DYD: Volume 4 - The Feast of Cleaning

The Feast of Cleaning (大掃除の宴, Daisōji no utage) is the fourth novel in the Densetsu no Yusha no Densetsu series. It consists of 2 prologues and 4 chapters(15-18). It corresponds to episode 9 though 12 of the LofLH anime, excluding half of episode 10.

Characters[]

Major[]

Minor[]

Prologue I: Our Sadness is Engraved—[]

A lone boy wakes in a desert filled with dead bodies and no memories of anything except his name- Ryner Lute. As he is approached by two men, Ryner looks down at his body, noticing that he is a young boy, about 4 years old, and covered in blood. The men bring Ryner back to their village where he will have to start working for villagers in order to earn his keep. Each day, Ryner is given some food and a house to live in exchange for pilfering armor from the battlefield for the villagers to sell. He makes acquaintances with the adults and even friends with the kids in the village; the other children, his close friends Quill and Dell in particular, are very curious about Ryner’s background since he can’t remember anything about his parents or life before waking up on the battlefield.

One day, the sound of explosions near the village alerted the villagers that the army soldiers had brought the battlefield close again. When the soldiers and magicians enter the village, the villagers are initially relieved because their armor had the Roland coat of arms; however the soldiers don’t hesitate to put a sword through any of the villagers who began screaming. Once they are silenced, an old man steps out of a carriage and begins inspecting the young girls in the crowd. The noble picks Quill to take with him to his estate and kills her mother when she begs him to spare Quill. Dell runs towards the noble in an attempt to rescue Quill, but he is burnt to ashes by a magician. As Ryner’s vision begins to tinge with red, he copies the movement of the magician’s magic circle and burns the soldier that is trying to take Quill away. The soldiers are deathly afraid of the Alpha Stigma in Ryner’s eyes, though Ryner himself is unsure what it exactly is, and leave Quill in favor of making a hasty retreat. Ryner is happy to have protected the village that took him in, but the villagers are infuriated that a “monster” attempted to lie his way into their home. When not even Quill will look at him anymore, Ryner accepts that he really is a monster.

Chapter 1: The Same Exhaustion[]

Ryner and Ferris have crossed the border of Imperial Nelphia into the Runa Empire and are aimlessly discussing afternoon naps. Ryner can’t help but notice Ferris' beauty as she threatens to scare him into never sleeping again. While the two lament being forced into this journey by Sion, they note some of Runa’s peculiarities: its people have absolute faith in their god and believe that magic is a power bestowed on the pious by their god. Ryner, who absolutely does not believe in a god who would allow all of this suffering in people’s lives, is under the impression that a non-believer like him can't use Runa’s magic even with the Alpha Stigma. However, all of the legends surrounding Runa’s hero relics are based around gaining power from their god. Soon, Ryner and Ferris come to a fork in the road between Ridget Village and Yashback Church. The path to Ridget Village is blocked by a sign warning travelers to head to the church because the village has been cursed by a demon. While Ryner originally wants to head for the church, Ferris “convinces him (with her sword) to head for Ridget Village instead.

Meanwhile in Roland, Sion is pouring over reports of tyranny inside of the nobles’ territory when Iris pops into his office. After sharing another cute, but confusing conversation, Sion learns that Ryner and Ferris crossed the Nelpha-Roland border by impersonating Imperial Nelphian Magic Knights. He sends Iris away only for Claugh to enter his office, complaining that Sion is working himself to death and followed by Calne and Eslina. Sion is slightly flustered at having so many people worried over his health, but is reassured by Noa Ehn who enters his office looking for Claugh, who failed to appear for their dinner meeting. Noa teases Claugh for a few minutes before the two set off to share their meal, leaving the others convinced that they are a couple. Calne and Eslina leave Sion’s office after he promises to take the rest of the evening off when Froaude lets himself in as well. Sion knows that Froaude considers the others to be nothing more than pieces on Sion’s path to success, and gives Froaude permission to speak frankly if need be. They discuss the movement of the new Gastark Empire and the alarming speed at which it is annexing parts of Stowle. Roland needs to take steps to expand its military, but cannot do so with the nobility stirring disorder. Froaude believes the fastest path would be to pretend to indulge the nobility’s wishes to “return to an era of tyranny and bribery” and kill them off once their guard is lowered. Sion is hesitant even if he knows that lives will have to be sacrificed, but Froaude insists that Roland doesn’t have enough time to consolidate its opposing parties peacefully.

Claugh and Noa go for a walk together after their dinner, where Noa reflects on her past as Estabul’s princess and her future with Claugh, the king’s kind and empathetic right hand. As they head back to her manor, Noa gently teases again before separating for the night. But when she enters, she is stunned at the sight of men in black stabbing three of her servants. They claim they will spare the lives of the rest of her servants if she follows their orders, but Noa knows they will kill her to paint the banner of a new Estabul revolt. The intruders begin ripping the clothes off of her body when Claugh, feeling an uneasy intuition, bursts into the room and attacks the men. Seeing Noa half naked and crying, Claugh aims his right arm and the sleeve rips to reveal magic circles tattooed onto his arm. After obliterating the attackers, he tries to comfort Noa though she tries to keep up a strong front.

Chapter 2: The Same Beauty[]

Ryner and Ferris head into the seemingly innocuous Ridget Village, but all of the villagers are too terrified to answer any of their questions. They save a young girl, Kuku, from being beaten to death by a group of older men, and she begs them to save her childhood friend, Arua, who has been taken by the Runan military into the mountains behind the village. Kuku explains that, though the village was peaceful in the past, the territory lord drastically increased their taxes. When the villagers were unable to pay, the lord and his soldiers came and killed some of them, including Kuku’s father. He tried to hurt Kuku and her mother as well, but a weird pattern appeared in Arua’s eyes and he used magic to scare off the soldiers. While they were safe for the night, the lord returned with more soldiers and, after taking Arua to experiment on him, killed anyone who tried to leave the village. Ryner immediately knows the kind of tests forced onto a child who uses strange magic with symbols in his eyes and he and Ferris resolve to rescue Arua from the mountain that night.

In Roland, Sion is woken from his sleep by Eslina when Claugh appears with deep injuries and Lady Ehn. Noa relates how the Roland nobility had just tried to assassinate her to ruin the tentative truce between Estabul and Roland. Sion feels extremely guilty for not anticipating such an attack, but Noa reassures him that she is well protected by Claugh and that they need to focus on protecting the alliance. Sion arranges for Claugh to move into the room next to Noa in order to protect her better and Calne ushers Claugh to see the palace doctor. While Sion contemplating how bold the nobility has gotten in their efforts to oppose him, Froaude appears once again with his plan to accommodate the nobility until they lower their guard enough to be eliminated. The next morning Sion announces a series of military promotions within the pro-monarchy faction, most prominently Claugh’s appointment to the head of the entire Roland military. Sion’s subordinates are furious at Sion’s borderline abuse of power, but he explains how the powerful country of Stohle has been largely occupied by the previously unknown country of Gastark. His recent promotions were a way to safeguard against Gastark and the increasing military power of the neighboring countries. Additionally, he emphasizes his role as king of all Roland’s people, even those conspiring against him, and how these promotions are his way of taking full control of Roland in order to save the largest number of his citizens. To the side, Froaude is delighted at Sion’s spirit of a true king and his place as Sion’s shadow.

Chapter 3: The Same Hero King[]

The chapter opens at the official Roland Taboo Hunters Headquarters where Major Miller, head of the department, is pouring over a report brought by Milk Callaud and his former team now under her command. Miller is thoroughly amused by the team’s doting over Milk, especially Luke’s crumbling composure. The team’s whispers amongst themselves about chasing Ryner also entertained Miller while he considers the impossible situation Sion had put the team into. After Sion wanted the team to chase around Ryner and Ferris, Miller looked into them both and uncovered Ryner’s past at Roland’s Special Institute #307 and Ferris’s background in the. Though Miller knows the pair’s capture would be impossible under normal circumstances, Milk insists that they will be able to complete their mission despite the others’ hesitance. Miller, noticing Luke’s discomfort at the idea of Milk and Ryner meeting again, seizes the chance to frustrate his old friend and keeps the team assigned to pursuing Ryner and Ferris. As the rest of the team bounds off with Milk, Luke complains about their mission while Miller updates him on Claugh’s promotion to field marshall. Sion had originally asked Miller to take the promotion, but he declined in order to keep from limiting his and the department’s mobility behind the scenes. Miller sends Luke off to enjoy his vacation days with Milk and the others, but soon calls him back when rumors of a group of assassins breaking into the homes of nobles begins to spread. Miller fears that Milk may not be able to stay in Roland as the power struggle begins to grow among the nobles. In Runa, sometime before Sion learns of the attack on Noa, Ryner and Ferris are running through the mountains to rescue Arua from the Magic Knights who had stolen him. As they struggle to find a way into the fortress, they see a group of Magic Knights beating Arua and shoving his head in water. Ryner recalls his own abuse at the hands of the guards who abused and taunted him as a child. Just when Ryner can no longer watch, the guards drag out Arua’s mother’s corpse and bring out his father to kill him before Arua. Ferris prods Ryner into finally reacting, causing him to attack the Magic Knights with Estabulan magic to keep from spoiling the Roland-Runa alliance. As Ryner calls out to Arua’s father to take his son away from the fighting grounds, a Runan soldier kills Arua’s father right in front of Arua. This activates Arua’s own Alpha Stigma and he begins to lose control of the pentagrams forming around him. Ryner manages to stop his ramage by knocking Arua out quickly, but almost loses his own themper when one of the soldiers accuses Alpha Stigma bearers of suffering God’s punishment. He is infuriated at the idea that he and the other Alpha Stigma bearers chose to be these “so-called” monsters and should be punished by a God who gave them these powers.

Chapter 4: And Yet the Pain Gets Worse[]

Sion gets a report a few days after his flurry of promotions about the nobility stirring in the Ackmel region belonging to Miran Froaude’s father, Marquess Karlal Froaude. As Sion sends for Claugh, the scene cuts to the Froaude Manor where Miran introduces his father to the head of the anti-monarchy party, Duke Staelied, among a gathering of anti-monarchy nobles. After Staelied leaves to mingle, Karlal leers at Miran and makes some questionable comments about Miran being “the best of the boys he has loved in the past,” but Miran quickly redirects the conversation.

Karal steps up to address the room as a whole and unites them against Sion and his “dirty commoner blood.” He introduces Miran’s plan to temporarily ally with the Runa Empire, who was friendly with the last Roland king, to remove Sion from power. He bids Miran to explain the particulars of his plan; meanwhile, Miran is keeping an eye on the closing doors to the banquet room. Miran asks the nobles about the recent attacks on their land by the pro-monarchy party who, though failing to assassinate anyone, united the nobles against Sion. As he bows to thank them and the last set of doors closes, Miran faces them with a cold smile and asks them all to die. He mocks them for so easily selling out their country to preserve their own wealth and releases the power of his Ring of the Dark Emperor. After effortlessly slaughtering almost every noble, Miran turns to his father, planning to kill him as well. Karlal begs Miran as both his father and lover of seventeen years to spare his life. Miran only laughs and recounts how even though he secretly killed the other members of the Froaude family one by one when he was a child so that his father could inherit the family’s entire fortune, he never once loved his father. The beasts in the shadows engulf and dismember Karal, leaving behind only his pitiful limbs. Duke Staelied, the only survivor, then agrees to ally with Miran and vows not to betray him.

Suddenly, Staelied’s body disappears when a man with pink hair appears at the door and drives away Miran’s shadows. The man knows that Miran’s powers come from his Ring of the Dark Emperor and, when Miran calls on his shadow beasts, activates his own ring to release similar beasts made of lightning. Miran deduces that the man is a foreigner who has been sent by a Roland noble that allied with another country. The man refuses to reveal his alliance and aims to take Miran’s ring after killing him. However, though their magic beasts are equally matched, the man is unable to freely use his magic since it would reveal his country of origin. Miran attempts to force him into submission, but the intruder pulls out a “crystallized Iino Doue,” a shiny blue gem which makes a high-pitched noise after being thrown in the air. The man turns to escape while the gem explodes and covers the entire manor in blue fire. The fire burns any shadows that Miran calls to protect himself and the collapsing wall blocks the only exit. As Miran slowly accepts his demise here, Claugh bursts through the wall and pulls Miran out of the burning building. After fleeing, Claugh explains that Sion sent him and some soldiers to protect Miran in case of a counterattack from the nobility. This scene switches to the Roland Castle where Sion is perched on his throne. Beasts made of lightning suddenly materialize and strike towards him, but are immediately dispelled by Lucius Eris. He scares off the presence of the beasts’ master but Sion believes it would be better for the intruder to spread cautionary tales than have Lucius track them down. Once again, Lucius emphasizes that Sion will be allowed to live so long as he acts in Roland’s best interest.

The scene changes once more to Sui and Kuu meeting the king of Runa and claiming to be ambassadors sent from Gastark. Despite the alliance with Roland, Sui knows that the King allied with the now deceased Duke Staelied to overthrow Sion. After motioning to all the guards Kuu killed around them, Sui calmly explains that the king and his family will be perfectly safe so long as he allies with Gastark. The chapter closes with the siblings setting off for the Ridget Village, where the Runa military is experimenting on a child with an Alpha Stigma.

Prologue II: -But Let's Try to Forget it Someday[]

Sion is sitting on his throne and listening to Froaude explain his trap for Duke Staelied and his followers. Sion is pained by Froaude’s indiscriminate purge of the anti-monarchy party but is unable to handle the issue now that Staelied has been killed by a foreign nation. Though Claugh is frustrated that Froaude was unable to uncover the assassin’s nationality, Sion believes that the pink haired man is most likely from Gastark, Claugh wants to head to Gastark immediately, but Sion can’t send the marshal of his entire army off on a scouting mission. After Claugh storms out of the room, Sion considers returning Claugh to his original post; Froaude gently disabuses him of the idea since Claugh is an extremely charismatic leader who could lead troops into even the most harrowing situations, a necessary trait with a war most likely approaching. Froaude leaves Sion to his thoughts when notices how exhausted he looks. Sion desperately wishes he had more time to deal with the whole situation so he didn’t have to resort to the same underhanded tactics he hates so much. For a brief moment, he longs for his time at the military academy, before he became king, and even considers running away from it all.

The scene switches to Ryner and Ferris in the Runa Kingdom where Ferris firmly states that Ryner must take responsibility for Arua since he is “obviously Ryner’s child from a past hook up.” Ryner snorts and gives up challenging another one of Ferris’s wild stories, instead focusing on how they can get Arua’s nearly unconscious body down the hill and away from the magic knights. Ferris disappears momentarily before returning with a stolen carriage; The two load Arua into the carriage and Ferris takes off before Ryner can get on. He runs after the carriage, cursing and pleading with her the whole way.

Finally, at the border checkpoint into the Gastark Empire, Kiefer Knolles leaves behind her old life and enters Gastark.

Trivia[]

Anime and Light Novel Difference:

Ryner’s past scene is extended in the novel.
Ryner and Ferris’s discussion about the Runa Empire, its religious fanaticism, and the choice between the Ridget Village or the Yashback Church is not shown in the anime.
Sion and Iris only meet in the light novel.
Sion and the others’ scene in episode 10 along with all scenes between Noa and Claugh are extended in the novel, but accurately shortened in the anime.
Ryner and Ferris’ events in the village and its outskirts are not in the anime
The reveal behind Arua's disappearance by Kuku is portrayed differently in the anime. Arua and his parents are also held for different amounts of time in the anime and light novel.
Sion is about to sleep when Eslina and the others wake him to inform him about Noa’s attack. Miran is not the one to inform him. However, Sion and Miran’s discussion in the novel takes place at the end of episode 10.
The scene from episode 11 when Sion is promoting everyone is slightly longer in the novel. Lord Gnule is the noble identified as one of Sion’s strongest supporters
Miller’s thoughts are shown extensively in the novel in the scene with the Taboo Breaker Squad, but the rest of the plot and interactions are similar to the anime.
Claugh's rescue of Miran is slightly more comical in the novel compared to the serious nature of the scene in the anime.

Quotes: The following quotes are grouped and in chronological order

Talrome: “This is our relationship. Understand? Ryner Lute. I will bring you to my village… but you are our slave. If you want to live, then work hard. If you don’t want to work, then die."
Quill: “Are you lonely, by yourself?”
Ryner: “No, because there’s everyone.”
Quill: “Then, then, let me be your Okaa-san! From today onwards, call me Okaa-san!”
Deel: “Ah, then then, let me be Otou-san! Ryner, call me Otou-san! Then then, I’ll be Quill’s husband, we must marry!”
Quill: “Ai~ I don’t want to marry Deel~”
Deel: “Ahwu… I’ve, I’ve been dumped~…”
Sion: “Are you purposefully saying the opposite? You hate Claugh, Calne and the rest right?”
Miran: “You misunderstand me if you think that I am purposefully saying the opposite. Although it is disappointing, but I seem to be hated by Major-General Krom and Colonel Kaiwal… But I have high evaluations of the both of them. If we’re talking about Crimson Finger Claugh Klom, he is a famous military officer known by the surrounding lands. If we’re talking about Colonel Kaiwal, as a pawn who would do anything for Your Majesty, he is a very important person as well.”
Sion: “Then, let the nobles relax their guard, focus them to one place, and kill them all… is that it?”
Miran: “It’s the fastest way for Roland Empire to settle down.”
Sion: “…But, to accept the nobles, even if it’s for a very short period of time, do we have to go back to the period of time where a large number of citizens starved and died?”
Miran: “Is that a problem? Are you troubled? Then let me think of other plans. Yes. You are a famous monarch. You are the rare monarch that will bring us to our peak, ever since Roland was born. A government that will benefit the people, in the past the nobles that bullied you would not be able to go forward with it, and this will make good use of them. If this continues, just by spending a certain amount of time, one day, all the people, all the nobles, will listen to your will. But, the sad reality is…At that moment, Roland will be destroyed by other countries…”
Claugh: “…What is this, Sion! I can’t accept this! Even if you didn’t graciously let me have this achievement, just by my abilities, I would have quickly ascended to the general position. But you…”
Calne: “That’s right, Your Majesty Sion! Having this happen suddenly, it would be strange if it didn’t shock us. Even if you were considering something, you should have told us first…”
Noa: “As of the current situation the country is in, shouldn’t you think more when choosing these measures? I know I sound rude, and… This way, it’s not only the nobles, probably even the people will suspect that you have finally revealed yourself as a tyrant.
Sion (about Froaude's plan to slaughter the anti-monarchy party): “No, Claugh. Froaude’s solution is not wrong. I think too, that is a viable option. But—I am the king of this country. I am the king of the people living in this country. Even if it is the nobles who wish to kill me, they are the people of Roland too. Even so, I think that they should be protected too. I want to save them, even if it may not be many people. I wish that under the situation where there is no violence, to unify this country. So, I would pick this intense measure. I want to use this opportunity, to completely wield the authority over Roland. If the nobles are willing to follow me, I will not pick over their past offences, accepting them. But, if they wish to rebel till the end, I will purge them. Perhaps another battle will be raised over this. But, there is no more time. So that I can rescue most of the citizens in this country, probably I will need many people to sacrifice themselves. Even so, I still want everyone’s help. I need the help of the people who are thinking for the country, if everyone was not here, I would not be able to continue. We cannot let this country be destroyed. Will you be willing to save this country with me?”
Everyone: “I will endeavor to comply to my liege’s orders.”
Miran: “It’s really… my king. The actions that a king should have, he has performed them perfectly. Wishing to help more people, even if it is only a small portion… is that it? This is a perfect king…So, I will follow you. I will follow a perfect king, although it causes heart ache, it is destined that you will take away the lives of many people… Is that pattern that a king goes through…? And you are troubled over this. Even so, I have to lessen your troubles, even if is only a drop in a bucket…That is my duty. To sacrifice the least to gain a large effect…All of the blood stained duties should be settled by me… I will endeavor to comply to my liege’s orders.”
Magic Knight (to Arua): “Damn, harming you yourself doesn’t have the power to make you lose control? Then… how about this? See, because of you, she’s dead. Your mother died because you are a demon. That means, the sinful father of a demon like you has to die too?”
Arua’s Father: “It’s not your fault! It’s not… it’s these people. These people are crazy. This definitely isn’t your fault. So you can't do what they want, Arua. Even if I am killed, don’t worry. You’re still alive. You cannot lose control, lose your humanity…”
Ryner (to the Magic Knight evoking God's punishment on him for being "companions to that demon"): “What the hell is that supposed to be? What the hell are you all… saying that God will punish us? Since we are to be punished, then why did you create someone like me? If God exists, then give me an answer! Why did you create someone like me? Purposely creating me… so to play with me like this, and then give me my punishment afterwards? Stop joking! I’m not your toy. We're… alive too. We aren’t… demons because we wanted to be born as that… living as monsters… We… don’t like having these eyes…Or, is everything our fault? …… If this country really has a god existing here, I beg you, tell me the answer…”
Miran: “The plan… yes. Then, I’ll begin. Firstly I’d like everyone to…Please die.”
Claugh: “Hey! What are you doing! Aren’t you going to escape?!”
Miran: “Field-Marshal Cl-Claugh. Eight, eight seconds. I can only hold back the flames for eight seconds…or so…”
Claugh: “Froaude, you’re very strong! Enough. Hold on! We’re going!”
Miran: “…That, I have something I want to talk about… Field-Marshal Claugh.”
Claugh: “Ah? It’s not the time for that now! We’ll talk about it later, later!”
Miran: “It’s fine if it’s later, but… I have some information that you must know about. Will you give me a little time?”
Claugh: “Ah that’s enough. How annoying! What is it!”
Miran: “Field-Marshal Claugh is using his full strength to escape… But in truth the fire has already extinguished. In other words, what are you escaping from?”
Claugh: “Ah? Why didn’t you say that earlier!”
Sion: “If I couldn’t protect this country, what would you do?”
Lucile: “At that time, I would kill you, then set up a new, stronger king, so, you don’t have to think too much about it, just let go and do your best. At the time, when you lose your power, I will kill you.”
Sion: “How comforting.”
Miran: “Yes. It should be clear what reasons I have for thinking so? For Roland’s future, the leader of the army needs Claugh Krom more… it would need someone as charismatic as him. Because, unthinkably, there are many talented people who listen to him. Although it doesn’t measure up to Your Majesty, but… his uncertain, special nature of being strong and gentle, it easily controls people’s… the citizen’s hearts. For Roland, this special ability will…No, I don’t think I need to elaborate. Your Majesty, you look a little tired. Would you like to rest for a moment? Even if it is Claugh Krom or Rahel Miller as the Field-Marshal, if this country doesn’t have you, it would be unable to progress, so… please take care of your health. Then, please excuse me…”
Sion’s Thoughts (after his conversation with Miran and Claugh): At that time it wasn’t like he had no troubles. But, he had thought in this fashion at that time— Squabbling with his companions, laughing together, mending past relationships… What else could he wish for? If this was the peaceful era now, then it was only temporary… Why did he need revenge on his brothers, why would he need to become king? If he were with Ryner and the others… That was what he thought, even if it were only for a moment. The Sion in his memories that was with Ryner and company, was a happy period filled with laughter… It was a very happy time…
“…But… this world doesn’t have… any place to escape to… Ryner.”