“Feld!”
The adventurer who appeared was Feld, a member of the Rainbow Sword.
“Why are you here…”
“There’s no time to explain! First, we take these guys down!”
Feld shouted as he stepped forward, and the surviving baggage soldiers, recognizing him as a threat at a glance, charged towards him.
“Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
“Haaaaaaaah!!”
In response, Feld didn’t retreat or evade, but roared and swung the jet-black greatsword in his hand horizontally.
A flash—.
“――――ッ!”
With just that, three soldiers were cleaved in two, along with their weapons and steel armor, and sent flying. Even so—
“Oooah…”
“…What is this?”
It wasn’t over yet. The soldiers Feld had bisected, even after losing their sense of self, were still moving and struggling to swing their weapons.
“Feld, those guys are ‘Undead’!”
“What?”
Understanding with my words, Feld frowned slightly as if mourning the dead, and as he readied his greatsword to deliver the final blow, the captain, who had taken my knife between the eyebrows, stood up and pounced on Feld with his bare hands.
“I won’t let you! We are justice for this country—”
“…Just stop already.”
Feld muttered as he plunged his greatsword into the captain’s heart. But, as the captain still tried to reach out, I stabbed a black blade into the back of his neck.
“You should just die already.”
I cut him down, burying the blade into his neck joint, ending his false life.
Nero also neutralized the remaining Undead, and after annihilating the Second Knight Order’s baggage train, Feld finally approached.
Still wary of his surroundings, the black blade of the greatsword he carried on his shoulder emitted a dull glow. …Is that Feld’s new sword?
“Is that the Elemental Dragon Sword? As expected of Galbas… It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah, isn’t it? Galbas seemed pretty motivated and it took some time, but it’s an unquestionable masterpiece.”
When I brought up the topic of his new weapon, Feld’s slightly clouded face broke into a smile like a child who had received a new toy. For better or worse, Feld is a good person, so he probably doesn’t like enemies who desecrate life and death like the Undead.
Feld’s weapon used to be a Magic Steel greatsword made by Galbas. When I first met him at the age of seven, he was apparently about to receive it from Galbas.
That weapon was also quite good, but that sword was broken in a battle with the Darkness Elemental Dragon, so to strengthen the Rainbow Sword’s fighting power, Feld’s sword was newly made using the Elemental Dragon’s horn as a material.
The horns of the Minotaur Murderer, which were also used to strengthen my weapon, and the claws and horns of the Elemental Dragon, etc., the materials of higher species contain Adamantite.
The Minotaur Murderer’s horn had a small amount of Adamantite, making it difficult to use as a weapon as is, but Galbas patiently reshaped the black horn of the Elemental Dragon, and it was reborn as a single-edged greatsword with a blade length close to my height.
The shape might be close to the “Tachi” in that woman’s “knowledge”? It wasn’t that thin, but the annual ring-like grain pattern unique to Adamantite was a very beautiful sword.
“It requires some getting used to because of its hardness and stickiness, but with this sharpness, it can cut through monsters of Rank 6 or higher. I can’t always let you do all the work.”
“Feld…”
Currently, I have combat power that ranks among the top of the human species not only in this country but also on this continent. Feld can handle monsters up to Rank 5, but beyond that, I would have to step forward more often.
Feld didn’t like that, and as a warrior and a comrade, he was trying to stand next to me.
“I heard that you were getting caught up in trouble again. I didn’t think I’d meet you along the way, but it seems you have some luck.”
Feld paused there and looked straight into my eyes.
“I also heard that you resigned from guarding the Princess on purpose, and are even trying to eliminate enemies by faking your death. …What happened?”
“It’ll be a bit long, but…”
I explained to him what had happened so far.
Feld seemed to have heard some of it, but when he heard about the existence of Greater Demons exceeding Rank 6, and the story of the rebellion by Prince Amor and the Undead that was currently taking place, Feld regretted that the sword’s production had taken so long and he couldn’t return for so long, and put his hand on his unshaven chin, thinking about something.
“…Going that far exceeds the scope of an ordinary adventurer or guard. Especially what Prince Amor is doing is a clear rebellion. That person also has various things related to the royal family, but he shouldn’t have been so foolish…”
“Do you know that person?”
“Yeah. When I was attending the Magic Academy, I had a little acquaintance with him. Well, I immediately dropped out of the academy and became an adventurer.”
“I see…”
Now that he mentions it, Feld was from a noble family. If it weren’t for the inheritance issues due to his outstanding abilities, he might still be a noble now.
According to Feld, Amor, who had no choice but to become a “Prince” as a student as one of the royal family, seemed to have been quite mentally cornered.
He had neither the ability nor the power as a Prince, and was just a freeloader who only filled the numbers of the royal family. He was compared to the early deceased Second Prince, who should have been the original Prince, because he was so talented, and because of that, he always seemed to be trying to be useful to “someone” and spinning his wheels.
So, that’s why he got caught up with that woman… And the reason he changed is probably that Saint.
“As you predicted, if the Prince and his supporters attack Dandole and Melrose, it will be difficult to move the First Knight Order even if we inform them now. Over two hundred Undead… If we were to deal with them properly, we would need nearly five times that amount of fighting power.”
“Yeah.”
Even if most of the knights are Rank 2, I think it takes more than two Rank 3 knights to neutralize one. If they are the same rank, it takes three to be evenly matched. To annihilate them for sure, you would need five times as many as Feld says.
“Even if we split them in half, that’s a hundred people. The Dandole House, where the Commander-in-Chief of the Knights is located, also has a knight training facility, so there should be about a hundred knights stationed there. I think there are also about fifty knights from the Dandole House, so even if they can’t annihilate them, they can hole up if they prepare. It depends on reinforcements after that, but… the problem is the Melrose House.”
“…………”
The Melrose House, located on the southern outer perimeter of the Royal Capital, is the farthest from here. If we inform them from the Royal Castle, it would be the same distance, but if we inform them from here, there would be a difference of more than a full day in information compared to the Dandole House. Even if Amor was planning a simultaneous attack, it should be a close call to inform Dandole with my and Nero’s legs.
Even if I alone informed Elena, there is a risk that the sympathizers in the Holy Church would inform them if the First Knight Order moved, and the attack would be hastened.
And even if Elena believed me, the Knight Order cannot be moved without clear evidence of rebellion.
I have personal certainty, but it is only my speculation. The attack may be later than that, or the attack itself may be in a different location. Melrose may be able to withstand it like Dandole. But, I myself thought that attacking those two houses would be the most efficient.
When my speculation and each other’s opinions were all presented, Feld suddenly opened his mouth.
“Aria, what are you going to do?”
“I… I think I’ll go to Melrose.”
The Melrose House should also have knights, but there are few proper knights. There should also be Shadow Knights, but not many of the Shadow Knights are suited for frontal combat.
“I want Feld and Nero to go to Dandole. If I’m alone, I can use Real Breaker…”
“No. That’s not it.”
Feld rarely interrupted me, and peered into my eyes as if glaring at me.
“I said earlier, this exceeds the scope of an ordinary adventurer. It’s not a problem for you to take on alone. Why do you fight so much?”
“…………”
I don’t have to do it alone… I thought that when I was holding back the Orc group. But, at that time, I realized that I couldn’t live such a skillful life.
The Melrose House is the noble family that I shunned, that would drag me into fate. Mikhail is a good person, but I don’t have enough attachment to think of that prime minister as my grandfather.
But… even so, they are my mother’s family. That prime minister is my mother’s father. There are people there who my mother cherished. That father’s friend who was a knight trainee might also be there.
That’s why I want to protect them….
It may be different from what I initially thought, escaping from fate. But, my essence hasn’t changed at all.
“I will live according to my ‘heart’.”
Even if I die halfway through that ambition—.
“…I see.”
Feld’s expression softened at my answer, and he suddenly placed his hand on my head.
“I did this when we first met, too. I thought you were a ‘boy’ back then, but you’ve grown quite a bit.”
“…You remembered?”
I thought he had forgotten, considering how dense he is.
“…Well, I remembered meeting a boy, but I never thought it was you until I heard about it from Viro.”
“I thought so.”
When I said that, Feld laughed and ruffled my hair.
“If you have a conviction, I won’t say anything more. When I met you as a girl (Aria), I thought about whether I should protect you as a woman. But you became stronger than any of us with that conviction.”
“I still haven’t caught up with everyone’s experience, though…”
“Even so, I guarantee that you are strong. You are the ‘strongest.’ Show that power to those who stand in the way of your destiny.”
“Yeah.”
As I nodded like a child while being petted, Feld’s expression softened even more.
“Still, come back if you get tired. We are comrades, but we are family. You are a warrior, but you are also a girl, so it’s okay to rely on us, you know?”
“…………”
When I made a blank face at Feld’s words, he scratched his head as if he thought he had said something wrong, “I can’t say things as well as Viro…”
Really… he hasn’t changed from the old days. That’s why I see him as a “father” rather than a man.
“Alright! Then I’m going to the Dandole Family now. If there’s a long-distance communication magic tool at the Adventurer’s Guild along the way, I might be able to summon the Rainbow Sword as well. And that Mystic Beast there… Nero, was it?”
The story was decided, and Feld started talking energetically, but he stopped his gaze at Nero and made a slightly twitching face.
“Gaa…”
Nero had been listening intently to my and Feld’s conversation, but realizing that he couldn’t go with me, he exuded such displeasure from his whole body that Feld flinched.
Even so, when Feld stroked my head, he gently stroked the beard wrapped around my arm, raised his face, and exhaled from his nose as if looking down on Feld.
“He says he’ll go with you.”
“O-oh…”
I was surprised that Nero, who doesn’t trust anyone other than me and Master, allowed Feld to fight together, but I also felt a little uncomfortable that he agreed so easily.
“Nero?”
“Gaaah!”
Nero is wary of “something?” Not Feld. There’s something in a place I can’t sense…
The next moment, Nero shot electricity from his beard, and at the same time, my Knife, which I had pulled out while flipping my skirt, flew into the darkness of the Forest.
Clang!!
“—Is the conversation over?”
A woman’s voice was heard from the Forest, and Feld, who was a moment late in holding up his sword to protect me, waved my hand to show that I was okay and stepped forward.
“It’s you… Carla.”
“Long time no see, Aria. I’m glad you’re not dead.”
Carla, who greeted me with such a terrible greeting, threw back the blood-stained Knife that she had grabbed with her bare hands, and when she waved her hand lightly, the wound healed and disappeared in an instant.
Carla’s complexion was worse than before, and even though her HP had been reduced just by the current exchange, I wondered why she didn’t die.
It was a coincidence that I met Feld, but how did Carla know where I was… Well, there’s no end to worrying about what this guy does.
“Carla… you should be in the royal palace dealing with demons, right?”
To be honest, I was able to go outside because Carla was in the castle. If Carla hadn’t been there, I wouldn’t have been able to move this far to annihilate the enemy. I can’t trust her personality, but I trust her strength more than anyone else.
When I glared at her with half-closed eyes with such thoughts in mind, Carla chuckled.
“Because I’m bored. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous that you disappeared from the princess’s side and the demons became wary and couldn’t move?”
“…………”
Carla was in the castle, so I was able to move, and because of that, the demons couldn’t move to protect the summoner, so Carla moved…
Once again, I felt that someone who can move anywhere is troublesome. My 【Real Breaker】 is also terrible, but I can only fly to places I can see. In the case of long distances, it is necessary to use it continuously.
It was possible that the demons would start moving again because of Carla’s actions, but if the demons were the Saint’s forces as expected, they might not be able to leave the summoner’s side now that the royal brother is moving.
In any case, it’s useless to say anything to Carla. On the contrary, it’s better to move flamboyantly and call them in.
“So? Were you looking for me?”
“That’s right. I was thinking of punishing a child who was playing in my garden, but Aria, you’re going to move anyway, right? In this situation, you weren’t going to separate from your cute kitty and fight a hundred undead alone, were you?”
“What if I was?”
I’m going to Melrose alone. If you’re going to get in the way, I can settle it here. When I glared at her with such determination, Carla smiled.
“That’s very Aria-like, but is it okay? Will your kitty and your friends be able to survive?”
“…………”
I understood what Carla was trying to say. I trust Nero, Feld, and the Rainbow Sword’s comrades. But they can’t be unharmed against a hundred Undead.
If I go to Dandole with everyone, the chances of winning will be higher, but Melrose will be abandoned.
I want to save my mother’s family. I want to help my father’s friends. But I don’t want any of my friends to die because of that.
If I hadn’t been involved in this matter, the Rainbow Sword and Nero wouldn’t have had to fight. Because I decided to go to Melrose, Feld and Nero are trying to save Dandole.
I believe in everyone’s strength. But… Carla’s voice interrupted my thoughts at that time.
“Aria, you go to Melrose. I’ll go to Dandole.”
“…What are you planning?”
I know that Carla sometimes moves with me in mind. But that’s all for Carla’s own sake.
“Oh, that’s terrible. I’m telling you out of kindness.”
“Why don’t you be kind to other people too?”
“I don’t want to. I can’t kill them, can I?”
I really don’t know what she’s thinking… Just kindness? Tell me that in your sleep.
But… if Carla goes to Dandole, the survival rate of Feld and the others will increase dramatically. It is necessary to be wary of Carla before that, but there should be no reason for her to be hostile to me here.
Carla wants to fight me. Carla wouldn’t want to fight for such a trivial reason either.
In a sense, I’m going to trust this guy’s madness, but I thought that was like us.
Besides… if I could read this guy’s principles of action, I wouldn’t have any trouble in the first place.
“Can I leave it to you?”
“To some extent. They don’t want to owe me a favor either, do they?”
At the end of Carla’s gaze, Feld and Nero were frowning with confusion and a bad feeling at the same time.
But, in the current situation, I was forced to understand that it was the best option. It should be difficult for Carla to defeat a hundred Undead alone without causing other damage, but if Feld and the others are there, it will be possible. I can believe in their survival and give it my all.
“Well, I’m going ahead. If you’re worried about me, you should finish it quickly.”
“…………”
That’s worrying in a different sense…
Still, I can believe in their survival and give it my all.
“—【Iron Rose】…【Real Breaker】—”
Let’s go… to Melrose.
Aria goes to Melrose.
Does Aria have a chance of winning by challenging alone? What is the meaning of Carla’s actions?
*The content has been changed, but please rest assured that it will not affect the plot.
Next time, the Undead Army.
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