Chapter 4
Suddenly, Swords and Magic Fantasy
“Ah! Hey! Wait—Yoko!!”
“Ai, hold on! C’mon! Yoshii, Kawahara—what are you doing?!”
“Uh, y-yeah! Wait—our bags!”
“I didn’t even finish my food yet!”
It all happened in an instant—too fast to process.
The three scrambled up in confusion and took off after Ai and the red-haired boy.
But it was lunchtime, and the shopping center was packed.
The beautiful boy weaved through the crowd effortlessly, gliding between people as if he were made of wind.
“Whoa—sorry! Excuse me! Sorry!”
“Hey! Don’t run here!”
“So sorry!”
The three pursuers struggled, bumping into shoppers and apologizing every few steps, barely managing to keep the pair in sight.
“If we lose them, that’s it! What if this is a kidnapping?! I’m not joking!”
“It is a kidnapping, dammit!”
“Should we call the police?!”
“First we can’t lose them! Call the cops after that!”
Bursting through the main doors, they dashed into the parking lot.
At the far corner—where there were few cars—the beautiful boy suddenly stopped, turned on his heel, and raised one hand toward the three chasing him.
“Wings of wind—become my blade! GARDO!”
WHOOSH!
A violent gust exploded around them—
a swirling tornado tore through the air, roaring toward the three!
“Waaah!!” “Kyaaa!!” “Ugh—!”
A deep, guttural scream cut through the wind from behind them.
“Huh?”
They turned around fearfully—
a huge blond man holding a long, cloth-wrapped bundle was being slashed and battered by the storm.
“Eek!!”
The three crouched behind a parked car, trembling.
Apparently, the beautiful boy had been running from that man.
They themselves were completely irrelevant—just caught in the middle.
“Uoooh!!”
BANG!
The blond man roared and swung his massive, muscular arm through the air, dispersing the wind.
“Cursed brat! I was holding back, and you take advantage of it!”
“To call restraint such arrogance! It is forbidden to harm those of another world!
Could you not have waited just a little longer?!”
“What nonsense! You’re the one who dragged them into this!”
With that, the man ripped the cloth from the bundle—
revealing a massive sword. He drew it with a hiss, discarding the sheath and taking a fighting stance.
“You would break the taboo, Lord Moldo?
To cast aside your sheath already—do you admit defeat before battle?”
The boy stepped forward, shielding Ai behind him, and reached for the sword hidden beneath his white coat.
But he didn’t draw it—
and Moldo grinned viciously.
“Seal your lips, and this will all be over.
Keep prattling about taboos, and you’ll die for your foolish mercy.
Now, hand over the stone!”
Moldo advanced, towering and menacing.
Though seemingly cornered, the boy only smiled faintly.
“To stray from the right path is easy indeed.
But don’t you think that would make life rather dull?”
“Spare me your wise talk!”
Moldo snarled and swung his great sword down.
“Ah!” Ai cried, clinging to the boy in fear.
WHOOSH!
The blade came crashing down—
“Wings of wind, become my shield—BUILD!”
BWOOOM!
A gale burst forth, wrapping around the boy like a barrier.
Moldo’s sword struck the air and was deflected.
The boy’s red hair billowed wildly, like living flame.
Whish! Whish!
“Uooooh!!”
Moldo roared, slashing again and again, but the wind turned his blows aside each time.
“Even one famed as a swordmaster will find it useless, Lord Moldo.
You called me soft—but I, too, fight with my life on the line.
I can no longer afford gentleness. Forgive me!”
The boy’s eyes gleamed coldly.
He raised one graceful hand high—ready to strike.
But just as he was about to bring it down—
“Stop it! Don’t! Don’t kill him!”
Ai threw her arms around him.
“Ai!” Yoko shouted, rising to her feet.
For a moment, the boy faltered—
and Moldo seized the opening.
“Die!!”
The sword came roaring toward them.
Ai squeezed her eyes shut. We’re going to die—!
CLAAANG!
A metallic crash split the air.
“What—what’s that?!”
When Ai dared to open her eyes, the sword was stopped inches away.
Another man had appeared out of nowhere—
a tall, black-haired warrior blocking the strike with his own enormous blade.
He was rugged—unkempt black hair, tanned skin, a rough beard, and piercing eyes.
His features were sharp, deep-set, almost foreign.
He looked about thirty, his body solid with muscle like a professional wrestler’s.
But his clothes—his armor—belonged to another age.
Over dark trousers and a shirt, he wore ornate black armor, engraved with a roaring lion on the chest.
Two swords hung at his waist, and a large leather bag was slung diagonally across his back.
“Zarel! You dare interfere?!”
Moldo grunted, teeth grinding as their blades clashed.
Zarel didn’t even flinch.
He simply turned to the red-haired boy and nodded politely.
“Leave this to me. He awaits you.”
“I understand.”
He awaits? Who’s he? Where even is this place?!
Ai’s thoughts dissolved into white noise; her body felt weak all over.
“Now then,” the beautiful boy said softly, smiling at her. “Please, come with me for a while.”
Was he… an angel?
Bathed in sunlight, his smile almost divine, Ai clasped her hands dreamily as if in prayer.
“Yes… anywhere with you.”
Ahh—how romantic! Like eloping together!
The boy grasped her hand again and dashed away.
“Wait! Hold up, you two!”
Yoko, snapping out of her trance, grabbed the stunned boys by the arms and dragged them to their feet, running after them like a frantic draft horse.
