Tatakau Shisho Vol 3 Chapter 4

June 9, 2016Tgurneu

Mokkania reminisced. It was another old memory.

He was once seeing a woman. She took personal care of him ever since he became an Armed Librarian. He couldn’t even remember her name now.

One day, he ate a meal with her. She was the one to invite him. This happened after the battle with Guinbex, when Bantorra Library was peaceful once again.

“You’ve been acting strange lately, so it made me wonder.”

The woman said as they finished drinking their aperitif. Yes, it was from the time that Mokkania frequently skipped on work.

“This is a nice place. This island is pretty small, but it still has lots of nice places like this.”

Working made him nauseous. He felt nauseous when seeing the faces of Hamyuts, Mattalast and Ireia. He even hated contacting them.

“Oh right, Acting Director Hamyuts gave me a day off. We can leave the island and go travel.”

If he didn’t go to work, everything should have been fine. But he still felt nauseous even now. Was the aperitif bad? Couldn’t be. Still, he felt terribly nauseous.

“How about theatre-going in Fulbeck? Heard of it? Fulbeck, in Ismo. It’s a street lined up with theatres and cinema, and since there’re also film studios nearby, many famous actors and singers gather there.”

Mokkania noticed something. He understood the too-obvious fact that everyone around him knew. This fact, which everyone took for granted, gnawed at his mind.

“You hate the theatre? Then let’s go relax in some Rona summer resort. I thought about visiting your hometown.

Or should we be adventurous and go to the southern frontier?”

He could kill himself. The same goes for the woman in front of him, the waiter nearby, the cook, and everyone else. He could do it effortlessly and painlessly, just like twisting the arm of a newborn.

Mokkania began vomiting in front of her.

While groveling on the floor, he thought of many things. For example, how did he endure until now? He also thought of the many people walking in front of him… will one of them be able to kill him?

A while after this, Mokkania couldn’t go outside.

His ants were sc.r.a.ping the walls. They dug through soil and shaped it. This happened inside the dead-end of the Fifth Labyrinth. Mokkania built his own base there. He attached the door to the cave opened in the wall. As he installed the hinges, he heard a voice from behind.

“…Mokkania-san.”

It was Ireia.

“Are you really going to live here? Why?”

“Go back. Don’t mind me.”

“I can’t do that. What will the Acting Director say?”

Hamyuts appeared from behind her.

“Let’s leave him alone, old lady.”

“What are you saying as the Director of Bantorra Library?”

“I’m staying silent as always. If he has any complaints he’ll let me know.”

Hamyuts beckoned Ireia. She turned around and moved away from Mokkania.

“See ya, Mokkania. Try not to catch a cold.”

Books that people wanted to read were brought out from the Archive, while Books that came from the mines or Books that people finished reading were carried inside. Days like these pa.s.sed in the exact same way inside the cold Labyrinth.

However, as long as Mokkania stayed inside, he didn’t feel nauseous.

The coldness was nothing compared to the fear induced by that nausea.

He received Books from the normal librarians at the Library’s entrance and went back to his room.

“I’m back.”

Mokkania muttered as he returned to his room.

“I’m back.”

He muttered once more. There was obviously no answer.

Mokkania kept living by himself inside that cold room.

He decided on asking people to buy things for him. He bought dirt-cheap paintings of landscape and small toys; he collected a variety of things.

The room was a copy of the one Mokkania used to live in long ago. He collected the exact items that were in in that long-gone room. He never got anything he didn’t have before. He didn’t want even things like a heater only because he didn’t use to have it.

Mokkania collected many things in his room.

However, there was one thing he lacked. A single important thing he couldn’t get no matter what.

“I’m back.”

Mokkania returned to his room even today. He had plenty of important memorabilia. But those didn’t provide any stability to his mind.

He could only notice the absence – the overwhelming absence of the most important person to him.

“I’m back.”

Mokkania said. No reply came back.

“I’m back.”

He said once again. No reply came back.

Only the small Book fragment on top of the table coldly greeted Mokkania.

Mirepoc and Mattalast were left in front of the Labyrinth. Mirepoc held her head.

“Feekiee-san… why…”

She shook her head.

They only had one conclusive chance of victory. They already had no other means. Even if they were to gather up all their remaining forces and commence an attack on Mokkania, they doubted it would have any effect. It would only unnecessarily increase the damage.

They could only entrust it all for Hamyuts.

“Hey, Mirepoc.”

At that moment, Mattalast suddenly opened his mouth.

“Since we can’t do anything here, why don’t you contact the Present Management Agency?”

“Huh?”

Mirepoc was confused at this out-of-place order. What good will the Present Management Agency do in this situation?

“Why?”

“I just need a permission. From both the Past Overseer and the Present Overseer.”

“Mattalast-san…”

Mirepoc tried to ask him what kind of permission he’s asking for.

“We’re going to seal the Book Labyrinth.”

“…Is such a thing possible?”

“It is. Look.”

Saying so, Mattalast put his hand on the Labyrinth’s door. And through the door, he called to Past G.o.d Bantorra who was sealed in the depths of the Labyrinth.

“To the Past G.o.d Bantorra. Mattalast Ballory, with the authority of a first-cla.s.s Armed Librarian, requests for the sealing of the large gate as well as the 89 barriers inside the Fifth Level. I implore to receive permission and immediate execution of this.”

The door shone for a moment. They received permission from the Past G.o.d. At the same time, its shape changed. The hinges and door k.n.o.b disappeared, and it all became just a part of the wall.

“So such a thing is truly possible…”

“Originally this is a breach of my authority, but I’ll just get ex-post-facto approval afterwards.”

“But why? The battle isn’t over yet…”

“…About that.”

Mattalast’s voice wasn’t aloof like usual.

“…We will starve everyone inside to death.”

“But…!”

“If the Director loses this is our only chance.”

“But the Director will win!”

Mirepoc said, but Mattalast shook his head to the side.

“It might not be so this time.”

“Oh my, they sealed the Labyrinth.”

Hamyuts muttered as she used her full speed to run through the Fourth Labyrinth.

“Well, that’s fine. It seems like something Matt would do.”

Hamyuts, who had already set foot inside the Fourth Level, proceeded further in while killing the remaining Guardian Beasts. The ants didn’t reach there yet.

The situation was bad indeed. Currently Hamyuts had no way to win against Mokkania. If she wouldn’t be able to get that weapon, her defeat will be certain.

Mokkania slowly progressed. He was walking much slower than Hamyuts. Hamyuts already went deep inside the Fourth Labyrinth, but Mokkania just now pa.s.sed through the Fifth Level.

Hamyuts ran ahead without stop. But that didn’t mean Mokkania was in a better position.

Run away from enemies, hide yourself, wait for a chance of victory – this was Hamyuts’s strategy for a certain victory. Mokkania could be said to be inferior to her from the moment he let her escape.

Mokkania was thinking to himself – the thing that made Hamyuts the strongest wasn’t the power of her sling or the information-gathering capabilities of her Sensory Threads, but that shameless strategy.

In fact, Cigal Crukessa of the Indulging G.o.d Cult whom Hamyuts once beat was the only person able to prevent her from running away.

While fearing for his mother that swayed on his back, Mokkania kept walking inside the Fourth Labyrinth.

I won’t let her escape. I’ll definitely defeat her before she gets that weapon.

Winkeny gloated in his heart while sliding about in his petroleum form.

He was helped by the enemy making some blunders, but overall the plan kept going just as he thought it would.

Both the eliminated Armed Librarian as well as the Book which was a cause for concern were already taken far away. All of it was expected. Mokkania, Hamyuts, the rest of the Armed Librarians and even the Guardian Beasts all acted according to what Winkeny thought.

Except for Mokkania’s mother, Winkeny was without any doubt the weakest person in the Labyrinth. Him not being affected by Mokkania attacks didn’t mean he could beat him. He couldn’t defeat neither Hamyuts nor the foolish Noloty – no, he couldn’t even beat a single Guardian Beast.

Yet everyone in the Labyrinth moved the way he pleased. Was there anything more delightful than that in the world?

The incident was comparable to chess. Hamyuts was the white queen. Mokkania was the black queen. The rest of the Armed Librarians were the white bishops, knights and p.a.w.ns. Locolo was a black p.a.w.n. Finally, Winkeny himself wasn’t a chess piece. He was the guiding hand playing the match.

But even so, he couldn’t control everything on the board. There were game pieces that didn’t necessarily listen to their instructions; Feekiee was such an example.

Winkeny thought of Locolo – will his p.a.w.n really listen to the player’s instructions?

“Please, Locolo. Keep it up until Hamyuts’s last breath, just a little bit.”

Locolo fell to his knees. His body was wounded here and there and he barely had any bullets left in his gun. In front of his eyes were the corpses of Guardian Beasts.

“G.o.dd.a.m.n. Winkeny gave me quite the bothersome job.”

He was at the Fourth Level. Further down were three more levels with even stronger Guardian Beasts within them. No, because it seems that no human can enter the First Level, were they actually only two more? It was still tough nonetheless. Armed Librarians really were all monsters.

“…Just a little bit more.”

He wondered if their scheme went as planned. If he wasn’t successful in keeping Hamyuts at bay, he would have been chased by her without any doubt.

Locolo tried cheering up himself. Just a bit more. When he would get his hands on that weapon, he wouldn’t have to fear the Guardian Beasts, and he should be even able to beat Hamyuts Meseta.

If he would defeat her, he could ascend. He would definitely ascend – ascend to Heaven.

He would become a Book and then, together with the great True Men, ascend to the place the Supreme G.o.d brought forth – to Heaven.

Locolo Bobuts was a warrior from the Indulging G.o.d Cult. This plan was an unexpected chance for him.

Even among the Indulging G.o.d Cult, his battle prowess wasn’t that high. If he were to fight an Armed Librarian up front he wouldn’t be able to win. As a warrior, he was below third-rate.

One day, Winkeny contacted him all of a sudden. He said he had to have another warrior who would cooperate with his plan.

Locolo had always looked down on Winkeny. He could only turn his body to Petroleum. He didn’t have any means of attack. He would burn out if a single matchstick was thrown at him. He was the weakest in the Indulging G.o.d Cult.

However, he had some chance of success. Winkeny said that he could manipulate Mokkania.

“How will you do that?”

Winkeny answered,

“I can’t discuss the entirety of my plan. In general, I plan on creating an impostor of Mokkania’s mother and control him like that.”

“Will that really work?”

“If you act according to my plan, it is possible.”

Locolo was hesitant. However, if he would simply follow orders from those above, ascending to Heaven would be difficult. He thought that going for a full reversal wouldn’t be so bad.

Winkeny did not reveal his plan to Locolo. He just sent him instructions. He snuck inside Bantorra Library dressed as an adventurer and kept in touch with Noloty as he was told to.

And he was then ordered to take a single woman along with him and bring her to meet with Mokkania.

“This is Mokkania’s mother, Renas Fleur. Until you reach Mokkania’s place, protect her from the Guardian Beasts.”

“…Is that the impostor? Isn’t she too young?”

“It’s fine. His real mother died while young. The mother in Mokkania’s heart should still be of that age.”

The large man wondered if that woman would betray them to the Armed Librarians. However, he couldn’t draw things any longer. While still anxious, he infiltrated the Labyrinth.

“Escorting her this far is fine. Wait right here.”

Saying so, Winkeny took Renas along with him. Locolo didn’t know what sort of conversation occurred between them and Mokkania. As he didn’t speak to Renas he also didn’t know what she was thinking.

Soon after, Mokkania’s revolt began.

“Unbelievable. He really betrayed them.”

“It was obvious.”

Winkeny said calmly. Locolo burst with laughter.

“Unbelievable. A grown man still obeys his mother. And she’s not even his real one. Tell me, what kind of magic have you used?”

“Let’s head to the back. Your job starts from here.”

Without answering his question, Winkeny urged Locolo to continue ahead.

Locolo was thinking – at the end of the day they probably seduced him. He had no idea what kind of guy Mokkania was, but there’s no reason that he wouldn’t be swayed by such a beautiful woman. Making her introduce herself as his mother was the most effective against a momma’s boy like him.

But perhaps Winkeny was the one being seduced by Renas to betray the Indulging G.o.d Cult? That Renas woman and Winkeny… well, it would be quite the accomplishment.

Locolo rose up. I have to do my job. Only then I can defeat Hamyuts Meseta and go to Heaven.

Locolo was fleeing from the herd of Guardian Beasts coming from behind. Pa.s.sing through the entrance to the Fourth Labyrinth, he reached the Fourth Archive. It was meant to store Books on the level of state secrets.

Just before they caught up to him, Locolo pa.s.sed the gate. Guardian Beasts couldn’t fight inside the Archives. They were barking regretfully as they watched Locolo escape their clutches.

“Serves you right…”

Locolo sighed and closed the door of the Archive.

The Books housed inside were of a level that a single copy of them would grab a fortune, such as those of people who breached the mysteries of Magic; all of them were precious Books. However, without any of them interesting Locolo, he kept looking for his objective.

It should be in this Archive. It was one of the world’s treasures that was taken away from the Indulging G.o.d Cult.

He thought it would be hidden somewhere, but surprisingly it was carelessly placed on top one of the bookshelves. Locolo touched it.

It was a realistic stone statue made in the form of a spider. Putting it on the back of his hand, the eight legs opened up and bit into Locolo. A blade as thin as yarn extended from the spider’s rear.

The Ever-Laughing Magic Blade Shlam.u.f.fen began laughing in Locolo’s hand.

This was the most important job handed to him by Winkeny.

He was to not let Hamyuts get her hands on the Ever-Laughing Magic Blade Shlam.u.f.fen. It was a weapon essential for her to oppose Mokkania. Winkeny’s side would win if they could get it.

Locolo started smiling. The laughter of both Shlam.u.f.fen and his overlapped. He was convinced in his victory.

June 12, 2016Tgurneu

“I’ve waited for you, Hamyuts Meseta.”

Hamyuts stopped running in the middle of the Fourth Labyrinth. The corpses of Guardian Beasts were strewn around. Locolo trembled at his weapon’s incredible power. Rather than describing it as slas.h.i.+ng without pa.s.sing through, it was an attack that erased the cause-and-effect of “having been slashed”. It didn’t literally slash anything.

Hamyuts stared at Locolo while gently swinging around her sling with a stone already set within. Her expression wasn’t fitting for a battle that already began. It was the face of amazement, of surprise, of one who found her lost ring in some crazy unexpected place.

As Locolo thought the color of her face would change and she would flee from the blade that once defeated her, he flinched.

“Hey, I have a question.”

“What is it?”

Locolo answered as he tried maintaining his superiority.

“Did the person who made this plan tell you to fight me?”

“…”

“He didn’t, right?”

Locolo was startled. She was absolutely correct.

Hamyuts was to be killed by Mokkania – thus Winkeny said. He had reminded Locolo that he was to just grab Shlam.u.f.fen and run away.

Locolo had told him there was no need to escape.

“Then the plan will be ruined.”

Winkeny had replied to him.

“As I thought you’ve been told to run away. By that, umm, bald oil called Winkeny. He told you to take that and run away for your victory, right?”

“…”

Don’t be overwhelmed. The situation hadn’t changed. You will kill Hamyuts here and ascend to Heaven.

“Defile, Shlam.u.f.fen.”

Innumerable cracks started forming on the stones around them.

“Well, that’s fine. This isn’t a boast, but I’m not honorable myself.”

Hamyuts smiled.

“Even if it’s a trivial man like you approaching me, it still makes me s.h.i.+ver.”

Shlam.u.f.fen’s invisible blade struck Hamyuts. She evaded by making a huge leap.

Hamyuts was being chased. However, she was faster. As soon as Locolo saw her stop, she ran away again. Shlam.u.f.fen’s blade cut through the Labyrinth. But Hamyuts wasn’t in range. At that moment, gravel bullets shot from her sling. These projectiles that were a.s.saulting Locolo instantly disappeared.

Hamyuts once again disappeared around the corner. Gravel bullets ricocheted off the walls like billiard b.a.l.l.s and a.s.saulted Locolo.

However, they were yet again cut off by Shlam.u.f.fen. Locolo was disturbed by Hamyuts’s conduct, but he gradually regained his composure.

“What is it?”

She has a big mouth but she’s just running away, isn’t she? Rebounded shots fell upon him like rain, but all of them were repelled by the invincible defense created by Shlam.u.f.fen.

It was the same when she fought Cigal Crukessa. Hamyuts’s attacks couldn’t hit. It would take time and effort to chase after Hamyuts as she ran around, but it wasn’t a big deal.

Struggle with all you’ve got, Hamyuts Meseta. Locolo ran while thinking this.

He found Hamyuts’s figure in the other side of the Labyrinth. The instant he did, an impact pa.s.sed through him as if his face was pierced.

An attack that surpa.s.sed cause-and-effect – this power that could erase the relations.h.i.+p between an action and its result would surely be the ultimate power in this world. It was the very power of the Creator Deity and couldn’t be used either by humans or by the foolish World Overseers.

However, Locolo didn’t know that, among the objects created by the Creator Deity, this weapon was at the bottom tier. Even the lowest-grade soldiers among the Librarian Angels could use it.

There were two drawbacks to using Shlam.u.f.fen.

The first one – even if it could “cut the s.p.a.ce Hamyuts was occupying”, it couldn’t “cut Hamyuts herself”. It was because the erasure of cause-and-effect was incomplete. If it was complete, regardless of which evasive actions Hamyuts tried, her body would be bisected.

And it had one more drawback-

Shlam.u.f.fen could only “cut”.

Did some attack get me? Locolo pressed a hand to his face. His eye was hurt.

Another blow came. This time he was shot in his stomach. He did not bleed. However, the hurt spot began swelling. As he pressed his hand against it his skin burst open and the blood that acc.u.mulated underneath it rushed out like a fountain.

“…!”

Did Shlam.u.f.fen’s defense not work? No, that’s wrong. The blade in his hand was still laughing. However, that laughter sounded as if it was ridiculing its incompetent wielder.

From underneath his aching eyelids, Locolo could see – the form of Hamyuts’s sling had changed. The pouch used to hold the stones changed from being net-like to a leather bag. Did she replace it or could she freely change its form?

She prepared something in the cloth. What is she doing? What is she throwing at me?Locolo stared at her, forgetting to wield Shlam.u.f.fen.

Hamyuts then threw something. Three shots. .h.i.t him in the face once again. The moment he felt it on his face, he understood.

It was an attack that couldn’t be cut off.

It was water.

Locolo recklessly swung Shlam.u.f.fen. However, its range was less than fifty meters. He couldn’t get Hamyuts within range.

He lost sight of her again. Locolo started running while he held his head. He hadn’t noticed that, by fighting Hamyuts while she escaped, he entered her pattern of certain victory.

Unbelievable. It was a water gun. Just like a child’s toy. Even when Hamyuts used such a thing it became the strongest attack.

Armed Librarians are no fools. Think of some countermeasure. It seemed to him as if Shlam.u.f.fen in his hands said such a thing.

Winkeny immediately understood that the sounds echoing from a distance signified a setback to his plans. The black p.a.w.n went against the player’s orders.

However, there was still time. Until Mokkania arrives, if Shlam.u.f.fen will not be taken away from them, they would be able to perform a pincer attack.

Winkeny headed towards Mokkania.

“…What do you want, Winkeny. You shouldn’t have any more business with me.”

“My plan failed. Locolo is fighting Hamyuts.”

Mokkania’s expression became one of contempt. Winkeny looked resigned. It was completely his side’s fault.

“…You shouldn’t have relied on him in the first place.”

“Mokkania, Winkeny-san, did something happen?”

Renas was agitated.

“Mokkania, leave Renas-san here and hurry ahead. With your speed you should be able to make it.”

“…He’s right, Mokkania. I don’t want to become any more of a burden to you.”

Renas and Winkeny said.

However, Mokkania shook his head in silence.

“Mokkania!”

Renas raised a sad voice.

Winkeny knew none of his words held any meaning. He already knew how Mokkania would answer. It was because he was the only one to understand Mokkania’s mind except for the man himself.

“I won’t separate from mom.”

He predicted Mokkania’s response word for word. Winkeny sighed. His pieces started fighting and deviating from their player’s orders.

It was absurd. All of his enemies moved exactly as he expected them to, yet his allies didn’t.

What a dimwit, Hamyuts thought. Even if she used her full strength in the Fourth Labyrinth, dodging shouldn’t be impossible for him.

However, at the moment Shlam.u.f.fen’s defense was penetrated, Locolo completely lost his fighting spirit. It was amusing seeing him receive the attacks by the water gun in the timing that could be used to evade.

Hamyuts threw away the water bottle that became empty. Just as she thought of pulling out another one, she stopped.

It would be easy to kill him like that.

“…But there’s still Mokkania.”

It was probably a good idea to finish this first.

Hamyuts stopped her attack and started running. She connected a Sensory Thread to Locolo and ran through the Labyrinth.

Hamyuts’s attack was interrupted. Locolo thought that she succeeded escaping.

He admitted his failure long ago. He couldn’t think of anything to do now but run away.

Locolo stopped. Hamyuts was standing at the other side of the corner. She looped around.

Locolo kept running and approached a crossroad. Hamyuts’s water gun hit his right arm hard. He instinctively turned to the left.

She was obviously leading him on, but Locolo was no longer composed enough to consider this.

“Well then. Is this place fine?”

Hamyuts said and stood. She was in the middle of a large corridor that extended 200 meters behind and ahead of her. It took a little time, but her induction was successful. Locolo turned at about ten meters ahead from Hamyuts.

A single wall separated Hamyuts and Locolo. When she knocked the corridor’s wall down, she reached Locolo’s spot.

Just as Locolo put both hands on the wall, the sling shot. It bore a hole in the wall. Shlam.u.f.fen defended against the sudden attack.

“Uwaah!”

Locolo screamed.

It happened in a fraction of a second.

Shlam.u.f.fen’s defenses had a perfect hole that just one person like Hamyuts could bypa.s.s. She grabbed Locolo’s right hand at that instant. As if accepting defeat, Shlam.u.f.fen’s legs opened, it separated from Locolo’s hand and fell to the floor.

“Well then, found you at last.”

Hamyuts picked up Shlam.u.f.fen. She didn’t even look at Locolo anymore.

She placed it on her left hand and Shlam.u.f.fen bit into her as if satisfied with its new master. Shlam.u.f.fen, which was said to be the cruelest Memorial Weapon, rejoiced in being equipped to the most suitable owner.

Hamyuts suddenly saw Locolo.

“Oh, you can go back already.”

She lightly said. Locolo raised his injured body and ran away listlessly.

“See ya.”

Hamyuts waved her hand. The Indulging G.o.d Cult sure has some problems with their manpower, she thought in her heart.

Locolo ran. As he was wounded and lost Shlam.u.f.fen, he couldn’t even stand up to the Guardian Beasts of the Fourth Level.

He kept running towards the Fourth Labyrinth’s entrance while set on evading them.

He would earnestly apologize. He would try to apologize to Winkeny and to that Renas woman. Mokkania might be mad at him, but if he could get Winkeny and Renas to forgive him, Mokkania would follow her step and say nothing about it.

Locolo set foot in an area dominated by ants. There were already corpses of Guardian Beasts lying around. The ants attacked not only them but Locolo as well.

“s.h.i.+t!”

Is Renas stupid? They can’t attack Locolo, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to inform Mokkania.

“It’s Locolo! Stop the attack!”

He shouted. Fortunately Mokkania and the rest were nearby. The ants’ a.s.sault ceased.

“That was close…”

While saying so, he headed towards the place where Mokkania was. Mokkania looked hostile, Renas looked worried, and they were heading towards Locolo.

“…Locolo-san. Are you injured?”

“Yeah. I’ve been defeated by Hamyuts Meseta.”

“Oh dear…”

Renas seemed to forgive him. It seemed he didn’t have to worry about Mokkania killing him. Just as he felt relieved, Mokkania turned to him while carrying Renas and said an unbelievable thing.

“Mom, be careful. This man’s our enemy.”

Locolo and Renas raised a startled cry at the same time.

“Why?!”

“What are you saying, Mokkania?”

Mokkania produced ants.

“But, Mokkania, this person brought me here.”

“He pretended to be our ally so he could trick you, mom.”

Saying so, Mokkania sent his ants towards Locolo. He screamed.

“No, Renas! I’m from the Indulging G.o.d Cult! I’m not an Armed Librarian!”

No answer came from Renas. Mokkania replied instead of her.

“Here, mom, you heard him. He’s from the Indulging G.o.d Cult.”

What is he saying…? Locolo lost his words.

“Oh no… then Locolo really is…”

“Yes. He was our enemy.”

Mokkania nodded.

“Really, I can never be too careful.”

What are you saying? What the h.e.l.l are you two saying?!

“Renas… You’re…!”

Not the Cult’s ally…? He wanted to say. But, as if shutting him up, ants bits on his lips and tongue. Locolo continued to question them even while being eaten apart.

Inside the h.e.l.l of pain, he reached a single conclusion.

Perhaps Renas doesn’t know anything. Neither about the Indulging G.o.d Cult, Winkeny and Locolo’s ident.i.ty, and not even the reason they are fighting.

Then why did Mokkania revolt?

Without reaching any answer, the ants invaded through the holes in his mouth and bit his brain.

Mokkania was thinking as he looked down upon Locolo becoming a skeleton.

Why didn’t this man know of the plan?

He tried thinking back. At the beginning of the incident, Mirepoc sent a message to Mokkania. She did it many times.

‘That woman is an impostor. The Indulging G.o.d Cult brought a fake of your mother so they could manipulate you.’

Mokkania replied that he already knew.

Mirepoc had misunderstood and thought he was being manipulated by his mother.

That was wrong. Mokkania fought by his own volition.

And then, Feekiee attacked his mother.

“I’m the Armed Librarian Feekiee.”

Hearing those words, his mother raised a relieved voice and answered this:

“Since you’re an Armed Librarian, that means you’re Mokkania’s ally, right?”

Feekiee had also misunderstood and thought Mokkania’s mother was on the side of the Indulging G.o.d Cult.

Who would have imagined? She, who was the cause of that fight, didn’t even know the cause herself.

His mother didn’t know anything. Neither the fact she is fake, nor the fact she was created by the Indulging G.o.d Cult, nor that Mokkania currently fought against the Armed Librarians. She simply and wholeheartedly believed she was Renas Fleur and thought only about Mokkania.

This is why he had to fight. No matter who he talked to about this, they couldn’t possibly understand his reasons.

“Hey, Mokkania.”

Mom said.

“I was taken away by the Indulging G.o.d Cult and my memories were erased by the tool known as Argax… right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, Armed Librarian Winkeny rescued me and brought me to meet you… right?”

“Yeah.”

“And right now, the warriors of the Indulging G.o.d Cult are chasing Hamyuts Meseta who’s taken an important Book. Is that it?”

“…Yes, it is.”

Yes, it has become this way. That was what Winkeny had told her.

“If that’s really true, then it’s fine.”

She tightened the grip of her hands on Mokkania’s collar. That weak feeling told Mokkania of her anxiety.

“Mokkania. Do you really have to fight?”

“…Mom?”

“I don’t want to see you killing any more people.”

“But…”

“No matter what kind of bad people they are, you might be able to talk to them. Do you really have to fight no matter what?”

His eyes became moist with nostalgia. Right, that’s the kind of person mom was. She was kind and gentle and hated fighting.

“…But mom. There are times when this is the only way to do things. This is one of them.”

“Mokkania…”

It was painful. He hurt his mom right now. He felt like he wanted to cut open his chest and die. But right now he could only fight. Both for the sake of his mother and for himself.

Mokkania squeezed her hand. He was trying to warm her frozen hands.

He couldn’t talk to his mother. He couldn’t tell her about the fight against the Armed Librarians. He couldn’t tell her about the reason for his betrayal.

The man called Winkeny Bize was an unbelievable person. How did he even manage to think up this plan?

He even thought about killing him and then peeking inside his mind by reading his Book.

Mokkania started walking. The decisive battle against Hamyuts was imminent.

During that time, the ants carrying the Book fragment were in the middle of the Fifth Labyrinth. According to Mokkania’s estimations, they should have exited the Labyrinth long ago and went somewhere, yet they were still inside.

Ireia’s curse of time had not worn off. The ants were slowly, slowly walking through the Labyrinth.

There was no one to give any attention to them.

June 17, 2016Tgurneu

Mokkania carried Renas on his back as he headed for battle. Winkeny saw him off. He couldn’t do anything else at this stage. The only pieces left were the white and black queen. He couldn’t believe in Mokkania’s victory even when he was the one to control him.

Their chances for success were slim. Hamyuts obtained Shlam.u.f.fen, thereby gaining a mean to oppose the ants. Mokkania’s advantage over her was the fact she couldn’t protect against them. As long as a miracle doesn’t occur, Mokkania will lose.

But still, he couldn’t give up. Winkeny bet his life on this plan. No, not just his life. Winkeny himself was living for this plan. He only existed so he could manipulate Mokkania.

Winkenny thought to himself – please, Mokkania. Defeat her. Prove that my life wasn’t in vain.

Winkeny Bize – a child born to an extremely normal household in the Ismo Republic. His father was a railway engineer and his mother a shoe polisher at the station. He was the youngest of three siblings, with his brother and sister far removed from him in age.

The young Winkeny never found out what happened. One day, when he returned home his mother simply told him that his father, brother and sister will not return anymore.

She also mentioned something about the Indulging G.o.d Cult. She said that his father and the rest opposed joining that Cult.

His mother asked him to come along with her. Winkeny nodded.

He didn’t know anything about the organization known as the Indulging G.o.d Cult. He just thought that his mother would become lonely. Winkeny swore together with her that he would dedicate his entire life to the Cult.

“Welcome to the Indulging G.o.d Cult, Winkeny Bize. The Cult sincerely welcomes you.”

In front of his eyes was the leader of the Cult. His t.i.tle was the Overseer of Paradise.

This was the man who found those fitting to be True Men, managed the False Men, and employed the Meats – he was the Cult’s leader in every sense of the word. While sitting inside a small hotel room in Ismo Republic, he calmly played with chess pieces with his hands.

No-one was allowed to see his face. No-one was allowed to know his name.

“Being able to greet young people like you into the Cult is fortunate for us. We at the Cult wish to raise good people.”

Winkeny was able to see his face right in front of his eyes. However, by the effect of some sort of magic, as soon as he diverted his eyes he couldn’t recall the man’s face any longer.  No matter how many times he had seen him, he couldn’t remember his features.

From his voice he could understand it was a man. But that voice might also not be the real thing.

“Unfortunately, you do not seem to possess “the entirety”. People who do not have “the entirety” do not have the qualifications to become True Men. From now on you will support those who will become True Men, a game piece that will accompany their very lives.”

The voice of the Overseer of Paradise was calm and gentle. Winkeny felt as if he was wrapped in heat.

“As a piece, when you make any achievement, Lascall Oth.e.l.lo will come and carry your Book to Heaven. Until that day comes, dedicate yourself to the Cult.”

Lascall Oth.e.l.lo. Winkeny did not know the meaning of that name. However, he didn’t ask back. There were things in the Cult that mustn’t be questioned.

“Be not afraid of death. Do not avoid hards.h.i.+ps. Your life is transient. Your only happiness is the happiness of True Men.”

Winkeny nodded. The Overseer of Paradise seemed to like his att.i.tude.

He gave Winkeny a single photograph.

“His name is Mokkania Fleur. Presently he is attending an Armed Librarian school. He’s not even a trainee yet.”

Winkeny took the photo. He stared at the boy’s face. Nothing came to his mind.

“And what about him?”

“A Magician who infiltrated the Predictive Magic Committee made a prediction about him. Within ten years, he will become one of the world’s strongest.”

“…”

“We cannot avoid our battle against the Armed Librarians. Within ten years, the Armed Librarians will certainly sniff us out and attempt to annihilate us. As we are antic.i.p.ating this, we must take some measures.”

“Right.”

“We cannot surpa.s.s the Armed Librarians in our military capabilities. We are vastly outnumbered. But we will also not be easily annihilated.”

While saying so, the Overseer of Paradise began to nimbly move the chess pieces. Seemingly the black side was dominant.

“In the case of a stalemate, the Armed Librarians will move their strongest piece, Mokkania Fleur.”

The Overseer of Paradise moved the black queen. Winkeny had no deep knowledge in chess, but he understood that the queen is used to determine the victor.

“When that happens, the piece that will decide the outcome would be the natural enemy of this one. A piece that will kill the queen without paying any heed to the p.a.w.ns or knights.”

“…”

“You will become that piece.”

Winkeny nodded.

The Overseer of Paradise tipped over the black queen with his fingers and it rolled away. It fell from the board into Winkeny’s hands.

As soon as he was brought in, Winkeny was separated from his mother. In this secretive cult, there were almost no relations.h.i.+ps between fellow believers. They were forbidden to meet, and even letters or messages of any kind were not allowed.

Days of tough training were waiting for Winkeny. He did nothing but work on his Magic Deliberation from day till night. Furthermore he learned about disguises, infiltration and even ways to lie; he was trained as a spy.

He looked for ways to oppose Mokkania based on the ability he was taught. He imagined an ability that will allow him to withstand the attacks of ants, repeating his Magic Deliberation again and again. He didn’t have any battle training whatsoever. He even ignored bodily reinforcement Magic which was essential for warriors. He did nothing but acquire the ability needed to counteract Mokkania.

Gaining a Magic Right was only possible at the stage when a person’s spirit was still immature – no earlier than the teens and no later than the early twenties. Past this, the common sense and clear vision characteristic to adults that grew within one’s mind will hinder the growth of Magic.

Winkeny’s growth was slow. He didn’t have anything called a talent.

When he approached his twenties, the only thing he was able to get was the ability to change his body to petroleum.

“…This would certainly avoid attacks by Mokkania.”

His Magic teacher said.

“However, how are you going to attack?”

He didn’t have an answer. In the end Winkeny couldn’t get the ability to kill a person. His ability only allowed him to withstand Mokkania’s attacks. It wasn’t enough to become his natural enemy.

“There is no need for disappointment.”

The Overseer of Paradise said during their second meeting.

“Everyone has their own field. You can work on something else that fits you.”

He wasn’t trying to console Winkeny. It was a verdict that he held no expectations of him.

Winkeny kept carrying the black queen he received from the Overseer of Paradise close to him. It was an old piece, symbolizing half of his lifetime.

He now clasped it tightly.

Starting that day, Winkeny conducted an investigation independent of the Cult’s orders.

Up till then, the only thing he knew about Mokkania was his ability. He began to gather data on him. Sometimes even putting himself in danger, Winkeny started investigating everything about Mokkania – his personality, his career, not to mention information about his family and interpersonal relations.h.i.+p, and even things such as his favorite color or food.

Before long, his comrades in the Cult started ridiculing him without understanding any of his actions.

Ignoring them, Winkeny examined the entirety of Mokkania.

It happened a few years after Winkeny was released from his duties as a warrior.

He went and visited Mokkania’s hometown.

It was a small town situated in the northern part of Rona Kingdom. The town was surrounded by apple groves and forests of beech trees, and Winkeny walked along a road lined up with poplar trees. It was a warm town with a short winter. The time flowed gently, making spending time there pleasant.

Mokkania was raised there from his birth until he was thirteen. It was a place Winkeny simply had to visit.

Winkeny stopped in the middle of the poplar tree-lined road. He looked around him and muttered to himself.

“…I am Mokkania Fleur. I was born and raised in this town.”

The quiet landscape of the town reflected in his eyes. What did Mokkania think, see and feel here? Winkeny worked his imagination.

“This is a pleasant town. A beautiful town that wouldn’t lose to Bantorra. I think that I should keep living in this town.

However, I haven’t returned to this town in over a decade.”

His words were interrupted there.

“Why…?”

Winkeny started walking again.

First, he went to the house Mokkania grew up in. It was the house of the feudal lord, located in the center of town. In this kingdom, which had nothing to do with Democracy or Capitalism, the lord’s authority was absolute.

“I welcome you. I have heard you are working for a newspaper in Ismo Republic…?”

Winkeny showed the identification from a certain newspaper, one of the several fake IDs he possessed.

“Thank you for allowing me to interview you today.”

The lord, while being confused because of Winkeny’s unusual appearance, led him to the drawing room.

He conducted his interview there. He inquired about the diplomatic relations between Rona Kingdom and the Present Management Agency under the pretext of asking the opinions of well-informed man. The interview itself wasn’t fake. In fact, after the article was written it was published. It was a newspaper under the patronage of the Cult.

He asked the lord’s opinion on their diplomatic relations. While he didn’t hear anything new, Winkeny kept patient.

Concluding the conversation in a reasonable spot, Winkeny went to the real issue in hand under the guise of idle talk. Naturally, it was about Mokkania.

“By the way, I heard that Armed Librarian Mokkania Fleur was born here.”

Hearing Mokkania’s name, the expression of the lord who was in a good mood until then suddenly changed.

“That person is indeed my child.”

The lord said without even attempting to hide his discomfort. A father calling his son “that person”.  These words let Winkeny know he was narrow-minded.

“I don’t think of him as having any connection to me.

No, it’s not since he became an Armed Librarian. That person was unworthy of my family since he was a child. Even if he were to return, I will not let him inherit my property. Only a commoner’s child would become something common like an Armed Librarian.”

The lord repeated the word “common” many times. He kept holding to the old-fas.h.i.+oned notion that n.o.ble children must not acquire professions such as an Armed Librarian.

Prepared to offend him even more, Winkeny asked further.

“What do you think of the Guinbex ma.s.sacre done by Mokkania-s.h.i.+?”

“What does that have to do with me? How unpleasant. Get out.”

He answered as expected. Winkeny stood up and thanked him.

“I am Mokkania. I don’t wish to return to this house. This isn’t my house.”

Winkeny muttered as he pa.s.sed the gate.

“I grew up in this house from when I was five till thirteen. Living in this uncomfortable house probably left me with some mental scars. Getting out of town was undoubtedly in order to run away from this house… I am…”

Winkeny stopped speaking there. There wasn’t any meaning in investigating those kinds of superficial emotions. He must arrive at the very core and depth of Mokkania’s mind.

What kind of child had Mokkania been as he lived in this town? Winkeny thought about hearing other people’s stories.

Guided by hearsay, Winkeny walked through the town. He was looking for the other house Mokkania lived in.

The town was beautiful when viewed from outside, but he noticed it wasn’t so when you entered inside.

Ten-year old children were helping with farming as a matter of course. Based on their social position, it was natural that only a limited number would go to things like schools.

Certainly, for people of this town, a method for a commoner to get into a higher position would be only by becoming an Armed Librarian. For them, your origin did not matter. As long as they have the ability, they would also accept people with an unknown background.

Why did Mokkania become an Armed Librarian? Was it the position he wanted? Or did he have another reason?

“I am Mokkania. I will become an Armed Librarian… do I want power? Do I want status?  Do I love fighting? …I don’t know.”

“Mokkania? I remember him.”

An old woman busy with grinding flour answered. Winkeny was taking notes in the back of a bakery in one corner of the town.

“What kind of child was he?”

“He was very quiet… very kind and gentle, much like a girl.”

Right. Winkeny had already found out that fundamentally, Mokkania was a very kind person. Almost all of the people who knew Mokkania said so.

Winkeny wanted to know the substance of that kindness. Did he adjoin his weakness with kindness, or was it a strong sort of kindness? How did he form it?

Winkeny asked further questions.

“Did he have any friends?”

“No specific children that come to mind. But, you see, my grandson used to bully him.”

“He was bullied?”

That was surprising to hear. This child, who became one of the world’s strongest, was once bullied.

“Yeah, that’s right, it was awful. He did things like dropping him in water or stealing his candy as a daily occurrence. Isn’t that right, you foolish grandson?”

The voice of a youth came from the front of the bakery.

“Grandma, please forgive me already. I know I did bad things.”

“What is this brat even saying…”

Winkeny became interested. This bullying might have influenced Mokkania’s personality.

“Whenever Mokkania would come home crying, his mother would come yelling at me. Do you know her? Renas-san.”

“His mother?”

Mokkania lived without his father since he was five years old. After that, he was taken care of by his father.

“What kind of person was Renas Fleur?”

“Although she was quiet, she had a strong heart. We’ve lost a good person.”

The old woman sighed.

“Even so, this is unbelievable. I’ve never seen Mokkania engage in any fights. Did he really become an Armed Librarian?”

She was talking while still grinding flour.

“I would never have imagined him protecting us all back then.”

The old woman spoke about the battle against Guinbex. A year ago, the Armed Librarian fought against the invading army of Guinbex and destroyed it. Many of the people in Rona Kingdom were grateful.

The old woman called the youth who was at the store’s front. Winkeny asked him further questions.

“Mokkania, huh? I remember him.”

The young baker said.

“It’s not like everyone especially bullied him. It’s just that… I was a bully, and I bullied everyone. It’s from long ago, though.”

Talking with shame, the youth scratched his head. He didn’t look like a bad person. He was probably a typical neighborhood bully back then.

“I would bully him and make Renas-san angry. You know her? She was Mokkania’s mother.”

Of course he did.

“She was kind. And also pretty. When I think about it, it was Renas who left a larger impression in my memories.”

“What kind of person was she?”

“A good person. She would round up the kids and tell them fairy tales.

But she was scary when angry. She would scold without giving the other party any chance to explain, asking us why we were doing bad things, and then look at us with sad eyes. I had to endure that.”

Saying this, the youth smiled.

“She really hated violence. If she was still alive, she would have probably been extremely angry at Mokkania. I think she wouldn’t have let him become an Armed Librarian in the first place.”

The youth directed a distant look up to the sky.

“Mokkania did protect Rona Kingdom, but I believe he would have pained Renas-san.”

Winkeny went away.

June 25, 2016Tgurneu

He heard about Mokkania from various people. But he always heard more about his mother than about him.

Renas Fleur was a normal girl who grew up in that town. The fact that she gave birth to child of the feudal lord was nothing more than a whim of his one day.

She probably faced many hards.h.i.+ps while raising a child by herself.

Winkeny tried imagining the life of this woman who was bound to the lord’s selfishness.

She probably hated weak people being bullied because she herself was weak. That personality would have also affected Mokkania. Mokkania’s kindness and hatred for oppression of the weak probably came from that.

“Then why did Mokkania become an Armed Librarian?”

What was Mokkania’s mother to him? And what has her death meant to him?

Winkeny thought about it. However, he didn’t know.

He visited the house Mokkania was born in. There were only ruins left. He couldn’t feel any signs of the life mother and child used to have in there.

“I am Mokkania. One day, as I returned to my house, it was no longer my home.”

Walking through the abandoned place, Winkeny thought about Mokkania’s feelings. He stroked the floor and murmured.

“As I come home, I greet “I’m home”. However, at that instant I notice that mom is on the floor, dead.”

He touched the floor, thinking about the figure of the mother who was there.

“There’s no reply. “I’m home” – I say this once again. But there is no reply.”

Winkeny kept muttering.

“I’m home… I’m home… I’m home.”

At that instant, Winkeny received a message inside of his head in the form of Thought Sharing.

‘What are you doing, Winkeny? Return at once.”

Just when I got to the critical part? Winkeny gritted his teeth. But he could not go against the instructions of his superior.

Winkeny left Mokkania’s hometown, and went back to the Cult’s base.

Upon return to the s.h.i.+p, Winkeny took out the black queen from his pocket. It was the same one the Overseer of Paradise gave him during that day. He clenched it in his hand.

Winkeny was a failed piece, raised in order to kill the black queen. However, the piece that had been discarded by the player was now going to move outside the player’s intentions.

No, he wasn’t a piece anymore. By freely manipulating the black queen, he will become a player himself.

Winkeny investigated Mokkania’s heart so that he could control the black queen.

When he throws certain words at Mokkania, what will he think? When Mokkania faces certain circ.u.mstances, what will he think? When Mokkania has a certain goal in mind, how will he act?

Winkeny wanted to understand Mokkania completely just as a wife who was close to her husband knew everything about him after forty years together.

When Mokkania would act that way, he will become Winkeny’s puppet. While acting under his own will, even that very will would be controlled by Winkeny.

Each time a chess master moved his hand, he could envision and predict the actions of hundreds of p.a.w.ns. An outstanding warrior could predict a battle’s outcome before it even began.

Winkeny aimed for that level. He tried to become an expert on the single man known as Mokkania.

“…You’re late. What were you doing?”

Winkeny’s immediate superior welcomed him as he returned from Rona Kingdom. As always, he rebuked Winkeny’s negligence of duty.

Winkeny worked as a contact that would convey orders from the higher-ups to their subordinates. He knew nothing about the encrypted information or the orders themselves. He was doing a job that only consisted of following the instructions of those above him and flying around the world. No-one remembered his role as a trump card against Mokkania. The fact that he secluded himself in the Labyrinth and was no longer a useful warrior was already well-known within the Indulging G.o.d Cult. A trump card aimed to defeat a useless piece was good for nothing.

“…I visited Mokkania’s hometown.”

“What for?”

His superior asked. Winkeny tried to explain, but his superior shook his hand as if telling him it was too annoying.

“Just go away.”

The superior said.

n.o.body could understand Winkeny’s actions. Everyone told him it was useless, and many of them laughed at him. He was accustomed to humiliation, so he didn’t feel anything.

He clutched the black queen inside his pocket.

Winkeny returned to his hideout.

On his desk and floor were piles of doc.u.ments that were all about Mokkania – his background; his evaluation from when he was a trainee, as well a report card from when he was a student; his interviews for newspapers; and the notes retaining to his personality that Winkeny heard about from people who knew him.

There were also large quant.i.ties of Books belonging to people who’ve met Mokkania placed on his shelves.

Many pictures of Mokkania were adhered to the walls. One valuable photo of him as a boy; pictures of him as a trainee, as an Armed Librarian, of him during the war, and pictures of him activating his ability.

Furthermore, there were investigation notes written by Winkeny hanging on the walls.

“Dissension with Hamyuts” “Loneliness” “Kind to his core->will he quit being an Armed Librarian?” “Guilt->where will he go?” “He might be considering suicide” “He parted with his lover. Was he really good with women?” “I definitely need Minth Chezine’s opinion->should I go and meet with him? Or is that unreasonable?”

Everything he knew about Mokkania was collected there. He even stole Mokkania’s psychological and psychiatric records from the Science Agency and read them over and over again until their seams were torn.

But despite all this, there were still many things he didn’t understand about Mokkania’s heart.

He could understand his surface feelings, but that was far from enough. In order to truly see through him, he had to become Mokkania himself. If Winkeny wouldn’t be able to reach that domain, there’s no way he could manipulate Mokkania.

“s.h.i.+t!”

Winkeny hit the desk with his fist.

He didn’t want to admit that such a thing was impossible. If he will, it would be one and the same as admitting his whole life was meaningless. He couldn’t stand it. He feared that far more than dying or not ascending to Heaven.

Winkeny held his head and kept worrying.

One day, the Overseer of Paradise called for him. He hadn’t met him for who knows how many years. For him, who was doing only odd jobs for a long time, it was like meeting a G.o.d-like existence.

He went to the same hotel he was in before. That hotel wasn’t under the Cult’s control. How and by which means he could stay here? Winkeny couldn’t even imagine.

He was reading a newspaper placed on the table by the window. It seemed to be just an ordinary newspaper sold everywhere.

“Winkeny. Are you aware that just the other day there was an a.s.sault on the Meats’ s.h.i.+p at Allow bay?”

He said while folding the newspaper. Winkeny nodded.

“There seems to have been a leak from the inside. Our intelligence will have to work with maximum vigilance, but it is a pity. Naturally, the more people we have, the more they will be harder to supervise.”

It didn’t seem like he suspected Winkeny. The Overseer of Paradise kept talking.

“Winkeny. Do you not think that we allowed just a little too many people inside?”

“I don’t really know.”

“From now on, we’re going to be a bit more selective. Not only in terms of ability but also in loyalty.”

Saying so, the Overseer of Paradise tossed the folded newspaper unto the rack. Winkeny only then noticed it was the newspaper that he was officially employed for.

“What does this mean?”

The Overseer of Paradise took a cup placed on the table to his hand. He slid it towards Winkeny.

“Winkeny. If you drink this water, you will be able to live as a simple newspaper reporter from now on.”

Without him saying anything, he could understand. The cup contained the water of Argax.

“Overseer of Paradise, I’m…”

“The article you’ve written the other day – it was just an editorial about the contradictions between Rona’s diplomacy and its politic philosophy, but it was very interesting. Why don’t you sit down and write a proper continuation?”

Winkeny took the cup with trembling hands.

He recalled everything until now – his everyday life where he was referred to as useless. No matter how much thought about it, he wasn’t able to reach inside Mokkania’s mind.

His heart was inclined to give up. He brought the cup’s edge to his mouth while still trembling.

However, he returned it to the table while spilling some water.

“I’m not planning to become a journalist.”

“I see.”

Without any hesitation, the Overseer of Paradise spilled the water out of the window.

Drinking the water or not was probably some kind of test. Winkeny didn’t know what would happen if he drank it. Would he have been sent to the Meats’ s.h.i.+p? Or would he really and unexpectedly become a normal journalist?

The Overseer of Paradise rose from his chair and leaned his back on the window’s edge. There was no longer the