Chapter 15

────It was like another world entirely.

A sky blanketed in smoky clouds.

Cracked, scorched earth as red as my passion.

A sweltering, humid climate as oppressive as Rex’s face.

So this is...

"Whoa, we’ve finally arrived! The blazing volcanic city of Saikoro!"

"Incredible, Rex! It’s insanely hot here!! Perfect environment for sword training! Ahahaha!!"

"That idiot… Clarice specifically told her to stay close for cooling."

"Flatche seems happy about it, so isn’t it fine?"

So this is the legendary volcanic city "Saikoro" I’d heard about!

Man, I never knew expeditions could get me this pumped. In my past life devoted solely to the sword, even when taking jobs, I’d only ever traveled to nearby towns. This is my first time going so far out.

Having only heard travelers’ tales about the "volcanic city" before, seeing it in person left me speechless with awe.

So this is how incredible journeys could be. Maybe I should’ve traveled around for sword training instead of staying in one place. Well, money would’ve made that impossible anyway.

"You’re already drenched in sweat, Flatche. Is it really that hot around here?"

"Of course. The first time I came here, I nearly dried up like jerky. Had Clarice’s cooling spell been any slower, I’d be dead."

"Wait, Clarice developed this spell specifically?"

…I’d heard stories, but damn, it’s seriously hot!

Building a town near a volcano’s crater is downright insane. Were the dwarves who settled here and formed this city complete morons?

And I hear this volcano still erupts occasionally. When it does, the village mages detect it and evacuate everyone to prepared shelters. This has to be the most dangerously located town ever.

But maybe this place has attractions worth risking your life for.

---

"Hey, Flatche. Got something to ask ya."

"Hm? What is it, Karin?"

After arriving at the volcanic city, we found a decent inn and took separate rooms by gender—two people per room.

The groupings were Penny and Rex, the Clarice sisters, and Karin with me. Emma apparently joined Penny and Rex’s room. With Rex there, nothing shady should happen.

The moment we entered our room—

"So… you into Rex or something?"

"No."

Karin hit me with that disgusting, skin-crawling question. Like Mei, why do people think I’m into Rex? I’ve never given any hints like that.

"Okay, got it. …Then, uh… you into me?"

"…"

The nun glared at me through half-lidded eyes.

Hah. So that’s it. She’s still wary after I counterattacked her nighttime advance.

From Karin’s perspective, me being into Rex would’ve been preferable? Damn, I chose wrong.

"…Karin, forget what happened before. I just hated the idea of you having the upper hand—felt like losing."

"Seriously? Can I trust that? You’re not actually into women, right?"

"Yeah, relax. If anything, I prefer Mei’s type."

"Knew it! Goddammit!!"

My careless remark spiked Karin’s alertness. Crap, shouldn’t have said that.

But honestly, someone like Mei would make a great wife. She’s still a bit childish, but her kindness really shone through when she stopped that suicide attempt.

A truly gentle woman—that’s Mei, and I’m helplessly drawn to that. If only her body would fill out more… but judging from Clarice, that hope seems futile.

Besides, she’s clearly hung up on Rex right now. Lucky bastard.

"That night, I was drunk and out of line too. But just so we’re clear, I’m straight. Sorry, but if you crawl into my bed at night, I’ll scream and fight back for real."

"No need to be so guarded. Unlike some, I’d never force myself on someone without consent."

"Ugh… Well, you are serious at heart. Guess I can trust you there, Flatche."

Karin nodded, seemingly satisfied with her own conclusions.

"Sorry. Guess I got too paranoid."

"Don’t worry about it."

I smiled gently at her.

---

"GYAAAAH!! LIAR, FLATCHE!!"

"Wha—?! What’s happening?!"

Turns out, I’m a restless sleeper.

That night, I apparently rolled into Karin’s bed while asleep, resulting in screams echoing through the women’s quarters. A story for another time.

---

Next morning. I slept great, but Karin barely slept due to heightened vigilance. My bad.

"Now, I’ll guide you to the cave in question. Just to reiterate—I’m strictly advisory. While I can provide minor combat support, I’d likely hold you back, so I won’t enter the cave itself."

"Emma’s not the one who took this job anyway. She’s just tagging along with me, so cut her some slack."

Emma apologized awkwardly. Well, she is a non-combatant. Can’t be helped.

"Remember, there’s no need to fully explore everything in one day. Proceed safely and methodically."

"Got it. So if there are demons inside, I just slaughter them all, right?"

"Sword Saint Rex. If even you join the idiots, we’ll never recover. Please refrain."

"Not joking. If demons exist, I’m exterminating every last one today."

Rex grinned confidently, but his eyes held no mirth.

"Not gonna lie, even I was shaken after that incident. Took me ages to recover—could barely eat. But lately, I’m back in form."

"Uh-huh…"

"And now? That shock’s turned to rage. Don’t care about their reasons or goals. But I’m not saint enough to forgive those who kill my friends with a smile."

"…"

"I don’t lose. Doesn’t matter what kind of demon—this greatsword will carve them up. By day’s end, not a single one in this cave will remain intact."

"…Well, enthusiasm isn’t bad, I suppose. But the enemy’s unknown. If things go south, everyone follows General Penny’s orders to retreat. She’s a genius at knowing when to withdraw."

"I’ve led troops countless times. Misjudging retreats gets people killed. So I never misstep on that timing."

"Yeah, got it. The client’s the national army anyway—we’ll adjust to your exit strategy."

Emma’s warnings made Rex ease up slightly. Didn’t realize he was that fired up.

Kinda heartwarming, but based on past experience, an emotional Rex is easier to beat. His swings get faster but shallower, and he gets careless.

…Better subtly cover for him during fights to prevent screwups.

---

The entrance to the cave was unmistakably new.

This wasn’t a naturally formed opening. The edges of the walls bore unnatural, jagged angles—as if someone had forcibly smashed their way through.

Emma guided us to the cave’s entrance before parting ways. Just as she was about to leave, Penny tried to steal a goodbye kiss, so I cheerfully pressed my sword against his neck as a warning.

While my eyes remain black: Yes to lolis, No to touching. Even a nation’s general isn’t allowed to lay hands on a little girl.

(Though I let it slide when Emma kissed Penny’s cheek. Kisses from little girls are safe. The line between "acceptable" and "unacceptable" here requires extremely advanced and delicate judgment. Take notes.)

Inside, the cave was stifling and uncomfortable. Had it not been for Clarice’s cooling magic, we’d have been in hell.

Rex marched ahead eagerly, scanning for threats, while I took the rear to guard against ambushes. With the seasoned General Penny as our flexible middle guard, this was a solid formation.

"…It’s quiet, Lord Rex. No signs of magical energy yet."

"Yeah. I’ve been on alert, but… there’s not even a trace of life."

"Aah… What if no demons show up? Maybe this is just an abandoned mining site?"

"Even so, there could be traces left behind. Stay sharp."

We advanced cautiously, but within the range of Mei’s light magic, there were no signs of demons—or even any activity at all.

Saikoro, the volcanic city. Between the heat and humidity, this place was too harsh for any living thing to settle. Karin might’ve been right—just a deserted outpost.

"Seriously, nothing here…"

An hour later, we reached the cave’s deepest point. The entire trek had been a straight, pitch-black path with no branching routes.

"No signs of mining either. Maybe this wasn’t a base?"

"A dud, then."

"A WASTE OF TIME?! I’M FURIOUS! Emma swore this cave was a confirmed stronghold!"

"…Don’t put that kind of analysis on a kid."

Unfortunately, Emma’s intel seemed off. Even the competent have their misses.

…Wait. Had that little girl been handling everything—intel gathering and enemy base analysis? How much were they overworking a ●-year-old?!

"…We’re pulling out. Nothing left to gain here."

"Understood, General Penny. Stay sharp until we’re out—still hostile territory!"

"Yes, Lord Rex!"

Penny called the retreat, and we complied. Since this was a national army request, we had to defer to the client.

No leads on the damn Demon King’s army was disappointing, but a well-paid job with no fighting wasn’t bad either.

"Keep searching on the way back. Might find traces we missed."
"Got it."

Penny sighed, resuming his patrol. Not much point without enemies, though.

The diligent Mei kept scrutinizing the walls, and Rex remained on guard.

Fine. We’re getting paid, so I’ll stay alert too—

I drew my sword and lunged at Rex.

"…Huh?!"

He froze, baffled by the sudden "attack." Too slow—this wasn’t training.

My blade flashed toward his throat in the shortest possible arc.

By the time he snapped out of it and raised his sword, it was already too late—

A faint metallic chime echoed through the cave.

"Bullseye, Emma."

…That was close.

Too damn close.

This body’s night vision might be sharper than my past life’s. By sheer luck, I’d spotted a glint at the edge of Mei’s light magic.

An arrow, loosed. Instinct took over—my sword moved before I could think. I knew the target was Rex’s neck.

And just barely, I deflected it.

"Enemies, Rex."

"…Shit. Didn’t sense them!"

"Save the apologies. Fight."

"Wait! I still can’t detect any hostile magic or life force?!"

Mei’s voice was near-panicked. She was right—I couldn’t sense anything either.

I’d seen it. That’s all.

"LOVE’S IMPENETRABLE SUPER SHIELD!"

The genius sorceress shouted, and an invisible barrier instantly encased our rear guard.

"I’ll protect the backline! You two, CHARGE!"

"On it, Clarice!"

The Sword Saint and the General kicked off the ground. Another arrow whistled through the air—only to be effortlessly swatted aside by their gauntlets.

The first shot had only threatened Rex because it was a surprise. Now that they were aware?

No arrow could touch the Sword Saint.

"There you are."

General Penny unleashed a full-powered straight punch toward the cave wall. His epithet was "The Unarmed"—his fists were capable of shattering even solid rock.

And indeed, the cave wall crumbled, revealing an empty hollow within. Inside, a dim-skinned demon was sitting on the ground, stunned.

"...I see. This cave wasn’t just a single path—there were branching tunnels. They must’ve sealed and hidden them all with magic."

"Clever for a demon... What a troublesome enemy."

Then Rex slowly approached the trembling demon, who was still cowering on the ground. At this point, there was no chance of losing.

From the looks of it, this one had lost the will to fight. If they interrogated it, they might get some information. That was what Rex thought—until—

"...No. No—!!"

A dull explosion echoed through the cave.

The moment Rex got close, the demon writhed in agony—then self-destructed.

"Whoa—?!"

Caught in the blast at close range, Rex’s armor was splattered with demonic flesh and blood. Thanks to his heavy gear, he wasn’t hurt, but...

"...Did it just blow itself up?"

"Ugh... My armor’s a mess. Someone wash this off, will ya?"

"Ah, yes! Leave it to me, Lord Rex!"

The stench of rot filled the air.

With bits of flesh even splashed on his face, Rex looked thoroughly disgusted as he asked Mei to rinse him off.

"...Huh? Wait a sec. Don’t tell me—"

"What is it, Karin?"

The nun, who had followed behind Rex, picked up one of the scattered chunks of flesh.

Karin grimaced, then muttered with clear revulsion:

"...This ain’t a demon. It’s human flesh."

"Haah?!"

"And not just any human. This is a rotten corpse—who knows how many days dead."

"W-wait, hold on. So you’re tellin’ me I was fightin’ a damn corpse?! ...Are the Demon King’s forces seriously messin’ around with corpse modifications now?"

────The enemy was a rotting human corpse. Hearing that, Mei and Penny’s faces paled slightly.

It was a stomach-churning thought. With a bitter grimace, Rex began gathering the remains, likely intending to give the corpse a proper burial.

"So... this person was brought back like Flatche and used as cannon fodder?"

"...Nah, different. Flatche’s properly alive—no way she’s a corpse. But this guy? He was movin’ around while dead. Otherwise, the flesh wouldn’t be this rotten."

"Meaning?"

"Guess this was a zombie. Which means everything Flatche told us... was true."

"So undead corpses don’t give off any magic or life energy, huh? Even after hearin’ it from Flatche... Pathetic."

Rex hadn’t been careless—not intentionally. He’d been scanning for signs of life, and he would’ve reacted instantly to any detectable magic.

But he hadn’t been on guard against an enemy with no presence or magic. That was all.

And that oversight... was fatal.

────

"Hey, Flatche, you saved me back there. If that arrow had been poisoned, even I might’ve bit the dust."

"Ah, right! I was startled myself, but to react to an ambush even Rex couldn’t counter—! Flatche, you were brilliant! Truly, the power of love!"

"Love has nothing to do with it! Nothing!"

The Sword Saint Rex thanked Flatche for saving him from certain death. The party erupted into chatter, and the general watched the scene with amusement.

────Until he noticed.

"...Huh? Flatche?"

"Oi? Where’d she go? Flatche?"

She was nowhere to be seen.

The very swordswoman they’d just been talking about—had vanished.

"Hold on. Did she get separated?"

"No way! She was right here with us!"

Panic spread through the party. Flatche had disappeared without a trace—and then────

On the wall where she had shielded Rex from the arrow...

General Penny spotted a fresh, small trail of blood slowly trickling down.

────

"...Ah."

If Rex had been able to react to the arrow on his own, Flatche likely would’ve had time to deflect the one aimed at her.

But in the instant she shielded Rex, she failed to notice the assassin targeting her.

And so, amidst the chaos of the ambush and explosion... she had been neatly, perfectly kidnapped────