Katahane no Riku

Chapter 86.Duty as a?soldier

Leivein wasn′t any different from Riku′s memory.

His black and beautiful wings didn′t have any wounds and she could feel a strong will in his sky blue eyes. He wasn′t sickly.

If there was something to say that was different from Riku′s memories, it would be only how he was a bit skinny at his cheeks. But even so, for how he had been unconscious and without being able to eat anything during all this time, it could be said he was extremely healthy.

Riku was obstinately examining him and checking his condition, but there was no mistake he was already fit for returning back to the battlefield. Riku chest went down, giving a sigh in relief.

“During the time captain Leivein wasn′t here, the Demon Lord army…”

“I′ve already heard about what has been happening.”

Riku was going to explain the situation, but Leivein stopped her from doing so by interrupting her.

“I′ve heard everything from general Gortoberuk. I′ve heard about the dethronement, the execution and who had been leading the Demon Lord army since then. And also about how we are close to unsealing the Demon Lord.”

With his arms crossed, Leivein spoke in a indifferent manner.

“I′ve learned of your loyalty very well.”

“…Thank you very much!”

Riku couldn′t say any other words except that.

Raising the sound of footsteps, Leivein approached her. Lightly lowering her head, Riku waited for Leivein to come closer.

Riku′s heart was beating faster than usual. Leivein was definitely going to praise her. While Leivein was absent, Riku had purged the evil from the Demon Lord army, and moreover, she had successfully discovered where the Demon Lord was sealed at.

Leivein was definitely going to pat her head for her to have done work worthy of being his right-wing. By each step the distance between them closed in, her chest became inflated with expectation.

And then, when Leivein and Riku were right next to each other, it happened.

“You must have been very occupied. Go take a day off.”

Riku quickly raised her head.

She didn′t understand what Leivein was trying to tell her. Looking for the meaning behind those words, Riku glanced at Leivein′s face. Leivein wasn′t even looking at Riku.

“…Until when would it be?”

“For one month.”

“Eh?”

Because of how surprised Riku was, she became paralyzed. Vrusto, who was behind Riku, must also have felt surprised. A stiff mood could be felt.(TL note: 固まった雰囲気を 背中で感じるWhy is it feeling the mood with the “back”? what would a stiffen mood be 固まった雰囲気?)

“During that time, I prohibit you from going to the battlefield.”

“Pl-please, wait, captain Leivein! What do you mean by that!?”

Almost tripping down, Riku jumped in front of Leivein.

“We will be heading to the seal in three days! There is no way I can take a da for a mon…”

“Then, let me change my words.”

Cold words of refusal. The moment Riku heard those words, Riku became shocked. Riku wasn′t being reflected at Leivein′s blue eyes. He only kept looking ahead.

“You will be in house arrest for one month.”

“House arrest?”

Why? For what reason? Those words couldn′t left her month.

Riku waveringly gave three steps back.

“Were they really bad things? I-I… I′ve purged the scourge of the Demon Lord army, and then…”

“It′s because you called Charlotte-sama scourge.”

With an expression cold as ice, Leivein declared.

Riku wasn′t able to understand Leivein′s words. With rough breathing, Riku shouted, seeking an answer.

“What is wrong in calling that scourge a scourge? That promiscuous girl was definitely going to cause calamity to the Demon Lord army! No, because of that girl, captain became on the verge of dying!!”

It was the right choice to kill Charlotte.

Charlotte had fallen in love with a spiritualist, had had her escorts annihilated and had put Leivein at the death′s door. If she hadn′t been executed at that time, she would definitely be a hinder to this next war. Just by thinking that Charlotte could be persuaded by Rook Barusak and betray them at the last minute, it made her angry.

“It was correct to have executed that pest! That is…”

“Do you think throwing your superior to the wolves the correct action to do as a soldier?”

Leivein questioned. Those words were sharp to the point of giving the illusion that a white blade was pointed next to her neck.

“It is the duty of the subordinates to stop their superiors when they are heading to the wrong path even at the risk of their life. If they are not able to do that, they will only suffer the same fate.”

Each word was heavy and pierced through her heart.

Saying only that, Leivein left the place. Leivein left the place in a fast pace, but his footsteps for some reason felt very heavy.

“Vrusto, you follow me. I have a job for you.”

“What have ojou-chan… what have general Riku Barusak done?”

“Don′t concern job related things with people who are at their break.”

With an extremely troubled face, Vrusto looked at Riku and Leivein alternatively. He started to think about something, but as if shaking off something, he shook his head ad followed after Leivein.

Riku weakly fell to the ground.

She couldn′t shout them to wait.

She couldn′t say it was a misunderstanding.

No matter what, she couldn′t say he was in the wrong.

She could only look at those backs fading away at the distance as if Riku wasn′t concerned with them.

“Really, nothing had changed.”

Before she could notice, she was muttering this at the empty corridor.

Hitting the palm of her hand at the cold floor, she closed her hand.

Leivein couldn′t forgive Riku, who killed Charlotte.

No matter how much she was to explain the reason to him, no matter how many evidences she was to show him, he would definitely not accept them.

From Leivein′s perspective, Riku, who had killed the leader of the Demon Lord army, was a traitor.

She had gone against the code of the soldier. Let alone she becoming his right-wing, perhaps Leivein had abandoned her as if she didn′t have any worth in the military. Thinking about that, Riku′s heart became cold.

“What am I supposed to do…”

In this pace, she was going to lose her place in the military.

Even though she had finally got a place that she belonged to. Even though she had arrived at a place her strength was recognized. For her to end up parting with it…

“N-no…”

Riku′s body was trembling. While holding down her own body, she desperately tried to stop trembling. However, on the contrary, the trembling of her body increasingly became more violent. With tears at the corners of her eyes showing up, her teeth started to chatter.

“I want to keep being here.”

She didn′t know what she was supposed to do.

Riku could only live in the battlefield. In order to have her revenge against the Barusak and also to raise magnificent achievements at the battlefield, she would train with her halberd. But also, in order to fulfill her objective, which was even more important than her revenge… in order to become Leivein′s right-wing, she had put great effort.

“I don′t want to leave here.”

It was becoming like bubbles in water. If Riku couldn′t go to the battlefield anymore, she would become only a simple human. She would become just some little girl that happens to be strong which was unneeded by anyone in the Demon Lord army. No. She would become the avoided ominous little girl of [eerie red hair].

Nobody would need a girl like that.

Whether it was a human, whether it was a spiritualist, or even a demon… Nobody would take notice of her.

“You seem troubled, ojou-san” (TL note: It is written “heroine” in those little letters above the ojou-san.)

Right at that moment, a charming voice came from above.

Raising her face, Riku saw there was a man in black standing there. A handsome young man with black wings. If Leivein′s wings could be said to be of a dragon, this handsome young man′s ones were bird wings. They seemed to be softer than the wings of Karula from the messenger squad.

“…You are?”

Riku looked through her memories.

It was a man she didn′t remember of. At least, as far as Riku was concerned, he wasn′t affiliated to the military. Riku started to be vigilant. Standing up, Riku gave one step back as a precaution.

“I am a shinigami.”

The shinigami showed a faint smile.

Because of the suspicious-looking smile, Riku moved her hand to the halberd at her back. The handsome man that said to be a shinigami immediately raised his hands, but still showing a smile somewhat free of care.

With the face of a harmless salesman, the shinigami gave one step closer to Riku.

“Ah, please stop this. Even if I am a shinigami, I′ve come to grant you your wish.”

The shinigami licked his lips.

His red and long tongue somewhat looked like a snake hunting for its prey.

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