Tatakau Shisho

Volume 7, Prologue: Heaven Rustles

December 1925

His breath froze and fluttered in the air. It was much colder there than during the peak of winter. He was in a dreary cave illuminated by faint blue light.

Armed Librarian Mattalast Ballory was standing in the innermost place of Bantorra Library’s Sealed Labyrinth, the Second Sealed Archive.

Originally Armed Librarians other than the Acting Directors were not permitted to enter. But because it was Mattalast, who shared and protected the secret along with Hamyuts, he was allowed to be there. The greatest secret of both the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult existed there.

“…Well then.”

A single tree stood in front of him. It was about five meters tall. Its grey trunk and glass-like leaves caught his eyes.

It was an unusual tree that stood in the bottom of the endlessly deep Labyrinth, its roots crushing the solid rock underneath.

Heaven.

The Acting Directors and Overseer of Paradise throughout history have named it so.

At present time, only six people in the world knew of this existence. They were Mattalast who was there as well as Hamyuts Meseta, Yukizona Hamlow, Yuri Hamlow, Photona Bardgamon, and Kachua Beeinhaus. No other people were allowed to know of it.

“…That bastard Kachua didn’t fulfill his duty. Heaven’s getting noisy.”

Mattalast spoke to himself. The leaves of glass were gently rustling in front of him.

The Books of the two True Men that Kachua had raised, Cigal and Ganbanzel, were already offered up to Heaven. However, their happiness was insufficient.

It was obvious. There was no way Heaven would agree to those miserable losers. What it wished for was a perfect happiness that lacked nothing.

Kachua’s duty was to search for the flawless happiness and offer it to Heaven. Since that old man did not fulfill his duty, Mattalast had no choice but to assist him.

“…Will you accept this Book?”

Muttering this, Mattalast took the Book he was holding and offered it to Heaven. It was the Book of a certain wealthy person from about a century ago. He had inherited his relative’s assets and lived his entire life without any inconveniences. Mattalast secretly took this Book and brought it to the Second Sealed Archive.

He brought the Book closer to Heaven. A split second afterward, it burst apart. The fragments of the Book became dust and vanished instantly as if they were an illusion. A few seconds later, the tree’s leaves and branches stopped swaying.

“That does it.”

Mattalast muttered. However, this degree of happiness was not enough. Give it half a year or a year and it will start visibly rustling again. They had to quickly offer it the Book of a True Man.

For that sake as well, they needed to quickly kill the revolting Overseer of Paradise Kachua and appoint a new one.

“Shall I return to the battle?”

Above ground, his fellow Armed Librarians were cornering the Indulging God Cult. It would only be a short while until Kachua’s defeat. Mattalast turned on his heels. He was about to return to the surface in order to fight against Kachua.

“…”

However, his feet stopped. He tried thinking about why he did so. He had no reason to stay there. He had plenty of work to do. He had to fight the Indulging God Cult led by Kachua. He had to protect his comrades.

Quickly go back and fight. He thought this, but his feet wouldn’t move.

“What for?”

Mattalast muttered. What was he – no, what were the Armed Librarians – fighting for? There was no need to think of it. It was to crush Kachua’s evil intentions and restore peace to the world.

And to create a new Indulging God Cult.

Yes, their purpose was clear. There was nothing to hesitate about.

Nevertheless, Mattalast couldn’t leave that place.

“…”

He knew that the source of everything was Heaven. The Indulging God Cult existed for it, the fight started for it, and his comrades were dying for it.

If Heaven had not existed, this fight wouldn’t have happened. No one would have died. Neither Luimon, Feekiee, Vizac, Volken or Mokkania. Neither the many victims that had been used by the Indulging God Cult.

If Heaven had not existed…

“Hey, what’s wrong with me? Stop thinking of stupid things.”

Mattalast unnaturally raised his voice. He tried smiling to blow away the thoughts coming into his mind.

He smiled for a while. He made great effort in smiling and forgetting.

Don’t think of stupid things. I’m only like that because I’m tired. If I go back and rest I’ll forget it. I’ll eat some delicious food, listen to music and sleep soundly for one night. I’ll drink some stinging bitter beer. I’ll slowly enjoy its cream-like bubbles.

Rather than some deep classical music, I’ll listen to some recent catchy tune. Reading books isn’t bad either.

So forget all about it. Stop having stupid thoughts.

Mattalast started walking while thinking of this.

“…!”

The next instant, he tried turning around. He put both hands on his twin pistols. Then, he directed both muzzles to Heaven and was about to pull the trigger.

It happened in a split second. A frighteningly short instant with who knows how many zeroes after the decimal point.

His fingers wouldn’t reach the pistols. They would be unable to move even one centimeter.

The first would be his index fingers. Although no one did anything, they would be severed from the bases. Next, his head would fly in air with the hat on it like some joke. Fresh blood would then spurt from his fingers and neck.

His body would collapse like a broken marionette. By some kind of strange power, without any of his clothes scratched by even a millimeter, his body would dismantle into dozens of pieces.

This was what Mattalast had seen using his Prediction ability.

“…”

The only thing falling was a single drop of cold sweat. Since he was in the cold Sealed Archive, it froze and rang on the floor before reaching it.

“…Kuku.”

Mattalast started laughing. What stupid things was he thinking about? Thinking that he could destroy that thing… what had gotten into him?

“As I thought I’m tired. Really, that Hammy, throwing so much work on me…”

He shrugged and walked for the Sealed Archive’s exit. His doubts were already gone.

His duty was to protect the secret of Heaven and offer it the Books of those who were happy.

That was his mission as well as that of all Armed Librarians. It was a mission they were not allowed to oppose after having succeeded it 2000 years ago.

On the same day and the exact same time…

Olivia Littolet was in the silent dead of night.

She was in a corner of the station at the capital of the Principality of Meliot. She was waiting for the departure of the coal-carrying freight train in front of her eyes.

Two months have passed since she ran away from Hamyuts and regained her memories.

During that time, Olivia continued life on the run by herself. She walked from town to town, hid her name and made small amounts of money.

Before she could feel her pursuers she immediately moved to another town. She lived like this for two months. Since she had no one to rely on and no identification, Olivia had to do her best to live every day.

“…No one’s here, huh.”

Saying this, Olivia opened one of the freight train’s containers. This train would go from Meliot’s capital to the west, enter the northern frontier through Machina Bridge, and reach the Ismo Republic. She snuck into the container.

Long story short, she was a stowaway. She was nearly at her limit in staying at the Principality of Meliot. In order to keep escaping she had no choice but to leave the country. However, Olivia had no passport. She could only do this.

After several tens of minutes, the train started moving. Olivia breathed in relief.

Olivia rubbed her hands inside the shaking container.

Cold. I should’ve brought a heater, but I had no time. I wish I could do it even if it was impossible, she regretted.

“…No one’s looking.”

Olivia muttered. If a driver or engineer found her, she would be thrown out of the train. Being found by them was still fine. If her pursuers were to find her she would be killed.

“…Dammit.”

She couldn’t help but mutter.

Olivia’s life was currently the target of two major powers. One was the Indulging God Cult. Olivia had restored the memories of the Meats, inflicting a heavy blow on the Cult. They would obviously target her.

Next were the Armed Librarians.

In the battle two months ago, Olivia was nearly killed by Hamyuts. The fact that she survived was the result of miracles even she couldn’t believe.

Why was she targeted by the Armed Librarians? That requires an explanation.

There was once a girl. Speaking her name was no longer permitted at present. Based on the color of her hair, she was called the Violet Sinner.

The Violet Sinner rebelled against the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult. And she knew of the one and only method to destroy Heaven. She knew of that absolute secret that no one should have known about no matter what.

Due to that sin, she was obliterated by the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult.

Furthermore, the Armed Librarians massacred all those who were connected to her one by one. Then, all Books in which the Violet Sinner was recorded were annihilated from this world.

In order to protect the secret they had to conceal it. Thus the previous Acting Director, Photona, had decided that the Violet Sinner was a secret that must be concealed.

However, a single person escaped from the massacre.

It was the weapon made of lead created from a human, Vend Ruga. He ran away and was soon killed by Hamyuts. During that short while, Vend Ruga met up with Olivia and passed his heart to her.

After ten years, Hamyuts tried to kill that very same Olivia. She was terribly tenacious and cruel.

Whether or not Olivia knew about the Violet Sinner wasn’t the issue. Since there was the possibility that she knew Hamyuts attempted to kill her.

A horribly persistent and selfish killer. Olivia kept running away from her evil clutches.

The train pushed its way and advanced through the darkness. Olivia boarded it while hugging her shaking knees.

She was cold and sleepy. Moreover, she was hungry.

If she were to fall asleep, she had no idea if she would even wake up. She grinded her teeth, rubbed her arms and fought against her sleepiness. The Armed Librarians, the Indulging God Cult and the cold. It felt as if the entire world was trying to kill her.

“Dammit.”

Olivia mumbled. She mumbled so she could fight.

She had to stay alive. If she were to die, her fight would end. Right now, her entire fight was to survive.

“I won’t die, I won’t die yet.”

Olivia hit her own cheek with her fist.

“Why am I alive?”

She bit her pinky. He nail cracked and blood flowed. That made her feel a bit less sleepy.

“Why am I alive? For revenge. I will take revenge against Hamyuts, the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult!”

Olivia shouted.

The fact she was alive right now was due to the death of many people. Her comrades that cooperated with her on the Meats’ ship; the one who guided her, Volken; Charlot, who saved her life; Renas, who surrendered her body; and Vend Ruga.

For their sakes Olivia couldn’t die. She had to avenge their deaths. She had to fight against the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult.

She had to destroy the source of all of it, Heaven.

If people had some prescribed destiny, then Olivia survived so she could fight. She lived so she could destroy Heaven.

She seemed to have dozed off for a while. Olivia woke up by the sound of her head hitting the wall.

“…That was close…”

She rubbed her eyes.

She did not expect to confront the Armed Librarians with her own power. She also didn’t think of fighting with the Indulging God Cult. Olivia had no power. She didn’t even know how to use a gun or a sword.

However, she did have a weapon. She had the most ineffective yet most important weapon – information. Olivia knew of the only way to destroy Heaven.

The Violet Wish. That was the name of the method to do so. It was the only legacy that the Violet Sinner had left in the world. It was passed from her to Vend Ruga, and from him to Olivia.

She could only do small things right now.

To tell someone about the Violet Wish. To give information to those that had the power and will to fight. To connect her legacy to the next person. That was probably the most Olivia could do.

She didn’t mind only doing this and exhausting herself.

“Are we still not in Ismo?”

Olivia muttered. When she arrives at Ismo she will start looking. She will search for someone who has power and will. For someone who would inherit her Violet Wish.

That was Olivia’s mission. A small step in order to destroy Heaven. That was the mission she had imposed on herself.

Those who protect Heaven, and those who seek to destroy it. Two people with two missions. The time for their paths to cross approached. However, it was still far away.

Then, one year has passed.