<h4>Vol. 1 - Chapter 5.6: Awakening (6)</h4>


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    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> As Takashi and his colleagues were talking enthusiastically, Allen unexpectedly approached the table. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Uh, Uhm..." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Hmm?" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I was listening to the conversation on the side... and, in other words... Are you people trying to save the world...?" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Yeah. Well..." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi scratched his cheek with a troubled expression. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "If I were strong, I could help you right away, but... I''m, weak. But I intend to make this ce a better ce to live. So, I''ll be looking at the long term and... huh, WHAA!?" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Suddenly, Allen held Takashi''s hands with tears streaming down his face. He cried while his voice trembled. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "When Leirune was conquered, we thought the world was over and resigned ourselves! But the heavens have not abandoned us!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> His wife, Kate, also shed tears as she kneeled before Takashi. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Ah! Lord Hero, thank you so very much!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "No, don''t be so dramatic!!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Kate then looked down at the little rice. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "It doesn''t matter how many years it takes. If one day, there is a world where this child can live happily, then..." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Takashi felt his heart tighten at the thought of Kate''s love for her child. Takashi stared at rice''s innocent sleeping face and swore in his heart. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Someday, for sure, I''ll make the world a ce where people can live happily ever after.) </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> ◇???????? ◇???????? ◇???????? ◇???????? ◇ </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The open market downtown from the Syness Castle. While Exce was amongst the demons shopping for ingredients for supper, an orc barged into the line. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Get out of the way, woman. I''ll go first." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "U--Uhm..." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Behind the bewildered Exce''s back, a golem lets out a thick, muffled sound. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Stop it. Thisd is Suzuki''s ve." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Eh. Is that so? About this, my bad." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The orc quietly got in line behind Exce. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> ...Returning from the market. With a shopping bag in hand, Exce was convinced. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> (Thanks to Lord Hero, this town is changing more and more for the better! If things continue as they are, there will be peace in the world!) </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> One week had passed since Exce and the rest had started living in Suzuki''s mansion. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Suzuki brought them all the money they needed for their daily life. Thanks to Suzuki''s generosity, the Exce and the rest were able to live a life without any inconvenience. Both Allen and Kate must have started getting used to living there. They showed more smiles on their faces. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> After preparing dinner, Kate said while soothing rice. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Lady Exce. Is it all right that, we alone, are allowed this happiness?" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Lord Hero is nning to free all the people of the town from very. More and more people will be happy from now on!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Kate smiled gently.------it was then, that a sound like something breaking could be heard from the garden. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Allen dear. I wonder if he knocked over a flowerpot or something." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Kate ran to the front door, looking worried. Exce followed her. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The moment she stepped out the front door, she tensed. A snake-headed fiend was standing in front of Allen. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "When I told him that Master Suzuki wasn''t here, this man took a flowerpot from the garden and..." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Allen spoke with a tense look on his face. The snake-headed fiend had an aura of evil different from the demons and fiends that Exce encountered in the town. The snake-headed fiend looked over at Exce and the others as if scrutinizing them. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "On-- Tw-- Thre... The old geezer''s here, too. Damn. How many ssves are in here! For an Iron-rank soldier, how dare he!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Exce tried to keep her voice as cheerful as possible while trying to encourage herself. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Master Suzuki is currently, away visiting Syness Castle. What can we do for you?" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I''m-- ssstarving." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Is that so? If you would like, please join us for dinner---" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Ah, no. Doing that would be bad. That''s why, Give me that!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The fiend''s vertical pupils were focused on rice, who was sleeping in Kate''s arms. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "That little baby. Feed it to me." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "No... you must be jest---" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "I did not sssaid it as a joke!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The snake-headed fiend tried to walk up to Kate. Allen stood in his way. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "W--We are Master Suzuki''s ves!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Ssso what of it!? I''m Gharaga, a Thunder-Lance Charge Silver-Rank Soldier. I outrank that chum." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Gharaga tried to extend his sharp-wed hands toward rice in Kate''s arms. Allen grabbed his arm. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Don''t touch my child!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Human. You ssscum are the one who ssshouldn''t be touching me with your filthy hands!" </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> Gharaga swung his other arm, the one that Allen hadn''t grabbed. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> "Die, Out of my way. You ssshit." </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> In the next instant, Allen''s head separated from his torso, sttering great amounts of fresh blood. </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> ... </em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"> <em ss="chakra-text css-0">Thud. </em></em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> The sound of Allen''s head hitting the ground awakened Exce from her dream-like thoughts. </em></em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> And she remembered. </em></em>


    <em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> She was living in a savage world ruled by demons without mercy orpassion.</em></em><em ss="chakra-text css-0"><em ss="chakra-text css-0"> </em></em>