4-41: In the Shadows of Earth and Garesto II (4/5)

4-41: In the Shadows of Earth and Garesto II (4/5)

She affirmed that with her silence. More or less, she already understood what it was he was trying to do.

If you hadnt done that, who knows what wouldve happened? Frire said. I cant imagine it myself, but it was because of you getting everyones attention that the worst case scenario could be avoided. And because you threatened everyone, the suspicion between the two worlds has also lessened. That video is also all that itll take to convince anyone that a third world is responsible for the threat.

After all, neither world was capable of causing so much destruction with an unarmored human-sized unit.

In fact, it was impossible even with Garestos exoskeletons.

Thats why anyone could easily accept that a third world was at play, and also why everyone feared Masquerade.

But to that end, Masquerade had to antagonize the whole world. Im sure there are some who were able to understand what you were doing, but the shadow and the light of the worlds exist separately. Theres no way they would be able to acknowledge the merits of your actions.

A mysterious individual that moves beyond all rules, laws, nations, and forces.

One that antagonized every social structure conceived by man.

To the authorities, regardless what they themselves might feel, they could not under any circumstance acknowledge such an individual.

All the more so when said individual possesses power and ability beyond the norm.

But of course, Shinichi already knew that.

Even if they did acknowledge me, it would only trouble me. I expected this anyway, and besides, Im already used to() antagonizing the world.

Used to? Nakamura, you

Shinichi said without so much as a change in the tone of his voice, then he caressed her head as though to tell her not to worry about it.

The masked assassin, Masquerade, was certainly a hero of Falandia.

At times he would defeat despots, at times solve unprecedented crimes, and other times vanquish demons that torment people.

Be it in the eyes of the public or away from it, Masquerade did many things, but there was no mistaking that he was indeed the enemy of the world.

Or to be more precise, the enemy of society.

From the perspective of the politicians, an assassin that cant be controlled is nothing but trouble.

Whats more no one knew who he was or what hes thinking, a hero with unknown support.

Whose mechanisms of justice are unknown, yet with too much power to be stopped.

Indeed, there existed nothing more ominous and more villainous than this so-called hero.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

Perhaps, the public and the world might consider him a hero, but beyond that, he was a human-shaped calamity.

A demon named an assassin that could drive a wedge into the rule that is law and order.

The kind that one could only wait to pass.

But of course, theres no denying that his existence has kept politicians on their toes.

Which is why Masquerade was neither an ally of justice nor a necessary evil, he was a deterrent.

And he played that role for roughly 2 years. Thats why, as far as antagonizing worlds went, he could already be considered a veteran.

So what if he had to antagonize two worlds this time? It didnt make a difference.

That was neither bravado nor bluff, Shinichi truly believed that.

Thats why he continued to comb her hair without a care.

But thanks for worrying about me. Im terrible at protecting myself, so I really appreciate it. But Ill be fine. They wont be able to find me, and even if they do catch a whiff, Ill be gone before they know it. Most of the investigating body is made up of the student council. I doubt theyll suspect me to be Masquerade so easily.

In the end, was that a warning, a threat, or a wish?

From out of the blue, the boy drew a line between them, judged himself evil, and demanded that she look at him as such.

The face above her was so mature, and for some reason, so full of confidence.

And yet despite that, the gaze that fell on her possessed both warmth and affection.

There was something to the boy beyond age or stature that made him bigger and made her swallow back the complaints at the tip of her lips.

Frire?

For some reason, she found herself overlapping her hand with the hand caressing her face.

It was much smaller than shed imagined, like the hand of a child with slender fingers like that of a woman.

Yet she knew enough to tell just how much that hand had been wounded.

As fine as it might seem in a glance, wounds incurred in the same place many times over and healed just as many with skill tend to leave behind a particular texture.

Frire felt that.

It was painful to look at, yes, but she knew that in exchange he mustve protected something with that hand.

For some reason, she found that to be a nostalgic warmth.

She felt that in her heart, and she chose to believe in it

Frire Doneju was a renowned champion in Garesto.

A famous, beautiful swordsman that has garnered much acclaim and envy for her spectacular activities.

A great warrior that has received much of the blessings of the Doneju blood who will inherit it in the future.

Though a part of it was indeed the desire of the public for a new hero, there was no denying that many people looked at her with envy, admiration, or yearning.

And yet only a few knew the cruel, loveless environment she was born in.

They made it out() so that she would be a child born between the Doneju head and his concubine.

A story not all too uncommon among the bigger noble families of Garesto, especially, the ten great nobles.

Nobles in Garesto were people bound to guardianship through their blood and a duty that demanded its bearers to leave behind a child with a Status strong enough to protect others.

Though there were differences from territory to territory, unlike the Earthling nobles, they were encouraged to actively spread their bloodline.

Thats why had Frires mother been an official concubine, then she mightve lived a different life.

Even without that, so long as the deed was done with the consent of both parties, or a relationship with sincere feelings, then perhaps she mightve still been saved.

But unfortunately, no such thing existed between her blood father and her blood mother

All because of a series of unfortunate events and an unforgivable act one sad night.

On that day, the head of the Doneju family was exhausted from the unending battles both in politics and in the field, but his body was ever on fire, so to quell that fire, or perhaps, to console himself, he chose an unfamiliar liquor to accompany him for the night.

A stimulated body, fatigue and stress piled up, and a great volume of liquor.

Under the ministrations of these three, his eyes happened to land on a certain servant(woman), and with great power, he dragged her into the room.

With his mental faculties abated by intoxication, his authority as the head of the family, and his strength, there was no escaping.

From the perspective of the Doneju Family head, this whole affair was a mistake he made one drunken night.