Tatakau Shisho

Volume 6, Chapter 5: The Gloomy Lizard and the Cornered Mice – Part?3

Since she had nowhere to go, Noloty began to wander towards the mines. Although the miners were puzzled by the sudden appearance of a girl, they didn’t talk to her.

“…I’m sure I have seen her somewhere.”

While walking, she saw a familiar face. It was a man with a youthful face yet also the white hair of an old man. He was the Acting Director of Bantorra Library, Photona.

Noloty said her name and the name of the village she came from. When she told him she ran away from home, Photona’s face fell.

“I know about the circumstances of that village. But we will not involve ourselves in it. We have no obligation to care for them.”

Noloty scratched her head.

“Right… yeah, it’s because it’s their fault.”

Photona was somewhat confused at Noloty being so strangely carefree even after she was driven out of the village.

“Come with me. I will at least find some place for you to work in.”

Saying so, Photona started walking. Noloty stared at his back. He was the most important person of the outside world.

What if… Noloty thought. If I become about that strong, and become the most important in the world, what will everyone think? Won’t they perhaps think that we are not useless? They would probably think that they can live in the outside world.

Even if I work in the mines from now on, they probably wouldn’t think anything of it. They would just think that this girl who ran away started living like a normal person. So what can I do to save the villagers?

She grabbed the hem of Photona’s clothes.

“I want to become an Armed Librarian.”

As Photona turned around to face her, she felt something like a hot wind coming from him. It was what one would call a sense of intimidation.

“Since you have uttered those words, I will not give you any allowance or pity. If you spoke with only superficial feelings, I will give you time to take that back.”

“I don’t need that.”

“You need to be prepared to fall into hell.”

“Yes. I will.”

Photona was puzzled. He was dubious whether she understood the meaning of his words.

“So you could triumph over the villagers?”

“No. It’s for their sake.”

Noloty said calmly. She spoke with no enthusiasm or sorrow. She had an expression as if it was all just natural. In fact she didn’t even think of suffering.

“…Come. I will refer you to a Librarian School.”

She aimed to become an Armed Librarians for the villagers of her hometown. She fought bare-handed so that she would not kill her enemies. These were her inconsistent origins that made everyone around her perplexed. It was because Noloty always lived for the sake of others.

Why? Enlike asked. Why did she live for others without seeking any reward?

Didn’t that accomplish nothing but hurting her? What did the villagers do for you? What did Arkit do for you?

How could you have been smiling while living like that?

It couldn’t be explained by her strength. She went too far with her kindness. Enlike just couldn’t understand Noloty’s feelings.

At that moment, a voice spoke to Enlike while he was reading the Book. It was undoubtedly a hallucination. It wasn’t real, yet he definitely heard it.

It’s very simple, Enlike-san.

Basically, it’s because the entire world belongs to me.

Lying on the ground, Noloty grabbed the soil around her. She desperately moved her body and tried applying strength to her legs.

She stood up. That extraordinary idiot stood up. If she misses Arkit and Kachua she will not be able to meet them again. She could save that boy only now.

Noloty started walking northward to where they had left.

‘Noloty, you’re still alive, right? Armed Librarians are heading for you.’

She received Mirepoc’s Thought Sharing, but she still couldn’t reply to it. Nevertheless, Noloty kept moving her legs.

‘Where are you? Send me your thoughts. If I don’t know where you are I can’t send you help.’

Mirepoc’s impatience was transmitted from the other side.

‘The reinforcements are walking to the north of the Toatt Mines. But we don’t know your exact location. Respond, Noloty!”

While listening to the Thought Sharing, Noloty was pondering. What should I do? What can I do to make Arkit stop fighting?

I’m stupid, so I have to think about it a lot more than other people. So think. Think.

Noloty was a hopeless, weak fool. She couldn’t do anything. However, she was also not weak enough or stupid enough to not be able to do anything.

Walk. Catch up. Think. Noloty advanced while fighting against the dizziness attacking her brain.

“….Sh…”

Her limit arrived much earlier than Noloty’s thinking. Perhaps spreading the poison further due to her walking, she lost her sense of balance and wasn’t able to stand. She cursed her weak, pathetic body inside her mind.

“…Shit…”

While crawling, Noloty made a decision. She decided what she would do when she caught up to Arkit.

Arkit said that if her feelings were real he would stop fighting. So it was simple. She would just show him it was all real.

She will tell him that if he truly hates the Armed Librarians he can kill her first. And if his hatred isn’t enough to kill her, he should throw it away. Noloty would make Arkit weigh her life against his hatred.

He might choose her death. And if he abandons his hatred, he might get killed by Kachua.

But I have nothing else to do. So I will do that.

“…Shit!”

She decided on her course of action. She was determined. However, her body wouldn’t move. She just couldn’t advance forward. Noloty weakly clenched her fists. Right now she could do only that.

At that moment, she heard someone’s voice.

“Oh, great!”

Noloty’s collapsed body was lifted up.

“You’re lucky I found you so fast.”

Since her eyes were blurry, she couldn’t see the other party. But their voice was familiar. Who’s that?

“Don’t worry, Noloty-chan. Please be grateful. I ran at full speed from the mines after all.”

She understood from those words – it was the Armed Librarian in charge of the Toatt Mines. She wasn’t able to find him from a while before. Where was he until now? She was full of doubts, yet happy he came.

“I have to go… san… to where…”

“I know. You want to go after those two to the north. Leave that to me.”

Saying so, the Armed Librarian started running.

“Since I’m here, there’s no problem at all. I will blow away that geezer and rescue Arkit-kun.”

Being assured at those words, Noloty entrusted him with her body.

“Thank you, very much… Daltom-san…”

Armed Librarian Daltom grinned while looking at Noloty’s face.

“I don’t need any gratitude. Leaving that aside, you’re heavier than expected.”

Noloty couldn’t see his smile. Even if she realized his smile was full of malice, she would probably not have been able to do anything in her present state.

Daltom ran while holding her body. It only took a few minutes to catch up to Arkit and Kachua.

Arkit widened his eyes in surprise. Kachua stood in front of him to guard him.

“Well then, we’ve caught up to you, Indulging God Cult.”

Daltom lowered Noloty to the ground. He then drew out his sword. Kachua took out his knife and the two glared at each other.

“…Daltom-san, please be Kachua’s opponent, he’s the old one.”

Saying this, Noloty turned to Arkit.

“Noloty, you’re angry at me, right?”

“…Quite angry, yeah.”

Arkit’s expression filled with fear and sorrow. But it had no hatred.

“…Come here, Arkit. I have something I must tell you.”

Noloty took a step forward. At the same time, Arkit took a step backwards. I have to tell him that while I’m angry at him I’m not going to kill him, thought Noloty.

At that moment, she heard a voice from her back.

“Well then, it’s time for me to clean up. After all, here is a traitor to the proud Armed Librarians.”

Daltom spoke strangely. What is he talking about?

Just when Noloty was about to turn around…

She felt something hot at her back. That heat penetrated her body and reached her chest.

A blade wet with blood sprung out from her chest. Noloty looked at it in blank amazement.

“…Why?”

A spurt of blood flew along with her words. Without any answer from Daltom, silence fell. Arkit tottered ahead, approaching Noloty.

“No, that’s wrong! Noloty isn’t a traitor, it’s me you need to…”

The blade was removed. Having lost its support, Noloty’s body fell forward. She held her wounds. Red blood gushed out from between the gaps of her fingers.

“Noloty wanted to… this can’t be…”

Further sword attacks were aimed at Noloty on the ground. With her spine and ribs being torn to pieces, blood spurt out of her nose and mouth.

Arkit’s screaming resounded from close by.

What’s going on? Why am I being killed? Noloty couldn’t understand anything. She could only understand that she wasn’t able to protect Arkit.

Run away, she wanted to tell him. However, blood accumulated in her chest and no words came out. She couldn’t do anything for Arkit as he clung to her. Someone please protect this child, she wished in her heart. But since she had no Thought Sharing ability, her mind’s voice reached no one.

“So, prepare yourselves, Overseer of Paradise and Arkit.”

The words she could hear came from Daltom. They sounded very far away.

Her consciousness was dimming. Noloty somewhat calmly accepted her death during this. Dying was scary, but now that she approached it, it wasn’t as scary as she had thought it would be. She lived a long life with death close by. Perhaps that was why she paralyzed her fear towards it.

However, dying would be troubling.

I couldn’t protect Arkit. I couldn’t give any hope to my hometown. Mirepoc will be mad. And Enlike will be sad. I don’t want that. I especially don’t want Enlike to be sad.

But what can I do? Many things came to her mind, but they all passed away without an answer.

Living was truly hard. However, dying was even harder. She wasn’t able to die without making anyone angry or sad. Until the very instant her consciousness ceased, Noloty never even once thought of herself.

Enlike started thinking. How stupid. Even though you never thought of yourself… you only thought of others, but you weren’t able to make anyone happy.

He simply wanted for Noloty to live. That was his happiness. If Noloty considered him, she should have just stopped thinking about other people and lived for herself. Because she didn’t know that, it turned out like this.

In the end it was all very simple. Noloty wasn’t smart at all.

Arkit clung to Noloty’s body collapsed on the ground. Kachua watched him from behind. He could barely suppress the smile that was about to appear on his face.

Arkit bawled. He probably even forgot his friends that were killed by Mokkania. Daltom started laughing at that point.

“Well then, you come first. Prepare yourself, stupid brat.”

He held his blood-stained sword aloft. Arkit stared at Daltom with insane eyes. Just before swinging down, Daltom exchanged looks with Kachua.

Kachua lightly nodded. Daltom also nodded back.

“Armed Librarian… You… Noloty… I won’t forgive you!!!”

The blade sent Arkit’s head flying away without any resistance.

Kachua was waiting for this very moment. The moment where Arkit’s hatred would be completed.

There was only one way to do so…

Having an Armed Librarian kill Noloty.

The head, etched with a seemingly horrified expression, rolled on the soil and stopped at Kachua’s feet. He stroked it lovingly.

A few minutes have passed. Noloty and Arkit – Kachua was waiting alone near their corpses.

The one he waited for came unexpectedly late. The boy holding a stone dagger appeared behind Kachua.

“I have been waiting for you, Lascall.”

“Splendid work, Overseer of Paradise.”

Saying this, Lascall Othello walked next to the two corpses.

“Wanting to exterminate all of the Armed Librarians… I have perfected this tale of Arkit’s. Come, Lascall, pass along his Book to me.”

“…I shall.”

But while he said this, Lascall didn’t make any move with his stone sword.

“Is something the matter?”

“No, I was simply lamenting the fact that this boy’s story was filled with falsehoods.”

Lascall said and smiled.

“However, no matter how many falsehoods it contains, it is a person’s story. So I will only grant it a continuation.”

While saying this, Lascall bent down. Then, he produced a single Book, and handed it to Kachua.

Kachua touched Arkit’s Book. He finished reading it and nodded in satisfaction.

“A hatred of wonderful purity. With this, it seems that the destruction of the Armed Librarian has been decided.”

He stowed Arkit’s Book with great importance inside his pocket.

“I am very happy, but by the way, what about the gentleman over there?”

Saying so, Lascall pointed at a certain corpse nearby. In a place slightly far from Noloty and Arkit, Daltom lied dead. His heart and kidneys were penetrated from behind.

“I do not care about that. Change it into a Book for the time being.”

“Oh, even though he was supposed to go to Heaven?”

“It is unnecessary. Since victory has been determined, I no longer need to entertain such trash. You can also take the Books of people like Cigal, Uspa and the rest and dispose of them.”

“Understood, Overseer of Paradise.”

Lascall bowed.

“Come, rejoice along with me, Lascall. The splendid moment is approaching. The old world shall be destroyed with the Armed Librarians. It will be the birth of a world filled with love and happiness.”

Kachua started laughing while spreading his arms. With his head still bowed, Lascall sank into the ground and vanished.

And now, at Kachua’s side in his quiet shack was the weapon currently destroying the Armed Librarians.

The remodeled Gloomy Lizard uttered words along with its black breath.

‘…I hate… the Armed Librarians…’

The lizard breathed. It released a black fluid full of its hatred from its skin.

‘Die, all of you… if you all die… it will be over… die… when you die, my revenge will end…’

“You hate them, huh?”

Kachua spoke with his face all smiles.

‘…Hate… I hate… Noloty died…’

The Gloomy Lizard raised a sorrowful voice.

“…Noloty’s… died… she died…”

Kachua transplanted Arkit’s soul into this Magic Beast. The Gloomy Lizard became a weapon that could spread hatred all around the world. By spreading its bodily fluids to the world, the Armed Librarians would be destroyed.

Kachua smiled happily. He was happy because the Armed Librarian would be completely annihilated just like Arkit wanted.

“I must be grateful to Noloty.”

He mumbled. She had sympathized with Arkit from the bottom of her heart and conveyed it to him. And that completed his hatred.

I know. I will take Noloty to Heaven. She was a much better person than people like the vile Daltom.

At that moment, Kachua suddenly heard a voice.

“Oh.”

Was it the voice of thunder? But it was not loud enough for that.

Kachua opened the window and looked outside. The gray clouds were not thick enough for it to start raining.

“Hmm, so you have come as I thought? But you were surprisingly late.”

Kachua sat calmly on his rocking chair. Enlike was coming. But even that was of little importance to him.

Warriors lined up in two rows at Bantorra Library’s courtyard. Hamyuts led them out slowly to outside the barrier. She turned around and spoke.

“You need no encouragement. Nor any words of gratitude. Since you are prepared for mortal combat, you have no need for that.”

The Armed Librarians nodded as if saying that was obvious.

“Then, I will give you orders as the Acting Director. They will probably be my last ones. Be good children and listen quietly.”

Mirepoc, who did not join the attacking unit, looked from the Acting Director’s offices.

“While I am inhuman, I do love you. Therefore I order you. I will be in the lead. I will charge ahead, I will open up escape routes, and I will dash into the midst of the enemies. My final order is one and only, you cannot die before me!”

The Armed Librarians cheered. Hamyuts’s order gave them even more desperate energy to consume on top of their determination for mortal combat.

However, her order held another meaning. Don’t get in the way of my death. That was what Hamyuts was saying.

She leapt and crossed the barrier. As if he was her accompanying shadow, Mattalast’s black body jumped ahead. The whales in the sky cried. The Armed Librarians on the ground grew excited.

The final battle began.