Chapter 27
I instinctively picked up a stone at my feet and threw it at the lion-type human-beast on the final rampart. The fist-sized stone hit the beast’s head, stopping its movement and making it look my way.
In that opening, the small-statured, orange-haired swordsman who had lost his balance, rather than falling, sank his stance and thrust his sword upward from below, piercing through the beast’s jaw and into its brain.
Six hours had already passed since sunset. Tonight, the endless battle between the human-beasts and the swordsmen continued intermittently on the final ramparts surrounding the palace.
When the sky began to stain with the color of dawn, I asked Fu Qiao, “I’d like to watch from below the ramparts, what do you think?” Fu Qiao, his gaze sharpening, thought for a moment and said, “The south side.”
“Although the attacks from the human-beasts are the most intense, Swordsman Captain Feilong is stationed there. Staying by his side is the safest.”
Heeding Fu Qiao’s advice, I headed to the base of the south rampart before sunset. Fu Qiao, who offered to accompany me, the guard Mei Yu, and presumably informed, Xia Yun, joined me, and we waited for the battle to begin.
Feilong only gave a slight bow and didn’t say anything in particular.
Even though we stood at a considerable distance, the imposing presence of the human-beasts seen up close was nothing ordinary. For the first three hours or so, I had goosebumps the entire time.
Around the fifth hour, I think, one tiger-type human-beast slipped through the gap between two swordsmen and leaped down into the castle grounds. The moment my entire body stood on end, Feilong, who should have been standing beside me, was already directly below the rampart, having cut down the tiger-type human-beast.
This is what they mean by a move too fast for the eye to see. Feilong returned to my side as if nothing had happened. His figure walking against the backlight of the bonfires on the ramparts was simply cool.
I think, as a guy, my blood got a little heated after all.
The moment I thought “It’s dangerous!” for the orange-haired swordsman, my body moved on its own. Hitting it was thanks to my experience playing baseball in middle school. The swordsman glared at me intensely, if only for a moment.
“That won’t do! A swordsman’s battle is a solemn matter!” Mei Yu said in a loud voice. So that’s how it is, I thought. That must be the ‘Shikitari’ (the rules, the custom). Just as I thought that, Xia Yun spoke quietly.
“Mei Yu.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Accepting the words of the Marbito-sama is also part of the Shikitari. Naturally, I interpret this to include the actions he takes.”
“Yes…”
Although Xia Yun’s tone was gently reproachful, Mei Yu looked dejected. I’m sorry it was because of me.
“Stating your opinion is fine, but I believe reprimanding him is not appropriate.”
“Yes… My apologies, Marbito-sama.”
Mei Yu bowed her head to me, which only made me feel more apologetic. When I thanked her for teaching me that a swordsman’s battle is a solemn matter, her cheeks flushed slightly red. Fu Qiao patted Mei Yu’s shoulder with a smile that seemed to say “Don’t worry about it!” I could feel the composure of an older brother.
All the while, Feilong never took his eyes off the ramparts and seemed uninterested in our exchange.
I wonder what he really thought?
I want to involve residents other than swordsmen in the battle. Of course, it can’t be forced, and it should only be those with some aptitude. I want a clue, a starting point, to find a way to lessen the burden on the swordsmen and end the endless battle with the human-beasts.
But the feelings of the swordsmen stand in my way. I understand that my assist severely wounded the orange-haired swordsman’s pride. Lowering the swordsmen’s morale would defeat the whole purpose.
No… is it the ‘Shikitari’ that stands in my way?
While watching over the battle until dawn, I kept thinking about that—
