Hyaku ma no Omo

Grief of the Sword Empress.

One woman who had climbed the Lindholm sacred mountain that day, stood wearing tired eyes.

「That’s a dangerously steep mountain.」

The woman murmured in a low voice while looking up at the peak of the sacred mountain.

「And to be sent to my death because I was a descendant of a Demon Lord, quite the tyranny. And the last line drawn, was that when the Demon Sword of the clan was passed to me they weren’t even able to hide their greed.」

The woman was of a family that had been referred as a descendant of a Demon Lord.

「But– I was driven out. Forced to climb the sacred mountain which has spirits all over, but they probably haven’t noticed.」

When there is an opportunity, I want to put the holy sword at the legendary mountain’s peak.
If there is one thing able to save the world, that kind of dream-like holy sword.

「– It’s silly, I’m with only my Demon Sword in hand, one that is focused on killing, a Life-Eating Demon Sword…」

The image that she had failed to practice enough came floating to her mind.
She was cornered, and was forced to do what they wanted.

◆◆◆

They had been poor in the term of mercenaries per city-state.
A country at the east of Lindholm sacred mountain.
In the current world, which had been died in the strong color of war, the mercenaries are in demand.
And also her body, which they wanted it to fight.

Her family’s honor is on her, she has been passed one of the Demon Lord 『Series』.
The number of Demon Lords called [Sword Emperor] had diminished, they were either forgotten by the people or were finished.
But that Demon Sword became the reason why it still exists in the world.

[Demon Sword Krisher]

Once , her ancestor asked for a sword that could frequently kill, as a result of spending many of the ancestors lives, the Demon Sword was born.
Thus wielding a Demon Sword, the clan formerly boasted a strong armed force and was said to be a brave mercenary group called [The 38 heavenly sword brigade].
Thirty-eight people, thirty-eight swords.
They were heavenly swordsman at the time they
A heavenly ceremonial sword was given to them, that’s why they had such a name.

However, such a great mercenary group ended up being called Demon Lords.
As a Demon Lord with an 『Emperor Series』, her family was allowed a new start.

— If it was as a mercenary that fights their enemy.

Because.
Once hired, they could become an allied force, but they could become a big enemy on another battle.
Mercenaries lend forces to those who paid money.
Mercenaries do that kind of work.
There are some who will ridicule them for battling all the time.
But in the era of war, from a nation that does not have its own army, mercenaries that provide their strength for gold are a welcome presence.
Therefore, mercenaries must be honest with their work.
So, having open relationships was not something that helped.
However,

— Those who first hired them, now appeared as an enemy calling them traitors.

The ancestor of that time, which boasted a superior strength, had been called Demon Lords.
Right now on this era, although the term of Demon Lord had been affixed to someone for a variety of specific reasons, in the case of her ancestors it was a crucial reason.

It shouldn’t be unexpected for them to hold a grudge.

Those feelings can be understood, but the label of Demon Lord that has been affixed in that era, also affect this era.
In fact, at first I tried to live a decent life away from the sword.
But, the Demon Sword came back again, and again to my hands.
If that would be because I had the blood of the creator of the Demon Sword flowing through my body.
And then, as if I was engaged in an argument with the Demon Sword, in another place the blood of the mercenary family was boiling.

As if it had been decided in advance, it was a forced invitation to fight.

— Well, Even I, eventually, ended up in their hands.

I tried serving and cooking, such as a maid, I did a variety of things, but not even one worked.
Their interest wasn’t in that.
So when the dazzling gold of the mercenary industry presented itself, they sent myself to battle.
Now that the wait for the battle was over they were vibrant.
Gold went into their hands, but they no longer stayed away from battles.
They would drown in the heat of battle.

This should not remain like this.
So I thought.
While I was not apart from the Demon Sword.
I would be better off dead, with the Demon Sword through my throat, and by the time I began to think such exaggerated thoughts, I had already been wrapped by the sight of battle as a mercenary with the Demon Sword.

But, there is a turning point.

Those who supported the Demon Sword were chased out.
They were chased out, they ran away.
They will dig up the blood of the [Sword Emperor] that is lodged in this body of mine, because I was always swinging my sword. –and to die as a Demon Lord, and.

— What’s a Demon Lord.

There can be reasoning if the other party has been defeated by mercenaries.
But I do it alone, I was asked to help them with the Demon Sword as an ally.

— I hate this war.

Drowning myself in battle like a mercenary.
At least for someone who wants to swing the sword.

They would not make it a heroic action.
They also knew.
The aim to be a 『Hero』for those who have no military power, like a former ancestor — was no longer there.

— I am now a Demon Lord

In short, a label that does not peel off, had been attached to my back.
When I realized that my impulse is the same as my former ancestors, I was already being chased as a Demon Lord.

I was chased, I ran away, my head was in a mess.
I no longer knew what to do.
I wish there were guidelines to live a good life.
Because to die, after all– I still was scared.

◆◆◆

「A little more till the mountain’s peak.」

There were many bodies of beasts along the way, and there were many of those who got of their bodies to form a spirit body.
The Demon Sword that specializes in single-mindedly killing, it seems that even spirits, can be killed by it.
Although the spirits that you hear rumours about may not be truly sliced, those that fall into the rank of weak and animal spirits, those spirits were dissipated in one swing.
I thought it was a bad thing, but surely that was the way it was supposed to be if they were to attack you.

Then the woman reached the peak of the Lindholm sacred mountain.

A man was there.

Harboring a beautiful snow-white hair, he was a man whose appearance transcended the living.

◆◆◆

The man burned a large stone with a mysterious white flame, he was knowledgeably modeling something.
I was clumsily elongated and had a rectangular shape, it had characters carved in the surface.

— A name?

This time, he pierces the ground with it, setting it up like a grave.

「…」

The woman while observing the man who was at the mountain’s peak, took the first step.
Gravel, the sound it made as if calling, but the man did not turn around.

— Some kind of doll. Or some kind of ghost.

「I’m sorry. Because my hands are a little tied up now, if there is something you want me for, please wait for a bit.」

The man said that without turning around.
The breath of the woman retracts, as if not believing his voice.
It’s as if the voice is healing, was leaked in surprise.

「Those are… for people?」
「That’s right.」
「They are?」
「Tomb for the people who raised me.」

With such a simple exchange, the woman grasped that the man is a human.
Building the tomb for someone.
It would be a human.
There was such a confidence in the woman.

◆◆◆

Oddly enough, the work of the man was followed through day and night.
Because it does not end even though it has been going on forever.
I wonder what on earth made him do graves for several people.

The woman pierced the ground with the Demon Sword and was watching the man with her robe shaking in the wind.
The man is intently burning of the stone with the white flame in his index finger.

「How many graves are you planning to make?」

The woman who could no longe endure asked the man.

「A hundred.」
「Hu~n- hundred huh…」

Something like such a feminine voice is not like me.
Such a number had surprised me.

「…」

The woman was looking at the back of the man.
Then finally,

「If you want — I’ll help you. What I mean is that since I climbed the Lindholm sacred mountain I might as well do this, It’s not like I want to do it.」

So I said.
Half-lie, Half-truth.

「Really? I’m happy. So please do help me. The stones over there give them to me in order.」

But when I heard the happy voice of the man, it was all.

「All right.」

The woman took of her robe, it was wrapped around the hilt of the Demon Sword several times.
The Demon Sword was kept as it was, pierced on the ground.
Because inside the robe were thin clothes, the mountain wind would feel chilly, but it will warm immediately if one were to move.

「– Ah.」
「Hmm?」

Then suddenly the man stopped his movements, and moved his line of sight towards the woman.
The man had a red pupil which had a mysterious glowing light.

「I’m Merea. [Merea ⋅ Mea]」
「I’m [Elma ⋅ Elisa]. Our ages are probably the same, so you can call me Elma without the honorifics.」
「Then call me Merea. — Well, best regards, Elma.」

He did not ask me anything except for my name.
When I would ask if there was a deep meaning, because there was nothing I knew I would break the strange space needed without thinking, until the tombstone were completed I decided to diligently work silently.

— Trapped in those circumstances, but in this way it’s not bad to have something innocent.

It might have been escapism.
But, Elma thought so genuinely.
This strange situation, she had began to look forward to it a bit.