◆The Youth Who Became The Dark Knight, Kuroki
「And this is the flight magic, Diehart-sama」
Is what Rugaas is saying to me while I am floating in the middle of the room.
This event is happening early afternoon a day after my fight against Reiji. I'm currently receiving Rugaas’s lecture about magic in a room within the demon king castle.
I received great praises from Modes after my battle against Reiji.
My current status in Nargol is second only to Modes.
I'm okay with receiving his gratitude, but I wanted to be pardoned from being embraced by him while telling me「Oh my best friend~」.
But I have to wait for a while for the reward regarding this matter. It can't be helped that I have to wait in order to get the reward.
According to Modes, I can't go back to the earth with the summoning magic that was used to summon me; it seems that I'll be either stranded in the dimension gap or transported to a world which is different from earth. Therefore, the magic needed to go back ought to be a different one.
Unfortunately, Modes wasn't well versed in this kind of magic in spite of being the one who summoned me.Modes gave his promise to find a safe way to send me back.
Elios might have the method to send me back, right？
When I inquired about that matter.
Modes told me that the possibility for that is quite low.
Though I don't know where his self-confidence for that remark is coming from, I can feel that it is from a reliable source.
Though it'll be a different story if Modes is lying to me. For reasons such as “we won't send you back unless you beat the hero”.
But, I don't think that Modes is lying. It's too much of a roundabout way of lying if he wants me to fight the hero.
Moreover, I think Modes isn't the kind of person(?) who will say such things.
I think as such on looking at a "Deredere" Modes when he has a conversation with Mona.
I think the two of them will still be a bakaple even if the woman isn't Mona. [TL : Baka Couple]
If that's the case, what is the reason for this fight？
For Elios to forcibly summon someone from another world in spite of having no way to send them back to their original world.
Though I think that Reiji was seduced by that beautiful goddess, I don't know the reason for the other girls to join this fight.
I think Reiji and the others want to go back too.
By the way, I heard they managed to save Reiji this afternoon.
I felt relieved on hearing that news. Since, in fact, I never had any intention nor did I try to kill Reiji. I don't think that Reiji is detestable to the point that he deserves to die.
The relieved me then received lessons regarding these magic things, this world, and the nargol from Rugaas.
I need all information irrespective of how insignificant it is.
The old man with a horn growing from his head and pointed ears in front of me was apparently the wisest sage and the prime minister of this Nargol. By right, he should do government work for Nargol and have no need to to do something like teaching me, but let alone doing that, it seems that he was ecstatic when I asked him to become my teacher.
And then, currently I'm receiving his lessons about magic.
「…It seems that there's no problem with your flight magic. But, please be very careful, you're in a defenseless state when using this magic since you basically cannot use another magic when using this one. You must not become the prey for arrows…」
I create a small black fire ball on my index finger while floating in the air.
「…Though I'm telling you about the necessary precautions, it seems that my worry is baseless for lord Diehart.」
Rugaas told me that with amazed expression.
Guessing from Rugaas’s tone, it seems that using two magic at once is quite hardcore.
「You and the hero, the people of another world are truly enigmatic. Honestly speaking, even a normal human needs long and arduous training just to master the flight magic… Lord Diehart is also the same as the comrades of the hero since they can use high-ranking magic too.」
By saying so, it seems that Reiji and the others are also capable of using high-ranking magic so easily, which normally can't be used without long training, as soon as they arrived to this world.
And then, it seems that they are similarly capable of using high-ranking magic as me too. If one were to ask the reason for such ease, to be honest, I don't know.
I cancel my flight magic and then descend to the ground.
「And then, it's about that black flame. Lord Runfeld and your majesty the king is supposed to be the only one who can use that flame and yet, lord Diehart can use it too. But, you're very interesting, lord Diehart, you can use the black flame so easily despite being unable to use any normal fire magic… To tell the truth, it should be the opposite of that you know」
Rugaas is waving his head as if he couldn't believe what he saw.
「But, it'll be inconvenient since you can't use normal flame with your own magical power. Well then, now let's try to use fire magic with spirit of fire.」
Rugaas's muttering something while seemingly pondering about something. Thereupon, a book suddenly appearing on hands of Rugaas.
「Now, let's try to use spirit magic. Please be careful since this magic is different from the other magic skills that I taught so far」
I recalled a little about that magic before receiving the teaching from Rugaas.
It seems that this world has two major systems of magic, the magic that originates from one’s own self, and magic that originates from external source. It seems that flight magic is the former and the spirit magic is the later.
The spirit magic is a wish of one’s own to use magic and the invisible spirit by means of communication, in other words, a magic to hear the user’s wish. But, one must have a high mutual understanding with the spirits if they are to use this spirit magic.
The mutual understanding by means of magic is something that resembles a telepathy; they, who can't understand each other words would gain mutual understanding by means of magic. It seems that I can use this mutual understanding by means of magic automatically since I can have a conversation with Modes who doesn't understand Japanese language. In fact, it's not a conversation with words, it was a conversation in which one triggers magic during conversation.
It seems that this magic can be learned easily as long as someone has sufficient intelligence to communicate with words, but it seems one needs an even higher knowledge to have a mutual understanding with magic beast or spirit who is not communicating with words and then, I'm also told that even someone with high magical power can't use spirit magic unless one’s mutual understanding of magic is high enough.
「O FIRE SPIRIT IN THE AIR, HEAR MY WISH！！ ！ 」[TL : CRITICAL HIT]
Thereupon, a small flame formed on the fingertips of Rugaas.
And then, it left his index finger as it is. The little flame remains as such even after leaving his index finger.
And just like that, Rugaas is maintaining the little flame in the air. When he repeated his action for the tenth time, the fire is extinguished.
「Please try to do it like me」
I mutter the same words as Rugaas.
「Uhm… O SPIRIT OF FIRE IN THE AIR, HEAR MY WORDS！！ ！ 」
I mutter the same words as Rugaas while making my index finger to point up. Thereupon, the flame that was forming on my index finger suddenly ran away from my index finger to the separated room.
「UWAAA！！ ！ 」
I avoided that flame in panic. And just like that, the flame vanished after running around in this room and then crashing on the wall.
「My apologies, Rugaas-dono！！ ！ 」
I'm bowing to Rugaas.
「Dear me, it would have been a mess if I had not set a defensive magic in this room beforehand. It seems that you can't use spirit magic very well」
Rugaas is saying so with an expression of great interest.
After that, I couldn't make the rampant spirit of fire to abide my words no matter how many times I tried to do it.
Rugaas is telling me that I'm not very good in controlling the spirit of fire, so I'm trying to use the spirit of water since he tells me that it's easy to use even for humans.
But, irrespective of whether I tried to use the spirit of water or spirit of wind, I couldn't do anything but witness them scattering around in the room or flooding the room.
I'm considerably tired a while after the training to use the low-ranked spirit of undine since spirit of water will be somewhat convenient to me. Well, summoning a high-ranked spirit might be quite a burden for me.
It seems that I couldn't get into a mutual understanding with spirits who can't communicate with words.
I remembered that Sasaki Rino was using something that resembled a high-ranked spirit during my fight against Reiji.
I'm sure that her mutual understanding ability（Communication Skill） by means of magic is high.
Besides, even if it's impossible for the spirit, I've not tested it with magical beast who are also unable to express their intentions with words. I feel like testing it now.
「And that's our lesson for today」
The book on Rugaas’s hand vanishes as he closed it.
「Uhm Rugaas-dono… May I ask a question?」
「What could it be？」
「Rugaas-dono, why are you opening that book while using magic？」
「Ah, I see what you mean, it is a grimoire」
A book suddenly appeared on Rugaas’s hand as he muttered those words.
I nod at him.
「Lord Diehart, in fact this Rugaas is unable to use spirit magic」
「？ 」
I tilt my head in confusion.
「Uhm… You were using spirit magic just now」
So I ask him.
Rugaas used spirit magic just now. Why is he suddenly saying that he can't use spirit magic？
「I can use it since I'm borrowing the power of this grimoire. Even I can't use that spirit magic just now unless I'm using this grimoire of the spirit of fire」
「Eh, in that case, I can use that spirit magic if I'm using that grimoire too, isn't it？ 」
He should have said it sooner if he has such a convenient tool.
「Want to try it?」
「Eh, I can use it？！ 」
I nod to Rugaas’s offer as I received the grimoire.
The grimoire doesn't react at all when I try to open it.
「I'm sure that it was shining when Rugaas-dono opened it」
「Fwofwofwofwo, this grimoire is a special one and no one but me, the owner, can use it」 Rugaas is saying that while laughing.
「I see, so that's the reason… That's a bit regretful」
I'm saying those words with a crestfallen mood.
According to Rugaas, it seems that he can use any kind of magic save for spirit magic and healing magic which he can't use, unless he's holding the grimoire that corresponds to those magic. It seems that he has already surpassed Modes just based on the number of magic skills that he can use.
This Rugaas, who couldn't come to fight the hero, will take a slightly longer time to use magic since he would have to change his grimoire correspondingly following the magic that he used, and it's still not yet ready for combat since the magical power needed for summoning the grimoire and then using the magic is almost twice the amount of magical power needed to use the same normally.
「As for me, I'm really envious of lord Diehart who can use that black flame. Because I can't use that black flame even with a grimoire」
Rugaas is saying so with a regretful tone.
And then, he's muttering something as he received his grimoire back from me; thereupon, the grimoire vanished as it left my hand.
「This power is sure convenient. Is there a magic which can recall something to a separated place to return?」
「Yeah, transfer object magic is surprisingly easy to use as long as you have a special magic item. For example, lord Diehart’s cursed sword」
「Eh, is that so？ 」
I recalled the cursed sword that I received from Modes. Needless to say, it was the sword that almost killed Reiji.
「Please try to call that sword to come to this place in your mind」
I'm going to call the cursed sword to my hand.
Come! !
Several seconds later, a sword appeared in my hand.
「So you really are acknowledged as the master by that cursed sword. Such weapons with their own unique magical power will choose their own master. It's easy to call them too」
I'm looking at the cursed sword. The cursed sword looks quite sinister with the red pattern on its sword blade.
「The name of this cursed sword is the cursed sword of vile blood. Something sliced by this cursed sword will be infected by its dark power and will be gradually eaten from inside. The hero who received a slash from this sword is currently on the verge of dying due to this sword’s power」
Rugaas is laughing happily.
Those words stirred my heart.
「Uhm… I heard they managed to save the hero life though…」
Or so at least from what I heard, I'm relieved when I heard that Reiji survived, but……………..
「It seems that his life is currently anchored due to the power of the saint. But, even that is just a matter of time」
Rugaas's saying so while chuckling.
Reiji is the enemy of Rugaas and the demon king army, so it's natural for him to be happy when that enemy is dying.
But, I couldn't do that.
No matter what I say, I'm the one who did that to the hero, but I never had any intention to kill Reiji.
Though he's not someone that I like, I don't hate him to the point of wanting to kill him. While it might be true that I hate him, it's not to the point of wanting to hurt him.
To be honest, I'm worried.
As expected, I should go see his situation all by myself.
In fact, I'm not just worried about Reiji but also all of them.
Most of all, I'm worried about Shirone.
Shirone didn't show signs of missing her original world.
This Shirone exists in this world. No matter how I look at it, I'm worried about her.
So, I query after thinking about that matter for a while.
「Uhm… Rugaas-dono. I've something that I want to tell you」
「I see, you're worried about the hero’s condition. Understood, let me prepare the things that you'll need for a long journey」
Modes is nodding in agreement.
I'm relieved by the fact that he agreed to my request.
During the audience at the demon king’s castle, I state my wish to Modes that I would like to see the condition of the hero.
Though I thought it was impossible at first, Modes readily agreed to my wish. Though he might think that I'm going to finish him[the hero] off, since I did not say the reason why I want to see his[the hero] situation.
But, I'm relieved that I got permission from Modes. This is because I’ve almost no knowledge about this world. His assistance for my journey will make a great difference for sure.
「Rugaas, prepare the necessary things needed for lord Diehart in his journey」
Rugaas stepped forward upon the call from Modes.
「Yes, I am finished with the preparations since he had already consulted with me about this matter yesterday. Let's assign a guide to him since lord Diehart barely knows about the human race territory. Come here, Nut」
A small animal shows itself at the foot of Rugaas when Rugaas called forth.
It looked like a rat or maybe a squirrel with red colored fur. This small animal walked forward till it arrived at my foot.
「My pleasure to meet you Diehart-sama, my name is Nut of the fire rat race」
The rat which called itself Nut introduced itself while bowing lightly at me.
In normal situations, a rat speaking isー！ Made me surprised indeed, but I've seen many impossible creatures already. I won't be surprised anymore.
「I'm Diehart. It's my pleasure to meet you, Nut」
I greet it back.
Nut who's greeted back by me is showing a surprised expression. Though it might be wrong since it's a rat face.
「…It's nothing, I really can't trust those rumors. I heard that you're an extremely horrible person」
Nut is saying so while shrugging its shoulders.
I'm smiling wryly for being deemed as an extremely horrible person.
It seems that somehow Modes’s subordinates are afraid of me.
In case of Modes’s subordinates, save for the demon race with appearance that resembles a human, most of the races are with appearances resembling that of monsters, so for them to be afraid of me gave me a slightly odd feeling.
But, I don't think being feared is a nice thing since I'm going to live in this place for a while.
Even in the earth, someone told me to hide my eyes since my eyes are scary. Thanks to that advice my appearance became milder.
But, since it's not like they're from this world and are still afraid of my appearance, I need another means to hide my appearance.
Well, what should I do then？
Should I dance while saying 「I'm scary～、I'm scary you kno～w」.
Modes and the other guys were showing puzzled expressions as I was thinking about such a foolish idea.
「Uhm… Lord Diehart？」
「No, I'm not thinking about something strange. Thank you for your willingness to become my guide」
「Well then, please take a look at this since we're preparing other necessary things for your journey」
I received the explanation about the magic tool that I received from another subordinate of Rugaas.
The map of this world. Magic mantle with hood to erase my presence. Gems to make my soldiers with magic. Gems with sealed transfer magic inside. Gems that might be used to exchange with human race currency.
「Next is, just the other necessary things to add, do you want to add something？ 」
「No, I think it's plenty enough with just this much」
So, I say my gratitude. Since I know almost nothing about this world, I don't even know what I need for my journey.
「Lord Diehart, the area outside of this Nargol is the territory of the gods of Elios. If you think that the situation is getting dangerous, return immediately with that gem of metastasis」
Modes is saying so to me.
Metastasis magic is a transfer magic to move toward a pre-established position to which you want to move by using magic. The gem of metastasis is a one-time magic tool to activate that magic, even if that person can't use that magic.
「Thank you very much」
I express my gratitude to Modes.
I have to show my manners to someone who truly cares about me. Maybe this is the common sense of this world.
And then, after the audience.
◆Dark Knight Kuroki
「This place is？」
The place to which I moved with metastasis magic is a dark place devoid of people.
「This is one of the defense points in Akeron mountain range. In fact, since many of the knight who were stationed here either received grievous wound or killed in the battle against the hero, they've no leeway to deploy some of their forces to welcome us at this location…」
Nut, getting on my shoulder, was doing the explanation for me.
Akeron mountain range is the boundary line that divides the world of humans and Nargol.
The dark knights riding the flying dragon were the ones who were protecting this line to prevent the possibilities of an invasion from this mountain. It is seemingly one of the defense points.
After making enough preparations for a journey, we left the demon king castle at once with magic.
We'll be arriving at the world of humans once we descend this mountain.
「It's strange right, the flying dragon that will send us down to the foot of the mountain is supposed to be standing by but….」
In fact, it's faster to descend the mountain with flight magic, but it's decided that we'll be sent down by a flying dragon since my interest was piqued by it.
Something is making a sound from the side of the stone building.
When I leave the building to see it, there was a lizard-like animal with gigantic wings growing on it sides.
It was the one called Flying Dragon（Wyvern）One of the dark knights was riding on the back of the wyvern.
That dark knight is landing his wyvern close to the building and then jumped from the back of the wyvern.
「It's pleasure to meet you, Diehart-kakka[1]！ ！ My name is knight Gned！ ！ 」
The dark knight introduced himself while taking off his helmet.
If measured by the age of human race, his age is around the latter half of his teens till the first half of his twenties.
Rugaas had told me about the demon race.
The demon race is the highest-ranked race in this Nargol. Their appearance resembles that of human race except for the horn growing from both sides of their head. They're far more excellent than human race both in term of physical body and magic.
But if one must talk about their weakness, it's the fact that their numbers are few; their numbers had not even reached 1/20th of the orc race, the race with most population in Nargol.
Even so, Rugaas added that the chivalric order of dark knights, the best in Nargol, is composed of the soldiers of this demon race.
Maybe the face of this dark knight Gned stiffened due to his tension.
「It's a pleasure to meet you, Gned. No need to be that formal」
To be honest, I feel that my back is somewhat itchy when he called me with "-Kakka" suffix. I'm not that great to be called as such. I wish that he's more carefree since, going by appearance, his age isn't that much different from myself.
But, I noticed that lord Gned’s body is trembling lightly.
Is he frightened by what I said？
If that was true, I'll be shocked you know.
「I-I CAN'T DO THAT！ ！ Since kakka position is just next to the king of this Nargol！ ！ 」
I don't know whether he is saying the truth due to his tension or due to his fear.
But, it seems that it was impossible to make him drop his formal way of speaking.
「A-After this, I-I'll be the one who’ll send kakka to the foot of the mountain range！！ 」
Gned is saying so as if urging us to get on the back seat on the back of the wyvern.
「……………Well then, I'm looking forward to work with you, lord Gned」
「R-Roger！！ 」
After Gned and I are on the back of the flying wyvern.
I can feel the wind being sliced by the wings of the wyvern.
I let out an "Oops" voice to this sensation.
It was quite a nice feeling.
Right after the flying dragon soared in the sky, I can see the defensive point turning into a dot.
The sensation of flying in the sky is really nice. Now I want to have a wyvern of my own.
But, just when I thought about that, the wyvern suddenly lowered it's flying altitude.
「What's matter, lord Gned？」
It's messing the sky with such low-altitude flying.
「W-We have to fly in low-altitude ahead of this point since the monitoring is getting stricter！！ 」
I wonder what this monitoring thing is.
「Diehart-sama. This region is already under the supervision of those holy knight from Elios. They'll lock our position if we're flying at a higher altitude」
Nut who had entered the bosom pocket of my clothes was the one doing the explanation for me.
According to Nut’s explanation, the holy knights of Elios is the elite corps composed of angel race and the hero of human race who pledged their allegiance to the king of god, Oudith. Naturally, due to hostile relationship between Nargol and Elios, the holy knights are also in a hostile relationship with the dark knights.
And it seems that these holy knights were repeatedly violating the airspace after what happened to the dark knight due to Reiji and the others doing. Thus, it seems that we have to fly in low-altitude in order for them to not discover our presence.
Gned is awkwardly manipulating the wyvern. It was a dangerous flight even just seeing it from the side.
「…….. Look like it hasn't been a long time since lord Gned received his wyvern」
The chivalric order of dark knights is currently experiencing labor shortage. It seems that he lacks sufficient skills for riding the wyvern and is basically riding the wyvern as soon as he got one.
「…… But, we might be targeted by the goblin in the vicinities with such an awkward method of flying」
「Eh, why would the goblins be going against us？」
Rugaas taught me a bit about demons during our magic lesson. Goblin is an ugly creature with green skin and a height around 140 cm in average. Rugaas told me that they have a head harder than iron and have abysmal talent in music.
But, even though the goblins are also called as demons, maybe they're actually not subordinates of Modes.
That's why I asked such question.
「The goblins around this vicinities aren't the subordinates of your highness Modes」
According to Nut, it seems that Modes is also called by the name of ruler of demon. He is called so because no human lives in Nargol and large number of demons inhabit Nargol, but it doesn't mean that the demons outside of Nargol are Modes’s subordinate; on the contrary, many of those demons outside Nargol seemingly not even obey Modes’s authority.
And the goblins in this region don’t obey orders from Modes. Rather, it seems very few demons are actually obeying Modes’s orders.
There were even those pretending to be the demon king.
Though Modes has enough power to rule over the entire demon race in this world, it seems that the reason why he never went to attack the humans is due Modes’s lack of greed.
But, it seems that many people think that when the demons outside of Nargol attacked the humans, it was due to Modes order while in the fact was the other way around.
In short, leaving Nargol means leaving from the subordination of Modes, so the problem that happens outside is their own problem.
I touch the cursed sword on my waist which I wore since there'll be a short delay when I summon it. I don't know whether I'll draw my sword to cut the demon who chooses to attack me along the way.
It was when I was thinking about that, an arrow suddenly shot from below.
「I-It's a goblin！！ 」
Nut is screaming in panic.
When I look below, beings that looked like a kid with green skin were aiming their bow toward our direction.
The wyvern became more violent on becoming the target of the arrows.
I cling to the wyvern in panic.
「CALM DOWN！ ！ I SAID CALM DOWN！ ！ ！ 」
Gned attempts to calm down the wyvern came for naught.
Gned made his wyvern rise even further to avoid the arrows.
「UOOOOOOOOOO！！ 」
I scream unintentionally.
We're out of the range of the arrows due to our rapid ascent.
「CALM DOWN！ ！ CALM DOWN！ ！ 」
For some reason, the wyvern calmed down after we escaped from the barrage of arrows.
「It seems we're safe now, isn't it….」
When I expressed my relief, Gned is screaming in panic.
「AAAAAAAAAAAAH！ ！ WE'VE BEEN DISCOVERED！ ！ 」
When I look at the direction where Gned is pointing at, people with wings on their back we're rushing toward our direction. They numbered 10.
The winged man, wearing golden armor while holding bows in their hands, is aiming at us.
「They're the angel race of the holy knights！ ！ RUN, LORD GNED！ ！ 」
The angel race is a race whose appearance resembles the human race with wings growing on their back.
The angel race is the race having a pair of wings on their back and have no need for flight magic, thus they can use sword or magic while flying in the air.
Since normally, one can't fight while using flight magic, unless they were of the race who can fly such as the angel race or wyvern race.
Even Gned, who’s more or less just getting on the back of the wyvern, might be defeated just like that since he has not received dragon rider training.
Even before Nut sent his warning, Gned already made his wyvern to turn around.
When I think that there's no other choice, I recite the aria for flight magic.
「KAKKA！ ？ 」
「Lord Gned, please keep your focus on controlling the wyvern. Leave the aftermath to me」
I rush toward the angels while saying those words.
The angels then shot their arrows toward me.
Those arrows were too slow.
「HA！！ 」
So I draw my sword and knock down those arrows.
「NO WAY！！ 」
The angels are screaming.
「O Black Flame！！ 」
I release a gigantic lump of black fire while flying in the sky.
「Flame Prison（Hell Flame）！！ 」
The lump of black fire is spreading out toward the angels.
It's just a scare away tactic as I have no intention to hurt them.
But, I know that the effect is tremendous as soon as my opponents saw that.
「That black flame, it's Runfeld, RUN！！ 」
Maybe because they have some sort of misunderstanding since I wore my hood, the angels are running as they mistook me for Runfeld.
And just like that, I return to Gned’s wyvern and sit on its back seat.
「Amazing…」
I can hear Gned muttering that.
「I've driven away the angels, lord Gned. Please keep flying at this altitude」
I'm smiling toward Gned.
「U-UNDERSTOOD！！ 」
Gned is saying his gratitude with faltering words at the back of the wyvern.
The wyvern soars high into the sky, cutting through the air.
I thought it was wonderful.
I cannot enjoy the scenery as I have to keep certain level of concentration when flying with flight magic. When it comes to flying, flying on the back of something seems a better choice.
So I thought of asking for a wyvern of my own when I return to Nargol later.
We're arrived at the end of Akeron mountain range before long.
「Thank you very much, lord Gned」
I, who jumped from the back of the wyvern, sent my words of gratitude to Gned.
「I'm grateful for your words！！ 」
Gned was too tense from the beginning to the end.
But, I can feel that he's more relaxed than the time when I first meet him.
「I'll be praying for your safety during the journey till you're back to this place！！ 」
「Thank you very much, lord Gned」
Gned is saying so after riding on his wyvern.
Well, we'll be going by foot from this point. さ
According to Nut’s story, it seems that the place where Reiji and the others are living is the country called Holy Republic, Lenaria.
Though it'll be faster to go there if I use transfer magic, since I can't transfer to an unmarked place, it naturally can't be used outside of Nargol.
Though there's some distance to reach the holy republic, Lenaria, it seems that the I, who came to this world, has transformed into a superman and can move at a faster speed than the me of earth. It won't take that much time.
「Well then, here we go, Nut」
It was my first step toward the human world.
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