Katahane no Riku

The Sherr island was a solitary island at the distant seas.

Throughout all the four seasons, the climate is always chilly, and in the winter, the sea water even freezes.

The spiritualists training in this severe ambient must abstain of all the desires. They must abstain from alcoholic drinks, tobacco, sweets and their sexual desires. The spiritualists that chose this place to train would be practicing their techniques for their lifetime. In this isolated island cut off from the world, in these long years and mouths, the spiritualists would grow to become spiritualists that would make their name at the Shiidoru kingdom.

…However, that was nothing more than the [outward appearance] of this island.

The head of the temple, Theodour Bistolru, gave a long sigh. In his island that lacked desires or anything else, enjoyment didn′t exist. The beautiful words of giving oneself′s everything for training are spoken of. However, the Sherr island didn′t have anything noble in it. In the end… It was only a [penal colony].

The spiritualists were a noble existence.

Without dirtying their hands with injustice and political corruption, they would support the extermination of the demons and maintain the safety of the Shiidoru kingdom. They were without doubt admired by the population of the Shiidoru kingdom. If the populace was to know a spiritualist dirtied his hand by committing a crime, their majesty and authority would decline. In order to avoid that, the “honorable spiritualists” that committed a crime would be in name said they decided by themselves to go train and be sent to that isolated island disconnected from the world. Once they were sent there, it was impossible to put their feet onto the royal capital once again. The reality was that it was a [deportation].

Of course there were spiritualists that wanted to escape.

But because of the severe water currents and the height of the waves, they would end up giving up. Sometimes, there would be someone sent to rescue someone of the exiled. However, the ones imprisoned there were existences that could be said of being the shame of the spiritualists. Without them being able to openly go save people, they would go there sneakily as if hiding in the shadows. There were also merchant ships that would smuggle people out if the people were to give them gold. However, in either of the cases, there would be no one in hurry to use them. For something like that, in the instant the person is found, a well trained fleet of ships would go attack them. Even if somebody came to help, they would just become scraps of seaweed together with the one who ran away with them.

“And… You are the newcomer that came three months ago, right?”

Showing a tired face, Theodour looked at the girl in front of his eyes. The girl that was still at her young ages was carrying a instrument case as if it was something very important to her.

“Yes. My name is Popii Buryuuser.”

The girl that named herself Popii was a girl pure in all aspects.

Overall, from her appearance, she looked unreliable, but it could be seen she had strong determination in her eyes. Theorour let out words of admiration.

“A Buryuuser′s ojou-san, yes? I′ve heard your rumors. If I′m not mistaken… You were being too much defiant with the heir of the Barusak.”

Once Theorour said that, Popii′s face twisted. With her eyebrows going down, giving off a lonesome feeling, looking frustrated, she moved her lips.

“…I only wanted Rook-sama to wake up.”

“But for you, who is nothing more than a nobody from the Buryuuser, to oppose someone like the heir of another house, is a grave problem. That′s why you were sent here.”

“…Yes. But I don′t regret that I came to Sherr island. If there was be something I would be regretting of… It would be that I couldn′t change Rook-sama′s mind. Only that.”

Popii frankly spoke.

Theodour already knew the reason why Popii was exiled. Apparently, he had been continuously saying to Rook Barusak things like “It would be nice to have someone more cooperative” or “Look at your surroundings before starting to think”. This gradually made him stressed, and so, three months ago, she received a complaint from the Barusak household side, thus having Popii′s exile decided.

“A girl that would do her all for a man… But it seems you′ve overdone it.”

“…I don′t… Regret.”

The mood of the surroundings became darker.

Theodour wasn′t feeling like talking to this girl with her own distorted love problems anymore. A person being sent to Sherr island was rare, and so, more than anyone, he felt interest in newcomers putting their effort on training. But now it didn′t matter anymore. Despite how she wasn′t reflecting on what she did, her outward appearance was of someone that was ready to be rehabilitated. If that was the case, it wasn′t particularly a problem.

“I see. Then, immediately start your training and start repenting your actions… Until your beautiful skin becomes all wrinkled.”

It happened at the instant Theodour sent her off with his hand.

The sound of the door being reservedly knocked at echoed through the quiet room. With Theodour only saying “enter”, his subordinate that entered the room was standing there with a face that looked as if he was worried about something.

“Theodour Bernaal-sama, there is something I must report. Actually… There are four merchant ships coming at our direction… What should we do?”

“Merchant ships?”

Hearing the report, Theodour asked back in a weird manner.

So that they can buy things like food supplies and miscellaneous goods used in the daily life for the part the island is not self-sufficient, and also so that the people “standing on watch”, such as the temple head, can buy what they want, only once each month, a merchant ship passes by. Therefore, having a merchant ship coming isn′t really something unnatural. However, since the last had come, it hadn′t been more than two weeks. For the next merchant ship to arrive, it was a bit too fast.

“That′s suspicious… Perhaps it is one that came to rescue the exiled. Don′t let it enter the port.”

“Y-yes. I thought that as well, but… From what I learned from them, it seems they are merchant ships that were running away from demons.”

“…They were running away from demons? f𝓇𝘦𝒆𝘄𝑒𝗯𝑛𝗼ѵ𝙚l.𝒄𝘰𝓶

The gap between Theodour′s eyebrows wrinkled.

The places the demon held; the Fert port the demons had control over since a long time and the recently captured Perikka port, were both faraway places. If they had their ships nearby, there is a chance they were coming to attack. However, even so, there is a point in the story he couldn′t accept. Theodour put both of his elbows onto the table.

“But if they were attacked, how could they still have four ships remaining?”

“I thought that too. But the ships didn′t seem to be very new, and also, they looked damaged. But we are not aware to the point of knowing if the damage was really caused by that demon attack. …Should we attack the fleet?”

“No, don′t sink them yet. …If this story was to be true, we would be abandoning the merchant ships. Right at the moment the top brass becomes aware the noble spiritualists of the Sherr island didn′t help the merchant ships from a demon attack… This isn′t a problem worth to risk having our heads being sent flying.”

But even with that, they shouldn′t easily let them dock at their ports. After pondering over that, Theodour gave his order.

“Hmth… If they are really merchants, they should be carrying a bill of lading with them. Go verify that.”()

If they have the commercial bills, he will receive them. But if they don′t have it, then he won′t let them dock. And if they come close despite that, he can consider those actions as hostile, and then, all he needs to do it to use his prided fleet to attack them.

“Understood.”

Saying only that, the subordinate hurriedly left the room.

——

At the cost of Sherr island, there were four merchant ships anchored.

Next to one of those ships, there was a little boat that came in order to verify whether they had the commercial bills. With the envoys that were on the little boat being raised to the deck of the ship, they saw the tens of people that were waiting for them. Many people had their heads, arms, legs, and so, covered with cloth. Perhaps they were hurt in the battle with the demons. While thinking about that, the envoys noticed one girl… The single person that didn′t get injured. It was a girl that had red hair that gave off the feelings they were burning. Only the girl didn′t have any bandage that were visible to their eyes.

“That′s an ill omen… For a red haired person to be of the ship. And even more, it′s a girl.”

One of the envoys whispered next to the ear of his colleague. That colleague gave a small nod.

“Ah-ah. That′s why they got attacked by demons… Well, enough with the chit-chat. Hey, where is the captain of the ship? We′ve come to see if you possess the bill of lading for your merchandise.”

“If you are asking for the captain, she is standing right there-de gozaru.”

The girl that had cloth wrapped around her head pointed to the red haired girl. The emissaries thought she had made some kind of mistake. They didn′t believe those people had the nerves to have that ill-omened red head be the captain, the one that would lead where the fleet would sail to, and that much more with her being that weak-looking. While they were troubled on how they should respond to that, the red haired girl that had been declared [captain] approached them as if she was dancing.

“Good afternoon. Are you the envoys that came from the Sherr island?”

“Ah, yes. We′ve come to confirm the bill of lading. By the way… Are you really the captain?”

Being asked by the envoys that were half in doubt, the red haired girl nodded as if it was obvious. Putting her right hand at her waist, she snorted.

“The one leading this ships is me. Now…If we show you the bill, will you really let us in?”

“Of course. We will lead you there. That′s why, we want you to show us the bill.”

“Alright. Wait a second.”

The moment the red haired girl had muttered those words, his colleague that was standing next to him had his head flying. His colleague, that was now only a head, flew in a red arc while having a stupid expression on his face. And then, falling down, it rolled at the deck of the ship.

“Eh?” 𝗳𝙧𝐞𝚎w𝗲𝚋n𝚘𝙫𝑒𝘭.𝑐om

He could only look at the head of his colleague that had fallen to the floor in surprise. Before he could even try to understand what happened, he felt a hot pain at his chest. With that intense pain waking him up, the envoy could only raise groans. Opening his eyes wide-open, he somehow turned his gaze to his chest. Doing that, he noticed there was a sharp blade piercing his heart. Drop by drop, blood flowed down from the silver colored sword.

“Sergeant major Roppu, take off the clothes of that guy there. Corporal Frants, you take off the clothes of this one and change into them. Hey, I can see your ears. Be careful.”

Together with those words, she drew the sword from his chest. Because he couldn′t hold on anymore, he crumbled down at the floor of the deck. Roughly breathing, he was somehow still conscious.

“Lieutenant commander, we need to wear those clothes? …They are covered in blood.”

“They won′t know if they don′t look it from close-on.”

These voices were becoming distant. Second by second, something hot flowed out of his chest. Whether it was his imagination, the pain also started to fade away.

While even then somehow keeping conscious, the envoy desperately raised his face. The first thing that he saw was the blue sky. At that seemingly transparent scenery, the red girl shook off the blood of her sword. With her red hair fluttering with the breeze of the sea, the blue sky′s light was reflecting at her. Because of that backlighting, he couldn′t see her face. However…

“It′s for taking down that temple. Now, quickly change on the clothes.”

With his conscious fading away, he had the impression the girl was showing a smile.

It was an innocent smile unsuited to her age that felt like fragments of maliciousness were being gathered there.