with the uninjured hand.
Then she bows her head and expresses her thanks while showing a serious expression.
It ain’t like I cared about my appearance towards you in particular.
I’m just soft towards women.

Lane turns on her heels, leaves in a jog, and climbs the stairway.

“… Master, was it alright to let her go?” (Viine)

“It’s fine.” (Shuuya)

“… Understood.” (Viine)

I feel disappointment from Viine’s look.
Did I end up showing her a weak part of me?
I haven’t followed through, but she will probably continue to be targeted by other dark guilds just as much.
In the end, it’s likely that she will be killed by someone else.
Even if she survives for argument’s sake, is she going to be able to point her bow at me again?
As far as listening to her story is concerned, I should face such a risk.
Now then, rather than such pointless predictions, I have to wake up Rebecca.
I approach the sleeping Rebecca and shake her shoulders.

“Hey, Rebecca.
Wake up.” (Shuuya)

“Mmh, Buu-tan, be quiet~” (Rebecca)

What? Buu-tan? Don’t mumble weird stuff while half asleep.

“Rebecca? Buu-tan? Something like that isn’t here.” (Shuuya)

I wake her up by shaking her fiercely.

“Nuu~ Huuuh? Where’s this? Aaaaah!” (Rebecca)

Waking up all of a sudden, she looks at me and yells while making a strange, confused face.

“Shuuya, your face and neck should have been…shot?” (Rebecca)

“If it’s that, it’s alright.
Look, there’s nothing like that, right?” (Shuuya)

Pointing my face upwards, I show her my neck and throat, appealing that I’m safe and sound.

“Lie! It’s a lie! Show it to me properly! Even though you were pierced by two arrows.
Hey, take off your armor and let me check it.” (Rebecca)

Did Rebecca remember the scene of me getting stabbed? She reveals a flustered expression and shakes my body in reverse.
It was my face, I don’t think the armor’s related to it though…
Since it doesn’t look like she’s going to calm down at this rate, I unfasten the chest strap around my shoulder and take off my overcoat and armor just as she asked.
Once I undressed my upper body, I show her my neck.

“— What about this?” (Shuuya)

“…” (Rebecca)

Rebecca looks at my naked torso…
Staying silent, she simply keeps staring at my chest.
Now she’s silent? The ups and downs of her emotions are intense, aren’t they?
Well, if you call it womanly, that’s true, but…
But why is Rebecca’s gaze fixated only on my chest?
The part that got injured is my neck, ah, you don’t say she…
… likes the breasts of a man?
Eeeh? She likes guy tits?
Though, it’s certainly true that my pectoral muscles are bulging a bit.
I wonder, would it have been better if I had taken a pose in the style of the Riza○ CM?
Alright, a muscle pose as a sign of my healthiness, it is.
As if music’s playing, I twitch my chest as the trendy workout exercise for one’s breasts…

“… Why are you doing something as strange as moving your chest?” (Rebecca)

Uh, it looks like it was something else.

“Haha, well, just a little, light exercise…” (Shuuya)

“Haa? I don’t get what you’re saying.
Rather than that, can’t you properly show me the necklace around your neck?” (Rebecca)

Mm? What, she was interested in this?
Good grief, how embarrassing…
I show her the two necklaces hanging from my neck.
One is the ladybug necklace I discovered in the bone sea cave of the underground in the past.
The other is a necklace with a key attached to it, which I was given by master.
Rebecca only grasps the ladybug necklace with her hand and brings it close to her beautiful blue eyes, though I don’t think that she’s shortsighted.
She nods once more.
And then, after showing a shocked expression… huh? Tears spill out.
She is crying.
What’s that about?
Reflexively I ask the nearby Viine with my look.
Viine wracks her brain and then replies with a Who knows? I don’t look.
Once I shift my gaze towards Rollo, she’s stretching a foot up like a ballerina while grooming it by licking the tip of her paws.
As it can’t be helped, I return my look to Rebecca.
She’s touching the ladybug necklace while sobbing.

“… Say, this necklace — where did you get it?” (Rebecca)

Since she’s overflowing with tears, I’m slightly scared.

“Ah, that, huh? — It’s something I picked up.” (Shuuya)

I mean, I did pick it up at the location of the deep underground bone sea.
I encountered the mysterious light of ladybugs.

“This is dad’s, after all?” (Rebecca)

“Mmh? Dad?” (Shuuya)

Once Rebecca says so all of a sudden, she takes out a necklace that hung around her own neck.
Huh? The necklace owned by Rebecca is…
The ladybug is small, but it resembles the ladybugs attached to my necklace.
Rebecca adds the decorative ladybug of her own necklace to the necklace owned by me.
With a clicking sound, it joined together with the two ladybugs.
Thereupon, it changes into a single ladybug decoration of “parents and child.”
Oooh, wow.
They fit together.

『I sense mana from the ladybug necklace that has become one.』 (Helme)

Certainly, it’s just as Helme says.
I feel it too.
Did it turn into a magic item after joining into one?

“That’s an ancient white star stone?” (Viine)

Viine seems to know something.

“Is that the name of the gem?” (Shuuya)

“… Yeah!” (Rebecca)

Rebecca nods as big teardrops flow down from her eyes.
Suddenly there’s a white glittering by the “parents and child ladybug set that became one.”
Shining insects and ladybugs rapidly fly into the air from the glittering ladybug decoration and they start to engulf Rebecca and me.

“Master!?” (Viine)

“Nyao?”

『There’s no evil feeling.
The light spirits are overflowing.』 (Helme)

Viine and Rollo are surprised and try to get over here.
But, I have them stop.
They seem to be light spirits.

“It’s alright, just watch.” (Shuuya)

The white ladybugs draw an arc, becoming faint, white rays of light.
Just like that, they create a complete circle around us, as if surrounding us.
It looks like a faint, white curtain that will bring about death if touched.
Then they expand as if breaking through the ceiling.
Rebecca gets close to me and embraces me, seemingly having become scared.
At the same time, small ladybugs start to appear and split apart once again from the white beams surrounding Rebecca and me.
The small ladybugs respectively shine with dazzling phosphorescence.
The bright glittering and the thin curtain produce a hologram-like illusion in midair.
It shows a vision of a family that seems happy and harmonious.
It’s a picture of an elf with long ears, a beautiful human woman, and a child.
Are they by chance Rebecca’s elven father and human mother?
Both have blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, exactly like Rebecca.

“Dad, mom…” (Rebecca)

Large tears run down on Rebecca’s cheeks and she stretches out her hands towards the illusion.

『Are the light spirits showing the illusion?』 (Helme)

Helme asks.

『It looks like fragments of the souls blessed by the light spirits have been released.』 (Helme)

『Fragments of the souls?』 (Shuuya)

『Yes.
Souls, which stayed behind in the present world with Miracle of Spirits, have a bit spirit strength remaining.』 (Helme)

『Hee.』 (Shuuya)

When I’m watching while deeply impressed, I also hear Viine murmuring,

“… This is, Miracle of Spirits?” (Viine)

It looks as if she’s deeply moved.
She is a dark elf and seems to know about this kind of phenomenon.
Rollo is excited and chases the small ladybugs.
Thereupon a voice reverberates within my head.

“Thank you, holder of light and darkness.
For you have delivered my feelings to my daughter—”

The male elf vision starts talking.
They can talk? How surprising.

“N-No, it’s just by chance.” (Shuuya)

I say truthfully.

“As expected of a soul owning the light attribute.
Your humility is wonderful.
But, you didn’t know, did you? That you have been using and carrying light spirits with you, and that possessing both the light and darkness attribute makes you a rare, special being.
I’d like you to tell me your name, if you are fine with it.”

“It’s Shuuya Kagari.”

“I see, Kagari-kun.
Thank you for properly delivering my feelings to my daughter through the necklace.
And — Rebecca, please take a look at the backside of the necklace.”

Rebecca’s father gently addresses her.

“Ok.” (Rebecca)

Just as told, she turns over the metallic necklace’s ladybug and looks at the other side.
First “My eternal love to Popla” is written there, but you can see a new message of “I dedicate my eternal love to Popla and Rebecca” being carved in there in real-time.

“… D-Dad, I…this…the message has been extended…” (Rebecca)

“That’s right.
I’m sorry for those words being late.”

“No, I, thank you.” (Rebecca)

Her father looks at her with an expression full of love.

“… You have grown, haven’t you? You are already a splendid magician, just like your mother and me.”

“Yeah.
I plan to become an adventurer who surpasses you, dad.” (Rebecca)

“I see.
I’m happy… Oh, even if it’s the soul of a high elf like me, I guess up to here is the limit, even after cooperating with the light spirits.”

The light becomes dim.

“Dad! Don’t go! I want to talk with you a lot more!” (Rebecca)

“Haha, I thought that you are a pretty adult woman who resembles her mother, but — I guess you are still a child.
Kagari-kun, although she’s such a girl…please take care of her.”

“Ah, yes.” (Shuuya)

I straighten up my back obviously feeling grateful and give my answer to Rebecca’s father.
In exact opposite to me, Rebecca shakes her head, making her blonde hair sway intensely.

“Dad, no! I want to keep talking!” (Rebecca)

“Rebecca, you will become a lot stronger.
The blood flowing through you dates back to the dawn of the ancient times, surpassing even the old nobles of Befaritz, no, it’s even much older, it’s the blood of an immortal high elf.
And the great power handed down through the lineage of the Blue Flame God is sleeping within you…you will become happy.
Rebecca, my eternal love to you.
Popla — we are going now—”

At that point, the light of the ladybugs vanishes all at once.
I could see the final fragment of light enter into the parent and child ladybug necklace grasped by Rebecca.

“Dad…” (Rebecca)

“They are gone, aren’t they…?” (Shuuya)

… So Rebecca isn’t a half elf but half of a high elf, huh?
I suppose that’s the reason why she’s so good at manipulating mana and easily gathers the spirits.
It’s probably also why her lower grade fire spells have such a high power output.
That means she isn’t a simple, poor and unlucky half-elf, doesn’t it?

“… Master, just what was that miracle a moment ago?” (Viine)

Viine looks curiously at the necklace in Rebecca’s hands.

“There’s no need to explain a miracle, is there? The magic power owned by Rebecca’s father was amazing, and because he called himself a high elf, he likely possesses an unknown might.” (Shuuya)

“Nnn, nyaooo.”

Rollo comes to me with a disappointed expression after the ladybugs, she was chasing, have vanished, but ignoring her, I turn my look towards Rebecca who’s looking downwards.

“Rebecca, are you alright?” (Shuuya)

“Yeah.
I was surprised, but… I was happy meeting with dad one last time.” (Rebecca)

After looking at her, I judge that she’s fine.
I nod with a smile and then put on the armor and overcoat I had taken off earlier.
Lastly, I put the chest strap around my shoulder and look at Rebecca after being ready.
She still continues to stare at the ladybug necklace.

“…By no means did I expect for the ladybug necklace I wear to be related to Rebecca’s necklace.
I feel like it won’t be settled with the word coincidence, but can rather be called fate.” (Shuuya)

When I was transferred into this world…
At that time I wouldn’t have picked up the necklace in Rebecca’s hand if I hadn’t passed through the bone mountain by chance after defeating zombies and skeletons.
And the letters written on the ground were a message asking for the one who finds it to deliver the necklace to his daughter, weren’t they?
… Fate.
The one called God of Fate, Asura.
A little while ago I talked about various things with the Diviner Kazane who is also a reincarnator.
She said that she can’t see my fate, but it’s also possible that she did actually see it and lied about it.
Maybe an invisible path has already been laid out in front of me by the gods?

“… Yeah, mine and Shuuya’s fate?” (Rebecca)

Rebecca stares at me with a serious expression.
Her blue eyes are full of determination.
I guess I will answer her slightly seriously.

“… You could say that.
But I think that’s something only the spirits and gods know about.” (Shuuya)

Upon my serious answer, she averts her face while looking slightly disappointed.
Huh? Did I make things awkward?

“… Certainly, I know what you mean, Shuuya.
I think the spirits, who can create miracles like what just happened, and the gods are incredible.
I believe in Fire Spirit-sama and Fire God-sama, but I wonder whether I should try to believe in the Light Spirit Fortuna-sama and the Light God Lulodis-sama as well.
It’s still not at the level allowing to call it faith, but I might go to the church.” (Rebecca)

Church, eh? I can’t really get all that worked up about going there…
But a place where you can feel the gods is important.
Even I have received the blessing of the Water Goddess in such a place.

“… Haha, well, faith is different for every person.
I’d like to be pardoned from something like Buddha’s palm actually existing, but it’s fine for you to think and act freely.” (Shuuya)

I say as if persuading myself.

“… Buddha? I don’t know who that is, but I think you are right.
Yeah.
But, since I love the fire spirits, I won’t cheat on them.” (Rebecca)

“I also like the water spirits and the water goddess.” (Shuuya)

『Your Excellency, thank you very much.』 (Helme)

Helme appears in my field of vision with a spellbound expression.

“That’s right.
One’s own attribute is important after all.” (Rebecca)

She’s certainly correct there.
When I look at Rebecca’s smiling face for some reason…
Right then, I start to become curious about her previous sleep talking.
Let’s try asking her.

“By the way, it’s a sudden topic change, but… what’s Buu-tan?” (Shuuya)

“Eh? Eeeeeh…!? Why do you know about Buu-tan?” (Rebecca)

Rebecca’s body trembles, after she becomes obviously flustered.
She immediately covers her now bright red face with her hands.

“You mentioned it while sleeping.” (Shuuya)

“… A puppet.
I’m always sleeping together with it…” (Rebecca)

“Ah, something like that…” (Shuuya)

She still has some girlish parts to her.
Or rather, I haven’t asked Rebecca how old she is.
Well, it seems that she will get embarrassed, so I will hold back on asking about her age and let it go…