Episode 66: Nighttime Talk

Deep within the forest shrouded in the dark of night, Luna and I stood before Laura at the training grounds—the same spot where Reima had likely fought Baal earlier that day.

“...So, what is it you want to ask, Laura?” I prompted.

“...About tonight,” Laura replied. “I came to hear the things you two were being vague about.”

“Well, I suppose you would notice... Yes, yes, as expected of the Vampire Princess. I’m impressed by your intuition. But let's keep this brief. I’ve put Reima to sleep, but forcing Luna to manifest like this is a strain even for me.”

While it was no trouble for me to appear, given the special way I resided inside Reima, summoning Luna was different. She had a formal contract with him, and pulling her out independently took a toll. It meant we were on a strict clock.

“I understand,” Laura said. “So, tell me—did the Kingdom of Aldia really execute Reima?”

“They did. The king of that country tried to use Reima’s power to invade his neighbors... Reima refused, obviously. Apparently, the king didn't take kindly to being told ‘no’.”

I explained the sequence of events while using my mana to construct a small, magical diorama. As I played out the tragedy with these miniature dolls, accurately reproducing the past, Laura’s expression grew dark.

“...And so, the Kingdom threatened Reima by using his remaining companions as shields. You can guess the rest, right? Reima, being the foolishly good-natured soul he is, stopped resisting. And then, they framed him as a traitor... Oh, by the way, keep this between us. Only a handful of the Summoned Beasts actually know the details.”

“...So he never changed? Not even at the end?” Laura whispered. “He was still trying to repay his debt to us?”

“Pretty much. The fact that you died certainly played a part... If anything, it only made him worse. He became obsessed with the idea that he would never let another companion die. He pushed himself to the breaking point, seeking the strength to protect us.”

I remembered it all too well, but it had been agonizing to watch. Reima’s behavior after this girl died... He was reckless in his attempts to increase his mana, spending nearly every waking hour training to master spells and techniques far beyond his station. He never slept. More than anything, he moved closer and closer to becoming a true Hero.

“The rest is simple. Tired, worn out, and robbed of his last hope of returning home, that boy—who was kind to a fault—accepted death to ensure our safety and the safety of his friends. He died with the world hating him.”

He had spent his final days searching for a better way, even as he was targets of the very people he had saved. Our beloved Hero died loathing nothing but his own perceived weakness.

Because he was that kind of man, he was able to save monsters like us... yet, because he was the kind of man who could never think of his own well-being, I knew this conclusion was inevitable.

My true nature is that of a Kingmaker—one who crafts Heroes.

Because of that, I’ve known many kings, but Reima has a case of ‘hero-sickness’ worse than any of them. He is a genuine softie, a magnificent fool who would throw everything away for the sake of others. He was the precious, number one disciple who reached out his hand to a wretch like me and chose to spend his time by my side.

“...Merli... if it’s too painful, I can speak,” Luna offered softly.

“No, I’ll tell it to the end. As the storyteller of his legend, as the one who witnessed it—that is my role. Well—anyway, for reasons I don’t quite understand, Reima ended up in this world! That’s all I have to say... but what do you want with Luna?”

“...I intended to ask for the reason behind our duel back then,” Laura said, her voice trembling. “But Merli’s explanation gave me my answer. Ah... why? Why did I have to die?”

This girl really hadn’t changed either.

She had set out on a journey alone to protect her race, and Reima had saved her when she couldn't trust a soul. She was a princess in the exact same position as the rest of us. Because she was kind, just like him, she was undoubtedly drowning in regret.

“...Hey, Luna,” Laura said. “Will you fight me one more time?”

“Asking why would be tactless, wouldn't it?” Luna replied. “Fine. But I won't hold back.”

“—Thank you. Please, indulge my selfishness.”

I’ll need to prepare a barrier, I thought. I decided to watch their story unfold as its narrator. See, Reima? You really are cherished, aren't you? So... please, don't sacrifice yourself anymore.

I woke up to a gnawing sense of dread.

The temperature around me had plummeted; it was cold enough to catch a cold, which was bizarre for midsummer. To figure out what was happening, I hurried outside. I immediately sensed a massive amount of mana and the presence of a barrier coming from the open training grounds down the hill.

“Merli’s barrier? And is that... Luna and Laura?”

I threw on some clothes, reinforced my body with mana, and sprinted toward the source. Inside the barrier, an otherworldly vista had taken hold.

Ice choked the training ground. A blood-stained Laura was lunging at Luna with reckless abandon. It looked like a legitimate fight to the death. Merli was simply standing by, watching. If I didn't stop this, Laura was going to die.

She was covered in deep wounds. Even as she exhaled white mist into the frigid air, she continued to challenge Luna.

“...What are you two do—”

I didn't get to finish. Merli conjured a piece of bread out of thin air and stuffed it into my mouth, cutting me off.

“Sorry, Reima. This is the one thing that must be witnessed,” she said.

I didn't understand the circumstances, but the weight in Merli’s voice made me stay my hand. I chose to watch.

For the next five minutes, Luna’s overwhelming assault continued. Finally, a battered Laura collapsed to the ground.

“...Well, Laura? Are you satisfied?” Luna asked.

“Yeah... I really am weak,” Laura wheezed.

“Naturally. There’s a gap between those of us who defeated the Demon King and you, who disappeared halfway through.”

“...I suppose so. Truly... I am weak. Why am I so pathetic...?”

“Now, now, you two,” Merli interrupted. “The protagonist has arrived, so it’s time for a little chat. Reima, give her some blood. If we leave her like this, Laura’s actually going to die.”

“I know... Just tell me what happened afterward.”

First things first: treatment. To hear her side—and to save her life—I offered her my neck. She sank her fangs in. In the silence of the dark woods, the sound of her gulping echoed. A faint, hazy pleasure washed over me as I waited for her wounds to close.

[Afterword]

This is a massive report!!!

[To the Another World Summoner Dungeon ~The Summoned Beasts I Brought Back to the Modern Day Are Definitely Overpowered~] is officially getting a light novel publication! I can’t share all the details yet, but this is entirely thanks to you, the readers. The work for the publication is intense, but I’ll keep doing my best on the web version too, so please keep supporting me! Give me lots of stars and comments to celebrate!