It was a night when the stars could be clearly seen in the cloudless sky. A faint glow was emanating from a place deep in a wilderness where dry earth protruded unevenly from the ground.
The light was from a tavern that was placed in the middle of a long road that stretched from one remote town in this wilderness to another. It was not a particularly rare sight.
The tavern was a small building made out of sandstone and was showing signs of age. On its rooftop was a tent-covered resting area. The tavern’s interior was illuminated by oil lamps, and a backpack-carrying merchant and traveler were currently drinking and chatting with each other.
「Hey, I saw some ruins on the way here. You have any idea what’s inside that place?」
The traveler unfolded a well-worn map and pointed to a spot on it with a dirt-laden finger.
The map was drawn in a rough manner and didn’t contain the location of the small tavern in it. However, the merchant seemed accustomed to seeing such a map and sighed.
「If you believe the rumors, then that ruin supposedly has been around for a very long time. Some even say that it was built in the age of the gods. Well, unfortunately, it’s a place with nothing of note within it.」
The traveler listened with interest to the merchant’s words. It was a place with little to no sources of entertainment, so people here quickly talked about seemingly trivial matters.
As they chatted, some sand fell from the ceiling. It must have been because someone had opened the door and entered the tavern.
The gazes of the tavern’s owner and the two people chatting were drawn to the entrance.
It was a man and woman who entered.
The man was of medium build, with a rounded face and an unshaven beard. He wore a menacing-looking spiky helm and a peculiar garment composed of iron plates seemingly sewn on top of what could only be described as rags.
Normally, it was not a particularly uncommon look, all things considered. However, the man also sported a dully shining long sword and a villainous countenance.
The woman had a slender build, a similarly slender face, and was slit-eyed. She sported a thorn-covered whip, wore tight-fitting leather armor, and was smoking a cigarette.
Calmly but intimidatingly, the pair scanned the tavern’s interior.
「Sorry for barging in this late in the evening, tavern keeper.」
She probably didn’t feel an ounce of guilt, but the woman still uttered an insincere apology with a smile on her face.
The tavern keeper lightly reached out for a one-handed sword hidden behind the counter. The tavern’s guards also drew their swords.
「Ya fellas didn’t really come ta this place ta eat, didn’t ya?」
「You’re quick on the uptake. I like smart men.」
「Can’t bring meself to be happy fer bein’ praised by an idiot. There won’t be any trouble if ya fellas get outta my joint right now. Leave.」
「An idiot? I wonder who exactly is the idiot here?」
The woman’s provocative smile deepened, seemingly taking great amusement in the situation despite the tavern keeper’s threat.
「Yer tryna rob my joint with just the two of ya. What else can I call ya except idiots?」
「Oh, now that you mentioned it…… I still have a friend who hasn’t entered yet because he’s just a little too big to fit in here. Mind if I call him over?」
One guard moved as if he was about to draw his sword in order to cut down the unwelcome intruders, but the tavern keeper raised his hand and gestured for him to stop. His instincts which have been honed after manning the tavern for many years told him that if they attacked here, something irreversible might happen.
「Can’t enter the tavern? What are ya yappin’ about, girlie?」
A lump of metal peered in between the intruding man and woman as if to answer the tavern keeper’s question.
It looked like a giant suit of armor with a will of its own, and it easily brought down the tavern’s door along with the part of the wall that was framing it.
When the monster that was twice as tall as a regular human appeared, the traveler overturned the table in front of him and fell on his bottom. The merchant who was chatting with the traveler also fell out of his chair and ended up having what remained of the cheap liquor he was drinking pour over his head.
「L-Living Mail!?」
「Hee? You sure are well-informed, mister.」
The bearded man who had been silent until now thrust a dagger near the neck of the traveler who spoke out involuntarily.
「Hey you, explain what this thing exactly is to all the stupid people here. Make it snappy.」
「Hiii…… U-Uh, like I said, this thing is a Living Mail…… I-It’s a suit of armor that moves on its own.」
Although he had a sword hanging from his waist, the traveler seemed to be weak to threats, so he raised his hands and spoke about what he knew.
However, the bearded man seemed disappointed that the traveler only knew so much and shrugged his shoulders.
「That ain’t even an explanation. You should study more, drifter.」
Then, the bearded man thrust his sword and pierced the traveler’s head. The traveler fell to the floor while convulsing as blood spewed from his wound, eventually dying in a whimper.
「You……!」
The guard’s bodies tensed up. However, they glanced at the Living Mail behind the pair of intruders and gritted their teeth in frustration.
「Do forgive my husband’s hastiness, alright? He’s always been like this. Bit of a bad habit, really.」
The woman giggled and patted the bearded man’s back, but the latter only displayed a happy expression and not an ounce of guilt or remorse for what he did.
The tavern keeper groaned helplessly.
“How could mere bandits like them have brought, no, tamed a Living Mail”, the tavern keeper inwardly questioned. It’s said that even just one or two Living Mails can rival an entire nation’s military might. It wasn’t something one could obtain easily just because one wanted to.
If that thing went on a rampage, it can easily destroy the tavern and everything in it. However, seeing that the bandits refrained from ordering it to do so, the tavern keeper decided to give up and relaxed his shoulders.
「……Everyone, put down yer swords. Well, tell me yer demands.」
「Fufufu, I really do like smart men after all. Listen up. From now on, this place will be our territory…… That’s why we’re simply conducting business here. You get it, right?」
The tavern keeper displayed an unwilling and bitter expression.
He had built up this tavern from scratch. Was he really going to have to surrender to these bandits who suddenly appeared from nowhere?
What these bastards wanted were money and food. However, it was also true that he didn’t have the strength to resist them.
「How much d’ya want……?」
「Hmmm, let’s see–」
Just as the woman was about to name a price, a tremendous noise of something shattering resounded behind her.
The sound of metal colliding with metal was immediately followed by the ground rumbling.
「What the–!?」
When the bearded man rushed out of the tavern, the Living Mail that should have been just outside was now lying prone on the side of the road.
It didn’t seem to have been destroyed, and it was attempting to stand up once more while emanating creaking noises from its body.
「H-Hey! The Mail was–!」
「–What’s happening out there!?」
The Living Mail which was said to be impervious to flames and blades, and can even easily repel siege weapons, was simply blown away like a mere pebble.
This sight sent chills to the female bandit’s spine. The tavern keeper called the female bandit stupid, but her knowledge and intuition as a thief were second to none.
Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, she had noticed another presence lurking nearby. It sent her on high alert.
「Who goes there!? Show yourself!」
As if responding to the female bandit’s flustered cry, a figure gradually revealed itself.
The sound of footsteps that rang out was even louder than those made by heavily armored infantrymen. Before long, a vividly blue suit of armor appeared before them, emanating a faint orange glow that made it stand out in the darkness of the night.
「Huh!? What’s a stray Mail doing in a place like this? ……Hey, hurry up and crush this lunkhead!」
Responding to the female bandit’s command, the Living Mail quickly stood up and raised its fist.
「Crush it to bits!」
The dull-colored Living Mail kicked up a cloud of dust and attacked the bright blue one from behind.
A human would be smashed to fleshy bits if hit with the Living Mail’s fist. No matter what kind of armor one wears, one wouldn’t be able to withstand the blow.
However, a trail of orange light ran through the dust cloud.
And then, a lump of metal rolled out in front of the female bandit. When she looked down, she found that it was the broken metal fist of the Living Mail that had crushed countless innocent people to death in the past.
The female bandit’s breath got caught in her throat. A disgusting-sounding gurgle was all that she could let out.
Before she knew it, the light blue Living Mail walked out of the dust cloud with an irritating air of calmness and a palpable sense of hostility. Behind it was the dull-colored Living Mail that had already ceased all movement.
「W-What are you doing!? H-Hurry and crush this lunkhead already!」
『That…… armor will no longer move anymore.』
The female bandit heard a voice ringing out from the darkness.
「A Living Mail is speaking……!?」
She had never heard of a Living Mail that was capable of human speech.
***
TL Notes:
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Uchuu Kaizoku Translations 