After parting from Juvia and leaving the castle, we headed straight for where Fiona was, the Gheil Volcano. We were already going to go there anyway if it weren't for that whole attack, so we were actually following our original plan.
If left alone, Fiona would definitely defeat Levia and destroy Svel, and that's not a good thing. I wasn't there for long, but I quite like that country. It's really got a fantasy feel. So I'm going to have to stop that dumbass sheep myself.
The distance looked to be about 20km from Svel. It was farther than I expected, but for Fiona's huge body, it probably wasn't actually that far.
First off, let's say a regular sheep is a meter tall. Of course, this is with it standing on all fours, not vertical for some reason. Fiona on all fours was over 100 meters tall, so she was 100 times bigger than a normal sheep. So, 20km to Fiona was basically as close as 200m.
Of course, there were differences in speed between a human and a sheep, but in any case, to Fiona the distance was only a matter of a few minutes or even tens of seconds, so even 20km away, Svel was by no means safe. If the country were to get complacent because of the distance, it'd be entirely possible for Fiona to trample over the entire city in thirty seconds.
Just being large has accompanying power and speed.
Normally, you'd think that if someone got bigger they'd get slower, right? For example, if some bug were to become human-sized, it wouldn't suddenly become really strong or fast, it'd just get crushed under its own weight. A bug's exoskeleton is unable to support a large amount of weight, and it only works because the bug is so weak. It's because it's small that a bug can fly several tens of times its own size in distance and can carry things much heavier than itself. This isn't just limited to bugs. Every living thing has its own perfect size and physical ability.
But this is a fantasy world. In this world, things can make no sense, and the unnatural can become natural. Just what kind of power is behind that, I have no idea, and given my education, I wouldn't understand anyway. It could just be that living things are made of different stuff, right down to the bones.
However, there is one thing I can say.
"In this world, common sense doesn't apply."
In reality, Fiona is able to move normally with that size, so there's no choice other than to accept that statement. The contradiction of being able to move far better than a normal sheep on top of that over-100-meter-tall body. It works in this world.
Also, this distance is no huge deal for me, either.
"Well then, We'll be going. You can drop in through teleportation later."
"Understood. Good luck."
I left Haruka in town. Even if I were to leave her behind, she could just use teleportation to meet up again later, and thinking clearly, there wasn't any need to bring her around with me before, either.
The redhead girl was a really convenient person to have around, was my honest impression.
Well, that's just fine.
The problem is the grimmfolk behind her, or whatever, but… I can't really tell anything until I meet that person. If they're the boss of the grimmfolk, they're definitely level 1000, but if that's the case, I have no idea why Svel is still standing.
Could they just be torturing them? Or do they really only have that much power?
I can't shake this creepy feeling.
***
The Gheil Volcano.
This mountain, which peaked at a towering 1000 meters above sea level, stood 20km away from Svel. It was an active volcano, but was currently undergoing a long rest period, and hadn't erupted in several hundred years. At its foot, a single castle fortress stood, playing host to monsters.
However, Fiona was not inside. In the first place, Fiona couldn't fit inside with her huge body. This castle was just there for appearances, and the throne was left empty.
It was definitely not impossible to get inside for Fiona. Fiona did have a skill to assume a temporary human form given to her by a Monster Tamer skill. Most likely, it was possible for her to assume that form and sit on the throne in the castle.
However, she had no intention of doing so. If she were to take human form while being consumed by revenge like she was now, it would certainly look awful. Fiona wouldn't be able to take the form given to her by her master being sullied and twisted like that… So she always moved around as a monster.
These thousand years, Fiona had never once used her skill to take human form.
"Lady Fiona."
Someone called out to Fiona, who was lying down next to the castle. It was the voice of a woman… Fiona didn't hide her disdain and turned a sharp gaze on her.
From Fiona's huge perspective, she was so small Fiona could just fail to notice her, like an ant… Vernal, the woman who just called her, smiled happily as Fiona properly centered the woman before snorting in derision.
"What do you want?"
"Oh? Can't I talk to you without any particular business, m'lady?"
The woman looked like a human in shape, but her skin was clearly a different color. She has short brown hair, and her entire body was covered in deathly pallor skin with several red markings that line her face and some part of her body. The whites of her eyes were actually black with glowing crimson irises. Fangs peeked out of the corners of her mouth, and her presence was definitely inhuman.
And in truth, the woman wasn't human at all. She was part of the race of demon that was currently tormenting humanity, the grimmfolk. Her appearance perfectly aligned with that race's traits.
"First, shall I compliment you on a job well done? That just then weakened Levia considerably… The next time you fight, you'll probably win, Lady Fiona."
"…Of course. That was my plan."
"Then, why are you simply sleeping and doing nothing right now? You're so close to bringing down Svel, you know? Just what are you waiting for?"
The grimm woman talked kindly, like a close friend trying to get Fiona to confide in her. But the dangerous glint in her eyes held not even a single hint of friendliness nor kindness.
"No, it didn't just start now, either. These last couple years, you could have crushed Svel any time you pleased. But you haven't. Why?"
"…"
"You couldn't be second-guessing yourself. They're the bastards that betrayed your precious master. Did you forget?"
"…No, I could never forget."
Fiona was actually hesitating. That was an indisputable fact.
She had no qualms about bringing down the Seven Maidens of Midgar themselves. If they were just some common warriors or mages, she would have killed them long ago.
However, if they died, their countries would fall, and the grimmfolk would be pleased. Her master definitely wouldn't want that. Because she, more than anyone, had desired and aimed to be free of the fear of the grimmfolk. There was no way she'd want to destroy an entire country only over revenge.
Fiona already knew from the beginning that her revenge went against her master's wishes.
But, even so… Fiona couldn't forget. Not ever. The warmth of that hand that was offered to her that day. Nor could she forget the anger over the fact that that same hand was stolen from her.
"I know… I will definitely kill Juvia. Right now, I'm just waiting for my wounds to heal."
"I see. I'm relieved to hear that, Lady Fiona. Then, you can go already, right?"
"…Yes. I can go at any time."
Fiona had her doubts. But the fire of her anger towards Juvia… No, all of the Seven Maidens of Midgar, would never fade. No matter if it caused the destruction of the world or if it went against her master's wishes… Even so, Fiona couldn't suppress the anger with reason. Just how could she live without clearing away the anger and grief at having her master stolen away?
Fiona let the madness consume her and stood her huge frame up.
Levia would probably show itself again, but this time, she had confidence that she'd win. As for Juvia herself, although in her prime it was another matter entirely, as she was now, she was entirely killable.
"Great. Then let's go attack now. My monster preparations are perfect. Of course, it's not just a gathering of weaklings like last time. It's an elite army full of monsters, like over level 100 wyverns. This force'll even overwhelm the great Sword Saint in only tens of minutes."
"…I only see a gathering of weaklings, though."
"Forgive me my lady, but when compared to the legendary Twelve Zodiac's Guardians. Anything'd look weak."
From Fiona's perspective, the monsters that the woman gathered were simply weaklings that would make no difference whether they were there or not.
Humanity wasn't the only one that degraded over the last one thousand years. Although, as a result of that fight the grimmfolk won, they didn't come out unscathed, given that it was a fight hard enough to wipe out almost all of the heroes from that era.
Just like how humanity lost all of their great warriors of the time, the grimmfolk also paid a great price, and nearly all the grimmfolk that could be called strong, other than the Grimm King himself, were also wiped out by the heroes. And the most powerful monsters were used by both sides, humanity and the grimmfolk, so their numbers were reduced as well, with some species even being completely wiped out.
The grimmfolk won, but that fight was almost completely even. It was a fight where either side could have won, and the winner was simply the side whose casualties were the least severe… That was exactly why it was unforgivable.
If Fiona's master had been there, humanity would have won. It would have been a massacre. Humanity would have cleaned this world of the grimmfolk, and Naru would have built a world free of their fear.
And who was it that wasted all that potential? Just who were the fools that caused this current situation? Those people, who were nothing more than war criminals, were hailed as heroes and, even now, lived carefree, and Fiona just couldn't stand that.
That's why she would kill them. She had no doubts about that decision. They probably had their own version of justice, but it didn't matter a wink to Fiona.
Her only real worry was… Fiona just couldn't stop thinking the person in the orange mantle that appeared back then was her master. And that filled Fiona with a strange sense of hope as well as fear.