Armed Summoners - Black Spears and the Brave Men of the Other World

Mardar is known as the fortified city.

The fortification was pushed immediately after the fall of the Balsar fortress six months ago. Prior to that, he was known as the second city after Gandion, the king's capital, and was surrounded by so much enthusiasm and hustle that he did not take a pull from the king's capital.

Six months ago, the sudden change in circumstances - the death of the Predecessor and the fall of Fort Balsar - took vitality away from Mardar, while creating heavy tensions. Naturally. Fortress Balsar, a defensive force in the north of Gandhia, was dropped. Maldar was at the forefront overnight and was transformed into a fortified city in a sense of urgency that Logner did not know when he would attack.

And there's no way you can erase the shadows of the past. I didn't rebuild it from scratch. It seems that the remnants of the past are there. but Setuna couldn't have figured it out either, having never seen Mardar before.

It was about half an hour ago that a carriage carrying two Setuna and Laxus arrived in this fortified city, northeast of the Wang capital.

Through the main gate on the south side of Mardar, inside a city surrounded by walls. This time, unlike the last time I was laying down a strict precaution, I was allowed to pass in a carriage. We were able to reclaim Fortress Balsar. If there was no need to fear the invasion of enemy forces, there would be no need to be nervous. They were getting back alive in the city, and things were very different from the air-stained Mardar in Setuna's memory.

First, one was walking away. The general public is. What Setuna recalls when she says Mardar is the sight of armed soldiers patrolling the city scattered with killings, and I never remembered seeing a citizen walking wide. It's about time you made your way to Fortress Balsar. Maybe I had no choice about that either.

Naturally, we had lost sight of heavily armed soldiers. That battle ended in a great victory for Gandhia, and he was able to reclaim the fortress safely. Many of the soldiers mobilized for the battle returned to the king's capital, and the rest, he said, were divided between what would enter the fortress of Balsar as a restraint to Logner and what would remain in Mardar. Though the distance on the front seemed to have left only a few troops in Maldar.

At first glance, the sun was setting. Beyond the walls. The western sky was dyed red as it burned, and on the other hand, darkness was looming on the eastern side. Like that blue star he was born and raised with, time is flowing and the look of the sky is changing. That is something we have known for a long time. It was a very similar world. Everything is similar. No man, no animal, no sky, no earth seemed like a very different world.

But it was true that this was not the planet. If you look at the continental map, you can see it. A vast continent with the names of numerous countries could not exist on Earth. No, it was something I could tell without looking at the map. The feeling tells me so.

This is not the world Setsuna should be in.

Setsuna shook her head. Now is not the time to think about it. Returning his mind, he asked the man walking right in front of him.

"Where are you headed?

It's the rendezvous point.

If you think about it, you'll see. But Setsuna had to laugh. He asked Laxus about the rendezvous point. Of course, I just told you where it is, and maybe Setsuna can't grasp it.

Setsuna followed Laxus as he sighed quietly down the alley where the sun was approaching.

"You arrived late, Lord Laxus."

It was the woman's voice that suddenly flew out of the darkness of the alley. It was a lower, subdued voice, but not otherwise difficult to hear, but rather a pleasant tone, perhaps.

The time when the book of the night is about to be lowered. A chilling shadow lies loosely in the complex alley, even if it is not as good as the king's capital. Is it because of the time slot that you are idle, or because you are away from the center? But there are many people around. Not to say it wasn't popular, but it didn't seem like there was one.

Therefore, it may have been the right decision for the woman to have spoken in a low voice. I must have decided to meet up in a place like this because I didn't want to be seen. Otherwise, it shouldn't matter where we rendezvous.

"... a companion?

Setsuna looked out for you as much as Laxus threw his gaze at those who spoke. A narrow crossroads left street. When I wondered if the pale darkness that was born at dusk swayed, a demonic woman who also wanted to wear a black outfit like a mourning proceeded.

"No. I'm just an escort. I'm sorry I went to the dead with you."

Slapping a light mouth with a low voice was a woman in her early twenties looking. It would be a relatively average body size. If it's not long, it doesn't mean I feel thin. Long dark hair seemed to dissolve in the shadows, like a noble face - with such a fitting look of an adjective. A subtle mouthfeel is a back stomach, and the eyes aren't even laughing. The skin was white by the time it was pathological, and the black clothes that surrounded it seemed mournful, as mentioned, and it must have stood out even if I didn't like it if I walked out dressed like that.

After a moment, maybe it's because of her costume that we're supposed to meet in a place like this at this hour. For it was too crappy a reason, and Setsuna thought that if it were true, she would be too frightened to say things.

……

"You look so scary. Don't you even have to. Fact is, isn't it? I don't see it as a sane shack, such as infiltrating an enemy country with just three people. Not to mention the fact that the two of you are not specially trained -"

Laxus reacted harshly to a woman who laughed as lightly as she stood aside. Although it was a natural response.

"I am not here to hear your euphemism. By order, here I am. To rendezvous with another companion. Do you want me to stop talking nonsense any more?

"I'm sorry. It's been a long time since I breathed outside air, so I stuck with it."

"... who are you?

Laxus asked, frightened. In fact, I guess I'm stunned by her rap. Setsuna just wanted to agree to that with all her might. More importantly, fulfilling your purpose is a prerequisite, not if you are chatting for a long time here.

"This is rude. I'm late, but I'm Ur. One shadow follows His Majesty Leongand. And he..."

When Ur shifted his gaze as he looked back, one man stood in the space where no one was supposed to have been until just now. If I hadn't made him feel any signs, I guess he wouldn't have made any noise. Not even air changes were observed. In an instant, it didn't seem like it, and the fact was more indicative that the man was not the only one.

Yes, it wasn't just the one.

Setsuna was struck by an unprecedented shock the moment she saw the face of the long-bodied man. A flash of light strikes through the back of the brain. Along with the burning pain, the overturning enthusiasm swept Setuna's consciousness.

"It's something that goes on a death journey with you both. His name is..."

Ur's voice had not reached Setuna's ear. Only the man's face was reflected in Setuna's eyes. Even in the evening it is clearly visible not only because of the proximity of the distance. Because it looks familiar. Because I saw it once. Because he was an impressive opponent to burn to the retina.

That's the man.

"Lancaine-Bunell!

Setsuna, I didn't know, was raising her anger. A woman named Ur and others appeared to have blocked her ears with two surprising hands, but she could not wait. I couldn't afford Setuna right now enough to be attentive to others.

A phantom of Karan's flames was burning his whole body.

"Ha! That boy! Of the righteous allies!

On the man's face, a crazy grin was engraved. Dark hair was long and haunted by the wind. Floating in suspended eyes is pure madness. Can it be said that so much madness that even the slightest sanity cannot be found is rather crisp? I guess it's not my fault my cheeks are sprinkled and I look thinner than before.

Lancaine's madly stained voice was nothing but ear damage for Setsuna, and it was far more of a backstroke of nerves than signs of the Imperial Demon and so forth. And I can't contain my rampant emotions.

"Why!? Why are you here?

Setsuna also found no technique to exhale wild emotions in her heart, only by shouting. It's not just the unstoppable passion that runs through your body. The memory of a flame that tried to burn my whole body down was shaking like it hurt under my skin.

Past his brain was the sight of the city of Karan surrounded by the fiery fire of the Red Lotus, the crying face of Elina and the laughter of Lancaine. Perhaps the bright red flame rising suddenly was the starting point of his battle. It's not the first war. I know that too. But Setuna was the first to take a weapon of her own free will when she confronted Lancaine.

"What other reasons besides your majesty's orders?

……

Without words to give back against Lancaine's cold laughter, Setuna bit her teeth. Looking back at Laxus. The knight must have been surprised at how this one went. When Setuna turned her eyes, she seemed perplexed for a moment.

"Is the man a companion?

"Yes, he is, Cain-Vivre. He's an armed summoner for Moguri, but he's strong enough. Why don't we put it on a warranty, too?

"Cain-Vivre......?

Setuna glanced at the man and then looked out for Ur. The grin sticking to his face hasn't collapsed by the creeps.

"The person named Lancaine-Bunell, etc. apparently doesn't exist in the world, so I gave him a new name. Isn't that a good name?

"What do you mean! He's..."

Setsuna, will you shut up for a second?

……

Setuna looked up to Laxus all the time, but had to shut her mouth in front of his shooting gaze. It was a sharp gaze. Although not earlier, it was enough to fall into the illusion as if even the blade had been poked at. By then, Setsuna's words and actions may have been annoying for Laxus. Reflect. But Setuna's consciousness immediately appeared to Lancaine.

It came as no surprise that the man who burned down Karan was still alive. He's the man who killed hundreds of people. It's not strange to be sentenced to extreme imprisonment. Rather, the death penalty was reasonable and no other punishment could be envisaged. That's how much Lancaine did. Destroyed one city...

"Excuse me. I hear he's excited about this first assignment. Take a good look at him."

"No. It won't be enough for the Knights to care."

"So is that.... So, is he Lancaine-Bunell?

Setsuna shrugged her ears at the words of Laxus. Laxus also knew and deserved the presence of the armed summoner who burned down Karan. It's even weirder not to know. It is an unprecedented major incident. Only one armed summoner burned down a small city. It couldn't have reached the ears of someone who would also be a knight.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure he's that lancaine, but what's wrong with that?

"No, I just asked"

"Really?"

Ur wasn't the only one distracted by the light Laxus attitude.

Setsuna was confused. I couldn't get it out of my mouth, wondering if that wasn't where I should be asking. I wasn't in a position to make an opinion on Laxus, and more importantly, if Laxus himself is convinced, I can't help it.

Although Setsuna was not convinced of this, nor was she likely to be able to acknowledge the existence of Lancaine.

"Okay, Cain-Vivre"

"What?

"Thank you very much. Follow the orders of His Highness the Knight Laksas-Barghazar and take up your task. Don't cause problems that don't go down."

"I know."

"All for Your Majesty's sake"

"... all for His Majesty's sake"

And Setuna did not miss that when Lancain repeated Ur's last words in a heterogeneous tone, the madness disappeared from his eyes only for a moment and something else peeked into his face. It was an expression of a completely different colour from what is also supposed to be reason, something that would make Setuna have a different kind of anxiety from Lancaine's madness.

(Is everything for Your Majesty...?)

The words are understandable. I can also somehow see that I reconfirmed it by saying it. But to Setuna, it was very incredible. How could you escort a man who committed so many killings on such a top-secret mission? Lancaine is an enemy person in the first place. He's supposed to be the great sinner who slaughtered the people of Gandia.

Setuna's memory of the flames burning behind her brain had made Lancaine difficult to forgive.

And, you wondered how this one was, and Laxus called out.

"Setuna. Now you don't have to think deeply. You can't get in the way of the mission."

The voice was serene in itself, but the fact seemed to make his mood difficult to understand, on the contrary.

Setsuna kept staring into those blue eyes as she exchanged her gaze with Laxus, almost losing her eyesight. You can't get your eyes off me here. Even to Setsuna, there's something you can't give away.

"But I'm not convinced. He's the one who burned the city of Karan, isn't he? Slaughtered innocent ones......!

The fear that the fury that smoked inside his chest would erupt into a fiery fire shut Setuna's mouth. I can't put emotions into words any more. Crazy swirling all over my chest was a black flame. It was a sharpened hostility and enough killing to burn everything down. You must not give yourself up to such a thing. Don't lose sight of Mizu. By realizing it was a terrible thing, Setsuna was regaining her calm.

Most importantly, when I cooled my head, my hostility to Lancaine and my willingness to kill could not disappear.

The memory of the Red Lotus flame was shaking without disappearing behind Setuna's eyes.

"I know. But this is for His Majesty to decide. It's not something we should talk about."

"Is Mr. Laxus convinced?

"A knight only obeys his destiny."

……

Setsuna was flabbergasted by Laxas' answer. It would be an unmistakable, exemplary answer. Perhaps it was more of an answer than this. If they give it back, Setuna won't be able to say anything. In fact, the knight has no choice but to obey his master's orders. No, that's not just a knight. No, the same is true of Setsuna, who is under Leongand's command.

Leongand's orders are absolute and unacceptable to reject.

(So why... you are)

Setuna snapped to spit in her chest as she looked to the side of Lancaine exchanging words with Ur.