Katahane no Riku

Chapter 4.The hidden village of the Dragon Demon?Battalion

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Demons are a lowly barbarians. They are similar only in appearance, but are not human. Part of their bodies have bizarre bestial aspects and they are rabid like beasts. They have already destroyed many countries, and by their hands, in the end, even the Shiidoru kingdom befell. The reigning king of those days, Fifus Shiidoru was a very kind king, but in the face of the approaching demon lord army, there was only one conclusion.

“I can′t bear see the country being invaded and how people are suffering.”

The kind king Fifus proposed peace.

Together with only a few troops, he went to the demon territory to attend to an audience. But in the place where the audience was supposed to happen, the Demon Lord decapitated the defenseless king. In cold-blood, he discarded the path to peace that the Shiidoru king was reaching out for. The demons that don′t know the word “negotiation” marched towards the capital without any concerns for what happened.

With resolve, the king′s eldest son, Shikus Shiidoru decided put his life on line. He decided that since all was lost, then, they should fight to the end for the sake of the remaining surviving citizens.

But the spiritualist families were against such idea

“If the king dies, the people living within the kingdom die as well. We can′t win against the demon lord, but if we are able to seal him, then this should delay their invasion.”

The prince Shikus accepted the proposal of the spiritualist families.

Together with five spiritualists, he had gone to seal the demon lord.

The prince Shikus′ party battled against the demon lord in a death match that extended to three days and three nights. In the fourth day, at the sunrise, they were finally able to achieve piercing the sealing sword through the demon lord.

While spouting words full of resentment, the demon lord finally stopped moving.

Since the demon lord′s sealing, the demon lord′s army had lost its command and became disorganized. The demons that had only intelligence of animals wouldn′t be able to act with intelligence until they raised their next ruler. The demons that were now bit by bit crumbling down were all hunted down by prince Shikus and the spiritualists.

With the demon retreating, the Shiidoru kingdom attained its peace.

However, the demon lord still wasn′t dead.

Since then, the families of those five spiritualists had been guarding the place the Demon Lord had been sealed.

[Shiidoru kingdom′s publication on the spiritualist military story, extracted from the volume of the sealing of the Demon Lord ]

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It was several days since they left Perikka city.

While desperately moving her feet, Riku kept thinking.

She couldn′t keep up with Piguro and Leivein, who were walking ahead of her, very well. Even when she got her foot stuck in a tree root, or when she would fall down and get hurt, they wouldn′t give a glance. Instead, they would keep walking through the forest.

Maybe if she stopped, they would leave her behind. But strangely, the thought of running away didn′t come to her mind. Even if they were the demons that could easily kill humans, they considered her something needed. To meet those expectations, Riku earnestly kept moving her feet.

“…”

Riku looked at Leivein′s back.

After killing the men, he gave Riku food and water. He also treated her injuries. Whether it is pain or cold, she wasn′t feeling either anymore.

But after that, he didn′t speak one word to her. Piguro, who was walking next to him, would at best look at her like she was some dirty thing, but in Leivein′s case, he didn′t even look at her.

That′s why Riku was getting anxious. Even though it wasn′t cold anymore, somehow, she ended up feeling cold somewhere.

Maybe it was actually better to only think about the vantages of food and housing she would get with them.

“Ah, we are finally here. Even though I was hoping she wouldn′t make it…”

Piguro, which walked a bit further ahead murmured in a tired way.

Both Leivein and Piguro stopped walking, and so, so did Riku. Apparently, the forest ended here. The both of them were taller than Riku, so she wasn′t able to see what was ahead through the forest from the position she was at that moment.

“Riku, come here.”

“Y-Yes!”

Leivein′s sudden words went through Riku.

Hearing that voice she hadn′t heard for some time, she vaguely felt a warm feeling. Riku cheerfully went next to him.

Seeing the sight that was located in the deeper parts of that forest, she unconsciously let out a surprised voice.

“Waah!”

What was there was a town within a valley.

The very steep cliff walls that were as if it had been shaved off, had many deep holes dug through it. The places that seemed to be entrances had each a cloth with a pattern Riku had never seen hanged in front of it. They were probably being used as dividers. Another remarkable thing was the flag with a dragon drawn on it fluttering with the wind.

It was different from what Riku was expecting from a demon city. She imagined a little remote and desolate village because of her bias. Even so, the village that ascended through the cliff wall in front of her was still something that she could accept as a demon village if someone were to tell her that it was. That was because that was a hidden village away from human villagers and surrounded by cliffs in the middle of nowhere.

“Is here a demon village?”

“No, it isn′t.”

Leivein said as he shook his head.

And then, they calmly came closer to the village.

Riku was walking as if she was trying to hide behind Leivein′s shadow.

Within the open field which was surrounded by the cliffs, there were muscular demons polishing their sword techniques. There were also demons drawing their bows and hitting targets. Demons clashing against each other fist to fist, making one another bleed, was another thing seen there.

There were also demons that, by being kicked, were sent flying all the way to the rock wall of the cliff. There were demons that, while vomiting blood, were being attacked by demons that seemed to be their instructors.

Yes, the demons were doing battle training.

“Ah, captain Leivein!”

Just as Leivein got closer to him, the muscular demons went on their knees right away.

Riku was immediately taken back. Leivein′s stature was only more or less higher than Riku′s. Even so, to Leivein, who couldn′t be considered anything more than a youth, many muscular demons lowered their heads.

“Welcome back, captain Leivein!!!!!”

“Hm.”

To Leivein, it was nothing more than an usual spectacle. The expression on his face didn′t change even one bit.

Riku, without knowing what to do, while hiding behind Leivein, looked at the demons who were all bowing down. As she did that, she ended up exchanging glances with a demon that had a wolf head. The wolf headed demon narrowed his eyes as if he was surprised by something and his nose started to move as he was sniffing something.

“Captain, who is this little girl? For some reason, she smells like human.”

“Yes, she is human.”

Without hiding anything, Leivein declared.

Right at that moment, the demons that were bowing down before all stood up at the same time. All of them were the same as to what kind of looks they were giving to Riku. There were some that were even showing their teeth. That feeling that was as if each part of their body was like a blade full of killing intent, although it didn′t completely overwhelm her, it still wasn′t something possible to bear. Riku unconsciously started to step back.

“There is nothing to be scared of, Riku. It is only killing intent.”

Leivein said as he kept looking ahead unfazed.

But even if one were to say to not be scared of that, rather, not being scared of it is what was weird. But even so, Leivein′s orders were absolute. From the time he got hold of her name, she couldn′t disobey his words.

With that, while still trembling, Riku held her ground.

“Here is the fourth army′s first battalion base, which I am in command of… It is normally called the Garrison of the Dragon Demon Battalion. In times of peace, it provides war training.”

“Captain Leivein!”

The wolf headed demon from before raised his voice.

He had called for Leivein, but his eyes were still on Riku.

“Captain! This one is human. Don′t tell me captain Leivein intends to have her as your subordinate!”

“Five-men leader Vrusto, do you have eyes for nothing? It′s obvious I am doing so.”

“Wha!?”

“This one is a human. One overflowing with talent.”

“I′m firmly against it!!”

Vrusto was tightly clenching his hands into a fist.

Riku was startled. From the gap between his fingers, a bit of blood was flowing out. She wondered how much power he was putting in clenching his hand.

“Humans are scoundrels. Throughout all those hundreds of years, they′ve been oppressing us demons. Did you forget that they sealed the Demon Lord just when he was unarmed for their audience to negotiate peace? They even put the blame of the death of their king onto the Demon Lord!!”

“Eh?”

Riku was wondering if she had heard correctly.

Those words were completely the opposite of all that story she had kept hearing throughout her whole life.

Seeing her surprised face, Vrusto sneered at her.

“See? Please, look at her. She is even playing dumb; this little girl. Even if such type of people were to join in, there won′t be any meaning to it. Moreover, that brooch on her clothes… Isn′t it exactly like the crest from that famous spiritualist family?”

“That′s right, captain! This girl is definitely trying to trick you!”

“First of all, that red haired brat feels kind of repugnant. I have no idea what captain could even be thinking to do that.”

“Please, reconsider this.”

To Vrusto′s words that kept coming were followed by the words of other demons that were beside him. Each of those words pierced through her heart deeper and deeper. It felt as if they were squeezing her. She hesitantly looked at Leivein′s face.

While the words from the demon′s were coming, Leivein closed his eyes. From his expression, it was impossible to make out anything except that the mood of the situation was getting colder and colder.

The warmness from before went away as if it wasn′t there from the beginning. Right now, Riku was so cold, but so cold that it was as if everything had been to no use.

If this keeps up like that and Riku ends up being driven away, what would she be supposed to do?

“I see. Indeed, there is some truth to it. But this one can be useful. Therefore, I will recruit her. That′s all. And you all guys hear it out clearly. No matter her origin or race, from this day, she is one of the Dragon Demon Battalion.”

As Leivein declared that, Vrusto became perplexed.

The others that were supporting Vrusto were also surprised as they looked at Leivein. Without caring about their expressions, Leivein indifferently announced.

“Five-men leader Vrusto, I will bother you to be the one in charge of taking care of her. Properly train her.”

“What!? Mee!!?”

“Don′t complain. Just do it.”

Leivein then finally gave a glance to Riku.

The vivid blue eyes reflected the figure of a little Riku on them. As she noticed it, in order to see it better, she fixed her posture.

“The victorious side can change the past to their convenience. Your ancestors won against the demon lord. That′s why we, who lost, got our history tainted. That is the same for your hair. It′s very uncommon, and so, no matter how beautiful it is, it will be despised. The weak people and the strong minority can′t go against a group of strong people. That′s all there is to it. Make sure to remember this.”

And then, he patted her head.

While Leivein was gently stroking her red hair…

“You must overpower all that opposes you. I am expecting a lot from you, Riku.”

After only saying that, together with Piguro, he left the area.

All Riku and the other demons who remained could do was to see them walk away while still being dumbfounded. But then, one by one, each went back to each one′s respective activity. And then, only Riku and Vrusto were left.

“Really… But if it is captain′s Leivein′s orders, it can′t be helped. But again, why the heck did he bring something like a human. Captain sure have weird hobbies, huh… Hey, brat! Come here.”

While scratching his head, Vrusto shouted.

It was possible to hear a few complaints being muttered, but none of them entered Riku′s ears. She touched the place where Leivein had patted her, and then looked back to the direction where he left to.

Demons are bad people.

Their appearance were different from humans and they had a scary glare.

Moreover, the history of the past they knew was different from the history she had been told.

But even so, she, who didn′t have anywhere to go, was given a place to belong to. Only, it was forcefully done so.

Those demons… Were they good demons?

No, there was no way there would be good demons. Seeing the fiendish side on how , without hesitation, the men from before had been cut into pieces, there was no way to say that good demons exist.

Inside her head, Riku became surrounded by many doubts.

“If you keep wasting time there, I will kill you, brat!!”

With Vrusto angry shout, Riku came back to her senses.

Since a little ago, Vrusto was waiting for Riku. With how he was stomping the ground with his feet many times, it was obvious that he was in a bad mood.

“Y-yes, I′m coming!”

Whether that demon was a good person or a bad person was something she didn′t know.

She didn′t know it well, but for now, she needed to leave those thoughts to later.

In the end, Riku didn′t have anywhere to go. And so, she wanted to at least try to give her best, since here, there was somebody that accepted her own self, even if it was only by a little bit. And by only that, she felt that now things would go well.

Putting her hand onto her for the first time praised red hair, she went running.