After escaping from Abyss Wall with Black Raven, I get on a small boat Black Raven got, and head to a port in the continent.
I say continent, but the Kingdom of Merzelia has two domains separated by water. There’s the island of Merzelia, where the capital is, and the Southlight region on the continent.
I’m not trying to go to where Loyd is, but since the queen will have a close eye on the island of Merzelia, I need to go to the continent.
I’m currently on the boat with Black Raven, working the oars.
“Lord Alchemia! Can you not move this any faster!?”
“S-sorry. It’s heavier than I thought.”
“Excuses. If you are talentless as an alchemist, you need to be useful in other ways.”
“Uu, you don’t have to go that far… I’m trying…”
“It is because of that kind of pampered talk that you are in this tough situation. Stop complaining and move the oars!”
I don’t respond, and instead silently work the oars like Black Raven says.
Ten minutes pass. The sky has not a single cloud, and the sun is harsher than on the continent. It’s so hot and humid I could die.
I look at Black Raven. She’s looking down and not moving, not even reacting when I call out to her.
I guess this heat affects even a famous assassin.
It’s Autumn, so it’s not as bad as last month, but it sure feels like it is.
“Hum, can I ask you something, Black Raven?”
“What?”
“What made you want to become an assassin?”
“Do I have to explain that now?”
“No, sorry.”
“…I come from dark lineage, and my family were also assassins. That was how I learned to live as an assassin.”
“Eh, really? Is that where you got the name Black Raven too?”
“I’m talking. Can you be silent?”
“Ah, sorry…”
Black Raven sounds irritated, but talks with a polite tone.
I feel like that polite tone is her actual way of speaking, and she has never really gotten used to speaking in an affected way.
“But ten years ago, my hometown was ravaged by war. That underworld group was disbanded, and I went from place to place, not having anywhere in particular to go. And that was when I was recruited by the leader.”
“…”
“The leader is the head of the organization I serve, and the person I respect the most in this world.”
Catastrophe is a criminal organization. Is the head of a criminal organization someone that can be respected? I don’t really understand.
“Many think as you do, Lord Alchemia.”
“S-sorry.”
“I’m not mad. In fact, most of the world agrees with you. But I know not of how to live in any other way. Even if people call it wrong, I cannot change myself at this point. The leader understands my power, accepts it, and lets me live to the fullest. That is why I respect the leader.”
Black Raven says plainly, and then looks straight at me.
I can’t see her expression behind the mask, but I can tell from her tone that it’s serious.
“You have never stepped into the abyss like me, Lord Alchemia. You can turn your life around. If you can do everything on your own and gain some emotional confidence, I believe you can be happy even without fussing over alchemy.”
“Black Raven…”
“Break time is over. Get back to moving the oars.”
“Yes.”
“Ten times faster than before!”
“T-ten times is impossible!”
“Impossible is the word of liars!”
She is giving the same orders as before, but understanding where she stands in terms of her values makes me feel like I can accept her words with a more honest feeling.
It feels like she’s smiling under her mask.
The hellish sunlight softens as the sun starts to set, and the temperature becomes more agreeable.
I can faintly see stars in the sky too.
Last night, I learned a constellation necessary to know where I’m going.
There are countless stars in the sky, but one reddish star just happens to point straight to the east.
Coincidentally, this star is called Rubystela. It’s close to my name.
I think my name comes from the jewel, but it might come from Rubystela too.
This is just a supposition on my part, but it would be nice. But since my parents are dead, I have no way of knowing.
“We should have dinner soon.”
Says Black Raven while lining three pieces of bread on the boat. Apparently she swiped them from Abyss Wall.
“Make sure to eat plenty.”
She says before giving them to me.
“Hum…”
I’m taken aback at suddenly being given everything.
“A demon such as myself can go a week without eating without any problem. I have also received training for years. It would trouble me more if you were unable to move.”
“A-all right.”
I take the three pieces of bread.
I know she has my well being in mind, but it still hurts my conscience to have it all…
But when I hesitate, she lets out a small sigh.
“…I will take some of that small bread in your right hand.”
“!”
“Ahh… If you don’t eat when you can, you will regret it later.”
Black Raven mumbles while eating half the bread.
Watching her makes me very happy.
“It’s still awful. I’m surprised you managed to have this for two weeks.”
“Hehehe, incredible, right?”
“That was not a compliment. Ahh, I want to have some tasty meat or fresh fish.”
“There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
“I can’t swim, not even a single centimeter.”
“Eh, that’s surprising for an assassin…”
“Don’t just assume all assassins can swim! Some people just aren’t cut out for it!”
Says Black Raven, speaking fast and with an irritated tone.
We’re on a boat, so she almost loses her balance.
“Ah, hyah!?”
She screams and rushes to grab me. It’s so clumsy, that she looks nothing like an assassin at this moment. In fact, it makes me laugh.
I can tell she’s blushing even though her face is hidden behind a mask.
Time keeps passing, with this soft mood in the air.
I’m the one moving the boat, but Black Raven is looking around with caution, throwing daggers at any monster that approaches.
Now it makes sense that she’s not helping with the boat.
She told me that being one step behind when dealing with monsters means death, and I know that pretty well now that I’m actually seeing them up close.
We keep going, as Black Raven tells me about stuff like peculiarities of monsters.
Nothing really happens until the dead of the night.
Crack crack crack crack crack…
A strange sound breaks the silence of the sea. It’s coming from above.
I look up, and see a big tear opening, as if the starry sky was cut.
“W-what is this?”
“Don’t ask me.”
Black Raven is confused too, and shakes her head at my question.
I look at the tear for a bit, and suddenly, a red streak of light falls. It’s like the world is ending.
It lands close to our boat.
My vision is bathed in red light for a moment, and then I’m attacked by a blast that feels like it’s pulling my back.
“Lord Alchemia! Hang on to the railing of the boat!”
“Eh?”
I hear Black Raven, but I’m too slow to react, and I’m thrown into the sea.
My clothes become wet, and my body feels as heavy as lead.
I don’t understand what is going on, all I feel is my emotions on full alert.
And then, a big raging wave crashes against me.
I try to scream for help, but the roaring sea quickly drowns out the sound.
I’m dragged to the bottom without any resistance. I try as hard as I can to move, but the surface gets further and further away.
(Ah, I’m going to die here.)
The thought crosses my mind, as my conscience fades, and my vision turns dark.
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