Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no 'Kokoro'-

Volume 4 Chapter 7.4

Seeds of Rekindling Part 4

Translator : PolterGlast

After finishing her morning classes, Lisa was alone, making her way to the back of the school building. Leaning her back against the building, she sat down. She cast her eyes downward and exhaled heavily, her stiffened body and mind relaxing just a little bit.

No matter where she was on the school grounds, there would always be a contemptuous look directed at her whenever someone was around. Combined with the continuous gossip behind her back, her heart grew increasingly despondent. That was why she wanted a place where she could be alone, even if only for a little bit.

She raised her head and looked up at the early summer sky. It was a blue sky without a single cloud. The wind caressing her cheeks felt pleasant, but at the same time, her heart was once again dyed a gloomy color.

"Nozomu has been enduring these kinds of emotions for a long time......"

"There she is. So she's in a place like this."

The sudden voice made Lisa raise her head reflexively.

"What do you guys want with me......?"

The nameplates showed that they were students from the third to fifth classes of the third grade. The girl with the highest rank among them stepped forward with her arms folded. Lisa recognized this girl. She had been in the first class until her second year.

Her name is Bellaluna Haltim. She is a member of the Cremazzone Empire's Count family.

"May I talk to you for a moment?"

"......Sorry, I have to go now."

The girl smiled a wicked smile, and feeling a chill, Lisa stood up and tried to hurry past them.

"It is about your father."

"Eh......."

"Leanback Hounds. I believe he died about ten years ago. Aren't you curious about what he was hiding from you?"

Lisa choked up, and the days of traveling with her parents when she was a child flashed back to her mind.

It was before she traveled to the Oire village. Her parents, active as adventurers, had protected many travelers, and they appreciated them for it. Lisa was proud of them, and she wanted to be like them someday.

But then, her father died. She did not know why. But the figure of her father, etched in her mind as a child, remained, and eventually, she and her childhood friends left the village and came to Arcazam, the place her father had talked about.

"Looking at you, you really don't know anything, huh? Neither about your own situation nor about that cousin of yours."

She knew nothing about her father's death. However, she had been told by Inda-sensei that Camilla was her cousin, but only after she had escaped from the sewers.

Her memories of the time she was being manipulated have also been restored. However, it did not mean that she had fully accepted everything that had happened. Even after two weeks, she still could not shake the feeling of being suspended in mid-air. As if to disguise her own sense of ambiguity, Lisa asked for more of her father's story.

"......What about my father?"

The girl's eyes squinted slightly upon hearing Lisa's response.

"Your father, Leanback Hounds, was originally the fifth son of the Arwent family, a frontier Earl of the Empire. He was even offered to be a son-in-law to a Duke's family."

The Arwent family. The Arwent family is a frontier Earl bordering Lake Krausamari, the largest lake on the Arkmel continent, and one of the most prominent families in the Empire.

"But he abandoned that honor and fell into exile. I don't know the reason. But his name was erased for disregarding the wishes of his family and the other party. Ten years later, his sister, who was three years younger than him and was supposed to be married into another family, followed the same path as his brother and had her name erased as well."

"And that sister is-......."

"Yes, she is Camilla Vecknose's mother. Apparently, they had been close siblings for a long time."

Her father's past that she had never known before. She felt her heart beat faster as she heard this story.

"Even though you have fallen into exile, you still have the noble blood of the Empire flowing through your veins. It is a pity that you are being scorned in such a remote place......"

A hand was held out in front of Lisa's eyes.

"Lisa Hounds...... no, Lady Lisa Arwent. If you don't mind, would you like to come with us to the Empire?"

It was, without a doubt, an invitation to go to the Empire.

It was an unexpected offer. While invitations to go to a country as a post-graduation career path are not uncommon, this invitation was different. What Lisa was being offered was a chance to return as an aristocrat.

"I can't ...... do that. I still haven't done anything for Nozomu......"

"But he doesn't want to see you after all this time, does he? There's no point in staying in this painful place, is there?"

"B-But, but......"

"Ah, gosh. What a pain in the ass. Just come!"

Suddenly, Bellaluna's gentle expression disappeared and she grabbed Lisa's hair. Her crimson hair was pulled with such force that it ripped apart with a snapping sound.

"Ouch!"

Ignoring Lisa, who let out an involuntary scream, the girl swung her around and slammed her into the wall of the school building.

"H-Hey. Are you sure about this, ......?"

"I don't see why not. I'm sure no one cares if this woman is gone now, right? Besides, we're running out of time. Thanks to the capture of Caskell-sensei and the rampage of her childhood friend, the Starlight's hand is reaching out to us now......."

The men around her were also surprised by Bellaluna's actions. However, Bellaluna dismissed their hesitation with a single sentence, and with a wave of her hand, she ordered them to restrain Lisa.

"Mmpph!"

While the men pushed Lisa to the ground and held her limbs down, Bellaluna activated a sound-isolating barrier.

"Well then. Sorry, but I'll have you come with me. A shameless girl who has abandoned her name as a noble of the Empire and moved to the countryside."

"~......!"

Although her head was in turmoil, Lisa reflexively yanked off the male student who was holding her right leg and kicked him in the jaw. She then kicked the student holding the left leg at the side of his head with her right foot.

With two of the four students eliminated in a matter of seconds and the other two flustered, Lisa tried to move her body to break free of the restraints even further, but.......

"Give me a break already!"

"Kyaaa!"

A lightning bolt fired by Bellaluna struck Lisa directly in the abdomen, ending her momentum of resistance.

A merciless blow. The lightning bolt burned her uniform black in the abdomen, and her skin was painfully swollen red.

"Hold her firmly!"

"Kuh......!"

After Lisa was electrocuted and unable to move, the men around her held her down again.

"Phew, what a brute, not only does she have vicious hands, but she also has vicious feet."

"Hey, aren't we done here? If we don't act fast, they're going to find out."

"Just, what the heck ...... are you planning to do?"

"It's simple. You will come with us to the Empire, even if we have to drag you by force. And we will use that blood of yours to our advantage."

For a moment, Lisa couldn't comprehend what Bellaluna was saying. Seeing Lisa like this, Bellaluna looked at her with a look of utter dismay.

"You really don't know anything, huh? The Arwent family, which had fought against foreign enemies for many years as a frontier Earl, was well respected by the royal family, and several marriages had been arranged in the past. Naturally, that same blood flows in your veins as well."

Lisa's eyes widened when she heard that she had royal blood in her veins.

"Dragonslayer's blood. It has diluted considerably, but it is definitely worth using. Besides, it would be convenient if you could give birth to some children as well."

Kidnapping for political purposes. The gazes of the men who looked down on her turned vile upon hearing Bellaluna's words that she would even give birth to their children. This affirmed Bellaluna's words even more.

"Don't ...... you f*cking kidding me. Who do you think you are......!?"

The hairs of her body stood on end in disgust, and she reflexively tried to resist.

Her tongue was numb, so she couldn't chant any spells properly. Since that was the case, she decided to let her magic run wild and blow them all away. Rushed by fear, Lisa intended to make her magic power rage with all her might.

"Oh my~, as expected of someone who easily fell for a scheme, hurling curses and insults upon your innocent lover, and yet still pretending to be so pretty yourself."

However, Bellaluna's next words pierced Lisa's heart, as she tried to resist.

"W-What are you-......"

"You see. I know that you have been visiting Nozomu Bountis every day. Don't you think it's a little bit unreasonable for you to be trying to get back together with him now, after such a horrible betrayal?"

No, that's not it. I was just worried about him and couldn't just sit idly by......

But despite the denial running through her mind, her lips were trembling and no voice was coming out at all.

With her mind in disarray, the magic she had garnered fizzled out. Her whole body seemed to freeze, and she lost the strength to resist.

Bellaluna's mouth lifted up upon seeing Lisa's eyes widen and stiffen.

With a sadistic smile on her face, she kept sprinkling words like poisonous incense on her.

"What a terrible woman. Since you're so filthy, don't you think it would be better for him to be with someone more appropriate?"

These words completely robbed Lissa of any energy she was about to muster in her attempt to resist.

The light in her eyes, which had been wide open, faded away in the blink of an eye.

"Oh, you've gone quiet, huh? As expected, his name is very effective."

"Even so, that's rather devious."

"I already told you, no? I don't like her."

With a "Hmph!", Bellaluna glanced at Lisa with a disgusted look in her eyes.

Bellaluna is a member of the Empire's Count household, but her position is the lowest. She is practically no different from a commoner. She was treated the same way at her parent's house, where she was left in a shed at the edge of the mansion without a servant.

Her arrogant tone of voice was born from her obsession under such circumstances.

The same was true for the men around her. Although they are nobles, their right of succession is even lower than the fifth and sixth sons, and they have been treated as almost non-existent.

That was why they sympathized with Caskell, who was also dissatisfied with being sent to Arcazam, and cooperated with him. Behind the scenes, they leaked information about Arcazam to the Empire and their own parents' house without permission, which brought them to be watched by Starlight.

"I won't let you!"

At that moment, a shadow jumped out from the side and swung the staff in its hand toward Bellaluna.

She dodged it by ducking slightly and looked a little startled when she saw the intruder.

"Camilla Vecknose. I can see that you've already recovered."

"Lisa, run!"

"There's no way I'm letting her go, is there?"

"Ka, fu~......!?"

After lightly casting a physical strengthening spell on herself, Bellaluna easily stepped into Camilla's bosom and slammed a powerful palm strike into her lower abdomen. Camilla's diaphragm convulsed and she crumpled to the ground, temporarily unable to breathe, gasping for air.

"As I thought, you can't use most magic except for auxiliary magic. What's more, the effect is significantly reduced when you cast it on yourself. That's why you needed someone like Ken Notice."

"............"

"Is it due to the residual blood in your body? It seems quite thin, but even though you're a failure, you're also a member of the Arwent family. You will have your own uses. Now, let's get these two out of the city."

"Yeah, we know. If we don't hurry, we're going to be in trouble......"

"Hou~, what kind of trouble?"

Just as Bellaluna and the others were about to pull Lisa up and take her away, a sharp voice rang out.

Bellaluna, who had her arms crossed and her smile contorted, reflexively turned around, and upon seeing the person who had called out to her, her face stiffened. The male students who had been holding Lisa down also stiffened their entire bodies as if they had been struck by lightning.

There, in front of their gazes, was a girl of the same grade walking toward them with the setting sun shining down on her back.

Her jet-black hair fluttered in the wind, casting a shadow of the same color over them.

"Irisdina Francilt......"

Irisdina's piercing gaze shot through Bellaluna, then to the male students around her, and finally to Lisa.

Her uniforms were blackened and scorched. Irisdina's brow furrowed at this painful sight.

In sync with her emotions of contempt and anger, a black magic power exuded from her body. Given her usual self-controlled nature, it was hard to imagine that this thick rage was surging from her entire body.

"Sorry, but could you please kindly step aside? This is between Lisa and us. It has nothing to do with the Kingdom and the Francilt family-...... Gyah!"

"This is Arcazam. The Empire's circumstances are irrelevant. Let her go."

Before she could say anything, a magic bullet was shot forth, smashing the ground at her feet.

Bellaluna involuntarily yelped at the scattering dust.

Seeing her like this, Irisdina let out a derisive chuckle.

Those who have experienced various challenges would not be perturbed by something at this level. Especially if they are aware that they bear the name of nobility. In that sense, Bellaluna is not worthy of being a nobility.

First of all, they claimed that it was done in the interests of the Empire, but as far as the story went, the punishment of Lisa's father and Camilla's mother was supposed to have been fulfilled with the revocation of their peerage and noble names.

To punish them excessively would in turn tarnish the authority of those in power.

In other words, it was Bellaluna and the others' arbitrary decision to kidnap Lisa. Their foolishness was evident in the way they acted on school grounds, the poor barrier they set up, and the fact that they made contact with their target on their own.

(If it were me, I would do it more covertly and with certainty......)

It's fine to drive the other party's psyche into a corner in an isolated situation. But if I were to attack, it would be at night, in a back alley in the residential district.

I won't use a barrier. Just use physical means to seal her mouth and cut the tendons in her limbs so she can't escape.

A fast-acting paralyzing poison would be ideal. Even if she dies because of a mistake in dosage, the body can be dumped in the sewers or in the forest. The demonic beasts and rats will take care of it.

If possible, paralyze only her voice and then let her body be defiled. That way, it would be much easier to break her mind.......

"Ah!"

Irisdina was taken aback by the thought that had just occurred to her.

What in the world was I thinking? She found herself innocently picturing an act that would be despised by most human beings. Biting her lip bitterly, she shook her head to shake off the ugly darkness in her mind.

"I-Irisdina-san, this is ...... guhah!'

Bellaluna was still trying to say something, but Irisdina was no longer interested in listening.

She shot a dark-colored magic bullet into her stomach, forcing her to shut up. Oddly enough, the scene was like a rehash of Bellaluna and Lisa's earlier scene.

The only difference was that Irisdina was still restraining herself, even though she was nearly consumed by dark thoughts.

Bellaluna did not faint, instead, she glared back at Irisdina while holding her abdomen.

"W-Why!? I know you can't stand this woman either!"

Seeing Bellaluna still able to talk, Irisdina gritted her teeth, wondering if she had adjusted her power incorrectly.

"E-Even you must find this woman annoying! How can you forgive her!? A whore who dumps his man away and then turns around when the situation-......"

"......Silence!"

Multiple magic bullets formed around Irisdina and rushed at her all at once.

"Kyaaa!"

Irisdina re-generated the magic bullets from the moment she shot them, and continued to fire follow-up attacks. The bullets landed one after another, and in the midst of the dust and smoke that danced about, screams like ripped silk were heard.

"H-Hih~......."

When the storm of magic bullets eventually came by, there stood an uninjured girl with her shoulders quivering.

The ground around her was gouged out, leaving countless holes in it. Although they did not hit her, all the fired magic bullets were used in actual combat. If she was hit directly, they were powerful enough to break her bones.

Bellaluna who witnessed the overwhelming storm of violence was completely silenced by the sheer terror. Her shoulders were trembling, and she was as frightened as a toddler.

"U-Uwaa!"

"Why are you trying to run away?"

After witnessing this relentless storm of violence, one of the male students, who had reached his limit, screamed and tried to run away. However, an arrow pierced the ground near the student's feet.

"Shina Juliel......."

The male student, who involuntarily focused his eyes on the origin of the arrow, saw an elf girl with a bow at the ready and her azure hair fluttering in the wind. Though her expression was gentle, the strings were taut, and she exuded a clear intent not to let anyone escape.

"Indeed ...... this is something we can simply overlook."

"Even Tima Lime......."

From behind Shina, a girl with light yellowish-green hair carrying a staff also appeared.

She is Irisdina Francilt's best friend and the person with the greatest magical power of her generation.

The appearance of the top three students in the school year caused the men's faces to turn purple.

[I suggest you not to run away. Shi-jou is currently furious. If you're not careful, you'll get two or more unwanted things stuck to your body.]

Furthermore, a small lapis lazuli-colored spirit also appeared to block their retreat.

Having completely lost their escape route, Razward suspended them in the air with wind spirit magic and restrained them.

[Well then, I'll go and hand these guys over to the teachers.]

"We leave it to you. And while you're at it, please explain to them what has happened."

Roger that, after Razward replied in a light tone, he took the captured students away.

What they did was definitely a crime. No matter how they tried to make excuses, they would not be able to escape expulsion. Perhaps they might have to eat stinky food in jail for a while.

After seeing Razward off, Irisdina looked at Lisa. She was still recovering from the shock, and her body was trembling slightly as she fixed her disheveled uniform.

"T-Thank, you......"

Irisdina's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily as she heard these words of gratitude.

Seeing her, Irisdina felt a dark emotion welling up inside her. She tightened her mouth to resist it, and then turned on her heel without saying a word.

"......You're not going to say anything?"

Lisa unintentionally threw such words at Irisdina's back.

Irisdina's shoulders trembled as she turned around.

"What should I say?"

Her voice was as heavy as lead and as cold as ice. Her eyes were filled with rage as she gazed back at Lisa. Her shoulders were tense in anger, moved toward Lisa and grabbed her by the collar.

"Don't be ridiculous!? Of course I have a ton of things I want to say to you!"

"Ugh......!"

Irisdina glared at Lisa at a distance that was so close that they could almost feel each other's breath.

Lisa's eyes widen at the sight of Irisdina's agitated state, which is out of character for her normally calm demeanor.

Tima and Shina, who were watching what was going on, also looked surprised. Even Tima, who has known Irisdina for the longest time, had never seen her in such a fit of rage.

"But what good would it do to say it? Even if I say it, it won't wake Nozomu up! Besides-......"

It would be against his wishes. Irisdina was about to say so, but her expression froze, and she fell silent.

The curses that had leaked out. The reproachful words she had uttered.

She intended to remain silent. She thought that only he, of all people, had the right to blame her. To begin with, Lisa was also one of the victims. She was only deceived by Ken and Mefi.

But she couldn't stand it. The sight of Nozomu continuously sleeping overlapped with her mother who had died a debilitating death, and her own heart couldn't bear it.

"U~, uu~!"

Shocked by her own actions, Irisdina bit her lip, but the sobs she could not suppress began to spill out of her tightly closed lips. Seeing her like this, everyone present was rendered speechless.

"~!"

"Ai!"

Irisdina abruptly pushed Lisa away and turned on her heel to run.

Tima called out to her without a second thought, but Irisdina did not stop and disappeared into the shadows of the school building.

"......Tima-san. Leave this place to me and go after Irisdina-san."

"U-Un! Alright!"

Shina took a quick glance at Tima and urged her to chase after Irisdina.

Tima was looking around, wondering what to do, but then nodded at Shina's words and started to run after Irisdina.

After seeing Tima off, Shina walked over to Lisa, who had flopped to the ground and remained stunned.

"Good grief, I know you're not a fool either. What did you want to achieve by saying such a thing?"

"............."

Lisa hung her head and remained silent in response to Shina's exasperated voice. While sighing at her behavior, Shina began treating Lisa's wounded body. For a while, only the sounds of healing magic and applying bandages were heard in that place. Eventually, after she finished treating her, Shina opened her mouth again.

"Since no one punish you, you wanted us to at least blame you ......  Is that right?"

Perhaps Shina's assessment was spot on, Lisa's lips clenched into a tight line.

"Well, I understand how Irisdina-san feel. But we were not with him when he was going through his most difficult time, and you and Nozomu-kun both fell victim to the same circumstances. If anyone can blame you then, it's only him."

Shina's words were only met with silence.

"Besides, he never wanted that in the first place. Your actions are nothing but an act of disrespect towards his feelings."

Lisa herself knew, even if she did not say it. She knew that there was no point in doing this, and she knew that Nozomu wanted her to get over it.

She was happy that Nozomu was thinking of her, but envied Irisdina and the others who could be by his side, and felt ashamed and miserable that she had failed to believe in him.

Lisa suddenly raised her gaze at the elf girl beside her. The wind blowing in the evening breeze felt ethereal, and the eyes that gazed back at her were filled with a strong, warm light.

"Ah......"

She looked into the depths of those eyes and saw the color of the yearning she once had for him as well. She was a little envious of the elf girl who could be so straightforward about her feelings for him.

"You like Nozomu, too, huh?"

"......Ue!?"

Shina suddenly let out a strange, high-pitched cry, and Lisa tilted her head.

"......Am I wrong?"

"N-No, it's not wrong, but ...... you can tell?"

"Yeah ...... Because I-."

I liked him, too. Without saying those words, Lisa swallowed them down with the guilt still swirling in her chest. Sheena said nothing to Lisa, but instead let a mischievous smile appear on her face.

"Maybe the reason I can talk about it so straightforwardly is because I have the least feelings for him. It was only recently that I realized I was attracted to him......"

Watching Shina like this, Lisa inwardly wondered, "What is she talking about?".

Even though she realized her feelings late, she firmly understood Nozomu's intentions and was trying to support him. Her actions spoke more eloquently of her feelings than ten thousand words.

"A-Anyway! If you really care about Nozomu-kun, you'd better stop acting rashly. You don't want to betray him again, do you?"

Shina's snow-white cheeks turned vermilion as she spoke, and Lisa nodded her head in a small but clear gesture.

I have betrayed Nozomu so many times. As that female student said, I may no longer be worthy to be by his side.

But I don't want to betray him anymore. I don't want to disregard his feelings.

This wish lit a small fire in Lisa's heart.

"That's good then. Camilla-san, I leave the rest to you, okay?"

"Eh?"

Camilla let out a stunned voice as she was suddenly asked to take care of the matter. Lisa's gaze also turned to her.

An awkward atmosphere prevailed.

"There seems to be a lot going on between you and her, and I think it would be better for you two to have a little talk."

Strike while the iron is hot. The two of them have a complicated relationship, but the sooner they confront each other, the better.

"Well, umm ...... thank you."

"It's fine, don't worry about it. After what happened earlier, I'll stay a little further away just in case."

Camilla thanked Shina as she was leaving the place. And when she reached a reasonable distance where Lisa's and Camilla's figures were hidden among the trees, Shina suddenly crouched down on the spot, holding her face.

"Ugh, I'm so embarrassed now......."

Not only her cheeks, which peeked out from between her fingers, but also the tips of her ears were stained bright red.

"L-Like, she says....... Other people have found out that I like Nozomu-kun. Auu, I'm so embarrassed......"

She had just recently become aware of her love for Nozomu, and now her feelings for him were suddenly revealed.

Wrestling with the awareness of love and shame, Shina shook her head so much that it almost snapped her neck a thousand times. Each time she did so, her long azure hair would bounce like a wagging tail.

As the silent trees stared down at her, the elf girl continued to writhe in agony.

†

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