50 – Right Before the Decisive Battle

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In front of their eyes was the trace of the tragedy.

The place Tatsumi and co. stood was where Miloulle and her comrades encountered the <devil> possessed giant snow lizard.

Blood splattered in the white snow. The partly eaten snow lizards’ corpses scattered here and there.

And among those partly eaten snow lizards’ corpses, something that were certainly not snow lizards were mixed in.

“…Kuoron…Tadd…Ganz…”

Their corpses were so damaged that they didn’t want to continue looking at it. Perhaps because their corpses were left in the snow, the decaying didn’t progress much. Looking at their partly eaten corpses, Tatsumi desperately held down the nausea attacking him.

“…The snow lizard pack we subjugated…perhaps they ran away from the boss which was possessed by <devil>. I’m sure of it.”

“Yes, I think so too. Near the royal capital, there were many sighting of small scale snow lizard packs. Perhaps in the beginning the pack was pretty big, however after their boss was possessed by <devil> and become demon, they were scattered.”

Eru supplemented Jadokh’s conjecture.

After they had re-examined the rumour of snow lizard packs sightings near the royal capital, they found out that the rumour could be heard everywhere.

Eru who managed inn-cum-bar knew very well about those rumours. That’s why her conjecture couldn’t be wrong.

While listening to their conversations, Tatsumi glanced toward Miloulle.

Right now, she was kneeling at the snow, and she didn’t even hide her flowing tears.

Tatsumi could sympathize with her feelings, because he too had experienced losing his family members all at once.

When he was about to be seized by the sadness of losing his family, Calcedonia snuggled up to Tatsumi’s side and gently gripped his hand.

Tatsumi looked at Calcedonia, and Calcedonia also looked back at him. And then she smiled softly as if comforting Tatsumi. It seemed Calcedonia could grasp Tatsumi’s mental state.

“Master, let’s pray for those who fell in this place.”

“Ahh…That’s right.”

As a priest, Tatsumi also learnt various types of prayers. Tatsumi stood beside Calcedonia, and they started to speak words of prayers together.

Among their voices, sometimes Miloulle’s soft sobbing voices were mixed in.

 

Tatsumi and co. started to act after Miloulle calmed down.

First, they buried Miloulle’s comrades; they couldn’t bear to let their corpses to be weather beaten.

Before they buried the corpses, Miloulle took anything that could serve as a memento from their bodies.

“Tadon-kun, please.”

After Eru said it while touching her earring, a mole-like animal appeared near her legs from inside the snow.

“Eru-san. What is that?”

“This child is my contracted earth spirit, Tadon-kun. When I was in Japan, I only had two contracted spirits, Picho-kun and Twirl-kun, but after coming here I contracted more spirits. Right now I have five contracted spirits.”

Eru said it proudly. According what Eru said, the five spirits she contracted were water, illusion, earth, ice, and light spirit.

Hearing Eru’s wish and using her mana as compensation, the earth spirit created a hole to bury the remains.

And then with Tatsumi and Jadokh’s cooperation, the remains of Miloulle’s comrades which had been wrapped by a spare coat were buried.

Although moving the remains into the hole with teleportation crossed Tatsumi’s mind, since he felt it was impolite to the dead, he decided to return them to the earth with his own hands.

On top of the piled earth of burial, Calcedonia muttered words of prayers while sprinkling alcohol. It had two meaning—as offering to God and to purify them.

Different from Japan, in this place they don’t usually offer flowers to the deceased, but generally they offer alcohol or food to God.

At the end, they once again prayed for the happiness of the deceased in the next world. After everything was finished, Miloulle faced Tatsumi and co. and deeply bowed her head.

“Tatsumi, Jadokh, Calce-san, Eru-san…Thank you very much, everyone.”

“Ara, we only did what’s natural. More than that, are you fine, Miloulle-chan?”

“Umm…Actually I don’t think I can get over it immediately, however, if I continue to hesitate, I don’t think I can face my comrades ever again. Additionally, the most pressing matter right now is…”

“Yes. To find the demon…the giant snow lizard, and defeat it.”

Hearing Tatsumi’s words, Miloulle nodded strongly.

 

Eru focused all her senses and attentively listened to the spirits voices.

The ability to listen the spirit’s voice was the most basic ability to become spirit magician, that is to heighten their hearing sense until they could hear voices that usually couldn’t be heard—

The spirit’s voices.

Using the words spirits use—the spirit language—Eru gathered the information about their target, the giant snow lizard.

To be blunt, the spirits’ words were incoherent. Many of the ice, wind, and tree spirits talked to Eru as they pleased.

They even told things unrelated to what Eru asked.

Eru patiently listen to all of them and filtered the necessary information.

After finishing communicating with the spirits, Eru turned towards Tatsumi and co.

“The spirits said in the northwest direction there is a big white lizard. I don’t have any proof that it is the one we looking for, but I feel it is worth a try.”

“Hmm, spirit magic is handy. Ne ne, landlady. Do you think I can learn spirit magic too?”

Jadokh asked Eru with eyes glittering with curiosity. However Eru showed a difficult expression.

“Spirit magic is different from aria magic. In aria magic, you can cast magic as long you have mana, however for spirit magic if you can’t communicate with spirits, you won’t be able to use it. Communicating with spirits is mainly about feeling, so it is quite hard to explain with words.”

Demi-humans who received influence of spirit’s power would have higher aptitudes in spirit magic than humans.  However for people who couldn’t sense the spirits, no matter how much hard work they put on it, they still won’t be able to sense them.

“Additionally, Jadokh has low mana reserve, considering that too, I think you should give up on magic….”

Hearing Calcedonia added that with difficult expression, Jadokh dropped his shoulder.

“Do you really want to use spirit magic?”

“It doesn’t have to be spirit magic, I just want to use magic. After all, among us I am the only one who can’t use magic. That’s a bit vexing.”

Jadokh said it while writhing in agony. It only dawned upon Tatsumi after he said it.

He and Calcedonia can use magic. Actually it was a bit different for Tatsumi but from the perspective’s of others, there was no difference since he did use magic.

Eru used magic in front them just now and according to Miloulle’s story, she also use magic.

Indeed among the members right now only Jadokh can’t use magic.

By the way, from the public perspective, to have magicians gathered in one team like this was actually quite strange.

“Eh? Tatsumi is a magician?”

“Well… from what Giuseppe said I am not a magician, but mana user.”

“Giuseppe? Who is that?”

“Ah, Giuseppe is Savaiv religious organization supreme priest, Giuseppe Chrisphraez. Miloulle at least know that name right?”
“………..Eh?”
Miloulle was dumbfounded. Of course she had heard the name of Savaiv religious organization supreme priest.

However since the name of an unexpected big wig flowed smoothly from Tatsumi’s mouth, her thoughts were unable to catch up.

“Why-why the name of such important person come out here…? Eh? Eh? Per-perhaps Tatsumi is a son of noble?”

Now that she remembered it again, when they introduced themselves Tatsumi also said his family name.

“Well, no, I am not a noble. However Giuseppe is my teacher. And he is also Calce’s grandfather.”

Still with a dumbfounded expression on her face, now she turned towards Calcedonia.

“….Calce….Calcedoni…a…? Perhaps Calce-san is…”Saiav temple’s <<Holy Maiden>>?”

It was common knowledge that ‘Savaiv temple’s <<Holy Maiden>>’ was the granddaughter of Savaiv religious organization’s supreme priest.

However when Calcedonia introduced herself, she didn’t introduce herself as ‘Chirsphaes’ but ‘Yamagata’. Miloulle also didn’t expect such a famous person would appear in front of her, thus she didn’t connect Calcedonia with the <<Holy Maiden>>.

Received such a surprising truth which swooped her like a wave, she became disordered.

“By the way, you said you can use magic, right, Miloulle? What kind magic is it?”

Hearing Tatsumi’s question, Miloulle who was still in a confused state suddenly turned frozen solid.

“…Mu-must I say it…?”

Miloulle let out a forced laugh. Tatsumi and Calcedonia reflexively looked at each other.

“Miloulle-san, we are going to fight the demon together here on. Isn’t it common sense to know each other’s powers first?”

“We-well, I understand where you are coming from, but…err…by the way what kind magic Tatsumi use? From what system?”

That was a blatant way to change the subject. However before Tatsumi able to say anything, Calcedonia cut in.

“Master magic system is <Sky>! The second person who can use <Sky> magic ever is none other than my master!!”

Calcedonia said it with pride. And she calmly emphasised ‘my master’ part in her speech.

“Eh…? No, no way? I heard <Sky> magicians only appear in fairy tales?”

While slightly blushing Calcedonia looked up toward Tatsumi who was beside her and affirmed it. It was clear for the three of them that the gaze she used toward him was filled with immense trust and confidence, also many things more.

“That’s not a lie. I saw it with my own two eyes after all. I saw Tatsumi-chan use <Sky> magic…<<Teleportation>>.”

“<<Teleportation>>…?”

Eru showed a surprised look. It seemed she realized the reason Tatsumi able to collect herbs in short amount of time.

“So, what kind of magic Miloulle use? Can you please tell me?”

When Jadokh asked her, her eyes swam.

“It-it seems my-my magic is…from failure system, tha-that’s why I am ashamed to say it…My-my magic is self taught, from strengthening system. My fighting style is to strengthen my physical ability and defensive power and then fight in close combat. However, the activation time is very short, so I can only use it in short decisive battles… That’s enough right?”

Miloulle said it somewhat desperately to Calcedonia.

That’s because she was the team leader for this operation. She was a devil exorcist who had purified many <devil>. Tatsumi and Eru also agreed immediately when she Calcedonia nominated herself to take command of the team.

Since Tatsumi and Eru agreed to it, Jadokh and Miloulle also didn’t raise any objection.

“I know this is sound selfish…but when the time comes I will certainly use it. I promise…”

Miloulle walked toward Calcedonia and held out something. It was the articles left by her comrades such as hair and favourite short sword.

“When I use my magic these things might be lost…so, can you please hold on this?”

“Eh…?”

Although Calcedonia didn’t understand what she meant, she still nodded at held into those articles.

 

“Alright, let me explain again our strategy.”

Before they moved again, they reviewed the plan to deal with the demonified giant snow lizard.

“When fight against demons, we must never deal the final blow.”

Tatsumi and co. nodded silently as they heard Calcedonia’s instructions.

<Devil> was a spirit life-form with no physical body.

That’s why even if they killed the demon, it didn’t mean they defeated the <devil>. Even if they defeated the host, the <devil> will only move towards another living creature.

In this world, there were weapons which could deal damage to the host and the possessing <devil> such as holy sword and holy spear, or in other words, <magic weapons>. However the number was extremely limited.

Weaken the demon, make its movement dull, and then use <Light> or <Holy> type magic, <devil exorcist>, to destroy it. That’s the ironclad rule of demon subjugation.

“However this time you can defeat the demon. Use all your power to defeat the giant snow lizard.”

However this time was a bit different. That’s because Tatsumi who was the natural enemy of <devil> was here.

When they defeated the giant snow lizard, of course the <devil> possessing it would leave. Normally there was no way to see the <devil> which has left its host.

However, Tatsumi could sense it; he could recognize the <devil> which has left its host.

<Devil> which lost its host won’t be a threat, and with Tatsumi’s <Sky> magic, he could destroy it with ease.

“The fact that we can fight without holding back is reassuring.”
“That’s right. I will go all out from the beginning.”

Jadokh and Miloulle brimmed with fighting spirit.

“I will support from the rear but I will also work hard!”

Eru who was the founder of spirit magic would certainly be helpful for Tatsumi and co.

“Alright, let’s go!”
Calcedonia.

Eru.

Jadokh.

Miloulle.

All of them nodded at Tatsumi’s words, and started to walk towards the location of the giant snow lizard.