The Flawless Person

"This is not a place where you should appear."

"I am quite fond of humans, but if it is someone as flawless as you, even I cannot help but feel a sense of repulsion."

"So—do not remain in this place."

Somewhere unknown.

Beside a shimmering lake.

The blue surface of the lake reflected the dazzling sunlight, and all manner of creatures wandered around it, brimming with the breath of life.

Yet, the light shining upon the person standing with his back to the mysterious magician was reduced to nothing more than a flickering, intermittent white glow.

It was somewhat blinding.

The youth's mouth opened and closed, as if he wished to express something—but he did not understand words or language.

Fortunately, the magician could understand his meaning without the need for speech.

"Oh? You mean to say that you have been in this place ever since you opened your eyes?"

"And you also do not know how to leave this place?"

Sensing these meanings, the magician turned his head in astonishment, finally casting his gaze upon the flawless one for the first time.

He was clearly just a youth.

"Heave-ho—"

The magician hopped down from the stone, brushed off the hem of his robe upon landing, and with his movement, petals seemed to drift down.

"I understand. You wish to learn something, don't you?"

"To be a thing of pure white, like an infant, understanding nothing and knowing nothing, yet you wish to take the initiative to be stained by the colors of this world?"

"I see, I see. How interesting. I really should hate you, but now, I cannot help but find myself intrigued by you."

The magician circled the youth a few times, and finally—an idea struck him.

"Since that is the case, I shall weave you into a destiny that may have already been set."

He placed one of his own flowers upon the youth's head and said with a smile:

"Foreign object that does not belong to this world, can you bring me some corresponding amusement?"

The magician shoved an iron sword into the youth's hand, then turned to look at the Holy Lake behind him.

"Great Mother who learns magic from me, might I ask you to bestow a gift upon this flawless one who knows not whence he came?"

"No need for much; it only needs to protect his fragile body."

Listening to his words, the surface of the lake remained without a ripple.

After a long while, a figure appeared directly above the lake, accompanied by a slight disturbance in the water.

"Merlin. His body is not fragile."

"And what exactly are you thinking? He is a thing of pure white; he should not be stained with color, at least not with your color."

It was a woman with long golden hair and a youthful face. She looked at the magician called Merlin with helplessness in her eyes, and when she looked at the flawless Anno—it was with even more curiosity.

She was curious as to why such an existence would appear here, in this world.

Her words seemed to be a refusal, but

She raised her slender, fair hands, grasped a wisp of the white light shining upon Anno, and after kneading it in some unknown way, it finally transformed into

A suit of armor?

"Take it. I am leaving; I have no interest in participating in your experiment."

Tossing the white armor to Merlin, the fairy called Great Mother sank into the lake and vanished, as if she had never appeared at all.

Only the faint dust left on the surface of the lake and the Treasure Armor in Merlin's hands proved that she had just been there.

Donning the Treasure Armor and holding the ordinary iron sword, the flawless person called Anno left the lakeshore.

The magician's intent was for him to go and see for himself, to do things for himself.

Yet, the magician also pointed him in a direction, a wicked smile on his face.

It was a wicked smile, surely?

Anno did not quite understand.

"Go see the scene there, then do what you wish to do, and then return. I will teach you what you ought to learn."

That was what the magician had said—

Anno walked on, arriving at a place that felt unstable.

"The fairies of the Earth Clan are skilled at constructing all sorts of buildings, but there are some among them with vile habits—such is the nature of fairies; once they have tasted the flavor of cruelty, they develop such preferences."

"So, what do you intend to do?"

The magician's intent was transmitted into Anno's mind from far away.

Anno saw it.

He saw those short, stunted goblins wreaking havoc within a village composed of "people" who looked much like him.

These goblins were slaughtering the humans, toying with their corpses, their faces twisted into smiles, looking thoroughly delighted.

"Why are they doing this?"

Anno felt no particular surge of emotion.

He was merely curious as to what reason these goblins could have for committing such acts.

"There is no reason. If you must have one, call it a hobby."

"Well? Now that you have seen such a sight, what do you intend to do?"

"Will you join these goblins in toying with the remains, or will you—go and help your own kind?"

"Are those my own kind?"

Anno extended a sliver of consciousness once more, asking the Magician.

If one were to judge solely by appearance, humans were indeed his own kind.

Anno had seen his own reflection in the surface of the lake.

But the Magician's voice did not come again.

He left the scene entirely to Anno, to the one without blemish.

He waited to see what choice the one without blemish would make.

At the same time, among the rampaging green goblins, a few seemed to notice Anno standing at the edge of the village—young, yet dull-eyed. They shrieked in a language Anno could not understand, dancing about and making gestures he could not decipher.

Then, they brandished their weapons and lunged toward Anno.

Squelch—

Anno's body was sliced open by sharp blades, and blood began to flow.

For the first time, he tasted the sensation of pain.

He felt no anger, only a sense of novelty.

"The color of the substance flowing from your body is called red; it is blood."

"If you let it all drain away like this, you will die, you know."

The Magician's playful voice rang out once more.

Die?

That means I cannot let things continue like this, right?

Following his instinct, Anno drew the iron sword from his waist and swung it out, his face expressionless.

This thing, it should be used like this.

There was no technique, no exertion of strength, and certainly no release of aura.

Splatter.

Blood and entrails spilled onto the ground before him.

The few Earth Clan goblins surrounding Anno were instantly severed in two.

If the Magician asked what my instinct was, then...

At the very least, I cannot watch my companions be slaughtered, right?

Is this what should be called "human"?

Anno's white Treasure Armor was splattered with red blood as he began to walk toward the goblins in the village.