Chapter 1, When Peaceful Times Cease to Exist : Prologue

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「Hurry up, Ephralce.
We’re going to be late to the council meeting!」

「Please wait, Zege-senpai! There’s no need to be hasty! Aahh! The documents will fall!」

Ephralce, who is wearing round-glasses stumbled over the hem of her long skirt she held in her hands, nearly dropping a large amount of documents, but Zege, moving along with swiftness that belied his middle-aged weight exquisitely supported her.

「Today, the long awaited debate will begin, the world will be watching, and definition and documentation will be compiled regarding Archfiend Alfiris, who indirectly triggered the recent battle.
It’s worth my life just to have won the right to participate in this debate! You lot should be thankful to the spirits for your good fortune to be involved in this venture when you just graduated from college!」

「If I had studied at my desk, I would have just graduated first in my class, and I was going to spend my time relaxing as a librarian in a library where nobody comes to bother me.」

「In spite of that, it was a very innovative graduation thesis for that.
I think it was called ‘A Hero’s Perspective as Deciphered through the Logic of Magical Constructs and Friendships?’ You told the story of the Demon Lord Alphiris from a perspective that has never been seen before, and it was very original.
I have read it as well.」

「Haa~ I’m afraid so.
You’re like an Archfiend aren’t you, senpai?」

Ephralce’s round glasses gleamed, but Larkon was unconcerned and continued on his way.

「What if it was the case?」

「No, I just wanted to make sure.
In my opinion, Alfiris is just a normal human being, so wouldn’t it be a problem if our opinions conflicted in the Council?」

「Hmph, how could an ordinary person continue to sway millions of people into war for hundreds of years! Did you see the gravestone at the Hesperdes Hill? The number of grave markers for humans, elves, seekers, barbarians, dragonkin, beastmen, and other demi-human races alone occupies enough space to form a country! If you don’t call that woman who started this war an Archfiend, what else do you want to call her?」

「If you’re referring to the ‘Strategic Takeover,’ I’m sure many people who wanted to participate in it, and I don’t think you should blame her for what happened after her death.
It’s true that the world changed drastically before and after the appearance of Alphiris… I guess this council meeting is to discuss that.」

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「You’re right.」

Once again, Zege responds with a snort.
Ephralce hurried to keep up with him as he walked at a fast pace, skipping down the stairs one step at a time.
Since the debate will be attended by a large number of guests from lords, nobles, and military personnel, as well as the general audience, security is expected to be tight.
The guards, standing at regular intervals, saluted Zege and Ephralce in turn.

「We also represent a prestigious role, the Library of the Yesod’s Foundation.
I’ve been working hard for more than a decade, singlemindedly, since I became a librarian, to get this job.
Normally, it would be uncomfortable to have a young woman like you in the room, but the higher-ups decided that you have a unique point of view and could add to the debate.
Don’t worry about me, you can say whatever you want.」

「Thank you for your generosity, it means a lot.
But we don’t have to agree on anything, do we?」

「I don’t care.
Whether if it’s the Bard’s Guild, Union of Scholars, or the representatives of any demihuman races or kingdoms, they will never be able to match the amount of information we have on Alfiris.
It’s no exaggeration to say that what we say will determine the outcome of the conference.
Our roles is to provide a unique perspective.
It’s not about unifying opinions.」

「I see… Senpai.
I’m getting nervous even after all this time.」

「Hmph, of course it is.
The lords of this world are gathered here.
Hey, are you sure you’re going to be okay dressed like that? Why don’t you look a little more presentable? Your glasses are out of place and your braid looks like it’s coming undone.」

「I’ve been doing some last minute research… Well, it’s not my job to stand out at meetings.」

「What? You’re not going to tell me that dressing up is great, are you?」

「I’m confident that I can make my seniors fall in love with me.」

Zege couldn’t help but laugh as Ephralce’s glasses glinted mysteriously.

「If you can make that jokes before a meeting, you should be fine.」

「Well, I’m really confident, aren’t I?」

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「Then I’ll look forward to it, by the way, though I’m already a married man.
First up is the meeting in front of you.
Open the gates!」

　With Ephralce tilting her head to the side, Zege raises his hand and heavy doors of the assembly open.
Lords, scholars, and audiences from all over the world will be there to discuss the life of one person.

　In some biographies, she is described as a cruel and fierce woman, while the bards call her compassionate and loving, yet brave and heroic; in others, she is called a great king or an archfiend and in other situations, she is praised as a wise woman.

　Certainly, it’s about the life of Alfiris, the cursed female warrior that is said to have ruined the world.

＊＊＊

　「Hnn.
Hmm.
Ah, I slept well there…… Well, for an encampment, I did really slept soundly.」

When it woke up with a huge yawn from Alfiris, the sun was shining through the trees and a fresh breeze was blowing.
It’s been a month since she have seen the mooi birds that herald the arrival of spring.
Here in the Falte Forest, slightly south from the middle, were surrounded by a very pleasant sunny atmosphere.
Well, if she hadn’t, she might have been a little more careful about where she slept, even if she was indeed not particular about trivial matters.

「It is more comfortable than a cheap inn.
I guess it’s all thanks to you?」

The one below her with its rather sleepy black eyes turned towards me was the forest wolf that lives in this forest.

「Sister Anorn would have laughed at me if I told her I spent the night with a magic beast as my pillow.」

Sister Anorn is a clergywoman whom she have come to know well, if not as a friend, after meeting her many times in the inn town.
It seems that we are going to the same destination, but the speed of progress will be a little bit the same between the sisters who are heading east, praying and doing charity work in the towns along the way, and Alfiris, who is taking requests and deciding where to go as her interests takes her.

Three days ago, when she left the town of Dayton, she did something she have always wanted to do: let a rolled branch tell her where to go.
But the branch pointed in a completely different direction from the highway,

「You don’t want to do that, do you? You’ve got no sense of direction!」

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And while Anorn was told to do so, she half-heartedly plunged into the forest with a grin on her face, and as expected, it was Alfiris who got lost.
In this area, the road are well maintained and the monsters are well subjugated, so unless you go too deep into the forest, you won’t find dangerous monsters that can kill you, but the forest is still a plac