The Spearmaster and the Black Cat-Novel

Chapter 8: Intermission Volume Achilles

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The huge mountain range called Maheim Mountain Range extends over the vast wide continent. The Maheim Mountain Range is the mountain range which seems to extend endlessly across the continent. The steep valleys of the Maheim Mountain Range is territory unexplored by humans, and here is the village of a certain race.

The people living in the village, called themselves the Goldiba Tribe.

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Today is the monthly day of prayer.

Going deep underground, directly to the Divine Beast “La Kerlada,” it is a day of giving thanks.

It’s a custom that we Goldiba inherited from our ancestors.

I brace myself and dress in my priestly vestments.

I fitted a brass chest button onto the long sleeves of the thin leather clothes. I wrap a leather belt around my waist, four long stilettos visible over hanging over my thighs.

I put on a tiger leather coat and straighten its dark blue-collar.

The embroidery of the black beast that I had made in silver thread is added to the left and right of the chest on these tiger leather clothes.

Finally, holding a black spear, with a black cowl attached to the tiger leather clothes covering my head, my ensemble is complete.

I open the door and go out.

“Ah, Achilles Ji-chan. Those clothes, you’re wearing the hunting clothes??”

“That’s not it, today I’m going to the place of worship, won’t you come?”

“Yes, I know. When you have finished please return safely.”

“I’ll return tomorrow morning.”

My grandchild of Lefa won’t enter the shrine, I’m worried.

You should follow my order obediently.

I go to the shrine in the stone paved plaza.

At the entrance of the shrine, a solid stone door blocks the way. There’s a small stone statue with the symbol of Black Beast Lohse-sama carved before the left hand entrance. The sharp pair of eyes on the stone statue stare at me.

I turned the sharp stone statue to the left.

As always, the solid stone door of the shrine opens.

There’s no kind pedestal enshrining the god in the temple.

There’s only a rectangular pedestal in the middle, in the round circular space.

There is a hole the same size as a medal on the pedestal.

I remove the medal hanging from the necklace on my chest, and place the medal in the hole of the pedestal.

The fitted pedestal moves automatically.

No matter how many time I see it I can’t understand the mechanism behind it.

It’s a mysterious thing left behind by our ancestors……

A stone protrusion appears from the pedestal.

The stone door behind me closed automatically.

When the protrusion is grasped with both hands, the booth begins to move with a *gaka*. The surrounding stones moved with a *Shuuuuu*, and the mysterious white smoke which feels of god escapes.

It moves down instantly.

……This feeling isn’t something I’ve gotten used to.

When I’m confined in a stone pipe, there a strong sense of unease.

I’ve repeated this some years ago too but what one isn’t used to one isn’t used to.

This mysterious stone pipe from the ancient days, is something we call the God Tower.

Generation after generation, it’s a thing that only the priest of the village can use.

The stone tube continues deep underground. After going down, it stops.

The door at the back of the stone tube opens automatically. The pedestal in the center of the floor moves automatically again, the handle of the protruded stone is stored.

Finally, the medal I inserted at the beginning reappears on the pedestal.

After the medal I had placed in the pedestal is returned to the necklace on my chest, the side door opened behind me.

I look around elevated underground shrine.

As always……the humid air is full to the brim. I try to look under the bottom of the stairs while dimly breathing the air in through my nose.

Under the stairs, the black statue of our Divine Beast Lohse-sama stands towering over the surrounding.

It’s in excellent form today.

Enshrined in this underground temple is the Lohse-sama statue.

I make the food offering and carefully clean while doing the prayer of “La Kerlada.”

But, this place here is the underground world.

An apostle may appear someday.

In order not to be negligent I must be vigilant.

Then, my eyes move to the ceiling.

The big pan hanging from the ceiling shines brightly.

It’s not burning in any normal way.

The flame in this pan is always mysterious……

A stone burns in the pan, but it only works in this place.

The flames went out when I carried a stone to the surface.

Well, I’ll pray to the Lohse-sama statue……eh

I look around the shrine with my eyes. The water in the surroundings is clean. Despite the view I go down the stairs.

“–Mm?”

I detect sound and demon element where the water splashed.

“Na.”

I crouch down at once.

It’s human?

Moreover, a tall young man. Black eyes and hair.

He is wearing a cuirass and a wound in his side seems to be bound with rabbit hide rags?

But, he wears strange clothes.

Instinctively, at the human which approached the Lohse-sama statue, I stared.

Looking more closely.

Nua, again, I react without thinking.

Another demon element–that, it may be an apostle!

An apostle appeared behind the young man.

Finally to become excite here, it appeared recently, but……

…I don’t want to fight too much here in this shrine, but it can’t be helped.

My enemy, an apostle.

Furthermore, that’s an apostle with wings……a hunter type.

The apostle seems to be hunting the young human.

Can I help?

I wondered but it was impossible. The contest was over in an instant.

The young human man receives more than one attack including his stomach and back being pierced, and completely hit his head on the statue.

–He must be dead.

It’s surprising that a human lives here, but……

The problem is the hunter apostle. I can’t permit it. The pollute the statue of the Divine Beast Lohse-sama.

“Deliver punishment……”

I mutter furiously.

While keeping low, I go down the stairs with a slouched posture. I put strength in the hand grasping the black spear and guide magic into the four long stilettos placed at my waste. While going down the stairs, I suddenly–become aware of the atmosphere of the place changing.

Did the hunter apostle do something?

I hurry and run to the place, but I couldn’t believe the scene that awaited me……

The bloody young man was wrapped in a sea of blood chains.

That moment, the blood chains surrounded the area like a living thing, going on to consume the apostle.

The young human man overwhelmed an apostle.

Disgusting, this guy, is he not human?

Not having seen–the blood becomes a chain moves mysteriously–

–Natsu!?

The blood chains bound the apostle. When the young man jumps at the apostle who can’t move and catches the head of the apostle, his mouth opens with an expression of joy.

When the two canines lengthen and become sharp, he buried his face and bit into the neck of the apostle.

The apostle’s blood is sucked completely dry almost instantly leaving only dry bones, the armor it wore falls to the ground.

That instant, the demon element that was leaking from the young man suddenly swelled. The young man murmurs something as he pulls himself together, but he immediately falls down. He seems to have passed out.

The Vampire race called Mazoku.

……Mazoku, it’s an enemy. I’ll kill you now.

It’s not only an apostle, looking at the enemy called Mazoku after a long time, an old feeling is going to revive.

At that moment–

The flame worn by the Lohse-sama statue went out.

That kind of thing happens.

Black flame was being drawn into the mural under the statue.

I stared at the statue. A black beast Lohse-sama image is clearly projected on the mural.

Furthermore, the statue of the black beast which was on the mural lost its light and collapsed.

Awawawawaw, watsu, I, our, Divine Beast Lohse-sama–

Natsu!?

Now Divine Beast Lohse-sama, appeared with a slightly translucent figure.

It’s walking towards the young man who collapsed.

Possibly, has it revived?

“Shinju yuuuuuusamaaaa!”

The Divine Beast-sama takes no notice of my words.

I’m ashamed, but I’m unable to stand up.

The transparent Divine Beast-sama stoops down and puts its mouth to the young man.

Then,

“Uoooooooooooon!”

A powerful roar from above its mouth.

Then Lohse-sama disappears……

Ah, Lohse-sama!? Again, have you disappeared?

For short period, nothing is thought, from both eyes tears were spontaneously flowing.

Astonished by my conditions with tears running down my cheeks, I look at the collapsed young man.

The earnest wish of the Goldiba. It’s fragile……

The purpose of the role of a priest passed father to son for generations……

I……for what……

–Nastu, what!?

Miraculous things happen one after another.

The young man a short while ago, disgusting flesh and blood of the vampire squirms, pulling and collecting into one……at the same time the demon element of this young man, his magic, it is suddenly lost.

The flesh and blood that wriggled began strange movements and started to take a form.

Finally……a black cat? Then, it is created.

The small black cat, climbs onto the body of the young man.

Perhaps, is that cat the Divine Beast-sama?

There are the feelers too. This is after all, the reincarnation of the Divine Beast-sama?

“A miracle……well, the legend was true……”

Lohse-sama is alive.

This is the blessing of Goldiba.

In this “Legend handed down in the medal,” there was the reason that we protected this shrine.

Lohse-sama in the form of the black cat repeatedly licks the face of the young man.

Sometimes, anxious red eyes turned to the young man’s face. Without change, it admirably continues to lick the face of the young man.

The young man doesn’t wake up, he seems to be asleep.

This youth did something with the Divine Beast-sama.

I saw is clearly.

With the flesh and blood of the young man, Lohse-sama was able to do it, this young man is a vampire, but……it doesn’t change that the Divine Beast was born from his flesh and blood.

If I don’t inspect this young man in detail……

I decided to carry the young man to the house above.