Ankoku Kishi Monogatari (WN)

「Hero of Light, and Rena!」

When I turned around, Sekhmetra had already arrived nearby.

Harsesh and Nel also followed her.

Unlike their usual merry attitude, they looked really docile right now.

Both of them seemed to realize that this was one of the times when Sekhmetra got serious.

「It's nice to meet you, Queen of the Lions.」

Rena greeted Sekhmetra.

「You really are as beautiful as the rumors say, no wonder Harsesh became completely entranced by you. Isn't she even more beautiful than you, Ishtar?」

The air around Ishtar changed the moment Sekhmetra said so.

Though she was laughing, her eyes were not.

「Oh my, may I ask what do you mean, Sekhmetra?」

It felt like sparks flew between those two.

It was really obvious at a glance that Ishtar was unwilling to hand over the "Most Beautiful" title to anyone.

I looked at the frightened Harsesh and Nel and offered my silent condolences to them.

「You're wrong, Queen of Lions. I really am no match for Ishtar-sama's beauty.」

Rena entered in between to act as the mediator between them.

Ishtar's menacing air calmed down when Rena entered as a mediator.

「I see. How modest of you, Rena. Well, let's just say that you're right. Now, Totona. I never expected that the strange person you brought with you is the Dark Knight in disguise. Nel, do you know about this?」

「I'm sorry… Dear mother.」

Nel lowered her head while apologizing.

「My apologies for keeping his identity a secret, Sekhmetra-sama. I'm the one who asked Nel to keep his identity a secret.」

Totona came forward and spoke for Nel.

Honestly I was deceived by her too.

I mean, who would have thought that person would disguise himself in such a funny attire?

「Humph, it's no big deal, so both of you don't have to worry about it. Not to mention I got the chance to see something really interesting in the end… Such a monster has actually become Modes' subordinate.」

Said Sekhmetra as she laughed merrily.

「Is that Dark Knight really such a monster? Looking at the fight from a while ago, he is obviously being overwhelmed by the hero's attacks except for his last blow.」

The catfolk attendants and the sphinxes nodded along with Harsesh's remark.

It did look like the Dark Knight was only defending against Reiji's onslaught.

But, I noticed that something was amiss.

「THIS IDIOT!」

Sekhmetra hit Harsesh's head with a headchop.

「But why, aunty?」

Said Harsesh as he touched his head while looking at Sekhmetra with teary eyes.

「Where were you looking?! In the battle just now, the Dark Knight wasn't just defending one-sidedly against the Hero of Light! Listen, four times! FOUR TIMES! Right, Hero?!」

Said Sekhmetra as she looked at Reiji.

「You're wrong, Queen of Lions. It was five times.」

「Five?! So it's five huh! I missed one.」

Sekhmetra looked even more exasperated upon hearing Reiji's answer.

What did they mean by four and five?

「Reiji-kun. What's that about four and five times?」

Reiji made a rather complicated face when I asked that question.

「It's the number of times Reiji could’ve been cut down during that battle just now. By the way, I could only see three.」

Ishtar replied to my question instead of Reiji.

When I looked at Reiji for confirmation, he didn't deny it either. In short, Ishtar was right on the money.

Honestly that was a shock.

「In short, are you telling me that the Dark Knight was pulling his punches during that battle? Is that true, Reiji-kun?」

「Yeah, it's just as Ishtar said. That guy went easy on me. He can kill me anytime he feels like it.」

Said Reiji frustatingly.

I couldn't really understand though.

「Understand now, Harsesh. You should at least train your little eyes. I'll retrain you once we're back.」

「NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!」

Harsesh raised a scream.

「Well then, everyone. Shall we go back? And Ishtar, your group might have failed to take back the pyramid but you managed to destroy it. Will you join our banquet to celebrate your success?」

「Naturally. What about you, Rena-chan, Totona-chan, and Reiji?」

Rena shook her head.

「I have to go back to Elios immediately to finish the antidote. And the matter of Zarxis' revival has to be reported immediately. You come too, Totona. I have a lot of things I want to ask you later.」

Rena's face darkened a bit as she spoke the second half of her sentence.

「I have nothing to tell you. But, I agree that we have to make the antidote as soon as possible. Chiyuki, let us handle the scorpion tail.」

Totona didn't even flinch in front of Rena's glare.

She asked me to hand over the tail without even looking at Rena.

I entrusted the scorpion tail to her.

「Uhm… Please share the antidote with us.」

「No problem. I'll give your portion to Rena after it is done, you can get it from her. Well then, Sekhmetra-sama, I'll return. Nel, let's play again later.」

「Yeah, come to visit our place again, Totona.」

「See meow, Totonyan.」

Totona's figure vanished with teleportation magic.

I still had a lot of things I wanted to talk about with her.

Somehow, I got the feeling that we can get along with each other.

「Well, I'll be back too. Later, Reiji. Adieu, Queen of Lions.」

「Yeah, please send my best regards to my husband. Things will get hectic now that Zarxis has revived.」

Rena didn't say anything back to that.

The Serpent Queen Diadona and the Reaper Zarxis seem to be the enemy of Elios.

Properly speaking, things might get more hectic for Rena and co. Naturally, the same goes for us who were affiliated with her.

Thus, Rena left along with her battle maiden.

「What shall we do now, Reiji-kun?」

「Let's go back too, Chiyuki. Everyone must be worrying about us. And I realized during this battle that I need more training.」

Reiji replied seriously when I asked him that question.

It was a good thing that he became serious for once, but knowing the person he was trying to defeat created another headache for me.

Still, Reiji putting in some effort was a good thing.

I then remember the matter about Zarxis.

That evil God was dangerous.

I already felt that even during our first meeting in the underground tunnel of Rox Kingdom.

Thus I wanted Reiji to become stronger.

I felt something had changed.

Just thinking about what was going to change alone was enough to send a shiver running down my spine.

I really didn't want to stay in this place and risk the chance of meeting him again.

Reiji was right, we should leave this place as soon as possible.

Everyone seemed to feel the same way.

Thus, we bid our farewell to Gypseal.

I looked at the windy desert for the last time as I pondered about such things.

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