Inheriting the Novel

Chapter 67 : Calamity of Dreams (1)

Calamity of Dreams (1)

"These days the sky's so gloomy..."

The sky over Nabez, the capital of Eintban, was filled with dense, dark clouds.

Moreover, while snow often fell in this city, lately it had been happening several times more frequently.

"Did you hear? I heard it's Mr. Gren who's fallen asleep this time."

"I have no idea how many people it's been just this week."

"Exactly, I wonder what's happening to the world."

Such conversations popped up here and there along the streets of Nabez.

In the past month, cases of sleeping sickness, which had occurred only occasionally, surged drastically in both frequency and scope.

It was natural for the citizens of Nabez to feel uneasy, but since the sickness so far only caused people to fall asleep, it hadn't led to real chaos.

That was true—up until today.

"Huh? It's snowing."

Snow began to fall from the gloomy skies.

It was a familiar sight, but what followed was completely different from before.

Pure white snowflakes started to cover all of Nabez, and as the flakes touched people, they began to collapse on the ground one by one.

It was a phenomenon on a completely different level from the previous sleeping sickness.

"Wh-what's going on?!"

"Don't let the snow touch you! Everyone, take cover!"

As people began to collapse after coming into contact with the snow, those walking the streets ran to any place they could hide from it.

Fortunately, so long as one avoided the snowflakes, they didn't fall asleep, so people could just barely catch their breath.

But the real problem started from that moment on.

"... Huh? It looks like they're getting up soon."

One man pointed to the people lying on the ground.

Those who had collapsed when touched by the snow were now slowly getting back up.

But their behavior was odd.

With their eyes closed and faces serene, they moved like broken dolls, jerkily and unnaturally.

Just like sleepwalkers.

"Hiiiii!"

Those who saw the scene screamed and went into hiding.

When their screams echoed out, the people moving like sleepwalkers changed direction, moving toward the source of the noise.

"N-no! Let go of me!"

Those who hid from the snow were dragged out by the sleepwalking people.

And not long after, they too became puppets, hunting for others in hiding.

"Damn it! We have to take them all down before they get close!"

"N-no, please! My mother is just acting strange! She's not herself!"

All of the sleepwalkers were someone's family or friends. Fighting back against them wasn't easy.

The vicious cycle repeated for just a while, and Nabez was engulfed in chaos in only a few hours.

"It's just beginning."

The winter spirit, Sior, with blue hair and skin, stood by.

Blue light radiated from his fingertips and touched the sky.

With that, the snow began to fall even harder.

"I'll put everyone to sleep."

Not just in this small kingdom, but I'll send the entire world of humans into silence.

This world that made me writhe in loneliness—I'll destroy it.

* * *

"As expected, this snow is artificial. Its strength has grown."

The demonkin with crimson hair, Margal, muttered as he gazed at the falling snow.

A red aura shimmered around him, and any snowflakes that touched it instantly evaporated.

"This might be connected to the incident in the Asktalin Empire."

"Oh, that? Damn, we should've gone to Asktalin Empire first!"

"It's too late now; someone already took possession."

At his subordinate's words, Margal clicked his tongue.

The Seven Swords Under Heaven had to be claimed before someone became their owner.

Once the sword chose its master, not even killing that person allowed you to take it.

There could be only one possessor of each of the Seven Swords Under Heaven.

No matter what.

"Zenon."

"Yes."

"Am I the only one thinking that one of the Seven Swords Under Heaven is here?"

Margal's adjutant, the advanced-rank demonkin Zenon, nodded in agreement.

"I think so as well."

"This bizarre phenomenon...the Demon King called it a calamity, right?"

"So did the emperor of Asktalin."

A being capable of destroying the world. Their Demon King had even given them a warning about it.

Most demonkin had half-doubted this, but after the incidents in the empire and now seeing the bizarre events here, they couldn't deny it anymore.

"The thing isn't that strong yet. If we find it, we can take care of it easily."

"But is it necessary to kill the calamity? The sword, anyway..."

"It wasn't in the royal palace, either."

After arriving in Eintban, just like they did in Kainzel, the two demonkin had approached the king and made the same proposal.

But the king of Eintban, with a pained face, shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but the Seven Swords Under Heaven is no longer within our hands."

He said both the guardian of the ruins and the swords were gone.

Margal thought it was all related to this "calamity".

"We'll split up and search. That's fine, right?"

"Yes, leave it to me."

Zenon's firm reply made Margal nod his head.

"Good. Let's move."

With those words, the two demonkin vanished in opposite directions.

To find the calamity, or the Seven Swords Under Heaven.

* * *

"Are you sure... just us is enough?"

Rutia said anxiously at the entrance of Nabez.

It made sense for her to be worried.

They'd only ever faced calamities with the help of many mercenaries, including the Black Skull Mercenary Band.

"That was only when the whole capital, and kingdom, was overrun."

"So this time, the few of us are enough?"

"Of course."

I gauged how far Sior's influence reached.

I didn't need to detect magic power or even use the Eye of Insight.

'Wherever snow is falling is his domain.'

A few meters ahead, snow was falling, but where we stood was clear as ever.

Once we entered Nabez, he'd notice us right away, but for now he hadn't yet realized we were here.

"Count, they've made a move."

"Yeah? Perfect timing."

I grinned at Jade's report.

The Thieves' Guild had been secretly watching the demonkin since they appeared in Eintban's royal castle.

"But how come you never got caught?"

"Probably because we're too weak."

Jade smiled slyly.

"No one cares about little bugs. Unless they're buzzing all around, they won't even notice us. Even if they do, they might be too bothered to go to the trouble of squashing us."

He really was no ordinary man.

'Is there any way to bring him into my domain, or the kingdom?'

Information is one of the most important assets for survival in this world.

I wasn't surprised for no reason when I acquired the synopsis. Knowing things others don't is a great power in itself.

'I'll have to try making him an offer later.'

Maybe I could get somewhere by dropping Riya's name.

"Rutia, you and I will move together... Maria."

"Yes."

At my call, Maria answered with resolute eyes.

"Can you do it?"

"Yes, I can. I'm a merchant, after all."

I had no idea why she brought that up, but Maria always knew her limits.

"A-are you sure, Maria?"

Maria glared at the worried Rutia.

"Don't act like you care now."

"Ugh..."

Rutia pulled a wry face at Maria's sharp reply, but this was still an improvement.

She hadn't even answered properly when we first met.

'Maybe she relaxed once she realized Rutia was truthful.'

I looked back and forth between the two, then spoke to Jade.

"Then Maria, you go with Jade."

"Understood."

Having divided the teams, I turned and met Rutia's eyes.

"Rutia, while I chase the calamity... you know what to do, right?"

"... I never had this role before."

Leaving Rutia grumbling behind me, I strode into Nabez.

Now, it was time to defeat the Calamity of Dreams.

* * *

Amid the thick clouds, a blue light shone out of place.

Zenon was certain that light was the being called the calamity.

'What in the world is it doing? Doesn't look like it's moving via magic...'

No matter how he tried to follow it, he couldn't catch up—the movement of the light defied all common sense.

Realizing chasing it was just a waste of time, Zenon scanned his surroundings.

"Hmph."

Humans, wandering about in a sleep-like daze.

The more of them there were, the more power the snow from the sky gained.

Of course, it still wasn't a threat to him, so he'd left them alone... but he was beginning to change his mind.

'I wanted to resolve this quietly if I could.'

Pointless time-wasting was starting to get on his nerves.

If he wiped out the puppets, the calamity would be forced to show itself.

Vwoooom!

As Zenon was thinking of sweeping away the humans and raised his hand—

"Wait!"

A delicate woman's voice rang out as something flew from the sky.

Zenon immediately realized this was a demonkin—a succubus, to be precise.

With pink hair, black wings, and a long tail, the succubus approached Zenon with a nervous expression.

"Who are you?"

"I—I'm Rutia. Per the Demon King's orders, I'm one of those searching for the Seven Swords Under Heaven."

Zenon narrowed his eyes at the mention of the Seven Swords Under Heaven.

'She's close to advanced-rank strength. She could indeed be a searching demonkin.'

Normally, succubi aren't strong.

But if this one neared an advanced-rank demonkin, then she must be quite talented.

"So, what do you want?"

"T-the current owner of Genova—the sword discovered in the empire—is here in this country."

"What? Is that true?!"

"Yes."

Genova's owner.

It soured him to hear it, but he couldn't do anything about it.

He couldn't take the sword even by killing him.

"Do you know why he's here?"

"He's chasing the Seven Swords Under Heaven. Apparently... the calamity has one of the swords. He's heading there right now."

"Is that true?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

She didn't seem to be lying.

'A trap... No, I doubt it.'

Even if the succubus was secretly working with Genova's owner, it wouldn't matter.

He was nearing top-rank among even advanced demonkin.

And she must know that too.

'Even if it's a trap, I'll just kill them both.'

After making up his mind, Zenon spoke calmly.

"Fine. Lead the way."

"This way!"

Zenon, following without much suspicion, made Rutia lick her dry lips.

'... Did it really work?'

She had doubted it would work, but now that Zenon was really going along, Rutia felt a bit relieved.

All that remained was to bring this demonkin to Clay.

'It'll really be okay... right?'

If her daughter trusted him so much, he couldn't be ordinary.

And besides, he wasn't just anyone—he was the owner of Genova.

Someone different, in another way from Fabian.

'If I leave Maria with that man, I'll have no worries.'

Rutia already knew how this incident would end.

She'd probably die.

How Maria would fare was her only concern, but she trusted that man would take good care of her daughter.

So as long as she was alive, she'd do her best to help him.