Anemoi 15 – Anemoi 16, Imperial Year 1645
The Eastern Plains – A Sheltered Grove
They walked until the tower was a smudge on the horizon. Orin led, his arm bound in a makeshift sling. Dain limped beside him, his axe resting on his shoulder. Isolde brought up the rear, bow in hand, scanning the trees. Finnian carried the corpse of his mechanical spider, muttering to himself. Selene walked in silence, her hand pressed to her chest where her magic used to burn.
They found a grove of old oaks, a stream running through it. The water was clear. The grass was soft.
"Here," Orin said. "We rest."
Dain dropped his axe and sat heavily against a tree. Isolde knelt by the stream, splashing water on her face. Finnian set down the spider and began pulling tools from his pack.
Selene leaned against an oak, her eyes half‑closed.
Orin looked at them – his companions, his countrymen, his only link to a world that no longer existed.
"みんな,大丈夫か?" he asked. Is everyone all right?
Dain grunted. "なんとか生きてる." Still alive, somehow.
Isolde wrung out her hair. "あの魔女,厄介だった.でもあの黒いコートの男…." That witch was troublesome. But that man in the black coat…
"アルカード," Finnian said, not looking up from his tools. Alucard.
"変な名前," Selene murmured. Strange name.
"でも強い," Dain said. But strong.
Orin sat on a fallen log. "あいつ,俺たちを助けた理由を言わなかった." He didn't say why he helped us.
"助ける必要があったからじゃない?" Isolde said. Maybe because someone needed to be helped?
"傭兵にそんな優しい奴はいない," Dain said. Mercenaries aren't that kind.
Finnian finally looked up. "彼の剣,見たか?あの鍔…狼の頭だ." Did you see his sword? That crossguard… a wolf's head.
"見た," Selene said. I saw.
"普通の剣じゃない.魔法がかかってる." It's not an ordinary sword. It's enchanted.
Orin frowned. "どうやってわかる?" How can you tell?
"あの魔女の影の鞭を斬ったとき,刃が光った.ほんの一瞬だけど." When he cut the witch's shadow whip, the blade gleamed. Just for a moment.
The group was silent.
Isolde broke it. "彼,日本語を知ってるかもしれない." He might know Japanese.
"なぜそう思う?" Dain asked. Why do you think that?
"アルカード.ドラキュラの逆さ読み.あの名前を知ってるのは…私たちだけだ." Alucard. Dracula backwards. Only we would know that name.
The weight of her words settled on them.
"つまり…彼も俺たちの一人?" Finnian said slowly. You mean… he's one of us?
"可能性はある," Selene said. It's possible.
"でも確証はない," Orin said. But there's no proof.
"次に会ったら聞く," Dain said. Next time we meet him, we'll ask.
"彼が答えをくれると思うか?" Isolde asked. Do you think he'll answer?
"たぶん答えない," Orin said. Probably not.
"じゃあ,どうする?" Finnian asked. Then what do we do?
Orin looked at the stream, at the water flowing over the stones.
"彼が助けてくれた.借りがある.それでいい." He helped us. We owe him a debt. That's enough for now.
The Evening – Preparation
They made camp. Dain gathered wood. Isolde cleaned her arrows. Finnian repaired his spider with spare gears and copper wire. Selene sat apart, staring at her hands.
Orin approached her.
"セレーネ," he said softly. Selene.
"聞こえてる," she said. I hear you.
"魔法は?" Your magic?
"戻らない." It's not coming back.
"戻るかもしれない."
"戻らない.わかってる." It won't. I know.
Orin sat beside her. "それでも,君はここにいる." Still, you're here.
"他に行くところがない." I have nowhere else to go.
"それでいい," he said. That's fine.
They sat in silence, watching the fire grow.
The Night – Speculation
Dain poked the fire with a stick. "アルカード,吸血鬼みたいな目をしてた." Alucard had eyes like a vampire.
"彼は吸血鬼じゃない," Isolde said. He's not a vampire.
"どうしてわかる?" How do you know?
"吸血鬼は日光の下で輝く.彼はただ…白いだけ." Vampires glitter in sunlight. He's just… pale.
"白すぎる," Dain muttered. Too pale.
Finnian tightened a screw. "吸血鬼でもいい.少なくとも俺たちを助けた." Even if he's a vampire, at least he helped us.
"吸血鬼が魔女を狩るか?" Isolde asked. Do vampires hunt witches?
"この世界の吸血鬼はわからない," Selene said. We don't know about vampires in this world.
Orin stood. "寝るぞ.明日は港へ向かう." Time to sleep. Tomorrow we head to the port.
"報酬は?" Dain asked. The payment?
"生きて帰ればもらえる." If we get back alive, we'll collect.
The group settled. The fire crackled. The stars came out.
Orin lay on his back, staring at the sky.
アルカード, he thought. お前は誰だ?
Alucard. Who are you?
He did not sleep well.
End of Chapter One Hundred Two