The Bodyguard Starts Again as a Knight of a Prestigious Familly c0

Welcome to the Underdark

000 – Just Before

 

Year 37 of the Empire

Teimasu Meruma didn’t go to horseman training school. In a small library, he opened a book. The magic books that he had spent three years collecting were lined up in the library. He had read them many times, and had already memorized them. A magic formation was set up at his feet.

The floor of the room was filled with geometrical patterns. The complex magic characters and shapes which Meruma had reproduced had been meticulously drawn down to the last detail.

From a round window in the ceiling, the daylight poured down in a straight line.

 

It’s finally complete…

 

When meruma closed his book, he was overcome by his emotions.

 

 

Year 2014 of the Western Calendar

Futoshi Saji of the Sajitaishi family was the bodyguard and had a katana in his hand. He was still thinking, how did this happen?

He had dropped out of high school and joined the ‘Namikawa Firm’, a so-called crime syndicate. He was only in the Namikawa Firm for a year. It was destroyed by the prosecution of the police. Though Futoshi was questioned, he was set free with minor charges. Afterwards, he rampaged in the town at night.

If you show off your strength, someone will employ you, so to speak.

Actually, rumours started quickly. An organization that wanted to hire a bodyguard came out.

He judged it to be a place that suited him. Futoshi became a bodyguard. He came to work as a bodyguard in various places. Even now. The ‘Takenaka group’ was invited to a meeting of the ‘Yonezawa group’.

It was the Takenaka group that Futoshi was employed in. He didn’t know what to do at meetings. However, he stands behind the gang leader of the Takenaka Group and glares.

That’s a bodyguard.

When the other person makes a strange move, he fights.  He had a katana by his left hand always ready to fight. A man who did not look like a bodyguard stood behind the gang leader of the Yonezawa group.

He had googly eyes.

He quietly stared at Futoshi.

 

One move and ‘fire’.

 

He won’t know what hit him

 

He’s been working as a bodyguard for half a year. However, Futoshi has never pulled his sword. The gang also likes him, he doesn’t try to use violence.

 

“With such a thing…”

 

The leader of the Takenaka Group, who was Futoshi’s leader, stood up.

 

“Please wait.”

 

The leader of the Yonezawa Group glared at the leader of the Takenaka group in a terrible manner.

 

“There will be counter measures.”

“Such as?”

 

In a cold voice, the leader of the Takenawa Group answered.

 

“So, what will you do?”

“It will be so… so heartbreaking… when the Takenaka group collapses.”

“It is impossible.”

 

The leader of the Takenaka group winked at Futoshi, indicating that they were returning. Futoshi, standing behind the leader, nodded, bowed, and turned to leave.

Then.

 

“Wait a minute, hey!”

 

A yell rises. While he was turning around, Futoshi pulled out his katana. The leader of the Yonezawa group pointed a gun at them and was cut in two by a single stroke. He was cut diagonally from the top.

Fresh blood flowed.

An expensive table and sofa were dyed in red.

 

“We’re leaving!”

 

The Takenaka leader yelled.

 

“It’d be bad if we stay here.”

 

However, Futoshi was not able to move. The bodyguard of the leader of the Yonezawa group pointed his muzzle.

“You’re the one who he hired, are you not?”

 

The leader of the Yonezawa group was already dead. The master who he had to protect was gone; there was no need to point a gun. The other party didn’t answer his words.

 

“I’ll leave.”

 

The leader of the Takenaka group left the room. The door was violently closed. The sound of footsteps could be heard going down the stairs.

 

Futoshi strengthened the grip on his katana. He was likely going to die here. He thought vaguely.

 

Something…

 

Did he actually do anything sincere in the last 17 years?

His parents, who were working in a small factory, committed suicide after falling into a large debt. Since then, Futoshi’s life noisily collapsed.

 

He could study.

His kendo was also pretty good.

He wasn’t even a bad person.

He even had a friend.

 

Why…

 

Did it go this way?

 

“I should have murdered for your boss.”

 

Said the bodyguard of the Yonezawa group.

 

With a voice thinner than he could imagine.

 

“The old bird Takenaka was going to die from the beginning

“Is that so…”

 

I’m not so sure.

Futoshi didn’t know a lot about the underworld. When he realized, he was already there. Thinking, it was probably better to be in that kind of environment from when you were born.

 

“You will also die here.”

 

The bodyguard who pointed his muzzle laughed.

 

 

When Meruma went out of the library, he used a ladder. There was a library in the bas.e.m.e.nt of his house. He said it was a study room, that no one can enter.

It seems that originally this room was going to be used as a war shelter. There was no war in the end. As a result, the room remained untouched.

The room was unrefined, it was filled with soil and moist throughout the year. n.o.body was entering it. In order not to alert anyone, Meruma quietly entered the mansion.

 

I may die…

 

He thought.

 

If he fails, he might die. He is going to try magic.

 

He entered a room on the second floor, Meruma wrote two letters.

One was a will, in case he failed.

The other was a letter for if he succeeded.

 

 

The sound of gunfire, from the other side of the door.

 

Apparently, the leader of the Takenaka group was killed. Multiple footsteps made their way up the stairs.

 

Futoshi closed his eyes.

He did not give up.

He was ready.

 

He took a deep breath.

He opened his eyes.

 

The katana was set up in a lower position.

He kicked at the floor.

 

A gunshot was fired and sparks rose. Though he expected it, he didn’t avoid it. He shifted his pose slightly diagonally so that he could avoid a fatal injury.

 

A sharp pain ran through his left shoulder, but he didn’t stop.

 

He jumped over the corpse of the Yonezawa group leader. He rushed to the bodyguard of the enemy.

He heard the second gunshot.

He raised the sword.

 

“s.h.i.t.”

 

After the short voice, the bodyguard fell to the floor. He was twitching and convulsing.

He still seemed to breathe. Even then, he still wouldn’t be saved.

 

He turned around.

The door was open.

Five men entered.

Handguns shone respectively as they were grasped in their hands.

 

“Wh, what?”

 

One person said as he looked at the Yonezawa group leader. Futoshi waved his sword. Blood flew off of it. It took time for the five people to a.s.sess the situation.

 

“ Raaahhh—!”

 

He roared.

Futoshi raised his sword.

One by one, he cut the people in front of him. Several gunshots were heard. His ears were buzzing in the middle. He didn’t hear if his eardrum ruptured. Bright red blood drew an arc in the air as it scattered.

 

 

He finished writing his letters. Meruma left his testament on the desk. Another letter was politely folded and thrust in his pocket.

The door to the room was opened. He confirmed that no one was in the corridor. Masking his footsteps, he descended towards the ground floor. After thinking a little, he entered the washroom. He searched in the drawers and found a handy gla.s.s mirror.

He entered the warehouse with a door to his bas.e.m.e.nt. When he descended down the ladder, he inhaled greatly.

 

Goodbye, world.

 

It is a fate he chose himself.

He still trembled.

Whether this was the correct choice would depend on what happened later. He walked to the back of the room so as not to damage the magic formation. He lifted the crystal, which emitted a blue light, from the pedestal.

The floor shone as the last confirmation.

Both the magical letters and shapes were artistic and beautiful. A white line was drawn all over the floor, in shapes, letters and text.

 

“It’s going well.”

 

He persuaded himself.

Meruma returned the crystal to the pedestal with shaky hands. He put the hand mirror at the noticeable place.

He stood at the center of the formation. His heart was beating loudly.

The wind came unexpectedly.

It was a little cold.

 

 

By the time he’d noticed, Futoshi stood alone in the office.

 

“A, a monster…”, said the voice of the falling Yonezawa bodyguard.

 

He seemed to not have died yet.

 

Maybe he’s right…

 

Futoshi thought.

He was a monster. His body ate several bullets and was still alive and he was still standing.

 

 

He memorized the spell words. He could say it without having to think about it. Meruma said the incantation carefully.

The wind strengthened.

The drawn magic formation began to glow faintly. He was an atheist, but Meruma prayed for it to succeed.

 

Please, a place better than here.

 

 

“But it’s already over…”

 

Futoshi knew himself best.

He couldn’t survive any longer.

He was dying.

 

Buddha did not believe in G.o.d either, but Futoshi prayed.

 

Please, a better place than here.

 

 

Meruma squinted his eyes.

The light was getting stronger.

 

The air was warping.

Everything that was visible to him began to distort.

Standing  became painful.

His heartbeat was irregular.

It’s a success!

 

While chanting the spell, Meruma was convinced.

Surely, one’s soul will start to slip out of the body.

 

Futoshi fell on the floor.

He was still conscious.

He understood that darkness was approaching around the corner.

 

 

Meruma finished the spell.

At that moment, he was thrown into darkness.

His consciousness was pulled into the darkness.

 

 

Futoshi’s consciousness broke off.

 

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Translator’s Corner

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elsondwarf:

I’M FINALLY DONE! THIS TOOK FOR EVAH xD

In the meantime anything you guys want to add?

 

Sam Jakes:

I’m one of the editors of this novel. I like cats, bewbs and ISSTH.

I’m also secretly an octopus ~~(-3-)~~

 

elsondwarf:

Let’s just leave it at that…

Also, GO TO SLEEP!
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