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nChapter 8

nIntermission Volume Achilles

nTranslator’s Corner: Much shorter chapter this time, a new character and not in Shuya’s perspective .

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nThe huge mountain range called Mahaimu Mountain Range extends over the vast wide continent . The Mahaimu Mountain Range is the mountain range which seems to extend endlessly across the continent . The steep valleys of the Mahaimu Mountain Range is territory unexplored by humans, and here is the village of a certain race .

nThe people living in the village, called themselves the Goldiba Tribe .

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nToday is the monthly day of prayer .

nGoing deep underground, directly to the Divine Beast “La Kerlada,” it is a day of giving thanks .

nIt’s a custom that we Goldiba inherited from our ancestors .

nI brace myself and dress in my priestly vestments .

nI fitted a brass chest button onto the long sleeves of the thin leather clothes . I wrap a leather belt around my waist, four long stilettos visible over hanging over my thighs . (TN: Looking around google I think stilettos are long daggers like this or this . If some can come up with a better translation for 小剣 then feel free to comment . )

nI put on a tiger leather coat and straiten its dark blue-collar .

nThe embroidery of the black beast that I had made in silver thread is added to the left and right of the chest on these tiger leather clothes .

nFinally, holding a black spear, with a black cowl attached to the tiger leather clothes covering my head, my ensemble is complete .

nI open the door and go out .

n“Ah, Achilles Ji-chan . Those clothes, you’re wearing the hunting clothes〜〜”

n“That’s not it, today I’m going to the place of worship, won’t you come?”

n“Yes, I know . When you have finished please return safely . ”

n“I’ll return tomorrow morning . ”

nMy grandchild of Lefa won’t enter the shrine, I’m worried .

nYou should follow my order obediently .

nI go to the shrine in the stone paved plaza .

nAt the entrance of the shrine, a solid stone door blocks the way . There’s a small stone statue with the symbol of Black Beast Lohse-sama carved before the left hand entrance . The sharp pair of eyes on the stone statue stare at me .

nI turned the sharp stone statue to the left .

nAs always, the solid stone door of the shrine opens .

nThere’s no kind pedestal enshrining the god in the temple .

nThere’s only a rectangular pedestal in the middle, in the round circular space .

nThere is a hole the same size as a medal on the pedestal .

nI remove the medal hanging from the necklace on my chest, and place the medal in the hole of the pedestal .

nThe fitted pedestal moves automatically .

nNo matter how many time I see it I can’t understand the mechanism behind it .

nIt’s a mysterious thing left behind by our ancestors……

nA stone protrusion appears from the pedestal .

nThe stone door behind me closed automatically .

nWhen the protrusion is grasped with both hands, the booth begins to move with a *gaka* . The surrounding stones moved with a *Shuuuuu*, and the mysterious white smoke which feels of god escapes .

nIt moves down instantly .

n……This feeling isn’t something I’ve gotten used to .

nWhen I’m confined in a stone pipe, there a strong sense of unease .

nI’ve repeated this some years ago too but what one isn’t used to one isn’t used to .

nThis mysterious stone pipe from the ancient days, is something we call the God Tower .

nGeneration after generation, it’s a thing that only the priest of the village can use .

nThe stone tube continues deep underground . After going down, it stops .

nThe door at the back of the stone tube opens automatically . The pedestal in the center of the floor moves automatically again, the handle of the protruded stone is stored .

nFinally, the medal I inserted at the beginning reappears on the pedestal .

nAfter the medal I had placed in the pedestal is returned to the necklace on my chest, the side door opened behind me .

nI look around elevated underground shrine .

nAs always……the humid air is full to the brim . I try to look under the bottom of the stairs while dimly breathing the air in through my nose .

nUnder the stairs, the black statue of our Divine Beast Lohse-sama stands towering over the surrounding .

nIt’s in excellent form today .

nEnshrined in this underground temple is the Lohse-sama statue .

nI make the food offering and carefully clean while doing the prayer of “La Kerlada . ”

nBut, this place here is the underground world .

nAn apostle may appear someday .

nIn order not to be negligent I must be vigilant .

nThen, my eyes move to the ceiling .

nThe big pan hanging from the ceiling shines brightly .

nIt’s not burning in any normal way .

nThe flame in this pan is always mysterious……

nA stone burns in the pan, but it only works in this place .

nThe flames went out when I carried a stone to the surface .

nWell, I’ll pray to the Lohse-sama statue……eh

nI look around the shrine with my eyes . The water in the surroundings is clean . Despite the view I go down the stairs .

n“–Mm?”

nI detect sound and demon element where the water splashed .

n“Na . ”

nI crouch down at once .

nIt’s human?

nMoreover, a tall young man . Black eyes and hair .

nHe is wearing a cuirass and a wound in his side seems to be bound with rabbit hide rags?

nBut, he wears strange clothes .

nInstinctively, at the human which approached the Lohse-sama statue, I stared .

nLooking more closely .

nNua, again, I react without thinking .

nAnother demon element–that, it may be an apostle!

nAn apostle appeared behind the young man .

nFinally to become excite here, it appeared recently, but……

n…I don’t want to fight too much here in this shrine, but it can’t be helped .

nMy enemy, an apostle .

nFurthermore, that’s an apostle with wings……a hunter type .

nThe apostle seems to be hunting the young human .

nCan I help?

nI wondered but it was impossible . The contest was over in an instant .

nThe young human man receives more than one attack including his stomach and back being pierced, and completely hit his head on the statue .

n–He must be dead .

nIt’s surprising that a human lives here, but……

nThe problem is the hunter apostle . I can’t permit it . The pollute the statue of the Divine Beast Lohse-sama .

n“Deliver punishment……”

nI mutter furiously .

nWhile keeping low, I go down the stairs with a slouched posture . I put strength in the hand grasping the black spear and guide magic into the four long stilettos placed at my waste . While going down the stairs, I suddenly–become aware of the atmosphere of the place changing .

nDid the hunter apostle do something?

nI hurry and run to the place, but I couldn’t believe the scene that awaited me……

nThe bloody young man was wrapped in a sea of blood chains .

nThat moment, the blood chains surrounded the area like a living thing, going on to consume the apostle .

nThe young human man overwhelmed an apostle .

nDisgusting, this guy, is he not human?

nNot having seen–the blood becomes a chain moves mysteriously–

n–Natsu!?

nThe blood chains bound the apostle . When the young man jumps at the apostle who can’t move and catches the head of the apostle, his mouth opens with an expression of joy .

nWhen the two canines lengthen and become sharp, he buried his face and bit into the neck of the apostle .

nThe apostle’s blood is sucked completely dry almost instantly leaving only dry bones, the armor it wore falls to the ground .

nThat instant, the demon element that was leaking from the young man suddenly swelled . The young man murmurs something as he pulls himself together, but he immediately falls down . He seems to have passed out .

nThe Vampire race called Mazoku .

n……Mazoku, it’s an enemy . I’ll kill you now .

nIt’s not only an apostle, looking at the enemy called Mazoku after a long time, an old feeling is going to revive .

nAt that moment–

nThe flame worn by the Lohse-sama statue went out .

nThat kind of thing happens .

nBlack flame was being drawn into the mural under the statue .

nI stared at the statue . A black beast Lohse-sama image is clearly projected on the mural .

nFurthermore, the statue of the black beast which was on the mural lost its light and collapsed .

nAwawawawaw, watsu, I, our, Divine Beast Lohse-sama–

nNatsu!?

nNow Divine Beast Lohse-sama, appeared with a slightly translucent figure .

nIt’s walking towards the young man who collapsed .

nPossibly, has it revived?

n“Shinju yuuuuuusamaaaa!”

nThe Divine Beast-sama takes no notice of my words .

nI’m ashamed, but I’m unable to stand up .

nThe transparent Divine Beast-sama stoops down and puts its mouth to the young man .

nThen,

n“Uoooooooooooon!”

nA powerful roar from above its mouth .

nThen Lohse-sama disappears……

nAh, Lohse-sama!? Again, have you disappeared?

nFor short period, nothing is thought, from both eyes tears were spontaneously flowing .

nAstonished by my conditions with tears running down my cheeks, I look at the collapsed young man .

nThe earnest wish of the Goldiba . It’s fragile……

nThe purpose of the role of a priest passed father to son for generations……

nI……for what……

n–Nastu, what!?

nMiraculous things happen one after another .

nThe young man a short while ago, disgusting flesh and blood of the vampire squirms, pulling and collecting into one……at the same time the demon element of this young man, his magic, it is suddenly lost .

nThe flesh and blood that wriggled began strange movements and started to take a form .

nFinally……a black cat? Then, it is created .

nThe small black cat, climbs onto the body of the young man .

nPerhaps, is that cat the Divine Beast-sama?

nThere are the feelers too . This is after all, the reincarnation of the Divine Beast-sama?

n“A miracle……well, the legend was true……”

nLohse-sama is alive .

nThis is the blessing of Goldiba .

nIn this “Legend handed down in the medal,” there was the reason that we protected this shrine .

nLohse-sama in the form of the black cat repeatedly licks the face of the young man .

nSometimes, anxious red eyes turned to the young man’s face . Without change, it admirably continues to lick the face of the young man .

nThe young man doesn’t wake up, he seems to be asleep .

nThis youth did something with the Divine Beast-sama .

nI saw is clearly .

nWith the flesh and blood of the young man, Lohse-sama was able to do it, this young man is a vampire, but……it doesn’t change that the Divine Beast was born from his flesh and blood .

nIf I don’t inspect this young man in detail……

nI decided to carry the young man to the house above .

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