034 | One thing after Another

Not much time to think right now. I'm Bridgette, the Captain of the Scouts.

I'm currently doing everything I can to fight against- no, to SURVIVE against this monster.

Not just any monster, an undead one.

To summarize quickly, after the introduction of the 433rd, this and that, Grim Reaper, he started attacking. He was able to send out black slashes that looked like blades of mana.

I have a hunch on what magic he's using but I'm not the most knowledgeable about magic. The only thing I ever use comfortably has always been Water Magic.

Speaking of that, I've been dodging his attacks by using Water Magic.

If there are any attacks that would seemingly hit me, I can make part of my body like water and move it out the way.

If you ever tried cutting water, you'll know it doesn't work. The exact principle applies here between the Grim Reaper and me.

"However, that scythe...I have to watch out for that."

His scythe gives me an odd feeling. As if it's saying that if I were to go on the offensive, I would be walking straight into a trap.

The Grim Reaper disappeared from where he stood and popped up in front of me. His scythe swung sideways aiming for my stomach. Instead of turning my body into water, I dissolved myself into a small pool of water and slithered beneath the Grim Reaper.

"Slippery little human, do you think you can hide forever?"

I'm faster when I'm a splash of water and I circled around the Grim Reaper before shortly jumping out. I was fully covered in water and slashed with my daggers.

The Grim Reaper raised his scythe and blocked it effortlessly as if he'd already seen through my attack.

"You...how dare you massacre all of these people?!"

The Grim Reaper mustered more of his strength and repelled me back with his scythe. I suffered a small cut on the side of my waist.

"Tsk."

His croaky voice was irritating to hear. I would love to stop talking to him but nonetheless, as a scout, I must do what I was meant to do.

"Human...You ask why I ended all the others who were here?"

I nodded.

"Well, you see."

The Grim Reaper threw his scythe and landed on the ground a few meters away from him. There were ants marching in a curvy line with a few leaves on their back.

The Reaper continued.

"Just like how an ant is so easily disposable to humans...or how your race effortlessly hunts beasts down to extinction...and recklessly wage wars...I applied the same human principle to my ideology and offered those piles of...disposable humans as sacrifices for my lord."

Do not call them rubbage.

"You despicable-"

The scythe flew from being stabbed into the ground until the blade was right under my neck. I tilted back just in time to turn into a splash of water before leaping away from danger as a line of water.

My water enveloped back into my body on top of a tree branch.

"Impressive movement techniques human."

"Do not call my people disposable."

"I do not get humans and their complex emotions...It is so hard to fathom...You take from others and yet...you don't allow others to take from you."

"What have we ever taken from you? I doubt anyone you killed here has done anything to you!"

"If we were to categorize each other, I'd say we are both humans."

"...You are NO human. You're a monster."

"But how am I not? Just like other...humans, I kill and take for myself. Like I told you before, I applied human principles to my actions."

"Do you think you're some sort of philosopher? No matter how you twist your words, murder is murder. Your actions are unjust and-"

The Grim Reaper swung his scythe and sent a black blade of mana towards me. With my Water Magic, I avoided it and splashed to another tree branch.

"And who is to...define just and unjust? Good and evil? Everything is...purely subjective."

"I never would have thought I would be getting a lesson on philosophy from you."

I dropped behind the trunk of the tree. The Grim Reaper slashed the tree in half horizontally.

Good thing he fell right into my hands. I was simply buying time to unleash a spell to hopefully bring enough distraction for me to inform the others.

I came down from up above in the sky and aimed a magic circle towards him.

"Water Pillar."

Underneath where the Grim Reaper stood, water started to spread out in a circular pattern until erupted into a tall pillar of water. The water expanded outwards in size and volume, reinforcing itself as it caged the Grim Reaper in its epicenter.

I fell down towards the ground, somersaulted, and made a run for it. I wiped the last of my tears as I ran towards the kingdom.

"Thank you for your service."

I put my hood back on and disappeared into the night. Going as fast as I possibly could to relay information.

It's been a few hours since I've departed and I arrived back at the main castle. The throne room of his majesty. The guards that were watching the entrance let me in immediately.

The guards talked to me as we speed walked.

"There's been trouble since you were away, Captain."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems like something happened when we were sending a messenger."

"A messenger? For who? About what?"

"Well...The other Captains are gathered in the throne room right now, I believe they will be better to answer your questions."

"How much do you guys know?"

"Little to nothing other than what we told you. The trouble occurred when a messenger was sent."

I nodded my head. My intuition is usually correct. Right now, it seems something unfortunate has happened. We arrived in front of the door that leads into the throne room.

Two other people were in this room along with me. The door closed and despite being aware of my presence, none of the two looked in my direction. Instead, they seemed to be contemplating something as they kept their heads down.

The Captain of the Knights, Waryun. He was tall, buff, and had short black hair. A pair of blue eyes and a sharp jawline. He was wearing his armor, I did know that he was responsible for overseeing the success of the capture of the slave traders. Did he just arrive from his mission?

The Captain of the Royal Guard, Haydon. He wasn't as tall as Waryun and nowhere nearly as built as him. Haydon's 180 centimeters tall with short light-red hair and yellow eyes. He's usually more hyper and cheerful than this. Just like Waryun, he was also wearing armor.

The Royal Guard's set was different than the Knight's armor by being shinier and with a cape attached at the back. Royal Guards wear a white cape while Haydon, the Captain, wears a yellow one.

"Guys, what happened."

Haydon tilted his head and looked at me with his yellow eyes.

"Bridgette, haha, it seems like we are in an awful predicament."

Seeing as how Haydon can still pull in a "haha" I guess his cheerful personality is still here. Despite whatever had occurred.

"After the capture of all the criminals involved in the slave-trading organization, we found something else."

Waryun looked at Haydon and the two exchanged a small nod.

"Take a look at this."

Haydon threw a bone on the ground. Judging from its shape, it was some part of the ribs.

I have a strange feeling that this is connected to the Grim Reaper.

"You see, this isn't just any regular bone."

"Obviously. Why else would you be showing me this? Cut to the chase already. I also came with bad news."

Haydon draws his sword and engulfs it in a light golden yellow aura that surrounds the sword smoothly like a calm river.

Unlike muscle head's Raw Energy.

Haydon poked at the rib bone and part of it disintegrated into ashes and then faded away. As if it was nothing there.

"Haha...That...is a sign of purification," Haydon says.

"My lieutenant and some of his men were dispatched to get rid of disturbances that came from the forest."

"Certainly looks like they didn't just come back with a few bandits tied up in a rope."

"They did not, haha, they were ambushed by a few dozen skeletons. If not for the Lieutenant's brave efforts, none of the other rookies would have lived."

I let out a heavy sigh. That definitely got their attention. I usually never sigh, even if there's information that's bad to hear.

But this time...It was the most disastrous information that I, a scout, could come back with.

"The entire scout fortress in the forest was decimated. Everyone was annihilated without mercy."

Waryun put his palm on his forehead, "What the hell is going on..."

"We are in an even bigger mess than I would have thought, haha."

"I've found the culprit. But, you wouldn't like it."

It was silent for a while before one of them, Haydon, spoke.

"Strong enough to make even you flee from the scene? Haha, this is even worse than I had imagined."

Something was not adding up.

"You guys still haven't told me the entire truth."

No one spoke up. Is it that bad?

"If no one says anything, then we're only going to be stalling. The culprit I identified was a pitch-black skeleton in dark hooded robes. He stated he was the 433rd Reincarnation of the Grim Reaper."

"Grim Reaper? Haha, I knew these undead beings were connected to something..."

Waryun put his hand on my shoulder. He looked at me with empty and dead eyes. What caused such grief?

"Bridgette..."

"Well, that's a first. You're not calling me by that stupid nickname, Bridge. Since you've become so serious as to ACTUALLY say my name, I'll presume whatever happened is equal to the entire nation going to ruins."

"...His Majesty has fallen in battle."

God damn it. I wish I could just cry and let out all my tears right now. One thing after another keeps happening.

There is no time to be sad. Not when so many innocent people could get killed.

"Waryun...What happened?"

"As you all know, His Majesty went on a trip somewhere with the Queen, Princess, and Prince. On their way, the carriage was attacked once they left Yanalian borders."

Attacked...Could it be?

Waryun continued.

"The one who attacked was a dark hooded figure..."

He looked at me and gulped.

"...Who used some sort of dark-colored magic along with a scythe. His Majesty did his best to stall for time and allow his children to escape. Alas, everyone was brutally massacred. Our only hope is a severely injured prince who barely managed to escape. He told his story before passing out on the doctor's bed."

I took some time to process this. The two awaited my answer.

Now that all three Captains are gathered, there is no need to wait for any decision-making. As per His Majesty's previous decree, if he were to ever fall in battle, we three would assume his role as the leaders of Yanalia.

"Looks like we'll have to immediately call for an emergency meeting."