Chapter 12

The sword of the Holy Maiden was a pure white blade that had never been tainted by human blood before.

"Why, stop-!"

She grimaced desperately and tried to resist, but it was useless.

The holy maiden's body no longer belonged to her.

-Pow!

Her blade, moving like water, pierced the robber's sternum.

She forced the blade to move, tearing off his shoulder blade, and swung it around to strike his throat.

It was an unbelievable killing sword that had never killed anyone before.

"Ah, ahh...!"

Her face was stained with blood as the throat of the robber was sliced open.

At the same time, the holy maiden's expression was as distorted as tears were streaming down her cheeks.

She sobbed, cursing her body for not listening to her while I remained silent with a cigarette in my mouth.

"─She did."

At that moment, Aria, who had remained silent beside me, spoke up.

"Do you really think she deserves the name of 'Black Snake'?"

"Aria."

Hearing that, I replied.

"That's not for you to judge."

"Excuse me, sir."

Aria bowed hastily and apologized.

The second in command of the Black Snake, who, more than anyone else, extols the virtues of blind obedience and submission, yet, ironically, casts the most thought and doubt on my will.

Does Aria realize the contradiction of her actions? I couldn't tell.

"Don't you like her?"

"That's not for me to think about."

"I want to hear what you think."

"─"

I said as Aria was silent for a moment, then spoke in a cautious voice.

"That child, Jeanne...reminds me of me in my immature days."

Aria's immature days? I couldn't help but wonder. No, I really wanted to know.

"What kind of immaturity?"

"Hoo-hoo. You're awful."

Aria giggled, as if amused by my question. No, I'm genuinely curious.

"I was a fool not to realize the beauty of the threads that wrapped around my body, not to realize the joy of being a puppet and dancing."

Aria said and hearing that, I replied.

"I do not intend to keep her for long."

"!"

I was silent for a moment, staring at the burning butt of my cigarette and Aria cleared her throat, as if surprised by my words.

"You don't have to move with us, as any comrade would."

"Yes, sir."

"Were you afraid of losing your place?"

The unexpected words caught Aria off guard. It was so unlike her or, in a sense, like her.

Her eyes, impossible to see through the black bandages, seemed to widen.

"...!"

Embarrassment radiated from Aria. It was a childlike form of it, childish and understandable.

Jealousy and exclusivity.

Not denying her feelings, the woman with the black sword's name smiled shyly.

"Please forgive this younger sister's foolishness, Brother Rain."

"─"

She said with a smile and in a voice that sounded like an immature younger sister being pampered.

Why does she call me that? Do we really have the same blood in our veins? I couldn't even tell.

I got to my feet and made my way toward the holy maiden, who was dancing a bloody sword dance among the robbers.

"Heh, heh!"

Then, just as she was about to swing her blood-colored blade at the last man standing, Sir Lockhart, the Knight of the Rocky Mountains.

"Stop."

"!"

The Holy Maiden body froze in place while I looked at Lord Lockhart, who was now white as a sheet and trembling.

"Let me ask you a few things."

"Yes, yes! Speak, my wizard lord, I will answer anything!"

Lord Lockhart fell to his knees and began to plead desperately.

"Are there any other people in this part of the country, besides yourself, who are engaged in the 'train business'?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, the fallen nobles and knights here in the province of Lockwood have joined together to form the Train Robbery Alliance and-"

"That's enough."

Sparks of lightning danced from my fingertips as I replied, engulfing the knight in front of me.

Apparently, this wasn't going to be the last of the "bad luck" that would stand in the way of the train.

I turned my head to see the holy maiden, who had finally broken free from the submission spell and regained her freedom, staring at me with a look of hatred on her face.

As she glared at me with her hateful eyes.

"Thank you!"

An unexpected voice called out.

"Thank you for saving me, knight, mage!"

"─Ah."

Several passengers hesitated, then rushed toward us and her eyes widened in panic at the words.

"You saved my life!"

"I really didn't know what was going to happen, but alas!"

It wasn't a visually pleasing scene, but that didn't make any difference. Standing in front of the grateful passengers, one by one, Jeanne swallowed hard.

"Do you still think they deserve to be alive?"

"─"

The holy maiden did not answer. She remained silent, looking rather complicated among the passengers who thanked her.

Seeing this, I wordlessly removed my coat and draped it over her shoulders.

"!"

I said in a voice barely audible to the passengers around me.

"That is the uniform that symbolizes the Black Serpent."

"─!"

It's not like we have a mascot or anything. Even so, the significance of the uniform was not taken lightly.

───

"Equipment Information"

– Name -"Uniform of the Black Snake"

– Rarity – Mythic

– Stats:

– 0 Armor, +900 Evasion, +300 DEX

– Grants the buff <Binding of the Black Snake> while equipped.

– Grants the buff <Blessing of the Abyss> while equipped.

– Unique Art <Black Parade> can be activated while equipped.

– Description · A coat-shaped uniform symbolizing the secret society "Black Snake".

A rare material called "Dark Strands" is used to make the fabric, which is extremely difficult to obtain and can only be found in the depths of the Abyss.

───

I can't really see the equipment information, I'm just recalling it off the top of my head.

The most powerful armor in the Heroic Age series, obtained after defeating a member of the Black Snake.

Once possessed by this world, I can't see its contents in the form of system messages but while I can't see, I can feel the unquestionable power and performance of this uniform.

By the way, this is not the only uniform in my bag. That way I can change in time and do my laundry.

Anyway,

My comrades will recognize the outfit, and even those who are not comrades will recognize the meaning of the outfit, as will those who know the weight of the Black Snake.

The fact that the Holy Maiden is favored by the snake.

"When the time is right, you will come to claim your uniform with an answer."

"!"

"After that, it will be your decision to stay with us or not."

"What does that mean?"

"That we will split up here."

"What─?"

At those words, the Holy Maiden gulped.

"From here on out, the power of the Imperial Central Government cannot reach us, and the farther we move forward, the farther away we will become."

The train robbery business of the Fallen Nobles in the immediate area was proof of that so I told her.

"It's up to you where you want to go."

It was a little sooner than I had anticipated, but it had to be done.

I was going to set her free but not "freely" at the same time.

"This is the commandment that shall bind you and keep you in chains until that time."

A command to keep her in chains and restraint even after we part. At those words, the holy maiden expression hardened once more. Undaunted, I gave the command.

"Live."

"!"

"Do not spare your pursuers. Show no mercy in the face of your enemies, kill them without mercy, and finally-."

Once again, the violet eyes glowed from the back of my hand. The magic of submission curled along her body, unforgettable no matter how far away.

"Do not dishonor the serpent's name."

No longer would the blade of the Holy Virgin show mercy to those who pursued her.

And there was no doubt about her ability to show no mercy since the situation would not have come to this in the first place.

"Why do you go to such lengths?"

Jeanne, dressed in her black uniform, asked, unable to comprehend.

"What the hell are you up to?"

"Don't look to me for answers." I said.

"Think for yourself, or better yet, don't think at all."

"!"

"You'd better move before help arrives."

After I said that, I turned around and started walking out of the train.

"Hehe, see you later, sis!"

Alice waved as if she was sad to see her go.

"I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Miss Jeanne."

Aria smiled meaningfully and turned her head.

The two "black snakes" follow behind me as usual.

That's not the end of it, but for now it needed to look that way.

With that thought, we strode across the setting sun over the Land of the Dead beyond the soon-to-be-end of the Empire, toward a neutral, labyrinthine city that belonged to no nation.