Vol. 1 Chapter 1 – Crimson’s Final Moments

Beyond the alley, winter-bare branches were swaying.

Feeling the freezing stone pavement against my back, I lay there face-up, staring at the narrow strip of sky cut out by the cracked buildings.

Because of the gloomy, overcast sky, the scenery was gray. The cold wind blowing into the alley made my body, wrapped in hole-riddled rags, tremble.

“Oji-san, are you alive?”

“……Yeah, more or less.”

A back alley in the slums. The one peering down at my face as I lay there was a girl dressed just as poorly.

A young girl who probably wasn’t even ten years old. Though she was dirty, her chestnut-colored curls made her look like an adorable little doll.

She was probably originally the child of a fairly wealthy family. Even her patch-covered dress seemed to be made from quite high-quality fabric, judging by the material.

But now, driven out by the flames of war, her bare feet pressing against the stone pavement looked terribly cold.

“I brought today’s share, but…… can you eat?”

“……Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

What she held out to me was half a piece of bread.

Having long since lost both arms, I stretched out my neck like a dog being fed and bit directly into what the girl offered me.

If I called myself a wounded soldier, perhaps I could earn a little pity but there was nothing grand about it. I was nothing more than a defeated soldier who had failed to protect this country and had fallen so low as to become a vagrant.

This country, the Kingdom of Edvard. Its royal capital, Vesta, was currently under the occupation of the Grozny Empire.

A little over two months had already passed since the defeat but the harsh abuse that had been expected had not taken place. For now, the Empire was carrying out an unexpectedly generous policy of reconciliation.

Precisely because of that, there were surely more than a few citizens who thought that only the framework of the country had changed, that only the signboard had been replaced.

Although His Majesty the King was still alive and well, he was now a prisoner. The defeated nation remained in name only on old maps, and was being swallowed up by the Empire as though melting into it.

But even if the Empire’s occupation policy was gentler than expected, there were still many who had lost their families to the war, lost their homes to the flames of battle and been driven into poverty.

This place where I lay, the slums along the banks of the Irle River that flowed through the eastern edge of Vesta, had fallen into ruin and become a slum, a gathering place for war orphans and vagrants like them.

Just a few months ago, there should not have been a single person in the Kingdom of Edvard who imagined things would turn out like this.

Magic, a technique that had until then been regarded as nothing more than somewhat useful in daily life, had been systematically organized and elevated into an academic discipline. Furthermore, among all the nations, the Kingdom of Edvard was the only magical kingdom to establish it as military technology.

There was nothing that could threaten this country, protected by the mighty power of magic. Everyone believed that and at the very least, for these past twenty-odd years, that had undoubtedly been true.

Even as they witnessed the reality of the hegemonic Grozny Empire, which had risen at the northern edge of the continent, annexing its neighboring countries, everyone believed that the Kingdom of Edvard alone was the exception. And in fact, the Imperial forces that had crossed the border and invaded time and again had been repelled every single time by the Magic Corps led by the Court Magician Ozma.

But the situation changed completely overnight.

“Magic’s dead!”

Together with that shocked cry from a magician in the unit guarding the border, the countdown to the kingdom’s destruction began.

Even now, no one knew what method had caused it. But magic, which could be called the cornerstone of national defense, could no longer be activated at all. And it happened suddenly, without any warning.

As a result, there was nothing left to stop the Empire’s invasion.

The Kingdom’s military strength, which had relied entirely on magic until then, collapsed. The land was trampled by Imperial soldiers so easily that it was like tearing paper apart.

Every fortress fell. Court Magician Ozma’s fate became unknown on the battlefield. The royal capital fell in only a few days.

In just about three bites, half the piece of bread vanished and the girl’s doll-like, dark eyes filled with an apologetic look.

“I wish I could do a little more for you, but……”

“No…… thank you.”

There was no way I could ask for luxury.

Even this bread was probably part of her own meal. She herself surely could not eat her fill, and yet she still shared it with me like this. What more could I possibly ask of her?

As an adult, as a man, it was utterly pathetic, but without this child’s charity, I would undoubtedly have died long ago.

“The fact that I’m still alive like this now is thanks to you,  ……”

When I said that, her face crumpled and she looked as if she was about to cry.

“But, Oji-san……I’m sorry. Starting tomorrow, I won’t be able to come anymore. I’m…… going to be sold.”

“Sold?”

“Yeah……Papa and Mama are dead, and right now my aunt is taking care of me, but she said that if someone buys me, she’ll use that money to look after my little brothers until they grow up……”

Without thinking, I bit down on my lip.

I did not know what kind of person her aunt was but I could not simply decide that she was cold-hearted. Everyone was desperate just to survive.

“Ehehe……You know, it looks like I sold for a surprisingly high price. Amazing, right……”

Seeing her smile with tears gathering at the corners of her eyes, I felt something deep in my chest tighten painfully.

It was obvious where she would be sold. A brothel. They would train her in sexual techniques while she was still young, and once she reached a suitable age, they would make her take customers.

Because we adults were so pathetic, this child’s future was about to be shut away. That fact was so, so, so unbearably frustrating.

What the hell am I doing……?

His Majesty the King was still alive, even if he was a prisoner. Even if I had lost both arms and fallen so low as to become a vagrant, as long as I was alive, the time for a counterattack would someday come.

That was what I had believed. No, what I had tried to force myself to believe.

But…──

‘Unable to protect even one little girl this small…and I talk about a counterattack? What value does a life like that have? There’s no value in clinging to it!’

I made up my mind. After letting out the breath I had drawn in, I gently smiled at Feria.

“Before the end……could I ask you to run an errand for me?”

“An errand?”

She blinked in confusion, and I answered her in as cheerful a tone as I could manage.

“Yeah, to a friend of mine. I thought I’d have him come pick me up……He’s a good guy, so he’ll probably give you a little reward too, Feria. Enough to buy some sweets for your little brothers, at least.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really.”

Sweets for her little brothers. At those words, Feria leaned forward eagerly.

“It’s a little far, but you know there’s an Imperial Knight garrison right beside the western tower, right? There’s an Oji-san there named Balsabar……I want you to tell him that his friend is waiting here.”

“A-An Imperial Knight……?”

At once, Feria’s expression clouded over.

That was only natural. To her, having lost both her parents in the war, Imperial Knights were nothing but the enemies who had killed them.

“It’s all right. Balsabar isn’t that bad a guy, so you don’t have to worry. But you see, I don’t know what the others are like, so I want you to tell Balsabar directly. At the reception desk, say that Guren has a message for him. If you do, I’m sure they’ll put you through to Balsabar.”

“Guren? Is that your name, Oji-san?”

“……Something like that.”

She tilted her head, looked hesitant for a while, then gave a small nod.

“……Okay. Then I’ll go.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you. If you leave now, I think you’ll be able to come back before the sun sets.”

“Mm-hm.”

Watching Feria’s back as she ran off with quick footsteps, I quietly closed my eyes.

***

Around two hours after Feria left my side, I saw Imperial Knights clad in imposing armor walking down the street toward me.

The vagrants hid behind the buildings in fear. At dusk, in the back alley where no one remained except me and the knights, the north wind sent dead leaves swirling into the air.

The knights drew their swords and surrounded me, their wariness plain to see. But all I could do was smile wryly. It was far too exaggerated.

I could no longer use magic and I had even lost both arms. What exactly were they trying to be so cautious of?

As I twisted my lips in exasperation, one man stepped forward through the knights and removed his full-face helmet.

A huge man with a bearded face. I had only faced him directly on the battlefield once. But it would not be wrong to say that we knew each other better than our own parents or siblings.

With a pained expression, the man opened his mouth.

“What a changed appearance……Ozma. They say the darkest place is under the candlestick, but I never imagined you would be in a place like this.”

“Yo, Balsabar. This is probably the first time we’ve actually exchanged words, isn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

Though we had been enemies, we were sworn foes who had acknowledged each other as worthy rivals. If it was this man, then I could trust him. He was the only man I could say that about with certainty.

“Hey, Balsabar. How much is my head worth?”

“Three thousand Imperial gold coins.”

“Ha……Now that’s generous. Make sure you pay it properly. To that girl.”

With that much, one could live a whole lifetime without working.

Feria, too, should surely be able to return to a proper life, like the one she had before the war.

Of course, I did not think something like this would forgive my sin of failing to save this country. It was nothing more than self-satisfaction.

But if this life was going to run out anyway, then it was obviously better to put it to good use. That was all. It was truly nothing more than that.

As expected of the man I had set my hopes on, Balsabar seemed to have understood everything properly.

“I promise. On the honor of an Imperial Knight, I will make sure of it.”

“I’m counting on you. My sworn enemy, my friend.”

***

“From this moment forth, we shall carry out the execution of the Court Magician, Ozma the Crimson Flame!”

When the executioner loudly declared that, the crowd gathered beyond the iron fence stirred noisily.

Ozma the Crimson Flame, huh……What an exaggerated title.

For someone like me, who had lost both arms on the battlefield, been allowed to escape in exchange for the lives of my subordinates and disciples and had continued living in shame, it was far too grand a name.

And that, too, would come to an end today.

Ozma the Crimson Flame would disappear from this world after today.

Now, I was kneeling at the execution grounds, simply waiting for the headsman’s axe to come swinging down.

As I twisted my lips in self-mockery, my eyes met Balsabar’s. He was standing beside me with his arms crossed, staring at me silently.

“You’re even accompanying me all the way to a place like this, Sir Knight Commander?”

“I have no intention of allowing those executioners to handle your head carelessly.”

Without thinking, I smiled bitterly.

“Once I’m dead, that’s the end. Even if I’m turned into dog food, I won’t complain.”

“I will not allow it. Unless you are treated as a warrior, I, who continued to lose to you, will look miserable.”

“I see. Then do as you like.”

“Yes. Even without you telling me.”

Balsabar quietly closed his eyes, then opened his mouth again.

“Do you have any regrets?”

“Let me see……I do feel sorry to my father for not leaving an heir to the family.”

“That, unfortunately, is not something I can grant you.”

“I’d be troubled even if you could.”

Trading light banter with the man I had once glared at across the battlefield, I looked around, wanting to burn the sight of this world into my eyes one last time.

And beyond the iron fence, among the crowd of onlookers, I found Feria sobbing uncontrollably.

“Hey, Balsabar…… There was one. One regret.”

“I will hear it.”

“That girl……Feria. Take care of her for me. She’s the one who saved my life.”

At once, Balsabar made an exasperated face.

Of course he would. Because Feria had reported my whereabouts, I was now about to be executed.

Calling her the one who saved my life was a fine contradiction.

“……Very well. I had also been worried about letting such a young girl carry a large sum of money. I will become her guardian, and I promise that I will protect her to the end.”

“That’s reassuring…… I’m counting on you.”

Then I turned my face toward Feria and forced the brightest smile I could manage.

My voice surely would not reach her. So I moved only my lips and conveyed my feelings.

Thank you. Stay well.

“Oji-saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!”

Feria’s tearful scream. The instant it faintly reached my ears, the executioner swung down his axe, and my consciousness ended there.