- Black Blone and Blue On the Road
"Oida! Look, I found another Artemis flower!"
Fio ran as soon as she saw the flower in question, looking as excited as an elementary school child enjoying a school picnic.
"It seems like there are quite a few uninformed fools in this country, or maybe it's the work of the same group of fools. Well thankfully some of them have found other jobs in ‘Dahluc Sina’ now“
”I don't agree with slavery, I hope this country doesn't implement it"
Azel sneered at the Artemis flower that they had seen several times on their journey, while Kain still seemed to sympathize with the Goblin that Eustella had captured.
"Unlike the people in the South, this Kingdom does not cultivate it. And I'm not sure if Elvia will deport them to the other side, though that doesn't mean one can live for free behind bars. Money is also needed to live in prison, quite a lot of it in fact. Especially with war looming on the doorstep, let's hope they don't get hit by stray bullets during forced labor on the front lines hahahaha"
"That saying is as good as a prayer Zel-chan, uh Fio-chan maybe you better not pick it. Who knows it will be a consolation for the Goblins when they get out of prison, although it's not much but if you appreciate someone's hard work, surely he will be happy
“ ”... ... ..."
Azel glanced at Kain as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard, but it was all ruined by Fio's sudden reaction. The blue-haired girl seemed to have already picked the Artemis flower she met earlier, with a bright smile she ran a little closer to Kain.
"OIDA! Is there a Goblin here? Have you met Goblins? I've never even met them in person!... seen them from afar anyway“
”Hum? From what we heard, there are several Goblin Villages in this area. The one we encountered yesterday is their secret base, right Zel-chan?"
Fio who heard that somehow got even more excited.
"SECRET BASE!!? Alright then, let's postpone our return trip. Let's hunt the Goblins now! We'll finish them all at their base and village!!!"
Now Azel glanced at Fio with more disbelief at what this little girl said, for someone who looked friendly and innocent but the things she said really sounded violent and sadistic. Kain was of course the one who was immediately unsettled here.
“Fio-chan... what you're saying is really a heinous thing you know”
"Like it or not we have to uphold Justice! Even if it all seems heinous!"
“Justice?”
Azel murmured softly.
"But I don't think it's a good thing to take another person's life, we can't just punish someone even if their image looks bad. They arealso living beings with families, right?“
”They are pests! A threat to Humans must be eliminated and must not be allowed to breed!“
”Pests?"
Once again Azel reacted as if in disbelief.
"Take it easy, even though it looks unconvincing. I am a Holy Child who is quite good at using Magic, the Flaga Clan has always maintained our quality as a role model of the People"
Fio patted her small chest as if proud of her status.
"Oh... So you're a Holy Child? No wonder your mindset is absurd“
”Oida!!! What do you mean evil eyes?!"
It was Fio who was now staring at Azel with a sullen expression while bending at the waist.
"Look kid, I understand that you're a princess of an honorable kingdom and must be very proud of your status. And all of that might make someone in your position a little haughty and proud, but remember that even with everything you have doesn't mean you can take the lives of innocent people at will. I understand that you as a World noble have racist tendencies, but what you said just now was too much. Gosh, was what you did in Lizarmen Village just now just an act?"
Fio's eyes widened upon hearing Azel's words, her body trembling as if she was holding back an overwhelming anger. And while shrugging her shoulders she walked slowly closer to Azel and...
"WHAT! You're worse, truelly worse! How can you say we're racist! The Flaga Clan is a worshiper of beauty! There is not a single beauty to be found in racism, we view everyone as equal just like ‘Isago’ who loved all beings by making her entire soul a shield from the ugly curse of the World! Did you know that Flaga was the first Kingdom in the world to allow Demi-Humans into Parliament and government? Our country is also the second largest recipient of immigrants after ‘Ishtora’ of course, and all that we do is to fight for the Human Rights and Equality of all nations in the International World. I know what I need to know about what my country is doing! And it's nothing like what you're accusing me of, and how dare you assume that I'm playing games with Remi and the others! That's a very bad, very vile accusation! Apologize! Hurry up and apologize now!"
The sudden rage that came like a wave crashing against the rocks immediately silenced the atmosphere for a moment, but because Azel was the rock in question, he remained unmoved.
"Huh!? No matter how great your country's international achievements are, it doesn't make you a great individual, you know! And who wouldn't be prejudiced against someone who would talk about wanting to genocide a village with pride and a smile."
"Nonsense! Monsters can be utilized and tamed as pets and natural shields, but not Demons. They are pests! Enemies of all living things!“
”Demons? you mean those Gob?"
Azel now joined in at the waist.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding here Zel-chan”
"You're a fool, evil eye! Haven't you ever heard of a Demon roaming around in the wild other than inside a Dungeon! Throughout the year those Goblins come down from the Mountain and always create chaos on the border, and those that escape the soldiers enter the culverts and sewers to create a chaotic disaster in the City. Preying on anything that lived and killing many people, in Flaga it was common for them to be a nightmare for children to know! Ordinary people are ordered to run when they see them, but not us. We Flaga have a plan to bring in troops in the near future and stop all these nightmares, even though those stingy Dwarves continue to not allow us to enter and eradicate the source, but if the Alliance and the big countries are willing..."
“Wait a minute blue ass Lass, that mountain you're referring to is Belphegor?”
"Of course! ... OIDA! Who did you say blue ass!!! How Impolite!!!"
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
Azel sighed as if he had just understood what he was dealing with, The Belphegor mountain range as the name suggests was the domain of the Belphegor Mountain God who had perished several hundred years ago due to an invasion from Dragonia. And with the protracted civil war by the power struggle after the death of the ruler there has made part of the region into a Black Area like a huge Dungeon, a place where Demons can appear anytime and anywhere. If left unchecked, the possibility of the Masive Darkness Area appearing was no longer just a guess, and it had become a serious discussion among the World Elite to invade directly to prevent the worst outcome regardless of the consequences. The Dwarves who were at war with each other there might have been able to evade on the grounds of racial honor, state sovereignty, privacy or anything else that prevented intervention from outsiders so far. But with the tragedy that occurred in the last ‘Grand Fall’, the famously neutral Central Alliance had unanimously decided not to heed any excuses that would be given by those who claimed to be representatives of ‘Agartha’.
“Kain, do you know about what happens if someone dies in the Dungeon?”
“I heard that their body will be taken over by the power of darkness and become a ‘Kishin’, they are a troublesome type of ‘Oni’ because they are very strong, stronger than when the victim was alive”
Fio immediately refuted him.
"Oida! Wrong, those who die in the dungeon become zombies. And zombies are weaker than the person when they were alive, isn't this common knowledge? ... What is ‘Oni’?... no! Evil eyes! Don't change the subject! Hurry up and apologize!"
"Eh? Really? But we were warned so, hence it is a requirement to enter the dungeon in groups. So that if someone dies then the teammates can remove the victim from the Dungeon immediately. If the situation is not possible then we recommend taking the head instead, while the body should be destroyed on the spot so as not to become another problem"
The situation was quite silent for a moment after the cloth finished its last sentence, Fio was now holding the Artermis flower quite tightly with two hands on her chest while saying softly.
"You beheaded your dead comrade? Kain?“
”It's never that bad, but the possibility is never zero. Before entering the dungeon, we usually promise each other to do what we have to do when the time comes... I remember the first time I entered the dungeon, one of my friends who felt he was just a burden cried and asked us if the worst happened to him that we at least bring a piece of his body home to his family..."
“...”
Fio now seemed to give all her attention to Kain's story, her shoulders seemed to drop and she now gripped the Artemis flower more firmly.
"But it seems like all the scary stories we heard about casualties and bad things on the first expedition were just a hoax from our seniors. The teachers, instructors and hired guides guarded each class closely. After a few expeditions we found their presence unnecessary, and ended up being punished for trying to steal time to go on independent expeditions. And to make matters worse, in the third year, we all agreed to go on independent expeditions outside of school hours and supervision, and detentions somehow became a routine hahahaha."
"Oida! You imbecile, that's not allowed! Breaking the rules shouldn't become a habit or something bad is bound to happen due to lack of discipline! Now I'm disappointed to have been concerned in the first place Kain“
”It wasn't for no reason, we did it because there were quite a few positive things to take away from it... well partly money“
”Oida! Kain! I didn't expect you to have that kind of mentality! I'm really disappointed! Disappointed!"
Fio began to beat Kain with her fists, Kain just held up his palms as he chuckled.
"I had forgotten he was a Holy Child. Yup, no mistake."
Kain was a little awkward because his two traveling companions were now looking at him with a frown, even though Azel had been looking sullen since the beginning of the trip did not make him feel better.
“Wa wait, don't think wryly first, didn't I say earlier that there was a reason?”
“In the end it's for money, right?”
Azel waved her hand once when answering that.
"Kain, don't disappoint me more than this. Those who always think of making money will eventually neglect the important things and perhaps the most important thing, the essence of beauty is not something that can be valued with materials”
“At least listen to me until theend~"
Kain's voice sounded soft, Azel and Fio now simultaneously folded their hands hoping that what Kain would say later would not be something that made them more annoyed.
"Look, an expedition under the Academy's supervision costs a lot of money. What's more, this is a trip out of the country for a few days, accommodation, preparation of hunting equipment and others certainly have their own costs“
”Oida? Why doesn't the State facilitate it? Then why do you have to go outside the country just to go to the dungeon?“
”Uhh, that's the root of the problem. As far as I know, our country does not have a dungeon and that's common knowledge. Indeed, monsters still exist in the wild, but their numbers are very limited due to the limited territory of our island nation“
”Natural resource problem huh?"
Azel who heard Kain's explanation now realized something, he tilted his head slightly with a curious face. Judging from what Kain had shown during their journey, Azel realized that there was one unique characteristic on Kain that referred to one country.
“You're from ‘Yamato’?”
"Ehh, that's right. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a ‘Gaijin’ after all! I was born and raised there, my face even looks a lot like my mother's!"
Yamato is an island nation located in the Southwest of the South Continent, perhaps because it is separated from the mainland it has its own civilization and culture. For most Albions like Azel who came from other worlds, Yamato is a direct reflection of Japan during the golden era of ‘Showa’.
"OIDA!!! YAMATO!" It's one of the most beautiful countries in the world that highly values aesthetics in art! We have been there several times and have never been disappointed by anything, a land where every corner is a work of art. We are also scheduled to head there after our visit to ‘Darcia’, we don't want to miss the amazing winter festival there in mid-March. Hehehe it's quite strange because in April ‘Flaga’ will celebrate the Spring Festival, it's my dream to celebrate the festivals of the four seasons every month of the year in various lands of the world!“
”That's because your country is in the Northern Hemisphere while ‘Yamato’ is in the Southern Hemisphere, but you're right. Yamato is an okay country, I've been there several times and you could say it's the Japan of this world“
”Japan? Zel-chan you mean?..."
Fio seemed to have forgotten her earlier anger and was cheerful again.
"Right! Right! As soon as we finish here I'll go straight to Yamato, I don't want to miss the Festival."
"Ummm Fio-chan, if you mean the Winter Festival in the Genbu region. It's most likely that the Festival is over by now“
”Oida!!! Why!!!?"
"Do you know how long you've been unconscious? It's already the end of March, ukhhh. I have to go back soon too, 'Regulus' always does the opening ceremony in early April and it's a very sacred event. They could make excuses and use my absence as a basis to disqualify me, especially since those stupid bitches and Darios are also participating... wait. Aren't they also in this land? If ‘Regulus’ denies my membership unilaterally, I can drag them in as a defense... hahaha"
Azel chuckled after giggling as if talking to herself, with all the abominations on her face making that laugh quite creepy for normal people. On the other hand, Fio looked panicked and wanted to cry after realizing her situation, she freed her hands quickly as if they were a pair of wings that would fly her away from here immediately.
"Oida! How is this, how is this happend!!! No! My festival! Yakiimooo! Waaah~“
”Fio-chan~, well festivals are synonymous with good food anyway. Oh yeah, that's also one of the reasons we hunt the dungeon independently. We usually use the money from hunting to enjoy the festival and...“
”KAIN!!! Don't ruin the atmosphere by boasting about your greedy lifestyle! If you're so concerned with money, why don't you support me in hunting Goblins? After all, there will definitely be rewards, especially if we can destroy one of their bases or villages. Surely the local authorities will give a lot of money to make you happy!"
"Fio-chan~!!! your sentence is really cold loh~! I haven't even finished my story yet~, why do I feel as if I've been dictated to! Waaah~"
Now it was Kain's turn who looked like he wanted to cry and also flapped his arms following Fio, both of them were already trapped in their own fantasies, Azel thought. Azel could only sigh seeing these two children, it was true that their conversation had deviated and widened from the original topic.
"Haaaah, you two stop whining. Matrelialism is also a path of choice in life, many people choose to do it. I don't know if genocide and massacres are normal things for the bourgeoisie to do to show their status and power, but that won't happen here under my watch."
“Waaah~ Zel-chan, I'm not a matrealist!”
"What are you talking about Evil eyes! That goblin... That goblin... huh?"
Fio held back her words because she saw something approaching from behind Azel. It seemed that without them realizing it, a group of people were walking towards them, seemingly carrying a four-wheeled cart pulled by a donkey led by one of them. Some others were walking around like bodyguards carrying spears and others were pushing the cart from behind.
If seen from afar there was something strange about this group because their body size looked smaller than normal humans, it could even be said that their height was quite equal to Fio. At first Fio thought it was a group of child laborers who were delivering goods, but once she got closer and confirmed their posture, skin color and appearance. Fio's eyes immediately widened and she spontaneously shouted while brandishing the Artemis flower at them.
The Goblins who heard Fio's shout simultaneously stopped their movement, the Goblin in front looked straight at Azel's small group. He then showed a surprised expression followed by an angry look and replied to Fio's scream.
“You! You DAMN Human!!!”
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