Episode 7 Red Lotus and Burning is My Soul

"What can I say, I'm sorry for your loss. ...

　The sun was just beginning to set in the middle of the day when Setsuna felt a pang of sadness in front of the people who had just been burned out.

　It was only a short time ago that we had successfully made it out of the forest. It was a good decision to take the animal path. We didn't encounter any imperial demons, and we didn't face any problems. It took some time, and my legs were tired.

　Outside the forest, the vastness of heaven and earth stretched out as if to show off its dazzling brilliance. The clean air and gentle breeze were unimaginably refreshing in the forest. I was overwhelmed by the land that stretched to the end of the horizon, and gasped at the vivid blues that filled the sky far above me. Setsuna's mood was lifted by the sense of freedom, which was completely different from the stagnant feeling of the city where she was born and raised.

　Everything was new. Everything seemed to shine brightly in her eyes. The blue sky, the sun, the clouds, the grass, the trees, and even the stones seemed to have an otherworldly quality to them.

　And I didn't think so much about Azumariah-Altemax, who had summoned Setsuna and left her there.

　In the meantime, they came to a street. The road passed by the forest where Setsuna had been summoned. Although he recognized it as a road, it was not particularly well paved. The grass was cut down and the ground was bare. However, there were no weeds on the ground, which had probably been trodden on by people for a long time. At least, it was better than the animal path in the forest.

　Both sides of the road were dotted with strangely shaped stone pillars. They were different from guardrails, but they seemed to be the boundary between the road and the plains.

　In front of the stone pillars of the road, they were frozen in place. Dozens of people, young and old, men and women. Dozens of people, young and old, men and women, burnt to a crisp is not a misnomer. It was overly simplistic, but with Setsuna's limited vocabulary, there was no other way to describe them.

　This was the first time she had ever met a person from this world other than Azmaria-Altemax. However, I was not nervous about this. I could communicate with Azmaria. There should have been nothing to worry about.

　After thinking about it, I wondered about the fact that this was a different world. The inhabitants of a world that was supposed to be made up of strange races and strange languages somehow understood Setsuna's language, and Setsuna also understood the language of this world. Setsuna was using Japanese, and Azumaria was using Japanese as well. It was good that there was no problem in communicating, but something didn't feel right.

　Without any clarity, Setsuna approached them.

　She didn't understand why she had spoken to them like that. Was it because they looked so miserable? Even so, she could have said something else. There's nothing you can do to get back what you regret.

"..., are you all right?

　However, I didn't expect the old man to reply in more pain than I did. He was an old man of medium height with no distinguishing features. His clothes were scorched, and he looked as if he had just been in a fire. It wasn't just the old man. The boy hiding behind the old man, the woman looking at him curiously, and the young man nodding wearily, all looked as if they had escaped from the scene of a fire, except for one.

"Oh, uh, ....

　After the old man said that, Setsuna recalled her condition. It was the first time I had ever seen such a thing. Indeed, depending on how you looked at it, this might be more miserable.

The pain in my thigh had lessened, but it was not completely healed. It echoed every time I walked. But it was not unbearable. I was able to walk this far.

I'm all right.

"You don't look so good. ...

　The worried look on the old man's face made Setsuna feel refreshed. The old man's words made Setsuna feel refreshed. He was worried about the stranger who had suddenly spoken to him, even though the old people themselves seemed to be in a difficult situation. He is a kind man. And he speaks the language. He is speaking in Japanese. I had no idea what the principle was, but I wondered if Japanese was accepted in this part of the world.

Don't worry about me," he said. Don't worry about me, I've already defeated the Imperial Demon earlier.

　I said this to blow away the old man's worries, but it caused a bit of a commotion. It's not like he's going to bite Setsuna, though.

"You're going to ... an Imperial Demon?

"A child?

How did he do that without a weapon?

You're kidding, right?

　I'm not sure what to say. I guess I shouldn't have told them about the Imperial Demon.

The demons from other worlds that have taken up residence in this world. To the inhabitants of this world, they may be something to be feared. In front of the black paragon, even a mere fish can be a threat to ordinary people.

Is this true?

"Uh, ... yes.

It doesn't look like you're lying to me, but I'm not sure I believe you.

　The old man smiled wryly. The old man laughed unconcernedly, and his face instantly became more friendly. The old man laughed without hesitation. The people who had been burned to the ground had no apparent external injuries. Their clothes and hair were only charred. However, there was fear in their eyes. They must have gone through something horrible.

By the way, what happened to you?

It's ....

　The old man dropped his gaze at Setsuna's question. He did not want to answer. He may not have wanted to answer, or he may not have wanted to remember. He regretted that he had asked without considering the other's feelings. I shouldn't have asked. I made them remember something painful.

The city is on fire!

　It was a girl of less than ten years old who shouted. She had been peeking fearfully from behind a woman who looked like her mother, but before she knew it, she had come right up to Setsuna's feet.

Suddenly, she was burning red!

　Setsuna bent down to meet the girl's eyes. The girl's face was tense with fear, but she was trying her best to plead her case. Perhaps she was remembering the scene of the burning city. Her eyes were shaking. My chest became painful. The fear that enveloped the people has cast a deep shadow on the heart of such a small child.

"The city burned ...?

　Setsuna mumbled as she ruminated. The girl was on the verge of crying, but she was holding it in with a strong will. I'm not sure what to do. I don't know the reason why she appealed to Setsuna.

　But there was something that resonated in Setsuna's heart.

She's right. Our city was burned down. I don't know why, I don't care why, but our city burned to the ground!

It was a man. The culprit was a man. It must have been an armed summoner. ...

My house burned down too: ...

　When she heard the grief that people were spouting, Setsuna stood up quietly. I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to try to pat the girl's head as she begins to sob, and then stop. If a stranger touched her, it might scare her even more.

　Then a woman walked up to the girl and hugged her. It could have been her mother. It was a strong but gentle embrace.

　Setsuna returned her gaze to the old man in front of her.

I escaped with my own body, you know. I don't think you can stay in Callan like that. I'm going to Krebbur.

"Callan?　Crevelle?

Aren't you from Krebour?　I thought you were from the south.

Yeah, well, you know, that's true.

　I don't know how to answer, so Setsuna just gave a few words. I don't think I can tell you the truth. Even if I told them, they wouldn't believe me or they would think I was crazy. I've just met a human. I don't want to lose our connection because of that.

　From the old man's story, we learned that there was a town called Crevelle south of this road. In other words, the city of Karan is north of the road. And Karan was burned down by a man. The man is an armed summoner. Armed summoner. Like Setsuna and Azumaria, he is probably a summoner.

　Setsuna saw the girl crying in her mother's arms. The thread of tension that had been taut in her spirit might have been broken. The sound of her crying seemed to pierce her heart. She clenched her hands. Her nails dug into her palms, but she didn't care. The taste of blood spread over my tongue. He bit off his lip.

　What kind of emotion was that? Was it anger? Or was it righteous indignation? I was surprised that such a thing existed in me. I was surprised to discover a new side of myself.

　I wanted to wipe away the girl's fear. When I thought about it, I couldn't stand still.

　My destination had been decided.

"What's wrong?　Are you sure you're okay?　You ...

　The old man in front of me called out to me as if he was concerned, as if he had noticed something wrong.

"Yes, I'm fine.

　Setsuna smiled, but her eyes might not have been smiling. There was no room for that.

　She glanced at the old man, trying not to offend him, and suddenly realized that he was not the only one. Among the group of people who had escaped from the burned city, there was one woman who seemed out of place. She was the only one who didn't look like she was engulfed in flames, nor did she look sad, as she sat hidden under a stone pillar. Her lustrous black hair was beautiful.

　At a beat, the woman looked at me. Our gazes crossed. There was no emotion in her gray eyes, though.

"!

　For a moment, the woman seemed to be astonished. But that might have been an illusion. In the next moment, the woman met my gaze with a smiling face. It was a picture-perfect smile.

　Setsuna bailed lightly without any particular question, and returned her gaze to the old man.

I'd like to thank you for telling me all about it.

"...?

　The old man's expression of incomprehension brought a wry smile to Setsuna's face. You can't help it. I'm not telling you anything about us. And I thought that was fine. It would be better not to get involved any further. My destination is the city of fire.

So, goodbye.

What?　Hey, where are you--?

　I heard the old man's voice calling me back.

　Setsuna, who had already started walking down the street, didn't even look back.

"To Callan!

　She just answered as if shouting. Callan. Let's find the man who burned the city to the ground and strike him down. Otherwise, this anger was not going to go away. It didn't matter if the other party had enough summoned weapons to burn the city. We also have summoned armaments. We have the jet-black pike that defeated that group of imperial demons. I didn't feel like I was going to lose.

　And then I heard a voice from behind me.

I'm not sure what to do.

　Setsuna slumped.

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